Trees and Vegetation Delivery Work Plan (3.9MB)

City Rail Link In association with:

DEMOLITION WORKS – CONTRACT 3 TREES AND VEGETATION DELIVERY WORK PLAN Mt Eden Demolition Works

Document Ref: CRL-MTE-RME-000-RPT-0028 Revision: 02 26 February 2019

INTERNAL WORKING DOCUMENT COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE

Mt Eden Demolition Project – Trees and Vegetation Delivery Work Plan for

Aurecon on behalf of City Rail Link Limited

February 2019

Amenity Tree Consultants Ltd

Contents 1.

INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 4

2.

OBJECTIVE OF TREES AND VEGETATION DWP ....................................... 4

3.

SUSTAINABILITY ................................................................................... 5

4.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION ......................................................................... 6

5.

AFFECTED TREES AND VEGETATION ...................................................... 7

6.

MITIGATION MEASURES ...................................................................... 15

7.

CONSULTATION ................................................................................... 16

APPENDIX 1 .................................................................................................. 17 ISCA REQUIREMENTS ...............................................................................................................................................17 APPENDIX 2 .................................................................................................. 19 TREE/VEGETATION LOCATION PLANS .......................................................................................................................19 APPENDIX 3 .................................................................................................. 20 A RECORD OF CLG AND INDEPENDENT PEER REVIEW COMMENTS...........................................................................20 CLG COMMENTS .......................................................................................................................................................20 IPR COMMENTS ........................................................................................................................................................20 APPENDIX 4 .................................................................................................. 23 GLOSSARY .................................................................................................................................................................23 Tables 2.5.

TABLE 1 – TVDWP CONDITIONS AND THE RELEVANT SECTIONS OF THIS DOCUMENT ........................................................................................ 5

5.9.

TABLE 2 – VEGETATION REMOVAL – MT EDEN SHAFT ............................ 8

CLG COMMENTS .......................................................................................................................................................20 IPR COMMENTS ........................................................................................................................................................20 Figures 4.3.

FIGURE 1 – CRL MT EDEN DEMOLITION AREA ....................................... 6

4.4.

FIGURE 2 – CRL OUTLINE PLAN CONTENTS ........................................... 7

5.10. FIGURE 3 – SHOWING PUKA T1 ............................................................. 9 5.11. FIGURE 4 – SHOWING TREES T2, T3, T4 AND T5 IN REAR GARDEN OF 34 NIKAU STREET ............................................................................ 10 5.12. FIGURE 5 – SHOWING AGONIS HEDGE T6 OUTSIDE 34 NIKAU STREET ........................................................................................................ 10 5.13. FIGURE 6 – SHOWING MAGNOLIA T7 .................................................. 11 5.14. FIGURE 7 – SHOWING QUEEN PALM TREES T8. T9 AND T10 ................ 11 5.15. FIGURE 8 – SHOWING A VIEW OF THE RADERMACHERA TREE T11...... 12 5.16. FIGURE 9 – SHOWING VIEW OF TREES IN G1, OUTSIDE THE CSA ....... 12 5.17. FIGURE 10 – SHOWING POHUTUKAWA TREE T12 ................................ 13 5.18. FIGURE 11 – SHOWING POHUTUKAWA TREE T13 ................................ 13 5.19. FIGURE 12 - SHOWING TITOKI TREE T14 ............................................ 14 5.20. FIGURE 13 - SHOWING AREA CONTAINING YUCCA AND CABBAGE TREE G2 ................................................................................................... 14 5.21. FIGURE 14 - SHOWING MIXED PITTOSPORUM G3 AND UNIDENTIFIED TREE T15 ADJACENT AND BEHIND 6 FLOWER STREET ..................... 15 CLG COMMENTS .......................................................................................................................................................20 Mt Eden Construction Support Area Demolition Works

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IPR COMMENTS ........................................................................................................................................................20

1. Introduction 1.1.

As part of the City Rail Link (CRL) works, a large number of buildings are required to be removed at the Mt Eden construction support area (CSA) prior to construction of the CRL main works.

1.2.

This Trees and Vegetation Delivery Work Plan (TVDWP) has been prepared by Amenity Tree Consultants (ATC) to manage the effects from the removal of trees and vegetation during the construction of the CRL. The TVDWP forms part of the Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP) for the Project.

2. Objective of Trees and Vegetation DWP 2.1.

Under CRL Designation condition 55.2 the objective of the TVDWP is to avoid the removal of scheduled trees as far as practicable. While there are no scheduled trees within the Project area, demolition works will require the removal of all trees and vegetation within the CSA.

2.2.

2.3.

Where appropriate, this TVDWP identifies: •

Trees that will require removal within the Project area;

•

Trees requiring protection from construction works;

•

Mitigation and planting plans; and

•

Monitoring and reporting requirements.

This TVDWP has been prepared in consultation with a Community Liaison Group (CLG) and will undergo Independent Peer Review (IPR) prior to submission to Auckland Council (as per designation conditions 7 and 11). A record of consultation outcomes (CLG and IPR) is included in Appendix 3.

2.4.

Table 1 identifies the CRL designation conditions that specify what is to be addressed by the TVDWP and in turn which sections of the TVDWP address these conditions.

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2.5.

Table 1 – TVDWP Conditions and the relevant sections of this document

Condition Number

55.1

55.2

55.3

55.3(a)

55.3(b)

55.3(c)

55.3(d)

55.3(e)

Condition

Trees and Vegetation DWP A Trees and Vegetation DWP shall be prepared to manage the adverse effects from the removal of trees and vegetation during the construction of the City Rail Link or any part of it.

The objective of the Trees and Vegetation DWP is to avoid the removal of scheduled trees as far as practicable. Where trees are identified for removal in surface works the Requiring Authority will remedy or mitigate the adverse effects of construction on trees and vegetation.

To achieve the above objective the following shall be included in the Trees and Vegetation DWP and implemented as required: Confirmation of the trees to be removed due to surface construction works and whether it is appropriate and feasible to relocate or store these trees for replanting. The removal of schedule trees which form a significant group should only be undertaken as a last resort;

Section of DWP Whole Document 2

4

A list of trees, which due to being located in proximity to construction works, have root systems and / or foliage within and / or overhanging the surface designation footprint, and the methods to be used, where practicable, to protect these trees from construction works;

4

Cross references to the Urban Design DWP and the proposed mitigation of any tree / vegetation removal through replanting trees at a 1:1 ratio, re-instatement of the area, and other methods. In preparing the Trees and Vegetation DWP, the Requiring Authority shall seek input from the Auckland Council Parks Department with regard to tree species / vegetation selection, tree pit construction where deemed necessary, and the positioning of replacement trees and from directly affected land owners with regards to preferences for any replacement planting for vegetation / trees removed from private property or for any replacement planting on private property;

6

Other methods to be used to monitor and report on the management of the adverse effects from tree / vegetation removal; and

5

Cross references to the specific sections in the Communication and Consultation Plan which detail how the Auckland Council Parks Department, mana whenua (see condition 8) are consulted, and communication with the general public on the management of the adverse effects relating to the removal of trees and vegetation.

6

3. Sustainability 3.1.

CRLL is seeking ISCA (infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia) IS (infrastructure Sustainability) Rating for the whole project lifecycle where the requirements as per ISCA CRL IS Technical Manual – Mahi Rauora Aratohu Version 1.2 are essential to achieve the Project’s sustainability goal (Reference to CRLL minimum requirements - Appendices 10, 23 and 24 of the contract documents). The IS rating requirements that relate directly to this TVDWP are included in Appendix 1, which need to be reviewed, amended (as and if needed) and confirmed as the project proceeds and prior to commencing works to meet the target levels set for the project and agreed on with ISCA and CRLL.

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4. Project Description 4.1.

The CRL project comprises the construction, operation and maintenance of a 3.4km underground passenger railway, running between Britomart Station and the North Auckland Rail Line (NAL) near Mt Eden Station. CRL Enabling Works commenced in December 2015 and the procurement of the main works contract (C3 Alliance) is being progressed with contract award likely in the first quarter of 2019. To allow works to commence as soon as possible upon award of the C3 Alliance, City Rail Link Limited (CRLL) are obtaining the necessary authorisations for demolition of buildings in the Mount Eden CSA and active construction zone (ACZ).

4.2.

It is proposed to demolish the buildings and structures in the Mount Eden ACZ and CSA (“the Project”), as identified in Figure 1 below. The Project is being undertaken in accordance with the CRL Designation 2500-6, confirmed in November 2015, and the Aotea Station to North Auckland Line (A2N) suite of resource consents approved in November 2016. The conditions of these authorisations require the preparation of an Outline Plan (OP), Delivery Work Plans (DWP) and Management Plans (MP). This TVDWP is prepared in accordance with the CRL Designation and resource consent conditions and identified in the hierarchy of documentation illustrated in Figure 2.

4.3.

Figure 1 – CRL Mt Eden demolition area

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4.4.

Figure 2 – CRL Outline Plan Contents

4.5.

The properties included in the Project area were purchased by Auckland Transport for the purposes of the CRL Project and are currently under CRLL’s management.

4.6.

Most of the properties to be demolished are tenanted as of October 2018 with the remainder unoccupied. CRLL plan to commence the process of vacating the properties towards the end of 2018 and early 2019 to ensure sites are vacant in reasonable time ahead of the planned disconnection of services. Demolition will be undertaken in a staged manner the order of which is to be confirmed by the C3 Alliance. All buildings and structures will be removed to ground level, with the retention of some existing foundations where necessary for site stability. A soft strip of salvageable materials will be carried out where possible. All demolition material will be removed from the Project area and disposed of at approved facilities.

4.7.

The Project area will be fenced, with lockable gates, to prevent unauthorised entry. Where appropriate, solid plywood fencing will be used, with appropriate signage prohibiting unauthorised entry and identifying hazards.

5. Affected Trees and Vegetation 5.1.

A Tree Assessment1 was prepared in August 2012 and formed part of the Notice of Requirement (NoR) for the CRL designations. The report found that while the Project will affect a number of trees that are located within the surface designation area, there are no scheduled trees within the Project footprint, or in proximity. The Project works areas are all within the designation.

1

Boffa Miskell, (2012). City Rail Link Tree Assessment. Report prepared for Auckland Transport dated August 2012.

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5.2.

Trees Required to be Removed

5.3.

The trees required to be removed for the project are summarised in the tree assessment in Table 2.

Tree and vegetation location plans are attached as

Appendix 1 to this report.

5.4.

Transplanting or Removal

5.5.

Where trees are in the path of construction works, consideration has been given to transplanting them to a new location instead of removal. However, site investigations have shown that the root balls of many trees are tangled with underground utilities (power, water, communications, sewage etc.) , the foundations of surrounding buildings and retaining wall structures.

5.6.

As a result transplanting is not considered to be a viable option. It is considered that replacement planting as part of the overall landscape proposal for the project will provide a better long term sustainable option.

5.7.

Trees in Close Proximity to Works

5.8.

There is an area of trees and vegetation (reference G1) adjacent to 11-13 Shaddock Street. This group is located outside the CSA and consists of weed species such as Wattle, Chinese Privet, and Ivy. None of these will be adversely affected by the proposed works.

5.9.

Table 2 – Vegetation Removal – Mt Eden Shaft Ref

Species

Height

Age

T1

3m

T3

Puka Meryta sinclairii Puka Meryta sinclairii Palm spp

T4 T5

T2

T6 T7

T8 T9

T10

Condition

Comments

Mature

Radial Spread 3m

Good

8m

Mature

3m

Good

9m

Mature

2m

Good

Palm Spp

9m

Mature

0.5m

Good

Pohutukawa, Metrosideros excelsa Copper Sheen Leptospernum Magnolia Magnolia spp

9

Maturing

0.5m

Good

Located in private driveway Located in rear garden 34 Nikau Street Located in rear garden 34 Nikau Street Located in rear garden 34 Nikau Street Located in rear garden 34 Nikau Street

3m

Mature

3m

Good

6m

Mature

3m

Good

Queen Palm Arecastrum romanzoffianum Queen Palm Arecastrum romanzoffianum

10m

Maturing

3m

Good

7m

Mature

3m

Good

Queen Palm

4m

Maturing

2m

Good

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Planted and maintained as privacy screen/hedge Historic pruning cuts and highly managed to keep away from adjacent building, easily seen from street Fine specimen highly visible from the street Fine specimen highly visible from the street, slightly suppressed from T8 Fine specimen highly visible from the street Page8

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T11 T12 T13

7m

Mature

0.5m

Good

10m

Mature

0.5m

Good

10m

Mature

Good

T14

Titoki, Alectryon excelsus

4m

Mature

Good

T15

Not able to identify

10m

Mature

Good

G1

Wattle, Chinese Privet,Ivy

6m

Maturing

2m

Good

G2

Yucca and Cabbage trees Mixed Pittosporum

6

Maturing

3

Poor

Maturing

2

Good

G3

5.10.

Arecastrum romanzoffianum Radermachera spp Pohutukawa, Metrosideros excelsa Pohutukawa, Metrosideros excelsa

Located in rear parking area Located adjacent to 97G Mt Eden Road Roots lifting surface, in contact with building, some crown dieback/thinning Major crown asymmetry due to building, easily seen within streetscape Not able to access tree to identify, only viewed from road Outside of CSA, will not be affected by proposed works Front yard landscaping Overgrown between old villa and new apartments

Figure 3 – Showing Puka T1

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5.11.

Figure 4 – Showing trees T2, T3, T4 and T5 in rear garden of 34 Nikau Street

5.12.

Figure 5 – Showing Agonis hedge T6 outside 34 Nikau Street

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5.13.

Figure 6 – Showing Magnolia T7

5.14.

Figure 7 – Showing Queen Palm trees T8. T9 and T10

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5.15.

Figure 8 – Showing a view of the Radermachera tree T11

5.16.

Figure 9 – Showing view of trees in G1, outside the CSA

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5.17.

Figure 10 – Showing Pohutukawa tree T12

5.18.

Figure 11 – Showing Pohutukawa tree T13

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5.19.

Figure 12 - Showing Titoki tree T14

5.20.

Figure 13 - Showing area containing Yucca and Cabbage tree G2

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5.21.

Figure 14 - Showing mixed Pittosporum G3 and unidentified tree T15 adjacent and behind 6 Flower Street

6. Mitigation Measures 6.1.

It is considered that trees T7, T8, T9, T10, T12, T13 and T14 are currently visually important and help soften the hard landscape. Due to the requirement to remove trees throughout the Project footprint, an adverse effect on the local treescape would result if no mitigation measures are implemented.

6.2.

Trees that are Required to be Replaced

6.3.

Replacement planting will be required for all trees that are required to be removed, as identified in Figure 2. There is no scope to conduct this replanting as a part of the Project. The Project consists of enabling works for CRL and does not include any final landscaping. The Project footprint is the CSA for the main CRL project, and as such will be subject to further modification by the main CRL works after construction of the CRL is completed.

6.4.

Mitigation of tree removal via replanting will be included at a later date in a future Urban Design DWP (UDDWP) once the design of the permanent CRL works have been finalised. These permanent CRL works will be subject to a subsequent Outline Plan process, which will be supported by the future UDDWP.

6.5.

A replanting plan will be identified in this future UDDWP and will include (but may not be limited to) the following: Mt Eden Construction Support Area Demolition Works

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•

Replanting of trees at a ratio of at least 1:1.

•

Area reinstatement.

•

The opportunity to include appropriate native species in the replacement and landscape plantings.

•

Documentation

of

the

input

from

the

Auckland

Council

Parks

Department with regard to tree species / vegetation selection, tree pit construction and positioning of replacement trees.

•

An outline of the maintenance periods and responsibilities (i.e. the Requiring Authority for a period of five years for specimen trees and 3 years for all other landscape planting).

•

Consultation outputs (refer Section 6 of this TVDWP).

7. Consultation 7.1.

A Communication and Consultation Plan (CCP) has been prepared for the Project works (Appendix K of the Project CEMP). This CCP outlines the procedure undertaken in order to ensure that the Construction Contractor undertakes consultation with the Auckland Council Parks Department and Mana Whenua. It also details the general communication that will be undertaken with the general public on the management of the adverse effects relating to the removal of trees within the Project area. Where agreed, the feedback from this consultation process will be incorporated into the Project UDDWP related to the CRL permanent works for this area.

Stephen Bishop Amenity Tree Consultants Ltd 26th February 2019 Mobile: 027 2177792 Email: sb@amenitytreeconsultants.co.nz

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Appendix 1 ISCA Requirements

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ISCA REQUIREMENTS CRLL is seeking ISCA (infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia) IS (infrastructure Sustainability) Rating for the whole project lifecycle where the requirements as per ISCA CRL IS Technical Manual – Mahi Rauora Aratohu - Version 1.2 are essential to achieve the Project’s sustainability goal (Reference to CRLL minimum requirements - Appendices 10, 23 and 24 of the contract documents). This Appendix includes IS requirements that are necessary to achieve a target level 1 of Eco1 ISCA credit. These requirements remain subject to change as the project goes forward. Hence, the below Table to be reviewed, amended (as and if needed) and confirmed to meet the target level that will be set and agreed upon. The relevant required evidence(s) to achieve the target to be provided at appropriate timing.

ISCA Target Category Level Eco-1 1 Ecological Value

Construction Requirements

How we Aim to achieve this

Benchmark

Sections 4 and 5

The ecological value of infrastructure site is maintained.

Evidence Ecological Assessment Drawings showing area impacted Ecological management plan

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Appendix 2 Tree/Vegetation Location Plans

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Small low planting, no trees T12

Tree previously removed

T14

T13

G2

DRAWN SB DATE Nov 2018 SCALE Not to Scale

TITLE/DWG NO. Tree Location Plan

Mt Eden Demolition Area 1

A4

G1

T11

T9 T10

DRAWN SB DATE

Nov 2018

SCALE Not to Scale

T8

TITLE/DWG NO. Tree Location Plan

Mt Eden Demolition Area 2

A4

T15 G3

T6

T1 T4 T5

T2 T3

T7

DRAWN SB DATE Nov 2018 SCALE Not to Scale

TITLE/DWG NO. Tree Location Plan

Mt Eden Demolition Area 3

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Appendix 3 A Record of CLG and Independent Peer Review Comments

CLG Comments A Mt Eden CLG meeting was held on 11 December 2018 to seek feedback on the drafting of the Trees and Vegetation Delivery Work Plan. No feedback was received from attendees of this meeting.

Comment ID

Date

Time

Forum

Commenter

Comment

Resolution

IPR Comments A review of the Trees and Vegetation Delivery Work Plan was undertaken by Leon Saxon of Arborlab Consultancy Services Limited.

The following comments were made on the document.

Comment ID

Comment

1

In section 2.5, Table 1, why condition 55.3(c) is Table 1 has been amended to refer to listed as N/A? Once the entire report was read, it commentary contained in section 6. is considered that the relevant details of this condition are generally discussed in section 6 of the DWP. While it is understood that no details on replacement planting or an Urban Design DWP will be provided at this stage, the reasons for this and general mitigation requirements are discussed. For this reason, it is considered appropriate to reference commentary on this condition as being found at section 6.

2

Resolution

Section 5.3 states that “the trees required to be removed for the project are summarised in the

All the information referred to by the reviewer is contained in section 5, table 2. An additional

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tree assessment in Table 2”. It is considered that rather than a summary, Table 2 provides full details of the trees. It would be useful to have a summary at section 5.3 in a table format which outlines the number of trees affected and where they are located (private or road reserve) etc. It would also be useful to have a little commentary on the general values of the trees overall in this section.

3 Section 5.5 states that “site investigations” show that the root balls of “many trees” are tangled with underground utilities etc. The question could arise as to which trees specifically have ‘tangled’ root systems and which trees do not, and subsequently whether any of the better quality trees do or do not have such root systems that would rule out their potential relocation. It is likely the conclusion is correct but the discussion may need more detail. Additionally, the question arises as to what the “site investigations” entailed? Was this a visual ground based assessment with no excavations? Was a desktop survey undertaken with regards to underground utilities?

4

Spelling and formatting errors.

table would duplicate information already provided. No update to the DWP is required.

The assessment was based on desktop study, visual observations and 18 years’ experience of urban trees and their potential to be uplifted and transplanted. In the opinion of the writer none of the trees assessed had the potential to be relocated successfully or warranted such effort. Additional investigative work is not considered necessary to determine this. No update to the DWP is required.

Spelling and formatting errors have been corrected.

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Appendix 4 Glossary

Dimensions: All dimensions are estimated unless otherwise indicated. Measurements taken with a tape or clinometer are indicated with a ‘*’. Less reliable estimated dimensions are indicated with a '?'.

Species: I based the species identification on my visual observations and have placed '?' after the name of a tree where I have some doubt over its identity.

Height: Height is estimated to the nearest meter.

Trunk diameter: Trunk diameter is estimated at 1.4m above ground level and recorded in meters. If appropriate, it has been measured with a diameter tape. Trees that have multiple stems are indicated with ‘M’.

Maturity: Tree maturity has been assessed as mature (last one third of life expectancy), maturing (one third to two thirds life expectancy) and young (less than one third life expectancy).

Vigour: This is an indication of the health of the tree. Trees have either been assessed as N = normal vigour or L = low vigour.

Comments: This column records any relevant features that may help clarify the retention category allocation.

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Auckland Office Level 4, Aurecon House 139 Carlton Gore Road Auckland 1023 New Zealand T +64 9 520 6019 F +64 524 7815

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