The SLO Tree Committee will be reviewing the removal of 206 onsite trees as part of a mixed-use project located at 650 Tank Farm Road. 169 (or 82%) of the 206 trees have been determined to be either in good or in moderate condition.
A view of this mature grove of trees taken from Tank Farm Road.
An aerial view of the site and a site plan of the proposed building project.
Comparing the aerial view with the site plan, there is hardly any justification for removing this number of trees given that nearly 2/3 of the property surrounding the former mobile home park is unencumbered by trees.
Per an article in the May 27, 2020 SF Examiner article titled “Green Space: Stop Taking Trees Down” (to read more click on: https://www.sfexaminer.com/news-columnists/green-space-stop-taking-trees-down/). This article states the following: “While new trees were proposed at several of these sites (i.e., building sites within the City of San Francisco), replacements may not provide the same benefits as the ones removed. For example, older trees can capture more carbon and divert more water from sewers than younger trees. Trees that don’t shed their leaves are also better at filtering air pollution, and may help reduce communities’ vulnerabilities to respiratory diseases, such as the coronavirus”.
The article goes on to state that “… too many trees were simply chopped down because they’re inconvenient. Lance Carnes, a volunteer with Healthy Trees Initiative, has compiled an archive of the Department of Public Works’ tree removals since November 2019. Out of 210 removals, 65 were authorized simply to make room for new construction projects, infrastructure improvements and private driveways.”
You probably know that funding for the City’s Urban Forest Master Plan effort is currently being deferred due to the economic impacts resulting from COVID-19.
Please help us address the City’s Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery by merely disallowing the wholesale removal of these trees. These trees are being removed simply because the architect was unable (or unwilling) to work around them. Thank you!