Removal and Replacement of Trees at Seaport Village

The proposed project would involve the removal and replacement of six (6) trees by Protea Properties (Applicant) on behalf of the San Diego Unified Port District (District) in Seaport Village in the city of San Diego, California. The six (6) existing trees require removal due to their roots lifting concrete pavers and/or top weighted limbs prone to breaking. The existing trees consist of three (3) coral trees, two (2) Ficus trees and one (1) bottlebrush tree which would be replaced at a minimum ratio of 1:1, with at least ten (10) drought-tolerant and/or water wise, non-invasive trees to be planted at more suitable locations within the Embarcadero. The District and/or the District’s landscape service providers would remove the trees in approximately late 2025 using a truck, chainsaw, chipper, bucket truck, stump grinder and associated tree removal equipment. The tree removal operations would take approximately three (3) weeks of work to complete. Tree replacement plantings would be completed in approximately mid-2026, with ongoing maintenance as needed, including replacement of the trees within the first five (5) years of planting if they fail. Work hours for approximately two (2) of the trees would include overnight work in order to minimize disturbance to businesses in the area, while the remainder of the trees would be removed from approximately 7:00 am-3:30pm Monday-Friday. Staging for the proposed project would primarily occur on the Market Place cul de sac. Temporary parking stall closures and partial closure of a section of Kettner Boulevard would be required for one (1) Ficus tree removal, which would include traffic control and flagmen for approximately two (2) days of work. As a result of the temporary and partial nature of the street closure, there would be a less than significant impact on traffic. All six (6) of the trees are located adjacent to sidewalk, walkways or promenade and would include a work crew safely redirecting pedestrians around the tree removal site during work. With tree removal activities, if the bird breeding and nesting season cannot be avoided and removal must occur between February 15 and September 1, a breeding and nesting bird survey would be conducted prior to tree removal activities. If an active nest is located, all work within 500 feet of raptor nests and 300 feet of other nests, or a distance determined to be appropriate by a qualified biologist, would be postponed until such nest is vacated and the juveniles have fledged and when there is no attempt of a second nesting. Due to its nature and limited scope, construction of the proposed project would generate a minor amount of vehicle trips and would require limited use of equipment. Therefore, impacts related to air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and transportation and traffic are not anticipated to occur. Furthermore, the District would be responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding construction demolition debris, hazards and hazardous materials, and stormwater. The following categorical determinations are based on the project submittal and all project information known to the District as of the date of this determination.