Broad Street Tiger Project Tree by Tree Assessment Report

Submitted by the Government Street Collaborative (GSC) on May 15, 2019 to the City of Mobile.

Background and Timeline of Events:

In 2016, the City of Mobile was awarded a $14.5 million Tiger Grant from the U. S. Department of Transportation for the The Broad Street Corridor Project, a much needed revitalization of Broad Street. The project’s goals included connecting neighborhoods and downtown commercial interest to several transportation modes including bus, rail, plane as well as adding bike lanes and rebuilding sidewalks. Given the inferior and unsafe condition of the existing infrastructure, the reinvention of Broad and Beauregard has been met with great excitement and enthusiastic support from neighborhood residents, businesses and those who work downtown.

Three public meetings were held, one in 2016 and two in 2017 seeking comments and feedback from area residents.

• From August 2017 (the date of the last public meeting) until February 19, 2019 (date of a Tree Commission Meeting) very little new information was supplied to the public about the project.

• At that February 2019 Tree Commission meeting, the City of Mobile requested the removal of 55 trees, the majority of which were Live Oak Trees, on the Broad Street Corridor. During the meeting, it was learned the Tree Commission had previously, on October 17, 2017, approved the removal of 43 trees, again the majority of which were Live Oaks, along Broad and Beauregard. This was the first indication from the City to the public of the need to remove Live Oaks in large numbers and came as a surprise to many residents who see the Live Oak as an icon of the city. Representatives of the GSC along with other citizens requested a delay in the Tree Commission’s decision, to allow more public discussion and input, but the request was denied based on the City’s insistence that a delay in the decision would threaten the Tiger Grant funding.

• The following Tuesday (February 26, 2019) the GSC brought to the attention of the Mobile City Council and to Mayor Stimpson its great concern over the number of Live Oaks being removed and requested a public forum to ask questions and express concerns. Mayor Stimpson offered to meet with up to 10 neighborhood representatives to discuss the issue and upon the advise of the City Council, the GSC appealed the Tree Commission decision.

• On March 8, the Mayor met with the neighborhood representatives and agreed to save up to 5 Live Oaks slated for removal and to include up to 7 Live Oaks as replacement trees in other locations along Broad. See Attachment:

• As a result of the appeal, a public hearing was held during the City Council’s regular meeting on March 19th. During that meeting, an agreement on several points was reached with the Mayor’s staff resulting in a letter dated March 29, 2019 (see attached) from Mayor Sandy Stimpson. The Mayor’s letter stipulated three main areas of agreement:

1) A tree-by-tree assessment to determine the feasibility of eliminating some parking spaces for existing healthy trees where utilities and drainage allow;

2) The collaboration on a mitigation plan in conjunction with Urban Forestry, the Government Street Collaborative, and private owners on the corridor as well as other neighborhood groups near the corridor that would encourage additional plantings on private property near the corridor;

3) To the extent possible, a planting within the roundabout at Canal and Broad, preferably a Live Oak tree.

During the month of April, the GSC formed four teams to do a the tree-by-tree assessment sending the teams out to walk Broad and Beauregard Streets to find possible tree candidates that could be swapped for parallel parking spaces. Several possible tree candidates and situations were considered. The below submissions are categorized in two groups.

Group A (Parallel Parking Swap for Live Oaks) are situations where an existing Live Oak or replacement Live Oak could be swapped for parallel parking spaces.

Summary:

• Total number of parallel parking spaces requested to be removed for planting: 10

• Total number of Live Oaks requested planted in exchange for parking: 7

Group B (Planting of Live Oaks at Major Intersections) are situations where Live Oaks could be planted or existing Live Oaks could be saved near major intersections.

Summary:

• Total number of Live Oaks requested to be planted or saved near intersections 5

Grand total of requested Live Oaks to either be saved or planted: 12

Separate reports shall be submitted on the proposed mitigation plan with private owners and on the planting of a live oak in the roundabout at Canal and Broad.

Group A

Parallel Parking Swap for Live Oak

1. Location: Northeast Intersection of Government/Broad, swap one parking space and new Cypress Tree for one Live Oak.

2. Location: East side of Broad between St. Francis and Springhill. On the NE corner of St. Francis and Broad, swap 1 parking spaces for one Live Oak. Mid block on the east side of Broad between St. Francis and Springhill, swap 2 parking spaces for one Live Oak.

3. Location: East side of Broad between St. Anthony and Congress beside the MPD on both sides of southern cut in parking lot. Swap one parking space on the south side of cut and one parking space on the north side of cut for two Live Oaks.

4. Location: North side of Broad between Congress and Lyons in front of the Bishop State Trenholm Administration Building. Instead of replacing diseased Live Oak Tree # 12 with two Nuttalls, replace with one Live Oak swapping 2 parking spaces.

5. Location: Northwest side of Broad approximately 128 feet from MLK in front of the Bishop State in the location where an unnumbered small Live Oak is slated for removal. Keep healthy Live Oak slated for removal for encroachment as tree appears to be in line with other trees being kept. If there is encroachment, then swap 2 parking spaces for existing Live Oak instead of planting two nuttall trees.

Group B

Adding Live Oaks at Major Intersections

1. Location: Northeast Corner of Broad and Canal at roundabout. Replace 2 of the proposed Pond Cypress and plant one Live Oak to balance the Live Oaks on the West and and Southeast side of the roundabout.

2. Location: Northwest Intersection of Government/Broad.

Add Two Live Oaks in ROW next to CVS Pharmacy to match the two LO on the east side of Broad.

3. Location: Between Conti and Dauphin on Eastside of Broad. Replace 2 proposed Pond Cypress at each end of Parallel Parking with Nuttall Oak to match Nutalls on west side of Broad.

4. Location: The SW corner of Broad and Springhill. Remove Crape Myrtle and plant Live Oak in ROW.

5. Location: SW corner of Beauregard and Lawrence. Live Oak,Tree #34, is slated for removal for “E”, encroachment, however it appears from the Tree Map and the onsite viewing that the tree is in the same plane as existing trees to remain. Please explain and if possible, keep #34.

[SCROLL TO MAPS BELOW SHOWING RECOMMENDED LIVE OAK SELECTIONS - GROUP A RECOMMENDED LIVE OAKS SHOWN AS A YELLOW PENTAGON; RECOMMENDED NUTTALL OAK SHOWN AS BLUE PYRAMID. SEE CITY DESIGNATIONS IN LEGEND ON PAGE 10 OF 17]