JEREMY RAPPOPORT

Landscape, Arboriculture, Horticulture, Site Development Consultant

Jeremy Rappoport is a practical, experienced, college educated landscape, construction and development professional with over three decades experience managing, supervising and consulting on landscape, horticulture, arboriculture, site construction and development issues. Mr. Rappoport’s analytical abilities and problem solving skills enable him to comprehend pertinent data, issues and problems. His extensive employment history and experience combined with an academic degree and continuing education support his ability to render expert opinions based on forensic evidence and evaluation.

Areas of Expertise

Expert Consulting Services

Mr. Rappoport has and is currently consulting on landscape, horticulture and arboriculture issues for plaintiff and defendant cases. Cases typically involve satisfaction or failure to meet industry standard of care, in some cases failure to adhere to jurisdiction or industry standard(s).

• Personal injury due to installation, operation, placement and maintenance of irrigation equipment, vaults, components and sprinkler heads, determination of standard of care, industry standards, and municipal codes.
• Personal injury and property loss involving correct selection, placement and maintenance of trees, shrubs and ground covers, standard of care, industry standards and municipal codes.
• Arboriculture cases involving tree risk assessment, tree management programs and tree safety issues, forensic examination, standard of care.
• Retaining walls involving design, permitting and construction standard of care.
• General contractor – landscape sub-contractor disputes over contract, change order, extra work and construction defect issues, determination of industry standard of care.
• Soil subsidence, erosion, drainage and grading issues causing property damage, standard of care, industry standards and municipal codes.
• Property loss, tree replacement cost report and tree appraisal reports, standard of care and industry standards

Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture Construction Management Consulting Services:

Mr. Rappoport provides professional landscape, arboriculture, horticulture, and site construction consulting services including:

• Arboriculture consulting, oak tree construction preservation, tree risk assessment, tree health assessment, and tree appraisals.
• Landscape consulting, landscape design, irrigation operation and analysis, renovation, maintenance practices, troubleshooting, and field supervision.
• Horticulture consulting, plant palette determination, selection, wholesale purchasing.
• Site and land development project and construction management, due diligence, budgets, contracts, and field supervision.

Significant Prior Achievements

Director of Land Development for K. Hovnanian Homes:

• Managed, supervised and motivated a team of direct reports for multiple land development projects throughout Southern California. Projects included developing raw and entitled land and blue top lots for single and multi family subdivision housing.
  • Created a field land development construction department, eliminated $700K in annual construction management consultants.
  • Supervised and mentored a team of eight direct reports.
  • Developed pro-forma development budgets for land acquisition department.
  • Responsible for tri-annual budget updates with the Regional President.
  • Obtained and satisfied entitlement conditions and development permits.
  • Procured professional consultant contracts
  • Contract administration, change orders and invoice approval.
  • Developed critical path development schedules.
  • Owner liaison with jurisdictional agencies.
  • Coordination and negotiation with offsite neighbors.

Director of Operations for Starwood Santa Fe Valley Partners LLC:

• Supervised daily operations for development and construction of The Crosby Estate in Rancho Santa Fe, an 800-acre master planned, 440 private custom lot community and The Crosby National Golf Club, a PGA style private golf course, for Starwood Santa Fe Valley Partners LLC.
  • Created transparency in scrubbing and managing a $290M budget.
  • Procured and managed a team of professional consultants.
  • Assembled bid packages, created spreadsheets and purchased subcontractor construction contracts.
  • Developed, managed and maintained construction schedules.
  • Owner liaison with jurisdictional agencies for entitlement and permit issues.
  • Member of the Crosby HOA and Crosby Design Review Committee, reviewed and approved submittals for proposed custom estates.
  • Integrated activities of five merchant builders into the Crosby master planned community and design guidelines.
  • Managed restoration and biologic mitigation of degraded vernal pools, endangered Manzanita species, upland, and riparian habitats.

Grading and Landscape (Offsite) Superintendent for Continental/D.R. Horton Homes:

• Supervised the daily activities of site subcontractors in developing Rancho Carrillo, an 800-acre master planned community in Carlsbad, California. As an offsite superintendent, supervised construction sub-contractors in trades including:
  • Mass and precise grading improvements.
  • Sanitary sewage systems, potable and reclaimed water systems, storm drainage systems.
  • Dry utility infrastructure systems including gas, electric, telco, CATV, security and fiber optic systems.
  • Street and road improvements including sub-grade, balance, base and pavement, curb, gutter and sidewalk.
  • Retaining and freestanding masonry walls and wrought iron fencing.
  • Security automatic gate operating systems.
  • Common area, public and private landscape and irrigation improvements.
  • Monument entries and enhanced flatwork/carpentry/masonry improvements.
  • Biologic mitigation projects under jurisdiction of the Army Corp of Engineers and State of California agencies.
  • Managed inspection and conveyance of common area parcels to the Home Owner Association.

• Represented the Baldwin Company (as an employee) in small claims court as a defendant versus a homeowner plaintiff alledging defective slope planting and irrigation, court found in favor of the defendant.
• Mediated a construction defect case involving settlement of a double-stacked 25' high structural retaining wall with consultants, contractors and agency representatives saving $200K in legal expenses for K. Hovnanian Homes.
• Resolved an environmental dispute with agency representatives resulting in an environmental agreement and issuance of building permits, providing $35M in sales revenue for K. Hovnanian Homes.
• Founded Landscape Horticultural Services, #436000, a full service landscape design-build, consulting, construction, and maintenance-contracting firm, San Diego, California.

Professional Experience

Education

Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture from California State Polytechnic University Pomona, Cum Laude, emphasis in landscape architecture and landscape contracting. Graduated June 14, 1980.

• Molder Brothers Landscape Contracting Scholarship, spring of 1980.
• Elise Bachelor Horticulture Scholarship, spring of 1980.
• Senior thesis: design, procurement, and construction of a research greenhouse for the Cal Poly Agronomy department, 6/14/1980.

Licenses/Certifications

• C-27 California State Landscape Contractor, #436000 3/19/1983
• ISA Certified Arborist WE-9083A, 11/21/2009
• PNC-ISA Certified Tree Risk Assessor, #CTRA 1220 6/21/2011

Specialized Training

• Tree Risk Assessment In Urban Areas and the Urban/Rural Interface: Dunster, J. 2009, Silverton Oregon, Pacific Northwest Chapter, International Society of Arboriculture, 6/20/11-6/21/11

Presentations & Publications

• Green Infrastructure – New Tools for Measuring the Value of San Diego’s Urban Forest. Center for Sustainable Energy California, San Diego, CA. Title: “Trees in the Urban Landscape, How Tree Selection, Location and Cultural Requirements Influence Tree Benefits and Risk” 08/10/2011
• The Arboricultural Consultant, Issue Three, 2011, by the American Society of Consulting Arborists: Trees and Litigation: Considerations for Defendant and Plaintiff Cases.

Associations

• Forensic Expert Witness Association (FEWA)
• International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
• Professional Tree Care Association of San Diego (PTCA)
• California Landscape Contractor Association (CLCA)
• American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA)
• Building Industry Association of San Diego (BIA)

Website & Directories

• Company website: www.landscapeexpertwitness.com
• TASA.net (Technical Advisory Service for Attorneys)
• ForensisGroup.com
• HGexperts.com
• Expertwitness.com