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Capital Hill PUD Page 33 of 63 Planned Unit Development Application - Tentative Stage - Written Statement March 3, 2017 6. Trees and stands of trees located along ridgelines and within view corridors; The site contains no ridgelines nor is it within a view corridor. If the Ribbon Trail is considered a view corridor, then there is a significant area of existing vegetation that has been preserved between the development and the Ribbon Trail. 7. Trees with significant habitat value; Significant habitat value is not a term that is defined in the land use code, so it is unclear how this criterion is construed. A typical way to define this term would be the presence of endangered or threatened tree species, which would require the preservation of those trees. However, without this definition or clarity, we are forced to assume the meaning of this criterion. One could posit that since a large contiguous area of existing vegetation is preserved, that the entire area provides habitat for whatever is currently living there - significant species or not. This preservation area is contiguous with the abutting vegetated area that contains the Ribbon Trail, so the 2 properties preserve a large area. Considering this development is within the Urban Growth Boundary and an existing residential neighborhood, the proposed landscaping will include new, healthy, context-appropriate trees that will thrive in this residential environment, as well as provide habitat for birds and other living things. 8. Trees adjacent to public parks, open space and streets; There are relatively few trees adjacent to Hendricks Park to the north. Different than a traditional park, Hendricks Park itself is heavily treed. Removing a few trees close to the north property line of the development site will cause little if any change to the experience of being in the park, which is over 80 acres in size. There is no public open space on the development site, as it is. all private property. That being said, the proposed preservation area can technically be considered open space when the development is completed. In this manner, many of the existing trees along this open space are being preserved. Trees along the existing Capital Drive will be preserved as is practical. The trees proposed for removal are as a result of the requirement to improve the street. 9. Trees located along a water feature; There are no water features on the site. Therefore, none of the existing trees are located on a water feature. 10. Heritage trees. There are no heritage trees on-site. See Tree Preservation Plan. All of the trees were evaluated for their relative health. Each tree is numbered on the plan and there is a corresponding comment on the chart provided in the report. Tree preservation is accomplished through the establishment of conservation zones, which offer protection to trees, as well as other types of vegetation, natural resources and habitat areas. The preservation zones take 2 forms; 1) Preservation areas held in common ownership and regulated by the HOA and 2) Preservation areas that are privately held. The conservation areas are intended to remain as open space, in which the natural character and vegetation of the land are protected from any type of development. These conservation areas are preserved for the following reasons, including but not limited to: • Preservation of existing vegetation including trees and understory; Schirmer Satre Group • 375 West 4 `h Avenue, Suite 201, Eugene, OR 97401 • (541) 686-4540