Remarks by Luis Prieto y Muñoz
433 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 17 of 18
“So I understand that because it's the city that might be removing it, you can't control the timing of the replanting, but I think we could certainly condition, could we not?”
“I mean, I think just adding, while they deliberate, I think, so if I'm not mistaken, then this, what's the DBH of this tree?”
“In total, right? If you look at this whole picture, the net impact is an enormous canopy loss. It's unmitigated. It's fully unmitigated. So I appreciate this is not your client's responsibility in as much as this is the city mandating it.”
“We're still dealing with a huge canopy loss that's fully unmitigated. I mean, it's unconscionable.”
“I completely understand, but I'm... Do you want me to say something? If you'd like to, sure.”
“No, I get that. I know Public Works has very little esteem for trees. They cut them down wherever they can.”
“I understand, but if it was anybody but the city, they'd have an enormous mitigation they'd have to do. It's obscene that the city doesn't have to mitigate this.”
“The Tree Trust Fund is nonsense. I mean, at the end of the day, it's... Local canopy matters so much more than this.”
“But at the end of the day, if we're looking at the local, if this was three feet over, he would have to mitigate 41 inches of DBH. And because the logic of the code is that 41 inches of tree diameter have been removed from the canopy, and therefore they need to be mitigated. So I think it's one of those things that by happenstance of right of ways, there is a substantial net ecological impact that's not being mitigated. And that's just a simple fact. Please. Hi.”
“That's a super clarification, Sean. Thank you for that. I think it's good to know that. So this will be posted locally at the relevant site. okay good so for all of those listening yeah that's why that's why it's reflected as a to remain that clarifies that thank you it was unclear if that would be going through so to those of you listening if you feel like this tree should be anything should be considered it's to you for it's for up to you to appeal it so sorry go on john i'll be quiet for a bit no no to that point uh somebody mentioned that for five years it's been mentioned that it was…”
“That's not even on this intended decision.”
“I have a question coming back to some of the trees along the northern side of the property that are just considered to remain due to the septic tank's drain field. Out of curiosity, did you consider alternate septic systems with smaller drain fields?”
“I appreciate that from the arborist standpoint, but from the systems development. So there are a variety of different septic systems. Some are conventional. Some use aerobic digesters. Some use a dispersion of various drip systems. I'm curious if any of those alternate systems, i.e. systems that use much smaller drain fields, were considered. Because this is quite a large drain field. I mean, this looks like a conventional drain field.”
“I think the concern here comes precisely from the fact that we're looking at this through the prism of chapter 17 of the code, which of course focuses on the city's ecology and the ecological value afforded by these trees. The privacy is immaterial in that computation. And it's problematic if those trees are small. I mean, if those are destined to be smaller trees, we're removing some really large ones. I mean, this sapodilla is 45 feet tall from, or has a 45 foot canopy from what I'm seeing. And likewise, this avocado, which I appreciate the testimony earlier that it's in poor condition and…”
“Any final thoughts? Yeah, I mean, that's where I'm landing. I'm looking at this, and I'm taking a practical view on this and finding something that is, I think, workable for the neighborhood and preserves as much of this as possible, but at the same time, you know, appreciates the effort that has gone into the other layers of preservation. And in maintaining the lychee tree, which you're quite right in saying that was the lightning rod for the last go-around, and I recall... that that last applicant got exactly what he deserved. But I think the point is, I mean, I'm looking at this list of…”
“Understood, but within that framework, I mean, everything that we've discussed now, I'm not validly convinced that the mitigations offered are a one-to-one mitigation, and that is what's required by Chapter 17. And we're removing large bits of canopy. Admittedly, you're preserving an enormous amount of specimen trees. And I'll stop congratulating you guys on that part of it, because it's a late part of the meeting. But ultimately, my point is simply, from a Chapter 17 standpoint, I think we can do better. It doesn't have to be an environmental preservation district to require a one-for-one…”
“How does my rant sound to you, Carlos? Where do you land with that? Again.”
“I think what makes the grove really interesting is the disparity. I think the remnants, coming to the historical standpoint, Coconut Grove was a commercial fruit grove into the early part of the teens. And some of these are remnants of what those old commercial fruit groves were. In fact, the vast majority of the early development was done by the Sunshine Fruit Corporation, which was a fruit grove manager. So this is integral to the fabric of coconut grove from a historical standpoint. So I appreciate where you're coming from, but frankly, to a certain extent, it's becoming awfully boring to…”
“That's no on a sapodilla is what you're saying.”
“i mean i i disagree i think that there are a variety of technologies available to reduce the size of drain fields and to reroute them i would say um i i appreciate that i can't tell you with certainty what that is given the particulars of your project so i wouldn't require you i mean i i don't know let me let me marinate on that well my other colleague you guys have nothing else to say i guess i have a question the”
“I'm not picking one. I'm looking at a list of 15 trees. I'll kill the palms. No palms, except for the royal palm. So we're looking at nine trees. I'm saying, or 10 hardwoods. Take eight of them. Sorry, take nine of them. I'm just saying that this sapodilla, it's just, I can't, I'm not going to, this is a clear-cut lot. It's not even anywhere close to the building footprint. I don't think that's reasonable, Carlos. I think that's one that you guys can figure out how to work around. You've got an amazing team standing behind you. I'm confident that you guys can figure out a way to make that…”
“No, we can grant and deny in part, like with the last motion.”
“They're putting bonds on the gumbo-limbos.”
“What are you trying to make your motion do?”
“We're going to go with the grant the appeal. There's no numbers. It's just that.”