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Board upholds tree‑removal permit for Rincon Hill streetscape but bars removal until replacement plan is approved
Summary
The Board upheld DPW’s permit to remove and replace street trees associated with the 45 Lansing shared‑street Rincon Hill plan, but required that trees not be cut until a planting permit and replacement plan are issued so DPW, Planning, PUC, the developer and residents can finalize species, spacing and lighting measures.
The Board of Appeals on June 10 upheld a Public Works permit to remove a line of trees along Lansing Street to allow a shared‑street/Rincon Hill streetscape as part of the developer Crescent Heights’ 45 Lansing project, but conditioned the decision so removal cannot occur until a replacement plan and planting permit are approved.
Appellants from 18 Lansing, led by Vadim Moss, argued the approved plan would remove evergreen screening that now shields residents from light and noise (a nearby gas station was repeatedly cited) and that replacement trees shown in the permit would leave gaps and fail to restore privacy. "There are plenty of benefits we currently enjoy by having those evergreen trees," Moss said, listing year‑round screening, reduced noise and less seasonal litter.
Public Works Urban Forestry (Chris Buck), the developer and the Planning Department described technical constraints: narrow sidewalks, driveways, required spacing under planting guidelines, and the need to place trees in road bulb‑outs for the curbless shared‑street design. DPW and the developer said they increased the number of replacement trees during review and were open to using evergreen species for key screening locations, but that some parking/loading decisions reflect resident preferences in building outreach.
The Board voted unanimously 4–0 to uphold the removal permit but added a condition: removal may not occur until the planting permit establishing tree species, spacing, and the final lighting plan (including PUC signoff for altered fixtures) is approved. The condition gives the parties time to finalize an approach that preserves screening where feasible while allowing implementation of the Rincon Hill streetscape that is tied to the developer’s project schedule.
