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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-27-2018 TC Minutes Minutes TREE COMMITTEE Monday, August 27, 2018 Regular Meeting of the Tree Committee Commission CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the Tree Committee was called to order on Monday, August 27, 2018 at 5:02 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, Elizabeth Lucas, Sean O’Brien, Rodney Thurman, Jane Worthy, Chair Scott Loosley Absent: Brian Rolph Staff: Ron Combs, Lisa Woske PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Dr. Will Powers, resident, reiterated his previous comments regarding several of the Garden Street replacement plantings being smaller than the mandated sizes. He felt the City needed to adhere to and follow up on their own rules and stated that if the matter wasn’t better addressed, he’d seek litigation to ensure compliance. He also expressed concerns about planted trees being too small in the Laurel Lane and bank of America projects and reiterated that the replacement tree in front of the Fremont Theater had not been planted more than a year later. CONSENT AGENDA CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES 1. Consideration of July 23, 2018 Minutes ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER THURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, to approve the July 23, 2018 minutes of the Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of August 27, 2018 Page 2 Tree Committee as submitted. Motion passed 6-0-1 on the following roll call vote: AYES: BATE, LOOSLEY, LUCAS, O’BRIEN, THURMAN, WORTHY NOES: NONE ABSENT: ROLPH PUBLIC HEARINGS BUSINESS ITEMS 2. Tree Removal Applications - 817 Vista del Brisa (Eucalyptus) Mr. Combs noted that the application was being resubmitted, as last time it was heard, the removal was automatically denied due to a voting tie. Harvey Minnick, neighbor and applicant’s representative, discussed the removal request and stated the tree was too large and out of control and the debris was continually clogging roof vents, damaging property and creating mold build-up. He submitted letters from the owner and neighbors supporting removal, as well as a current invoice for pruning. Judy Groat, neighbor and applicant’s representative, stated she had been sharing maintenance costs with owners and wanted the tree removed because it was causing hardship. Public Comments: Chair Loosley opened the public hearing. Dr. Powers did not favor removal. Chair Loosley closed the public hearing. The Committee discussed the re-submitted request and previous voting record on the item. ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER O’BRIEN, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER WORTHY, to approve the removal request, based on undue hardship, and replace with a 15-gallon tree to be chosen from the Master Street Tree list and planted within 45 days of tree removal. Motion passed 4-2-1 on the following roll call vote: Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of August 27, 2018 Page 3 AYES: LOOSLEY, LUCAS, O’BRIEN, WORTHY NOES: BATE, THURMAN ABSENT: ROLPH - 1526 Osos (Palm, acacia) Mike Baumberger, applicant, discussed the removal request and stated the palm had outgrown the area and that its size and location created a visibility safety issue for the driveway. He reported the acacia tree had limbs fail in the past and was causing fence damage. He said the neighbors supported removing the trees. Mr. Combs felt the acacia could be removed by the fence but the palm was large and healthy and he could not make his necessary findings. Public Comments: Chair Loosley opened the public hearing. Dr. Powers stated he lived next door to the property. He favored removal of the palm but felt the acacia could be retained. Chair Loosley closed the public hearing. Committee members Lucas and Worthy had not been able to view the acacia and would be abstaining from voting on that item. The Committee discussed the removal request for the palm and agreed the tree could be maintained. They discussed the acacia request and were concerned about structural failure for the growing three-trunk specimen. ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER O’BRIEN, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, to deny the removal request for the palm as the necessary findings for removal could not be made. Motion passed 6-0-1 on the following roll call vote: AYES: BATE, LOOSLEY, LUCAS, O’BRIEN, THURMAN, WORTHY NOES: NONE ABSENT: ROLPH Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of August 27, 2018 Page 4 ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER O’BRIEN, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER THURMAN, to approve the removal request for the acacia based on promoting good arboricultural practice and required one 15- gallon replacement tree to be chosen from the Master Street Tree list and planted within 45 days of tree removal. Motion passed 4-0-2-1 on the following roll call vote: AYES: BATE, LOOSLEY, O’BRIEN, THURMAN NOES: NONE ABSTAIN: LUCAS, WORTHY ABSENT: ROLPH - 1369 Sawleaf (Pepper) Mike Sullivan, applicant, discussed the removal request and stated the tree was too large for the area and the extensive roots were impacting the fence and causing potential issues for the neighbor, who sent an email in support of removing the tree. He stated the cost to continually prune the tree created a financial hardship. He noted the site was heavily planted and the nearby olive tree would thrive if pepper were removed. Mr. Combs stated the large tree was healthy, causing some fence damage, but that he could not make the findings to allow removal. Public Comments: Chair Loosley opened the public hearing. Dr. Powers felt a case could be made for both retaining and removing. Chair Loosley closed the public hearing. The Committee discussed the removal request and did not see evidence of damage and felt it could be pruned to mitigate concerns. ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER THURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER BATE, to deny the removal request for removal as necessary findings for removal could not be made. Motion passed 6-0-1 on the following roll call vote: AYES: BATE, LOOSLEY, LUCAS, O’BRIEN, THURMAN, WORTHY NOES: NONE ABSENT: ROLPH Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of August 27, 2018 Page 5 - 874 Church (Ash) David Efron, applicant, discussed the removal request and the aggressive roots which were causing continual sidewalk damage and getting into the sewer line annually; he submitted plumber bills. He stated there was a safety hazard with falling limbs and the power lines going through the tree. He reported that the roots had previously damaged the water meter and that he had made a significant effort to mitigate issues. Mr. Combs reported it was a large, healthy tree and that the city had been dealing with infrastructure issues over the years. Public Comments: Chair Loosley opened the public hearing. Dr. Powers felt a case could be made for both retaining and removing. Chair Loosley closed the public hearing. The Committee discussed the request and agreed it was too large for the parkway and was causing continual sidewalk damage. ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE CHAIR LOOSLEY, to approve the removal request, based on undue hardship, and replace with a 15-gallon tree to be chosen from the Master Street Tree list and planted within 45 days of tree removal. Motion passed 6-0-1 on the following roll call vote: AYES: BATE, LOOSLEY, LUCAS, O’BRIEN, THURMAN, WORTHY NOES: NONE ABSENT: ROLPH - 4115 Broad (4 eucalyptus) Jim Pugh, Greenvale Tree Service, applicant’s representative, discussed the removal request and stated that past limb failure had damaged a car and that there had been previous removals due to rot. He felt the trees had outgrown the area, presented a hazard, and showed evidence of some decay. He stated the trees were too close to the communication boxes. The trees #1 & #2 along the driveway were causing hardscape damage and the trees #3 & #4 along the Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of August 27, 2018 Page 6 MindBody walkway presented pedestrian hazard. He discussed the replacement planting ratio of 2:1. Mr. Combs reported that the large eucalyptus had some structural flaws but he could not make his necessary findings for removal. The Committee discussed the removal request and agreed to vote on the trees separately. Committee member O’Brien stated he did not see Tree #1. ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER BATE, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, to approve the removal request for Tree #1, based on promoting good arboricultural practice, and replace with two 15-gallon trees to be chosen from the Master Street Tree list and planted within 45 days of tree removals. Motion passed 5-0-1-1 on the following roll call vote: AYES: BATE, LOOSLEY, LUCAS, THURMAN, WORTHY NOES: NONE ABSTAIN: O’BRIEN ABSENT: ROLPH ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE CHAIR LOOSLEY, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER O’BRIEN, to approve the removal request for Tree #2, based on promoting good arboricultural practice, and replace with two 15-gallon trees to be chosen from the Master Street Tree list and planted within 45 days of tree removals. Motion passed 4-2-1 on the following roll call vote: AYES: LOOSLEY, LUCAS, O’BRIEN, THURMAN NOES: BATE, WORTHY ABSENT: ROLPH ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE CHAIR LOOSLEY, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, to deny the removal of Trees #3 & #4, as the required findings could not be made. Motion passed 6-0-1 on the following roll call vote: AYES: BATE, LOOSLEY, LUCAS, O’BRIEN, THURMAN, WORTHY NOES: NONE ABSENT: ROLPH Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of August 27, 2018 Page 7 - 1010 Foothill (Camphor) Melinda Marteen, applicant’s representative, discussed the removal request and stated the tree was too close to the foundation and that the roots had damaged the hardscape and were buckling the floor. She also felt the tree seemed stressed and discussed a root-cuttings program. Richard Shashelsky, representative, discussed past prunings that had not been completed properly. Mr. Combs discussed the topping issues and agreed the roots were causing hardscape damage and some minor cracking. Public Comments: Chair Loosley opened the public hearing. Dr. Powers suggested an engineering report would confirm whether there were issues with the foundation and that the tree should be retained until further investigation was possible. Chair Loosley closed the public hearing. The Committee discussed the removal request and agreed that the tree was very misshapen, and that there was minimal evidence of hardscape damage. They agreed an engineering report would determine any structural issues being caused by roots. The Committee agreed to continue to item until applicant could come back with some structural reports. - 764 Mill (3 trees) Micah Smith, applicant’s representative, discussed the removal request as well as the parking and replacement plans for the development. He outlined site plans as well. The Committee discussed the fact that the tree address and development plan didn’t coincide and the planning process caused concern and confusion about how to move forward. They continued the item and requested the applicant re-submit a tree removal proposal plan for 750 Mill with full site plans. Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of August 27, 2018 Page 8 - 145 South St, Lot B5 & B8 (Sycamore, pittosporum) Audrey Galler, applicant’s representative, discussed the removal request and the larger overhaul of the Park which will include all new, larger mobile homes. Driveways were required to be installed for each home and these trees were in the way. She discussed the landscaping that would be incorporated. Mr. Combs stated the trees were only slightly over the diameter limit and were in reasonable health and that he could not make the necessary findings for removal. The Committee discussed the removal request and agreed to continue the item until landscape plans could be made available for consideration re the removal permit. NEW BUSINESS There were no items to discuss. OLD BUSINESS There were no items to discuss. ARBORIST REPORT There were no items to discuss. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Tree Committee is scheduled for Monday, September 24, 2018 at 5:00 p.m., at the Corporation Yard, 25 Prado Road, San Luis Obispo, California. APPROVED BY THE TREE COMMITTEE ON 09/24/2018