HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-26-2021 TC MinutesMinutes – Tree Committee Meeting of July 26, 2021 Page 1
Minutes
TREE COMMITTEE
Monday, July 26, 2021
Special Meeting of the Tree Committee
CALL TO ORDER
A Special Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Tree Committee was called to order on Monday, July
26, 2021 at 5:46 p.m. at the Corporation Yard, 25 Prado Road, San Luis Obispo, California, by
Chair Alan Bate.
ROLL CALL
Present: Committee Members Daniel Canella, Elizabeth Lucas, Vice Chair Jake Minnick,
and Chair Alan Bate (one vacant seat)
Absent: Committee Members Emily Rosten and Allen Root
Staff: Anthony Whipple, Acting City Arborist and Megan Wilbanks, Deputy City Clerk
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1.Consideration of the Tree Committee Meeting Minutes of June 26, 2021.
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, SECONDED BY VICE
CHAIR MINNICK, CARRIED 4-0-2 (Members Rosten and Root absent, one vacant seat), the
Tree Committee approved the Minutes of June 26, 2021.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Will Powers
--End of Public Comment--
TREE REMOVAL APPLICATIONS
2.355 N. Chorro Street
Acting City Arborist Anthony Whipple provided a brief report and responded to questions.
Public Comment:
Will Powers
--End of Public Comment—
Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of July 26, 2021 Page 2
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF CHAIR BATE, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER
CANELLA, CARRIED 4-0-2 (Members Rosten and Root absent, one vacant seat), to deny the
tree removal application due to insufficient findings to support removal.
COMMENT AND DISCUSSION
3.New Business: 950 & 990 Aero Dr. (ARCH-0165-2020 & USE-0294-2019); Review of the
proposed removal of five onsite trees and replanting of 93 trees on site. Tree removals are
proposed to facilitate a proposed 125,200-square foot Airport Hotel development consisting of
a 204-room, dual-branded hotel, with guest amenities including an outdoor patio and dining
area, meeting space, fitness room, breakfast area, bar, and onsite parking and landscaping. An
Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration has been prepared for the project.
Senior Planner Shawna Scott provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Committee
questions.
Public Comment:
Will Powers
--End of Public Comment—
The applicant’s representative, Pamela Jardini, provided a brief overview of the tree removal
project.
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, SECONDED BY VICE
CHAIR MINNICK, CARRIED 4-0-2 (Members Rosten and Root absent, one vacant seat), to
forward the following conditional recommendation to the Planning Commission:
•Before approving the project, the applicant must provide an updated, accurate, description
of the tree species, size (DBH), and count of the trees to be removed. The Tree Committee
believed that approving the project with an inaccurate description could potentially expose
the City to litigation in the future.
•Replace the 16 canopy shade trees with a minimum of 24-inch box trees.
•Replace the 17 perimeter trees and 11 street trees along Broad Street with a minimum of
36-inch box trees.
•Engineered soil should also be used for the 31 parking lot trees as an alternative to
providing more physical space for those trees to grow.
•Require that replaced trees throughout the project are 30% native species, at minimum.
4.Arborists Report:
A.Update on the Request for Proposals for Pruning Services
B.Organizational assessment and other studies
C.Identification for Tree Committee Members when performing site visits
D.Tree Committee Appeal Fee implementation on July 1, 2021
E.Update on new Tree Committee signage
Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of July 26, 2021 Page 3
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:49 p.m. The next Special Meeting of the Tree Committee is
scheduled for Monday, August 23, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. at the Corporation Yard, 25 Prado Road,
San Luis Obispo, California.
APPROVED BY THE TREE COMMITTEE: 09/27/2021