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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-0908 Tree MIN ASHLAND TREE COMMISSION MINUTES SEPTEMBER 811994 I. Meeting called to order at 7:15 p.m. Attenders: Susan Hunt (Chair) David Jacquat Mark Jenne (Minutes) Donn Todt Nancy Kerr Dave Mason John McClendon II. Approval of Minutes H August minutes were approved with two minor corrections. III. Guests: IV. Old Business A. Street Tree Inventory Progress - No progress this month. Future plans include writing a thank you letter to Phll Lind and generating some reports for informational articles, presentations. The reports would cover most common species per neighborhood, average sizes, etc. Mark would be responsible for these items. B. Trees around Utility Lines - Donn Todt reports two different approaches: 1) plant smaller trees, and 2) trim larger trees when small. Utility pruners have been to workshops and this has worked out well. Donn has ordered booklets, but they have not arrived. Perhaps we could send an interested utility pruner to a workshop where commission would put up all or part of the money. Nancy Kerr volunteers to deliver the booklets and write a letter suggesting the extra training/workshop. Donn will discuss this with her when the booklets arrive. C. Downtown Tree Subcommittee Report - The subcommittee met the week after last month's meeting. In attendance were guests Jackie and Toni and commissioners Donn Todt, Susan Hunt, David Jacquat and Mark Jenne. After contrasting the Parks Department position and Jackie and Toni's position (neither of which had changed) ) the subcommittee went down to the tree in 1 ASHLAND TREE COMMISSION MINUTES SEPTEMBER 8,1994 question (at Senor Gator's) to examine the sidewalk lift along the curb. The subcommittee agreed to ask Brian Almquist for a one-year stay of execution on the Senor Gator tree pending an experiment with some matting that the commission has seen. (Note: no other trees were known to be threatened with replacement this year.) Donn later approached Brian Almquist about performing this experiment on East Main in front of the council chambers. Brian was not enthusiastic about the idea. At this September 8 meeting Donn came up with the idea of asking Parks Director Ken Mickelsen about experimenting somewhere in Lithia Park. Don with pursue this idea. D. Update of Recommended Street Tree List - Preliminary copy of this updated list was included in this month's packet. Donn Todt collected many suggestions and will continue developing the list. Candy Wooding would agree to do layout for $50 to $100, if changes are not too great. Commission approved this expenditure. The type would be smaller than before, perhaps so the list could be fit on one large sheet and folded up for free distribution at Community Development Department. E. Plaque for the Walnut tree at Glenwood Park (Ashland St. at Glenwood) - "Tree of the Year" plaque has been installed. "Respect-the-Tree" plague will be made up the next time the Parks Department orders signs. Wording will probably be: "Please Respect this Tree." We hope this will lessen the abuse this beautiful tree seems to attract with its low branches. V. New Business: A. Site Review - No planning actions this month. B. Cutting trees along the roadway - Donn Todt saw someone cutting down trees at a doctor's office on North Main and Grant. Investigation found that the city asked that the trees be fixed due 2 ASHLAND TREE COMMISSION MINUTES SEPTEMBER 8,1994 to a visual clearance problem (letter by Ray Smith at City Engineering), as did Brian Almquist in a second letter sometime later. Donn reported that the tree was removed without a permit and that a letter should have gone through Tree Commission. Commission voted to ask Brian to buy 2-3 new trees for the site in question. David Jacquat will meet with Ray in City Engineering to discuss minor revision to their vision clearance letter. Also, he will meet with Brian to request monies for the trees to be purchased with the next large order by the Parks Department. C. Possible non-compliance of Ashland Town Hall Landscape Plan - Ashland Town Hall has twelve parking spots and one tree. Susan Hunt will look at plans and look into correcting this oversight. D. Carol Walker's letter about grants/buying street trees for people (see packet) - This brought up a long discussion of what we could do to encourage street tree planting. Mark agreed to investigate and come up with a mailing list of addresses that need street trees (based on street tree inventory). Perhaps the Tree Commission could offer a short list of trees available for $10.00 each (for example) and put together a bulk order at a local nursery. E. Billing's Property Arboretum (1 st or 2nd week of October) - David Mason is putting together a walk through the Billings property with an eye toward convincing local politicians to support his arboretum idea. Much interest was shown in this ambitious project. F. Susan Hunt indicates that she may resign soon. Meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. 3