HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-02-04_Tree_MIN
ASHLAND TREE COMMISSION
MINUTES
February 4, 2010
CALL TO ORDER – Co-Chair Bobby Townsend called the Ashland Tree Commission meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. on February
4, 2010, in the Siskiyou Room in the Community Development and Engineering Services Building located at 51 Winburn
Way, Ashland, OR.
Commissioners Present Council Liaison
Zane Jones Kate Jackson
Casey Roland
Russ Neff Staff Present
Bobby Townsend Amy Gunter, Assistant Planner
Anne Rich, Parks Department
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
January 7, 2010 Tree Commission Minutes – Jones / Neff m/s to approve the minutes of January 7, 2010. Voice vote: all
AYES, Motion passed. The minutes were approved as submitted.
WELCOME GUESTS
Michael Dawkins, Planning Commissioner
ACTION ITEMS
Tree Walk
The Tree Commission will hold a Tree Walk in conjunction with Ashland Parks and Recreation Dept. on June 5, 2010 from 9
AM – 11 AM and will be hosted by Anne Rich and Bobby Townsend. Amy will send the form to Parks for inclusion in the
new Recreation Guide. Prefer if the walk is free with no registration.
Casey’s Tree Pruning Clinic is scheduled for Saturday, March 13 from 9 – noon. Sign up through Ashland Parks and
Recreation.
Arborist Roundtable
Would the Commission be interested in inviting Arborist’s and other tree professionals to a meeting to discuss issues, concerns,
successes, etc.? How would people use the information? Tree professionals could bring questions, concerns, situations they’ve
encountered and be ‘trained’ on the ordinance. Nursery representatives could learn about the Planning side of the Tree
Ordinance, for instance using the Recommended Street Tree Guide to sell better street trees and asking basic questions about
power lines overhead or other encumbrances. What ways can the Tree Commission be of assistance to tree professionals? The
commission decided to discuss this topic with Arborist and others they know to gauge their level of interest to determine if
holding a meeting is feasible.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
18.61.250 – Performance Bonds
Continued to next month
Arbor Week Planning
The State of Oregon celebrates Arbor Week April 4 – 10; National Arbor Day is April 30. The Arbor Week Proclamation will
be read by the Mayor at the April 6, 2010 City Council meeting as required per Tree City USA specifications. Oregon
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Department of Forestry (ODF) will also present the City with the 25 Tree City USA award.
The Commission will place the Tree of the Year winner’s plaque at the Dogwood Tree. Amy will contact the property owners
to see when the tree blooms and whether the two can be coordinated. The Friday of Arbor Week works well also as it has for
the past winners. The Commission will also place the plaque was the given to the City by ODF for the Bald Cypress planted
last year as part of the Oregon Sesquicentennial, 150 trees for Oregon. The Ashland Boy Scouts are doing a Riparian Planting
with Ashland Parks at the “Ashland Ponds” near the wastewater treatment plant and it could be part of the Arbor Week events.
Anne will check with Jeff McFarland regarding when their thinking about doing that planting. The Commission also discussed
options for an Arbor Week tree, the High School was discussed. Anne will talk with the grounds crew, Amy will talk with
Steve Gies about acquiring a tree.
Recommended Street Tree Guide – Descriptions of trees
Amy went through the ‘final’ list of changes to the Recommended Street Tree Guide. Each Commissioner took a tree which
they would then write the Guide page of information about. Amy will get the proposed changes to Mark Mularz from Acorn
Design so he may provide a bid on the proposed changes. The Commissioners were asked to have their descriptions provided
to Amy before the March 4, 2010 meeting.
ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS
Liaison Reports:
Council: The Tree Commission Resolution adding language to 18.61 allowing for the option of payment in lieu of planting,
enforcement fees and restoration fees passed at Council.
Parks: None
New Business: The trees at the Ashland Hardwired Building on A Street were topped. The Commission would like some
contact made with the property owner informing them of the code (AMC 13.16) which requires street trees to not be topped. In
their experience they have seen that once people start enacting topping as a form of pruning, that it spreads to others and it is
not a proper technique and can harm the trees.
Current Balance - $ 590.00
ADJOURNMENT - Commissioner Townsend adjourned the meeting at 8:00 PM.
Respectfully submitted by Amy Gunter, Assistant Planner
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