HomeMy WebLinkAboutEx_08_Arborist_ReportWASHINGTON FORESTRY CONSULTANTS, INC.
FORESTRY AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS W F C I
O: 360/943-1723
C: 360/561-4407
9136 Yelm Hwy SE
Olympia, WA 98513
URBAN/RURAL FORESTRY • TREE APPRAISAL • TREE RISK ASSESSMENT
RIGHT-OF-WAYS • VEGETATION MANAGEMENT • FOREST/TREE MGT. PLANS • EXPERT TESTIMONY
Member of International Society of Arboriculture and Society of American Foresters
October 25, 2023
Cal Carpenter
New Life Church
15711 152nd Avenue SE
Renton, WA 98058
RE: Abbreviated Tree Protection Plan for New Life Church
Dear Mr. Carpenter:
We have assessed 8 trees that are planned to be removed for a building construction and street
frontage improvements at 15711 152nd Avenue SE in Renton, WA. The purpose of this inspection
was to determine the condition of the trees, assess their potential impact from construction and
recommend cultural care to accommodate this project. A Level II Tree Risk Assessment was
conducted on October 16, 2023.
The evaluation used methodology developed by the International Society of Arboriculture and
Matheny and Clark (1998)1.
Findings and Recommendations
The project area includes the existing northern parking lot of the New Life Church and the frontage
along Maple Valley Hwy in Renton, WA. A new office building and frontage improvements are
proposed to be constructed.
The assessed tree species include sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Freeman maple (Acer ×
freemanii), and Scouler’s willow (Salix scouleriana). Tree diameters range from 3 to 10 inches
DBH. Tree condition ranges from ‘Poor’ to ‘Good’.
The location of the proposed building and frontage improvements are shown on the site plan in
Attachment 1. The New Life Church parcel is 55.14-acres in size. The forested area of the site is
36.7-acres. The minimum density of the site is far exceeded even with the removal of the 8 trees
for the project. Nine trees are planned to be planted on-site to replace the 8 trees removed.
1 Nelda Metheny and James R. Clark. (1994). A Photographic Guide to the Evaluation of Hazard Trees in Urban
Areas (2nd Edition). International Society of Arboriculture, Champaign, IL.
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All 8 assessed trees will need to be removed prior to the construction of improvements. A list of
the trees in the project areas is listed in Table 1. Their locations are shown on the site plan in
Attachment 2.
Table 1. Summary of trees to be removed at New Life Church site.
Tree
# Species DBH
(in.) Condition
Save
Based on
Condition-
Yes/ No
Save
Based on
Site
Plan-
Save/
Remove
Drip
Line
Radius
(ft.)
Critical
Root
Protection
Zone- Feet
Comments
1 Sweetgum 6 Good Yes No 10 1
2 Sweetgum 5 Good Yes No 10 1
3 Sweetgum 5 Good Yes No 6 2
4 Freeman
Maple 3 Poor No No 4 6 Stem
decay
5 Freeman
Maple 3 Fair Yes No 4 6
6 Freeman
Maple 3 Fair Yes No 4 6
7 Freeman
Maple 3 Fair Yes No 4 6
8 Scouler’s
Willow 10 Fair Yes No 10 6 Topped for
powerlines
Tree protection fences should be installed at the back of improvements and are to remain in place
during construction.
Summary
Eight (8) trees will need to be removed to accommodate the proposed building and frontage
improvements for the New Life Church site. Tree protection fences should remain in place until
construction is completed.
Please give us a call if you have questions.
Respectfully submitted,
Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc.
Galen M. Wright, ACF, ASCA Joshua Sharpes
ISA Bd. Certified Master Arborist PN-129BU Professional Forester
Certified Forester No. 44 ISA Certified Arborist®,
ISA Tree Risk Assessor Qualified Municipal Specialist, PN- 5939AM
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Attachment 1. Aerial Photo of New Life Church Parcel
(King County iMap 2021)
Parcel Boundary
Project Areas
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Attachment 2. New Life Church Improvements Site Plan
1
2
3
4 5 6 7
8
Removal Tree
Tree Protection
Fence Location
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Attachment 3. Tree Protection Fence Detail
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Attachment 4. Glossary of Forestry and Arboricultural Terminology
DBH: Diameter at Breast Height (measured 4.5 ft. above the ground line on the high side of the
tree).
Crown: Portion of a trees stem covered by live foliage.
Crown Position: Position of the crown with respect to other trees in the stand.
Dominant Crown Position: Receives light from above and from the sides.
Codominant Crown Position: Receives light from above and some from the sides.
Intermediate Crown Position: Receives little light from above and none from the sides. Trees
tend to be slender with poor live crown ratios.
Suppressed Crown Position: Receives no light from above and none from the sides. Trees
tend to be slender with poor live crown ratios.
Live Crown Ratio: Ratio of live foliage on the stem of the tree. Example: A 100’ tall tree with
40 feet of live crown would have a 40% live crown ratio. Conifers with less than 30%
live crown ratio are generally not considered to be long-term trees in forestry.
Root Protection Zone/Critical Root Zone: A radius from the trees stem of 1 foot for each 1
inch of DBH unless otherwise determined by WFCI. For example, a 7 inch DBH tree
would have a critical root zone radius of 7 feet.
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Condition Class Descriptions
CONDITION CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
Excellent Single stem; Normal foliage color; No branch dieback;
No apparent insect or disease problems; No other
apparent problems;
Very Good Single stem; Normal foliage color; No branch dieback or
only a few minor branches died back; No apparent insect
or disease problems; No other apparent problems, or they
are minor and do not impact the long-term survival of the
tree;
Good Single stem; Normal foliage color; Minor branch dieback;
Minor problems such as crown unbalanced; Minor foliage
problems; Expected to be a long-term tree;
Fair Single stem or double stem that is not expected to fail
soon; Crown may be slightly thinned due to exposure or
reduced vigor; Minor branch dieback and 1 or 2 major
branches died back; Minor insect or disease problems;
Tree expected to survive;
Poor Single or Multiple stem tree; Thinning crown; Foliage
color yellowed; Inadequate live crown ratio; Major and
minor branch dieback; Not a long-term tree or quality tree
for development;
Very Poor Single or Multiple stem tree; Severe thinning crown;
Yellow foliage; Major branch dieback; Expected to die
within 5 years or so;
Hazard Tree Dead, dying, diseased, defective; Would be hazardous to
new development or if other targets are placed within
reach of tree;
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Attachment 5. Assumptions and Limiting Conditions
1) Any legal description provided to the Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. is assumed to be correct. Any
titles and ownership's to any property are assumed to be good and marketable. No responsibility is assumed for
matters legal in character. Any and all property is appraised or evaluated as though free and clear, under
responsible ownership and competent management.
2) It is assumed that any property is not in violation of any applicable codes, ordinances, statutes, or other
governmental regulations, unless otherwise stated.
3) Care has been taken to obtain all information from reliable sources. All data has been verified insofar as
possible; however, Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. can neither guarantee nor be responsible for the
accuracy of information.
4) Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. shall not be required to give testimony or to attend court by reason of
this report unless subsequent contractual arrangements are made, including payment of an additional fee for
such services as described in the fee schedule and contract of engagement.
5) Loss or alteration of any part of this report invalidated the entire report.
6) Possession of this report or a copy thereof does not imply right of publication or use for any purpose by any
other than the person to whom it is addressed, without the prior expressed written or verbal consent of
Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc.
7) Neither all or any part of the contents of this report, nor copy thereof, shall be conveyed by anyone, including
the client, to the public through advertising, public relations, news, sales or other media, without the prior
expressed written or verbal consent of Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. -- particularly as to value
conclusions, identity of Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc., or any reference to any professional society or
to any initialed designation conferred upon Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. as stated in its qualifications.
8) This report and any values expressed herein represent the opinion of Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc.,
and the fee is in no way contingent upon the reporting of a specified value, a stipulated result, the occurrence
neither of a subsequent event, nor upon any finding in to reported.
9) Sketches, diagrams, graphs, and photographs in this report, being intended as visual aids, are not necessarily to
scale and should not be construed as engineering or architectural reports or surveys.
10) Unless expressed otherwise: 1) information contained in this report covers only those items that were examined
and reflects the condition of those items at the time of inspection; and 2) the inspection is limited to visual
examination of accessible items without dissection, excavation, probing, or coring. There is no warranty or
guarantee, expressed or implied, that problems or deficiencies of the tree or other plant or property in question
may not arise in the future.
Note: Even healthy trees can fail under normal or storm conditions. The only way to eliminate all risk is to remove
all trees within reach of all targets. Annual monitoring by an ISA Certified Arborist or Certified Forester will
reduce the potential of tree failures. It is impossible to predict with certainty that a tree will stand or fail, or the
timing of the failure. It is considered an ‘Act of God’ when a tree fails, unless it is directly felled or pushed over
by man’s actions.
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