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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013.04.09 Forest Lands Commission Minutes Minutes FOR A MEETING OF THE ASHLAND FOREST LANDS COMMISSION Tuesday, April 9th, 2013 5:30PM to 7:30PM Siskiyou Room, Community Development Building 51 Winburn Way I. CALL TO ORDER: 5:30 PM Jeff McFarland, Albert Pepe, John Williams, Marty Main, Jim Berge, Dan Maymar, Frank Betlejewski, Dennis Slattery, Stefanie Seffinger, Rob Cain (AWTA), John Karns, Chris Chambers II. INTRODUCTIONS: New Council Liaison Dennis Slattery Dan mentioned the new reporting requirement for the chair to report to Council. Dennis explained that the intent is to give an update to the Council every so often,but to cut down on the requirement of councilors to attend every meeting. Dennis intends to attend as many meetings as he can. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: March 121h minutes Motion to approve made by Pepe, seconded by Berge. All ayes. IV. PUBLIC FORUM None V. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA Frank would like to talk about items on the FLC website. Item was added to the end of the meeting agenda. VI. BUSINESS A. Election of Chair John Williams had said he would chair if no one volunteered though Albert would consider the position but not at this meeting. Seffinger motioned to elect John Williams as chair of the Forest Lands Commission. Maymar seconded and all ayes with Williams abstaining. B. Trails/Recreation Update a. BTI Reroute Application b. Alice in Wonderland Relocation Application Rob Cain explained the changes to the application. Frank clarified the process that we're using to vet and approve the applications. Williams suggested that the Fire Department and Parks review applications and give input to the Forest Lands Commission. The Commission would then make a recommendation for approval of the application. City Council may or may not need to make a final approval. McFarland commented on how to request the trail easements across private properties. This includes how to abate hazards around the trail such as dead trees that may not be on the easements. The issue of how to locate and describe the legal trail easement location. The preference is G:\fire\Forest Interface Division\Forest Lands Commis sion\MINUTE S\2013\April 9th,2013 Minutes.docx to use GPS coordinates, but it may not be accepted by the County. The Assistant City Attorney is working with Jeff on this issue. Cain commented that there will need to be two easements. The geology report says there will be a benefit to the drainage pattern to have new trails and decommission the old one. Maymar made a motion to accept the application from AWTA, Berge seconded and all voted in support. C. Ashland Forest Plan Revision Dan and Frank went out to tour units on Hald-Strawberry Park. They came up with 8 units on that parcel alone. Betlejewski would take the lead on the Forest Plan revision(officially) if the commission would support him. All agreed to let Frank lead the project. Frank's work on Siskiyou Mt. Park has taken longer than anticipated. His estimate for the entire project to rewrite the Forest Plan could be up to two years including 4 weeks of GIS time from the City. Unit size will vary depending on the vegetation. It's important to get an accurate assessment of what's out there due to the time involved. Jeff gave information to Dan and Frank regarding the Parks properties, Chambers will send Maymar and Betlejewski the City properties in the interface. The question was raised whether or not to include the Lithia Hillside in the plan, but not the developed portion of it. Betlejewski is the project lead, working on Siskiyou Mt Park, assembling the database and data dictionary. Maymar is working on current conditions on the outstanding properties, which could take a year to do. Main suggested a narrative format. Frank would like the data approach in order to compare information for decisions and budget for work. An SOU class could help with some of the digitizing work, perhaps with Pat Acklin's help. Seffinger and McFarland will look at the Lithia Hillside for inclusion. Seffinger will continue to work with Park properties in the plan and specifically Lithia. Berge will work on the fire management section. Williams will work on the water and riparian section. Pepe will work on the recreation section. McFarland suggested looking at the Parks Trails Master Plan for info. The section that is not addressed is the social aspect. The new commissioner might be engaged in this section. Dates will be addressed next month. Education could be part of the social section and Seffinger is interested in that topic. D. AFR Project Update Chambers said that AFR helicopter thinning is basically on schedule and he hopes the area will open again on May 1. Columbia is also working on the City's Winburn parcel and has approximately one day left of work to go. They are only using one of the landings of two that were initially approved. Road maintenance will be done in conjunction with the AFR project after the hauling is completed. Pepe asked about trail closures and the public reaction. Chambers said that it's been mostly good in maintaining the closed areas. There may be some frustration building as the weather gets better and folks want to be out on the trails, especially with the upcoming Spring Thaw race. G:Afire\Forest Interface Division\Forest Lands Commis sion\MINUTE S\2013\April 9th,2013 Minutes.docx E. Watershed Outreach Plan Update Williams reviewed the plan that Chris Iverson had spearheaded. The watershed map and coloring version were produced. Some of the items are already being accomplished by the AFR project. Suggestion was made to table it until the Forest Plan is finished. AFR booth will be set up during the Earth Day festival on April 20th. Commissioners are welcome to help staff the booth. Chambers suggested that the Commission produce a brochure representing what has been done on City forestlands. Williams will take input on what could go into a brochure and discuss at the next meeting. Chambers will send an email on Earth Day scheduling. Prescribed burning on City lands will be taking place in the coming months, maybe before next meeting. There are three units, with one additional unit possible if funds allow. One unit is on the right just as the pavement ends on the Loop Road above Morton St. VII. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Williams brought up the issue of horse droppings on the trails. There may be an opportunity to require some sort of clean up. The Seattle watershed areas may require this. VIII. REVIEW AND SET COMMISSION CALENDAR/NEXT MEETING A. Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting, May 14th 2013 IX. ADJOURN: 7:30 PM In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, ifyou need special assistance to participate in this meeting,please contact the Public Works Office at 488-5587(TTYphone number 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 I). G:Afire\Forest Interface Division\Forest Lands Commission\MINUTES\2013\April 9th,2013 Minutes.docx