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Mountain View board denies appeal to remove Monterey pine at 3440 Truman Ave
Summary
The Urban Forestry Board voted to deny an appeal seeking removal of a roughly 20-inch Monterey pine at 3440 Truman Ave, concluding staff evidence shows the tree is in fair health and removal criteria are not met. Appellant cited a toddler’s allergies and driveway damage; the board said additional medical evidence could prompt reconsideration.
The Mountain View Parks and Recreation and Urban Forestry Board on Wednesday voted to deny an appeal to remove a heritage tree at 3440 Truman Avenue, upholding staff’s recommendation that the tree be retained.
Urban forestry manager Russell Hanson told the board the tree, a Pinus radiata (Monterey pine), measured about 20 inches in diameter at 54 inches above grade and was assessed as having fair health and fair structure. In the staff report Hanson said there was “no evidence of structural issues, pest disease, or prior limb failures” that would require removal and that impacts from nearby construction and the driveway could be addressed with corrective pruning or other mitigation rather than removal.
The appellant, Prithvi (Preethi) Raj, said her 2‑year‑old child has severe skin allergies she believes are triggered when the child plays near sap that falls from the tree and that the tree’s roots have damaged the driveway. “I do not want to take any risk that it can cause to my child's health,” Raj said during her remarks, and offered to provide additional medical testing and to replant trees if removal were approved.
Board members expressed sympathy for the family’s health concerns but agreed the paperwork and medical evidence presented to staff did not conclusively link the child’s reactions to the pine. Hanson said staff considered the allergy information but found it “not specific enough” to justify removal and noted that if the appellant provides additional, specific evidence staff could reconsider the application sooner than the two‑year moratorium typically required.
Commissioners also discussed the tree’s canopy (including a burl around part of the trunk), the presence of sap on vehicles and the feasibility of driveway repairs. Hanson explained that permeable pavers can be removed in sections and reset after localized root trimming or base replacement and that construction techniques could avoid extensive root excavation.
Commissioner Bryant moved to adopt a resolution denying the appeal and upholding staff’s decision to deny removal of the heritage tree at 3440 Truman Ave; the motion carried with four votes in favor (Commissioners Bryant, Filios, Summer and Vice Chair Michener). Chair Jared Davis was absent. The transcript does not specify who seconded the motion.
The board’s decision preserves the 50‑year‑old tree but the panel and staff repeatedly said they would consider additional, specific medical documentation linking the child’s symptoms to the tree if the appellant submits it.
The board will not remove the tree at this time and may revisit the decision if new evidence is submitted.
