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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-10-13-TREE-minLexington Tree Committee Minutes of October 13, 2022 Meeting was called to order at 7:30 AM via ZOOM Attendees: Tree Committee Gerry Paul (Chair), James Wood, Pat Moyer, Gloria Bloom, Barbara Tarrh, Mark Conner, Nancy Sofen, Joe Pato (Selectboard Liaison), Dave Pinsonneault (DPW Director); Guests: Dan Miller, Richard Reibstein. 1. Jim Wood was appointed scribe and the meeting minutes of September 15, 2022 were approved. Forestry Department 2. Spring Planting List-Dave P said he would provide the list tomorrow. Dave P. also said that there will not be a fall planting this year because money was needed from the Tree Fund to cover the $140K planting plan for the areas where 24 of the 37 white pine trees were removed. Dave committed to provide financial reports for the Tree Fund and Forestry Department. When asked about tennis court construction he said this would not harm or interfere with the tree planting project. 3. Tree Inventory Status. Dave indicated that there were still some things to work out before the inventory was made available to the public. 4. Tree Canopy Assessment Report – Dave said it was difficult to connect with the UVM but expected to meet with them in the next 1 to 2 weeks. 5. Removal of public shade tree at 149 Adams-Tree Company called Tree Warden who agreed the tree was a hazard tree and gave permission to take it down. 6. Article 33 Implementation- IT Status. The implementation should be ready in two weeks, some changes in program-final review underway. Then the Tree Committee could review and sometime after that a meeting would be scheduled with developers. 7. Solution to the problem of developers removing trees after permit is issued (additional tree removal fee is now lost). This was discussed last May. Dave will look into it and report back. Items 8, 9,10 and 11 relate to collection of monies owed to the Town because of irregularities in enforcement of the Tree Bylaw. The DPW has been made aware of these irregularities over the past year. 8. Open Sites - Collection of monies owed by developers due to mistakes in permits issued by the DPW 9. Open Sites - - Collection of monies owed by developers due to mistakes in permits issued by the DPW 10. Closed Sites - - Collection of monies owed by developers due to mistakes in permits issued by the DPW 11. Was there follow up 19 Locke Lane, 198 Bedford St, 82 Spring St. Dave P. said he send something by tomorrow on items 8, 9, 10, and 11. 12. How can we understand the controls on fees/mitigation payments? Dave explained that mitigation payments were delivered to the DPW where they were entered into the “cash control sheet”. He will provide us access to the cash control sheet on request. 13.Commerative Tree Program is still active. Gerry will send Dave an outstanding request from Priscilla Meriam so he can investigate. Tree Committee items 14. 2023 ATM proposed articles were discussed and changes suggested 1.Change in look back from 1 to 3 years 2.Clarification of process for the removal of Town Trees 3.Added the language “in consultation with the Tree Committee”. 4. Add associate members to the Tree Committee as a pipeline for filling Tree Committee membership positions. Could invite people from the public. Consensus from the Tree Committee to move forward on these. 15. 2 Wheeler Road- not discussed 16. 18 Ingleside - plot plan does not reflect the number of trees removed from the site. Town Counsel says you cannot go back and collect additional funds after permit has been issued. It was suggested that Gerry Paul write a summary memo to Joe Pato and Jill Hai on the various issues (see attached) that the Tree Committee has been observing. General discussion on this topic. • Bar developers from building in Lexington after two plot plan failures. Joe Pato will check with Town Counsel to see if this is possible. • Another suggestion, was to report to the licensing board the names of surveyors who signed off on false plot plans. • Nancy S. said she has noted high number of losses of young street trees (2-3 years). 17. Issue tracking spread sheet - not discussed. Gerry sent the latest version to all attendees. Meeting closed at 9:15AM Respectively submitted October 29, 2022, Jim Wood