2017-07-13-TREE-min - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Lexington Tree Committee Town of Lexington, Massachusetts 201 Bedford Street, Samuel Hadley Public Services Building, Room 125 Minutes, Meeting of July 13, 2017 Attendees: Nancy Sofen, Gerry Paul, Anne Senning, John Frey (Chairman), Karen Longeteig and Chris Filadoro (Tree Warden). Tom Shiple attended as a private citizen. Jim Wood and Jewel Kuljian had served notice in advance that they could not attend. Karen Longeteig took a turn as scribe. Meeting commenced t 7:35 a.m. 1. Approved June’s meeting minutes, as they had been sent out in advance. 2. Tree removal activity. Chris showed us an 18” stack of bylaw tree permit sheets, but there is light at the end of the tunnel – he is getting a volunteer to help put them in order. Some permits are on-line on the Town website now, in the Building Department site. https://www.lexingtonma.gov/building-department/pages/building-permit-activity. Further directions are: C lick on the box showing text: Access the View Permit Online Permitting System; then register (anyone can register). After selecting a permit, you'll be able to see Chris's tree permit form, plot plans, etc. (Thank you Gerry for bringing this URL to our attention.) 3. Tree Inventory: Chris said he is gathering a few more spec items and the RFP will go out in August. It will be funded under the $50,000 line item of “new money” in the Town Budget and will include the identification of hazard trees. 4. Tree Management Manual update: Anne presented a section of the manual including numerous regulatory references, and the sketch of setback limits. There was some disagreement about this sketch, and some confusion between town permitted building setbacks, and our more informal setbacks applying to “setback trees” that we will have planted on private property. It was resolved that John and Anne will revise language for the August meeting. Some suggestions were that it be clear that this is residential property, mention be made of commercial property’s different requirements, and that there be a definition of “property line.” 5. Spring 2017 planting: the suffering tree in question (a Tuliptree, not a Sassafras) has been put on the watering list. 6. Update: Selectmen’s annual Goal Setting. It was reported that our three goals submitted didn’t make it very far up the Selectmen’s selection of goals, but we are glad that we brought these items up, and perhaps they will get farther up the list in the future. 7. Tree losses, drought 2016: Chris reported that they had replaced many of these dead trees with this spring’s allotment. 8. Citizen and frequent walker and biker, Tom Shiple, reported that there are numerous dead trees and dead limbs overhanging the paved pedestrian path from the end of Clark Street to Merrett Road. This is a Town responsibility, although street tree care comes first. Chris and he will meet and walk the site and plan the action.