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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-11-08 Tree_MIN TREE COMMISSION MINUTES November 8, 2018 Commissioners Present: Parks Liaison Christopher John, absent Peter Baughman Russell Neff Asa Cates Staff Present: Eric Simpson Nathan Emerson Derek Severson Council Liaison Steven Jensen CALL TO ORDER Cates 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. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Neff/Cates m/s to approve the minutes of the October 11, 2018 regular Tree Commission meeting. Voice vote: All Ayes, motion passed. ANNOUNCEMENTS & LIAISON REPORTS Council Liaison Councilor Jensen had no report. Parks & Recreation Liaison - Peter Baughman distributed the Tree City USA Standard 3 Worksheet showing how the City met the qualifications for Tree City USA for the year 2018. See exhibit A at the end of the minutes. Staff Liaison Emerson informed the Commission that he has taken a new position with a private planning firm in the valley. This will be his last Commission meeting and City Senior Planner, Derek Severson will be the new staff Liaison. The Commissioners congratulated Emerson on his new position and acknowledged their appreciation of his efforts on the Tree Commission. Wildfire Mitigation Commission member Stephen Gagne was present to observe the meeting. PUBLIC FORUM No one spoke at public forum. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Community Development office at 541-488-5305 (TTY phone is 1-800-735-2900). Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1). TYPE I REVIEWS PLANNING ACTION: PA-T2-2018-00005 SUBJECT PROPERTY: Kestrel Parkway APPLICANT: KDA Homes, LLC OWNER: Jacob Robert Ayala DESCRIPTION: A request for Outline Plan approval for a 17-lot Performance Standards Options subdivision, a Major Amendment to the North Mountain Neighborhood Plan, a Physical & Environmental Constraints Review Permit for improvements within the floodplain corridor, a Limited Use/Activity Permit for activities within a wetland, and Tree Removal Permits to remove 15 trees for the three vacant parcels located south of the end of Kestrel Parkway. The subdivision plan includes the dedication of 5.99 acres of floodplain corridor land to the City of Ashland as park land as required in the North Mountain Neighborhood Plan (NMNP). (Development of the multi-family zoned portions of the property would occur in a later phase and would require Final Plan and Site Design Review approvals prior to development.) COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: North Mountain Single Family & North Mountain Multi-Family ZONING: NM-R-1-7.5 & NM- 39 1E 04AD 8600, and 39 1E 04DB 2000. Severson gave a brief staff report explaining that the development plan being proposed has basically already been laid out in the Plan that was adopted for the North Mountain Neighborhood District back in 1997. There is a requirement that they dedicate the entire floodplain area (about six acres) to the City for open space, park land, and land that will help with the extension of the Bear Creek Greenway. The applicants were not present. After a discussion the Commissioners made the following recommendations. Cates/Neff m/s to approve the application with the following recommendations. Voice Vote; All ayes motion passed. 1. Provide a mix of tree species in the street trees along the blocks so that if a disease or pest infestation happens, i the selections. 2. Provide large stature-species street trees behind the outside perimeter curbside sidewalk on the couplet (i.e. not the wetland side). Commissioners were agreeable to planting trees behind the sidewalk (i.e. not having a parkrow here) but felt there should be street trees on the corridor. STREET TREE REMOVAL PERMITS PLANNING ACTION: PA-TREE-2018-00033 SUBJECT PROPERTY: 285 Liberty St APPLICANT/OWNER: Dia Paxton DESCRIPTION: A request for a Street Tree Removal to remove a birch tree. The tree is approximately 10 diameter at breast height. Per the applicant, the tree has been topped by the electric department and is infested by beetles. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Single Family Residential; ZONING: R-1-7.5. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Community Development office at 541-488-5305 (TTY phone is 1-800-735-2900). Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1). Emerson explained this tree is located in the public-right- rather than a planning action. Emerson confirmed that mitigation will be required with the removal. After a brief discussion the Commissioners made the following recommendation. Simpson/Cates m/s to approve the application as presented. Voice Vote; all ayes, motion passed. DISCUSSION Tree of the Year Discussion Emerson asked the Commissioners to pick their top five trees from the ballots that were submitted. He supplied photos of the nominated trees. The following trees were the nominations from the Commissioners. Severson will tally up the votes to determine which ones will be the finalists. 965 Bellview - Giant Sequoia 505 Helman - Gnarled Oak 558 Holly Ponderosa Pine 243 Fourth Cork Oak 2368 Black Oak Way Blue Spruce 1114 Terra - Oak Scenic Drive & Church - Oak New Commissioners The Commissioners discussed ways in which to encourage others to join the Tree Commission and what qualities they are looking for in a Tree Commissioner. Having a degree in Forestry or being a Landscape Architect is not a requirement. Would like someone who has the ability to cooperate and conduct themselves in a professional manner. They need to have an interest in helping the community in order to make right decisions. Be responsible and attend the meetings. It was suggested to do an outreach to the Community, perhaps an article in the Daily Tidings explaining what the Tree Commission does. (Mike Oxendine might be able to write something) ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:07 p.m. Emerson noted that the next regular meeting would be held on Thursday, December 6, 2018 at 6:00 pm. in the Siskiyou Room of the Community Development and Engineering Services Building located at 51 Winburn Way. wĻƭƦĻĭƷŅǒƌƌǤ ƭǒĬƒźƷƷĻķ ĬǤͲ /ğƩƚƌǤƓ {ĭŷǞĻƓķĻƓĻƩ In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Community Development office at 541-488-5305 (TTY phone is 1-800-735-2900). Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1).