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Uploaded: Thursday, October 29, 2009, 9:52 AM

Commission urges caution on tree replanting
Palo Alto should consider its broad vision for California Avenue before replacing trees, planning commission says

by Gennady Sheyner
Palo Alto Online Staff

Posted by kfarad, a resident of the Fairmeadow neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 10:07 am

Now that the emotions have calmed, I kinda like walking down Cali av and seeing the hills so clear....

Posted by Howard, a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 10:37 am

I second that comment. I went over to Cal. Ave. shortly after the hysteria, and didn't feel like anything was missing. Plant the trees or don't plant them, it makes little difference. But stop wasting time and energy whining about the decision to cut them down, or trying to come up with the perfect plan to replace them.

Posted by Hate Indecision, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 11:02 am

Ho hum the Palo Alto process!! City staff have already said that if a decision isn't made soon so they can order the trees; tree planting on California Avenue will be delayed until next year.

I guess the P & T Commission didn't hear this, and is living up to it's vaunted reputation of creating endless delays. Why do we have Commissions that can't make decisions?

California Avenue is in danger of falling into a morass of indecision, and passing the buck to the next Commission. Lets hope the City Council can bring this to an end and make a decision soon so the trees can be planted this year.

Posted by Old Professor, a resident of the Professorville neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 11:26 am

I agree totally with Hate Indecision. To do their best the replacement trees should be planted at the beginning of winter so they can take advantage of the rain and cool weather to develop a healthy root system before the stress of summer. If they aren't selected and ordered soon the window will pass and we'll have to wait until next year.

As for their lack of expertise, I expect the members of the planning commission to use Google like everyone else and do a little research on their own about the merits of the trees proposed. It's true that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but no knowledge at all is unacceptable in this day and age.

I do not understand the business owners' fixation on evergreens. In the summer it's nice to have shade. But in the winter I (and most people) vastly prefer the sunshine. Who wants shade when it's 50 degrees out?

Posted by Hate Uninformed Posts, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 11:37 am

Indecision: Were you even listening to the PTC meeting? First, there was no "decision" made, rather only advice given. Second, the PTC members were very thoughtful in giving suggestions on ways to mitigate the impacts of the loss of the trees while trying to maintain flexibility for future enhancements. All of the PTC members were very supportive of moving forward with a project that not only tries to minimize the impacts of the tree loss, but goes further and enhances this important business district. Their concern seemed to be that this be done in a way that does justice to Cal Ave. I wonder what Cal Ave merchants and land owners would say if they were given a choice between planting a bunch of trees NOW, versus having a comprehensive plan that truly enhances the character of the district for the next 40 years?

Posted by private sector, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 11:37 am

as a builder if i had chopped down 63 trees without the proper permits (waiting period) the fine would have been $31,500.-

if they are going to take time to look at the big picture then we should plant deciduous trees down the middle of the street for farmers market shade during the summer

(note there will be enough room as the plan is to eliminate one lane of traffic each direction)

the market did not exist when the first plan was developed

Posted by mh, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 11:45 am

I haven't met one person who doesn't hate the way California Avenue looks without trees.

The PT&C have got it all wrong.

Let's plant the trees and work the rest of the street scape around the trees, not the other way around.

No amount of street level landscaping will attract customers as will a canopy of trees providing a mix of summer shade and protection from the wind and rain in winter.

Money is limited so no hardscape changes are going to take place (wider sidewalks etc.), just benches and bike racks for heavens sake.

Maybe the landscaping firm that has been engaged would prefer a long-term contract?

Posted by The Market, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 11:48 am

Yeah, I was stunned when they asked the landscape architect how he was dealing with the farmers market, and it was clear that he did not even know about the market! I hear that this firm is supposed to be very good, but the kid doing the presentation at the meeting was clearly out of his league! C'mon Palo Alto, let's get this right!

Posted by mj, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 12:11 pm

The business owners are not fixated on evergreens. And why choose between a monoculture of all evergreens or all deciduous?

Why not have a have a mix of trees, perhaps two-thirds deciduous for summer shade and fall color, and one third evergreen for some winter color so the street won't look so bleak in the winter.

The outside tree experts (Barrie Coates and Dave Muffly) who were consulted and have years of specialized knowledge, are very cognizant of the need for careful placement of deciduous where winter light and sun are needed, and those spots that could take an evergreen. They have thoughtfully recommended species that would be the right size and thrive in what is a very harsh growing environment, which includes natives where possible. They have selected trees that would provide an absolutely spectacular sequential show of early, mid, and late fall color that would last right through into the holiday season.

Lack of tree knowledge by Public Works is exactly what has got us into this situation, and landscapers brought in are NOT tree experts, especially where the really difficult growing conditions imposed on street trees is concerned.

Listen to the experts and let's get some trees in before the planting window of opportunity (November) is passed and we have to wait until next fall to do start

remedying this horrible situation.

Posted by mj, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 12:12 pm

I was at the public meeting on October 22 when the newly appointed landscaper was asked to do the presentation. His ignorance was revealing!

Posted by Irvin, a resident of the University South neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 12:56 pm

can someone comment on the role of Planning Commission in 'approving' the deforestation of Cal' Ave....I assume the plan may have gone to them...or do I assume wrong?

Posted by energyman, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 1:05 pm

I rode around Cal Ave and cant see much difference with or without trees. It would be nice though, to have places to sit in shade during our increasingly warm days where one can bring a sandwich and get a break from an office cubicle. How about combining a human friendly streetscape by blocking Cal Ave traffic during lunch hour, say from 11:30 to 1:30? Now that would create a destination.

Posted by mj, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 1:29 pm

Irvin,

No this was not reviewed by the P&TC before chopping. It was an agenda item on the Architectural Board's meeting for the week AFTER they were cut down. The Agenda item was actually published in the local paper a few days after they had already been cut down!

Public Works also ignored the required 14 day public notice so the public could could comment. The order was issued on either the Wednesday or Thursday and the contractor started cutting the following Monday morning.

Because the tree cutting and planting was part of the overall California Avenue landscaping plan (new benches, garbage cans, bike racks, etc.) Public Works was supposed to have this entire project signed off by the P&TC (and also the City Council too I think) before proceeding.

Because the actual budget portion for the tree cutting was below a certain $ cut-off point that does not require approval outside of Public Works, protocol was ignored and Public Works signed the order for the work to begin.

This looks like just be a typical example of city management ignoring the residents and doing what they want, except this time it was done in a very visible manner and everyone noticed!

Posted by robit noops, a resident of the Greenmeadow neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 1:53 pm

Well, the days are shortening and getting cooler so maybe people arent noticing as much that there ARE NO TREES ON CALIFORNIA AVE. Just because people have calmed down doesnt blow off the issue that someone screwed up and cut all the trees, and the city has a responsibility to remedy this in a timely manner.

Posted by Dismayed G'ma, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 4:52 pm

I distinctly remember reading in one of our newspapers several weeks before it happened that the trees on California Ave. were going to be removed. One other person I spoke with also remembered that. Nothing has ever been mentioned about that fact by anyone. I remember thinking at the time that it would "never happen" due to the "Palo Alto process", but evidently the "squeaky wheel(s)" I was expecting to surface weren't in town. Lesson learned. Next time maybe I should speak up, but I'm not that brave to buck the system.

Posted by mj, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2009 at 5:27 pm

To Dismayed Grandmother,

Several years ago there was a plan to landscape California Avenue and the City or CADA applied for a grant to pay for this. The grant did not come through so the plan was put on hold. This was in reported in the Palo Alto Weekly. According to a Canopy member, part of this original plan included gradually replacing the existing trees. Perhaps that is what you are remembering?

Posted by zanon, a resident of the Esther Clark Park neighborhood, on Oct 30, 2009 at 7:53 am

I think we should declare a monotorium on planting trees on californai ave for 10 year and hire several teams of consultants to come up with recommendations.

As we can see from the rest of palo alto, we only get good decisions after decades of deliberations, and teams of consultants.

Posted by Irvin, a resident of the University South neighborhood, on Oct 30, 2009 at 11:20 am

thank you, mj, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, who wrote:

Irvin,

No this was not reviewed by the P&TC before chopping. It was an agenda item on the Architectural Board's meeting for the week AFTER they were cut down. The Agenda item was actually published in the local paper a few days after they had already been cut down! ....(see above for full statement).

So, mj, it looks like this was pretty much in the hands of Public Works?????

One more question, what was the role of the city arborist....if he couldn't stop this blatant tree destruction, why have an arborist?

Posted by Ann, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Oct 30, 2009 at 12:05 pm

Irvine: "what was the role of the city arborist." The City has two arborists which one are you referring to?

Posted by Carol, a resident of another community, on Oct 30, 2009 at 4:51 pm

I am appalled at the treeless streets in downtown Palo Alto. It is a disaster and looks like a third world country instead of a beautiful shady city. Who in the world got permission to do that? In Los Gatos you would be hung by sundown if you touched one tree and I venture to say you lost 50 or more trees. I don't care if I ever go there again as it is the ugliest thing I have seen. Someone has rocks for brains.

Posted by Irvin, a resident of the University South neighborhood, on Nov 1, 2009 at 9:36 am

thanks, Ann...it just keeps getting worse.

So, the city employs not one, but 2 arborists, and neither prevented the tree carnage???????

Isn't that like having a school with teachers and the kids don't learn to read?

Posted by John, a resident of the Meadow Park neighborhood, on Nov 1, 2009 at 11:19 pm

Yes, I like looking down Cal ave and seeing the hills and sky and all the buildings. In fact the two city arborists should declare all the trees in the city as "diseased" and have Atlas clear cut the entire city. That way we won't have pesky trees in our sitelines. No leaves to mess with and no pesky acorns to trip over.

Posted by To Irvin, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 2, 2009 at 1:18 am

There are two arborists. Dave Docktor, the Planning Arborists, had nothing to do with removal of the California Avenue trees. His job is trees on developments occurring on private property.

Eric Krebs, the Public Works arborist, is in charge of street trees. As street trees, these are his area.

Posted by Give Trees a Chance, a resident of another community, on Nov 2, 2009 at 8:37 am

"All we are saying is give trees a chance!"

Posted by Fines are Educational, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Nov 2, 2009 at 9:08 pm

Who is going to be fined for illegally cutting these trees? I am certain if you cut protected trees on your own Palo Alto property there would be hell to pay, unless you are a political insider e.g. the 2326 Hanover street tree. Fines serve as a clear form of communication, and this situation warrants them.