HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-0603 Tree MINCITY OF
SHLAND
Ashland Tree Commission
Regular Meeting
June 3, 2004
Minutes
Ill.
IV.
V!
VI.
Call to Order: Chair Ted Loftus called the Ashland Tree Commission meeting to order at 7:04
p.m. on June 3, 2004 at the Siskiyou Room in the Community Development/Engineering Services
Building at 51 Winburn Way.
Commissioners Present:
Commissioners Absent:
,Council Liaison:
Youth Liaison:
;Staff Present:
Ted Loftus, Chair
Bryan Holley
Bryan Nelson
Mary Pritchard
Fred Stockwell
January Jennings
Laurie Sager
Cate Hartzell (late)
None
Maria Harris, Associate Planner
Approval of Minutes: The minutes of May 6, 2004 were approved with corrections. The
corrections were as follows: 1) page 2, sixth paragraph the addition to the last sentence as follows
"Holley concurred and Loftus determined that discussion would continue during old business.",
and 2) page 7, last paragraph the first two sentences were amended as follows "Holley expressed
his thoughts over Tree Commissioners' concerns over trying to do too much. He distributed a list
of action items separating out education items from everything else."
Welcome Guests & Public Forum: There were no guests in attendance, and no public comments
were received.
Commissiioner Trainin.cl: Barbara Christensen, City Recorder and Paul Nolte, City Attorney gave a
presentation on public meeting law, conducting meetings and public ethics rules.
Public Hearings: The public hearing for Planning Action 2004-075 for 550 Mistletoe Road was
postponed due to incomplete information.
Old Business: Items D. Heritage Tree Process and E. Design Professional Ordinance Amendment
were moved up to allow Paul Nolte, City Attorney to participate in the discussion.
D. Heritage Tree Process: Draft revisions of the 18.61, Heritage Tree Designation and Tree
Preservation Agreement and the Nomination Form were discussed. The suggestion was to require
a Tree Re:moval Staff Permit for the removal of a heritage tree by adding "e. Removal of a
heritage tree." to 18.61.042. The discussion of the agreement involved adding language to the
agreement that definitively spells out the responsibility of the property owner for care of the tree,
and adding language designating a process to easily remove a heritage tree from list if the property
owner chooses to do so. It was explained that the removal of the agreement from the title was by
filing a quitclaim deed. It was suggested that the removal process by quitclaim deed should also be
included in Chapter 18.61. The discussion of the Nomination Form included editing including
moving the Tree Description section under "For City Use", and deleting the line above l:he
signature ]line "Report by the Tree Commission is attached." Holley/Pritchard m/s to add the
June 3, 2004 Tree Comrnission Minutes Page I of 3
VII.
VIII.
quitclaim deed language to the agreement and ordinance. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion
passed.
E. Design Professional Ordinance Amendment: The status of the amendment was discussed. It
was established that Tree Commission members had drafted language that was given to Staff. The
item was tabled until the next meeting to allow Staffto determine status of the project.
There was discussion of the tree account referred to in Chapter 18.61 for mitigation for tree
removal (payment in lieu of planting) and for unauthorized tree removal penalties. The
suggestions were to include the account in the adopted 2004-1005 budget, establish the fees and
estimate the annual amount which will be collected.
A. Goals
11) Staffing: The announcement was made that Maria Harris, Associate Planner has been
assigned as Staff Liaison to the Tree Commission.
2) Education/Outreach: There was discussion of waiting until Fall to move forward since
Commissioners are on vacations. It was suggested that the project list be prioritized and
reduced to 1-3 items to make it more workable. Also concern expressed about lack of
forward movement and concern about having the full commission regularly review the
full laundry list.
B. Liaison Reports
11) City Council: Cate Hartzell suggested once the planning application for the Shasta
building (88 N. Main) is completed, examining what was learned by that.
2) Forest Lands: No report.
31) Parks Department: No report.
C. Memorial Tree List: Indefinitely tabled.
The current Capital Improvements Project list was requested from Staff.
D. Type I Planning Actions: There was a discussion of the process currently being used for Type I
Planning Actions which is Staff conducting an in-house review. The possibility of bringing Type
I planning actions back on the agenda for review by the full Tree Commission was discussed. It
was also suggested that the Tree Commission might consider being part of the pre-application
conference review. There was concerned expressed that things are happening with administrative
approvals (Staff Permits and Type I Planning Actions) that the Tree Commission should know
about. It was suggested that a monthly report on the administrative approvals be prepared by Staff
for the Tree Commission.
New Business
A. Revolving Chair: There was discussion and agreement that the annual election of the Chair
should be a regular item on the January agenda as outlined in the Ashland Municipal Code.
B. Root Pruning Brochure: There was agreement that a root pruning brochure does not need to be
developed because the material is existing in the nine tree brochures that have recently been
acquired.
Commission Items Not on the Agenda: The Commission members discussed the possibility of not
having an August meeting, and requested that Staff make this happen if possible.
June 3, 2004 Tree Commission Minutes Page 2 of 3
IX.
X,
It was agreed that the continuation of the review of Chapter 18.61 be an agenda item for the July
meeting.
Announcements: It was announced that the next Tree Commission meeting will b.e on July 8,
2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the Siskiyou Room.
Adjournment: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:55 p.m.
June 3, 2004 Tree Commission Minutes Page 3 of 3