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Board pushes 114 Chattanooga tree appeal to June for mitigation commitments
Summary
The Board of Appeals continued an appeal over removal of a street tree at 114 Chattanooga to June 6, directing appellants to secure written commitments on tree replacement and maintenance from potential hosts (church or school) and to provide specifics on replacement tree sizes.
Neighbors appealing a denial to remove a public tree at 114 Chattanooga Street were given more time to assemble mitigation commitments after the Board of Appeals said it lacked sufficient documentation to rule.
Appellants Kevin Romonco and Steve Fung described outreach to neighbors, a potential school tree-planting project with Edison Charter (a letter offered) and interest from Father Foley and his church in planting and maintaining replacement trees. They said they had tried other mitigation options, including a two-for-one replacement concept and planting 24-inch or larger container trees.
Commissioners pressed for clarity on liability and which entity would maintain any replacement trees, noting the San Francisco Unified School District typically has maintenance rights over school trees and questioning whether a charter school or church could accept responsibility. The board asked appellants to secure definitive, written commitments from the school or church and from Planning/DBI staff about how they would treat replacement trees if adopted as mitigation.
Vice President Garcia moved to continue the case to the Board’s June 6 meeting to give the appellants time to gather the requested documentation. Commissioners Fung, Albright and Holland voted in favor; the continuance was recorded 4–0.
The continuance leaves open mitigation options (e.g., larger replacement specimens, church stewardship or a 2-for-1 replacement) pending documentation the board requested.
