Albany City Council votes to slow down UC’s tree-cutting project
An extractor has been sent by UC’s contractor, ready to cut down 184 Monterey pines at the Gill Tract in Albany next week. Photo by Linjun Fan.
Albany urged University of California at Berkeley to suspend its plan to cut down several hundred pines on the Gill Tract, otherwise it would seek a court injunction to intervene, according to a resolution passed unanimously at the Albany City Council Tuesday.
None of the five City Councilmembers were convinced by the university’s argument that it’s necessary to cut down 184 Monterey pines on the tract immediately because many of them are infected with the tree disease pitch canker and jeopardize public safety.
The Councilmembers criticized the university for giving them short notice on the tree removal project, which is scheduled to start next Monday, Jan 28.
“This comes up so suddenly, ” said Councilmember Marge Atkinson. “There is not an involvement of the community. “
University staff said that they had informed Albany city staff in advance, and that they didn’t give earlier notice because the funds for the tree removal project wasn’t allocated until December.
Albany Councilmembers also questioned whether the university had fulfilled its obligations under California Environmental Quality Act before clearing the pine grove, which they regarded as a wildlife habitat.
The University needs to submit an environmental impact report on the project to California Department of Fish and Game, or apply for an exemption, according Diane Harais, a supervisor of the agency.
But it has not submitted any document to the agency yet, maintaining that it’s adequate for it to send a notice of exemption to the state Office of Planning and Research, which was done last week.
Albany Councilmember Joanne Wile said that she was concerned for the Cooper’s Hawks that were found to be nesting at the pine grove in the past several years.
“They are considered as species of special concern, so it’s really illegal to be disturbing nesting sites of the Cooper’s Hawks, ” Wile said.
About four fledglings of Cooper’s Hawks were nurtured at the pine grove each year since 2004, according to Albany resident Ralph Pericoli, who has been keeping track of the hawks on the site for a raptor protection group.
Pericoli said that the hawks’ nesting season starts as early as mid January. But Jim Horner, campus landscape architect of the University, contended that the hawks don’t normally start nesting until late February, citing a research paper published in 2003.
The University doesn’t need to conduct wildlife surveys prior to construction activities in non-nesting season of August through February, according to Jennifer McDougall, planner of the University, citing a 2004 environmental impact report.
Another disagreement was on what to plant on the site after the pine removal. The University said that it would hydro-seed the land when the Monterey pines are gone, but Albany wants it to plant new trees there.
“A reasonable person would expect that Fish and Game specifies that there ought to be replacement of the trees, not just removal, ” said Councilmember Farid Javandel.
Speakers from the audience, most of whom were Albany residents, overwhelmingly opposed the tree-cutting plan. Some expressed suspicion of the University’s intention.
“It strikes me as odd that the University comes forward with the plan of removal of the trees just the same time they come forward with a plan to put on commercial development along San Pablo, ” said Robert Cheasty, former mayor of Albany and Chairman of Solano Avenue Association.
The University says in a recent public notice that the land planned for commercial development is located south of the tree site.
Albany City Attorney Robert Zweben is negotiating with the University trying to postpone the tree-cutting project for at least several weeks.
The University hasn’t changed its position and will start the tree removal next Monday if the weather allows, according to Sarah Yang, a public information representative of the University.
[...] schedule to stifle community concerns Albany resident Bill Dann wrote a commentary on the latest dispute between Albany and UC-Berkeley on the tree-cutting plan at the Gill [...]
[...] infected with pitch canker, an infectious disease common for Monterey pines. Albany City Council passed a resolution last Tuesday urging the University to postpone the tree-cutting plan after expressing various [...]
I quote: “Then, we must smile at our swaggering arborist “experts” giving testimony at the city council meeting. Where have these responsible arborists been over the last 20 years? Not a single pine limb trimmed. Not a single pine tree thinned out to allow the others to grow stronger. And this in a property in plain view across the street from the City Hall. One outspoken so-called expert hadn’t even taken the time to strut the 20 or 30 steps required to actually look at the Gill Tract trees; yet, he was certain they must all be cut down immediately, sight unseen.”
“The Gill Tract trees must be an embarrassment to the professional tree people who committed tree negligence on University property. Albany shouldn’t suffer the loss of a gem of an urban forest to cover up arborist negligence per se.”
I found out about this web site on 1/31/08. I’m the “outspoken, swaggering so-called arborist expert” I added the previous 2 paragraphs because I wanted to make sure I quoted this idiot accurately. I may have swagger due to forces out of my control. I wouldn’t know as that would be in the eye of the beholder. But you, sir, have developed your knack for lying and smearing intentionally over a lifetime.
“Where have these responsible arborists been over the last 20 years?” You ask?
I’ll tell you where I’ve been Mr. Dann. I’ve been minding my own business, consulting on pathogen disorders and structural stability issues pertaining to trees and shrubs. I’ve been selling my services, to whomever invited me on to their property. Hopefully I helped them resolve certain plant issues. I can’t even begin to count the number of trees I have prevented from being cut down over the years due to my having formulated a stronger argument against the removal. How about yourself?
I know you probably have a hard time comprehending such a simple concept as being invited on to some ones property to perform a service. I’ve been aware of your hostile take over attempts at Golden Gate Fields, the Gill Tract and the way you smear any one who disagrees with you. You obviously feel it’s an arborists duty to invite oneself on to someone else’s property; as long as it’s not your own of course, and begin tree trimming/removal operations without permission. I believe in private property rights. A fundamental difference between you and me, Mr. Dann.
You instigated this smear knowing absolutely nothing about me. I realize at the outset that no amount of reason will sway you. You are a zealot. You didn’t think in all likelihood that I would ever respond to your smarmy little smear attempt. Wrong! This is where your radical politics and your means to achieve those ends stops; and where practical, analytical, reasonable and responsible solutions to a potentially devastating problem begins.
I watched a repeat of the city council meeting you were referring to, and it was clear I never said any of the things you attributed to me. What is abundantly clear after analyzing what you said, is that you know absolutely nothing about trees in general and even more than absolutely nothing when it comes to the hazards that coniferous trees with pathogens such as Fusarium, Armillaria, Stereum, Endocronartium, Coleosporium, Fomes, Cryptoporus etc. etc. harbor. Yea I know, you don’t have the foggiest idea of what I just said. That leads me to my main point. Stick with what you know, that way you won’t give me the opportunity to make a fool out of you.
I never used the term “Expert” in referring to myself. You did. Thank you by the way for your confidence in my abilities. I’m sure I am completely off based in assuming you meant that as a slur.
I admitted at the outset (at the meeting) I had not visited the Gill Tract, and that I was responding to an article in the Albany Journal. In that article, two professional arborists, each paid for their expertise, each from opposing sides, concluded that the trees posed a significant danger to the public. I simply stated; that since Mr. Cody from UC and Mr. Wolcott, (in my opinion each representing the best interests of the citizens of Albany) agreed on this danger, that there must be a logical reason for their meeting of the minds. I never stated that the trees have to be taken down immediately. I would never make a statement like that because as I said before; I have never been on that property, remember?. To put this as diplomatically as possible; You made that up out of whole cloth. Shame on you Mr. Dann. It’s time for you to go stand in the corner, and don’t move until I tell ya.
I took the advice of a lady who spoke after me at the 1/22/08 city council meeting, and visited the site recently on 1/31/08. I was stunned at the hazardous degree of decay permeating the stand of monterey pines. In my opinion, as a professional arborist, the city of Albany would be certifiable insane to try and stop the university from moving ahead to reduce this very real hazard. This stand of trees was in far worse condition than what I had expected to find. It has since come to my attention that at least 3 other arborists are also in agreement with the other “experts.” I know you don’t think anyone else is an expert at anything besides yourself. I know that expertise, facts and empirical evidence, are little insignificant details that don’t make any difference to you. You are a zealot
Since I have recently seen this pine stand first hand; and since I am in full agreement with the experts opinion, I am confident that the city of Albany will keep the best interests of its citizens in mind.
I understand an Albany city council woman, after seeing the site first hand, changed her mind on voting to push forward with a potential lawsuit. It sounds like the people who know what they’re talking about are taking the proper steps to solve this very understandable touchy issue. Like I stated at the meeting “I love trees, that’s why I’m in the business.” However, you sir twisted what I said, and then scribbled down what you wanted to hear. If there was any other logical way to deal with this issue, while keeping public safety at the fore front, I would be all ears.
I apologize ahead of time to any “professional tree people” who would not want to be included in the following statement: None of us were “negligent” or feel the experimental plot of monterey pines planted in the early sixties at the University of California experimental field station is an “embarrassment” in any way. I sleep like a baby. Sorry to disappoint you. I have added this disclaimer, because I know it is not my right to be speaking for other professional tree people. You, sir, willingly chose to smear all of us and particularly me without the slightest knowledge of what you were talking about. I know that a lot of valuable research on pine pathogens and genetic resistance to such was documented. I commend the plant pathologists who conducted this research. Unfortunately this experimental plot of trees has come to its physiological end and major action needs to be taken.
I hope I got my point across. If so, you don’t have to stand in the corner any longer. I won’t have any discourse with you in the future unless we run into each other at a city council meeting where a subject I know something about is being discussed. I realize that you cannot have a rational discussion with an irrational person. If you had any character at all you could very easily have contacted me to find out in more detail why I felt the way I did. Better yet, you could have approached me at the city council meeting. We could have discussed the issue like 2 grown men, and then parted ways with the understanding that we have opposing viewpoints and hopefully no hard feelings. You blew that opportunity. You chose to hide behind a computer screen and assault my character knowing absolutely nothing about me. That’s the cowards way out. Have a nice day.