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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-1207 Tree MIN ASHLAND TREE COMMISSION MINUTES December 7, 2006 CALL TO ORDER –Chair Bryan Holley called the Ashland Tree Commission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. on December 7, 2006 in the Siskiyou Room in the Community Development and Engineering Services Building located at 51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR. Commissioners Present Council Liaison Bryan Holley David Chapman, arrived at 7:10 Staff Present Mary Pritchard Laurie Sager Amy Anderson, Assistant Planner Ted Loftus, absent Angela Barry, Assistant Planner Steve Siewert Anne Rich, Parks Department Colin Guiley, absent Carolyn Schwendener, Account Clerk APPROVAL OF MINUTES Pritchard/Siewert m/s to approve the minutes of November 9, 2006. Voice vote: all AYES, Motion passed. The minutes of November 9, 2006 were approved as presented. PUBLIC FORUM None present DISCUSSION ITEMS Moving of trees at City Hall – Larry Giardina, Conservation Analyst for the City of Ashland and Robbin Pearce, Water Conservationist for the City of Ashland were present to talk about the solar electric system on the Police Station and Council Chambers. Mr. Giardina stated that the panels were placed on the buildings about six years ago at which time there were already trees present. Solar systems require direct sunlight in order to work and there are conflicts between the shade that will be cast ultimately by those trees and that system. This system is intended to be a demonstration of ways citizens can use renewable energy. The City has policies to assist people to install solar electric systems on their own roof and pay them incentives to do so. One of those requirements is that they not be shaded. Those requirements are written in a way that our own system violates those requirements stated Mr. Giardina. The trees that are in front of that system ultimately will have very significant impacts on the production of solar energy. The trees are about 20 feet tall but are projected to reach 40 feet high and about 20 feet wide. Donn Todt, Parks Department, is coordinating to have those trees removed and planted at Garfield Park. The Tree Commission is in support of the project and encourages the transplanting of the trees to be done as soon as possible. The Commissioners suggested that if the cost is too expensive to transplant the trees they could consider removing them and planting new ones at a different location. PUBLIC HEARINGS PLANNING ACTION #2006-01371Request for a Conditional Use Permit and Site Review to construct a wireless communication facility (cell tower) on the property located at 1955 Ashland St. The proposed tower is a freestanding structure, and is 70 feet in height. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Employment; ZONING: E-1; ASSESSOR’S MAP # 39 1E 10 D; TAX LOT: 2102. APPLICANT: Cingular Wireless Site Visits and Ex Parte Contacts – Siewert, Pritchard and Holley did a site visit. Sager and Rich did not. Amy read the staff report and conditions of approval. Applicant testimony - No representatives were present for this Planning Action. After discussing this Planning Action the Commissioners decided that the plan does not meet the standards and guidelines that were laid out nor did they meet screening requirements or submit a Tree Protection Plan. The Commissioners felt that the entire landscaping plan needed to be redone. The Commissioners stated that they did not receive an accurate map in a timely fashion. David Chapman left the meeting at 7:45 p.m. Recommendation: 1) That the landscape plan be re-created because it does not meet the Basic Site Review Standards for landscape plans nor doe it comply with the landscape plan requirements for Wireless Communication Facilities. 2) That a revised landscaping and irrigation plan shall be submitted for review by the full Tree Commission prior to the issuance of a building permit. 3) That regionally appropriate drought tolerant plant species shall be incorporated into the revised landscaping plan. 4) That a Tree Protection and Preservation plan for the existing trees shall be submitted for review and approval by the full Tree Commission prior to issuance of a building permit and/or site work which ever occurs first. The Tree Protection Plan shall be designed in accordance with 18.61.200. The Tree Protection shall be installed and inspected by the Planning Division prior to issuance of a building permit. ACTION ITEMS Type 1 Review sign-up January – Holley, Pritchard, Sager February – Holley, Pritchard, Siewert 2007 Goal Setting - The meeting will be Sunday January 14, 2007 at Holley’s home. The time is TBD. DISCUSSION ITEMS Future and direction of the Tree Commission – Holley will be scheduling a meeting with the City Administrator and the Mayor to discuss this subject and his role on the commission. Tree of the Year 2007 – With a population of over 20,000 citizens there were only 39 votes cast for Tree of the Year. The Commissioners discussed ways in which to get the community more interested in the voting such as student involvement and the Arbor Day celebration. ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS Liaison Reports – Rich apologized that she and Donn Todt forgot to inform the Tree Commissioners when the arborist walk took place. Rich offered to take any of the Commissioners on the tree walk and show them the trees that were designated for removal. At this time none of the Commissioners chose to go on the walk though they would like to be included next year. Anne will send the list of the trees that need either trimming or removal to Amy to be put in the next packet. Todt is able to get a 3 ½” caliper Ginkgo for the replacement of the Ailanthus tree. Put this on the January agenda so that the Commissioners can discuss ways to inform the citizens regarding the planting of the tree. Land Use Ordinance Review (Siegel Report) – The Commissioners would like to do this as a group. Leave on the agenda. Fire Department Vegetation Ordinance – Bill Molnar, Maria Harris and Amy will be meeting to discuss and review the ordinance in order to narrow down the focus for the Commissioners. They will be meeting after the first of the year. Amy asked Siewert if he would be interested in joining the sub committee. Sager and Siewert suggested a lunch meeting not on Monday’s or Friday’s. Current balance – Amy received the invoice for the Tree of the Year ballot in the amount of $216.00. After the payment is made the balance will be $131.55. th Tree Clinics – Pritchard has a pruning classscheduled for January 6 between 1:00 pm and 2:30pm. Pritchard will check with Loftus to see if he has any potted trees to loan her for the pruning demonstration. If he doesn’t have any available Rich suggested she check with Todt . Media Outreach – Siewert finished his article on Living Christmas Trees. It is scheduled to be in the December 12, 2006 issue of the Daily Tidings. ADJOURNMENT - Commissioner Holley adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Carolyn Schwendener, Account Clerk 2