131 at 811 gonzalez drive.protesting the issuance on september 18, 2013, to parkmerced llc, tree removal permit (removal of one (1) tree with replanting of three (3) trees of similar canopy and of largest size available). order no. 181658 >> you have three appeals filed and so have you 21 minutes. >> good evening again, commissioners on behalf of the coalition of safe park merced i just want to fill you in on the fact that i intent to share part of this presentation with another community activist, miss cathy lenz who has the expertise in the issue of tree preservation and she will be speaking tonight as a co-presenter on behalf of this appeal. the reason why we are appealing this particular, these tree removal permits, is because, we are rapidly losing our canopy in the park merced at one time when it was designed we had over 2,000 trees. and we are now down to 1500. and we believe the reason why we are starting to see a major loss in trees is because of park merced's rush to get their new project under way. and there has been reference to that by a couple of people that submitted letters, to

and, it does appear that there have been some trees removed without permit and we will issue the finds to the property owner that those are penalties, or they are the fine is meant to be a requirement to replace the trees as well. and i wonder how the fines calculated. >> we don't have, and we do have some information in the report that was previously done, in order to perform what is called a landscape appraisal to determine the value of a tree, we have to have detailed information and so we need the information about the condition of the canopy and the small branches and the trunks and the roots as well as five species. and if we have sufficient information to perform the landscape appraisal then we can do the value of the tree and the large trees, because there is time invested in their growth, can be appraised at, you know, several thousand dollars or more. when we don't know the value of the tree, there are code, suggests that we should issue the finding or the value of what it costs the city to plant the tree and water it for three years. >> and so, it could get a nutrient establ

project, 1st permit: removal of one (1) tree with replanting of three (3) trees of similar canopy and of largest size available; order no. 181658. project, 2nd permit: removal of one (1) tree with re-planting of three (3) trees of similar canopy and of largest size available; order no. 181659. project, 3rd permit: removal of one (1) tree with re-planting of three (3) trees of similar canopy and of largest size available; order no. 181660 >> mr. lagos, you have nine minutes to present your request. >> thank you, director goldstein and good evening commissioners, my name is julian lagos and once again here on behalf of our community and our trees and as you were here a month ago and you had to hear what we had regarding the preservation of these three trees and we have discovered that there has been other information that has come forth since that hearing and it is in regards to the conflicts of interest that have been discovered by myself and the number of residents and park merced regarding the city's conflict of interest with the city. and we have discovered that there are two contra

>> yes, we issued the permits to the property owners, they did not have a contract to remove the trees, they were private, they may have had a contract with arbor well, but our permits are issued to the property owner, even if the contractor acts as their agent, thank you. >> i would like to ask the requestor to representative to come back up please? i have a question. >> yes. >> so based on what the department just stated with respect to their direct, the absence of any direct contractual relationship with arbor well, it is difficult for me to see the conflict. >> well, we believe that the conflict interests maybe from the referrals, that the city gives to some of the private requests here, they make... and we really don't know how far this goes. we believe that it has been mentioned to me that according to her research, arbor well is on the city's prefered vendor list. >> where is that research? >> she is not here tonight, madam president. >> right. you are asking for a rehearing based on what appears to be speculation and i have not seen a document or any direct evidence. >> if you

trees removed illegally and they have not followed up on the compliance and we do not believe that this will happen in this particular case, so we believe that this appeal, should be upheld and that the permit should be denied. >> thank you. >> >> cathy lentz. >> so, i just want to address one thing. we agree that the 605 gonzales is by carlos said 811 and ted said and i trust that 605 definitely needs cabling and 811, according to ted does not, or he would have recommended it. it needs and this is 811. i have a photo there. and it needs wind sailing and whatever the other... and let's see. wind... take the large limb off and rate the wind sale reduction and so he has not recommended cabling. and the best tree person in the bay area. you have to understand that we have had a very acromonious relationship with planning, the project has been painful to the residents out there. we are trying now to work with planning and the science report will indicate how many trees have been removed without being replanted. i do feel still that 605 gonzales can be saved and carlos pointed out that it needs extra pruning since we have not seen one tree pruned out there or maintained. maybe it is asking a lot