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Tree survey finds majority of corridor trees likely to be removed; city promises replanting
Summary
Arborists surveyed 137 trees along Dodge Street and the project team estimates roughly 80–90 may be removed for construction or due to poor health; the city said it will budget to replant trees and prioritize protecting high-value specimens where possible.
City and consultant staff told residents a recent tree assessment along the Dodge Street corridor found 137 trees were surveyed, with only about ten meeting the criteria for 'high quality.' Presenters said a majority — roughly 80–90 of the surveyed trees — are likely to be removed because they are either in poor health or are in the footprint of the new utilities and sidewalks.
Why it matters: tree removals along an urban corridor affect canopy cover, neighborhood character and near-term shade; residents repeatedly raised concerns about preserving mature specimens and asked whether replacements would emphasize native species.
What the survey found: two arborists completed field ratings (1–4, where 4 = no obvious defects). The team used species, health, habitat value, age and transplantability to designate high-value trees. Josh Draa and the firm's arborists told the audience that many trees are low-quality or have been repeatedly pruned because of overhead utilities; others are hazardous and slated for removal regardless of the project.
Replanting and mitigation: city staff said high-value trees will be protected where feasible and that the city intends to budget for replanting, aiming to plant as many, if not more, trees depending on available parkway width and species sizes. The city arborist reportedly has a list that is “mostly native” and staff said they will try to diversify species to guard against disease.
Resident concerns and responses: residents asked how many trees will be removed, whether large canopy trees can be prioritized and where replacement trees will be planted. Josh Draa acknowledged the trade-offs between saving private trees and the need to relocate utilities and sidewalks. He said the goal is to set sidewalks back enough in some locations to create larger parkways where larger canopy trees could be planted in the future.
Quote: “A majority of the trees…are going to be impacted to some degree as part of this project,” Josh Draa said. “We tried to save them as much as we could.”
Next steps: the city will refine final designs and exhibit parcel-level impacts at a follow-up public meeting; the exact number and species of replacement trees has not been finalized and will be set during final design and budget planning.
