The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2019-04-04 Tree_MIN TREE COMMISSION MINUTES April 4, 2019 ƩĻĻ /ƚƒƒźƭƭźƚƓĻƩƭʹ tğƩƉƭ \[źğźƭƚƓ Christopher John Peter Baughman Asa Cates Cat Gould {ƷğŅŅ tƩĻƭĻƓƷʹ Eric Simpson Aaron Anderson Russell Neff /ƚǒƓĭźƌ \[źğźƭƚƓ Steven Jensen I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Christopher John called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Siskiyou Room of the Community Development and Engineering Services Building located at 51 Winburn Way. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Cates/Neff m/s to approve the minutes of the March 7, 2019 regular meeting. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. III. ANNOUNCEMENTS & LIAISON REPORTS Council Liaison Jensen gave updated report from Council. Items discussed were: City budget process. Community Center. Parks & Recreation Liaison Baughman gave updated report from parks. Items discussed were: Arbor Day. County Forestry Award. th Climbing competition on May 11 in the morning. Community Development Liaison Anderson had nothing to report. IV. PUBLIC FORUM Larry Cooper, resident at 259 B Street addressed the Commission regarding revisiting the language of the land use ordinance. He would like to see something done about the Parks exemption from tree removal. Julie Norman, residing at 596 Helman, addressed the Commission regarding heritage trees. The Friends of Lithia Park would like to designate the 12 fir trees (Lithia Park) as Ashland Heritage Trees. (See Exhibit A, attached) Omitted during adoption of minutes, new exhibit provided at the 5/9/19 meeting. PUBLIC WORKS STREET TREE DISCUSSION The Commission discussed the process of sidewalk repair and street tree removal. There was talk of possibly forming a sub-committee(Ad-hoc) or coming together for a study session to discuss the standards and process. V. TYPE I REVIEWS PLANNING ACTION: TREE-2019-00052 SUBJECT PROPERTY: 172 Skidmore St OWNERS/APPLICANTS: Val Bachmayer DESCRIPTION: A request for a Tree Removal Permit to remove one approximately 28- to 30-inch diameter Catalpa tree at 172 Skidmore Street. The project arborist indicates that the tree is a public safety hazard due to lifting the sidewalk to create a tripping hazard and dropping large branches and damaging parked vehicles. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: High Density Multi-Family Residential; ZONING: R-3; : 39 1E 05DD; TAX LOT: 1000 There was no conflict of interest or ex-parte contact indicated by the Commission. Anderson presented the staff report for TREE-2019-00052. Val Bachmayer, applicant and owner at 172 Skidmore, addressed the Commission regarding her tree removal request. The arborist was not present. After a brief discussion, the Commission rendered their decision. Cates/Simpson m/s to approve TREE-2018-00052 with recommendation that the applicant mitigate with a tree from the approved planting list. Voice vote: All AYES, John, Cates, Simpson, Neff. NAY, Gould. Motion passed. PLANNING ACTION: TREE-2019-00054 SUBJECT PROPERTY: 434 B St. OWNERS/APPLICANTS: Larry Cooper DESCRIPTION: A request for a Tree Removal Permit to remove a nuisance tree that has volunteered along the fence line along the alley. The applicant needs to make alterations and repairs to the fence and needs to remove the tree to further those development plans. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Multi-Family Residential; ZONING: R-2; MAP: 39 1E 09BA; TAX LOT: 6701 There was no conflict of interest or ex-parte contact indicated by the Commission. Anderson presented the staff report for TREE-2019-00054. Larry Cooper, applicant and resident at 434 B Street, addressed the Commission regarding his tree removal request. He spoke about future development and that he needed approval quickly. After a brief discussion, the Commission rendered their decision. John/Neff m/s to approve TREE-2018-00054 as presented. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. VI. STREET TREE REMOVAL PERMITS PLANNING ACTION: TREE-2019-00053 SUBJECT PROPERTY: 323 Skycrest Dr. OWNERS/APPLICANTS: Susan Elson / Mario Vaden DESCRIPTION: A request for a Street Tree Removal Permit to remove one approximately nine inch-diameter Acer / Maple tree at 323 Skycrest Dr. The project arborist indicates that the tree suffered a sunburn resulting in an entire side of the tree missing bark and living cambrium, and further states that the tree appears to present a potential hazard that should continue to get worse as the tree ages. There was no conflict of interest or ex-parte contact indicated by the Commission. Anderson presented the staff report for TREE-2019-00053. The applicant was not present. Gould explained that the tree failed a poke test and that it is dying. Gould/John m/s to approve TREE-2018-00053 as presented. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. PLANNING ACTION: TREE-2019-00055 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 be in conflict with overhead power lines, and proposes to replace it with a tree less likely to be in conflict with overhead lines, a Paperbark Maple. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Low Density, Multi-Family Residential; ZONING: R-2; : 39 1E 09BA; TAX LOT: 3700 John recused himself due to conflict of interest. Anderson presented the staff report for TREE-2019-00055. The applicant was not present. After a brief discussion, the Commission rendered their decision. Neff/Simpson m/s to deny TREE-2018-00055. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. PLANNING ACTION: TREE-2019-00057 SUBJECT PROPERTY: 820 C Street OWNERS/APPLICANTS: John Sanders/All Concrete & Hooper Springs DESCRIPTION: A request for a Street Tree Removal Permit to remove one approximately 15-inch diameter Acer / Maple tree at 820 C St. The application notes that this street tree is lifting and damaging the sidewalk. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Low Density, Multi-Family Residential; ZONING: R-2; : 39 1E 09AC; TAX LOT: 9700 There was no conflict of interest or ex-parte contact indicated by the Commission. Anderson presented the staff report for TREE-2019-00057. The applicant was not present. After a brief discussion, the Commission rendered their decision. They would like the applicant to explore other options. Cates/Simpson m/s to deny TREE-2018-00057. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. VII. DISCUSSION Legal Memo re: Heritage Trees Chairs Meeting re: Public Meetings Law Debrief Council Presentation Debrief o The Council presentation was done in March. Tree of the Year, Arbor Day and Earth Day Updates o for Tree of the Year. o Gould, Cates, and John will be helping with the Earth Day festivities. The event will be on th April 20 and run from 11am-4pm. th July 4 Alternate Meeting Date o The July 2019 meeting has been moved to July 8, 2019. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:10pm. Anderson noted that the next scheduled meeting would be on Thursday, May 9th at 6:00 p.m. in the Siskiyou Room. Respectfully submitted by, Regan Trapp