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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-10-11-TREE-minTown of Lexington Lexington Tree Committee Minutes of October 11, 2012 A meeting of the Lexington Tree Committee was held on October 11, 2012 in the Ellen Stone Room, Cary Memorial Hall at 7:30 AM. Members Present: Chris Filadoro (Superintendent of Public Grounds), John Frey (Chair), Jewel Kuljian, Karen Longeteig, Gerry Paul, Anne Senning, Jim Wood, Nell Walker Members Absent: Deborah Mauger (Selectman Liaison) Guest: Patrick Mehr (Resident and Town Meeting Member) David Pinsonneault (DPW Manager of Operations). 1. Jewel Kuljian was appointed as Scribe. Minutes of September 13, 2012 minutes were approved as corrected. 2. Proposals for 300th Anniversary Tree Medallion sales. The Tree Committee approved selling the 300th Tree Medallions at the Visitor's Center and Crafty Yankee with $5 compensation for each sale. Karen has $45 from previous sales to deliver to Lynne Pease to deposit in the Tree Fund. 3. Tree Manual Progress. Anne showed the first proof of the Tree Manual, ready to go to Lexington Graphics next week. All web site addresses are updated. There is new tree planting information regarding species for planting in spring /fall; other hazard trees not recommended for fall planting. 4. Tree Warden Agenda Items: a) By -law Tree removal applications and activity. Chris informed the Committee there are several changes regarding removal applications, close -outs, and occupancy permits. He will forward updates /current data to members by email. b) Budget /Forestry division personnel: Review of Gerry Paul's draft of proposed letter to Selectmen. The content of this draft includes goals for tree planting and maintenance as well as supporting Chris in his request for additional staff. The Committee reviewed the draft of this letter, made some changes, and voted to send the letter to the Board of Selectmen. Deb Mauger was sent a copy of the draft prior to this meeting. Gerry will make the changes and send it to the Selectmen on Monday. Chris appreciates this support and next week some discussion /action will take place within the DPW to review the content of this letter. Gerry's letter states the significant progress /accomplishments since the Tree Committee was established in 2001. He states clear tree planting goals (130 street and setback trees each year), maintaining trees planted with proper watering, reporting the number survived from planting in the previous three years, and budgeting /staffing required to meet the goals. c) Tree By -law amendment proposal for spring warrant article placeholder John Frey has sent in the warrant article placeholder noting there is still time for any proposed changes. d) Feedback from letters sent to homeowners after September meeting to modify street tree planting Town of Lexington Lexington Tree Committee Minutes of October 11, 2012 procedure /extra work caused by homeowner obiections. letter received no replies. The Tree Committee voted to establish a hearing for selected planting locations, notifying the homeowner the date and location of the hearing. The sequence is: Chris will place a stake at each location dropping the letter about the hearing at the same time giving the homeowner three days to respond back, failing which he proceeds with the Dig Safe process and planting of the trees. This process will be implemented immediately. e) Dig Safe procedure improvement. The Committee noted that there seem to be to delays in sending out Dig Safe requests. Chris is asked if he can get these expedited. f) Update: Fall 2012 /Spring 2013 Setback Trees. Jewel sent all Tree Committee members including Deb Mauger the updated spreadsheets regarding the setback trees. Six trees are ready to be planted this fall with the Dig Safe process complete. Since many trees are considered as hazard trees /fall planting they will be shifted to being planted in the spring. Homeowners have been contacted regarding any change and requested to keep the stake in the ground (placed for Dig Safe). To date there are eleven agreements for spring ( four Dig Safe ready), two homeowners to re- contact again in the spring, and one remaining on the wait list. Jewel will be preparing an article for the local media in the future to once again offer setback trees to Lexington homeowners. g) Status of three Sourwood trees planted on Meriam Street. The Sourwoods replaced near the Town Center Parking lot are doing well since being planted by Tree Committee volunteers Jim Wood and Gerry Paul, delivered by staff to the site. Jewel has committed to watering these street trees with help from Jim. To protect all the Sourwoods over the winter during snowplowing, Jewel proposed installing orange mesh fencing. Jim and Gerry will measure the amount of material needed and Jewel will then request Chris to allocate /place an order for the materials. Gerry, Jim, and Jewel to install. h) Street Tree Planting Places. Anne said there are plenty of planting spaces. On an as needed basis, she will ask Gerry to print maps for the specific locations. Obtaining an IPAD for DPW and Tree Committee use to speed up the process of tree planting was discussed. Anne will speak with Chris regarding the suggestion of a Tree Committee member volunteering to stake /mark the street tree locations for the Dig Safe process. Completing the street tree inventory takes time. It needs staff time, interns, and possibly funding from the Tree Fund(at $12 /hr. or $4- $5,000. per person per season) for a paid intern. Anne can set up GPS training after the fall street tree planting and completion of the Tree Manual. i) Tree Management Manual 3rd Edition progress. Discussed in #3 above. j) Annual Report due October 26th. John still needs some facts and figures to complete the report. Tree Committee members have reviewed the draft. The photo taken at the dedication ceremony on the Battle Green will be sent in for the Report as forwarded to the Committee by Jewel. Town of Lexington Lexington Tree Committee Minutes of October 11, 2012 k) Nursery All agreed the tree order should be from a different nursery next year based on the poor experience at Sylvan Nursery this year. Jim will request tree replacement from Sylvan Nursery for the ten Carolina Silverbell trees that died soon after being planted at the nursery, ordered for street and setback tree planting. The Tree Committee voted to recommend that the DPW plant spring trees in their dormant state prior to April 1st in the future, i.e., prior to Patriot's Day, playing field and Park preparations, the DPW's busy time. Jim and John have completed the irrigation work at the Tree Nursery. Revisiting Larchmont Tree Planting: Jim and Gerry will speak to Chris and Dave regarding the planting of the six Colorado Spruce trees in the spring. They will also once again propose planting six Bur Oak trees on Larchmont Lane because of lack of interest in planting Oak trees as street trees this fall. There is not a plan to compost these trees. They can be planted as street trees in spring 2013. 1) Commemorative Tree for Sandra Mayo. It was suggested that the re- planting of the Tulip tree be nearby in Lincoln Park but in an area with more moisture. This needs to be confirmed with the family. m) Guest Patrick Mehr to revisit 36 Woodcliffe Rd. tree removals, discussed at Sept. Tree Comm. Meeting Anne Senning commented we spent 45 minutes on this issue at the last meeting. The Tree Committee reached a consensus on the issue of supporting Chris Filadoro's decision in the handling of #6 Woodcliffe Rd. but did not take a vote. Discussing it again does not make sense. It does raise the issue of process. Should there be a system in the town to handle appeals from committee decisions? In Chris' letter to Patrick on 10/2/12, the DBH of the oak is 91 ". Chris said trees were measured by him on site, not from the plot plan. Therefore, the contractor will be responsible for paying based on 91". Patrick said he also wanted to speak to the Tree Committee about the basic aim and thrust of the Tree Bylaw. The The Bylaw's Preamble is to preserve the tree canopy of the Town. But in present practice, "builders design a home, they want to take out trees to make space to pile the topsoil, and the Tree Warden approves as long as all procedures are followed and mitigation done ". Patrick would like to turn around the logic in the Bylaw to absolutely protect trees in the setback, and not allow a tree to be cut unless it is an "unreasonable burden ". For example, a $50,000 value would be placed on protected trees, and that amount would have to be paid if the tree was removed, even with an approved removal. The purpose would be to #1 cause builders to more carefully calculate costs before they cut, so #2 it would save some major trees. The owner could appeal to the Tree Committee. Comments by Dave Pinsonneault: In developing the tree Bylaw, the intent was not to allow indiscriminate cutting followed by paying a fine. The majority of builders today follow the principle to protect trees during construction. The goal is to look at properties in a holistic way, and with the changes that have been made in the Bylaw over time. He does not feel we should sweep away the Town of Lexington Lexington Tree Committee Minutes of October 11, 2012 present Bylaw and replace it with one that puts the onus on the builder to prove that removing a tree would be an undue burden. He will review the issue of soil stockage at 36 Woodcliffe with the Builder. Much discussion ensued regarding "undue burden" of tree protection. In the Bylaw, Section 120.8(8)2, Patrick pointed out today's requirement is to replant, i.e., meet the mitigation requirements, not to keep the tree. This could be an agenda item for another meeting. John suggested Patrick write a draft. He said he will try his best. Meeting adjourned at 10:30AM. Respectfully submitted, Jewel Kuljian Next regular meeting: November 8, 2012, 7:30 AM Samuel Hadley Public Services Bldg., Rm. 125