Board urges remediation after unpermitted tree removals at United Nations Plaza; departments to plant replacement trees and consider mitigation

Board urges remediation after unpermitted tree removals at United Nations Plaza; departments to plant replacement trees and consider mitigation October 08, 2025 | San Francisco City, San Francisco County, California This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error » Board urges remediation after unpermitted tree removals at United Nations Plaza; departments to plant replacement trees and consider mitigation The San Francisco Board of Appeals on Oct. 8 considered appeal 25‑057 from the Tenderloin Tree Campaign challenging Public Works’ order to remove three trees at United Nations Plaza and the circumstances of their removal. The board denied the appeal 3‑0 but pressed city departments for stronger mitigation and public outreach after evidence that some removals occurred before the 15‑day appeal period expired. Tenderloin Tree Campaign representative Josh Klipp told the board the removals were tied to Rec and Park’s design for a new skate‑park footprint and that an email from a senior park official pushed removal without a documented tree evaluation or public‑process conclusion. The appellant said the city’s own process was circumvented and asked the board to press departments for accountability, reengagement and meaningful mitigation, and to recognize longtime volunteer tree stewards Michael and John Nulty. Responding, Recreation and Park Department and Public Works staff said the removals were not random: Public Works staff had identified nine dead trees and three that it classified as hazardous after field evaluation. Rec and Park contracted HortScience, a horticultural consultant, to confirm conditions before removal. Rec and Park acknowledged it removed three trees before the appeal period ended to meet a project schedule for an activation and donor event and apologized for the procedural lapse. Public Works said it issued administrative fines and that code requires replacement of trunk diameter in kind; staff proposed a mitigation package: 10 new 48‑inch‑box trees installed with permanent drip irrigation at nearby tree wells (five in front of the Asian Art Museum, five adjacent to the plaza), plus earlier planting of 13 36‑inch trees to replace other dead trees removed earlier in the process. Public Works said the replacements and irrigation would exceed the monetary value of an administrative fine and that installations will be coordinated with relevant agencies. Board members pressed Rec and Park and Public Works on enforcement and equity: if a private party cut trees in an appeal period, that party would face the same administrative process. Commissioners expressed that using municipal funds to satisfy a penalty risked eroding public trust and sought stronger accountability and engagement going forward. The board denied the appeal but included three explicit recommendations: the board asked Rec and Park to (1) plant and irrigate ten 48‑inch box trees as mitigation, (2) commit to longer‑term protection and maintenance for the new trees, and (3) publicly recognize the work of the Nulty brothers; the board also asked staff to prepare a letter to the Board of Supervisors documenting the breach of the 15‑day appeal process and asking whether the chartered process needs changes. Vote: 3‑0. Departments said they will proceed with the plantings and irrigation and that Rec and Park already planted 13 replacement 36‑inch box trees in the site as part of immediate remediation for other dead trees; further mitigation and the disposition of the administrative fine remain subject to internal departmental procedures. The board also recommended that the departments reengage the appellant in negotiation and invited the departments to report back to the board on implementation timelines and on whether any administrative fines will be redirected to capital improvements for urban forestry. Ending: The board used the hearing to press departments for remediation and public engagement after the procedural lapse. The underlying administrative process — an administrative fine and mitigation coordination between Rec and Park and Public Works — will continue to determine final penalty disposition.

Tenderloin Tree Survey Friday July 25, 2025

Tenderloin Tree Survey Friday July 25, 2025 1) 100 Van Ness Avenue (7) street trees planted on Van Ness Avenue (3) newly planted trees are missing screens (3) newly planted trees on Hayes side of property 2)1 Polk (3) street trees planted 3) 1390 Market on Polk side of building (1) street tree 4) 200 Van Ness (3) planter boxes empty missing trees on Hayes side of property 5) 101 Polk (1) street tree with screen missing (3) Trees missing on Dr. Tom Waddell Place side of property 6) 99 Grove 1 street tree Arbor Day planting missing screen 7) 1 Dr. Carlton B Goodlett Place on Van Ness side (3) flower beds near Grove St missing trees (1) street tree leaning on Van Ness (3) flower beds near Mc Allister St missing trees 8) 525 Golden Gate Avenue (1) empty plot 9) 590 Van Ness (1) empty plot 10) 100 Elm tree leaves are dying (1) empty plot 11) 650 Turk (1) empty tree plot 12) 750 Turk (2) empty tree plots 13) 747 Eddy (1) empty tree plot 14) 637 Polk (1) empty tree plot 15) 626 Polk (1) empty tree plot 16) 610 Polk (1) empty tree plot 17) 691 Eddy on Polk side of building (1) empty plot 18) 760 Eddy (1) empty plot on Eddy (1) empty plot on Polk St side of property 19) 736 Polk (1) empty plot on Ellis side of property 20) 759 Ellis (1) tree plot with stump 21) 741 Ellis (1) empty tree plot 22) 800 Ellis on Van Ness side of property (1) missing screen 23) 750 Eddy on Willow side of property (1) tree plot missing screen 24) 869 Ellis (1) empty plot 25) 818 Van Ness on Willow side (2) empty tree plots 26) 750 Eddy on Willow side of property (4) empty tree plots 27) 1040 Geary (1) street tree without screen 28) 1029 Geary (2) empty tree plots 29) 999 Polk (1) empty plot on Polk & (2) empty plots on Mytrle Street side 30) 1000 Van Ness (1) empty plot on Mytrle Street 31) 965 Geary (1) empty plot 32) 970 Geary (1) dead tree with & (1) plot with stump 33) 909 Geary (1) empty plot on Larkin side & (1) street tree without any leaves 34) 730 Larking (2) empty plots 35) 707 Ellis (1) empty plot 36) 677 Ellis (1) empty plot 37) 655 Ellis (1) empty plot 38) 611 Larkin (1) tree without bag 39) 55 Larkin (1) missing poles & screen (1) missing screen 40) 270 Mc Allister (1) empty plot 41) 250 Mc Allister (1) plot with 1 inch stem 42) 200 Larkin on Mc Allister side (2) empty tree plots 43) 1266 Market on Larkin side of property (1) empty plot 44) 50 UN Plaza on Mc Allister side (1) street tree with stump 45) 101 Hyde Arbor Day planting 6 inch tall tree in plot 46) 155 Hyde (2) empty tree plots 47) 168 Hyde on Turk street side of property (1) tree without screen 48) 381 Turk (1) empty plot 49) 200 Hyde (1) tree with 4 foot high stem 50) 300 Hyde (1) empty plot 51) 555 Ellis (1) empty plot 52) 570 Ellis (1) empty tree plot 53) 750 O’Farrell (1) empty plot 54) 656 O’Farrell (1) empty plot 55) 795 Geary on Hyde St side of property with bag & no screen 56) 824 Geary (1) street tree missing screen (1) street tree 3 feet high missing screen (1) street tree missing screen 57) 786 Geary (1) empty plot 58) 765 Geary (1) empty plot 59) 747 Geary 4 foot high stem missing bag 60) 735 Geary (1) tree with 4 foot high stem broke top 61) 665 Geary (1) empty plot 62) 550 Leanworth (1) empty plot 63) 824 Geary (1) missing screen (1) 3 foot high stem and missing screen (1) missing screen 64) 786 Geary (1) empty plot 65) 765 Geary (1) empty plot 66) 747 Geary 4 foot high stem and missing bag 67) 735 Geary (1) tree with 4 foot high stem 68) 550 Leavenworth (1) plot without screen and bag 69) 540 Leavenworth (1) plot without screen and bag 70) 536 Leavenworth Arbor day planting pole and screen 71) 680 O’Farrell (1) empty plot 72) 540 O’Farrell (1) empty plot 73) 516 O’Farrell (1) empty plot 74) 525 O’Farrell 2 foot wide stump no bag 75) 545 O’Farrell (1) tree with 6 inch stump 76) 626 O’Farrell (1) inch stump 77) 434 Leavenworth (1) empty plot 78) 480 Ellis (1) empty plot on Leavenworth side of property (2) empty plots on Ellis St 79) 474 Ellis no bag problem with securing screen 80) 457 O’Farrell missing bag 81) 441 O’Farrell missing bag 82) 345 Leavenworth (2) empty plots 83) 375 Leavenworth (1) empty plot 84) 236 Leavenworth (1) empty plot with poles and bag 85) 222 Leavenworth (10 empty plot 86) 294 Turk on Leavenworth side of property (1) empty plot 87) 259 Turk (1) empty plot 88) 144 Leavenworth (1) plot with 2 foot high stem and 3 poles is Arbor Day planting 89) 86 Mc Allister (1) plot with stump 90) 121 Golden Gate (2) empty plots on Jones side of property 91) 128 Jones (1) 3 foot high stem with bag and 3 poles in plot 92) 180 Jones (1) small stump in plot with 4 poles and screen 93) 201 Turk (1) tree with 1 ½ inch stump with 2 poles and screen 94) 201 Turk (1) no screen (1) with 4 foot high stem 95) 240 Turk (1) empty plot 96) 230 Jones (1) without bag and Arbor Day planting (1) without screen 97) 308 Eddy (1) empty plot (1) on Jones side of property with stump 98) 246 Eddy (1) plot 99) 265 Eddy (1) empty plot 100) 387 Ellis (3) foot high stem 101) 246 Eddy on Ellis side (3) plots missing bags 102) 424 Jones (1) empty plot 103) 450 Jones (1) with 3 poles (2) empty tree plots 104) 481 O’Farrell (1) dead tree 105) 532 Jones (1) tree 1 foot high stem and 2 poles 106) 546 Jones (1) plot no tree 3 poles 107) 555 Jones (1) empty plot 108) 639 Geary (1) empty plot 109) 420 Taylor (1) with stump 110) 333 Taylor (1) Arbor Day planting with no bag (1) 1 ½ foot stump in plot with grate 111) 237 Ellis (1) empty plot 112) * 233 Ellis St replanted this week 113) 256 Taylor (3) empty red basins 114) 222 Taylor (1) empty plot 115) 33 Turk (1) tree next to Mason looks dead without leaves like the reason of the trees on the block 116) 39 Taylor (1) empty plot 117) 235 O’Farrell on Cyril Magnin Street side of property (3) empty tree plots 118) 1 Stockton (1) empty plot on Ellis side of property 119) 170 O’Farrell (1) tree box empty 120) 1128 Market Street (2) empty plots 121) 1236 Market Street (2) empty tree plots Total of 175 tree space surveyed THE ABOVE SURVEY IN THE PROPERTY OF: TENDERLOIN TREE COMMITTEE

Arbor Day Planting March 8, 2025 TL Survey June 24 2025

Arbor Day Planting March 8, 2025 Tenderloin Survey June 24, 2025 1) 100 Van Ness 4 (four) trees planted with 3 poles, bags and screens 3 (three) empty plots in front of 100 Van Ness 2) Fell side of 100 Van Ness 60 Fell 3 (three) trees planted with 3 poles, bags and screens 3) 1 Polk one tree planted with 3 poles and bag without screen 4) 2 Polk St one tree planted with 3 poles, bag and without screen on side of Fox Plaza 5) 99 Polk one tree planted with 3 poles, broken braces, no bag and no screen 6) On Van Ness between Redwood and Golden Gate Ave 1 empty plot 7) 590 Van Ness no tree plant at this location 8) 570 Golden Gate Ave 3 (three) trees planted 3 poles, screens 1 tree missing bag 9) 600 Van Ness 2 (two) trees planted with 3poles, bags and screens 10) 100 Elm 2 (two) trees planted with 3 poles bags and screens 90% of the trees leaves are brown “ Parrotia persica ‘Vennesa’ species 11) 555 Polk one tree planted with 3 poles, screen and bag 90% of the trees leaves are brown “ Parrotia persica ‘Vennesa’ species 555 Polk one empty plot 12) 750 Eddy one tree planted with 3 poles bag and screen 13) 650 Eddy 2 (two) trees planted with 4 poles , bags and screens 14) 640 Eddy one tree planted with 4 poles, bag and screen 15) 611 Larkin one tree planted with 4 poles bag and screen 16) 430 Hyde one tree planted with 4 poles, bag and screen 17) 666 O’Farrell one tree planted with 4 poles, no bag and no screen 18) 7 Ada Ct one tree planted with 4 poles, no bag and no screen loop off at 3 feet high 19) 544 Hyde one tree planted with 4 poles, missing 3 brace, no screen and bag 20) 601 Leavenworth one tree planted with 4 poles, bag and screen Total Trees planted in the North of Market with from Van Ness, Geary and Market total 18 trees 5 empty plots were found at planted sites Tree Survey is property of the Tenderloin Tree Campaign

UN Plaza Tree Survey June 20, 2025

UN PLAZA TREE SURVEY June 20, 2025 1) 101 Polk on Tom Waldell Plaza side of property 1 tree missing 1 tree with 6 foot high loop off top 2) City Hall On Van Ness side from Grove and Van Ness 3 planting boxes missing up 2 trees per box for total 6 (six) street trees On Van Ness Next to the stair to city hall north toward McAllister 1 tree on the grass has whole in base of tree On Van Ness side near McAllister 3 planting boxes missing up 2 trees per box for total 6 (six) street trees. On Van Ness city hall grass on the corner of Van Ness and Mc Allister the bass of the tree has a whole On Polk Street side of city hall 2nd tree from ramp 4 feet whole in the trunk of the tree. On Polk street side of city hall next the stairs south toward grove side 1 tree missing part of the bark at the bottom of the trunk Civic Center Plaza First row of three 3rd tree toward Grove missing over 1 foot of bark from the bass of the trunk of the tree 1) empty tree plot 5 rows for the stairs to the parking lot on Hyde Street First row of three first row near Larkin the middle tree is missing part of the bark of the bottom of the trunk 200 Larkin On McAllister side from Larkin street trees #3 and #4 from Larkin empty tree plots On Fulton side of the building 4 stumps need to be replaced and on more missing near Hyde for total of 5 (five) street trees. 50 UN Plaza on McAllister side missing the middle tree in planter Next to the entrance on McAllister 1 tree stump 101 McAllister the UN Plaza dog park is missing 1 one tree next to entrance in the rear of the park between 2 park benches. 1128 Market is missing 2 streets empty plots near the muni/bart entrance UN Plaza from the main entrance to Hyde Street with the lighted trees missing a total of 5 (five) street trees. 100 Larkin 11 newly planted trees on Fulton missing watering bags 6 newly planted trees on Hyde missing water bags 9 newly planted trees on Grove missing water bags First tree next to handicap parking sign is loop of 6 foot truck need replacement. On Grove and Hyde corner. 1266 Market Wells Fargo on the corner of Grove and Larkin 1 empty tree plot 99 Grove in front of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium street newly planted in loop off at 51/2 high need to be replace has 4 poles in plot. Total of 41 street tree with issues Property of the Tenderloin Tree Campaign