Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-12-2004 TC MinutesCITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO TREE COMMITTEE WORK TOPIC MEETING JULY 12, 2004 MEMBERS/STAFF/GUESTS PRESENT: Laura Rice, Linda Hauss, Jim Lopes, Steve Caminiti Ron Combs, Todd Beights, Jay Walter, Lisa Woske There was Committee discussion on utilizing the support and communication avenues with Committee/Council liaison John Ewan to discuss budget concerns and becoming an advocate for the Committee concerns. There was Committee concern expressed about the decreasing in funding and staffing and the commitment from the Council in supporting the Parks & Urban Forestry Maintenance Division programs. Staff cutbacks have been significant and there is a stated goal to increase the urban forest inventory and its maintenance. The Committee also discussed revising Committee goals. Mr. Lopes discussed ARC-approved projects with tree removals in which trees have not been reviewed by the Tree Committee, because the removals are not bound by the same Tree Committee guidelines for removal. Mr. Combs reported that planners are submitting more plans to him for review and recommendations. The Committee discussed the findings Mr. Combs used in his review and agreed that if it was a reasonable number of removals proposed in a development, Mr. Combs should use the required Tree Committee findings for removal. Mr. Lopes felt that proposed site plans with trees included for removal specify a Tree Removal Plan section of the plans. Mr. Caminiti reiterated his concerns about the loss of the City Arborist position and the insufficient staff time now available to properly perform the responsibilities, duties, and interactions as required by the Ordinance. The Committee agreed they needed a current inventory of the urban forest to better gauge the scope of responsibilities and maintenance, i.e. workload realities vs. Ordinance implementation. The Committee agreed they wanted their concerns about budget cuts and staffing addressed in staff’s September recommendation for the budget. There was discussion about the length of the agenda for regular meetings and how to better schedule removal requests with On-going and New Business items. Mr. Combs agreed to assess and estimate the amount of Committee time anticipated in hearing and taking action on removal requests and would put them on the agenda to handle within the first approximately 90 minutes of a meeting. It was agreed that items continued from previous meetings should be put at the top of the agenda, after the Review of Minutes, followed by routine Removal Requests and/or larger development projects (time permitting), On-going Business, New Business, and Adjournment sections. Ms. Hauss noted that appeals to Council of Tree Committee decisions did not involved a filing appeal fee, whereas other appeal processes did incur a cost to go before Council. She felt there needed to be parity within the system. There was Committee discussion on the reconfiguration of the Parkways/Median/ Gateway Committee responsibilities and efforts. There was reiteration of the need to update the Master Street Tree list. The Committee agreed to forward the following topics to John Ewan for his input to the Committee and then the Council:  Review of the Appeal Fee structure  Allocation of budget dollars for urban forest development and workload issues  The current configuration of Mr. Combs’ position in light of urban forestry maintenance and Ordinance responsibilities  Parkways/Medians/Gateway Committee responsibilities The Committee agreed to have staff prioritize the following topics for On-Going Business discussion during regular and special-called meetings:  Tree Ordinance update  Master Street Tree List update  Gateways  Appeal fees It was agreed that another special work meeting would be scheduled at 5 p.m. on Monday, August 9, 2004. It was agreed that there would be a post-meeting gathering at Upper Crust Restaurant for the Committee members and their guests to convene at 7 p.m., Monday, July 26, 2004. The meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.