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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packet - BC - 2006.11.02AGENDA B URLINGAME BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION NOVEMBER 2, 2006 5:30 P.M. CITY HALL 501 PRIMROSE ROAD - Conference Room A Burlingame, CA I. ROLL CALL H. MINUTES III. CORRESPONDENCE IV. FROM THE FLOOR (At this time, persons in the audience may speak on any item on the agenda or any other matter. The Ralph M. Brown Act prohibits the Commission from acting on a matter which is not on the agenda. Comments are limited to three minutes.) V. OLD BUSINESS 1. Long Range Reforestation Plan for Easton Drive 2. P.G.&E. Pruning Practices in the City of Burlingame 3. Street Tree Planting in Vacant Areas — "Street Tree Reforestation Project" VI. NEW BUSINESS 1. Reinstatement of Landscape Award 2. Arbor Day Ceremony —Wednesday, March 7, 2007 @ 10:00 am VII. REPORTS 1. Staff 2. Chairperson 3. Commissioners City of Burlingame - Parks & Recreation Dept. IN., 850 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame, CA 94010 phone: (650) 558-7300 • fax: (650) 696-7216 �4•. BURLINGAME recreation(cr�,burlin ame. org 011 MEMORANDUMa�Lg To: EASTON DRIVE RESIDENTS nn � From: Randy Schwartz, Parks & Recreation Director Date: October 23, 2006 Re: EASTON DRIVE REFORESTATION On October 5t', the Beautification Commission held their second public meeting regarding the reforestation of Easton Drive at Our Lady of Angels. Approximately 15 members of the public were in attendance, as well as Dave Dockter, Managing Arborist for the City of Palo Alto's Planning Division, 4 Beautification Commissioners and staff. Group consensus was achieved on the following items: Limiting the number of species used on Easton Use of trees with large trunks Use of accent trees Focusing on fast growing trees, with minimal limb drop and residual debris Two Species for Easton Drive Street Trees TAZMANIAN BLUE GUM, the existing street tree, will be retained on the Easton Drive street tree list CLADOCALYX SUGAR GUM is recommended to be the primary replacement street tree Use of Accent Trees NICHOLH WILLOW -LEAFED PEPPERMINT will be used as an accent tree on the corners of blocks FICIFOLIA RED FLOWERING GUM is recommend for planting in front of the Easton Branch Library The Easton Drive Reforestation Plan will be discussed by the Beautification Commission at its November 2, 2006 meeting. The public is invited to attend the meeting (which will be held at Burlingame City Hall, 501 Primrose Road at 5:30pm) and give the Commission your comments before a recommendation on an Easton Drive Street Tree List is made to the City Council. Photos and descriptions of the recommended trees are on the next few pages. Creating a Better Place to Live, Work and Plaly TASMANIAN BLUE GUM ._"N The Tasmanian Blue Gum tree is the existing street tree on Easton Drive. The Blue Gum's large trunks are smooth and grayish -white and its bark sheds in long reddish -brown ribbons. The green, glossy leaves are 6 tol4 inches long on rounded stems and are sickle shaped. The yellow flowers produced by the Blue Gum in the fall, lack petals and so assume a feathery starburst pattern with the multitude of stamens arising from calyx. The tree can grow in a variety of soil types, growing rapidly up to 80 feet in its first 20 years, and can reach heights of up to 160 feet in its introduced habitat of California. ba CLADOCALYX SUGAR GUM The Sugar Gum is a hardy tree, tolerating a wide variety of soil types, and is one of the most striking of eucalyptuses. Planted for structure, it has been used as a "Skyline" tree on the Southern California coast with its characteristic puffly clouds of foliage separated by open spaces. In its native habitat it has been commonly planted on farms in western Victoria and South Australia. The Cladocalyx sugar gum has shiny, reddish 3-5 inch leaves, oval or variable shaped. Its attractive bark sheds yearly to reveal white, gray or yellow patches. The Sugar Gum trunks are straight, tall, and stately, growing to 80+ feet. Creating a Better Place to Live, Work and Plajg OR `., R & Rtcrearryr NICHOLII WILLOW -LEAFED PEPPERMINT Q�rr`"�aa to Lrve, The Eucalyptus nicholii, commonly called the Willow -leafed Peppermint, is a well-behaved, ft. graceful, weeping tree with narrow, willow -like, decidedly blue leaves. The short, narrow ,r leaves, which have a distinctive peppermint d aroma when crushed, disappear into the ground cover. It has a compact crown and is resistant to frost. The matted bark is rough, does not shed, and ranges in color from yellow/brown to gray/brown. The Eucalyptus nicholii which has been cultivated in Australia and California as an ornamental street or shade tree, tolerates heat, any soil, is drought resistant, and can reach up to 50' in warmer climates. FICIFOLIA RED FLOWERING GUM The Ficifolia red flowering gum is native to Western Australia. The Red -Flowering Gum is a tidy, round headed tree and has a striking appearance with its bright red flowers, in the spring and the fall, cast against the dark brown -green leaves and the rough gray bark. The Red -Flowering Gum is not detrimental to gardens, as it has a very deep root system allowing plants and lawn to be grown right up to it. It is a drought - tolerant species and will grow up to 40 feet. Creating a Setter Place to Live, Work and Plaly "Renefits of Urban Street Trees usForestservicefactsandfiguresandnewtraffic safety studies detail many urban street tree benefits Once seen as highlyproblematicfor marry reasons, street trees are proving to be a '1 great value to people living working shopping sharing walking and motoring in and through urban places 1. Reduced and more appropriate urban traffic speeds. Urban street trees create vertical walls framing streets, and a defined edge, helping motorists guide their movement and assess their speed (leading to overall speed reductions). 2. Create safer walking environments, by forming and framing visual walls and providing distinct edges to sidewalks so that motorists better distinguish between their environment and one shared with people k 4. Increased security. Trees create more pleasant walking environments, bringing about increased walking, talking, pride, care of place, association and therefore actual ownership and surveillance of homes, blocks, neighborhoods plazas, businesses and other civic spaces. 6. Less drainage infrastructure. Trees absorb the first 30% of most precipitation through their leaf system, allowing evaporation back into the atmosphere. This moisture never hits the ground. 9. Gas transformation efficiency. Trees in street proximity absorb 9 times more pollutants than more distant trees, converting harmful gasses back into oxygen and other useful and natural gasses. 3. Trees call for planting strips, which further separate motorists from pedestrians, buildings and other urban fabric. 5. Improved business. Businesses on treescaped streets show 20% higher income streams, which is often the essential competitive edge needed for main street store success, versus competition from plaza discount store prices. 7. Rain, sun, heat and skin protection. For 8. Reduced harm from tailpipe light or moderate rains, pedestrians find less emissions. Tailpipe emissions are adding need for rain protection. Temperature to asthma, ozone and other health differentials of 5-15 degrees are felt when impacts. Impacts are reduced walking under tree canopied streets. significantly from proximity to trees. 10. Lower urban air temperatures. Asphalt and concrete streets and parking lots are known to increase urban temperatures 3-7 degrees. A properly shaded neighborhood, mostly from urban street trees, can reduce energy bills for a household from 15-35%. 11. Lower Ozone. Increases in urban street temperatures directly above asphalt where tailpipe emissions occur dramatically increase creation of harmful ozone and other gasses into more noxious substances impacting health of people, animals and agricultural lands. 12. Convert streets, parking and walls into more aesthetically pleasing environments. There are few streetmaking elements that do as much to soften wide, grey visual wastelands created by wide streets, parking lots and massive, but sometimes necessary blank walls than trees. 13. Soften and screen necessary street features such as utility poles, light poles and other needed street furniture. Trees are highly effective at screening those other vertical features to roadways that are needed for many safety and functional reasons. 14. Reduced blood pressure, improved overall emotional and psychological health. People are impacted by ugly or attractive environments where they spend time. 15. Time in travel perception. Motorists perceive it takes longer to get through a treeless environment trip than one that is treed. 16. Reduced road rage. Motorist road rage is less in green urban versus stark suburban areas. Trees and aesthetics, which reduce blood pressure, may handle some of this calming effect. 17. Improved operations potential. When properly positioned and maintained, the backdrop of street trees allow features such as vital traffic signs to be better seen. 18. Added value to adjacent 19. Filtering and screening agent. Softens and screens utility poles, light poles, homes, businesses and tax and other features creating visual pollution to the street. base. Realtor based estimates 20. Longer pavement life. Studies in a variety of California environments of street tree versus non street tree comparable streets relate show the shade of urban street trees add from 40-60% more life to costly asphalt, tree a $15-25,000 increase in 21. Connection to nature and the human senses. Urban street trees provide home or business value. a canopy and root structure for a comfortable urban setting. Creating a Better Place to Live, Work and Plaly W