712 Congress Avenue Tree Evaluation and Recommendations … · RECOMMENDATION The tree is growing in highly compacted soils and recent walk excavation in the root zone may cause long-term

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712 Congress Avenue Suite 300 Austin, Texas 78701 512.480.0032 • voice 512.480.0617 • fax www.rviplanning.com

AUSTIN / HOUSTON / DALLAS

Tree Evaluation and Recommendations Report

Date: November 2, 2015

To: Zach Ryan RPS Klotz

901 South Mo Pac Expressway, Suite 220, Building 5 Austin, TX 78746-5776

Project: Buda Main Street: Buda, TX Tree Evaluation and Recommendations Report

RVi Project No. 154431

Date/Time of Visit: October 5, 2015: 12:00-3:00pm

Present on Site: Mark W. Smith; RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture

Mark W. Smith visited the Main Street site in Buda, TX to document and evaluate the condition of eight (8) existing Live Oaks located along the north and south edges of the roadway in the location of proposed Main Street improvement near Stagecoach Park.

Each tree is identified by its existing tree tag number and has been referenced on the attached “Exhibit A: Tree Evaluation Reference Plan.” Photo of each tree are provided in “Attachment A.”

TREE NO. 18039 (existing tag) _____________________________________

LOCATION North side of Main Street, SE corner of Willie’s Joint restaurant

SPECIES Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)

TREE SIZE 38” DBH; 60’ height, 50’ spread

SITE FACTORS The tree is located between Main Street and a recently installed concrete walk. Distance to Main Street and adjacent traffic barrier is approx. 5’. Distance to the walk is approx. 4’. The root zone is elevated approx. 3’ above the adjacent roadway grade. Soils are compacted.

TREE HEALTH Overall health of the tree is good and it is a picturesque specimen in a highly visible location at the entry to Stagecoach Park. The canopy hangs over Main Street and has been pruned for vehicular clearance. The canopy is unbalanced and open with healthy foliage. Branches are heavily covered with ball moss. The canopy to the north has been pruned to avoid contact with adjacent overhead utilities. No pests were observed.

TREE DEFECTS a) The tree is highly susceptible to vehicular damage due to its proximity to the lane of travel.

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b) The root zone is confined to a narrow space between the walk and Main Street. While the root zone along Main Street was impacted years ago and has adjusted, the root zone to the north was recently impacted by excavation for construction of the walk. This may have caused root damage or root removal and may negatively impact tree health and stability of the tree.

c) Soils are of very limited volume and are highly compacted with little surface vegetation.

d) Overhead electrical and communications utilities run approx. 4’ below the canopy along the north side of the tree.

CULTURAL/HISTORIC The tree is located next to the entry to Stagecoach Park, a known historic property. The tree has no known cultural or historic significance.

RELOCATION Potential for relocation of this tree is limited. The root zone is confined to a narrow space between the street and sidewalk and is in highly compacted soils. Likelihood of excavating a healthy rootball appears to be low and likelihood of long-term survival is low-to-moderate. Given the probable high cost of relocation ($100,000+) and the low potential for survival, relocation should not be considered.

RECOMMENDATION The tree is in unsafe proximity to the road, it has a severely limited root zone area, the soils in the root zone are highly compacted soils, and recent walk excavation in the root zone may cause long-term decline. Removal of this tree may allow for roadway alignment that will avoid impacts to and maximize preservation efforts for the five specimen live oaks on the south edge of Main Street. Removal is recommended.

TREE NO. 103 (existing tag) _______________________________________

LOCATION North side of Main Street, SE corner of Willie’s Joint near entry to Stagecoach Park



SITE FACTORS The tree is located between Main Street and a recently installed concrete walk. Distance to Main Street and the adjacent traffic barrier is approx. 4’. Distance to the walk is approx. 5’. The soil is elevated 3’ above adjacent street grade, reflecting roadway excavation and probable root removal decades ago. The new walk to the north was installed at grade in the existing root zone.

TREE HEALTH Overall health of the tree is fair. The canopy is thin, unbalanced, and open but with healthy foliage. Branches are

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heavily covered with ball moss. The canopy has been pruned to avoid contact with overhead utilities. No pests were observed.

TREE DEFECTS a) The root zone is confined to a narrow 9’ space between the walk and Main Street in a location highly susceptible to vehicular damage.

b) While the root zone along Main Street was impacted many years ago and has adjusted, the root zone to the north was recently impacted by construction of the walk. This may have caused root damage or root removal and may negatively impact tree health and overall stability of the tree.

c) Soils are of very limited volume and are highly compacted with little surface vegetation.

d) The tree is not an attractive specimen and does not contribute significantly to the overall aesthetic quality of Main Street.

CULTURAL/HISTORIC The tree is located near the entry to Stagecoach Park, a known historic property. The tree has no known cultural or historic significance.

RELOCATION Potential for relocation of this tree is limited. The root zone is confined to a narrow space between the street and sidewalk and is in highly compacted soils. Likelihood of excavating a healthy rootball is low and likelihood of long-term survival is low. Given the probable high cost of relocation ($50,000+) and the low potential for survival, relocation should not be considered.

RECOMMENDATION The tree is in unsafe proximity to the road, it has a severely limited root zone area, the soils in the root zone are highly compacted, and recent walk excavation in the root zone may cause long-term decline. Removal of this tree may allow for roadway alignment that will avoid impact to the five specimen live oaks on the south edge of Main Street.


LOCATION North side of Main Street, SW corner of Willie’s Joint entry drive.


TREE SIZE 26” (double) DBH; 35’ height, 70’ spread

SITE FACTORS The tree is located north of a recently installed concrete walk. Distance to Main Street is approx. 12’. Distance to the walk is approx. 4’. The soil at the root crown is level and slightly below

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the adjacent walk, suggesting that grading was required for walk construction. Distance from the street is adequate to avoid vehicular damage.

TREE HEALTH Overall health of the tree is generally poor. The trunks (2) are healthy and leaning approx. 30 degrees from vertical to the east and west. The canopy has been heavily pruned to avoid contact with utilities. There is considerable dead wood (30-40%) in the canopy. Branches are heavily covered with ball moss. No pests were observed.

TREE DEFECTS a) Significant decay was observed at a pruning wound in the trunk to the west.

b) Soils in the root zone are highly compacted with moderate surface vegetation.

c) Overhead electrical and communications utilities run directly through the canopy.

CULTURAL/HISTORIC The tree has no known cultural or historic significance.

RELOCATION Potential for relocation of this tree is fair but the root zone is in highly compacted soils and the tree’s poor form do not make it a good candidate for relocation. Given the high potential cost of relocation ($100,000+), relocation is not recommended.

RECOMMENDATION The tree is growing in highly compacted soils and recent walk excavation in the root zone may cause long-term decline. Removal of this tree may allow for roadway alignment that will avoid impacts to the five specimen live oaks on the south edge of Main Street. Removal is recommended.


LOCATION South side of Main Street, approx. 50’ from existing residential driveway



SITE FACTORS The tree is located south of Main Street pavement. Distance to Main Street is approx. 12’. Distance to the metal fence on the R.O.W. is approx. 3’. The soil at the root crown is level and undisturbed and the surface is supporting turf. Distance from the street is adequate to avoid vehicular damage.

TREE HEALTH Overall health of the tree is good and it is of good form. The trunk is healthy with limited suckering at eye level. The canopy and branching is normal, though unbalanced and open with

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considerable character. Ball moss was observed on the branches. No pests were observed.

TREE DEFECTS a) Soils in the root zone are compacted.

b) Underground water utilities (recently surveyed and marked) appear to run below the tree in the critical root zone.


RELOCATION Potential for relocation of this tree is low given the existence of utilities below and the high potential cost of relocation ($100,000+). Protection of this tree’s existing root zone by avoiding excavation in the root zone is a viable protective strategy.

RECOMMENDATION Given the large size of this specimen tree and the desirable visual qualities of this grove of live oaks, we recommend protection of this and the other four oaks along the south edge of Main Street. Soils should be aerated to improve air/water exchange in the root zone. Pruning to ensure safe vehicular clearance and to remove dead wood and old breakage is recommended. Regular monitoring throughout the construction period by a consulting arborist is recommended.





SITE FACTORS The tree is located south of the edge of Main Street. Distance to Main Street and adjacent metal barrier is approx. 8’. Recent excavation 15’ to the west and south of the tree for underground sewer utility work was observed. Soils in the root zone have been compacted by recent construction activity.

TREE HEALTH Overall health of the tree is good and it is of good form. The trunk is healthy. The canopy and branching is normal, though unbalanced with overhang above Main Street and limited canopy to the south. Ball moss was observed on the branches. No pests were observed.


b) Underground water and cable utilities (recently surveyed and marked) appear through the root zone below the tree.


RELOCATION Potential for relocation of this tree is low given the high potential cost of relocation ($100,000+) and high likelihood of

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underground utility disruption from excavation, protection of this tree by avoiding excavation in the root zone is a viable protective strategy.





TREE SIZE 32”/24” (double) DBH; 60’ height, 50’ spread

SITE FACTORS The tree is located on flat relatively undisturbed ground behind the metal barrier south of the Main Street pavement. Distance to Main Street and the adjacent barrier is approx. 10’. Recent excavation for underground sewer utility work (related to construction of new pre-school facility) in the root zone south of the trunk was observed. The root zone is compacted in some areas from recent construction activity and there is modest native surface vegetation.

TREE HEALTH Overall health of the tree is good and it is of good form. The trunk is healthy. The canopy and branching is normal, though unbalanced to the north with approx. 25’ overhang above Main Street. Ball moss was observed on the branches. No pests were observed.

TREE DEFECTS a) Underground water and cable utilities (recently surveyed and marked) appear to run near or below the root zone.

b) One major trunk on the north side of the tree was removed (many years ago) and the damage has successfully healed.


RELOCATION Potential for relocation of this tree is low given the high potential cost of relocation ($100,000+) and high likelihood of utility disruption from excavation, protection of this tree by avoiding excavation in the root zone is a viable protective strategy.

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LOCATION South side of Main Street, approx. 275’ from existing residential driveway, across from Willie’s Joint entry drive.



SITE FACTORS The tree is located on undisturbed flat ground 3’ south of the Main Street pavement and adjacent traffic barrier. Soils are highly compacted from pedestrian circulation and recent construction activity on the adjacent site to the south. Some native vegetation was observed in the root zone.

TREE HEALTH Overall health of the tree is good, though its form is irregular. The trunk is healthy with the exception of a 3’-4’ long vertical fissure with visible internal decay observed on the east side. The canopy and branching is unbalanced with considerable overhang above Main Street to the north and little branching or foliage on the south. Ball moss was observed on the branches. No pests were observed.

TREE DEFECTS a) Considerable rooting was observed above the soil surface, not unusual for a Live Oak.

b) Underground water and cable utilities (recently surveyed and marked) appear to run near or below the tree.


RELOCATION Potential for relocation of this tree is low given the very high potential cost of relocation ($100,000+) and high likelihood of major utility disruption from excavation, protection of this tree by avoiding excavation in the root zone is a viable protective strategy.

RECOMMENDATION Given the large size of this specimen tree and the desirable visual qualities of this grove of live oaks, we recommend protection of this and the other four oaks along the south edge of Main Street. Soils should be aerated to improve air/water exchange in the root zone. Pruning to ensure safe vehicular clearance and to remove dead wood and old breakage is

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recommended. Regular monitoring throughout the construction period by a consulting arborist is recommended.


LOCATION South side of Main Street, approx. 405’ from the existing residential driveway, across from Stagecoach Park entry drive.



SITE FACTORS The tree is located approx. 3’ south of Main Street pavement and the adjacent traffic barrier. The ground is approx. 2’ higher than the adjacent pavement and sloped gently to the road. Soils are highly compacted from recent construction activity.

TREE HEALTH Overall health of the tree is good and the tree has a very attractive and balanced form. The canopy overhangs Main Street by 10’-12’. Ball moss was observed on the branches. No pests were observed.


b) Underground water and cable utilities (recently surveyed and marked) appear to run near or below the tree.


RELOCATION Potential for relocation of this tree is low given the high potential cost of relocation ($100,000+) and high likelihood of utility disruption from excavation. Protection of this tree by avoiding excavation in the root zone is a viable protective strategy.


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SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION:

We recommend that the proposed Main Street roadway improvements take place to the north of the existing pavement and aligned so that the south edge of Main Street be maintained in its current location and that no excavation or disturbance occur in the right-of-way to the south of that edge.

If removal of trees is unavoidable due to the additional width required, we recommend that the two oaks north of the existing road be removed to make way for the proposed improvements.

This recommendation is based solely on an evaluation of the health of the existing trees. This evaluation does not take into consideration the potential cultural or historic value (currently unknown) of the trees nor does it make any determination of potential economic impacts to adjacent properties.

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Tree No. 18039

Attachment ‘A’

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Tree No. 103

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Tree No. 114

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Tree No. 18066

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Tree No. 641

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Tree No. 18064

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Tree No. 18063

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Tree No. 18035

Documents

712 Congress Avenue Tree Evaluation and Recommendations … · RECOMMENDATION The tree is growing in highly compacted soils and recent walk excavation in the root zone may cause long-term