Laserfiche WebLink
Tree Report. December 7, 2020. <br />Hidden Canyon (Lester property). Ponderosa Homes. <br />HortScience I Bartlett Consulting <br />Page 7 <br />We consider trees with high suitability for preservation to be the best candidates for <br />preservation. We do not normally recommend retention of trees with low suitability for <br />preservation in areas where people or property will be present. Retention of trees with <br />moderate suitability for preservation depends upon the intensity of proposed site <br />changes. <br />Evaluation of Impacts and Recommendations for Action <br />Appropriate tree retention develops a practical match between the location and intensity <br />of construction activities and the quality and health of trees. The tree assessment was <br />the reference points for tree condition and quality. Impacts from the proposed project <br />were assessed using the preliminary grading and utility plan (dated June 13, 2019) and <br />the preliminary Dublin Canyon Road striping plan with signal (dated November 9, 2020), <br />both prepared by RJA Associates, project engineers. Tree canopy outlines and some <br />tree trunk locations were included on both plans. <br />With respect to the overall project, site development occurs in two areas. First, 29 new <br />homes will be constructed on the west portion of the site. This area will be accessed <br />from two new entries (Streets A and B) off Dublin Canyon Blvd. There were 67 trees in <br />this area of the project. Most of these trees were native such as coast live oak, valley <br />oak and Calif. bay. Some non-natives such as blue gum were also present. <br />The second major area of development is located on the very east portion of the site. <br />Two lots are planned for this area. A new access road and parking area for the East Bay <br />Regional Park District property will be constructed. There were 104 trees in this area. <br />Within the existing residential properties were non-native, landscape trees. Native <br />species including coast live oak and Calif. bay were fo4nd along the existing access road. <br />A grove of 14 tree of heaven trees were located at the end of the access road near <br />Parcel C. <br />In addition, improvements are planned for sections of Dublin Canyon Road. A traffic <br />signal is proposed at the intersection with Canyon Meadows Drive and the headwall on <br />the southside of the Devaney Creek crossing will be relocated. This requires that Dublin <br />Canyon Road be widened on the south side in the location of trees #64, 65, 66, 67, and <br />172 to 207. <br />Impacts to trees could occur in a variety of ways. First, demolition of existing <br />improvements such as buildings and infrastructure may directly damage tree roots and <br />crowns. As significantly, grading and other construction activities may also damage <br />trees, through both direct mechanical injury and indirectly by altering drainage. <br />Based on my assessment of the proposed plan and evaluation of the 208 trees, I <br />recommend preservation of 147 trees (64 Heritage) and removal of 61 (24 Heritage) <br />(Table 3, following page). Among trees recommended for preservation are six trees <br />noted as "preserve?" (coast live oaks #62, 64, 66, 67; willow #65; valley oak #18). These <br />six trees were located close to the edge of grading. A final decision on their retention or <br />removal should be made once the limits of grading are staked in the field. <br />Fourteen (14) of the 49 trees recommended for removal were tree of heaven, a very <br />invasive species. This group of trees was concentrated near the end of the EBRPD <br />access road.