DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS BUREAU OF STREET SERVICES REPORT NO.1 Page 1 of 5. Date: October 7,2016 CD# 14

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS BUREAU OF STREET SERVICES REPORT NO.1 Page 1 of 5. Date: October 7,2016 CD# 14"

Collin Douglas
5 years ago
Views:

1 Page 1 of 5 Date: October 7,2016 CD# 14 Honorable Board of Public Work of the City of Los Angeles Commissioners: 700 THRU 900 BLOCK SOUTH LOS ANGELES STREET - BUREAU OF STREET SERVICES (BUREAU) REQUEST BOARD REVIEW AND APPROVE REQUEST FOR TREE REMOVAL BY CITY FORCES OF TEN INDIAN LAUREL FIG (FICUS MICROCARPA 'NITIDA') TREES AND TWO EVERGREEN PEAR (PYRUS KAWAKAMII) TREES FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE OFFGRADE PUBLIC SIDEWALK FOR THE FASHION DISTRICT STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT - PHASE II. TREE REPLACEMENTS ARE REQUIRED. RECOMMENDATION: That your Board: 1. FIND that the tree removal (1) classifies as operation, repair, maintenance or minor alteration of existing street, sidewalk, and gutter, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that previously existing; and does not involve the removal of a scenic resource; (2) that the action is exempt under Article III, Section 1, Class 1, Category 3 (existing facilities - sidewalk repair or maintenance) of the City of Los Angeles Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (2002); and (3) that none of the exceptions to the use of a categorical exemption as set forth in Section of the State CEQA Guidelines apply. 2. Review and approve this tree removal request by City forces of twelve trees for the reconstruction of offgrade sidewalks for the Fashion District Streetscape Improvement Project. Tree replacements are required. TRANSMITTALS: 1. Copy of fax sheet sent to Council office. 2. Service Request # Plans of scope of tree removals and replanting. 4. Photographs of the proposed tree removals. 5. Property owner's authorization for tree removal.

2 Page 2 of 5 CONDITION: The Bureau of Street Services (Bureau) shall plant twenty- one (21) 36-inch box size Brisbane Box (Lophostemon confertus) trees and five (5 ) 36-inch box Evergreen Pear (Pyrus kawakamii) trees. The locations of the Brisbane Box trees are: six (6) at 110 East 9 th Street on South Los Angeles Street two (2) at 940\944 South Los Angeles Street one (1 ) at 934 South Los Angeles Street two (2) at 926 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 910 South Los Angeles Street two (2) at 749 South Los Angeles Street one( 1) at 709 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 766 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 758 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 718 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 706/708 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 704 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 701 South Los Angeles Street. The locations for the Evergreen Pear trees on South Los Angeles Street are: one (1) at 839 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 837 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 833 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 821 South Los Angeles Street one (1 ) at 860 South Los Angeles Street These twenty- six (26) shall be planted to comply with the Board of Public Works 2:1 tree replacement policy. All trees shall be watered by the Business Improvement District (BID) for a minimal three year period. ALTERNATIVE METHODS AND OPTIONS EXPLORED: The size, species, and location of the trees negate the possibility of tree preservation or relocation.

Page 3 of 5 RECITAL: The Bureau of Street Services in collaboration with other City Departments is proposing to perform Streetscape Beautification and improvements within downtown Los Angeles'

3 Page 3 of 5 RECITAL: The Bureau of Street Services in collaboration with other City Departments is proposing to perform Streetscape Beautification and improvements within downtown Los Angeles' Fashion District. The Project is located on Los Angeles Street between Olympic Boulevard and 7th Street, will provide streetscape improvements to the Fashion District's core. The Project will include sidewalk improvements, access ramps, landscape bump-outs, pedestrian lighting, 26 new trees, custom tree grates, and street furniture. The project is funded through the 2007 Metro Call for Projects, with a total construction budget of $1.7 million, and is intended to improve pedestrian access to regionally significant bus stops for businesses and residences in the Fashion District, creating a direct link with the previously constructed Fashion District Streetscape Phase I improvements along Olympic Blvd and Santee Alley, approved in 2001 Call for Projects, which provides similar pedestrian improvements within the Fashion District's core area. The recent real estate phenomenon of converting more commercial space within the Fashion District and adjacent downtown areas to mixed-use residential-commercial properties has led to higher around the clock population densities and their corresponding traffic concerns in this area, hence the need to encourage people to leave their cars behind and utilize public transportation in this area has never been greater. The project has been designed, and will be constructed by the City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Street Services and is co-sponsored by the Fashion District Business Improvement District (BID). Their involvement has been instrumental during both the design and construction phases of the project. The BID has been an active partner in the design phase and is the primary mechanism for community outreach and participation. The proposed project and sidewalk repair is expected to severely impact twelve street trees. An Urban Forestry Division Arborist inspected the subject location on February 17, The inspection revealed ten fair condition Indian Laurel Fig (Ficus microcarpa) trees measuring an average of twenty inches diameter by thirty feet in height and two Evergreen Pear (Pyrus kawakamii) trees measuring ten inches in diameter by fifteen feet in height will be impacted by the project. The proposed tree removals are located at: 701, 709, 736, 758, 765, 766, 768, 822, 829, 837, 839 South Los Angeles Street; and 1010 East 9 th Street on Los Angeles Street. The trees are growing in four feet tree wells, have out grown their growing space provided, and are creating an off grade condition. The roots and root crowns from the subject trees have significantly contributed to the defective condition of the public sidewalk. Due to the minimal tree well size, the required root pruning on three sides of the trees would significantly and adversely affect the trees' health and root structural integrity leaving them potentially unstable. Sidewalk reconstruction will require removal of the twelve trees.

4 Page 4 of 5 CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) The Bureau of Street Service finds the tree removal (1) classifies as operation, repair, maintenance or minor alteration of existing street, sidewalk, and gutter, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that previously existing; and does not involve the removal of a scenic resource; (2) that the action is exempt under Article III, Section 1, Class 1, Category 3 (existing facilities - sidewalk repair or maintenance) of the City of Los Angeles Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (2002); and (3) that none of the exceptions to the use of a categorical exemption as set forth in Section of the State CEQA Guidelines apply. The CEQA Guidelines for Street Tree Removal and Replacement were used in making this finding and are on file with the Bureau and available to the public upon request. The subject tree removals were physically posted on February 25, 2016 Council District Office 14 Deputy Nate Hayward, was informed of the proposed tree removals September 16, The Council office will notify the Bureau of any tree removal objections received prior to the Board hearing this matter. Business Improvement District (BID) was informed of the proposed tree removals. The BID will notify the Bureau of any tree removal objections received prior to the Board hearing this matter. Proposed tree removal was also placed on the BSS Tree Removal Notification System. The Community Forest Advisory Committee was notified. The Bureau of Street Service shall plant twenty- one (21) 36-inch box size Brisbane Box (Lophostemon confertus) trees and five (5 ) 36-inch box Evergreen Pear (Pyrus kawakamii) trees. The locations of the Brisbane Box trees are: six (6) at 110 East 9 th Street on South Los Angeles Street two (2) at 940\944 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 934 South Los Angeles Street two (2) at 926 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 910 South Los Angeles Street two (2) at 749 South Los Angeles Street one( 1 ) at 709 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 766 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 758 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 718 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 706/708 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 704 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 701 South Los Angeles Street.

5 Page 5 of 5 The locations for the Evergreen Pear trees on South Los Angeles Street are: one (1) at 839 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 837 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 833 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 821 South Los Angeles Street one (1) at 860 South Los Angeles Street These twenty- six (26) shall be planted to comply with the Board of Public Works 2:1 tree replacement policy. All trees shall be watered by the Business Improvement District (BID) for a minimal three year period. The applicant has been advised of the recommendations contained in this report. (TT --G S---NS) Prepared by: Urban Forestry Division Ext rot N RIO SAUCEDA, DIRECTOR GS:TT/HB:kl S:\Board Reports\2016 Board Reports\ Fashion District Phase 22016

STREET TREES AND THE SAFE SIDEWALKS LA SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM

STREET TREES AND THE SAFE SIDEWALKS LA SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM Ron Lorenzen Assistant Director Bureau of Street Services APRIL 19, 2017 Department of Public Works Assembled a Broad Coalition Team 2 Why