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Board upholds two Urban Forestry denials after testimony on sidewalk damage and tree health
Summary
The Board of Appeals upheld Department of Public Works Bureau of Urban Forestry denials for tree removal at 24020 Eighth Street (vote 3–1) and at 4032 Third Street (submitted on papers). Commissioners stressed preserving mature street trees where safe, but also acknowledged homeowner liability and recommended basin expansion and limited root pruning in both cases.
The San Francisco Board of Appeals on Wednesday upheld Urban Forestry decisions denying requests to remove street trees in two separate matters.
24020 Eighth Street: The appellant asked to remove a Maytenus tree on the basis of repeated sidewalk damage and a consultant report warning of root‑pruning risks. Carla Short, Bureau of Urban Forestry, recommended basin expansion and targeted root pruning rather than removal, saying the species rarely fails from root pruning and that preserving mature canopy trees advances the city’s urban‑forest goals. The appellant produced independent arborist reports asserting a stability risk; neighbors and condo‑association representatives described safety and emergency‑access concerns. The board voted 3–1 to uphold the Bureau’s denial (Commissioner Fung voted No).
4032 Third Street: The board considered a second tree‑removal appeal on the papers. Urban Forestry recommended denial, citing the option to expand the basin and perform targeted maintenance; commissioners upheld the denial on the basis of written submissions.
Across both cases, commissioners acknowledged the tension between preserving mature canopy and homeowner liability for sidewalk damage. Several commissioners urged citywide policy review to consider shifting some maintenance or liability responsibilities from homeowners to the city, while retaining a high bar for removing established street trees.
What’s next: Appellants can pursue further administrative remedies if new material evidence emerges; Urban Forestry will perform inspections as warranted and can issue removal permits if a tree later declines after pruning.
