Planning Commission approves TPZ exception to preserve Atlas cedar at 97 Placitas Avenue

Assistant Planner Jerry Martin presented the Planning Commission with a request for a tree protection zone (TPZ) exception at 97 Placitas Avenue on June 24. The proposal would allow a new two‑story residence, an attached ADU under 800 square feet and a detached garage connected by a breezeway to encroach to six times the trunk diameter of a 37.6‑inch Atlas cedar (tree #12) to accommodate interior living spaces and the entry foyer.

Martin said the parcel is part of an SB9 urban lot split (0.39 acres) and that the tentative map was approved last December; the final parcel map is under county review. He described the proposed house as about 2,935 square feet (1,699 ground floor, 1,235 second floor) plus a 797‑square‑foot ADU and explained why the ADU’s sub‑800‑square‑foot size allows certain setback and floor area incentives under local code.

Town arborist Sally (first name provided in the record) had reviewed the applicant’s arborist report and recommended approval with conditions. "I generally concur with their rationale," she said in response to questions, adding that mitigation measures — including pier and grade‑beam foundations, hand excavation inside the root zone, mulch and project arborist supervision with quarterly reports — should reduce risk to the tree. She told commissioners exploratory trenching found no roots over 2 inches and estimated the proposed residence would occupy about 13% of the tree’s root zone.

Commissioners asked questions about construction tolerance for Atlas cedars and site constraints under SB9; Sally and staff said the species tolerates construction well when the listed protections are followed. The public comment period for the item produced no in‑person speakers.

A commissioner moved to grant the TPZ exception to allow a six‑times diameter setback for tree #12 and to categorically exempt the project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA/SEQUA references cited in the staff motion). The motion was seconded and approved by the commission.

The approval is conditioned on the tree protection measures recommended by the town arborist and the project arborist’s report, including hand‑digging of specified pier locations, arborist oversight and quarterly monitoring reports. Building permits will not be issued until the lot split is recorded at the county.