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Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of September 28, 2020 Page 1
Minutes
TREE COMMITTEE
Monday, September 26, 2020
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,
September 28, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. via teleconference by Chair Alan Bate.
ROLL CALL
Present: Committee Members Elizabeth Lucas, Rodney Thurman, Vice Chair Jane
Worthy, and Chair Alan Bate
Absent: Committee Members Scott Loosley, Sean O’Brien, and Allen Root
Staff: Ron Combs, City Arborist and Megan Wilbanks, Deputy City Clerk
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Consideration of the Tree Committee Meeting Minutes of August 25, 2020.
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBER THURMAN, SECONDED BY
COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, CARRIED 4-0-3 (Members Loosley, O’Brien, and Root
absent), the Tree Committee approved the Minutes of August 25, 2020.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Will Powers
--End of Public Comment--
TREE REMOVAL APPLICATIONS
2. 675 Stoneridge Dr.
City Arborist Combs provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries.
The applicant, Thor Krichevsky, provided a brief overview of the tree removal project.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment—
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF VICE CHAIR WORTHY, SECONDED BY CHAIR BATE,
CARRIED 4-0-3 (Members Loosley, O’Brien, and Root absent), to deny the Tree Removal
Application based on insufficient findings to support removal.
Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of September 28, 2020 Page 2
3. 4421 Brookpine (HOA Pathway Trees)
City Arborist Combs provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries.
The applicant, Casey Guenther and Christine Noffz with Islay Hill HOA, provided a brief
overview of the tree removal project.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment—
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBER THURMAN, SECONDED BY
COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, CARRIED 4-0-3 (Members Loosley, O’Brien, and Root
absent), to allow removal of four Cottonwood trees and require replacement at a 1:1 ratio with
15-gal trees or greater.
4. 529 Hathway Ave.
City Arborist Combs provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries.
The applicant, Alvin White, and Ron Rinell with Bunyon Bros provided a brief overview of
the tree removal project.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment—
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF CHAIR BATE, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER
THURMAN, CARRIED 4-0-3 (Members Loosley, O’Brien, and Root absent), to continue
review of this item to the October 26, 2020 Tree Committee meeting.
5. 1348 Alder St.
City Arborist Combs provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries.
The applicant, Lisa Ajanel, provided a brief overview of the tree removal project.
Public Comment:
Bill Nevins
Marcia Nevins
--End of Public Comment—
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, SECONDED BY
COMMITTEE MEMBER THURMAN, CARRIED 3-1-3 (Vice Chair Worthy dissenting,
Members Loosley, O’Brien, and Root absent), to approve the Tree Removal Application and
require that the applicant plant a 24-inch box replacement tree.
Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of September 28, 2020 Page 3
6. 880 Leff St.
City Arborist Combs provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries.
The applicant’s representative, Ron Rinell with Bunyon Bros, provided a brief overview of the
tree removal project.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment—
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, SECONDED BY
CHAIR BATE, CARRIED 3-1-3 (Member Thurman dissenting, Members Loosley, O’Brien,
and Root absent), to deny the Tree Removal Application based on insufficient findings to
support removing the tree.
7. 1159 Islay St.
City Arborist Combs provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries.
The applicant, Chris Knauer, provided a brief overview of the tree removal project.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment—
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF VICE CHAIR WORTHY, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LUCAS, CARRIED 4-0-3 (Members Loosley, O’Brien, and Root absent), to deny
the Tree Removal Application based on insufficient findings to support removing the tree.
BUSINESS ITEMS
8. New Business: Tree removals at a Mixed-Use project located at 830 Orcutt Road, ARCH-
0764-2019.
City Arborist Combs provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries. Associate
Planner Kyle Bell presented the staff report and PowerPoint presentation and responded to
Committee inquiries.
The applicant, Bryan Ridley, provided a brief overview of the tree removal project.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment—
Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of September 28, 2020 Page 4
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBER THURMAN, SECONDED BY
CHAIR BATE, CARRIED 4-0-3 (Vice Chair Worthy abstaining, Members Loosley, O’Brien,
and Root absent), the Tree Committee is in support of the project with the following
recommendations to the Planning Commission:
• Replace the street trees designated as Strawberry Madrones with Chinese Pistache
• Along the creek, incorporate two additional Coast Live Oaks, (all oaks in a 36-inch box),
to bring the number of total replacement trees onsite to 21
9. New Business: Tree removals for a Residential Care Facility at 1691 Fredericks Street
(ARCH-0073-2020)
City Arborist Combs provided a presentation and responded to Committee inquiries. Associate
Planner Kyle Bell presented the staff report and PowerPoint presentation and responded to
Committee inquiries.
The applicants, Tim Ronda and Scott Wright, provided a brief overview of the tree removal
project.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment—
ACTION: UPON MOTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBER THURMAN, SECONDED BY
COMMITTEE MEMBER LUCAS, CARRIED 4-0-3 (Members Loosley, O’Brien, and Root
absent) the Tree Committee is in support of the project with the following recommendations
to the Planning Commission:
• Switch the proposed planting list for the parking lot trees from London Plane to Chinese
Pistashe
• Consider changing the proposed planting list for the driveway trees from Chinese Pistache
to Tristania or Crape Myrtle
• Move the London Planes to a different part of the site plan to allow a larger planting area
10. Old Business: Tree Removal Application review process.
ACTION: By consensus, the Committee moved to continue this item to the next Special Tree
Committee meeting on October 26, 2020.
Minutes – Tree Committee Meeting of September 28, 2020 Page 5
COMMENT AND DISCUSSION
11.Arborist Report: Tree Committee Goal Setting discussion
•Budget for maintenance of trees
•Budget for a Development Review Arborist staff member
•Update the tree inventory or Urban Forest Master Plan
•Disseminating service request tasks to contracted Arborists and other support staff
ACTION: By consensus, the Committee moved to continue this item to the next Special Tree
Committee meeting on October 26, 2020.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 p.m. The next Special Meeting of the Tree Committee is
scheduled for Monday , October 26, 2020 at 5:3 0 p.m. via teleconference.
APPROVED BY THE TREE COMMITTEE: 10/26/2020