2014-09-04 Tree Board MinutesEDMONDS CITIZENS' TREE BOARD
APPROVED MINUTES
September 4, 2014
The Edmonds Citizens' Tree Board Meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by Board Member Paine in
the Brackett Room, 3 d Floor City Hall, 121 5t" Avenue North, Edmonds, WA.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Steve Hatzenbeler
Darcy MacPherson
Roy Smith
Anna Heckman
Rick Zitzmann
Susan Paine
Renee Travis (arrived at 6:20 p.m.)
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT
Barbara Harrell
Joan Bloom, Councilmember,
CALL TO ORDER
STAFF PRESENT
Kernen Lien, Senior Planner
Jeanne McConnell, Engineering. Program Mgr. I
Jeannie Dines, Recorder
Elizabeth Walker, Consultant
Board Member Paine called the meeting to order.
2. ROLL CALL
All board members were present with the exception of Board Members Harrell and Travis.
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Board Member Heckman moved to approve the agenda; seconded by Board Member Zitzmann.
Motion carried unanimously. (Commissioner Travis was not present for the vote.)
Board Member Paine will add approval of the July minutes to the October meeting agenda.
4. AUDIENCE COMMENTS
Valerie Stewart, Edmonds, provided an update on the property known as Seaview Woods, advising
the listing is still active. The owner is contemplating logging the land if he is unable to sell it. She was
told to monitor DNR for a permit which requires a 30 day waiting period to log land as well as to call
911 if anything unusual occurs on the property. The property owner indicated he would be willing to
sell the .75 acres adjacent to the City's property for $125,000. Board Member Heckman stated a
small site may not require a DNR permit. Ms. Walker said the amount of board feet will determine the
permitting agency.
Suzanne Schaefer, Everett, stated she has dedicated her life to saving trees and was attending the
meeting to learn more.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
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a. Street Tree Policy Review (If Available)
Elizabeth Walker explained her approach to public trees(in rights -of -way outside the downtown
area) as well as trees on private property is to have the same standards so they are easy to
administer and predictable as well as having reasonable replacement ratios. She received the
committee's work regarding tree replacement and reviewed the Street Tree Plan (Appendix F of
the Streetscape Plan) and the Street Tree Code (Chapter 18.85). As no mapping has been done
of the current canopy, she suggested the goal of the update be to maintain/enhance the canopy.
To ensure the replacement ratios are reasonable and to maintain the existing canopy, she
proposed the following replacement ratios for private and public trees:
• 6 to 12 inches in diameter = 1 replacement trees
• Greater than 12 18 inches in diameter = 2 replacement trees
• Greater than 18 inches and up to 24 inches in diameter = 3 replacement trees
• Over 24 inches in diameter = 4 replacement trees
Mr. Lien suggested until a fee -in -lieu -of program is established, in instances where there is not
enough space, an arborist determine an appropriate replacement ratio. Fees paid into the fee -in -
lieu -of program would fund planting of trees in appropriate locations elsewhere in the City.
Another intermediate step will be developing an appropriate tree replacement list.
Ms. Walker commented another issue is the size of replacement trees; a standard replacement
tree is 2-inch caliper. There should be flexibility to plant 1'/4 - 1'/2-inch caliper if the space will only
accommodate a smaller tree.
Discussion followed regarding establishing a fee -in -lieu -of program in the future including
guidelines for the use of funds, goals of requiring replacement, adding size and species selection
to the arborist's recommendation, removal of trees less than 6 inches, updating the tree list,
definition of a tree, adding a definition for a protected tree (a tree planted due to a City
requirement), defining reasons for tree removal, other cities' replacement ratios, offering a
discount for providing replacement trees versus contributing to a fee -in -lieu -of fund, enforcement,
and alternate replacement ratios.
Mr. Lien suggested until a tree species list is developed, the arborist decide the replacement tree
species and if there is not enough room, the arborist determine the appropriate size and ratio. He
also suggested adding a definition for a protected tree.
Board Member Hatzenbeler proposed the following replacement ratio:
• 6 to 8 inches = 1 replacement tree
• Greater than 8 inches and up to 12 inches = 2 replacement trees
• Greater than 12 and up to 18 inches = 3 replacement trees
• Greater than 18 and up to 24 inches = 4 replacement trees
• Greater than 24 inches = 5 replacement trees
Board Member Hatzenbeler explained the basis for his proposal was an 8-inch tree was worth
considerably more than a 6-inch tree.
BOARD MEMBER SMITH MOVED, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER TRAVIS, TO ACCEPT
BOARD MEMBER HATZENBELER'S PROPOSAL FOR TREE SIZES. MOTION CARRIED (6-0-
1), BOARD MEMBER HECKMAN ABSTAINED.
BOARD MEMBER HATZENBELER MOVED, BOARD MEMBER ZITZMANN SECONDED, TO
ACCEPT THE POLICY WITH THE ADDITIONAL ITEMS AS MR. LIEN STATED. MOTION
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CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
b. Private Tree Code Updates — Definitions
Ms. Walker distributed and reviewed a list of definitions, explaining most of the definitions were
taken from Lake Forest Park and Kirkland's codes. She distributed a document entitled, Edmonds
Tree Code Update — Intent, Comparison and Recommendations. She reviewed the issue,
Edmonds Code, other jurisdictions and recommendation for several components she thinks need
to be part of tree code.
During and following Ms. Walker's review, board members discussed tracking trees that are
removed on private property, linking tree removal to an inventory, enforcement, current ability to
remove trees on a single family lot, applicability of the private tree code to single family
residential, Medina and Clyde Hill's code regarding view and solar access, timeline for completing
the tree code, the Tree Board's role in developing the tree code, noticing the public hearing and
future development of an Urban Forestry Management Plan.
Ms. Walker requested board members provide comments to her by September 15. It was agreed
to schedule this on the October agenda.
6. DISCUSSION
a. Public Meeting Results
Ms. Walker described the public meeting and reviewed the public meeting results. Each of the 20-
25 attendees was given 3 dots to identify top priorities as well as given an opportunity to provide
comments on post -it notes. She suggested the Board review the long term strategies that
received a high number of votes to see if they should be short term goals.
b. Scope of Consultant's Work — Comprehensive Tree Code or for Private Property Trees
See above.
c. Tree City USA
i) Arbor Day Event
Board Member Paine asked for volunteers to staff a table at the October 4 Saturday Market.
ii) Mayoral Arbor Day Proclamation
Board Member Paine offered to update the proclamation. A short report regarding the Tree
Board's progress will accompany the proclamation.
iii) Accounting Requirement
Board Member Paine requested an accounting of tree expenditures for Tree City USA. Board
Member Heckman offered to send Mr. Lien Parks & Recreation's tree expenses.
7. NEW BUSINESS
Board Members briefly discussed the damage to trees in Hutt Park, fundraising efforts for a reward
for information leading to an arrest, and contributing to the reward fund. Staff was asked to put link to
the GoFundMe account on the Tree Board's website.
Board Member Heckman reported she asked Sound Salmon Solutions to make a presentation to the
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Tree Board regarding their efforts with regard to private property adjacent to streams.
8. TREE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
Board Member MacPherson emailed board members information regarding a soil workshop in
October. She will be attending the Community Tree Management Institute
Board Member Travis offered to email board members a link to a list of trees by climate and growing
conditions.
Board Member Hatzenbeler referred to a memo from Senior Executive Council Assistant Jana
Spellman regarding use of personal email addresses. Board Member Paine said when she emails
information to board members, she does not want a reply.
Board Member Paine reported she met the project director for the Unocal property. They received a
request to cut trees on the property which they declined.
9. ADJOURNMENT
With no further business, the Edmonds Citizens' Tree Board adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
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