SR 06:201 - Laserfiche WebLink

The geotechnical report will also be peer reviewed by a qualified consulting geotechnical engineer reporting to the City. A condition of approval requires that the peer review be completed prior to City Council review of the development plan. If necessary, new conditions of approval will be added to address any comments made by the consulting engineer. Utilities A utility plan has not been submitted at this juncture. A condition of approval requires a utility plan be submitted for City Council approval as part of its review of the PUD development plan. Tree Removal and Mitigation A preliminary tree report has been prepared that specifies the species, size, health, and suitability for preservation ("retention index") of the existing trees on the site that exceed six- inches in diameter. A tree removal plan has also been provided. A total of 32 trees would need to be removed to grade the building pads on the single-family lots, including 12 "heritage-sized" trees (i.e., a tree which measures 35 feet or greater in height or which measures 55 inches or greater in circumference). Tree species to be removed include blue oak, California buckeye, Canary Island pine, eucalyptus, and Australian willow. In addition, the applicant is proposing to remove six trees for aesthetic reasons. A tree replacement plan will be prepared to mitigate the trees that are removed. A final tree report will also be prepared that discusses the effects of the proposed development on the trees and recommendations for any special precautions necessary for their preservation. A condition of approval requires that the tree replacement plan and final tree report be submitted for City Council approval as part of its review of the PUD development plan. The tree replacement plan has been conditioned to conform to the tree replacement requirements of the Specific Plan. Furthermore, unless a tree is dead, poses a safety risk, or would improve the health of the woodland, staff believes that trees should not be removed for aesthetic reasons. In the past, the Planning Commission has attempted to discourage tree loss in developments by adding an extra requirement to contribute some measure of the value of such lost trees to the City's Urban Forestry Fund. The arborist has valued the trees to be removed for the single- family pad/lot grading at $64,568 (staff notes that six trees with "poor" ratings received a value of zero dollars). The arborist has valued the trees to be removed for the City water tank and tank road at $82,459 (note: three of the tank trees to be removed, nos. 150-152, were not appraised). The value of the 18 additional trees that may need to be removed for the tank road is $66,969. Staff's recommendation is to mitigate tree removal for the tank, access road, and single-family pad/lot grading by on site tree revegetation at the 6: 1 ratio specified in the Specific Plan. The Page -16