STOP THE REMOVAL OF BRICKELL AVENUE TREES

The Issue

Dear City Officials:

As a resident of Miami I am in strong opposition of Capital Improvement plan B-30822 and we urge the city to immediately halt the removal of the trees until the City Counsil properly presents and discusses this plan with the residents.

The residents were not properly notified of the removal of the mature tree canopy which makes Brickell Avenue one of the most beloved and one of the last remaining fully shaded streets in Miami.

We do not agree with the claims that most of the trees are sick. Many trees are perfectly healthy. Many only need proper pruning, feeding or treatment.

Thank you for your time and we hope that you hear my voice as a City of Miami Resident.

City Capital Improvements Plan B-30288 http://www.brickellhomeowners.com/pdfs/BrickellPlansSigned&Sealed7-23-13.pdf

Miriam MerinoPetition Starter

Media inquiries

Confirmed victory

This petition made change with 924 supporters!

The Issue

Dear City Officials:

The residents were not properly notified of the removal of the mature tree canopy which makes Brickell Avenue one of the most beloved and one of the last remaining fully shaded streets in Miami.

We do not agree with the claims that most of the trees are sick. Many trees are perfectly healthy. Many only need proper pruning, feeding or treatment.

Thank you for your time and we hope that you hear my voice as a City of Miami Resident.

City Capital Improvements Plan B-30288 http://www.brickellhomeowners.com/pdfs/BrickellPlansSigned&Sealed7-23-13.pdf

Miriam MerinoPetition Starter

Media inquiries

Confirmed victory

This petition made change with 924 supporters!

The Decision Makers

Mark Spanioli, P.E.,

Director Capital Improvements

Responded

“Dear Residents and Petitioners, Thank you for your email and your concerns regarding the Brickell Avenue Beautification Project. The plan for this project was carefully crafted and well thought out. The 70 trees (of the 168 that exist) being removed are being done so for a variety of reasons: 1. Health – some trees slated to be removed were struggling due to age, hollow trunks, disease, or they were the wrong tree for the environment it was planted in. 2. Structure – poor structure can make a tree prone to failure which is very dangerous along such a heavily traveled roadway. 3. Damage - car impacts or previous storms have damaged some trees beyond saving. 4. Proximity to roadway – over the years some trees were planted by others and allowed to establish themselves too close to the roadway, creating crowded conditions or a road hazard. 5. Impact on other trees – Clustering of trees can impact the health and canopy of a tree group, and removal of a single tree from that cluster can make for a healthier canopy. David Gjertson, PLA, ASLA, is a Senior Landscape Architect and certified arborist who, along with Certified Arborist Peter Keenan, took great care to work with the surrounding environment in making a plan that will add 237 new trees to the median including +/- 10 different varieties in order to maintain, or add diversity to, the existing canopy. The net gain will be 167 trees added to the Brickell median from S.W. 15 Road to S.W. 25 Road, and a much healthier and diverse canopy over the entire distance. The new trees being installed are field grown and have a minimum height of 20 feet (two-stories tall). The types of trees being installed are oaks, gumbo limbos, royal poncianas, mahoganys, pink tabebuias, black olives, medjool date plams and other small variety of trees. In addition, the City is installing a new irriagtion system to support the trees and the instlaltion of over 1000 shrubs and ground coverings throughout. This project was properly noticed by the City of Miami Capital Improvements Dept., the City’s NET Dept., and was vetted by neighbors who participate in the Brickell Homeowners Association. The plan has also been written about by local press, including Miami Today. While at this stage the project – the removal of trees before new, healthy trees are planted in their place – may seem harsh the final product will be a dramatic improvement to the tree canopy along Brickell Avenue.”

Mark Spanioli, P.E.

Director Capital Improvements

Responded

Mark Sarnoff,

Commissioner District 2

Mark Sarnoff

Commissioner District 2

Tomas Regalado,

Mayor, City of Miami

Tomas Regalado

Mayor, City of Miami

Wilfredo Gort,

Commisioner District 1

Wilfredo Gort

Commisioner District 1

Johny Martinez,

City Manager

Johny Martinez

City Manager

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Petition created on September 8, 2013