Title
Consider a resolution removing the monarch designation for seven trees located on the site of the proposed C.D. Fulkes Middle School Rebuild.
Body
This request, submitted by Jonathan Loiselle on behalf of Stantec, will remove the monarch tree designation from seven trees on the proposed C.D. Fulkes Middle School re-development site. The de-designation of the trees will allow them to be removed as part of the development process to accommodate a proposed new middle school, fire lane, track, football field, and parking lot. If approved by City Council, 222 tree inches must be mitigated.
A total of fourteen (14) healthy monarch trees, consisting of post oak and live oak species, currently exist on-site. With this request, six (6) monarch trees are proposed for removal and one (1) monarch tree is proposed for de-designation because of proposed encroachment within the critical root zone that exceeds the amount permitted by the Code. Should City Council approve this request, seven (7) monarch trees will remain on site. In accordance with Section 8-18 of the Code of Ordinances, removal of a monarch tree requires City Council to first remove the monarch designation from those trees; all monarch trees are listed below.
#700 - 31” Post Oak
#701 - 38” Post Oak
#703 - 25” Post Oak *Requested for removal
#711 - 37” Live Oak
#716 - 35” Post Oak
#718 - 28” Post Oak *Requested for removal
#720 - 41” Live Oak
#721 - 25” Post Oak *Requested for removal
#725 - 32” Post Oak
#742 - 41” Live Oak *Requested for removal
#744 - 41” Live Oak *Requested for de-designation
#749 - 50” Live Oak
#820 - 26” Post Oak *Requested for removal
#821 - 36” Live Oak *Requested for removal
Note: measurements are the diameter of the trunk at four and a half feet above ground level.
Trees #742 and #842 are requested for removal because they are located within the portion of the site that is proposed for the track and football field. The critical root zone of Tree #744, a 41” live oak, is impacted by the proposed track and will be retained, however the percentage of disturbance exceeds what is allowable and de-designation is requested. Tree # 820 is requested for removal to construct a required fire lane behind the proposed school building. The remainder of the trees that are requested for removal, trees #703, #718, and #721, will be impacted by modifications to the existing parking lot. The developer intends to preserve the remaining seven (7) monarch trees and has consulted with an arborist to ensure that the protection of those trees is overseen by the arborist throughout construction and compliant with best practices for tree care as well as the City’s tree protection requirements.
It is the purpose of the Code to preserve and incorporate the city's oldest growth trees into development projects. Planning and Development Services staff have a well-established record of working with developers in designing around these unique, uncommon trees while exercising flexibility to ensure development goals are met. The developer has worked diligently with staff to navigate the various constraints and requirements and has in several instances taken staff recommendations to revise parking spaces and drive aisles where possible to minimize encroachment within the critical root zones of the monarch trees that will be preserved as well as some large, protected trees that will continue to be a valuable amenity to the site. In this case, the need to retain the existing school building for student instruction until such time as the new school building is completed creates a practical difficulty for the developer; therefore, staff does not oppose the removal of the monarch trees identified above.