2022-08-04 Tree Board Agenda10Citizens' Tree Board Meeting Agenda
August 4, 2022 at 6:OOPM Staff Contact: Deb Powers
425-771-0220
Tree Board meetings take place in Council Chambers in the Public Safety Complex located at 250 51" Avenue N.
Edmonds, Washington
CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL
Reading of Land Acknowledgement for Indigenous Peoples
We acknowledge the original inhabitants of this place, the Sdohobsh (Snohomish) people and
their successors the Tulalip Tribes, who since time immemorial have hunted, fished, gathered,
and taken care of these lands. We respect their sovereignty, their right to self-determination,
and we honor their sacred spiritual connection with the land and water.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
AUDIENCE COMMENTS - we respectfully request that guests limit comments to 5 minutes.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. Annual/Ongoing Events
a. Report out: tree ID signage at garden tour, discuss sign storage
b. Update on Summer Farmer's Market Booth (same as fall Arbor Day event & proclamation?)
2. Special Events/Projects
a. Sierra Park interpretive sign project update
b. Tree Walk at City Park
c. Tree code mock scenario "pop quiz," discuss proposed code amendments list
d. 7/13/2022 Planning Board Tree Code update briefing report out — Confirm joint mtg date
NEW BUSINESS
1. ECDC 1.05.010 —meeting absences
2. Mission statement
TREE BOARD CHAIR, MEMBER COMMENTS
ADJOURNMENT
Upcoming Tree Board meeting dates: September 1, October 5, November 3, December 1, 2022.
CITY OF EDMONDS
�, � TREE BOARD
�., Summary Minutes of Regular Meeting
July 7, 2022
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Chair Cass called the Tree Board meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Board Members Present
Janelle Cass, Chair
Bill Phipps, Vice Chair
Chris Eck
Bill Grant
Wendy Kliment
Crane Stavig
Ross Dimmick (Alternate)
Board Members Absent
Andy Lyon
Staff Present
Deb Powers, Urban Forest Planner
Others Present
Laura Johnson, Edmonds City Council Representative
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT — ROLL CALL — INTRODUCTIONS
Board Member Stavig read the Land Acknowledgement.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The agenda was approved as presented.
MINUTES:
Approval of 6/2/22 Tree Board Minutes
It was noted that under Special Events/Projects, the President of the Alliance Club should be corrected to President of
the Lion's Club.
The 6/2/22 Tree Board minutes were approved as corrected.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS
Linda Ferkin sg tad expressed concerns about her family's challenges with efforts to develop their property due to critical
areas and tree regulations. They have reached the maximum fee cap of $107,000 of fees to remove their trees and can't
live on their property until they pay the City. She stated that the City's tree seizures and excessive fees have decreased
property values and the owners' equity. She believes the original intent of the tree ordinance was to avoid clearcutting
and to encourage more trees planted on properties without trees, not to restrict needed homes from being built. She
pleaded with the City to rescind the regulations and help them to avoid litigation.
Ms. Powers commented that the Council had asked staff to include Ms. Ferkingstad as a stakeholder as they proceed
with the tree updates. Ms. Ferkingstad acknowledged this but noted that this has taken an inordinate amount of time,
and they have been obstructed by the Planning Department throughout the process.
NEW BUSINESS
Tree Code Update Project
Urban Forest Planner Deb Powers introduced this topic and reviewed the scope of this project (Phase 2 Tree
Code Amendments). There are three objectives which were established by the City Council and reaffirmed by
the Planning Board: Phase 2 Code Amendments related to property owner tree removal, minor changes to the
current code, and continued implementation of the Urban Forest Management Plan. She discussed tree code
within a policy framework and the code amendment process under the lens of prof ect management. Clarification
question and answers happened throughout the presentation.
There was discussion about how the Board should bring up and discuss their suggestions throughout the process.
Joint meetings with the Planning Board will be important in this process. Ms. Powers then discussed the current
code, gave a broad overview of prospective amendments, and reasons for those amendments.
Board members discussed details and clarifications of the current tree removal and replacement regulations;
fees -in -lieu regulations, tree retention incentives, pros and cons of tree banks, the legality of the City's claims
on trees on private property, the equity of forcing people to keep their trees, and the ramifications of taking no
action.
Councilmember Johnson gave some historical perspective of Council's actions related to this. She asked about
the possibility of fast tracking the parts of this that are known to be troublesome for people. Ms. Powers
discussed the complexities and limitations of speeding up certain parts. She spoke to the benefits of working on
all parts simultaneously and summarized that speeding up one part still would not shorten the overall timeline.
There was further discussion on the timeline for the updates and the Board's role in proposing amendments and
making recommendations. There was a consensus by the Board to set aside time on the agenda over the next
few months to take a more detailed walk through the code.
TREE BOARD MEMBER IDEAS AND COMMENTS
None
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:18 p.m.
Next meeting: August 4