From: 	Jeff Tarling
To:	Helen Donaldson
CC:	Barbara Barhydt ;  David Margolis-Pineo
Date: 	9/5/2012 3:51 PM
Subject: 	433 Fore Street

Hi Nel -
 
Landscape & tree comments for the proposed 433 Fore Street project:
 
The proposed hotel building occupies a large percentage of the overall project
site leaving little if any landscape space presented.  Recommendations would be 
to create landscape space as available along the building wall behind the sidewalk along
Fore Street and Union Street.  This may include woody & herbaceous planting in raised beds, planters and streetscape improvements.  The goal would be to meet landscape standards and the typical horticultural displays found at similar hotel projects the use of raised planters should be included.  Recommendations / conditions would include installing raised granite planters along both Fore & Union Streets that include both street-trees and some type of landscape planting, such as low woody / herbaceous planting.   The use of 'green wall' vertical planting
system should be explored for non-window areas.  The environmental benefit of greenwalls, 
landscaping should be considered an important element for the site even with limited planting
space.
 
Landscape buffer for CMP substation - the boarder between the existing CMP substation
and the proposed hotel project should include a buffer between the two sites.  This could
include the use of fencing and vegetation.  The applicant should work with CMP to continue
the long existing screening of the substation that includes trees and shrubs.  This would include the service entrance from Canal Plaza.  Outdoor storage or dumpsters would need to have a landscape treatment if proposed (unsure if this is planned for indoors and the basement level).
 
In review, the proposed hotel project at 433 Fore Street would benefit from the inclusion of improved streetscape view horticultural / landscape elements that would be both environmentally and visually important for the site. 
 
Jeff Tarling
City Arborist
 
Green wall information links: 
 
http://greenwalls.com/home/
 
http://www.mccaren.com/pdf/Greenwall%20Product%20Information.pdf
 
http://www.eco-logic.info/pub/Greenwalls-Vertical-Planting-System