APPENDIX IV.M. Tree Inventory and Assessment for Wilshire Grand Redevelopment Project Tract #71141 Prepared by Dudek, May 2010

Transcription

1 APPENDIX IV.M Tree Inventory and Assessment for Wilshire Grand Redevelopment Project Tract #71141 Prepared by Dudek, May 2010

2 TREE INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT for WILSHIRE GRAND REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT VTTM No Prepared for: HANJIN INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION c/o Thomas Properties Group, L.P. 515 South Flower Street, Sixth Floor Los Angeles, CA (213) Prepared by: 111 Pacifica, Suite 230 Irvine, California Contact: Tom Larson, Registered Consulting Arborist #389 (949) MAY 2010

3 TREE INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT for WILSHIRE GRAND REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT VTTM No The undersigned certify that this report is a complete and accurate account of the findings and conclusions of a jurisdictional determination for the above-referenced project. Dudek Tom Larson, Registered Consulting Arborist #389 MAY 2010

4 Tree Inventory and Assessment for Wilshire Grand VTTM No TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. 1.0 INTRODUCTION METHODOLOGY RESULTS TREE REPLACEMENT PLAN CONCLUSION... 7 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Regional and Project Vicinity Map... 2 Figure 2 Aerial Photograph... 3 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Summary of Ornamental Trees in Project Site by Species and Location... 6 LIST OF ATTACHMENTS A. Tree Information Matrix B. Tree Location Exhibit C. Photograph Log

5 Tree Inventory and Assessment for Wilshire Grand VTTM No INTRODUCTION This Tree Report addresses inventory and evaluation of the Wilshire Grand Redevelopment Project ( Project ) trees within the area of the proposed Wilshire Grand Tract # The Project is proposed to be developed on a 3.2-acre site that is located in the Central City (Downtown) area of the City of Los Angeles and is bounded by Francisco Street to the west, Wilshire Boulevard to the north, Figueroa Street to the east, and 7th Street to the south ( Project Site ) (inclusive of the area of Francisco Street proposed to be vacated). The purpose of this report is to present the physical characteristics, mapped locations, and disposition of the sites trees. The tree assessment encompassed all trees within the Project Site, as well as the street trees along Figueroa Street, 7 th Street, and Francisco Street. The Project Site is currently developed with the 16-story Wilshire Grand Hotel and Centre, which consists of 896 hotel rooms and approximately 215,000 square feet of office, 206,600 square feet of hotel amenity, accessory retail, and restaurant uses, and subterranean parking containing 286 parking spaces. The Project would include demolition of all existing structures, including the existing subterranean parking, and redevelopment of the Project Site with a maximum of 560 hotel rooms and/or condo-hotel units, 100 residential dwelling units, 1,500,000 square feet of office, and a maximum of 275,000 square feet of project-serving amenity areas, including but not limited to, retail and restaurant uses, conference and meeting rooms, ballrooms, spa, fitness center, and other ancillary hotel, residential, and office areas ( Services ). The Project Site would be developed with an approximately 65-story structure, no more than 1,250 feet in height ( Building A ), an approximately 45-story structure, no more than 750 feet in height ( Building B ), and an approximately 6-story podium structure, no more than 168 feet in height ( Podium ). The Project would be constructed over a maximum of eight levels of subterranean parking containing approximately 1,900 parking spaces. The Project would also include an outdoor plaza at the corner of 7 th Street and Figueroa Street. Lobbies, elevators, and amenities for the residential units may be shared or may be provided separate from the other proposed uses. The rooftop of Building A would provide a helistop, which will provide facilities for helicopter service to local airports. Demolition of existing structures and Project construction is anticipated to occur over an approximately 54-month period and is expected to commence in Dudek s International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborists, working under the supervision of an American Society of Consulting Arborist (ASCA) Registered Consulting Arborist, performed various functions associated with surveying, inventorying, and evaluating the condition of selected trees on the Project Site, as described in the following sections.

6 Tree Inventory and Assessment for Wilshire Grand VTTM No

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8 Tree Inventory and Assessment for Wilshire Grand VTTM No METHODOLOGY Dudek inventoried and evaluated trees within and adjacent to the Project Site including street trees along Figueroa Street, 7 th Street, and Francisco Street. The tree assessment focused on collecting information that could be used to determine each tree s current condition and present the physical characteristics, mapped locations, and disposition of the site s trees. The trees within and adjacent to the Project Site have been numbered in the Tree Information Matrix in Attachment A and correspond to the Tree Location Exhibit in Attachment B. Photographs of each tree are presented in the Attachment C Photograph Log. Tree diameter was measured using a diameter tape providing adjusted figures 1 for diameter measurements when wrapping the tape around an object s circumference. Diameter measurements were taken using protocol provided by the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers in the Guide for Plant Appraisal, published by the International Society of Arboriculture (Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers, 2000). The trunk diameter at breast height ( DBH ) of each tree measurement was taken at a circumference at 4.5 feet above the ground along the trunk axis, with common exceptions. In cases where a tree s trunk was located on a slope, the 4.5-foot distance was approximated as the average of the shortest and longest sides of the trunk (i.e., the uphill side and downhill side of a tree s trunk, respectively) and the measurement was made at the circumference of the trunk at this point. Tree height was visually estimated. Tree canopy diameters were typically estimated by pacing-off the measurement based on the investigator s knowledge of his stride length or by visually estimating the canopy width. The diameter measurements were always made along an imaginary line intersecting the tree trunk that best approximated the average canopy diameter. Pursuant to the Guide for Plant Appraisal, tree health and structure were evaluated with respect to five distinct tree components: roots; trunk; scaffold branches; small branches; and foliage. Each component of the tree was assessed with regard to health factors such as insect, fungal, or pathogen damage, mechanical damage, presence of decay, presence of wilted or dead leaves, and wound closure. Components were graded as good, fair, poor, and dead: Good: representing no apparent problems; Fair: representing minor problems; Poor: representing major problems; Dead: representing a dying and/or dead tree. π

9 2.1 Regulatory Requirements Tree Inventory and Assessment for Wilshire Grand VTTM No A tree inventory and assessment of the Project Site was performed pursuant to the "Instructions for Filing Tentative Tract Maps" (Items B.11 and B.12) issued by the City of Los Angeles Planning Department and the requirements of the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Street Services, Urban Forestry Division. The following is an outline of the key aspects of the requirements. Protected Tree Ordinance: The City of Los Angeles Protected Tree Ordinance defines a Protected Tree as any of the following Southern California native species, which measures four inches or more in cumulative diameter, four and one-half feet above the ground level at the base of the tree: Oak tree including Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) and Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia), or any other tree of the oak genus indigenous to California, but excluding the Scrub Oak (Quercus dumosa) Southern California Black Walnut (Juglans californica var. californica) California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa) California Bay (Umbellularia californica) (This definition shall not include any tree grown or held for sale by a licensed nursery, or trees planted or grown as a part of a tree planting program.) Instructions for Filing Tentative Tract Maps: The City s Tentative Tract Map filing guidelines require that all oak trees with a DBH of eight inches or greater (also covered under the Protected Tree Ordinance) and all other trees with a DBH of twelve inches or greater that are located within the proposed limits of disturbance be identified and mapped on a site plan. The Department of Public Works, Bureau of Street Services: The Urban Forestry Division requires that all trees within the City right-of-way be identified and mapped on a site plan. 3.0 RESULTS There are a total of 40 trees within or immediately surrounding the Project Site. 2 Of the 40 trees, 28 are located on the Project Site at the Wilshire Boulevard entrance and in the pool area of the hotel and 12 are located along the surrounding streets within the City right-of-way. The trees are comprised of seven (7) species with fair to good health and structural conditions. Of these 40 trees, none are considered to be protected trees under the City of Los Angeles Protected Tree Ordinance. Construction of the Project would directly impact all 40 trees at the Project Site. Although these trees are catalogued as impacted in this analysis, actual tree impact numbers may be lower than what is!"!#$%&%"#' "#&"!

10 Tree Inventory and Assessment for Wilshire Grand VTTM No presented in this report once detailed plans are developed. Table 1 provides a summary of the trees evaluated and mapped within or immediately surrounding the Project Site by species and location. TABLE 1 Summary of Ornamental Trees in Project Site by Species and Location Species Number Scientific Name Common Name of Trees Location Erythrina caffra Coral Tree 4 Wilshire Grand Pool Area Ficus benjamina Weeping Chinese Banyan 6 Wilshire Grand Pool Area Ficus microcarpa Indian Laurel Fig 1 7 th Street Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Wilshire Grand Entrance 5 - Francisco Street Ficus retusa Cuban Laurel 5 Figueroa Street Phoenix dactylifera Date Palm 5 Wilshire Grand Pool Area Pyrus kawakamii Evergreen Pear 1 7 th Street 40 The trees on the Project Site trees vary in size and stature according to tree ages and physiological growth characteristics of each species. Some of the Cuban Laurels reach heights of 45 feet while the vast majority of the trees on site average 23 feet tall. Most of the mature trees on the Project Site exhibit branch structure indicative of past pruning. Based on the Project Site evaluation conducted for this Project, the majority of the trees are considered to be in at least fair health and structural condition. As fair condition trees, they exhibit acceptable vigor, healthy foliage, adequate structure, and lack of any major maladies. Attachment A, Wilshire Grand Tree Information Matrix, contains a summary of individual tree characteristics. 4.0 TREE REPLACEMENT PLAN This Tree Report addresses tree replacement plantings that satisfy the requirements of the City of Los Angeles Tentative Tract Map Filing Guidelines and Street Tree Policy. Measures will be required for direct and indirect impacts associated with the Project affecting up to 28 ornamental trees on the Project Site and 12 street trees in the City s ROW. The replacement measures outlined herein will address the impacts from the Project as currently proposed. Should the Project plan be modified, and tree impacts are reduced, replacement measures would be reduced proportionally. Tentative Tract Map Filing Guidelines: The Tentative Tract Map filing guidelines issued by the City s Department of Planning require that all protected trees with a DBH of eight inches or greater and all other trees with a DBH of 12 inches or greater that are located within the proposed limits of

11 Tree Inventory and Assessment for Wilshire Grand VTTM No disturbance be identified and mapped on a site plan. Section B.12 continues: replacement by a minimum of 24-inch box trees in the parkway and on the site, on a 1:1 basis, shall be required for the unavoidable loss of desirable trees on the site. Based on impacts to all 28 ornamental trees within the Project Site, a minimum of 28, 24-inch box trees are required on the Project Site under the Tentative Tract Map Guidelines. Dudek recommends over-planting these trees by at least 10%, resulting in a total replacement planting of 31, 24-inch box trees for the Project Site. Department of Public Works, Bureau of Street Services, Urban Forestry Division: The Street Tree Policy requires a permit application to be submitted for the removal of street trees. If the tree removal permit is approved, the tree(s) shall be replaced on a 2:1 basis by 24-inch box trees of a species determined by the Urban Forestry Division. Based on impacts to 12 street trees surrounding the Project Site, a minimum of 24, 24-inch box trees are required on the Project Site or City ROW. Dudek recommends over-planting these trees by at least 10%, resulting in a total replacement planting of 27, 24-inch box trees for the Project Site. 5.0 CONCLUSION There are no qualified Protected Trees within the Project Site. Forty ornamental trees located within the Project Site and within the area immediately surrounding the Project either meet the Tentative Tract Map filing guidelines or are located in the City right-of-way. For the purposes of this Tree Report, it is assumed that these 40 ornamental trees may be impacted by the Project. Under the City of Los Angeles Tentative Tract Map Guidelines, 28 of the trees must be replaced at a 1:1 ratio. Under the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Street Services, Urban Forestry Divisions Street Tree Policy 12 of the trees must be replaced at a 2:1 ratio. The Tentative Tract Map Filing Guidelines requirement for a 1:1 replacement will require that 28 of the impacted trees that are located within the Project Site be replaced by 28, 24-inch box trees. With the recommended overplanting of 10% or 3 additional trees, the total number of recommended replacement trees will be 31. The 2:1 replacement ratio required by the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Street Services, Urban Forestry Divisions Street Tree Policy would require planting 24, 24-inch box replacement trees to replace the 12 street trees that would be removed. With the recommended overplanting of 10% or 3 additional trees, the total number of recommended replacement trees will be 27. '

12 Tree Inventory and Assessment for Wilshire Grand VTTM No Landscape Design Plan: The specific location of individual replacement tree plantings on-site shall be addressed in the landscape design plan prepared for the Project Site. Dudek estimates that all of the required replacement trees can be accommodated within the Project landscape areas. Alternatives to the proposed replacement plan may be necessary should the Project landscape design be unable to accommodate the replacement quantities required for the Project in a reasonable manner. Replacement trees may be planted off-site in proximity to the Project Site or a contribution to a local urban and community forestry trust fund may be made equal to the cost of replacement.

13 ATTACHMENT A Tree Information Matrix

14 Attachment A - Wilshire Grand Tree Information Matrix Tree ID # Species Number of Individual Individual Trunk Diameters (in) Trunk DBH (inches)* Scientific Name Common Name Stems Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Good Wilshire Grand Entrance 2 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Good Wilshire Grand Entrance 3 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Good Wilshire Grand Entrance 4 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Good Wilshire Grand Entrance 5 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Fair Good Thin canopy Wilshire Grand Entrance 6 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Fair Good Thin canopy Wilshire Grand Entrance 7 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Good Wilshire Grand Entrance 8 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Good Wilshire Grand Entrance 9 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Good Wilshire Grand Entrance 10 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Good Wilshire Grand Entrance 11 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Good Wilshire Grand Entrance 12 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Good Wilshire Grand Entrance 13 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Good Wilshire Grand Entrance 14 Ficus benjamina Weeping Chinese Banyan Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 15 Erythrina caffra Coral Tree Fair Good Wilshire Grand Pool 16 Ficus benjamina Weeping Chinese Banyan Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 17 Erythrina caffra Coral Tree Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 18 Ficus benjamina Weeping Chinese Banyan Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 19 Erythrina caffra Coral Tree Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 20 Ficus benjamina Weeping Chinese Banyan Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 21 Erythrina caffra Coral Tree Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 22 Ficus benjamina Weeping Chinese Banyan Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 23 Phoenix dactylifera Date Palm Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 24 Ficus benjamina Weeping Chinese Banyan Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 25 Phoenix dactylifera Date Palm Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 26 Phoenix dactylifera Date Palm Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 27 Phoenix dactylifera Date Palm Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 28 Phoenix dactylifera Date Palm Good Good Wilshire Grand Pool 29 Ficus retusa Cuban Laurel Good Fair Basal wound Figueroa Street 30 Ficus retusa Cuban Laurel Good Fair Basal wound Figueroa Street 31 Ficus retusa Cuban Laurel Good Fair Truck damage Figueroa Street 32 Ficus retusa Cuban Laurel Good Fair Truck damage Figueroa Street 33 Ficus retusa Cuban Laurel Good Fair Truck damage Figueroa Street 34 Ficus microcarpa Indian Laurel Fig Good Fair Basal wounds West 7th Street 35 Pyrus kawakamii Evergreen pear Good Good West 7th Street 36 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Fair Francisco Street 37 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Fair Truck damage Francisco Street 38 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Fair Francisco Street 39 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Good Fair Basal wound Francisco Street 40 Ficus microcarpa nitida Indian Laurel Fair Fair Truck damage Francisco Street *Trunk diameters are based on International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) standards. Individual trunk diameters are measured at 4.5 feet (54 inches) above natural grade. Trunk diameters for multiple stem trees equal the square root of the sum of all squared individual trunk diameters. Basal Diameter (inches) Height (feet) Canopy Spread (feet) Health Structure Comments Site Location 1 May 2010

15 ATTACHMENT B Tree Location Exhibit

16 Francisco Street West 7th Street Wilshire Boulevard Legend Tree Species Erythrina caffra Ficus benjamina Ficus microcarpa Ficus microcarpa nitida Ficus retusa Phoenix dactylifera Pyrus kawakamii South Figueroa Street 13 Feet inch = 75 feet May 2010 Wilshire Grand Redevelopment Project Attachment B - Tree Location Exhibit

17 ATTACHMENT C Photograph Log

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