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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3a. 06-27-2022 TC Draft Minutes 1 Tree Committee Minutes June 27, 2022, 5:30 p.m. Council Hearing Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo Tree Committee Members Present: Member Alan Bate, Member Henry Bonifas, Member Emily Rosten, Member Sadie Weller, Vice Chair Elizabeth Lucas Tree Committee Members Absent: Chair Daniel Canella City Staff Present: Acting City Arborist Anthony Whipple, Deputy Director of Maintenance Greg Cruce, Deputy City Clerk Megan Wilbanks _____________________________________________________________________ 1. CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Tree Committee was called to order on June 27, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, by Vice Chair Lucas. 2. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Public Comment: None --End of Public Comment-- 3. CONSENT Motion By Member Weller Second By Member Rosten To approve Consent Item 3a. 3.a CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES - APRIL 25, 2022 TREE COMMITTEE MINUTES Approve the Tree Committee Minutes of April 25, 2022. *Vice Chair Lucas reordered the agenda to hear Item 5a, 1170 Islay Street Tree Removal Application, before New Business. Page 5 of 25 2 5. TREE REMOVAL APPLICATION 5.a 1170 ISLAY STREET TREE REMOVAL APPLICATION The Applicant, David Ketchum, provided a brief overview of the application and responded to questions raised. Vice Chair Lucas opened the Public Hearing Public Comments: None --End of Public Comment-- Vice Chair Lucas closed the Public Hearing Motion By Member Rosten Second By Member Bate The Tree Committee recommends the Community Development Director approve Tree Removal Application SR#12656 and direct the applicant to replant at a 1:1 ratio with a 15-gallon tree from the City’s Master Tree List. Ayes (5): Member Bate, Member Bonifas, Member Rosten, Member Weller, and Vice Chair Lucas Absent (1): Chair Canella CARRIED (5 to 0) 4. NEW BUSINESS 4.a REVIEW PROPOSED STREET TREE LIST FOR THE 2022 CITY ENGINEERING STANDARDS UPDATE Interim City Arborist Anthony Whipple and Deputy Director of Maintenance Greg Cruce presented the Draft Master Street Tree List, prepared by Matt Ritter, PhD Professor of Biological Sciences, and responded to Commission inquiries. Vice Chair Lucas opened the Public Hearing Public Comments: None --End of Public Comment-- Vice Chair Lucas closed the Public Hearing Page 6 of 25 3 ACTION: Collectively, the Tree Committee reviewed and discussed the proposed Master Street Tree List and provided the following feedback to staff for the 2022 City Engineering Standards Update. This item will return to Tree Committee at a future date for further refinement.  Consider formatting the list into a table to provide a reader-friendly view that breaks down the specific situations when it's appropriate to plant a certain tree species. For instance, Mexican Fan Palms should not be planted under power lines due to their height, and Pepper, Toyon, California Buckeye, and Pineapple Guava trees are not ideal for planting along sidewalks due to their fruit and leaf litter but would be acceptable if planted in a backyard.  Consider removing the Dawn Redwood tree because they require heavy watering  Consider removing the Mulga tree due to its toxic wood, which causes painful festering splinters  Consider removing the Naked Coral tree due to its thorns  Consider removing the Hollyleaf Cherry tree due to its heavy fruit and leaf litter  Consider removing the Pineapple Guava tree due to its heavy fruit and leaf litter  Consider removing the Red-Cap Gum tree because its rare and slow- growing  Consider removing the Edible Fig tree due to its heavy fruit and leaf litter  Consider removing the Australian Tee tree because it doesn't handle pruning well  Consider removing the Pygmy Date Palm tree because its slow-growing  Consider removing the Coral trees due to its heavy leaf litter  Consider removing the Red Flowering Gum due to its trunk size being too large for the City's small tree wells  Consider removing the Chinese Pistache tree as some communities have designated them as an invasive species  Consider removing the Carrot W ood tree due to its ability to propagate quickly and heavy leaf litter  Staff to prepare a comparison of what is currently listed on the City's Master Street Tree List versus Dr. Ritter's proposed list Page 7 of 25 4 6. COMMENT AND DISCUSSION 6.a ARBORIST REPORT Acting City Arborist Anthony Whipple and Deputy Director of Maintenance Greg Cruce provided an update of upcoming projects and activities in the Tree Division. 7. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:26 p.m. The next Regular Meeting of the Tree Committee is scheduled for July 25, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. _________________________ APPROVED BY TREE COMMITTEE: XX/XX/2022 Page 8 of 25