Hazard Tree Removal - 7819 175th St. SW.pdf
CITY OF EDMONDS
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121 5Avenue North, Edmonds WA 98020
Phone: 425.771.0220 • Fax: 425.771.0221 • Web: www.edmondswa.gov
DEVELOPMENT SERVICESDEPARTMENT•PLANNING DIVISION
April 16, 2015
Mr. Tony Shoffner
Via email: tony@tonyshoffner.com
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St. SW
Subject: Hazard Tree Removal at 7819 175
Dear Mr. Shoffner,
Thank you for submitting acover letter,Tree Risk Assessment Forms, site plans, and photographsprepared by
yourself (Certification ID #PN-0909A)regarding two hazardous treeslocated ontheeastern side of the property
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(near the garage) addressed 7819 175St. SWon behalf of your client, Steve Hanson. For your reference, I am
enclosing the documentation that you submitted regarding this matter.
The materialsthat you have submittedstate that the two subject trees (one hemlock and one maple) arehazardous
and needto be removed. Bothtrees that you haveassessedarelocated onand/or adjacent to a steep slope.Thus,
both trees arewithin critical areas and/or critical area buffers, including an Erosion Hazard Areaand a Landslide
Hazard Area. As such, the cutting of both subjecttreesis subject to the applicable critical areas regulations of
Edmonds Community Development Code (ECDC) Chapters 23.40 through23.90.Generally the removal of trees, or
any vegetation, within a critical area or critical area buffer is not an allowed activity, unless it involves the removal
of invasive species or hazard trees. Removal of hazardous trees in critical areas is regulated in the Edmonds
Community Development Code (ECDC) at Section 23.40.220.C.7.b. Such removal is an allowed activity as
indicated by the code below:
b. The removal of trees from critical areas and buffers that are hazardous, posing a threat to public safety,
or posing an imminent risk of damage to private property; provided, that:
i. The applicant submits a report from an ISA-or ASCA-certified arborist or registered landscape
architect that documents the hazard and provides a replanting schedule for the replacement trees;
ii. Tree cutting shall be limited to pruning and crown thinning, unless otherwise justified by a qualified
professional. Where pruning or crown thinning is not sufficient to address the hazard, trees should be
removed or converted to wildlife snags;
iii. All vegetation cut (treestems, branches, etc.) shall be left within the critical area or buffer unless
removal is warranted due to the potential for disease or pest transmittal to other healthy vegetation or
unless removal is warranted to improve slope stability;
iv. The land owner shall replace any trees that are removed with new trees at a ratio of two
replacement trees for each tree removed (two to one) within one year in accordance with an approved
restoration plan. Replacement trees may be planted at a different, nearby location if it can be
determined that planting in the same location would create a new hazard or potentially damage the
critical area. Replacement trees shall be species that are native and indigenous to the site and a
minimum of one inch in diameter at breast height (dbh) for deciduous trees and a minimum of six feet
in height for evergreen trees as measured from the top of the root ball;
v. If a tree to be removed provides critical habitat, such as an eagle perch, a qualified wildlife
biologist shall be consulted to determine timing and methods of removal that will minimize impacts;
and
vi. Hazard trees determined to pose an imminent threat or danger to public health or safety, to public
or private property, or of serious environmental degradation may be removed or pruned by the land
owner prior to receiving written approval from the city; provided, that within 14 days following such
action, the land owner shall submit a restoration plan that demonstrates compliance with the
provisions of this title;
The above referenced materials prepared by yourselfidentify and describe the location and health of the two subject
trees. Based on this information, it is clear that removal of thesetreesis warranted as long as the requirements of
ECDC 23.40.220.C.7.b are followed, including the requirement of ECDC 23.40.220.C.7.b.iv that hazard trees be
replaced with new trees at a ratio of two-to-one. Thus, following the cutting of the two subject trees,these trees will
need to be replaced with four trees.
An exemption for the tree cutting requested in yourcover letterand associated Tree Risk AssessmentForms and
supplemental materials is granted with the following conditions:
1.Only thehemlocktreeand fir tree identified in the materialsprepared by yourself(enclosed) may be cut.
No additional trees may be cut without further review and approval by the Planning Division.
2.Thestumpsof the subjecttreesmust not beremoved and must remain in place in order to help maintain
slope stabilityunless sufficient documentation by a qualified geotechnical engineer warranting the removal
of the stumps is provided to the Planning Division prior to the removal of the stump.
3.All work must be done using hand labor and light (hand-held) equipment, and appropriate erosion control
must be implemented to minimize impacts to the critical areas. The fourrequired replacement trees must
be installed using the same techniques in the general area that the subject trees are cut.
4.The cut treesmust be replaced at a ratio of two-to-one consistent with ECDC 23.40.220.C.7.b.iv within one
year of tree the tree cutting activity. The replacement trees should be planted in the general vicinity of the
cut tree.
5.Pursuant to ECDC 23.40.220.C.7.b, replacement trees shall be species that are native and indigenous to the
siteand shall be a minimum of one inch diameter at breast height for deciduous trees and a minimum of six
feet in height for evergreentrees as measured from the top of the root ball.
If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact me at (425) 771-0220.
Sincerely,
Jen Machuga
Associate Planner
Encl:Cover Letter by Tony Shoffner dated April 11, 2015
Tree Hazard Evaluation Forms, Site Plans, and Associated Photographs
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St. SW
Cc: Street Filefor 7819 175
Steve Hanson(via email: revitusinc@yahoo.com)
Shoffner Consulting
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21529 4 A. W. #C31 B, WA 98021 M:(206)755-2871
VEOTHELLOBILE
April 11, 2015
Steve Hanson
7819 175th St. SW
Edmonds, WA
98026
Re: Tree Condition Assessments
Steve:
This report is provided to address the two trees of concern on your property which I evaluated today.
Please see the attached Tree Risk Assessment forms with information pertaining to these trees.
As the forms show, each tree poses a considerable risk as each are in poor condition, having suffered
past failures resulting in codominant trunks, and each are very near your home. My recommendation is
to remove them.
If you have any questions regarding this report, please feel free to call me directly.
Cordially,
Tony Shoffner
ISA Certified Arborist #PN-0909A
CTRA #1759
RISK ASSESSMENT
7819 175th St. SW Edmonds
3
4
11
4
Probability
X
of Failure
x
Tony Shoffner, PN-0909A, CTRA #1759
4/11/2014
1Western hemlock
2238È
2~65È
x
x
75
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
S-SW
x
x
x
x
s
s
s
M
s
OVERALL RISK RATING
Codominant leaders at crotch
Probability of Failure: 1-Low; 2-Moderate; 3-Moderately High; 4-High; 5-Extreme: 1-Low; 2-Moderate; 3-Moderately High; 4-High; 5-Extreme
1-<4Æ; 2- 4Æ-20Æ; 3- >20Æ1-<4Æ; 2- 4Æ-20Æ; 3- >20Æ
1-<4Æ; 2- 4Æ-20Æ; 3- >20Æ1-<4Æ; 2- 4Æ-20Æ; 3- >20Æ
Probability of Failure
OVERALL RISK RATING
1 - Low; 2 - Moderate
43
411
1 - Low; 2 - Moderate
3 - Moderately High; 4 - High3 - Moderately High; 4 - High
RISK
x
April 11, 2015
x
RISK ASSESSMENT
7819 175th St. SW Edmonds
3
4
11
4
Probability
X
of Failure
x
Tony Shoffner, PN-0909A, CTRA #1759
4/11/2014
2Douglas fir
26Æ42È
2~85È
x
x
70
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
S-SW
x
x
x
x
s
s
s
OVERALL RISK RATING
Codominant leaders at crotch
Probability of Failure: 1-Low; 2-Moderate; 3-Moderately High; 4-High; 5-Extreme: 1-Low; 2-Moderate; 3-Moderately High; 4-High; 5-Extreme
1-<4Æ; 2- 4Æ-20Æ; 3- >20Æ1-<4Æ; 2- 4Æ-20Æ; 3- >20Æ
1-<4Æ; 2- 4Æ-20Æ; 3- >20Æ1-<4Æ; 2- 4Æ-20Æ; 3- >20Æ
Probability of Failure
OVERALL RISK RATING
1 - Low; 2 - Moderate
43
411
1 - Low; 2 - Moderate
3 - Moderately High; 4 - High3 - Moderately High; 4 - High
RISK
x
April 11, 2015
x