New Condo Development Uproots Heritage Trees

Menlo Park will lose five heritage-sized trees when a new condominium development is built in late spring. 

Planning Commissioners that would allow the building at at 731 Bay Road to be developed for a project that will also encompass the lot at 735 Bay Road. 

The combined properties have 12 trees, eight of which are heritage size, according to a staff report prepared for the review meeting. 

"Any tree having a trunk with a circumference of 47.1 inches (diameter of 15 inches) or more, measured at 54 inches above natural grade," qualifies as a heritage tree in Menlo Park. 

The city is very protective of the trees within its borders, with laws that prevent property owners from trimming their trees without approval on the books. It was declared Tree City USA for its abundance of trees, according to Alain Pinel Realtors.

At the project site, two black walnut trees and three trees of heaven are scheduled to be removed to allow room for the property driveway, which had to be expanded to adhere to the city's fire code, and general construction.

Simon Turncliffe, owner of West Valley Arborists, assessed the state of the trees on the property and shared his findings in a letter to property owner Ian Carney on April 28, 2011. Turncliffe said that the native black walnut trees "are worth saving" and recommended that the ivy on the trees be removed to improve the trees' health, which was in question.  

Bonnie Neylan, who owns the property on Madera Street, said the former owners never cared for the black walnut trees, which led to their deterioration.

"The San Mateo Health Department had given us alert tags about the rodent problem that this tree has brought," Neylan said, noting she supports the new condominium development. 

Turncliffe said the removal of the trees of heaven was reasonable. He said they are non native and considered weeds "due to their root invasive quality and proliferation tendency to take over a site of less agressive species." 

"It would take extraordinary measures of size reduction and root cutting to make them even partially safe and construction impacts are impossible to avoid," Turncliffe said.  

The city arborist has reviewed and tentatively approved the tree removal, according to the staff report. The  project Monday 5-2 with an amendment that would enable the property owner to transform the driveway back into landscaping if the city updates code requirements. This unprecedented amendment will enable future permit applicants to more precisely negotiate land use. 

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