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City Council Agenda
Item No. S34
December 13, 1999
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: General Services Director
SUBJECT: Street Tree Redesignation
Recommendation:
Overturn the decision of the Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Commission of December 7,
1999 and approve a change of designated street tree on Marine Avenue, Balboa Island,
from the Desert Gum tree to the Lemon Gum tree.
Background:
The City maintains a Street Tree Designation List in accordance with Council Policy G -6
(Maintenance and Planting of Parkway Trees), which identifies a specific tree species for
each street in the City. The purpose of the list is to promote uniformity in the treescapes
of the City.
When a request for a change of street tree designation is received, it is assessed and
processed by staff for review and approval by the Parks, Beaches and Recreation
Commission (PB &R). Staff averages 6 such requests on an annual basis.
During July 1999, seven Desert Gum trees were removed from the 200 -300 blocks of
Marine Avenue as a result of a hazardous assessment study that identified weak areas in
the trees. Upon removal, staff determined that the species was not an appropriate street
tree due to susceptibility to limb failure and internal rot.
On November 17, 1999, the attached letter was received from the Balboa Island
Improvement Association requesting a change of designated street tree from the Desert
Gum to the Lemon Gum for the 200 -300 blocks of Marine Avenue.
Staff evaluated the request, the availability of eucalyptus species, and forwarded the
attached agenda item to the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission for consideration
on December 7, 1999.
The Commission denied the request based on the undesirable characteristics of the Lemon
Gum.
Subsequently, the Mayor directed the reconsideration of the Commission decision be ,
placed on the Council agenda for December 13.
Discussion:
There are currently 34 trees in the parkways of the 200 -300 blocks of Marine Avenue.
All are eucalyptus trees as follows: Lemon Gum (23), Desert Gum (22), Silver Dollar
Gum (4), Spotted Gum (1), and Sugar Gum (1). A total of 7 Desert Gum trees were
removed as mentioned earlier.
The Lemon Gum was selected as the best alternative street tree due to problems
associated with the Desert Gum tree, a lack of availability of large eucalyptus trees in
general, and the desire to maintain a type of eucalyptus tree in the treescape of Marine
Avenue.
The Chairman of the PB &R Commission, Pat Beek, disagreed with the redesignation
request of the BIIA and staff's recommendation, based on the potential size of the Lemon
Gum and the limited growth space in the parkway. The Commission voted 3 -1 to deny
the request.
While the Commission is correct on the potential height (up to 100' in height when fully .
mature) and growth space limitations (Lemon Gum trees normally require a 8' -12'
parkway and Marine Avenue has a 3' growth space), the current inventory of Lemon
Gum trees have not reached the extreme height nor suffered from the size of the tree
wells. It is opined that the high salinity of the soil will retard the trees from reaching their
maximum height. Further, the Lemon Gum tree has been the only variety of eucalyptus
trees available in large sizes.
The BIIA is primarily interested in restoring the treescape of Marine Avenue. Because
eucalyptus trees have become susceptible to various vectors, locating large specimen trees
has become difficult. Staff has located and reserved 7 large Lemon Gum Trees for
installation into the existing tree wells. The trees are approximately 7 years old and are
14' — 16' tall. These are the largest trees available and will provide for the restoration of
the treescape. We expect the trees to grow well with either City or merchant irrigation.
Upon Council approval of the redesignation, staff plans installing the trees before the
holidays.
Very respectfully,
•David E. Niederhaus
DEN/kr
Attachment: PB & R Commission Agenda Item 5 of December 7, 1999
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PB &R Commission Agenda
Item No. 5 .
December 7, 1999
To: Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission
From: General Services Director
Subject: Street TreeRedesiguation
Recommendation
To approve the change of designated street tree on Marine Avenue, Balboa Island, from the
Desert Gum (Eucalyptus rudis) to the Lemon Gum Tree (Eucalyptus citriodora).
Discussion
Mr. Jack Callahan, President of the Balboa Island Improvement Association and the Balboa
Island Business Association contacted staff regarding the procedure to change the designated
street tree on Marine Avenue.
The Balboa Island Improvement Association submitted the attached letter dated November 17,
1999, formally requesting the change. Staff has no objection to the designation of the Lemon
Gum as it is a very desirable tree and would be an improvement to the business area.
Mr. Jack Callahan has received a copy of the staff report and a notice of the December 7
Commission meeting.
Very respectfully,
David E. Niederhaus
Attachment
P:\USERS\CSV\ME1dridgeMECEMBER 99\PBR- ManneAve.doc
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Carolyn S. Hutchison PHONE NO. : +449 +719 +0984 Nov. 23 1999 06:44PM P1
1
BALBOA ISLAND IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
90 BOX 64
BALBOA ISLAND. CALIFORNIA 92662
TELEPHONE (714) 675 -1773
November 23, 1999
Mr. David Niederhaus, General Services Director
City Of Newport Beach
3300 Newport Blvd.
Newport Beach, CA 92658 -8915
Mr. Niederhaus,
This letter is to confirm our support of the necessary change in the tree designation for Marine
Avenue to Lemon Gum. As President of both the Balboa Island Improvement Association and the
Balboa Island Business Association, we understand the need to make this change.
Thanks for your cooperation on this matter.
Sincerely,
J. F. Callahan Jr., President
BALBOA ISLAND IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
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Decemtl3, 1999
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Re, City Council Agenda Item No, S34
Street Tree Redesignation Recommendation
44
Dear Mayor Noyes and City Council memt*rs,
This is a letter of support for the Mayor's appeal of the PBR Commission decision of
December 7, !999.
I support the placement of Lemon Gum trees on Marine Ave_ ., as consistent with the
parkway treescape on the rest of the street.
Sincerely,
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Jan D. Vandersloot, M.D.
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