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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02. (Handout) Public Commentsa. (Handau#) Walden District Improvement Association October 18, 2011 James Nejedly Board of Directors Central Contra Costa Sanitary District Via Email: Jim.Nejedly @garaventaent.com RE: Trees on Iron Horse Corridor within the Central Sanitary District Easement Dear Mr. Nejedly: Walden District Improvement Association has been asked by County Public Works to remove caged trees from the Iron Horse Corridor. The County previously approved protection of these trees without realizing they were within a CCCSD easement. We feel the request is not reasonable for the reasons outlined in the following document. We are asking the County Board of Supervisors through their Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee to revise County tree policies to not require tree replacement along established easements. In our analysis of the reasons given for preventing tree establishment we raised questions about the proposed need for the A -Line expansion in the Walden area given unclear projections of increased infiltration and inflow, the likely decrease in wastewater generation at the household level through conservation, and the lack of consideration in utilizing upstream wastewater treatment plants for recycled water generation near the point of use. Clarification of the A -Line Relief Interceptor project and timing would be appreciated. I plan on attending the Central Sanitary District Board meeting on Thursday, October 20, to request that the Central Sanitary District not insist on the removal of volunteer trees along the Iron Horse Corridor at this time. Thank you for your interest in this matter. Sincerely, James R. Hunt, President 2632 Cherry Lane Walnut Creek, CA 94597 Email: huntace.berkeley.edu; phone: 925 4512761 cc: Iron Horse Corridor Advisory Committee, via Carrie Ricci Brian Amador, Chair, Contra Costa Centre Area Municipal Advisory Council Steven Goetz, Contra Costa County, Conservation and Development, staff support to TWIC October 18, 2011 Protecting Volunteer Trees in the Walden Area of the Iron Horse Corridor Walden District Improvement Association The Walden District Improvement Association has been representing the residents in the unincorporated area of Walnut Creek surrounding the Pleasant Hill /Contra Costa Centre BART station for over 50 years. We are engaged in efforts to improve the local environment for residents and workers, but have found our efforts have run up against a counter intuitive tree policy for the Iron Horse Corridor. This document is our attempt at a summary of the events leading up to the current situation along our section of the Iron Horse Corridor where volunteer, protected trees are scheduled for removal. The Iron Horse Corridor runs the length of Central Contra Costa County and is a unique resource for utilities, alternative transportation, and recreation. The former railroad right -of -way was by necessity barren, but with the acquisition by the County, the corridor is reverting back to the oak - savannah plant community that was present on the valley floor prior to settlement. Residents and citizen groups are active in encouraging this restoration to provide shade, privacy, and a more natural experience. The Walden District Improvement Association is actively protecting volunteer trees that have sprouted along the Iron Horse Corridor from Walden Road on the south to Mayhew Way on the north. Contra Costa County Public Works gave Walden and local citizens permission to install wire mesh cages around approximately 43 volunteer trees starting in 2003. Annually Walden members remove weeds around these trees so that county staff can safely mow the weeds in the corridor for fire protection. The protected trees were in designated areas that did not impinge upon the East Bay Regional Park District trail easement or the intended transportation corridor. This volunteer led effort was threatened in 2011, when County Public Works informed Walden that seven cages for volunteer trees must be removed between Coggins Road and Mayhew Way because they were in a Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (CCCSD) easement. Additional caged trees were identified as being in the CCCSD easement between Walden Road and Jones Road. Photo 1 is an example of a caged oak tree along the Iron Horse Trail that is within the Sanitary District's easement. Final maps are still being prepared that designate trees within the CCCSD easement that the Sanitary District wants removed. If these trees are removed, citizens and local organizations will be less likely to spend their time and effort in these restoration activities. The Iron Horse Corridor is crowded with multiple easements and sometimes conflicting needs. The Iron Horse Trail is a critical link for central county residents to commute and exercise while isolated from automobiles. With the opening of the pedestrian bridge over Treat Blvd., the trail's use has increased dramatically. The corridor has overhead electrical systems on both sides that require access for maintenance, and the need for electrical reliability restricts the height of trees that have grown up under the wires at the corridor boundaries. There is a high pressure fuel line and a fiber optical cable running down the west side of the corridor. The State Fire Marshall is placing additional requirements on Kinder Morgan, the fuel line operator, resulting in increased visual inspections and new restrictions on where trees can grow. Contra Costa Water District has a water line running part of the length of the corridor. CCCSD has two sewer lines running the length of this section of the corridor, generally located under the Iron Horse Trail or to the east next to the corridor boundary. It is clear why the corridor remains the preferred location for utilities because construction does not impact narrow residential streets or major highways and there are few streets to cross. Since the surface is generally soil, and restoration following construction is easy compared to streets and residential property. It is clear that historical commitments and revenue - generating activities within the corridor are in conflict with increased public utilization. Contra Costa County manages the Iron Horse Corridor with a manager and an advisory committee. This group has recommended policies for corridor use and landscaping. Because the County has a three - for -one native tree replacement policy, there is a stated aversion to letting trees become established on land designated for other uses, either in the near term or possibly far into the future. Tree replacement is problematic in the corridor since there is limited access to irrigation water, and weed removal by hand is necessary to protect trees from mechanical mowing. In addition, the County's tree replacement policy is selectively applied when dealing with itself and other governmental agencies. The Contra Costa Water District donated two blue oak trees, matched by two others donated by a local resident and placed at the intersection of the Iron Horse and Canal Trails. These trees were compensation for the removal of a large tree during pipeline installation. Local residents are watering and weeding around these trees during the initial years of establishment. As another example, Kinder Morgan provided a financial donation to the County when they removed some trees growing on top of the fuel line. The approved policy for the Iron Horse Corridor is to prevent the planting or sprouting of trees along utility easements. The stated reason for preventing tree establishment within easements is that the trees will interfere with maintenance operations and tree replacement will become an added financial burden during construction of new facilities. Maintenance crews have not harmed the caged trees in the Walden area because of their enhanced visibility using some caution tape and weed removal around the base. Preventing tree establishment in anticipation of a possible project within the easement is logical if the project is actually going to happen in the near term. A busway or light rail system within the transportation corridor is realistically decades away, and precluding native tree growth is unreasonable. If the County removed the tree replacement requirement for the transit corridor, would opposition to trees in the easement disappear? The Central Contra Costa Sanitary District contributed funds to acquire the railroad right of way and obtain an easement for expansion of their A -Line Interceptor sewer. CCCSD has been planning an A -Line Relief Interceptor since 1991 when an environmental impact report was approved. The need for the A -Line Relief Interceptor was based on the capacity needed to accommodate population growth and increased wet weather flows (Draft Environmental Impact Report, 1991, Table 14, page IV -6). The vast majority of the increased flows is produced by wet weather infiltration and inflow and a minor amount from population growth. The 1991 Report stated that the areas contributing to sewer flows south of Treat Blvd were at over 90% of their maximum development with the exception of the San Ramon area. According to the report the current A -Line Interceptor would beat capacity in 2010. The report does not state why infiltration and inflow increases when the service area is not expanding. Stephanie Gronlund, a staff member at CCCSD, provided on 8/19/2011 a set of PowerPoint slides with updates to the proposed project. The Collection System Master Plan in 2010 estimated the existing A -Line Interceptor is estimated to be at capacity in 2020 and construction should start within 10 years. A Preliminary Design Report was completed in 2000, but that report was not reviewed. CCCSD opposition to tree establishment along their easement appears to be driven by their desire to avoid future expenses associated with the County's tree replacement policy. Historically railroad right -of -ways were the logical place for essential infrastructures above and below ground. With the transition of these rights -of -ways into new uses, conflicts arise that require some rethinking of priorities and policies. The Iron Horse Corridor within Central Contra Costa County has become a linear park, transit way, and utility corridor. Well over 15 million dollars of landscape and trail improvements have been invested to this end in the Walnut Creek area alone, including the pedestrian bridges over Ygnacio and Treat, Walden I, and soon Walden 1I landscaping. The role of trees within this system is confused and would benefit from a clarifying review, discussion and revision. Contact Information: James R. Hunt, President, Walden District Improvement Association Phone: 925 451276 1, email: hunt @ce.berkeley.edu Photo 1. Example of a caged oak tree along the Iron Horse Trail. Photo courtesy of Peter Duncan.