AccordingtotheTreeAssessmentsubmittedaspartoftheSitePlans(SheetNo.L3.0), <br />"TreestoberemovedhavebeendeterminedbyLandscapeArchitecttobe: <br />1.Intheconstructionpath <br />2.Indamagedcondition <br />3.Inseriouslydeclininghealth <br />4.Hazardoustofutureresidents <br />5.Technicalfelling" <br />Alandscapearchitectdoesnothavethenecessarytrainingorqualificationstomaketheabove <br />statements.Itisnotenoughthat"theapplicant'sagentisalicensedlandscapearchitectwhohas <br />submittedplansonbehalfofmanyapplicantsovertheyearsandhasdemonstratedprofessional <br />knowledgeoftheEugeneCoderequirements",asstatedintheStaffReportinreferencetoa <br />waiverofthisrequirement.Knowledgeofcodehasnothingtodowiththeknowledgerequired <br />forexpertevaluationoftreeissues.Nordoessubmittingmanyplansprovideanyrelevant <br />experience.InhowmanyoftheseplansdidMs.Schirmerdemonstratetheexpertiseofalicensed <br />arborist?Thiscannotbeconsideredexperttestimony. <br />Thecurriculumforthelandscapearchitect’sdegreeattheUniversityofOregoncontainedno <br />classesthatwouldqualifyhertoassessthehealthofaforest.Therefore,theApplication'sclaim <br />thatmorethanhalfofthetreesarenotingoodhealthisspeculation.Furthermore,the <br />Applicationoffersnocriteriafordefiningwhatdesignatesatreeasinhealthyorinpoor <br />condition,excepttosaythatthetreesweredamagedbyicestormsinrecentyears. <br />Whiletherequirementsof EC9.8310(2)(b)maybewaivedbytheplanningdirector,the <br />ResponseCommitteecontendsthattheCityshouldrequireacertifiedarboristonthe <br />developmentteaminacasesuchasthis,wheretheproposedPUDexistsinaforested <br />environmentonaridgelinesubjecttotheprovisionsoftheSouthHillsStudyandwherethe <br />proposedPUDwouldbecontiguousontwosideswithHendricksParkandtheRibbonTrail,two <br />ofEugene’spremierurbanparks. <br />TheCHPUDResponseCommitteeaskedJamesMehrwein,RegisteredProfessionalForester, <br />RPF,ACF,toanalyzetheforestonthesiteoftheproposedCHPUDsite,andhisreportis <br />submittedasAttachmentH.Henotedadistressedtreeandsignsofstormdamage,but <br />concludedthattheforestwashealthyforanaturalforest. <br />TheApplicationemphasizesthatthereisstormdamage,thattheconiferoustreesovershadow <br />andinhibitthegrowthofthedeciduoustrees,andthattheyhave(p.36of67)"notbeen <br />maintainedfordecades."TheApplication’sconclusionthatthetreesmaybecutbecausemostof <br />themarenothealthyandnotofa“highqualityorvalue”isclearlybasedonalackof <br />understandingofwhatconstitutesahealthyforest.TheforestonthesiteoftheproposedCHPUD <br />isnormalforanaturalforest,muchliketheforestincontiguousHendricksPark,wherelargefir <br />treesdominatethelandscape. <br />50 <br /> <br />