1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: April 22, 2025
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 , a Mitigation Monitoring and 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 s and Recreation 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.
To uphold this commitment, the City implements proactive measures, including regular inspections, pruning, and strategic removals when necessary to maintain a healthy and safe urban forest . Certified arborists regularly inspect and prune City trees to address hazards and ensure continued health. To sustain the existing tree canopy, tree removals are balanced with replanting efforts. Where a tree shows signs of declining health, the Department implements appropriate treatments to preserve the tree whenever p ossible.
2 When removals are necessary, the Department prioritizes replanting to ensure more trees are planted than removed.
Over the past several years , t he 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 parkway Aleppo pine completely failed during windy conditions and fell on an occupied house. In January 2025, another high wind event caused two complete tree failures as well as the failure of large branches on numerous trees, one of which required the ultimate removal of the entire tree.
In May 2023, the City’s arboriculture experts assessed 121 parkway Aleppo Pine trees and one Italian Stone Pine citywide for potential risk of failure . The trees were planted approximately 100+ years ago when the adjoining residential properties were first developed and are in parkway strips of residential neighborhoods with active pedestrian traffic and possible 24-hour occupancy in adjacent homes and businesses.
To ensure due diligence , 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 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 removal and replacement, outlining the plan, upcoming meeting dates, and providing a link to the relevant website for more information. Additionally, a n 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 adjoining residential areas. Between October 2023 and May 2024, the City removed 49 of the previously assessed Aleppo Pines and one (1) Italian Stone Pine on an emergency basis due to the
3 imminent danger they posed to the residential area, including one (1) Aleppo Pine that fell during windy conditions on March 14, 2024, and was removed. In January 2025, another high wind event caused one complete tree failure as well as the failure of larg e branches on numerous trees, two of which required immediate removal of the entire tree.
Following the storm, the City initiated the emergency removal of approximately 52 Aleppo Pine trees on February 25, 2025.
Thus, of the 122 assessed trees, 105 trees have either fallen, been removed, or are scheduled to be removed on an emergency basis, leaving 17 trees. The City has planted 98 new trees and is scheduled to plant approximately 112 new replacement trees, ensuring a net increase. Wildlife protection measures and enhanced community outreach were implemented throughout the process.
The proposed Project is the removal and replacement of the remaining Aleppo Pine trees that have been found to be at risk of fa iling. 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 are 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 will plant at least two trees at the site of the removed tree if space permits, or as close thereto as practical. 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 signifi cance. 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 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 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
4 notifications were sent through the City email notification system, and an advertisement was published in the Los Angeles Times on June 12, 2024. An announcement regarding the public review period of the draft MND was also made to the Parks and Recreation Board during the June 13, 2024, meeting, and at the Council meeting on June 25, 2024.
During the 45-day public review period, the City received 45 written comments regarding both the MND and Forestry’s processes. 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 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.
On December 17, 2024, Council received a summary of the Project and its environmental analysis. On the same day, the City received public comments raising concerns about the adequacy of the MND. To allow for further staff and consultant review, the Council deferred action on the Project. After evaluating the scope of the comments received, the
5 City determined that they did not present substantial evidence requiring the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and thus, the City is proceeding with the MND.
In response to public input and to further enhance environmental protections, two key updates have been made to Mitigation Measure BIO -1 in the MND: (1) buffer zone distances around active nests have been increased to better protect nesting birds and raptors, and (2) a pre -construction survey by a qualified biologist within three days prior to any tree removal or vegetation clearing is required during the nesting season.
Tree removal and vegetation clearing will be scheduled, whenever feasible, during the non-breeding season (October 1 through January 31). If work must occur during the breeding season (March 1 through September 30 for nesting birds and February 1 through June 30 for nesting raptors), the pre-construction survey will assess whether any active nests are present within or adjacent to the project area. If no active nests are found, work may proceed. If an active nest is identified, a protective buffer zone will be established—at least 250 feet for nesting birds and 500 feet for nesting raptors —and no work will occur within that buffer until a qualified biologist determines the nest is no longer active. If there is a pause in construction activity for more than s even days, a resurvey will be required. Additionally, a summary of each nesting bird survey will be submitted following site inspections.
Furthermore, replanting and watering responsibilities have been incorporated into the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP). As a result, the MND being presented to the City Council now includes minor but meaningful revisions from the version reviewed on December 17, 2024.
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 Final 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.
A 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.
6 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 and MMRP and approve the proposed Project.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program