2023-08-03 Tree Board MinutesCITY OF EDMONDS F Ey
TREE BOARD
Summary Minutes of Regular Meeting
August 3, 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
Kevin Fagerstrom
Crane Stavig
Ross Dimmick (alternate)
Ian Higgins (online)
Board Members Absent
Wendy Kliment (excused)
Staff Present
Deb Powers, Urban Forest Planner
Others Present
Jenna Nand, City Council Liaison (online)
The Board welcomed new member Ian Higgins who introduced himself
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Board Member Dimmick read the Land Acknowledgement.
MINUTES
1. Approval of July 6, 2023 Tree Board Minutes
The July 6, 2023 Tree Board minutes were approved as presented.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The Board approved adding a discussion item regarding holding a joint meeting with the Mayor's
Climate Action Committee to Unfinished Business. The agenda was approved as amended.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS
There were no audience comments.
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August 3,2023
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. 2023 Work Plan Review & Updates
Prior event - Follow up discussion on tree identification signs from the July 15, 2023 garden
tour.
o Ms. Powers shared photos of Edmonds in Bloom and the tree identification signs
provided by the Tree Board. Discussion about where to store the signs will happen when
Board Member Kliment is present.
Upcoming events - continue planning Arbor Day events that include a tree giveaway, a critical
areas awareness activity and a tree walking tour scheduled for October 7, 2023.
o Review draft press release (Attachment 2) for changes. — Vice Chair Phipps
recommended adding information about where the booth will be and the times of the
market. There should also be information about the time and place to meet for the tree
walk. Board Member Fagerstrom noted the Farmer's Market hours are 9 to 2. The booth
will be on 5th Avenue directly across from the historical museum. Tree Walk participants
should meet on the steps of the museum at 2pm. Chair Cass will make the recommended
edits and forward the press release to the other Arbor Day Committee members (Board
Members Kliment and Stavig) for their review, prior to final Board review at the
September meeting.
o Ms. Powers announced that the Parks Stewards will be doing an Arbor Day/Arbor Month
planting event at a location to be determined on October 28. She suggested that the press
release could include all City of Edmonds Arbor Day events. Ms. Powers noted that all
events will be mentioned in the Arbor Day proclamation at City Council. After some
discussion, there was consensus to provide the Tree Board's Arbor Day event
information to the Public Information Officer (PIO) for inclusion in Arbor Month events.
Ms. Powers will provide information about the PIO's publication framework to the Arbor
Day Committee members as guidance on writing City press releases and PIO deadlines.
o Tree Giveaways — Board Member Stavig is communicating with a nursery in Oregon
regarding trees and pricing. They will know more about what is available as the time gets
closer. He will be driving down to pick them up and should be reimbursed for gas money.
Vice Chair Phipps said the conifers are doing well. He will have about 25 to give away.
o Shifts for loading, delivery, set up, staffing, etc. will be assigned at the next meeting.
o Tree Walk — Board Member Stavig is waiting to hear about a time prior to the Tree Walk
for Bess Bronstein to visit, walk the route and select the trees. He will let the Board know
when that is. There was some discussion about handouts with a map and tree info.
o Live Christmas Tree Giveaway (not on agenda) — Vice Chair Phipps contacted someone
at 24/7 Events about doing a tree giveaway at the Edmonds Holiday Market, who thought
it was a great idea. The Board discussed the pros, cons and logistics — how many trees,
what kind, what size, budget. Vice Chair Phipps thought he could get trees from his
brother's tree farm at a discounted rate. There was consensus to add the topic to the next
meeting agenda.
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August 3,2023
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Motion made by Chair Cass, seconded by Board Member Fagerstrom, to put the
Winter Market tree giveaway on the 2023 approved events with Vice Chair Phipps
as the lead. Motion passed unanimously.
o Vice Chair Phipps also brought up the first annual Edmonds Community Fair (not on
agenda) that will be held August 6 which he thought the Tree Board might be interested
in participating in future Community Fairs.
2. Draft Tree Code Policy Recommendations to the City Council
• Chair Cass reported that she, Vice Chair Phipps, and Board Member Kliment tried to meet as a
committee but were unsuccessful with their schedules. Each member submitted their individual tree
code policy recommendations for the full Board to review at the same time.
• Council Liaison Nand said she'd like to see what the Tree Board's consensus majority opinion on the
tree code updates are. Tree Board members shared general thoughts.
• Ms. Powers reminded the group about the facilitated focus group meeting held last May. The Planning
Board specifically requested that meeting so they could understand the Tree Board's tree code policy
direction without other stakeholder voices. Ms. Powers showed the report that is now posted online and
suggested it be a starting point for the Tree Board's new or changed position, since it is the basic
framework for decision -makers.
• Vice Chair Phipps commented that their opinions are pretty similar until it comes down to the numbers
— the number of trees allowed to be removed and the timeframe for those removals to occur. When it
comes to those numbers, members of the board are on varying ends of the spectrum.
• Board Member Dimmick said one of his issues is that much of this is site -specific and species -specific.
He struggles with the limits, knowing that no two trees are created equal.
• Ms. Powers commented that new Board Member Higgins is jumping into a year -long process and asked
how she and the Board could help him with getting up to speed on the tree code update project. Ms.
Powers will send him a recording of the May stakeholder meeting, a link to a recent City Council project
update and some reading material. He can get back to her with any questions.
• Vice Chair Phipps suggested that they don't have to come up with the numbers. They could keep it as
simple as saying that the majority of the Tree Board feels that there should be restrictions on trees on
already developed land, and it varies among them what those restrictions should be.
• Council Liaison Nand encouraged all of the board members to come to a Council meeting to make
audience comments to present their majority opinion as a body. She also encouraged them to make
recommendations from the Urban Forest Management Plan they would like the City to pursue in the
future such as the tree voucher program.
• Ms. Powers added that board members can also go to Council meetings and make comments at any
time, but just make the clear distinction if they are representing the Tree Board or speaking as a resident.
• Vice Chair Phipps noted that they all agree on incentivizing people to plant trees and keep trees as
described in the Plan. He noted the Board agrees that Landmark trees need special attention; and that
critical areas need the most tree removal restrictions, with reasonable exceptions (such as
hazard/nuisance trees). They disagree slightly on the number of trees over what period of time. The
majority opinion is that there should be some restrictions. They did not get into tree replacements which
is a complicated topic.
• Ms. Powers commented that the Planning Board is leaning towards less complicated code options. She
mentioned staff will be discussing at the next Planning Board meeting exactly how greater code
complexity equates to more time for residents to prepare submittals and more time for the staff review
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August 3,2023
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process. One example is tree removal allowances and whether to require replacements versus requiring
more replacement trees for larger properties or even more complex: requiring a number of replacement
trees based on the trunk diameter of removed trees.
Chair Cass proposed that the subcommittee try to meet again to consolidate a draft tree code policy
direction to present to the City Council, as it relates to that stakeholder report, for full Board review and
approval at the next meeting. Ms. Powers asked for clarification on whether the Board disagrees with
the prior Tree Board responses shown in the report, or if they just want to clarify some places where
there are gaps. Chair Cass responded there is disagreement with the report. Chair Cass also requested
the Tree Board webpage link directly to the Tree Code project page.
Potential Joint Meeting with the Mayor's Climate Protection Committee —There was discussion about the
purpose of the meeting and whether the Tree Board should go to one of the CPC meetings or invite them to
one of the Tree Board's meetings. They meet on the same day at 11 a.m. The only purpose would be to
introduce the Tree Board and give the CPC an idea of what's going on. Ms. Powers explained she has
already made a presentation to the CPC about the tree code updates. Board Member Dimmick brought up
a concern about potential conflicts between the groups such as solar energy versus tree retention or possibly
other issues as well. Chair Cass suggested just studying what they are up to for individual awareness. Ms.
Powers noted that the CPC's meetings are not recorded, but she offered to check if meeting minutes were
available. There was some discussion about the purpose and authority of the Climate Protection Committee
since they are not a codified board. There was consensus to not request a joint meeting at this point since
there is not a clear reason and their schedule is very full. Council Liaison Nand recommended that they meet
at some point in the future because they are pursuing very similar goals. Vice Chair Phipps thought it would
be great to put on some sort of joint event together in the future. He already attends many of their meetings.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Draft Tree Board Handbook
Motion to move the Draft Tree Board Handbook to the next meeting made by Board Member
Fagerstrom, seconded by Board Member Dimmick. Motion passed unanimously.
TREE BOARD MEMBER IDEAS AND COMMENTS
Vice Chair Phipps said he recently took a trip to the Olympic Peninsula among the giant trees out there. It was
very wonderful, and he hopes everyone has the opportunity to take that trip.
Council Liaison Nand said she saw a comment today on My Edmonds Neighbors on Facebook complaining
that there aren't enough trees at the new Edmonds Civic Park and there isn't enough shade in this extreme heat.
As they are facing more extreme weather, trees and shade equity have to be a bigger part of urban planning, so
she is glad the Tree Board is doing the work they are.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:13 p.m.
Next meeting: September 7
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August 3,2023
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