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85 Trees and Caltrain

We discussed a bit about the possible electification of Caltrain here.  It is a multi-faceted issue including the funding (trying to tap into non-existent High-cost Rail funding), the wires, the new trains (which would be longer and block more intersections around stations), but this being the Voice trees are always an issue.  The Daily Journal know B'game is tree-crazy too and had a piece while we were down that merits revisiting

The Draft EIR estimates the project could remove up to 85 trees and prune another 154 in Burlingame. Mayor Michael Brownrigg said he was relieved to see none of the eucalyptus trees from the city’s beloved grove will be removed and only a few will be moderately pruned. However, he still needs to see a final report, Brownrigg said.

and then there are other factors

Although the (eucalyptus) grove seems largely out of harm’s way, the council wants the final EIR to specifically list which trees may be affected before the city gets on board, said Councilman Jerry Deal, who also serves as the vice chair of the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board. Another concern is the loss of trees will also affect neighborhood aesthetics and decrease noise reduction for surrounding residences, Deal said.

The Daily Post had a similar piece noting that Palo Alto's number was 177 trees and that the historic "El Palo Alto" may have to be pruned.  It is apparently 1,000 years old!  Back here in B'game, I am trying to imagine which 85 trees that aren't part of the Francard grove of eucs we are talking about?

Caltrain fence

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32 responses to “85 Trees and Caltrain”

  1. jennifer

    In the vicinity of Broadway– to the around Morrell, there are 50+ trees they have deemed problematic, space-wise, many are oaks (these tend to have more of a horizontal growth habit. Several others include the ornamental pears, and they were not well tended to (by Amtrak or whoever had the contract) when planted, so they look small and ragged.
    It is safe to say that the lack of mature trees there will be very apparent. We have to be certain they’ve got a decent replacement plan in place, particularly with regard to watering and staking. Their track record has been poor.
    The bigger mystery is north of Broadway, where the assessment was done with an aerial system of lasers of some sort. There are 30+ in that vicinity that probably will be coming out, but nobody knows (yet) what those are. For the people living along California Drive, that tree buffer is crucial, not only for aesthetics, but also measurable noise and wind buffer.
    Somehow, I have trouble believing that Caltrain will be able to handle 2000 plus replacements and their care, up and down the Peninsula line. I think that is a tall order for any agency, and this one has been cutting back on maintenance at the stations, as is.

  2. The Trojan Electric

    I’d like to call for Caltrain to quit trying to sneak [The High Speed Fail] under the noses of the residents of California.
    I’d like to call for Caltrain to give us an electrification proposal that does not prepare for High Speed Fail.
    How much less would it be? How many fewer trees would be cut?
    I think that The Trojan Electric is barely worth spending $68M for to eliminate the diesel exhaust and get less noisy operation.
    The supposedly faster speed and 6 trains per hour is likely what the max capacity of the system will be, but not necessarily what will be delivered.
    Is this just a Wolf (HSR) in Sheep’s Clothing?

  3. holyroller

    I agree with you Jennifer that the “Clear Lack of Maintenance” regarding any tree replacement by Cal Trans is proposing after any tree removal project.
    If it was not for you being an advocate of tree replacement and maintenance on El Camino Real, all those Elm trees would have been dead and not replaced years ago.
    The City of Burlingame should name a Tree after you.

  4. Peter Garrison

    Donovan already did: “Jennifer Juniper.”

  5. Cathy Baylock

    Holy, Holy. I say “amen to that”. Mrs. Pfaff is our city’s Tree Guardian in Chief!

  6. Bruce Dickinson

    Listen, fellas, I have had the darnedest of times trying to post to this site!! Bruce Dickinson (or my IT guy, actually) believes that the Burlingame Voice is attempting to censor my comments by not allowing my IP address to post. The replies I’ve been able to post have been from my winery in Aderson Valley! Hopefully this is a big mix-up, as Bruce Dickinson believed he was quite the cult of personality and inspired some great ideas from Burlingame citizens and governmental officials alike. So administrators of the site, you may want to check IP addresses in Burlingame and make sure they are allowed to post.
    Anyway, to move onto more urgent matters, guys, I gotta tell ya, Bruce Dickinson is going to have to agree with the Electric Trojan, which I must admit, is a clever double-entendre that is aptly named, if you will. While I agree with the dynamite job that Jennifer has accomplished, and yes Jen, we must meet someday, as I have heard nothing but residents singing your laurels and I have witnessed your very insightful and thoughtful comments on this site, we must not lose focus on where the battle rests: the presumption that an electrified Caltrain is a given.
    There are no funds for it and HSR is on its 10th life. A realistic proposal of a non-HSR funded electrified Caltrain is sorely needed, because guess what? They are building a multi-billion dollar bus terminal in downtown San Francisco under the presumption that HSR and an underground, electrified Caltrain will go there. What makes you think they will not start the “Tree Pruning” and removal under the guise that electrified Caltrain is a fait accompli, if you will, and we will be left with no Caltrain, no trees, and a bunch of multifamily condos with insufficient parking??
    Folks, this “steam roll” (or steam “train” as it were) happens everywhere all the time and transportation bureaucrats are the worst offenders, because no project = no job for half these people. Look at HSR and all the lying, cheating, information fabrication, smoke & mirrors, and “studio effects” applied that can even make a cat screeching sound good (trust me, Bruce Dickinson knows the tricks of the trade better than anyone, ahem, Madonna). Citizens of Burlingame, don’t be sold a bill of goods and focus on the root cause and assumptions, not the secondary and tertiary effect that would not even occur if the root cause is properly attacked.

  7. jennifer

    Hi there Bruce!
    ‘Agree with you completely about the elephant in the room. What is even more aggravating was a revelation by Diane Harkey that HSR currently has around 170 people on its payroll, and they will likely remain there until this is stopped for good.
    With regard to our trees–I’ve been around too long to have blinders on –“Trimming” as opposed to removal, is defined as anything 25% and under, and certainly that can go awry. Once removed, it will end up on each city’s “to-do list” to monitor replacements and maintenance, as if we didn’t already have enough to do.
    In my opinion, these agencies do not have the bandwidth to accomplish this for over two thousand trees, even if they wanted to do things right.

  8. holyroller

    I recently read the book “Command and Control” by Eric Schlossser.
    The book has to do with the Cold War and Arms Race immediately after WW2.
    Due to the Industrial Military Complex, that US Presidents attempted to bring to the attention of the US/World, infrastructure was funded and being actively built.
    The kicker is that there was no product-missiles, even developed yet.
    However, once the infrastructure was built, then US Citizens were now “on the hook” for whatever the price was going to be making this “concept” into reality.
    HSR is a “Done Deal.”
    By the time HSP is ready to go, it will be obsolete.
    By the way-anyone, have you ever said to a friend, neighbor, family member or heard:
    “When are we going to get HSR?”
    We really do not live in a Democracy any more. People who vote most likely do not comprehend what they are voting for. Or voting only for the Pro Gun, Pro Abortion, Pro Gay Marriage.
    (By the way, I am all for all of the above)Letting all other considerations and special voting, to be left up to _______________________.
    I believe we are very lucky to have an advocate like Bruce Dickenson to contribute to this site.
    My opinion too.

  9. Anon

    http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2014-09-05/tree-trimming-causes-turmoil-neighbor-says-burlingame-trees-were-decimated-while-other-thinks-its-an-overreaction/1776425129600
    What a terrible trimming job. The owner and/or the tree company need to be held accountable.

  10. Holleyroller@hotwire.com

    My heart goes out to the people who have come home to see there property “Literally Raped.”
    I believe if it was my trees, I do not know if I could continue to even live there.
    If the City of Burlingame Arborist issued a permit to allow this desecration that person should be fired.
    At the very least the City of Burlingame should be held to the same standards as anyone who removes a City of Burlingame Tree. That is to appraise the replacement value of the trees-size, age, health, and pay the homeowners.
    I have heard the costs can be in the hundred’s of thousands of dollars.
    Did the tree business even have a business license, insurance, worker comp, legal employee’s?
    If a permit was issued by the City Arborist, that should be the department that takes a look at those bona fides.
    If a permit was issued it is all on the Rec and park Dept.

  11. 85% of Burlingame

    Hollyroller,
    Just wait til the Dem-wits cut down ALL of the trees on El Camino Real as part of the Grand Boulevard Initiative and thousands along Caltrain as part of the High Speed Rail->Trojan Horse called Calrain Electrification, which is really just prep work for HSR.
    85% of Burlingame voted for them.

  12. Holleyroller@hotwire.com

    Sometimes we just have to put our head down and except the inevitable.
    When many people live in a “small space” will do what ever they have to do in order to justify their “lifestyle.”
    Asking forgiveness instead of permission is a fact in the removal of the trees.
    Unfortunately as well Corporate Business is done as well throughout the US & beyond.
    It is no mistake that the trees were removed when the homeowners were on vacation.
    The City of Burlingame is truly a City of Trees.
    I hope that the City Elders, as well as the City Manager will have more oversight on the “goings on” at the Recreation and Park Dept.
    There are really some very “Kooky Ideas” that come out of that section of Burlingame Government.
    IE- a new park built right at the bay front-drought, salt water, wind, global warming rising tides, and a new Recreation Center-for who?
    Isn’t the price tag @ 54 Million?
    In the mean time I am looking forward to an explanation as to why the only excuse offered by the City Manager regarding the tree removals is, “We just do not know what the laws are.”
    Really?

  13. 85% of Burlingame

    Well, that’s the City Attorney’s job.

  14. Holleyroller@hotwire.com

    OK
    Hopefully, the City Attorney was hired without the need to micromanage any Department Head.
    Including the City of Burlingame Manager.
    Unfortunately, with the exception of Elder Brownrigg, all City of Burlingame Elders, have little or Zero experience managing a multi-million dollar Corporation.
    The little things in a City like Burlingame become the Big Things that determine the value of property, and the reason people want to live here.
    In my opinion, the current City Elders have not contributed to the present or future of the future of Burlingame.
    Most likely due to the voters who are out of touch with current events, supporters of Prop 13, and really do not give a shit about what happens 5-10 years from now.
    I think Browrigg is doing everything he can to turn this ship in the right direction, but has little support from the people who matter.
    City Manager
    City Elders
    The entire group of City Elders need to be replaced.
    If the current Tree problem- The City of Trees, does not have an answer to a very invasive, life changing event, for a home owner who most likely lives in a $2,000,000.00-most likely now $1.3 can happen, and the only response from The City of Burlingame City Attorney/City Manager/ Recreation Director, can provide the homeowner and media is “we do not know what the laws are sorry”(this is a paraphrase)
    There is really a lack of oversight by the City Elders.
    Time for change…
    Top to Bottom.

  15. The Yu family are one of the nicest families I’ve met in Burlingame.

    I will say that I’ve known The Yu family for several years, and Mr. Yu’s parents ran a successful and well liked restaurant in Burlingame for 30 years or so.
    The Yu family seem to be well liked and very conscientious and kind to other people.
    It sounds like the City Manager and the City Council members that the Yus have spoken with about this misunderstanding all believe that the Yus acted properly in getting a tree trimming permit and then having the work completed.
    I don’t know all of the details yet, but I believe that there was a miscommunication, and that there was not any negative intent to trim more than was approved by the city. There may have been misunderstanding about what part of the land was city owned vs. easement. Either way, I’d encourage the good people of Burlingame to let the neighbors work out their concerns with the city and to be patient for the result until reasonable due diligence and further respectful discussions can be scheduled.
    The Yu family are one of the nicest families I’ve met in Burlingame. I’m 100% positive that they will do their best to understand the concerns of the neighbors and to act graciously in the matter.

  16. Holleyroller@hotwire.com

    I am sure they are nice people too.
    The family did what “they thought” they could do according to the City Arborist.
    Bringing the poor communication from the City of Burlingame Administration to the public, may stop this from happening again.
    Contact the City Elders, ask them why this continues to be the product of their administration.
    Oh but wait, didn’t the entire Hoover School “Incident” start with complaints regarding the Tree Removals at the site, approved by the City Arborist too.
    Now look where the Hoover School Incident has gone.
    Something is very wrong with the process of a City Arborist having so much input over the impact of his/her decisions.
    If the process of tree removal at Hoover School was denied and looked into thoroughly by someone more qualified; at the very least reviewed by an engineer or attorney it may have been discovered that an Environmental Impact Report was not properly done. I do not think it is right or professional to give that responsibility to a City Arborist.
    Live and Learn….
    Again & again & again.
    These continuing “mole hills turning into mountains” can all be laid at City Hall.
    Top Down.
    What’s next?
    Or what has happened that we do not know yet.
    For example what’s happening with the Hoover School problem?

  17. Shouldn’t we stop allowing our government to break our laws?

    Holleyroller,
    The essential problem is really the Super-Majority Dems taking the law into their own hands / not following the law because “they’re allowed to do that” or because “that’s what WE do”.
    To the contrary, you don’t get to sell rocket launchers just because you’re our Dem Senator, Leland Yee.
    You don’t get to drive 136 mph down Highway 101 without any emergency flashers on just because you’re a Sheriff’s deputy.
    You don’t get to take monetary honorariums from Labor Unions just because you’re a city council member and because your parents did it that way too.
    You don’t get to try to have your husband’s construction company hired for the city development project when you’re on city council.
    You don’t get to block the legitimate market sale of Hoover to a boarding school with much less traffic, because the State/Union-run school wants it instead at a massive discount to the non-profit, private property owner’s value.
    You don’t get to try to have the city hire your personally-owned development company to develop land while you’re on city council.
    The rule of law is a beautiful thing, as then we all know what to expect.
    And, while there will always be lawless individuals and lawless corporations among the mostly good ones, the WORST type of lawlessness is a lawless government agency, because they can tax, audit, arrest, imprison, execute, fine, wire-tap, deport, exclude, slander, declare war, give away your tax money to other countries to buy weapons, blow things up, shoot people, and shut things down unnecessarily or just for kicks as some former government leaders have bragged to me about over a round of golf.
    Shouldn’t we STOP ALLOWING our government to break our laws?
    Vote accordingly.

  18. Holleyroller@hotwire.com

    Thank you for reading my comments..
    Once I saw that you somehow managed to shoehorn in blaming Democrat’s for “everything wrong ” I stop reading your comments.
    Who cares what “Gang” you belong to.
    I would prefer to know what your opinion is and how you come to it.
    For example, What are you thoughts on more Cow Bell?

  19. Bruce Dickinson

    Guys, before everyone feels the need to be judge, jury, and executioner, let’s all take a deep breath and think about the logic in all this. Dr. Dickinson to the rescue, again.
    If this family has been in Burlingame for a while, it would be extremely unlikely that they would willingly sanction the desecration of these trees in such the twisted, grotesque manner in which this was done. It looks like a tree serial killer was hired for the maiming! This was probably a situation of mis-communication and I would not be surprised if the tree “trimmer” took some major liberties, to put it lightly.
    It is also possible that some very “aggressive” third-party arborists were hired and they may have provided direction that was not intended by the City of Burlingame arborist. Making matters worse, this appears to be done on City property, which maybe should have had more oversight, again probably due to mis-communication.
    Bruce Dickinson agrees with some of the posters above, that we need to have all the facts set before us. The person interviewed that hired the tree trimmer seems to have also been taken by surprise. Will be interesting to see if she objected to this and dialed 911 upon arriving at the scene of this hack-job. Will also be telling if the City of Burlingame decided to respond to the distress call, or sat idly by in the hopes that no charges would be pressed.
    The City Council should be all over this one and while we can surmise, speculate, hypothesize, etc, reparations will need to be made, period, probably on the order of several hundred thousand dollars. The guys doing the trimming are likely culpable in this, even if they were found to be just following orders, as any tree trimmer in full sanity would realize the implications of this. The business of Burlingame is trees, period and if they don’t know that, then they’re idiots….or psychopaths!
    Bruce Dickinson will be following this one.

  20. Anon

    The person that hired the tree service is quoted as saying the she didn’t think the trimming was excessive. She doesn’t seem taken by surprise. Everyone knows that it was excessive. If the trees had to be trimmed down to the trunks to gain a view, then shame on the owner for ordering that. If the city can pull the business license of the tree service, it should do so immediately.
    Considering that the city officials have not provided any clarity in the aftermath, it seems as though it will be difficult for the neighbors to be made whole. And really, how would they be made whole? New mature trees? I have to imagine that will cost well into six figures.

  21. commonsense

    I walk the hills of Burlingame and Hillsborogh each day and have noticed more and more old trees cut. Seems to be a trend — new family moves in, trees are cut. Some relly old oaks and native pines. I understand there is a need for thinning, but when you see a 200 year oak chopped it is really sad. I see these signs as you enter that proclaim Burlingame as the a “Tree City.” Let’s get with it and live up to that honor!

  22. Concerned resident

    I actually know the home owners of the people who ordered the tree cutting. They were just as disgusted by the mutilation of trees as their neighbors. The family has owned that house for over 35 years, and the fact that almost everyone is accusing them of destroying their own neighborhood is just silly talk. They have been trying to contact the tree company, but of course got no response.
    The real problem now though is that the neighbor down the canyon has started a string of online bashing and cyber bullying of the home owner. The neighbor posted the homeowner’s personal information online and has had different people harass them in person. Their special needs autistic son has been having episodes because the mother has been so upset to the point of tears. The home owners apparently tried to reach out to the neighbor on multiple occasions, but the neighbor rejected them.
    Burlingame is now not the “Tree City”, but a “Bullying City”.

  23. More concerned

    Am I the only one who thinks this sentence from the news article doesn’t make any sense?
    Rosalyn Yu, the neighbor who took out the permit to have the trees thinned and cleaned, moved into the house in 2013 and said the underbrush, huge bushes and leaves were a fire hazard and she did want to help with her view. She notes she also had pine and eucalyptus trees trimmed. She contends this is all on city-owned property, but the city is still looking into if this was the case, as some of the trees could have been in a 10-foot easement behind Shaw’s home that is her property.
    Why would a private citizen get a permit to cut trees she thinks are on city property?

  24. Bruce Dickinson

    Guys, quite frankly, so much of it doesn’t make sense, and if people are harassing this person to the point of her special needs son having episodes, shame on them..that is NOT the Burlingame way, no, not at all. Bruce Dickinson does not condone such behavior, period. Behaving this way means that you’re not ready for the Burlingame big-boy pants, as it were. We’re all adults here and here’s my prescription: relax, take the little purple pill, take a nice autumn stroll, have a cocktail, drink some Pinot Noir, listen to your favorite Dickinson-produced album, go see your therapist, etc. As I mentioned above, let’s let the facts and evidence reveal the truth, as what’s done is done and let the narrative play out.

  25. Concerned resident

    Totally agree Bruce. We teach our children that bullying is wrong, but we turn around and do it to other people and think that it is acceptable. What is most annoying that is the minions and cronies just jump in and bash the poor home owners when they are not even involved, and definitely don’t have any accurate information. So to the minions that chime in on the thread that is bashing the home owners “Shut the F up and stay out of it.” To the blind followers that actually show up and/or drive up to the home owner’s home to harass them “Get a life” and leave them alone! KEEP CYBER BULLYING OUT OF BURLINGAME!!! For children and adults.

  26. Holleyroller@hotwire.com

    Are you sure that is happening to the homeowners or is this a projection/political PSA?
    I for one believe the homeowners did what they were told they could do to their/or City of Burlingame trees.
    It is hard to believe something like this happened. It reminds me of stories you read about the wrong house being torn down.
    The fact is the City of Burlingame Arborist gave the homeowners permission to desecrate these trees.
    If these trees somehow manage to grow back, it may not be in the lifetime of anyone reading this article. So Sad.
    Dear Concerned Resident, I just do not see people driving to this home and throwing “rotten vegetables” at their front door.
    On the other hand, if any “rotten vegetables” need to be thrown, start at City Hall.
    I know “Jennifer” is a leading tree expert in Burlingame, and a contributor to this site.
    I wonder what her thoughts are?

  27. Concerned resident

    Holleyroller, I did read some of the nasty comments posted about the home owners on another community website, and the fact that their private information and their home address was posted was definitely prompting people to “visit” their homes. No rotten vegetables were thrown, but some “concerned citizens” had “choice” words for the home owners even though they don’t know the whole story. I doubt the city Arborist nor the home owner would purposely “desecrate” any trees in their own neighborhood.
    I think the fault really lies with the tree company. They were hired by the home owners and given the permit to do a PROFESSIONAL job. The job was obviously less than professional.
    I still believe the trees are a small issue in this case. The real problem now is that the home owners are being cyber bullied and harassed even though it is not their fault. The trees can be replaced, mended, or just grow back on their own. What is our beautiful city going to do about the issue of the home owners who has grown up in that house, who’s family have owned it for three generations, who’s family have owned a business in our city for 30 years, been a pillar in the community, who’s kids go to school in our Burlingame schools, now feels threatened and scared to live in their own home. WHAT IS OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT??????

  28. Jennifer

    I couldn’t even begin to express an opinion about a story like this, when the story keeps changing.
    On the general issue of otherwise healthy trees being removed on private property, I do have some thoughts. The Parks Dept. has an ordinance to follow-(some excepts below). The city council developed these several years ago, and the Parks Dept. interprets them to the best of their ability.
    ….”It is the intent of this chapter to establish conditions and regulations for the removal and replacement of existing trees and installation of new trees in new construction and development consistent with these purposes and the reasonable economic enjoyment of private property.”
    (Tree Removals- Permitting, etc)
    …Subject to the replacement provisions of Section 11.06.070, the director shall approve the removal of protected trees within the footprint of approved construction in R-1 zone, which construction does not require a variance or special permit.
    __________
    These appear to have been last amended in 1998, and may have been added around the same period as the inception of Design Review. I’m wondering if they were possibly related to, and meant to balance imposed Design review guidelines and what was thought by some at the time to be a potential hardship on property owners?
    How would one now interpret ‘reasonable economic enjoyment of the property’ Is the flip side, ‘economic hardship’? To make matters more slippery, there doesn’t seem to be any reference to trees located on multi-unit lots.– a loophole?
    Regarding the tendency to build large footprints in R1 zones, there really are scant few places on a 50 ft. wide lot where significant trees (new or extant) can thrive–generally, they are coming out with the short end of the stick (no pun intended).

  29. Bruce Dickinson

    The word “prescient” has been used with Bruce Dickinson’s observations in the past, but my secretary obtained copies of all the posts from the neighborhood blog site and I would be remiss if I didn’t say that no one knows the real picture.
    Do you know what the Allies did in WWII or the US did in Vietnam when they were unsure of where a target was located? They employed a method called “carpet bombing”. I have carefully examined the posters’ comments on the tree maiming, and it is clear that no one knows where the blame really rests, so a bunch of neighbors pile on and “carpet bomb”, lobbing dumb bombs all over family, the city, the city arborist, the private arborist, the tree trimmers all at the same time. Yes, make no mistake, I chose the words “dumb bombs” with precision, as it were. It’s obvious to me that one, no one has all the facts, including the city arborist, and two, some people in Burlingame have way, WAY too much time on their hands and seem eager, yes, very eager to jump on any “cause” with repetitive posts on every grueling “issue” that they believe is facing Burlingame. It’s the same people posting on all this stuff, and of course, they offer no prescriptions for solutions, just pointing out problems. My 4 year old granddaughter does that too, but that’s okay because guess what? she’s not a grown adult.
    Folks, if you’re gonna have a beef with what someone did, approach it with solid intelligence, precision, and decisiveness. If you can’t do this, then don’t pipe up unless all the facts are in and accounted for. It’s clear from reading the entries in the blog that no one knows all the “intelligence” so the technique is to “carpet bomb” everyone involved, and the end result is that they still missed the target. Here’s some advice from Dr. Dickinson, if these neighbors want to get what they want, they are approaching it completely wrong and are only torpedoing their own cause.

  30. Concerned Resident

    Thank you Bruce for making that statement. I am usually not a person who put up posts or get into social media very much. In this instance I just could not sit on the sidelines and let the home owners ‘ good names get soiled. The home owners stated that they care about this community too much that they did not want to get into a shouting match on any social media with their neighbor even though they are being wrongfully incriminated. All they want everyone to know is that they are as upset at the desecrated trees as the neighbors, and that it was not their intention to wreck the trees in their OWN backyard. So please get all the information before anyone are so quick to judge them. As a family that lived in that house for three generations, they really do have deep feelings for the community they live in.
    So please stop with the online bashing and harassment of the home owners in regards to the tree matter.
    A community is great not because of it’s houses or it’s trees. What makes a community great is because of it’s people. Lets not chase away good people in the community like the home owners. They really do love our city.

  31. Holleyroller@hotwire.com

    I feel sorry for the people who have had so much personal information posted on this public site.
    That is really wrong. After all, at the end of the day we will still be neighbors.
    I think the best direction to live and learn from this accident would be complete transparency from the City of Burlingame’s City Managers Office.
    Show the community that there is someone taking responsibility.
    Share with us Dear City Manager:
    -What is the permit process when it comes to tree removal, and Tree Trimming. City trees or Private.
    -Who reviews the permits and what are her/his qualification’s?
    -Who reviews The City Arborist’s recommendation’s? Who is that person and what Dept. does that person work in?
    -What Dept. regulates and issues business licensees, and enforces the law.
    (In Hillsborough the Police check and confirm business licenses by the posting of a stamp size sticker on every contractor/yard maintenance business vehicle.)
    -Is there a financial penalty levied against a homeowner, and business owner, of a Tree Service that does not have a permit to work on Public or Private. What is the financial penalty and how is it determined. Where does the money go?
    I mentioned in a previous comment that the HooverGate debacle started with a small community group protesting the removal of Oak Trees on the property.
    Now Hoover Gate has become a Multi Million Dollar problem that is not going to go away without a lot of money.
    The person or people who are in charge of the Tree City of Burlingame Trees are the “Tip of the Spear” when it comes to Community Development.
    Enough mistake have been made, the financial costs to the City of Burlingame have not even begun to roll in via Attorney’s representing their clients. The stress put upon this family who did all they believed they were entitled to by The City of Burlingame Park and Rec Dept is effect their lives in a way that can only be left at the doorstep of City Hall.
    My blessings go out to the small child and mother that are being “attacked” and experiencing physical illness by their community due to the poor judgement once again made by a made by The City of Burlingame Park and Rec Dept. City Arborist.
    Lay it out there for us, so we can get back to the Hoover School event.

  32. Smell the coffee

    I can not believe that Sue Lempert is still given the space to publish rubbish like this in the local paper
    No one is indispensable, but Mike Scanlon comes pretty close. Under his watch since 1999, SamTrans and especially Caltrain have been revitalized. Under previous leadership, Caltrain had slipped from being a viable to an almost forgotten form of transit in the Bay Area. Today, it is a national success story and Scanlon deserves much of the credit.
    http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2014-09-29/is-mike-scanlon-irreplaceable/1776425130778

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