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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-26-2018 TC Minutes Minutes TREE COMMITTEE Monday, February 26, 2018 Regular Meeting of the Tree Committee Commission CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the Tree Committee was called to order on Monday, February 26, 2018 at 5:03 p.m. in the Corporation Yard Conference Room, located at 25 Prado Road, San Luis Obispo, California, by Chair Scott Loosley. ROLL CALL Present: Alan Bate, Ben Parker, Angela Soll, J Rodney Thurman, Jane Worthy, Chair Scott Loosley Absent: Sean O’Brien Staff: Ron Combs, City Arborist PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Dave Hannings, Monterey Street, spoke about the Dallidet Adobe upcoming projects and landscaping/planting plans. He gave an overview on the tree that needs to be removed and wanted to set up a meeting with Committee so that they could review the project on site. Libbie Agran discussed wine history in the area and specifically at the Dallidet Adobe; she gave an overview of wine growing-related projects. She discussed far-ranging efforts to bring the Dallidet more into the community with expanded opportunities and hours. Will Powers stated he was discouraged by the direction the City is going regarding tree removals, noting that the west side of Garden Street between Marsh and Higuera did not have a single tree. He was concerned about replacement plantings being akin to “twigs.” Did not feel Council was protecting downtown trees. Vice Chair Parker confirmed that trees would be planted on the west side of Garden Street. Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of February 26, 2018 Page 2 Committee Member Soll also reported that she checked into engineered soils being implemented for Garden St. plantings. CONSENT AGENDA CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES 1. Consideration of January 22, 2018 Minutes ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER BATE, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR PARKER, to approve the January 22, 2018 minutes of the Tree Committee as submitted. Motion passed 5-0-2 on the following roll call vote: AYES: BATE, LOOSLEY, PARKER, SOLL, THURMAN, WORTHY NOES: NONE ABSENT: O’BRIEN PUBLIC HEARINGS BUSINESS ITEMS 2. Tree Removal Applications - 271 Madonna Road (16 misc. trees) Kyle Bell, City of San Luis Obispo planning representative, introduced himself and made himself available for questions. Chair Loosley noted that when the item came before the Committee previously, the Committee sent it back to planning with specific requests regarding planting plans and how the parking lot issues would be handled; the map this evening did not show any of this additional information. He stated he felt the project request was therefore incomplete. Mr. Combs reported that Steve Franzman from his department was involved with discussions and that there were two separate projects happening. The development of the Sears building will address the trees on El Mercado. The trees on the interior were part of the other development project. He stated that increasing the tree wells was possible and that it was felt there was enough excess parking to allow enlarging the tree wells. Mr. Bell discussed the tear-down of the Sears building and noted the replacement building would be smaller and not affect the footprint. He also Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of February 26, 2018 Page 3 discussed the required sidewalk improvements along El Mercado and the agencies involved in determining which trees needed to be removed. Mr. Combs also said that he met with representatives of the site and city staff about the sidewalk installation and saving larger trees, noting that bulb-outs might not work and drainage was causing issues to retain them. The Committee discussed the various aspects of development and had a concern that parking lot standards of trees need to provide 50% shade/canopy cover at full size and that preservation of existing trees should be a priority as well as expanding tree wells. The Committee requested two independent project applications to consider that include sidewalk modification plans for trees along the street, landscape plans within parking lot, and specific tree removals. The Committee agreed to continue the item to a date uncertain to allow for a more complete submittal process. - 4325 S. Higuera (5 misc. trees) Olivia Montalvo, applicant representative, noted this was a returning item and discussed the past Committee concerns re debris clearing of the drainage swale prior to having the trees removed. She reported all the debris and brush had been removed and a temporary pipe had been installed to help drainage. She presented and discussed new blueprints outlining the reconstruction of the existing swale and installing a bio-swale. She noted that several of the trees will not survive with all the movement of soil and sediment to implement the swale improvements. Suzanne Hassen, PG&E representative, reiterated that their primary intentions were to clean-up the debris and drainage issues and to be a good neighbor to the storage center south of this site that has been adversely affected by the previous drainage problems. Mary Weichert, Weichert Storage center representative, discussed past culvert issues and urged the Committee to allow the removals so problems can be fixed. Mr. Combs reported he could not make his necessary findings for removal. Committee Members Bate and Thurman stated they would abstain from voting, due to conflicts of interest. Public Comments: Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of February 26, 2018 Page 4 Chair Loosley opened the public hearing. Dr. Powers felt trees falling were a rare threat and should not be a reason to remove. Chair Loosley closed the public hearing Vice Chair Parker noted that PG&E had agreed to handle replacement tree requirement by paying money to the Urban Forest fund, but he felt strongly that trees needed to be planted on site, especially to provide shade on buildings to reduce power usage. The Committee discussed the item and did not feel the property damage mitigation could happen without losing the trees. They agreed trees should be planted on site. ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR PARKER, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE CHAIR LOOSLEY, to approve the removal request, based on promoting good arboricultural practice, and requiring five 24” box replacement trees to be chosen from the Master Street Tree list and planted within 45 days of tree removals. Motion passed 3-1-2-1 on the following roll call vote: AYES: LOOSLEY, PARKER, WORTHY NOES: SOLL ABSTAIN: BATE, THURMAN ABSENT: O’BRIEN - 653 Stanford (6 misc. trees) The applicant had requested to continue the item to the next meeting. - 1028 Peach (Liquid ambar) John Jacobson, applicant’s representative, discussed the removal request and development, as well as the installation of a PG&E pole to accommodate power needs on site, which required cutting limbs. He also outlined utility lines needing to be put in by the tree. The trenching involved will result in significant root impacts and the tree will also be an issue re the parking space requirement and front entry. He noted the City did require a replacement planting for a previous removal but didn’t require any specific additional planting plan for the development. Mr. Combs could not make his necessary findings at this time. Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of February 26, 2018 Page 5 Public Comments: Chair Loosley opened the public hearing. Dr. Powers felt previous tree limb cuts were disfiguring but felt the tree should be retained. He suggested the view shed from the second story might be another reason the applicant wanted the tree removed. Chair Loosley closed the public hearing The Committee discussed the item, clarified that the trenching plan and utility lines installation would probably ruin the tree, and expressed concern about the continual changes to the development that negatively affected the tree’s viability without update reviews. They were also frustrated with the lack of required landscaping on the barren site. It was noted that if the tree remained, it needed to be pruned. ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR PARKER, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER THURMAN, to approve the removal request, based on promoting good arboricultural practice, and requiring a 36” box replacement tree to be chosen from the Master Street Tree list and planted within the vicinity of the removal site prior to permit sign-off. Motion passed 3-3-1 on the following roll call vote: AYES: LOOSLEY, PARKER, THURMAN NOES: BATE, SOLL, WORTHY ABSENT: O’BRIEN It was determined that a tie-vote translates into a denial of the request. - 1185 Pacific (Quercus lobata) The item was continued to the next meeting. NEW BUSINESS Dr. Powers expressed concern about replacement planting requirements that were not being installed and the lack of follow-up to ensure that plantings take place and are cared for. He suggested the Committee make at least one follow-up check monthly on past permit situations to make sure applicants followed through. He noted bigger projects required checking on and gave Ramona St./California Fresh as an example. Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of February 26, 2018 Page 6 Mr. Combs reported that the owners had installed seven additional trees on that property because the original street trees planted were so small and weren’t staked properly, which they are now. The Committee agreed that it was a good idea and suggested Dr. Powers work with staff to form a volunteer follow-up committee to check on follow-through plantings. The sightings would need to be available from the street; members could only view and report back, not engage property owners or go on their property. They felt the volunteer committee would work well checking on larger developments and street tree plantings. The Committee noted some sites with staff that were still not planted. Mr. Combs reported he had a meeting with Cal Poly professor Matt Ritter and his class, working on inventory and needs to determine a budget request for support staff regarding tree plantings, etc. OLD BUSINESS There was no discussion at this time. ARBORIST REPORT Tree City USA application The City was approved as Tree City USA for the 35th year in a row. Mr. Combs recapped the ISA study sessions which prepared 20+ tree workers to take a test for Arbor Certification. The Committee discussed how to visit the Dallidet Adobe, per Dave Hannings request, without violating the Brown Act. The Committee agreed to schedule multiple visits on March 24 with Mr. Hannings, if possible. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Tree Committee is scheduled for Monday, March 26, 2018 at 5:00 p.m., at the Corporation Yard, 25 Prado Road, San Luis Obispo, California. APPROVED BY THE TREE COMMITTEE ON 03/26/2018