Eugene Planning Commission <br />August 22, 2016 <br />Page 3 <br />"Street Trees. Street tree requirements are specified in EC 7.280 Street Tree <br />Program -Policies, Standards, Procedure." <br />The provisions of EC 7.280 are attached hereto as Exhibit 2. They require approval of a street <br />tree plan consistent with the city's administrative rules. <br />Initially, street trees may be either in the right-of-way or on the private property. That is plain <br />from the last phrase in the definition of "street tree" in EC 9.0500: <br />Street Tree. A living, standing tree with a trunk diameter or, for trees with <br />multiple trunks, a cumulative trunk diameter, of at least 1-1/2 inches at a point 6 <br />inches above mean ground level at the base of the trunk, and that is located <br />within the public street right-of-way, or shown on an approved street tree plan. <br />Evidence in the record demonstrates that the proposal either already provides, or can be <br />conditioned to provide, street trees in a manner that will comply with the requirements of EC <br />7.280. <br />As background, attached to this appeal statement as Exhibit 3 is Attachment C, the Tree <br />Preservation Plan site plan from the Applicant's April 4, 2016 Revised Application and, as <br />Exhibit 4, Attachment I from the Revised Application, the landscaping plans for the project. <br />From the landscaping plan, Exhibit 4 hereto, one can see that the proposal includes the planting <br />of 12 trees immediately along the east boundary line by the parking area, and an additional 6 <br />trees on planting islands that extend into the parking stalls along that stretch. In addition, the <br />Tree Preservation Plan, Exhibit 3 hereto, shows 13 cedar and pine trees within the public right <br />of way between the subject property and the freeway interchange. <br />Consequently, at least 25 trees either exist or are proposed in close proximity to the east <br />property line between the subject property and the "street." Furthermore, the design of the <br />property allows for additional trees to be placed, if necessary, in the landscaping strip along the <br />eastern boundary of the property. There are either sufficient existing and planned trees to <br />satisfy the street tree standards, or the ability to add additional trees to meet those standards, <br />such that the Planning Commission can conclude that this standard can be met with conditions. <br />All that is lacking is a drawing entitled "Street Tree Plan" for the City to approve. <br />Case law is clear that if the evidence in the record demonstrates that a standard can be met, a <br />decision maker can and should conclude that the standard is satisfied and impose conditions of <br />approval that ensure the standard is met when development occurs. This is what the Applicants <br />request from the Planning Commission. The evidence in the record demonstrates that it is <br />possible for the proposal as designed to satisfy the street tree requirements. All that is needed i~ <br />for the street tree plan to be prepared and approved by the City and additional trees included for <br />planting, if necessary. <br />