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Home My WebLink About2021-07-08 Tree_MIN Ashland TreeCommission Minutes July 8, 2021 Call to Order Commission Chair Chris Johncalled the meeting to order at 6:02pm via Zoom Commissioners Present:Council Liaison Christopher JohnStephen Jensen-Abscent Asa Cates Vacancy(3)ParkLiaison Eric SimpsonPeter Baughman Vacancy (5) Cat Gould Staff Present: Vacancy (7)Derek Severson: Planner Commissioners Not In Attendance: Approval of Minutes CommissionersCat Gould /Chris Johnm/s to approve the minutes ofJune 3, 2021. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed Public Forum Peter Finkle:regarding AshlandTree of the Year.Spoke to cooperation and more promotion with media. Commissiongenerally supportive of Peter Finkle's proposal and Asa offered to beavailable as a resource. Liaison reports Council Liaison -Not present Parks & Recreation Liaison –Water issues for parks. Dry areas and low ponds levels. Prioritizingwater use to keep trees alive Community Development Liaison –1145 Siskiyou Mitigation-They suggested that staff work with the applicant to have two large stature mitigationtrees planted either in the parking lot or in the parkrow along Siskiyou, recognizing that there needed to be some flexibility in placement to insure vision clearance and to maintain visibility of the applicant's sign. They also said if anything could be done to reduce the amount of asphalt on site that would be beneficial. TYPE I REVIEWS PLANNING ACTION:PA-TREE-2021-00156 SUBJECT PROPERTY:1065 Siskiyou Blvd. OWNER:Jones William Rev Living Trust APPLICANT:Canopy Tree Care DESCRIPTION:A request for approval to remove a single tree identified as a Siberian elm that is located along the northeast property line. The application includes an arborist report and photos showing the tree is direct contact with the eve of a building with the base approximately 18” from the edge of the foundation. The application states that the tree is in moderate health but based on the location of the tree and the growth potential it will continue to cause an increasing amount of damage to the building. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION:Commercial; ZONING: C-1; MAP: 39 1E 10 CC;TAX LOT: 5400 Recommended approval, with Asa noting that in a previous site visit for anothertreeon the same property he had noted a mushroom infestation at the base of thistree.They felt that given the growth potential and location, approving removal of thistreewas a "no brainer." CommissionersAsa Cates / CatGouldm/s to approvethe application as submitted. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed PLANNING ACTION:PA-T1-2021-00153 SUBJECT PROPERTY:1500 East Main Street APPLICANT:Ashland School District OWNERS:State of Oregon/Southern Oregon University(owner) ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum (lessee) DESCRIPTION:A request for a Conditional Use Permit to allow the installation of modular classroom buildings as a temporary use on the lawn in front of the ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum building at 1500 East Main Street. The temporaryinstallation will house Walker Elementary School operations while the school campus is undergoing a major renovation, and will include 14 classroom buildings, six office trailers, three restroom buildings and a tent to serve as a gym, as well as an accessroad and accessible pathways connecting the temporary campus to the ScienceWorks parking lot and to Campus Way. The temporary classrooms would be in use beginning in September 2021 and would remain in place until Walker Elementary School construction is complete in March of 2023. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION:Southern Oregon University;ZONING:SO;MAP:39 1E 10BD;TAX LOT #:4100 Commission commended this one for not seeking to removetrees and recommended approval as is with the further recommendation thattrees be monitored throughout the project. (There was discussion of requiring supplemental water, however the feeling was that thetrees were established and likely tapped into groundwater, and since stormwater was remaining on-site they didn't feel supplementary water was needed.) CommissionersAsa Cates / Eric Simpsonm/s to approve the application as submitted and monitor tree health. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed TYPE II REVIEWS PLANNING ACTION:PA-T2-2021-00028 SUBJECT PROPERTY:364 Walker Avenue (Walker Elementary School) 1751 Homes Avenue(Hunter Park) APPLICANT:HMK Company OWNERS:Ashland School District City of Ashland/Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission DESCRIPTION:A request for Site Design Review approval for a 22,450 square foot, single-story addition to Walker Elementary School at 364 Walker Avenue.As part of the proposal, the parking lot and drop-off lane would be relocated and expanded, with access to be takenvia Hunter Court (the driveway serving Hunter Park) and a new courtyard would be created.The application also includes requests for a Conditional Use Permit to modify the School District’s Master Sign Permit Program (PA#2012-00899) to allow new signage for Walker Elementary School in conjunction with the proposed addition, and Tree Removal Permits to remove 14 significant trees. An existing 9,700 square foot classroom will be demolished in conjunction with the proposal. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION:Single Family Residential;ZONING:R-1-5;MAP:39 1E 10;TAX LOT #:3500 (Hunter Park) &3600 (Walker Elementary School) Commissionrecommended approval with the further recommendation that the applicants include 3-4 large stature at maturity native (or native-like*) conifers in their planting plan to mitigate the conifers being removed. They specifically recommended incense cedar or giant sequoia, noting that this site is one of the few sites large enough to allow conifers to be planted under the new fire rules. (*They said that sequoias are not native, but with climate change they soon will be.) CommissionersChris John/Cat Gouldm/s to approve the applicationas submitted with the recommendation that three to fournative or native-likelarge-stature-at-maturity conifers be providedto mitigate the confers be removed (trees #21 –25). Discussion: John noted that this site is one of the few they've seen large enough to allow mitigation with conifers because of the new wildfire planting limitations. Commissioners discussed that Incense Cedar or Giant Sequoia would be appropriate selections, and further noted that while sequoias are not native they soon will be with climate change. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed STREET TREE REMOVAL REVIEWS PLANNING ACTION:PA-TREE-2021-00155 SUBJECT PROPERTY:.469 Walnut St OWNER/APPLICANT:Eric & Cassandra Toews DESCRIPTION:A request for a Street Tree Removal Permit to remove a 12-inch diameter at breast height (DBH) Douglas Fir. The Electric Department has indicated that the tree is in the right-of-way and is in conflict with the electric service for the property, and without relocating the electrical service legally-required safe clearances cannot be maintained. The Electric Department has indicated they would assist with the removal. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Single Family Residential; ZONING: R-1-7.5; MAP: 39 1E 05CA;TAX LOT: 302 Commissionrecommended approval as submitted based on the Electric Department's recommendation. CommissionersCat Gould/Asa Catesm/s to approve the application as submitted based on Electric Department recommendation. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed Discussion Items . Adjournment:Chair Chris Johnadjourned meeting at7:46p.m. Next Meeting: August 5, 2021 Respectfully submitted by Liz Hamilton