Board upholds Public Works removal order for hazardous Laguna Street tree

The Board of Appeals on Jan. 17 denied an appeal filed by Lance Carnes challenging Public Works’ order to remove a small street tree on Laguna Street, finding that city staff had properly identified the subject tree and that it met removal criteria because of severe canopy loss and structural cracking. The motion to deny the appeal and affirm the order carried 5–0.

Appellant Lance Carnes argued the Bureau of Urban Forestry’s online database and posted photographs mislabel the trees in the block and that BUFF had erroneously conflated a large healthy tree and a smaller tree. He raised concerns about species misidentification in the posting and said the record sent to the board included inconsistent photographs and labels.

Chris Buck, the city’s Urban Forester, told commissioners the subject was the smaller tree listed in BUFF’s asset database and provided staff photos, the unique asset ID and an explanation of the department’s tree‑numbering scheme. BUFF said the smaller tree has lost roughly 80% of its canopy, that crews have pruned out dead wood and that cracks in the primary stems indicate an elevated risk of structural failure in a public right‑of‑way.

BUFF offered to mark the trunk and meet the crew on the site to avoid any chance of removing the wrong tree; Buck said the site is replantable and that Public Works will plant a replacement. Several public commenters and volunteer advocates supported appellant concerns about record accuracy and urged improved BUFF data practices, but commissioners said BUFF’s on‑site inspection and the species and asset documentation in the record provided a sufficient basis for the removal order.

Commissioner Epler moved to deny the appeal and affirm the Public Works order; the board voted 5–0 to uphold the order.