HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-10-24 OPH Email Forwarding 10-21-2011 Arborist Report Julie Hultman
From: Eric Johnson
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2011 8:52 AM
To: 'Tim Nolde; 'Todd Erickson'
Cc: Julie Hultman; 'Mark Vierling'; 'Scott Richards'; 'K.D. Widin'
Subject: FW: Oak Park Senior Living Landscape Plan
Follow Up Flag: FollowUp
Flag Status: Flagged
October 24th, 2011
Dear Tim:
Please see the comments below from City Arborist Kathy Widin.
Please provide the responses she seeks to my attention as soon as possible.
Thank you
Eric
Eric Johnson
City Administrator
City of Oak Park Heights, MN
651 - 439 -4439
Original Message--- -
F rom: K.D. Widin (mailto:kdwidin @comcast.netl
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2011 5:47 PM
To: Eric Johnson; Mark Vierling (E- mail); Chris Long (E- mail); Andrew Kegley; Jim Butler; Betty Caruso; Julie Hultman;
Scott Richards
Subject: Oak Park Senior Living Landscape Plan
OPH Staff -
I have reviewed the landscape plan submittal for Phase I & II of the Oak Park Senior Living project dated 10/19/11 and
have the following comments:
1. The landscape plan is appropriate for the type of complex being built.
2. Plant Species:
a. Size - sizes indicated in the plant list for the project are appropriate for the site and meet city code requirements for
newly installed landscaping
b. Plants specified: these generally are acceptable, being mostly native species adapted to the local soils and growing
conditions and which have relatively few serious insect or disease problems which might limit their usefulness in the
landscape. Plants listed have relatively low maintenance requirements.
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1. there is a preponderance of red maple specified for the landscape and it would ne best to lower numbers of red
maple and diversify the tree species to include more river birch, some American linden and hackberry.
2. Quercus palustris (Eastern pin oak) is included in the list of tree species. This is the eastern pin oak which, in local
soils, tends to have chronic problems with iron chlorosis. 1 recommend that this be changed to Quercus ellipsoidalis
(northern pin oak) which is adapted to our local soils and growing conditions.
3. understory trees - I recommend that the palette of understory trees be expanded to include some flowering
crabapples and thornless cockspur hawthorn to improve diversity and sustainability of the landscape. Pagoda dogwood
is a good native species but I would recommend reducing the numbers of this plant because it is susceptible to a serious
fungal canker (Crytodiaporthe) which can increase maintenance of the plant and limit its longevity in the landscape. I
recommend using some serviceberry to replace a portion of the pagoda dogwood.
4. shrubs - I recommend increasing the diversity of shrubs and reducing the number of dwarf winged Euonymus.
Substitutions could include dwarf red - twigged dogwood and Korean lilac. A large proportion of coralberry is specified.
This is a shrub which sends out runners and makes the plant difficult to retain in one area. I would reduce the number
of coralberry and replace some with dwarf bush honeysuckle (also produces suckers but easier to maintain) or
perennials, such as daylilies.
c. There are trees depicted to be planted over the east property boundary into the west right -of -way of Oakgreen Ave..
All landscaping is to be planted on private property. Will the existing trees be removed to plant the trees depicted on
the landscape plan?
d. There are trees depicted to be planted on the west property boundary; however, there are trees already there. Are
some of these trees being removed to create parking spaces for this project? If so, the existing trees cannot be used as
part of the tree replacement requirement credit.
e. Planting Detail - a planting detail was not included in this submittal
f. Tree Replacement Requirement:
The tree replacement calculation for this parcel from 4/27/09 was calculated to be: 1521 cal. in.. It looks as if some
trees have been removed from the east side of the pond and east property boundary/right -of -way of Oakgreen Ave..
Not including trees which were irrevocably damaged by storms or were designated as risk trees, how many additional
thheper tree replacement trees
lacem enhave
nches been o removed? f 366 cal. iln. using
n the the 7 ndscape plans for this the current tree replacement emen and requirement
te e pet i of 3
would be 1155 cal.
in.. Payment in lieu of tree replacement would be 1155 cal. in. x $50. /cal in. = $57,750.
Please contact me if you have any questions. Please forward my comments to the developer. I will be unable to attend
the review meeting with the developer scheduled for Wed. 10/26.
Kathy Widin
OPH Arborist
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