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2023-06-01 Tree Board MinutesE CITY OF EDMONDS TREE BOARD ��� Summary Minutes of Regular Meeting June 1, 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 Wendy Kliment Ross Dimmick (alternate) Board Members Absent Chris Eck (excused) Kevin Fagerstrom (excused) Crane Stavig(excused) Staff Present Deb Powers, Urban Forest Planner Others Present Jenna Nand, Edmonds City Council Liaison It was noted that Andy Lyon had resigned from the Tree Board. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Board Member Dimmick read the Land Acknowledgement. MINUTES: l . Approval of May 3 and May 4 Tree Board Minutes The May 3 Tree Board minutes were approved as presented. The May 4 Tree Board minutes were approved as amended with the correction of the spelling of "Chair" Cass under Call to Order. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved as presented. AUDIENCE COMMENTS Tree Board Meeting Minutes June 1, 2023 Page 1 of 4 There were no audience comments. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Final 2023 Tree Board Work Plan/Budget - The Board expressed appreciation to Ms. Powers for the layout and clarity. Councilmember Nand noted that this will be very useful for the future. 2. 2023 Event Planning: • Garden tour signage — Board Member Kliment is waiting for tree info to make the signs. She and Vice Chair Phipps will coordinate picking up and dropping off the stakes. October Arbor Day event — Vice Chair Phipps reported that his trees are growing well. Board members suggested that he take regular pictures of their progress. Tree walking tour — Board Member Stavig was not present, discussion tabled until next month. Project Status: • Sierra Park — Vice Chair Phipps explained that according to Andy Lyon the interpretive signs have been written, proofed, translated to Braille and are ready to print. Sign locations have been chosen. They need help planting a few trees, moving a few signs, and installing one new sign. He noted they still need to get approval from the Parks Department. Vice Chair Phipps said he has sent emails to Sandy and Jim from the Lion's Club to let them know that he will be the point of contact going forward. Homeowner's Tree List — There was discussion about the need to update this list and consensus to review this topic again when Board Member Stavig is present. Councilmember Nand suggested that this could be a good basis for a tree voucher program once they figure out the administrative details. Exceptional Street Tree Designation — Andy Lyon was the lead person for this project and due to his leaving the Board, the project/program has stalled. Ms. Powers reminded the Board that the nomination process, selection committee and other details would need to be clarified in collaboration with Public Works and/or Parks department. Councilmember Nand suggested reaching out to the Youth Commission to see if this would be something they would want to take on. Ms. Powers noted that they break for the summer but could be contacted in the fall. Councilmember Nand suggested considering having a joint meeting with the Youth Commission because they have many similar interests (climate and environmental issues). Vice Chair Phipps raised a conversation he had with Pam Tauer from the Climate Protection Committee, who is interested having a book, map, and self -guided tour of notable trees on private property in Edmonds. Chair Cass noted that Ms. Tauer might be interested in going on the garden tour. Ms. Powers asked if it would be acceptable to the Board if she were to contact Ms. Tauer to see if she would be interested in helping establish a Heritage Tree program as shown in the Urban Forest Management Plan. Councilmember Nand suggested asking the Mayor about consulting with the City Attorney to write a memo regarding the legal implications of using the term heritage versus exceptional tree. 4. Tree Code Amendments — Staff Update: • Ms. Powers explained that the bulk of the consultant's scoped public engagement was wrapped up with the second Community Conversation event held May 15. She summarized public engagement efforts for the tree code updates. The consultant's summary reports will be presented at the upcoming Planning Board meeting and at all public hearings. Staff plans to discuss property owner Tree Board Meeting Minutes June 1, 2023 Page 2 of 4 tree removals draft code at the June 14 Planning Board meeting and discuss changes to the existing development code on June 28. June 2811' is proposed to be a joint meeting with the Tree Board and the Planning Board. Is this acceptable to the Tree Board? Ms. Powers noted the Tree Board could consider the joint meeting be in lieu of the regular Tree Board meeting on July 6 if desired. • Vice Chair Phipps said one Planning Board member he talked to said they were expecting some sort of plan or proposal from the Tree Board on the tree code updates. Chair Cass noted that the Tree Board already gave staff input, but until they see the draft code, they aren't ready to have an opinion on it. Ms. Powers noted that staff understood the Tree Board wanted to provide their recommendation to City Council; but could also make one to the Planning Board if they choose to. • Chair Cass suggested keeping the July 6 meeting to discuss what was covered at the joint meeting with the Planning Board. Motion made by Chair Cass, seconded by Board Member Kliment, to hold a joint meeting with the Planning Board on June 28 and its regular meeting on July 6. Motion passed unanimously. NEW BUSINESS 1. 2015 Planning Board Public Hearing on Proposed Tree Code Amendments — Chair Cass requested the Board view a video from a 2015 public hearing and discuss their impressions of that meeting. The general summary was that there was public uproar at that time about private property tree removal regulations. Board Member Kliment said that the Urban Forest Management Plan goals only point to addressing tree codes related to development, then general education, and stewardship about trees. She wondered if they are setting themselves up for a repeat of the 2015 public hearing. Vice Chair Phipps thought that the 2015 public outcry was a result of a coordinated effort by a group of people in the Bowl and was not representative of Edmonds as a whole. He expressed frustration that property owner tree removal issues had been kicked down the road by the 2015 Council just because of public outcry. The Board noted more concerns raised by the public in 2015. Councilmember Nand brought up more recent issues with increased housing density and preserving tree canopy. Ms. Powers noted that in 2015, the draft code was much more restrictive than what the Planning Board is considering now. She reminded the Tree Board that the Planning Board and City Council requested to consider Phase 2 code amendments for property owner tree removals in 2021 and confirmed the project scope in 2022. 2. Tree Board website updates Motion made by Board Member Kliment, seconded by Chair Cass to table the Tree Board website updates item to a later date. Motion passed unanimously. 3. Schedule Review of How the Tree Code Works - Vice Chair Phipps explained that studying how the tree code works with specific developments on private property and visiting those sites is not really something the Tree Board should do but they can do it on their own as citizens. Chair Cass suggested in the fall they could have a mock scenario comparing a development with the old code to the new code. Board Member Kliment noted that they have already done a mock scenario with the old code; they just need to do it with the new one and compare the two. Vice Chair Phipps said he wanted to know how the existing code works with development especially with regard to conservation subdivision as an Tree Board Meeting Minutes June 1, 2023 Page 3 of 4 incentive to retain trees. Ms. Powers noted she provided data on that topic at last summer's mock development exercise but can provide the same information again if the Board requests. There was consensus to schedule a walkthrough of a mock development scenario with the new code in September. TREE BOARD CHAIR/MEMBER COMMENTS Vice Chair Phipps asked if they are going to prepare anything for the joint Planning Board meeting on the 28th. Ms. Powers replied that she was not aware that it was expected or necessary. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:59 p.m. Next meeting: July 6 Tree Board Meeting Minutes June 1, 2023 Page 4 of 4