2012-01-05 Tree Board MinutesCity of Edmonds
Citizen Tree Board
Minutes
January 5, 2012
Members present: John Botton, Anna -Marie Heckman, Laura Spehar, Sandy Seligmiller
Members Absent: none.
Staff Present: Planner Kernen Lien, Arborist Dave Timbrook
Board members Joan Bloom, Dawna Lahti, and Barbara Tipton have resigned.
Three replacements have been advertised for as of January 5 and are expected to be
confirmed by March.
The Board wants to acknowledge the valuable contributions of the 3 members who have
left for various new pursuits. Thank you for your time, dedication and ideas, and each of
you will be missed greatly.
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Anna Marie Heckman.
The December 2011 minutes were approved with corrections as follows:
Date of meeting was December 1, an additional attendee was Joan Bloom.
There were no audience comments, reports or presentations.
Unfinished business:
We'll discuss possibility of new meeting date or time if group wants it, and assign job roles,
when new members are present (in March ?). The city website contact is Jana Spellman and
the Tree Board's contact on website matters is Sandy Seligmiller.
The thank -you card to Libby Soden of SnohPUD was sent, and Anna learned that Libby has
recently retired from her job.
We are still awaiting Tree City USA status confirmation. Whether or not additional information
specific to tree maintenance schedules and timelines is needed is as yet unknown, but will be
provided if requested. It is also possible we may have to consolidate the separate pieces of our
existing tree code in order to maintain good standing.
Heritage Tree Program discussion:
Dave Timbrook mentioned an existing Memorial Tree program budget and that it doesn't
appear to include any dedicated maintenance funding. He also listed the four trees in
Edmonds/Woodway that are on the list of Washington State Champion Trees as of 1996
(largest in size by point system):
Malus ? (crabapple) 220th & 76th
Corpus mas (Cornelian cherry/dogwood) 93rd & 192nd
Magnolia kobus (Kobushi star magnolia) 1 block from ? Park
Sorbus domestica (service tree) ?
The City of Spokane's Heritage Tree Program included in the research packet was agreed to
be a good model for our program. Anna felt it was well designed and exemplifies a positive
approach, which will be beneficial as an early step in attracting citizen support as we tackle
reviewing and revising the Tree Code. Sandy will look into how to adapt or utilize Spokane's
model to develop our own program. Heritage Tree Program seems the likely name we will use.
No known Landmark or Heritage Tree program now exists in Edmonds.
Discussion included specifics of maintenance issues, arborist review of designated trees,
health determinations, removal process, benefits to participants. Kernan Lien suggested that
the Department of Public Works would be the most likely city partner and that potential funding
may exist through Public Works. Other potential funding sources to investigate include a
current grant to Edmonds Parks from the National Parks Service for "cultural heritage" projects,
mentioned by Laura Spehar. Sandy will contact Carrie Hite about this possibility. How to best
approach the city and city Council about developing the program was also discussed. Kernan
suggested we might wait for preliminary OK from the Council before we spend too much time.
Laura suggested the possibility of a public survey to discern public support of a Heritage Tree
Program, ie. through Survey Monkey.
Other discussion:
We will have a table set-up at the Environmental Open -House Event on January 10, put on
by the Parks Department and the Edmonds Wildlife Habitat Program. Anna will be there to
represent the Tree Board. Laura will also be there in her role as organizer of the event and
ambassador for the Wildlife program.
Goals for 2012:
° Tree City USA designation confirmation
° Heritage Tree Program underway
° Arbor Day Event with Tree Board as main hosts, 1 st Saturday in October,
establish committee and lead
° Tree Code development and revision, at minimum a plan with timeline, designated lead
° Establish grant/funding source committee and lead
° Establish partnerships
New Business:
Anna will present the Tree Board's Annual Report summary of last year's progress to the
City Council soon. She will also introduce the Heritage Tree Program and will check on which
council sub -committee to contact for support.
Grants discussion:
Backyard Wildlife Program has funding for fruit trees.
When Tree City USA status is achieved, the process of developing our Heritage Tree
Program and other activities gives us points, and increased funding possibilities.
Edmonds Parks has a `Preserve America' grant from the National Parks Service for
"Cultural Heritage" that may be a possible source of help with our Heritage Tree Program.
Tree Code Discussion:
Our intent is to begin discussing current tree codes and our ideas, including what we see
lacking and amendments needed. Kernan suggested making #18:45 a priority out of all the
existing codes. This addresses Land Clearing and Tree Cutting protections on private property.
Some recent additions to this code (18:45:07.03) were discussed. Kernan will email us with
Planning Board issues that are relevant to the Tree Board. We will continue tree code
discussions next month. The process is expected to take some time.
In the coming year:
What would we like funding for? Watch for the right funding matches.
Reach out to City Council on regular basis and talk to appropriate sub -committees? Laura will
meet with Mayor Earling to learn about the Council's interests. We will appoint a member to
stay tuned to Council agendas and minutes.
Laura has agreed to be Grant Committee lead. Dave has a school site where Parks would like
to establish an edible food garden, and she will look into fruit tree grants.
Science and New Information lead?
Have one person gather and disseminate reading suggestions, website links, etc.
Regular paragraph about our activities in The Beacon?
What do we need from Kernan for next month's tree code discussion?
What are each city department's Tree Code issues?
Possibly have presentations on this from Parks, Public Works, Planning, and Engineering when
all seven board members are in place. Invite City Council member(s)?
The meeting adjourned at 7:55 pm.
Respectfully submitted by:
Sandy Seligmiller
Monday, January 9, 2012