1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: December 17, 2024
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Marisa Garcia, Park, Recreation and Community Services Director VIA: Michael del Campo , Park, Recreation and Community Services Assistant Director
BY: Lupe Santarriaga, Administrative Analyst I
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration and a Mitigation Monitoring Reporting Program, and Approval of the Aleppo Pine Tree Removal Project
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK ADOPTING A
MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION , ADOPTING A MITIGATION MONITORING
AND REPORTING PROGRAM, AND APPROVING THE ALEPPO PINE TREE REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT PROJECT (Attachment 1).
BACKGROUND
The City of Burbank has a proud 47- year history of recognition as a Tree City, USA , by the Arbor Day Foundation and is committed to maintaining its 33,000- tree urban forest with ongoing investment in tree care. The Park, Recreation, and Community Services Department (Department) oversees the City’s urban forest program, which focuses on tree diversity, maintenance, and strategic planting based on factors such as growth rate, disease resistance, and drought tolerance.
Certified arborists regularly inspect and prune City trees to address hazards and ensure the continued health of the urban forest. To sustain the existing tree canopy, tree removals are balanced with replanting efforts. In instances where a tree shows signs of declining health, the Department implements appropriate treatments to preserve the tree whenever possible. When removals are necessary, the Department prioritizes replanting to ensure more trees are planted than removed.
PARKS AND
RECREATION
2 Over the past several years , the City has experienced issues with Aleppo Pine tree failures, particularly during adverse weather , as they reach the end of their life expectancy. In February 2023, two complete parkway tree failures occurred during rainy weather conditions. In March 2024, a third Aleppo pine completely failed during windy conditions and fell on an occupied house.
In May 2023, the City’s arboriculture experts assessed 121 parkway Aleppo Pine trees and one Italian Stone Pine citywide that had likely reached maturity for potential risk of failure. The trees included in the tree risk assessment were planted approximately 100+ years ago when the adjoining residential properties were first developed. The trees are in parkway strips and residential neighborhoods with active pedestrian traffic and possible 24-hour occupancy in adjacent homes and businesses.
In consideration of community concerns about tree removal, the City hired an independent International Society of Arboriculture ( ISA) Certified Arborist to provide a secondary risk assessment. The independent arborist concurred with the City’s experts.
The report, dated September 2023, indicated that the majority of the trees analyzed should be removed, including three trees marked as Urgent, which the report recommended be removed as soon as possible (Attachment 2, Appendix A). In October 2023, the City removed these three trees on an emergency basis due to the imminent danger they posed to the residential area.
To further engage the community, this matter was discussed at the September 2023 public meetings of the Parks and Recreation Board and the Sustainable Burbank Commission. Over 1,000 letters were sent to residents in neighborhoods where Aleppo Pine trees were identified for strategic remov al and replace ment, outlining the plan, upcoming meeting dates, and providing a link to the relevant website for more information.
Additionally, an informational meeting was held on November 1, 2023, at the Buena Vista Public Library to offer an additional opportunity for public input.
Concurrently, in October 2023, the Department retained the services of Dudek , an environmental consulting firm , to collaborate with City staff and provide California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review for the proposed Aleppo Pine Tree Removal and Replacement Project (Project).
In February 2024, following heavy rains, the City removed another eight trees on an emergency basis due to the imminent danger they posed to the residential area. On March 14, 2024, an Aleppo Pine tree fell during windy conditions and was removed. The City then removed, on an emergency basis, all remaining 38 trees that the independent arborist had recommend be removed before severe weather conditions due to their overall health, structure, and potential targets if they were to fail.
3 The proposed Project is the removal and replacement of the remaining Aleppo Pine trees that have been found to be at risk of fai ling. Recognizing the importance of trees in enhancing the aesthetic and environmental quality of the Burbank community, the proposed Project provides residents with affected trees adjacent to their properties with the opportunity to select replacement trees from a list of approved species at no cost. All replacement trees would be a minimum size of 36" box trees, with efforts to plant 48" box trees where feasible, which is the largest size most parkways can accommodate. For each Aleppo Pine tree removed, the City would plant at least one tree, and where space permits, plant an additional tree to further enhance the urban canopy . Additionally, residents can request a slow -release watering bag for these new trees free of charge, supporting tree health during the establishment period.
DISCUSSION
The initial study prepared by Dudek analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the proposed removal and replacement of the remaining Aleppo Pine trees that have been found to be at risk of failing, in addition to the 49 Aleppo Pine trees and one Italian Stone Pine already removed on an emergency basis and the one Aleppo Pine tree that fell during windy conditions in March 2024. The initial study determined the proposed Project would not have any potentially significant environmental effects that cannot be mitigated to below the level of signific ance. Therefore, consistent with CEQA Guidelines § 15070, the City prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND). The Notice of Intent to Adopt the MND and the Draft MND were published on June 1, 2024, for a 45-day public review period, which concluded on July 15, 2024. The City invited community members to review the document and provide feedback by submitting comments or questions to a designated Project email.
The Draft MND was also made available to the public at Burbank Public Libraries, the City Clerk's Office, and a dedicated City webpage. Additionally, mailers were sent to residents living on blocks where an Aleppo Pine tree was proposed for removal and replacement, email notifications were sent through the City email notification system, and an advertisement was published in the Los Angeles Times on June 12, 2024. A n announcement notifying of the public review period of the Draft MND was also made to the Parks and Recreation Board during the June 13, 2024, meeting, and again at the City Council meeting on June 25, 2024.
During the 45-day public review period, the City received 45 written comments regarding both the MND draft and the Department’s tree planting process . These comments have been reviewed and incorporated into Appendix F to the Final MND (Attachment 2), and the City has provided written responses to all comments . Many of the comments consisted of questions related to tree replacement, selection, and trimming. Although these comments did not directly address the CEQA document or environmental concerns, the Final MND provides information to help residents access additional information about 4 forestry services provided to the community. Additional comments were received on topics such as biology, noise, and shade/visual impacts. The Final MND responds to these comments.
The Final MND determined the proposed Project would result in less than significant impacts to aesthetics, agriculture and forestry resources, air quality, cultural resources, energy use, geology and soils, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use and planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, transportation, tribal cultural resources, utilities and services systems, and wildfire, with no mitigation measures required. Criteria air pollutant emissions from construction and operation would remain below South Coast Air Quality Management District ( AQMD) thresholds, posing no significant health risk to sensitive receptors. GHG emissions, including those from construction and the reduction in sequestered carbon from removed trees, would not exceed the AQMD’s draft threshold, and the Project would align with state and local GHG reduction plans. Additionally, the Project’s energy demand would be within typical levels for the region and would not conflict with renewable energy or energy efficiency goals.
With standard construction and design practices, noise and vibration impacts are expected to be less than significant. The Final MND determined a potentially significant impact could result if trees were removed during the general bird nesting season of February 1 through August 31. However, with implementation of Mitigation Measure BIO- 1 (MM-BIO-1) requiring bird nesting surveys prior to removal or maintenance of any trees, the impact would be reduced to a less than significant level.
Following the review of two independent arborist reports, community feedback, and the Final MND, the Department developed a detailed action plan, including a phased removal schedule for the remaining trees that is consistent with the multi -year phased approach described in the MND (Attachment 3). The Department would closely monitor newly planted trees during their first year , the standard establishment period, as they undergo stress while their roots settle and establish —an essential part of the urban forestry process.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Including the Final MND and all comments received on the Draft MND, there is no substantial evidence that t he proposed Project will have a potentially significant impact on the environment. This conclusion is based on the criteria outlined in the State CEQA Guidelines, specifically §§ 15064 (Determining Significant Effect), 15065 (Mandatory Findings of Significance), and 15070 (Decision to Prepare a Mitigated Negative Declaration), along with the supporting reasons documented in the F inal MND for the Project. MM-BIO-1 has been incorporated into the proposed P roject to reduce the potentially significant environmental effect to nesting birds below the level of significance.
5 A Mitigation Monitoring & Reporting Program (MMRP) has been prepared to monitor implementation of this mitigation measure (Attachment 2).
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report, as the costs for tree removal and replacement were approved during the Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget process.
CONCLUSION
The Project aims to sustain the City’s tree canopy by ensuring replacement trees are more resilient, well-adapted to their environments, and continue to deliver a wide range of environmental and community benefits. By strategically removing and replanting appropriate trees in optimal locations, this approach ensures long-term sustainability and effectiveness, contributing to a healthier and more resilient urban forest. Based on the findings of independent arborist reports, public feedback, and the Final MND, staff recommends that the Council adopt the Final MND, adopt the MMRP, and approve the proposed Project.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Attachment 3 – Phased Removal Schedule