2015-05-07 Tree Board MinutesEDMONDS CITIZENS' TREE BOARD
APPROVED MINUTES
y„ May 7, 2015
The Edmonds Citizens' Tree Board Meeting was called to order at 6:03 p.m. by Chair Steve
Hatzenbeler in the Brackett Room, 3rd Floor City Hall, 121 51h Avenue North, Edmonds.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Steve Hatzenbeler, Chair
Anna Heckman, Vice Chair (arrived 6:22 p.m.)
Ronald Brightman
Barbara Durr
Rick Zitzmann
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT
Renee Travis (Alternate)
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Hatzenbeler called the meeting to order.
2. ROLL CALL
See above.
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
STAFF PRESENT
Rob Chave, Planning Manager
Jeannie Dines, Recorder
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT
Joan Bloom, City Councilmember
Chair Hatzenbeler requested the following changes to the agenda:
• Postpone Item 7c, Street Tree Plan, to a future meeting (rescheduled on Council agenda)
• Reschedule Item 7b, Moratorium Against Street Tree Removal Downtown, to the June 4
meeting
• Add agenda item regarding an update on Tree Board Vacancies
Board Member Brightman moved to approve the agenda as amended; seconded by Board Member
Zitzmann. Motion carried unanimously.
4. AUDIENCE COMMENTS
Kris Webb, Edmonds, referred to an Edmonds Beacon article about the tree code, expressing
concern that the cost to prune two trees would be $250 and $820 if a tree was 24" or larger. She also
pointed out:
• The need to prune fruit trees annually
• Many trees are over 24"
• Pruning all the trees on her property would cost $5800
• Danger caused by unpruned trees
• Rodents attracted by spoiled fruit from unpruned trees
• Views blocked by untrimmed trees
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Reduced property values from untrimmed trees
Need to remove dead/diseased trees
Trees on her street were last trimmed in 1989/1990 when the street was paved
Chair Hatzenbeler clarified the fees have not yet been established; the dollar amounts used in
discussions are hypothetical. If/when the tree code is adopted, staff will determine an appropriate
permit cost. Removal of a tree on private property will require a permit; the permit is likely to be
inexpensive for a dead tree. No permit is proposed for pruning on private property. Pruning or
removal of a tree in the right-of-way requires a permit due to potential safety issues in the right-of-
way.
Discussion followed regarding diameter at breast height, interest in retaining old trees, how views are
addressed in the proposed tree code, differences of opinion regarding what constitutes a view and
the impact of trees on property values. Chair Hatzenbeler encouraged Ms. Webb and the public to
attend the Planning Board's public hearing on May 27.
5. PRESENTATION
a. Streamside Land Owners Project by Chrys Bertolotto, Natural Resource Programs
Manager, Snohomish City — Camano Island ECO Net Coordinator, WSU Snohomish County
Extension
Chrys Bertolotto, WSU Snohomish County Extension, explained the project was intended to
help people with small yards along water bodies plant more native trees. She described the
background and methodology:
• Project goal: Have 200 small yard (less than 1 acre) landowners from South Snohomish
County that live along stream plant two native trees
• Research methods: two focus groups from South Snohomish County urban/suburban
areas about 1 month apart. Reached 22 people (average age 60ish living along steams
more than 10 years, fewer children in household, highly educated)
• Focus group goals — to learn attitudes and thoughts:
1. Toward native trees and preferred native tree characteristics
2. About living by a stream
3. On desirable yard characteristics
4. About ways to encourage native tree planting
5. On how to reach them and their neighbors
6. Regarding possible messaging or language
She reviewed the project findings:
• What they liked about their property:
o Low maintenance
o Small
o Beautiful with everything blooming
o Park like with creek in front yard
o Peaceful
o Streamside sounds and wildlife
o The act of gardening in it
• What they disliked about their property:
o Leaves fall on the ground/dirty roofs and decks
o Flooding
o Too small
o Dogs fall down and slip into creek
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o Steep and hard to maintain
o Nasty glacial soil
o Mountain beavers
o Too shady from neighbor trees
o Moles
o Moss
Attitudes:
o Wildlife is attractive
o Water can be troublesome with flooding
o Living by steam limits property use
Attitudes toward native trees
o Barriers:
■ Yard full already
■ Covenant communities
■ Right plant, right place
■ Danger
■ View
■ Roots
■ Shrubs better than trees
■ Messy
o Motivators:
■ Color and beauty
■ Erosion control
■ Wildlife attraction
■ Shade and privacy
■ Retains water to prevent flooding
Preferred trees/characteristics
o Most important selection factors
■ Erosion control potential
■ Hardiness through windstorms
■ Edible
■ Tactile
■ Maintenance
■ Size/height especially
■ Wildlife use and flowering
■ Safety to children
■ Beauty
o Other issues to consider
■ Fairness
■ Septic systems
■ Neighbors
■ Cost
■ Shade
■ Demographics
Knowledge: a lot is missing:
o Wrong tree wrong place
o Base choice on information at nursery
o Don't consider mature size
o Unaware of undesirable tree characteristics
o Planting know-how exists:
■ 20 of the 22 focus groups members have planted tree before, 16 planted native
trees
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Mailed postcards to all landowners, very low response even though gave away trees. Only
11 requested site visits. Hard to follow-up calls to remind people.
Surveys showed that those that came:
o Learned about how to select trees
o Planted native trees
o Now see more value for native trees in landscapes than before
Ms. Bertolotto suggested future efforts should include:
• Open workshops to anyone interested in trees not just people living along streams
• Widely publicize workshops
• Engage people where they are and for less time (farmers markets, libraries, etc.
• Use GIS to identify landowners that need trees and reach out to them in a more targeted
way
• Keep giving away trees for small yards
Ms. Bertolotto distributed a booklet, "Plant Native Trees on your Property: Attractive Wildlife and
Create Privacy, A Guide for Native Trees for Small Yards." She offered a PDF for the Tree
Board's website. Discussion followed regarding next steps for their project and benefits of native
trees.
6. OLD BUSINESS/DISCUSSION
a. Heritage Tree Program — Next Steps
Board Member Zitzmann suggested tabling the Heritage Tree Program, citing Senior Planner
Kernen Lien's indication that there was no staff time available to work on it until at least October.
b. Marina Beach PAC — Update
Board Member Brightman reported staff is briefing the Planning Board on May 13 and the City
Council on May 19 and the PAC's next meeting is May 21. He summarized the three options
under consideration, advising Option A that cut through the dog park has been abandoned.
Options B and C have a longer stream corridor more suitable for salmon and do not impact the
dog park. The City hopes to reduce the buffer to 50 feet with the agreement of Department of
Ecology. Recent public input includes protecting/maintaining the dog park and that parking does
not need to be increased. The estimated cost of the project is $4 million; grants and funding from
other agencies will be required. Decisions regarding vegetation are in the future. Washington
State Ferries is retaining their option to build a dock in that location.
c. Street Tree Plan Update
This item was postponed to a future meeting.
d. Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation
Chair Hatzenbeler relayed plans for a fall Arbor Day event. Dawna Lahti has expressed interest in
assisting the Tree Board with community outreach such as partnering with the Edmonds School
District on tree planting at College Place or Seaview Elementary Schools. There may be
opportunity for input from the Tree Board regarding appropriate tree species.
e. Proposed Tree Code Progress; Planning Board Review Update, Public Hearing May 27
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Chair Hatzenbeler relayed the tone at Planning Board meetings has been somewhat negative.
The most common comment is the tree code needs to be updated within the framework of an
Urban Forest Management Plan. He noted such a plan would take time to develop as well as to
gather public input which would table the tree code for a number of years. The Planning Board is
also concerned with establishing minimum tree units by zone without a policy to back it up. The
Planning Board will make recommendation to City Council based on input at public hearing; the
tree code likely will be presented to the Council in June/July. He relayed Mr. Lien's assumption
that some form or portion of the tree code will be adopted by City Council.
Chair Hatzenbeler encouraged board members to attend the public hearing and to invite people
who support the tree code to attend. He plans to publish 1-2 articles in the Edmonds Beacon and
My Edmonds News before the public hearing to increase support in the community; he requested
board members send him their thoughts/ideas for the articles. He referred to misinformation in a
recent Edmonds Beacon article by Planning Board Chair Neil Tibbott with regard to pruning on
private property and fees.
Mr. Chave relayed the Planning Board's discomfort with the tree code is lack of a policy basis and
a one size fits all approach. He suggested describing the reasons for the code when testifying at
the Planning Board public hearing.
Discussion followed regarding an Urban Forestry Management Plan, the proposed tree code
compared to other cities' tree codes, funding available for planting trees, fines for cutting trees in
critical areas, fines versus fees, future effort to establish fees, citizens' concern with regulating
trees on private property, and education/outreach regarding benefits of trees and planting the
right tree in the right place.
Vice Chair Heckman advised of a WSNLA presentation on May 12 at Edmonds Community
College by Cass Turnbull, Plant Amnesty, "Cut to Extinction: the Plight of Urban Trees." Leif
Fixen, Snohomish County Conservation District, will also discuss the Tree City USA program.
Board Member Durr expressed interest in attending. Board Member Brightman suggested
determining a topic and date for Ms. Turnbull to make a presentation to the Tree Board.
Councilmember Bloom advised development of an Urban Forest Management plan is in Street
Tree Plan as an implementation action by the end of 2017.
7. NEW BUSINESS
a. Tree Board Staff Support —Tasks, Job Description, 8-10 hours/month
Chair Hatzenbeler relayed there is support from the Council and Parks & Recreation Director
Carrie Hite for Tree Board staff support. Councilmember Bloom relayed Ms. Hite's suggestion to
the Council subcommittee that the Tree Board develop a scope of work and job description for a
contract person to support Tree Board.
Tree Board Members identified the following scope of work (priorities are in italics, others are nice
to have):
• Attend Tree Board meetings
• Be liaison between Tree Board and City staff including address issues raised by the public
at meetings and direct to appropriate staff for follow-up
• Pursue and manage grants
Central contact for Tree City USA application (submitting, gathering data)
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• Organize Arbor Day and other events
• Coordinate outreach and education including presentations to Tree Board
• Assist chair with preparing agendas and noticing/advertising meetings and events
(assume Jana will continue to provide)
• Advertise events
• Update website and post educational materials
Discussion included priorities for achieving the Tree Board's mission, concern 8-10 hours was a
very small amount, and potential for Tree Board Members to do education/outreach when the tree
code is finished. Councilmember Bloom offered to present the scope of work to the Council
subcommittee.
b. Moratorium Against Street Tree Removal Downtown
This item was rescheduled to the June meeting.
c. Tree Board Vacancies
Chair Hatzenbeler reported the City has received five applications. Mr. Chave said the City
Council typically makes the selection.
Councilmember Bloom said a Council subcommittee is discussing consistency in the way
appointments are made to boards and commissions.
8. TREE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
Board Member Zitzmann said he plans to attend the Planning Board public hearing.
Board Member Durr said she will urge Master Gardeners to attend the Planning Board public hearing.
She requested the table configuration for Tree Board meetings be altered as she has difficulty hearing
the proceedings.
Vice Chair Heckman announced the May 20 University of Washington Urban Forest Symposium includes
"Valuing the Urban Forest" as well as a discussion about communicating the value of trees.
9. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a. April 9, 2015 Minutes
Vice Chair Heckman moved to approve the April 9, 2015 minutes, seconded by Board Member
Brightman. Motion carried unanimously.
10. ADJOURNMENT
With no further business, the Edmonds Citizens' Tree Board adjourned at 8:11 p.m.
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