2023-05-04 Tree Board MinutesE CITY OF EDMONDS
TREE BOARD
��� Summary Minutes of Regular Meeting
May 4, 2023
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 (online)
Wendy Kliment
Crane Stavig
Kevin Fagerstrom
Ross Dimmick (alternate)
Board Members Absent
Andy Lyon (excused)
Staff Present
Deb Powers, Urban Forest Planner
David Levitan, Planning Manager
Others Present
Jenna Nand, Edmonds City Council Liaison
Vice Chair Phipps reported that Board Member Lyon had contacted him and indicated that he may have to resign.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Board Member Fagerstrom read the land acknowledgement.
MINUTES
Approval of April 6, 2023 Tree Board Minutes
The April 6, 2023 Tree Board minutes were approved as presented.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion passed by Board Member Dimmick, seconded by Board Member Kliment, to remove the tree
code update from the agenda. Motion passed.
The agenda was approved as amended.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS
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May 4, 2023
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There were no audience comments.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Final 2023 Tree Board Work Plan/Budget
• Chair Cass thought they had voted to remove Heritage Trees from the 2023 Work Plan. Ms. Powers
explained that it's shown as a potential project, not under an approved 2023 Work Plan item. Chair
Cass reiterated that the group thought this would be too controversial and had voted to remove it.
Councilmember Nand said she could see the value of memorializing that it was tabled in 2023.
Chair Cass thought that would be reflected in the minutes. Ms. Powers recommended having a
separate list of potential projects to be able to look at at the beginning of every year for possible
projects or programs to work on. If they do that, Chair Cass thought there should be a reference to
the particular minutes where this was discussed. Councilmember Nand thought this could be
valuable if it wasn't too much work for staff. Chair Cass offered to add a note to reflect that in the
FTP document.
Ms. Powers addressed the "controversial" part of a heritage tree program and clarified that the
heritage tree program as a goal in the Urban Forest Management Plan is voluntary and is not related
to any legal protection. She referred to the history and guidelines of Plant Amnesty's volunteer
Heritage Tree Program. She emphasized that there is no level of protection or legal requirement for
that property owner or future property owners to protect those trees unless they opt to do that. Chair
Cass replied that the Board already discussed it and opted not to include it in 2023. She will add a
note to the document to reflect this. Ms. Powers noted the steps for developing either program are
the same. She recommended that if the Board wants to remove Heritage Trees from the Work Plan,
the description of steps is added to the Exceptional Tree program.
Board Member Kliment noted that Board Member Lyon was going to head the Exceptional Tree
program as well as the Sierra Park project. She wondered who would handle those now. Vice Chair
Phipps said he will talk with Board Member Lyons about the status of Sierra Park signs.
There was consensus to add the title "Not Approved for 2023 Work Plan" below the approved
projects and above the potential projects to clearly distinguish that the Heritage Tree Program item
was not approved for the 2023 Work Plan.
2. Discuss upcoming events/projects
• Garden Tour Signs - Board Member Kliment asked who to contact. Ms. Powers is working with
tour committee members to identify trees and once the signs are ready to print, will pass along that
information to her, the same as last year. She noted that six gardens have been selected. Vice Chair
Phipps passed on a list of signs that he already has saved from last year. Ms. Powers mentioned that
using the signs from last year depends on the gardens/trees this year. Chair Cass will forward Carol's
contact information to Board Member Kliment.
• Arbor Day — Board Member Fagerstrom said the booth is reserved, paid for, and ready to go. They
still need to talk about tree purchases. He volunteered a utility trailer for the event to pick up the
trees. The Board has not decided whether they will do a raffle this year. Vice Chair Phipps has 25
conifers that are doing well at his house. Board Member Stavig said he contacted a wholesale tree
grower in Oregon and another nursery in Oregon. There was some discussion about options for any
trees that might be leftover. Ms. Powers noted that if the trees were purchased with city funds, they
need to consider how any leftovers can be planted on public property. Councilmember Nand
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May 4, 2023
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commented she has heard that some cities are prioritizing planting edible plants and fruit -bearing
trees so that people can one day go into public spaces and forage food. Board Member Stavig noted
that there is a food forest in Seattle. Ms. Powers noted that Cascadia College has one too. There was
some discussion about factors to consider with fruit and nut trees such as pollination needs. The
Board discussed how to bring critical areas as a public education component for Arbor Day. Ms.
Powers displayed the critical areas layer on the city's online GIS map which they had discussed
using at the event. She noted that the 25% slope layer could be printed out in color for display on
an easel in case the live versions on laptops don't work with the Wi-Fi. There was interest in
understanding the mechanism used to measure the slope. Ms. Powers noted that it is based on aerial
imagery, and they could submit a request online about anything related to GIS mapping. The Board
was interested in having wetlands included on the map because tree removals are also limited in
those areas. Board members liked the idea of being able to enter people's addresses on a laptop at
the event in order to show them if they are in a critical area. It was noted that the map is a screening
tool but is not 100% accurate. The Board expressed an interest in having some sort of informational
handout that includes a QR code to the Tree Board website where people can also find a link to the
GIS information.
• Tree Walk Tour — The budget was previously approved to pay a contractor for a tour in early
October on a Saturday, potentially the Saturday following the Arbor Day event. The contractor is
familiar with the area and will be selecting the best location for the tour. Councilmember Nand
suggested adding a second tour led by a volunteer along the Interurban Trail for people that don't
come down to The Bowl very often.
3. Proposed Project Status
• Sierra Park Signs- Continued to next time. (Board Member Lyons is currently lead.)
• Exceptional Street Tree Designation — Continued to next time. (Board Member Lyons is currently
lead.)
4. Tree Code Amendments — Removed from agenda.
Ms. Powers briefly noted that it has been proposed to have a joint Planning Board/Tree Board meeting
in June or July with a date to be determined.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Events/projects under consideration
• Tree voucher program — Vice Chair Phipps gave an update on what he learned from his research
about the tree voucher program in Lynnwood. Kayla Grattan, who is involved with the City of
Lynnwood's program, offered to come speak to the Board at some point if there is interest. The
program is City -run and supported by staff with an estimated 10 hours per week. Councilmember
Nand asked to have this information conveyed to the Council. She will work with the administration
to determine the best way to do this. She noted that this could be something that they block grant to
a community group or a non-profit to manage so it wouldn't necessarily require staff time. Vice
Chair Phipps said he could write up a summary to give to Council. Ms. Powers thought this was a
good project but also noted that the City could focus on increasing resources for managing existing
trees, starting with an inventory so they know what they actually have. Vice Chair Phipps said he
has been in contact with Director McLaughlin who has some ambitious plans for street trees.
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Councilmember Nand encouraged the Board to talk to the Council about why street trees and
beautification needs to be a priority for the City's budget because it plays into a lot of things like
shade equity, perceptions of the city, environmental aspects, urban canopy, urban wildlife, etc. Vice
Chair Phipps also referred to his discussion with Director McLaughlin about Green Streets.
Review of development projects — Vice Chair Phipps discussed his idea of following a project
through its development process with regards to tree retention. Ms. Powers said if staff asked private
property owners or developers to come on their property, that might be an undue influence.
Councilmember Nand said Director Feser was looking into Parks property development that might
be an opportunity for the Tree Board to explore. Ms. Powers pointed out that capital projects don't
always involve Planning or her review. She suggested she could do another mock development
scenario exercise that might help the Board. The Board was interested in this as a future activity.
2. Discussion regarding a printed letter from an anonymous citizen that was received by Vice Chair Phipps,
who distributed hard copies at the April 6, 2023 Tree Board meeting:
• Board Member Dimmick spoke to land use conflicts between built environments and trees that he
has experienced personally and professionally similar to those mentioned in the letter. It is important
for the Tree Board to be aware of those conflicts.
• Councilmember Nand commented that from a legal perspective, everything the citizen is suggesting
is requesting that government conduct overreach on private property. This is a dispute between two
property owners and government has no role in telling one property owner what to do.
• Board Member Stavig commented that there were conflicting points made in the letter where the
person complained about Douglas Fir trees on the fence line causing plants on the other side of the
fence line to suffer because of the shade. The person mentions "right plant, right place" and yet
planted the wrong plants for that place. Board Member Dimmick thought it had more to do with
not having a choice. He reiterated the importance of being aware of both the positives and negatives
of trees.
• Ms. Powers noted this was an anonymous letter, and she was wondering if it can be included as
public testimony for Planning Board and Council as they are looking at tree code amendments.
Chair Cass noted that this is a very concerned citizen who took a great deal of time to write this. She
recommended at the very least including it as an addendum to the minutes from tonight's meeting.
Vice Chair Phipps noted the person made 7 copies so it was their intent that it be brought to the Tree
Board.
• Councilmember Nand commented that there is a strong presumption that this is a private citizen but
with unregistered lobbying the Council tries to keep an eye on anonymous comments coming
forward to government bodies.
Motion made by Chair Cass, seconded by Board Member Fagerstrom, that the anonymous
letter from a concerned citizen be attached to the May 4 meeting minutes/packet. Motion
passed unanimously. Ms. Powers said she would check if that's OK, versus as an attachment
to the next Tree Board meeting agenda.
TREE BOARD MEMBER CHAIR/MEMBER COMMENTS
Board Member Stavig noted he would be gone next month.
Board Member Fagerstrom commented that the market starts on Saturday.
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• Councilmember Nand said she was excited by all the research Vice Chair Phipps did on Lynnwood's
tree voucher program, and she is hoping that the administration and Council can somehow bring it to
Edmonds.
• Chair Cass also was very much in favor of a tree voucher program.
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The meeting was adjourned at 7:59 p.m.
Next meeting: June 1
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May 4, 2023
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