HomeMy Public PortalAboutPublic Comment #15 (Tahoe Area Sierra Club Attachment #2)RANDALL FRIZZELL & ASSOCIATES
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Tree & Vegetation Consultants
_____________________________________________________________________________
PO Box 1949, Nevada City 95959-2507, Phone /Fax (530) 265-4469
Email: rf@randallfrizzell.com
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XL INC. A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION
April
5,
2013
Jenna
Endres
Associate
Planner
Town
of
Truckee
Town
Council
c/o
Truckee
Community
Development
Department
10183
Truckee
Airport
Road
Truckee,
CA
96161
RE:
Tahoe
Donner
Association
Marina
Facility
Project
12-‐020/AM
ND-‐DP-‐UP
Dear
Ms.
Endres,
I
was
asked
to
review
the
tree
removal
information
and
site
plans
for
the
Tahoe
Donner
Marina
project.
As
part
of
my
assignment
I
visited
the
site
once
on
March
31,
2013.
Based
on
this
one
site
visit,
in
which
I
assessed
all
of
the
numbered
and
lettered
trees
noted
on
the
site
plans,
and
a
review
of
the
development
plans,
I
conclude
that
a
number
of
adverse
impacts
to
the
existing
trees
on
site
will
occur
if
the
plans
are
implemented
as
is.
My
concerns
and
conclusions
are
outlined
in
this
letter.
After
visiting
the
site
once
and
reviewing
the
site
plans
I
have
concluded
the
landscape
design
will
require
a
high
degree
of
alteration
to
the
existing
site
including:
1. The
removal
of
approximately
19
mature
trees
and
many
young
Jeffrey
pines
of
various
sizes
under
6”
dbh.
2.
Injurious
impacts
to
the
root
protection
zones
of
21
mature
trees
(A-‐U)
designated
for
protection.
There
is
also
another
mature
pine
with
no
number
located
10’
north
of
“K”
that
will
also
sustain
injurious
impacts.
The
impacts
include:
a.
Grading
to
install
terraces,
walkways,
and
stairs
as
well
as
preparing
the
ground
for
widespread
planting
of
groundcovers
and
possibly
the
new
lawn
b.
Digging
footings
for
walls
c.
Trenching
for
the
installation
of
irrigation
pipes
and
electrical
conduit
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Randall Frizzell & Associates . Tree & Vegetation Consultants
d.
Moving
large
rocks
A
list
of
the
potential
impacts
for
each
tree
are
listed
in
Appendix
A.
A
lot
of
large
equipment
will
be
necessary
to
implement
the
design.
Tree
roots
and
root
zone
environments
will
be
negatively
impacted
to
varying
degrees
which
will
predispose
the
trees
to
pests,
diseases,
decline
and/or
death.
The
potential
for
these
trees
to
become
public
hazards
will
also
increase.
The
design
requires
the
removal
of
many
young
pines
eliminating
the
important
component
of
age
diversity
in
the
pine
stand.
The
plan
does
call
for
the
planting
of
#15
and
24”
box
pines.
Unfortunately,
large
container
specimens
of
native
pines
do
not
establish
and
grow
as
well
as
naturalized
seedlings.
I
recommend
the
retention
of
the
naturalized
pines
rather
than
removal
and
replacement
with
containerized
plant
material.
I
do
recommend
the
removal
of
7
pines
because
of
their
risk
to
public
safety
or
poor
health.
I
recommend
that
trees
numbered
1,
4,
7,
9,
and
14
be
removed
for
being
high
risk
trees
and
trees
numbered
10
and
20
be
removed
because
of
very
poor
health.
Of
the
20
trees
recommended
for
removal
by
the
Tahoe-‐Donner
Foresters
Report:
10
trees
were
for
health
reasons,
4
trees
were
for
public
safety
hazards,
1
tree
was
because
it
was
growing
too
close
to
another
tree
(that
is
proposed
for
removal
as
well)
5
trees
were
because
of
conflict
with
design
In
conflict
with
the
Foresters
Report,
I
observed:
Trees
numbered
3,
6,
8,
11,
and
15
are
not
unhealthy
enough
to
warrant
removal
Tree
number
12
is
not
a
high
risk
tree
and
does
not
warrant
removal
Tree
number
16
is
not
too
close
to
another
tree
to
warrant
removal
For
public
safety,
however,
I
do
recommend
the
removal
of
trees
numbered
1,
4,
7,
9,
14,
and
20.
Trees
Proposed
for
Protection
The
Drip
Zones
were
under-‐estimated
on
9
trees.
I
have
accurately
measured
them
using
a
clinometer
and
tape
measure.
The
actual
measurements
are
provided
in
the
table
below.
C 15 feet
D 13 feet
G 14 feet
J 16 feet
K 15 feet
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Randall Frizzell & Associates . Tree & Vegetation Consultants
L 16 feet
R 11 feet
S 21 feet
U 15 feet
Drip
Zones
should
be
accurately
indicated
on
all
site
plans
to
insure
the
highest
degree
of
preservation
measures
applied
to
Protected
trees.
Conifers
are
at
a
disadvantage
with
protection
zones
that
are
defined
by
the
drip
line
or
drip
zone.
Jeffrey
pines
have
a
narrow
drip
line
radius
in
relation
to
their
trunk
diameter
and
age.
A
more
accurate
method
of
defining
the
root
protection
zone
would
be
the
“Optimal
Tree
Protection
Zone”
developed
by
Matheny
and
Clark1.
This
method
specifies
the
optimal
protection
zone
as
0.75’
distance
from
the
trunk
per
inch
of
trunk
diameter
(eg.,
a
20”
dbh
tree
would
have
a
Drip
Zone
of
15-‐feet).
In
addition
to
the
five
Tree
Protection
recommendations
provided
in
the
Foresters
Report
I
would
add
another:
Trenching
within
the
tree
protection
zone
shall
be
done
using
pneumatic
air
excavation
techniques
to
minimize
root
damage
during
the
installation
of
underground
utilities.
Air
trenching
allows
for
installation
of
utilities
under
lateral
roots
and/or
for
root
pruning
to
facilitate
the
installation
of
underground
utilities.
I
can
provide
my
C.V.
on
request
but
briefly,
I
have
36
years
of
experience
providing
tree
and
landscape
consulting
and
contract
tree
services
in
the
Sierra
Nevada
region.
I
have
extensive
experience
in
the
field
of
consulting
arboriculture,
specializing
in
plant
diagnosis,
tree
risk
assessment,
site
assessment,
plant
appraisals,
and
tree
management
plans.
I
have
provided
services
to
National
Parks,
California
State
Parks
(much
of
it
in
the
Tahoe
area),
Pacific
Gas
&
Electric,
several
municipal
utility
districts,
and
a
wide
variety
of
counties
and
cities,
as
well
as
hundreds
of
property
owners.
I
am
an
ASCA
Registered
Consulting
Arborist,
ISA
Certified
Arborist,
and
ISA
Tree
Risk
Assessment
Qualified.
Please
contact
me
if
you
have
any
questions.
Sincerely,
Randall Frizzell
Randall
Frizzell
1 Trees and Development - A Technical Guide to Preservation of Trees During Land Development
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Randall Frizzell & Associates . Tree & Vegetation Consultants
APPENDIX
A
Potential
Impacts
to
Protected
Trees
A
Footing
for
wall
on
Southeast
side
Grading
for
groundcover
Trenching
for
irrigation
B
Grading
for
terrace
on
North
side
Grading
for
groundcover
Trenching
for
irrigation
C
Grading
for
lawn
area
on
North
side
Grading
for
ground
cover
on
South
half
Trenching
for
irrigation
D
Grading
for
groundcover
on
South
half
Grading
for
new
lawn
on
Northeast
side
Trenching
for
irrigation
Rock
movement
E
Grading
for
groundcover
Rock
movement
F
Grading
for
groundcover
Grading
for
new
lawn
on
North
side
G
Grading
for
new
lawn
H
Grading
for
new
lawn
I
Footing
for
wall
on
North
side
Grading
for
terrace
on
North
side
Grading
for
steps
on
East
side
Grading
for
groundcover
J
Grading
for
steps/walkway
Footing
for
wall
Trenching
for
irrigation
K
Grading
for
groundcover
Rock
movement
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Randall Frizzell & Associates . Tree & Vegetation Consultants
L
Grading
for
walkway
Grading
for
groundcover
M
Grading
for
walkway
Grading
for
groundcover
N
Grading
for
groundcover
Footing
for
wall
O
Footing
for
wall
Trenching
for
irrigation
P
Footing
for
wall
Grading
for
groundcover
Trenching
for
irrigation
Q
Footing
for
wall
Grading
for
groundcover
Trenching
for
irrigation
R
Grading
for
turf
pavers
Footing
for
wall
Trenching
for
irrigation
S
Grading
for
walkway
Trenching
for
irrigation
T
Grading
for
walkway
Rock
movement
U
Trenching
for
irrigation
No
#
Grading
for
groundcover
(10'
North
of
“K”)
Rock
movement
Trenching
for
irrigation