Alameda Historical Advisory Board Meeting – December 4, 2025
Alameda Historical Advisory Board Meeting – December 4, 2025
The Historical Advisory Board (HAB) of Alameda met on December 4, 2025, to consider a request for a certificate of approval to remove three protected coast live oak trees on Tilden Way as part of the Clement Tilden improvement project. The board also approved meeting minutes from October and November 2025. No public comments were received.
Consent Calendar
- Unanimously approved the draft meeting minutes from October 2, 2025 (Item 3A), with Board Member Brito voting affirmatively after reviewing the recording.
- Unanimously approved the meeting minutes from November 6, 2025 (Item 3B).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made, either in person or via Zoom.
Discussion Items
- Tilden Way Coast Live Oak Removal (Item 4A): Planning staff presented a request to remove three protected coast live oak trees along Tilden Way, south of the Fruitvale Bridge, as part of a larger capital improvement project to improve circulation, safety, and add a bicycle/pedestrian path. Staff explained that the trees could not be preserved due to overhead high‑voltage power lines requiring regular trimming and expected root damage from construction. Alternatives were considered but would have resulted in greater overall canopy loss. An arborist report determined the trees’ condition could not be remedied. The project proposes replacing the three trees (plus one previously approved removal) with eight new coast live oaks in 24-inch boxes, exceeding the municipal code minimum of 10-gallon trees. Public Works confirmed the replacement trees will be the same species (Quercus agrifolia) and that the project schedule includes planning board and city council approvals in December 2025, with construction lasting about a year.
- Board members asked questions about the trees’ approximate age, potential reuse of removed trees, and the cost of larger replacement trees. Staff noted that relocation was not feasible and that removed trees would not be milled or reused. Board members expressed support for the project, noting the importance of the regional path connection and the urban canopy equity considerations.
Key Outcomes
- The board unanimously approved Resolution [number not specified] granting a certificate of approval for the removal of the three protected coast live oak trees, with the condition that eight replacement coast live oaks (in 24-inch boxes) be planted as part of the Clement Tilden improvement project. The motion referenced an updated CEQA resolution including the state clearinghouse number for the 2009 EIR. (Motion by [Board Member], seconded; vote: 3 ayes, 0 noes, 0 abstentions.)
- The board adjourned at [time not specified in transcript].
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, I'll call the roll. Um board member Bevan present. Board Member Brito present. Board Member Crowdy present. And Chair Hernandez. Present. While present, we have a quorum. Woohoo. That brings us to our first item of non-agenda public comments. Anyone may speak for three minutes. Is there anyone joining us via Zoom? We do have one member over Zoom. If you would like to speak, you may now do so. Okay, great. Anybody in the uh in the live audience? Okay, super. Can I apologize for missing last month's meeting? Without notice, I do apologize to everyone for missing and we'll try to do better. Thank you. Thank you. Meeting minutes. It's good you're here. Item 3A is the approval of the draft meeting minutes from our October 2nd meeting, which we continued from last meeting because we didn't have the correct number of people that had been at that meeting to approve those minutes. So if we could take up that item now, are there any uh corrections or additions to those minutes? Anyone want to make a motion to approve those minutes? I'll make a motion to approve. We have a second. I second. Uh is this this is for all of the stuff that had this is for the first set of minutes, the three A, just to clarify. Yeah, I'll second that. Okay, all in favor? Aye. Aye. The eyes have it. Okay. And um board member Brito, you were not present at that meeting, so we'll count you as abstain. I I or did you? I did end up watching. Okay, so you're voting affirmatively, correct? Okay. Thank you. It is homework. Okay, item 3B, those are the meeting minutes from last month, November 6th. Uh, so we have a different group of people. And just to clarify, if you watched or read the, you know, uh if you watched the previous meeting, you could vote on those minutes as appropriately. Um so do we have any petitions, comments, corrections on those minutes? Do we have a motion to approve those minutes? So moved. We have a second. Second.
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