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Title:
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Consideration of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission’s Recommendation to Substitute the Camphor Tree in Lieu of the Victorian Box as Recommended in the City’s Adopted Street Tree Master Plan Along the 4100 and 4200 Blocks of Baldwin Avenue.
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City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 01/25/10 Item Number: A-3
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of the Parks, Recreation and
Community Services Commission’s Recommendation to Substitute the Camphor
Tree in Lieu of the Victorian Box as Recommended in the City’s Adopted Street
Tree Master Plan Along the 4100 and 4200 Blocks of Baldwin Avenue.
Contact Person/Dept.: Eric Mirzaian Phone Number: (310) 253-6410
Fiscal Impact: Yes [x] No [] General Fund: Yes [x] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [X] No [] Date: 12/01/2009
Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission
Public Notification: (E-mail) Meetings and Agendas – City Council (12/30/09); Parks,
Recreation & Community Services Commission
Department Approval:
Charles D. Herbertson (12/22/09)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (01/20/10)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Mark Scott (by M. Noller) ( )
City Manager Approval:
Mark Scott (01/21/10)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council consider the Parks, Recreation &
Community Services Commission’s (PRCSC) recommendation to substitute the
Camphor tree in lieu of the Victorian Box as recommended in the City’s adopted
Street Tree Master Plan (STMP) along the 4100 and 4200 blocks of Baldwin
Avenue.
BACKGROUND:
In June of 2009, the Public Works Department evaluated the Victorian Box (Pittosporum
Undulatum) and Queensland Pittosporum (Pittosporum Rhombifolium) trees along the
4100 and 4200 blocks of Baldwin Avenue. Of the 38 trees that were analyzed, 13 were
identified to be in an advanced state of decline and were subsequently removed to
protect the public health and safety. The state of decline has been attributed to a weak
root system which may lead to branch failures, the susceptibility to pest infestation,
excessive defoliation, and canopy decline due to a weak immune system.
DISCUSSION:
The STMP was adopted by the City Council on November 11, 2002 and is the
guiding document that determines the appropriate trees for planting in the public
rights-of-way throughout Culver City. The STMP stipulates that the PRCSC can only City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
provide recommendations pertaining to the STMP. Any modifications made to or
deviations from the adopted STMP must be approved by the City Council after
considering the PRCSC’s recommendation.
Per the STMP, the recommended tree species for this area is the Victorian Box;
however, due to the problems indicated above with this species, the Public Works
Department has determined that replacing the removed trees with the currently
recommended species (Victorian Box) is not advisable. Based on its performance
on other nearby streets, the Camphor tree (Cinnamomum Camphora) is
recommended as the replacement tree. (The Camphor tree has done quite well on
neighboring streets including Elenda Street, Jasmine Street, La Salle Avenue, Le
Bourget Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Madison Avenue, and Park Avenue). The
suggested Camphor tree has a much stronger root system and aromatic leaves and,
unlike the Victorian Box, it is not susceptible to pest infestation.
At its December 1, 2009 meeting, the PRCSC approved the staff recommendation to
substitute the Camphor tree in lieu of the Victorian Box by unanimous vote (5-0) and
recommended such substitution be adopted by the City Council.
This substitution is a temporary change for the planting of trees on these blocks. In
the future, staff will be conducting a comprehensive review of the entirety of the
STMP and will be recommending amendments as necessary.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The cost to plant Camphor trees in this area will be paid from the Public Works
Department tree maintenance budget (10161600 – Tree Maintenance Division). The
trees will be planted by the Public Works Tree Maintenance crew. Staff will plant the
number of trees this current fiscal year’s budget will allow and complete the planting
of the remaining trees in fiscal year 2010-11. The approximate cost for a Camphor
tree is approximately $125/tree.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
MOTION:
That the City Council:
Approve the Parks, Recreation & Community Services Commission’s
recommendation of the substitution of the Camphor tree in lieu of the Victorian
Box as recommended in the City’s adopted Street Tree Master Plan along the
4100 and 4200 blocks of Baldwin Avenue.