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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNotes, Meeting CMO 5/15/2008 '\'" t ~ ~.., ~ RobertsonlSherwoodlArdlllects~ The Springfield Justice Center Tree-Fellmg Permit Neighborhood Meetmg - 5/15/08 Attendees Carol Berger Susan Coleman-Fraser Laura Robinson Gall Staler Carole Knapel Jim Polston Andy Llmblrd Jerry Smith Brian McCarthy Randy Nishimura ACTION ITEMS DISCUSSED General Neighbor 407 C Slreet Neighbor 404 C Street Neighbor 433 North 4th Street #C Neighbor 546 F Street Cily of Sprlngheld City of Springfield Clly of Springfield Springfield Police Department Cameron McCarthy Gilbert & Scheibe Robertson/Sherwoodl Architects pc (CK) (JP) (AL) (SPD) (CMGS) (RSA) ,) The meetmg was mtended to address neighborhood concerns about proposed tree felling for lhe Justice Cenler 2 Staff (Andy Llmblrd and Jim Polston) and design team members (Brian McCarthy and Randy Nishimura) explained the reasons for removmg parking lot and street lrees, and descnbed lhe proposed development plan, site landscaping, and tree replantmg 3 Andy lImblrd reviewed the criteria of approval related to the Issuance of tree felling permits The applicable Springfield Developmenl Code cnlerla are as follows . SDC 5 19-125 C Whether It IS necessary to remove trees In order to construct proposed Improvements as specified In an approved development plan, gradmg permits and construction drawings . SDC 5 19-125 E Whelher the applicant's proposed replanllng of new trees or vegetallOn IS an adequate substitute for the trees to be felled 4 The Springfield Justice Cenler IS bemg conslructed m accordance wllh an approved development plan 5 A total of 35 parkmg lot and streel trees have been Idenllhed for removal 90 quallfymg replacemenllrees Will be Installed as part of the new development 6 The primary factors that necessitate the removal of the 35 eXlstmg trees are as follows . The need to accommodate as many of the Police Department's fleet vehicles and officers' private cars as possible, which demands Spnngfleld Justice Center - 5/15/08 Tree-fellmg Perrmt NeIghborhood Meetmg Page 1 '-/J?/.2oP! , , Dvt' I '''~ecelved' Planner: AL i reconflguratlon of the parking lot MalicIous vandalism (tire slashing, keYIng) has been a persistent problem . The large size of lhe SW AT van, which necessitates adequate dnve aisle widths and turning zones . The burYing of overhead Spnngfleld Utility Board power lines along Pioneer Parkway East and 41h Street (the power lines along the alley north of the site will not be buned) The necessary routing of the lines has damaged the root systems of some of the trees . The size and location of the AnCillary BUilding The AnCillary BUilding IS slled to maXimize functionality of the secure parking lot and ItS relationship With the PolicelCourts BUilding . City requirements for pre-treatment of storm water runoff from parking areas The drainage swales will have a profile lhat IS the Inverse of the eXisting mounded configuration of planter areas Also, the eXisting lrees are not SUitable species for use In drainage swales 7 The proposed trees will be Installed as a minimum 2" caliper measured "ABH" (at breast height) Some Will be 12' or more tall when planted These Will be lrees, not merely saplings A number of the new trees proposed on the current site plan are specified as less than 2" caliper, but the City IS reqUlnng that these be upslzed to a minimum diameter of 2" 8 There Will be a diverse assortment of tree types, With dlffenng charactenstlcs (height, shape of canopy, color) to achieve a vaned aesthetiC effect 9 The proposed new pole-mounted parking lot lighting Will be no more lhan 12' high Within 43 feet of the northern property boundary, and no higher lhan 16' south of that (the 43' dimension IS denved from the City reqUirement that the height of the fixtures be limited when closer than 50' to adjoIning residential properties, In this Instance, the 50' IS measure from the centerline of the 14' Wide alley) The new fixtures Will be shielded to prevent light-trespass beyond the limits of the parking lot, their pholometnc charactensllcs fealure a sharp cut-off to minimize glare 10 The predecessor firms of Robertson/Sherwood/Archltecls and Cameron McCarthy Gilbert & Scheibe Landscape Architects were the deSigners 30 years ago for the eXisting parking lot and the Spnngfleld City Hall project (for which the parking lot was developed) Bnan McCarthy was personally Involved With the selecllon of the eXisting trees 11 The Spnngfleld Hlstonc Commission was unaware of the Washburn neighbors' petition until yesterday (May 13, 2008) 12 The new Police/Courts Building Will be completed and occupied by thiS fall Demolition of the eXisting bUilding Will occur shortly thereafter, With construction of the new Jail starting no later than December 208/January 2009 The Jail IS slated for completion In early 2010 Neighbors' Comments 13 What are the cntena for establishing eXisting trees as "landmark" trees? Spnngfle/d Justice Center- 5/151DB Tree feJJmg Perrmt Neighborhood Meetmg Page 2 , ..' ~ I ( AL Landmark trees may be unusual specImens. or partIcularly large and vIsIble trees. or of hlstonc Interest and age 14 The Impact of the tree removal upon the Washburn HistOriC District extends beyond the one corner Immediately adjacent to the Jusllce Center There IS a resurgent effort to Improve the aesthetics of the entire neighborhood The removal of the trees IS considered significant by many Washburn neighbors as eVidenced by lhe 135 signatures on the petition agamst the pendmg lree felling Not all have shown up for lhls meetmg bul all share a belief that removmg the trees IS counler to deSires to protect lhe hlslorlc district 15 The eXlstmg trees comprise a Significant green buffer zone between the Washburn HistOriC District and lhe new Jusllce Cenler 16 Many of the eXisting trees have already been degraded by construction activities 17 Why can't all of the eXisting trees along 4th Street be retamed? CMGS The large big leaf maple street trees nearest the street curb Will be retained The other trees In the VICInity are located WIthin the area of the proposed drainage swale The necessary modifications to the grading of the parking lot and the swale WIll adversely Impact the trees. necessitating their removal 18 Why not remove and replant some of the lrees? CMGS The trees WIll need to be removed soon to maintain the contractor's schedule for sIte work ThiS means removal of the trees when they are fully leafed out and most susceptIble to stressors that would threaten their health Ideally. the trees would have been removed and salvaged for replanting when In theIr most dormant state, dunng the winter months SPD The eXlsllng rhododendrons and other plants located along A Street are conSidered surplus and avaIlable to any neighbor who would like to remove them for replanting elsewhere DemolItion of the eXisting Poltce/Courts bUIlding Will occur late thiS year 19 The eXisting trees along the alley proVide a privacy screen for the tenanls of the apartment bUildings north of the alley 20 If new trees are gomg to be relied upon to proVide Visual screening, they should be as fasl-growmg as pOSSible Selecl tree species thai grow to maturity rapidly 21 Why not use Chmese Empress lrees as one of the proposed tree species? CMGS Chinese Empress trees. while attractIve. may not be on the CIty's approved Itst of trees for street trees and parking areas Certain tree speCIes are conSidered undeSirable by the CIty because they shed large seed pods or leaves that clog storm drainS or are dIfficult to pIck up by street cleaners 22 One of the proposed tree types IS Styrax Obassla, which IS not a good tree for mstallatlon In parking lots or where 11 might be vulnerable to vandalism When the branches of a Styrax are broken, they do not grow back Springfield Justice Center- 5/15/08 Tree feffmg PermIt Neighborhood Meetmg Page 3 DatI \~ecelved.~/dDO,!' Planner: AL j CMGS There will only be two Styrax, and these will be located m the planters flankmg the mam entrance to the Justice Center Because of thelf tocatlon, these trees will not be subject to pOSSible damage by vehicles and will be constantty momtored by City staff 23 What about lhe wIldlife that haslwllI be Impacted by conslructlon activities and the removal of the trees? The eXisting trees provided a habitat for them Squirrels have regularly nested and raised their young In the lrees but will be forced to relocate 24 The construcllOn activities and the displacement of the parking for City staff have Impacted the adjacent neighborhood Construction workers are parking all day In front of residents' homes The Budweiser truck has parked on C Street when delivenng beer to the Bnck House Tavern Can the City Implement a parkIng permit program thai would baSically reserve lhe street frontage In front of the neighbors' homes for the reSidents? ThiS was done In the neIghborhoods bordenng the University of Oregon In Eugene AL The City IS about to mltlate a parkmg study encompassmg the downtown area, so It will likety also conSider how to mitigate the Impacts at downtown parkmg demands (mcludmg parkmg for City employees) upon the Washburn Histone District 25 Now that the parking lot light fixtures have been removed as part of the site demolition work, the parking lolls pilch black at nlghl and IS a haven for drug dealers and their lransactlons SPD Neighbors should report SUSP'CIOUS actiVities to the Police. who will mvestlgate Cnmmal actIVIty has been a problem dunng construcUon The new Police/Courts BUlldmg has been broken mto by thieves, who have taken copper wifing and other valuables Next Steps 26 The Planning DIVISion Will conSider the comments presented at the meeting and render a deCISion that Will be presented to each of the petitIoners 27 No removal of eXls\lng trees Will occur until after the Planning DIVISion makes ItS deCISIon regarding the tree felling permit application Sprmgfleld Justice Center - 5/15/08 Tree fellmg Permit NeIghborhood Meetmg , Page 4 ., Spnngfield JustIce Center - Nf""hborhood Meetmg re Tree FellIng Page I of2 L1MBIRD Andrew From Sent To Cc Subject Attachments Randy Nishimura [rlllshlmura@robertsonsherwood com] Monday, May 19, 2008 1030 AM L1MBIRD Andrew, KNAPEL Carole, POLSTON Jim, 'Brian McCarthy', SMITH Jerry 'Carl Sherwood', 'Dave Van Houten' RE Springfield Justice Center - Neighborhood Meeting re Tree Felling SJC 5-15-08 Tree Felling Meeting - rev pdf Attached IS a revised verSion of the meeting notes from the tree-felling meeting last week This revised version addresses Andy's Items below Randy From' 11MBIRD Andrew [mallto allmblrd@cl springfield or us] Sent' Friday, May 16, 2008 1 38 PM To: rlllshlmura@robertsonsherwood com, KNAPEL Carole, POLSTON Jim, Bnan McCarthy, SMITH Jerry Cc: Carl Sherwood, Dave Van Houten Subject: RE Springfield Justice Center - Neighborhood Meeting re Tree Felling HI Randy, the notes look good and I have a few minor comments as follows I POint #5 - By virtue of the site plan review decIsion and comments at the meeting from CMGS, I think the commitment has already been made to provide 90 conforming trees Therefore, an explanation that 74 trees meet the Code requirements, but 16 do not, probably Isn't necessary 2 POint #24 - I did confirm my understanding of a parking study but I didn't make any comments about the Budweiser truck (an Issue onglnally raised by Carol Berger and I think Jim Polston commented about the temporary closure of 4th Street) 3 POint #25 - For consistency With the rest of the document, the citation should be attributed to SPD Instead ofJS Thanks for your help In completing these meeting notes Andy From' Randy Nishimura [mallto rlllshlmura@robertsonsherwood com] Sent: Fnday, May 16, 2008 11 03 AM To: KNAPEL Carole, POLSTON Jim, 11MBIRD Andrew, 'Bnan McCarthy', SMITH Jerry Cc: 'Carl Sherwood', 'Dave Van Houten' Subject, Spnngfield Justice Center - Neighborhood Meeting re Tree Felling I Just realized that I got the date of the meeting wrong on my notes So here IS a revised verSion of the file. With the date corrected Randy u .} Recelved.~/.;zOOd' hc:lnner: AL 5/19/2008 Spnngfield JustIce Center - Ne"'hborhood Meetmg re Tree Fellmg Page 2 of2 << >> From Randy Nishimura rmallto rmshlmura(a)rohert_<;on~hf>rwnnd mml Sent Friday. May 16, 2008 10 40 AM To 'KNAPEL carole', 'Jim Polston', 'allmblrd@clspnngfield or us', 'Bnan McCarthy', ']smrt:h@cl spnngfield or us' Cc 'Carl Sherwood', 'Dave Van Hauten' Subject Spnngfield Justlce Center - Neighborhood Meebng re Tree Felhng Attached are my notes from last night's neighborhood meeting regarding the tree felling permit appllcallon Please let me know If any corrections/additions are necessary prror to dlstrrbutlng the document to others Randy Randy Nishimura, AlA, CCS RobertsonlSherwoodlArchltects pc 132 East Broadway, SUite 540 Eugene, OR 97401 P 5411342 8077 F 5411345 4302 5/19/2008 ed :r~f/ ,;JiJ~t rw' I Reoelv :. /'. ,. - \. ..,.ner: A1.