Trees

December 14, 2022

The City’s plan states that there are 1,561 trees (Pg 114 – 60% Master Plan) in the 4.5-mile-long Summit Avenue corridor. They utilized GIS (Geographic Information System – Pg 112 – 60% Master Plan) data only to estimate the impact to trees by the full reconstruction of Summit Avenue and the building of their planned off-road bike trail. They used one measure of where the curb line intersects the structural Root Zone (SRZ) and the Critical Root Zone (CRZ) to determine the level of vulnerability (Pg 113 – 60% Master Plan). The results of their evaluation, for the full length of Summit Avenue, are:

• 221 (14%) trees will have a High Vulnerability designation (Pg 115 – 60% Master Plan)
• Of those, 132 (8%) trees are highly vulnerable today, prior to construction (Pg 114 – 60% Master Plan)
• Includes 82 existing ash trees which will need to be removed

The licensed arborists, hired by SOS, did an analysis of two sample segments of Summit Avenue to determine the impact to trees by the full reconstruction of Summit Avenue1. The arborists performed an on-site, physical inspection method, along with GIS, in their analysis. Each of the sample segments was 4-blocks in length and both were east of Lexington. They factored in curb line impacts, along with impacts from sidewalk reconstruction (Pg 153 – 60% Master Plan) which is also listed as part of the project on the City’s webpage on the Summit Avenue Reconstruction. The arborists also included the impacts from both driveway apron (Pg 150 60% Master Plan) and carriage walk reconstruction, which are now required because of the City’s plan to move curb lines, on both sides of Summit, in by around 10 to 12 feet. The results of their in-depth analysis are:

• 132 trees analyzed (8 blocks)
• 80 trees to experience severe construction impact – 61%
  • Severe – unlikely to recover from impact
• • 42 trees with significant construction impact – 32%

The method used by the city to estimate impact to trees is extremely flawed. It neglects the construction impact from 3 additional construction components – sidewalks, driveway aprons and carriage walks. There are a total of 150 driveways, 313 carriage walks, and 77 street intersections over the full length of Summit Avenue. If approved, there will be construction activity on all four sides of the root zones of the trees. Extrapolating the arborists’ analysis suggests that:

827 – 952 trees would be severely impacted and unlikely to recover from the construction
activity.

So, the City’s Summit Avenue Regional Trail Master Plan, absent of any comprehensive, enforced tree preservation activities, will impact a large number (potentially greater than 50%) of the trees that make up the historic canopy of Summit. The choice being presented is to trade tree canopy and historic character for a new paved, off-street bike trail. The trail plans should be rejected. It is not feasible in the context of Summit Avenue and violates the Met Council requirement that “Regional Trails should be placed where the trail treadway will have no adverse impact on the natural resource base” (Pg 177 – 60% Master Plan

1 Summit Avenue Tree Survey – Including an Analysis of Construction Impacts – Trees & Me, LLC – 1/11/2022