Tree Planting Report on 17th Street

Following is an extremely helpful and informative report from Commissioner Bob Meehan on the replacement of trees on 17th Street with the streetscape project:

On Friday, January 22, 2009, UFA arborist Vera Munevver and ANC Commissioner Bob Meehan did a second and final walk-through on 17th St to double check and mark the trees that would be removed as part of the 17th St road project. The trees marked for removal have an orange-red spray-paint circle on the trunks. They will be removed this week depending on the weather and replaced in the spring.

SUMMARY STATS: 11 existing trees will be cut and 9 of those trees will be replaced. Of the 9 trees being replaced, two had to be moved to accommodate new, double-size catch basins; one, to accommodate a new pedestrian crosswalk/wheelchair access ramp at O St; one to shift a tree box obstructing the stairway for the Brunswick House; one because it had less than 10 years left; one was too close to an alley; and the remaining three trees were small enough so it made sense to remove them in order to install the new extended tree-box system. Of the two trees not being replaced, one is a large, dying mulberry tree next to the Baptist Church parking lot that is in the sidewalk pedestrian right-of-way. The other is in front of the Copley Plaza. This tree is badly damaged and is competing unsuccessfully with the existing row of crepe myrtle and magnolia trees on the building's front lawn. While the tree won't be replaced at this time, the tree box will be retained until a future time when it will be appropriate to replace the tree.

The new tree-box systems will be installed only where the trees can be removed between a street and an alley. There will be 4 stretches with the new tree-box-system: alley to Corcoran St in front on MacDonalds, Church St to alley in front of the Copley Plaza, Church St to alley in front of Yagato, and alley to P St in front of townhouses on west side across from the CVS.

Additional trees will be planted as follows: one to fill empty tree box, 5 to fill planned additional tree boxes, and up to 6 to fill potential additional tree boxes, depending on the final placement of new street lighting and results of checking for possible underlying utilities or other obstructions.

ADDRESS OF TREES TO BE REMOVED:

1.Baptist parking lot: dying mulberry tree in pedestrian right of way.
2.Bay State: elm tree in front of new pedestrian crossing with ramp on south side of O St. New tree box to south of ramp.
3.Brunswick House: small zelkova in front of stairway. New tree box to south of stairway.
4.1500 17th: zelkova sappling in order to install new tree box system.
5.1506 17th: elm tree with less than 10 years life. Removal will permit new tree box system.
6.1509 17th: redbud tree to permit new tree box system.
7.1515 17th: zelkova sappling to permit new tree box system.
8.1514 17th(Copley Plaza): damaged zelkova to let existing tree canopy on lawn to flourish and to install new tree box system.
9.1519 17th: dying elm tree to permit installation of new catch basin. Replacement tree will be installed next to JRs on Church St.
10.1619:17th : zelkova sappling to permit installation of new catch basin. Tree box to be moved north.
11.1627 17th: damaged elm too close to alley and to permit installation of new tree box system. Tree box to be moved south.