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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 Edmonds Citizens' Tree Board Minutes September 4, 2014 Page 1 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 Edmonds Citizens' Tree Board Minutes September 4, 2014 Page 2 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 Edmonds Citizens' Tree Board Minutes September 4, 2014 Page 3 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. Edmonds Citizens' Tree Board Minutes September 4, 2014 Page 4