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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-04-07 Tree_MIN Ashland Tree Commission Minutes April 7, 2022 Call to Order Commission Chair Chris John called the meeting to order at 6:01 pm via ZOOM in Ashland, Oregon, 97520. Commissioners Council Liaison Christopher John / Chair Stephen Jensen – Absent Asa Cates Vacancy (3) Park Liaison Eric Simpson Peter Baughman Vacancy (5) Cat Gould Staff Present: Vacancy (7) Aaron Anderson: Associate Planner Members of the Public in Attendance: None Approval of Minutes Commissioners Car Gould / Eric Simpson m/s to approve the minutes of March 3, 2022. Voice Vote for 3 members: All Ayes. Motion passed. Asa Cates arrivedlate Public Forum There was no one in the audience wishing to speak. Liaison reports Parks & Recreation Liaison – Peter discussed the upcoming challenges with watering the parks this summer with it expected the TID may offer very little water. Expect to see dry areas, but the parks dept. will be paying particular attention to areas that have trees. And mentioned that the Arbor Day planting will be tomorrow at 10:00am. TYPE I REVIEWS Order of agenda adjusted based on public participation. PLANNING ACTION: PA-TREE-2022-00184 SUBJECT PROPERTY: 101 A St. OWNER/APPLICANT: Jordan Willing/Christopher Brown DESCRIPTION: A request to modify the recent Site Design Review approval at 101 A Street (PA-T1- 2021-00164) to allow the removal of four trees which were previously identified to be preserved and protected. These removals are proposed in response to the installation of the fire protection system which requires trenching on the north side of the building. Four new trees are proposed to mitigate these removals. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Employment; ZONING: E-1; MAP: 39 1E 09 BA, TAX LOT: 14900 Staff briefly presented an overview of the application and turned it over to Ian from Arkitek who is representing the application. Ian made a correction that there was always going to be a fire system, but the design was not final. Ian presented background on the overall project and a history of the building. The project involves a complete remodel in two phases and the reasoning for the location of the proposed trench as the most logical location to provide a fire water connection to the building. Cates inquired that the intention was the mitigation trees to be replanted above the water line, Ian confirmed that it was one of the few locations on the property where mitigation plantings could be located. There were no additional questions, and the public meeting was closed. Asa pointed out that these were not amazing trees and it appeared obvious that they needed to come out for the fire system. There was discussion about the appropriate species selection based on it being the north side of the building. Gould stated that they shouldn’t be too “Shrubby”. The commission generally agreed to leave the species selection to the project architect. Commissioners Chris John / Cat Gould m/s to approve theapplication as submitted. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed. PLANNING ACTION: PA-TREE-2022-00183 SUBJECT PROPERTY: 373 Wightman Street OWNER/APPLICANT: Brittany Hurst & Rainbow Willis DESCRIPTION: A request to remove six black locust trees in poor condition at the property located at 373 Wightman St. One of these trees is a large, split-trunk tree. The remaining trees are estimated to be 18, 14, 15, 12, and 15 inches DBH. The trees have several broken branches that have done damage to the property at 373 Wightman St. The application includes a letter from Earth Stewards Tree Care stating that the trees are hazards with a high likelihood of failure, and that the tree species is invasive to the state of Oregon. / COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Low Density Multi-Family Residential; ZONING: R-2; MAP: 39 1E 10 CD; TAX LOT: 6000 Staff have very little to add to the application other than what was in the packet. There was conversation about the invasive nature of the Locust trees. Cates mentioned that the trees are well known for the hardness of their wood. It was asked if there was development planned. Staff stated that the city was aware of none and pointed out that if the property were zoned differently R-1-10 for example it would have been exempt. There was discussion about mitigation planting. John felt concerned that these may not rise to the level of a representing a true hazard, especially making a blanket statement that they are all hazards. John and Cates both pointed out that these are not particularly good specimens. Gould suggested that a large stature tree would be appropriate for mitigation. John stated that a native black oak would be nice. John stated that six large stature trees would be excessive. Commissioners Chris John / Cat Gould m/s to approve the application as submitted with the requirement that (3) mitigation plantings with a suggestion to include native Black Oak or other large stature. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed. STREET TREE REMOVAL PERMITS PLANNING ACTION: TREE-2019-00055 / TREE-2022-00185 SUBJECT PROPERTY: 119 N. Third St. OWNERS/APPLICANTS: Michael Hoyt DESCRIPTION: A request for a Street Tree Removal Permit to remove one approximately six- inch diameter Acer / Maple tree at 119 Third St. The applicant is proposing to remove the Maple tree out of concern that at maturity, it will conflict with overhead power lines, and proposes to replace it with a tree less likely to conflict with overhead lines, a Paperbark Maple. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Low Density, Multi-Family Residential; ZONING: R-2; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 09BA; TAX LOT: 3700 Anderson gave a background of the 2019 application and the recent discussion item where the Tree commission acknowledged that would be appropriate to approve the removal. Gould remarked that the last time it was discussed a paperbark maple was discussed as a better suited tree based on the location of the overhead wire. Cates stated that we want people to be thinking about appropriate species selection. Peter mentioned that he felt that a paperbark maple would be a wonderful selection. Chris John recuses Commissioners Cat Gould / Asa Cates m/s to approve the application as submitted with the suggestion of a paperbark Maple as a mitigation planting. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed. Eric Simpson departed Discussion Items Pruning Standards. – Cat Gould discussion item regarding poor pruning that was ‘lion tailed’ by a local tree company. Gould stated that the company was not ISA certified. John stated that there is not much that the tree commission is able to do. th St. with 25 votes… (Runner-up 10 votes for Oak on Oak St.) 68 Tree of the Year winner – Cork Tree – 233 4 votes cast total Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m. Next Meeting: May 5, 2022 Respectfully submitted by Liz Hamilton