In January of 2020, Mr. Maddaus contacted the City Forester to request a site visit to inspect the trees on and adjacent to his property at Palou Avenue 4 Northeast of Casanova Street. The purpose of the site visit was to assess the condition of four oaks that were causing debris to build up on the roof that the fire department was concerned about. Also, a 5th tree, a pine in the public right of way, was “wrecking” their retaining wall that will need to be replaced. A permit was issued for the four oaks to be pruned.
The pine in the public right of way appeared in good condition at the January visit. A visual inspection was performed with no apparent signs of insects or pathogens. There was an acceptable amount of dead wood in the canopy, and a basal wound was noted. The bole and root flare were sounded with a rubber mallet resulting in no further concerns about the tree’s health.
Mr. Maddaus contacted the City Forester again in early September requesting information about required tree protection for a roofing project. A request was made in late October for another inspection of the right of way pine disturbing the retaining wall. The tree was assessed visually again with the same conclusion that the tree is in good condition. A core was taken from the pine using an increment borer four feet above grade to a depth of 5.75 inch. No decay or fungal staining were seen.
In a letter dated November 1, 2020, Mr. Maddaus expressed concerns about the safety of the tree. The tree was visually inspected on November 4, 2020 and still found to be in good condition with no apparent major concerns. The tree appears to have contributed to the damaged retaining wall.