Residents urge council to pause permit for removal of century‑old valley oak cited as hawk nesting site

Several residents addressed the council during public comment on June 22 asking the city to carefully review and delay approval of a permit to remove a large valley oak at 2108 Howard Avenue. Speakers said the tree appears to be more than 100 years old and that a biologist documented an active red‑tailed hawk nest and cavities used by wildlife.

Jake Wolf, a long‑time resident and volunteer with Audubon, said he was concerned the new property owner intends to develop the lot and remove the tree, and urged greater oversight by the planning commission and city arborist. John Durkin told the council a biologist had confirmed the nest and urged a full biological review and exploration of alternatives to removal, saying "once a tree like this is removed, there's never a second chance."

Ken Castle and other neighbors said they had filed comments with the planning department and wanted documents and arborist reports posted publicly. Speakers asked the council to consider the tree’s habitat value, the presence of nesting hawks, and whether reasonable alternatives to removal exist.

City staff took public comment; no formal council action on the planning case was taken at the June 22 meeting. Councilmembers acknowledged the concerns and asked for follow‑up from planning staff to ensure public documents and reviews are made available.

The matter remains within the planning department and review processes; residents requested the city expand the biological review and ensure transparency about arborist and planning findings before any permit is issued.