2020-09-03 Tree Board MinutesEdmonds Citizens' Tree Board
APPROVED - MEETING NOTES
September 3, 2020
The Edmonds Citizens' Tree Board Meeting was called to order at 6:02 p.m. by Board Member Frank Caruso via Zoom
meeting, Edmonds, WA.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:
STAFF PRESENT
Barbara Chase, Co -Chair
Kernen Lien, Environmental Programs Manager
Frank Caruso, Co -Chair
Gail Lovell
Doug Petersen
Bill Phipps
Suzanne Juergensen
Donna Murphy
Ross Dimmick Alternate
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT:
ELECTED OFFICIAL PRESENT
Diane Buckshnis, Kristiana Johnson, City Council
ELECTED OFFICIAL ABSENT
CALL TO ORDER:
Frank Caruso called the meeting to order, reading the Land Acknowledgement Statement.
ROLL CALL:
All Board members were present.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Barbara Chase had minor comments on the agenda. Agenda approved unanimously.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Meeting notes from March 2020 were never approved. Minor changes made (spelling of Edmonds Elementary School
principal name). Approved.
Meeting Notes from August 2020
• New business: need to correct the location of tree planting at Edmonds Elementary. Changed.
• City street tree manual to be complete in fall (not mid -September). Brochure will be done by Gail Lovell
consulting with Suzanne Juergensen.
• Minor other changes.
Approved with changes.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS:
No audience members in attendance.
OLD BUSINESS:
a. Street Tree Planting Plan. Gail Lovell said she and Debra Dill are continuing to meet every other week. Ongoing.
Tedious. To be finished late fall.
b. Web Links Project. Suzanne Juergensen testing them. Hopes to have finished document by next meeting.
c. Tree Board presentation to City Council. This was a virtual presentation. People contacted Councilmember
Buckshnis and were complimentary about the direction of the Tree Board and there were various compliments on
the quality of the presentation.
d. Edmonds Elementary School planting. Presented by Barbara Chase. Arborist will take out the old tree. Need to
set a day, probably a Saturday so it doesn't conflict with the school district arborist schedule. Agreed on
September 19 at 9 am. Need 2 or 3 Tree Board people. Need to follow-up with planting but will wait until early
October. Will decide on a date at the next meeting. Could spread wood chips around after removal. There are two
possible tree candidates: Autumn brilliance serviceberry or vine maple. Vine maple is probably not the best choice
because it likes shade. Preference in meeting for Autumn brilliance serviceberry. Budget up to $100. Suzanne
Juergensen will look at purchasing.
e. Tree tags. Presented by Bill Phipps. Reluctant to put tags up because some information may not be accurate.
Source of monetary value is from the tree benefits calculator, which will be discontinued. There will be a new
algorithm. For now, the calculator is still being used. Ross Dimmick explained his problems with the monetary
value on tree tags. Phipps will hang the tags with the monetary information taped over.
f. Draft tree resolution. Presented by Councilmember Kristiana Johnson. Looking at lots where trees have been
taken down. Gave example of all old trees being taken down on a subdivided lot except for one. Resolution
describes value of trees referencing UFMP and other organizations. Resolution has three sections: look at
existing rules and regulations to evaluate how clear cutting has been allowed prior to development; regulations
that could be aimed at preserving; where existing tree retention is not possible, consider ratio of tree replacement,
tree bank, etc. Idea is that City Council will provide direction and general guidance as staff move forward with
possible code revisions. Councilmember Buckshnis requested getting the document to read for next month. Frank
Caruso: look for resolution in email; review before the next meeting. Kernen Lien will be presenting to the City
Council. He will present code to the Planning Board every meeting from now to the end of the year for revisions.
Will incorporate low -impact development (LID) principles. Lien will have text for Tree Board by November
meeting.
NEW BUSINESS:
Senior Center plantings. Does the city arborist have input on parks and city streets? This is a new position; duties still
being defined. Kernen Lien said arborist does not do project review —responsibility is limited primarily to parks and
streets. The Senior Center went through the architectural design board, which included landscaping. This was an
extensive review. Landscape plan was approved at same time as building plan. Tree Board does not review these
plans.
Possible visit to urban forestry nursery in Mount Vernon. Debra Dill mentioned it to Barbara Chase. Chase and Suzanne
Juergensen would like to visit if somebody else drives.
TREE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS:
• Perrinville. Anything that can be done about it? Kernen Lien: Development application not submitted yet.
Vacation of right-of-way application. Don't know yet how many trees would be lost but critical areas will require
30% (1.49 acres) of native vegetation to remain. Question: could the city turn this into park? Councilmember
Buckshnis: city didn't have the money and steep slopes limited its usefulness. Current and past dumping on site
was liability. Extensive ivy on trees that would have to be removed. Wet areas.
• Tree bingo suggested by Donna Murphy. Connect to tree tags and Arbor Day.
• Would be good to find grant writers to preserve open space and trees. Councilmember Buckshnis: unaware of
any grant programs to preserve open space unless specifically for something like salmon recovery. Will there
be a developer's fee in proposed code? Forterra might be able to help on this. Suzanne Juergensen will check
to see if someone from Forterra can present to us in October. Councilmember Johnson: city does have a fund
to preserve open space but has not been contributing regularly and took money from the fund to cover a
shortfall for the waterfront center.
ADJOURN:
The meeting was adjourned by Frank Caruso at 7:48 p.m.
Submitted by Ross Dimmick
September 20, 2020 (revised October 1, 2020)