2022-08-11-TREE-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minutes Tree Committee Meeting August 11, 2022 Attending: Gerry Paul, Gloria Bloom, Pat Moyer, Nancy Sofen, Barbara Tarrh, Mark Connor Guests: Charles Hornig, Ingrid, Klimoff, Rick Reibstein, Charlie Wyman, Marty Kvaal Meeting began at 7:32 AM. The minutes of 6/9 and 7/14 were approved. The Tree Committee plans to participate in Discovery Day on October 8 and the East Village Fair on October 1. Charles Hornig and Ingrid Klimoff were concerned about invasive vines and other plants killing trees on conservation land. The Conservation department doesn’t have the manpower to deal with this and trees are not current priorities on the comprehensive plan or the open space/rec plans. There are limited volunteer efforts to pull bittersweet (the biggest threat to trees). Ideas: we should discuss this problem with the Conservation Stewards, consider jointly sponsoring removal efforts, possibly using TC funds for summer work crews or a supervisor for HS students that need community service credits. Pat and Barbara will look into this. Summary of the meeting w/ Jim Malloy. The DPW will attend the 9/12 TC meeting. The DPW feels we are in an adversarial relationship with them. We need to distinguish one-time problems from systemic ones. We will try to reset the relationship. Barbara will interface with them. An issue/action tracker list of problems will help. Should include who is responsible, actions taken, current status (active or closed). For immediate problems, contact Dave P. directly and keep them informed on issues. Gerry and Barbara will work on the list. Nancy may meet with Dave in advance of proposing major changes to the tree bylaw. We need to incorporate existing DPW practices into new bylaws. Items that should be on an action list. The development at 223 Grove Street. The developer did not meet the 2019 requirements of the SB. Actions to take might include notify the SB, and asking Forestry about their follow through. Tree removals at 20 Welch Road. Neighbor notified us and then DPW. DPW said trees were not in ROW. Gerry photographed the site and the trees seem to have been in the ROW. He will email Dave with the info about the problem that we have collected so far. 69 Pleasant Street development. The developer wants the tree bylaw to apply to the old lot boundary but not to the new lots in the subdivision. The bylaw is ambiguous. For a conventional subdivision the bylaw would apply to new lots but not any road put in. For a special permit development, it is not clear if trees on new lots are covered. Kay Tiffany Way. Can we get a report from Chris about what happened there? Planting sites on Mass. Ave. Pat will forward list of locations to Chris. Articles for town meeting. Jim Malloy has not granted the committee access to Town Counsel. After much discussion, it was decided to delay requiring removal companies to report on removal of large trees, but to go forward with a 3 year look back (currently 1 year) in the tree bylaw. Tracking the removal of large trees will have to depend on reports from neighbors for the present. Arlington has worked with developers to save trees. We should look into that. Gerry moved that we go forward with changing the 1 year look back to 3 years. It was passed unanimously. Friends of Trees website. We should proceed with setting it up. It could be used for education on things like setbacks and ROW requirements. An article on the new trees on the Battle Green could be a start. Lin Jensen had volunteered to build the website. Pat, Gerry, and Barbara will follow through.