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The Vineyard Avenue Corridor Specific Plan requires that asite-specific management plan be <br />prepared for the open space area. The purpose of the plan is to address the long-term <br />maintenance requirements of these areas, including fire prevention measures. The developer <br />plans to use a plan similar to the management plan for the "Clara Lane" development by <br />Vineyard Avenue. This plan requires the entire area to be mowed annually and a 30 foot wide <br />irrigated strip of native plant material to be planted between the open space area and domestic <br />landscaping. <br />Tree Report <br />A tree report by IIortScience dated "Received May 18, 2006" has been prepared for the project. <br />Of the 27 trees on the project site, 2 Monterey Pines are classified as being heritage trees <br />according to the standards established by the City's heritage tree ordinance. All of the trees are <br />on Lot 1 and were planted as domestic landscaping around the existing home. None of the trees <br />on site-Italian Stone Pine, Yucca, Coast Redwood, Monterey Pine, Cypress, Fruitless <br />Mulberry, Gallery Pear, Evergreen Pear, and Raywood Ash are native species. <br />The arborist conducted a visual assessment of the site and found that 11 of the trees were in poor <br />condition, 8 of the trees were in fair condition, and 8 of the trees were in good condition. Nine <br />trees are proposed to be removed as part of the project. In regard to the existing trees, staff has <br />added two recommended conditions of approval first, that to the extent feasible both heritage <br />trees shall be retained; and second, that to the extent feasible all existing trees between the <br />proposed home on Lot 1 and the southern property line be retained. The applicants have agreed <br />to these conditions of approval. Staff notes that the trees may need to be removed, if upon <br />further geotechnical study it is determined that additional existing Iill on Lot 1 needs to be <br />removed and compacted to make the lot safe from a geotechnical perspective. If this is the case, <br />staff has added a recommended condition of approval that all trees removed, which were <br />originally required to be preserved, shall be replaced with at least two 24" box native non- <br />deciduous species, and that the applicant pay the value of the removed tree, minus the cost of the <br />replacement trees, to the City's Urban Forestry Fund. <br />Landscaping <br />The Vineyard Avenue Corridor Specific Plan includes specific guidelines for new landscaping <br />in the plan area. The guidelines include the following requirements: street tree plantings along <br />the new streets are to be informal, with randomly-spread clusters to establish a visually pleasing <br />transition to the natural surroundings; and dense natural groupings of medium and large sized <br />deciduous and evergreen trees should be planted along local streets; and the use of exotic (non- <br />native) plant materials should be compatible with the natural setting and confined to the close <br />proximity of the homes. <br />The applicants are proposing non-native deciduous trees. Staff has added a recommended <br />condition of approval that the street landscaping plan match that of the "Clara Lane" project by <br />Case No. PUD-56 Planning Commission <br />Page - 9 - <br />