TR-2011-21b OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CITY HALL
10300 TORRE AVENUE • CUPERTINO, CA 95014-3255
C U P E RT I N O (408) 777-3308 • FAX (408) 777-3333 • planninq C�3cuqertino.orq
June 6, 2011
Cindy Cheng
Cupertino Investment Partners
1975 Hamilton Avenue #33
San Jose, CA 95125
SUBJECT: TREE REMOVAL PERMIT ACTION LETTER — Application TR-2011-21:
This letter confirms the decision of the Director of Community Development, given on June 6, 2011,
approving a tree removal permit to remove two (2) Evergreen Pear trees at 10055 North Portal Avenue
with the following conditions:
1. APPROVED PROTECT
The approval is based on the arborist report prepared by Michael L. Bench on April 26, 2011,
except as may be amended by conditions in this resolution.
2. TREE REPLACEMENTS
The applicant shall be required to plant four (4) 24-inch box Fruitless Olive trees on the property
in accordance with the City's Protected Tree Ordinance. The trees shall be planted prior to final
occupancy of building permit no. 10080078 (Use Permit U-2009-09-- Kiddie Academy).
3. NOTICE OF FEES, DEDICATIONS, RESERVATIONS OR OTHER EXACTIONS
The Conditions of Project Approval set forth herein may include certain fees, dedication
requirements, reservation requirements, and other exactions. Pursuant to Government Code
Section 66020(d) (1), these Conditions constitute written notice of a statement of the amount of
such fees, and a description of the dedications, reservations, and other exactions. You are hereby
further notified that the 90-day approval period in which you may protest these fees, dedications,
reservations, and other exactions, pursuant to Government Code Section 66020(a), has begun. If
you fail to file a protest within this 90-day period complying with all of the requirements of
Section 66020, you will be legally barred from later challenging such exactions.
,�
Staff has made the findings necessary to grant the tree removal permit in accordance with Section
14.18.180 of the Protected Trees Ordinance.
Sincerely,
George Schroeder, Assistant Planner
408-777-7601, georges@cupertino.org
CC: Angelo Traina,10055 N. Portal Ave, Cupertino, CA 95014
Evaluation of Trees at the Kiddie Academy, 19875 Stevens Creek BLvd., Cupertino, CA
Assignment
I was asked by Mr. George Schroeder, Planner, City of Cupertino, to evaluate the trees and
plants for screening at the Kiddie Academy, 19875 Stevens Creek Boulevard, Cupertino,
California. Specifically Mr. Schroeder asked that I address the following three four areas:
• Recommend measures to address the roots growing into the future parking/playground Page � 1
area without harnung the trees.
• Evaluate whether existing tree screening by the future playground is sufficient.
• Assess trees visually in need of inunediate remediation measures.
• Recommendations for replacement trees for the trees requiring removal to allow the
reciprocal access driveways at the rear.
The plans provided for this evaluation are: (1) The I�7igation Plan, Sheet L-2, dated 09-22-10;
and (2) the Planting Plan, Sheet L-1, dated 9-22-10. These plans were prepared by prepared by
Wilson and Associates, Landscape Architects, Berkeley, California.
Observations
The existing trees are identified on the Planting Plan, and for this reason, I shall not i•epeat the
entire list, but I will refer to them as it appears appropriate to address the assigned topics.
West Side
There is a row of Evergreen ash trees (also called Shamel ash) or Fraxi�zus ulidei, along the west
side property boundary on the neighboring property. The roots of some of these trees are lifting
the paving on this property. Although these trees are good size, approximately 30 feet in height,
they are still relatively young and can be expected to reach heights of 60-80 feet. Their ti
cur�ently measure between 12 and 18 inches in diameter, but they commonly have ti
diameters of 30 to 40 inches in diameter at maturity. The Fraxi�ius ulzdei species commonly
causes significant infrastructure damage as they mature. Thus, the paving damage on this
propei�ty is currently fairly nunor compared to the damage that is likely to occur in the future.
— �. _ . >:.�°- - ._. T � .- . .. -... ' . .
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Prepared by Michael L. Bench, Consulting Arborist April 26, 2011
Evaluation of Trees at the Kiddie Academy, 19875 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA
Procedure for Treatment of Roots Which Heave Paving
Small roots (approximately 1 inch in diameter or smaller) that lift the paving can usually be
severed and removed without significant damage to the tree. Medium roots (approximately 2
inches in diameter) should not be severed unless approved by a qualified arborist). Large roots (3
inches in diameter or larger) must not be severed. Instead large roots may be treated as follows:
1. Excavate the top half of roots, which are heaving paving, with a specialized tool called an Page � 2
air spade, designed to remove the soil without damaging the root.
2. Shave approximately 1 inch off of the top of the most severely elevated area of the root
(each root must be assessed individually for this procedure).
3. Install a steel plate over the shaved root secured to the root with large screws.
4. Re — pave directly over the root, often resulting in a slight raised area of the paving.
After this procedure, the root should grow horizontally like a pancake instead of growing round.
This procedure has been in use for a few years by the City of Sunnyvale and the City of
Mountain View. Trees typically survive in good condition usually adding 15-20 years of service
life.
This type of "repair" should be expected to accelerate as these Evergreen ash trees mature.
Screening On the West Side �
The Evergreen ash (Fraxi�zus uhdei) is not as evergreen as its name would suggest. It is usually
semi-deciduous in this area depending on the severity of each winter. Thus, the screening will
usually be significantly reduced in the winter most years.
One or two of these Evergreen ash will require removal to construct the reciprocal access
driveway on the back side (north side of the property).
Between the Evergreen ash trees there are oleander shrubs (Nerium oleander), which are
evergreen. In my opinion, their performance ranges between fair to poor on average, and their
screening function mimics their performance. The causes appear to be as follows:
l. These shrubs are competing in very confined spaces with very aggressive trees.
2. These shrubs naturally grow about 15-20 feet wide, but are pruned to grow about 4 feet
wide, which results in few leaves on lower branches.
3. The Nerium oleander species can survive in the shade, as is the case here, but they need
full sun to thrive and become dense specimens. The plants will not be as dense and as
vigorous as they are capable due to the shade.
4. It appears that the irrigation functions only on the ends of the row of trees (at the north
and the south ends). Non-irrigated trees and shrubs of these species will be fairly sparse.
These conditions reduce their performance for screening. If these plants were better irrigated,
fertilized, and pi more from the top and less from the sides, they should be more dense.
It should be noted that Nerium oleaitder is a poisonous plant. The Kiddie Academy will serve
small children, who tend to put things in their mouths unaware of the risk.
Prepared by Michael L. Bench, Consulting Arborist April 26, 2011
Evaluation of Trees at the Kiddie Academy, 19875 Stevens Creek BLvd., Cupertino, CA
East Side
There are 5 flowering pear trees (Pyrus calleryana) and one small coast redwood tree (Sequoia
sempervirens) in a row on the neighboring property toward the east. Between these trees, young
tree form oleanders (Neriu»z oleander) have been planted.
The flowering pear trees have dense canopies and are very healthy, but their sti are poor Page � 3
By "structure" I refer to their ability to remain standing, which in this case is good, and to their
ability to maintain all of their limbs without splitting apai from the parent stems as they mature.
The attaclunents of the limbs of these 5 trees have poor to extremely poor structure.
The tree seen in this photo has the worst branching
sti of the trees at this site, but all of the 5
flowering pear trees have this weakness, which is
�-��� �a F:, � .�r �= rv �� called co-dominant stems with imbedded bark. This
a: � � , ...
� � � � : n�` , . "' , r , " � - structure is inherently weak, because each of these
,��,� ��` � i:, x y
�:�` r � �._ ; Y., �,;.� ., stems is growing in diameter as they put a new
" `�`' � �, growth ring each year. These limbs are literally
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��� t:{�.. ; ��s .�. 3°� r. _ 4� pus hing against eac h ot her. T he pressure between the
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� -- � �,� �" �� � '� `'�� : limbs increases with each new growth ring.
� , �� �, � � . �
,� �., t= � �,... F� �� Eventually one or more limbs will split apai and
�`� �` :�� "F � 4 y =�,- fall. This could have been coi7 ected by proper
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k- -�y. r�,�� ' °. i. � ,.� �` � pruning when the trees were young, but corrective
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��'�"�°'�'�'� �'�� �` ��''�� �'��`�'�,,�'���'� pruning at this point would be too severe.
�'�'�'��""��,�; �w�'��,; .-:�� ��. �,�,�,�'�� . ,.
��- 1, ��A, , t�.:�, � I consider all 5 of these trees to be moderatel
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Screening on the East Side
The flowering pear trees (Pyrus calleryana) are deciduous, and, thus, provide good screening in
the growing months (typically March-October), but poor screening in the winter months
(typically November-February). Also, they provide little screening below 6-8 feet even during
the growing months.
„
�� Between the flowering pear trees there are oleander shrubs (Neriuj�z oleandej which are � �
evergreen. However, these have been trained to have a single ti which is unnatural for the
species, to look like little trees. As such, they provide nunimal screening below 5 feet. It appears
that this defeats the pui of attempting to create a screen where small children would be
playing.
The fact that these oleander sluuUs are primarily in shade, they will have the saine performance
de�ciencies as the established oleander shrubs on the west side of the site, except for the fact
that the flowering pear trees are less aggressive than evergreen ash.
Prepared by Michael L. Bench, Consulting Arborist April 26, 2011
Evaluation of Trees at the Kiddie Academy, 19875 Stevens Creek BLvd., Cupertino, CA
Again, it should be noted that Nerium oleander is a poisonous plant. The Kiddie Academy will
serve small children, who tend to put things in their mouths unaware of the risk. I personally
would remove the oleander shrubs on the east side, despite the fact that they have been recently
planted.
Page � 4
I recommend a double row of Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) to be planted along the
east side property boundary to create a screen. This species can tolerate the shade and remain
dense. However, to perform as a dense screen, they would require:
• Proper planting with a generous quantity of organic matter mixed in the soil to a depth of
about 12 inches. Most landscapers will not do this unless they are paid additionally about
their standard planting rate.
• Properly irrigated weekly, but two times per week in the hot periods.
• Fertilized with a balanced formula once per year.
� Properly pruned once per year. Most landscape companies do not know how to prune this
plant.
Trees in Need of Immediate Remediation
All of the trees located in the front of the property along Stevens Creek Boulevard are suffering
from drought stress. The flowering pear trees are very weak. One of the Raywood ash trees
(Fraxinus oxycarpa `Raywood') has branch tip die-back as a result of drought stress.
It appears that this site has been neglected for a few years. It will be essential to activate the
ii system or to install a new irrigation system to the trees at the front of the property if
they would be expected to recover. The turf irrigation alone is not sufficient for the trees, which
need deep water (penetration of the soil to a depth of 15-18 inches). I recommend deep irrigation
weekly for an entire year, then every 2 weeks thereafter.
Replacement Trees for the Reciprical Access Driveway
I recommend that the replacement specimens be one of the following species:
• London plane (Platanus acerifolia `Yarwood' or `Columbia')
• Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia)
• Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
• Fruitless olive (Olea europea)
If properly planted, most any species will require irrigation for a minimum of 3 years to
esta�lish. a�
Respectfully submitted,
� �_
Michael L. Bench, Consulting Arborist
International Society of Arboriculture Certification # 1897
American Society of Consulting Arborists Member
Prepared by Michael L. Bench, Consulting Arborist April 26, 2011
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