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Board grants Bernal Heights tree removal appeal, requires replacement planting options
Summary
The Board overruled Urban Forestry’s denial and granted a resident’s appeal to remove two street trees on Eugenia Avenue, conditioning the permit on replacement plantings (options: two 36‑inch box, three 24‑inch box, or two 24‑inch box at BUF discretion).
The San Francisco Board of Appeals on March 21 granted an appeal by Beth Roy to remove two street trees outside 270 Prospect Avenue, overruling the Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Urban Forestry (BUF) and ordering replacement plantings to be selected and installed under BUF supervision.
Roy and neighborhood residents told the board the trees regularly shed large, slippery seed pods and have sustained limb damage from vehicle impacts; Roy said she had lived at 270 Prospect “for almost 20 years” and described ongoing safety and maintenance burdens for residents. Consulting arborist Roy Leggett testified the trees’ canopies were irregular and “limb failures . . . are common” for this species, increasing hazard risk. BUF arborist Carla Short said the trees are generally healthy, attributed some structural irregularities to past pruning and offered pruning and sidewalk landscaping as mitigation while noting she would prefer preservation if feasible.
After discussing the safety and access concerns and possible replacement strategies, Commissioner Garcia moved to overturn the Bureau’s denial. The board specified replacement options — either two 36‑inch box trees, three 24‑inch box trees, or two 24‑inch box trees — and left final species and sizing decisions to BUF, with the condition that the permit holder work with BUF on species selection and sidewalk landscaping. The motion passed 4–0.
What this means: The permit holder may remove the two existing street trees but must coordinate replacement planting and any necessary sidewalk landscaping with the Bureau of Urban Forestry to reduce future hazards and address neighborhood concerns.
