REPORT TO HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Consideration to Initiate the Heritage Resource Nomination Process for Six (6) Trees on 871 E. Fremont Avenue (Butcher's Corner)
Report
BACKGROUND
On May 4, 2016, the Heritage Preservation Commission was asked to consider the nomination of six (6) oak trees to the heritage resource inventory by two members of the public who spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. In order to discuss the non-agenda matter, the Commission voted 6-0 to put the item considering the potential initiation of the nomination process on the agenda of an upcoming meeting to discuss the trees and potential next steps in accordance with Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 19.96 (Attachment 1).
The four parcels known as the Butcher's Corner site were recently annexed into the City of Sunnyvale from the County of Santa Clara, and the site has a pending development application associated with it. The development application has recently finished the 45-day public review for the associated Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) which included an Arborist Report for the site and some information on the health of the six (6) trees discussed in this report (Attachment 2).
DISCUSSION
There are currently 15 trees on the Sunnyvale Heritage Resources Inventory citywide. The current request is to add six (6) trees to that inventory, which requires nomination by the City Council for inclusion. The following information on the trees is based on the information in the Butcher's Corner DEIR Arborist Report:
* Tree 106:
o Fair/Good condition (3 out of 5), proposed to be preserved, 64" diameter.
o "Largest most dominant tree at Butcher's Corner with a trunk diameter of 64".....large pruning wounds and branch failures resulted in decay. A cavity was present at the base,"
* Grove of 119-126:
o All are protected trees per the Arborist Report and all are proposed for removal by the applicant based on the most current s...
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