More documentation

Today I emailed off a package of 10 documents to the PUC for their approval before they will release funds for us to start this project. Emily spent a lo of time back and forth with our landscape Architect Andrea Alfonso to get many of these ready, and it was a big relief to mail them all off today. They were:

1. Letter of support and analysis by Geotechnical Engineer (Reza Baradaran)
2. Letter of support by Landscape Architect  (Andrea Alfonso)
3. Final Layout Drawing by Landscape Architect (Andrea Alfonso)
4. Letter of support from Structural Engineer (Bryce Neuman)
5. Structural Drawing by Structural Engineer (Bryce Neuman)
6. Letter of support from DPW (Director Mohammed Nuru) 
7. PUC spreadsheet for 24 hour storm reduction/ Rain garden sizing calculator 
8. Watershed diagram 
9. Updated timeline and maintenance plan for the project
10. SPUR narrative and description

We're very grateful to Landscape Architect Andrea Alfonso,  Geotechnical Engineer Reza Baradaran, Structural Engineer Bryce Neuman and DPW Director Mohammed Nuru for their persistence on this project!

More tree work

Today I had a meeting with Friends of the Urban Forest on site to discuss the trees we need for the project. Heidi and Greg from FuF were amazed to see how the trees at Pennsylvania Garden have grown with little to no water. Heidi is going to help us source the trees we want, and Greg is going to help us organize the planting day. We need a lot of help from the community on that day - hope to see you out there to help us plant the trees!

Trees

DPW, who owns the land where our project is situated, wants to plant trees all along the west side of the street. Today I talked to Doug at Friends of the Urban Forest again about what we hope to accomplish.

We have selected 5 species of trees for the project in anticipation of a November planting date. We hope to have the following:

Acacia baileyana "purpurea"

Agonis flexuosa "After Dark"

Melaleuca linariifolia

Olea eurpoaea

Sophora secundiflora

With a bit of luck FUF can get hold of these for us. They were all chosen  for the following reasons:

a) Not too tall - there are power lines overhead
b) Does well in relatively hot and dry conditions with very fast-draining soil (our soil infiltration test showed a very high drainage rate)
c) Evergreen ideally
d) Low litter from fruit, flowers etc as cars will be parked underneath, and agaves planted nearby which collect litter and make them look funky.
e) Has a canopy that people can walk under with minimal pruning, as a sidewalk will run alongside them.
f) The north end of the street gets a bit of evening wind from 17th street: 3-4 trees might be in a windy spot some of the time