HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-06-13-TREE-minTown of Lexington
Lexington Tree Committee Minutes
June 13, 2013
A meeting of the Lexington Tree Committee was held on June 13, 2013, 7:30 -9:30 a.m.
at the Samuel Hadley Public Services Building, Room 125. A quorum of seven was
present.
Members Present: Chris Filadoro, (Public Grounds Superintendent, Tree Warden), John
Frey (chair), Karen Longeteig, Jewel Kuljian, Gerry Paul, Anne Senning, Nell Walker,
Jim Wood
Members Absent: Deborah Mauger (Selectman Liaison),
Guest: Jane Beswick: (Friends of Trees)
The meeting acted on the following items:
1. Anne Senning was appointed as scribe, and the minutes of the meeting of May 9, 2013,
were approved.
2. New tree plaques /tags for commemorative trees and nursery street /setback trees
a. Anne Senning showed a proof of the nursery tag for the street /setback trees.
She will work with Jane Beswick to have new commemorative tree plaques printed.
b. Jane Beswick reported that a previous client would like another
Commemorative tree. After reviewing the Commemorative tree program, a vote was
taken to continue it.
3. a. Tree Warden items: Bylaw tree removal applications and activity
48 School Street
906
0
0
0
3/15/2013
142 Marrett RD
907
0
0
0
3/20/2013
61 Solomon Peirce
908
2
48
8
3/25/2013
59 Hancock Street
909
4
77
13
3/20/2013
31 Highland Ave
910
0
0
0
3/27/2013
63 Sherburne Rd South
911
1
22
4
3/27/2013
11 Grandview Ave
912
1
60
10
3/25/2013
123 Maple Street
913
1
20
3
4/23/2013
137 Grant Street
914
2
36
6
4/30/2013
181 Grant Street 915 4
i
5 5/10/2013
78 School Street
916
0
0
0
14 Tavern Ln
917
1
12
2
75 Simonds Road
918
4
38
6
9 Calvin St
920
0
0
0
4 Essex St
921
1
15
3
51 Bridge Street
922
0
0
0
9 Gleason Road
923
1
12
2
10 Blodgett Road
924
0
0
0
11 Calvin
925
1
24
4
38 Adams
926
0
0
0
15 Fremont Street
927
0
0
0
40 Grove St
928
18
206
34
545 Tarbell Ave
929
14
122
20
1432
10645
3481
Inches
Trees Removed
Removed
Trees to be
1432
10645"
Planted 3481
Totals Pending
2081 Trees
Totals After Closing 975 Removed 722 Close Out Planted 6/25/2013
b. Tree Bylaw:
Chris Filadoro reported that Linmoor Terrace and 0 Hillcrest were approved.
Chris reviewed both properties prior to renovation on each site.
c. Fall Tree Order: Jim Wood requested that the order for the fall planting be
reduced from 60 trees to 50 trees. There was discussion but no vote. Chris Filadoro
approved the purchase of 50 trees.
d. Granite Marker: Jim Wood requested a granite marker be placed the base of
the red oak on the Battle Green indicating that it was planted as a 300 memorial tree.
There was discussion but no vote.
e. Requests for tree removals: Chris Filadoro described the process when
homeowners request a street tree removal. He reported that only about one tree removal
per year goes to a Selectmen's hearing.
L Requests for pruning: Chris Filadoro described the process when
homeowners request pruning of town trees in front of their homes.
g. Implementing Tree Bylaw: Chris Filadoro stated that reasonable judgment
governs his implementation of the Tree Bylaw. He analyzes the lot size as well as the size
and number of trees that have been removed to come up with a combination of a number
of trees to be replaced and a mitigation fee.
h. 2013 Spring Tree Planting: Chris Filadoro stated that the Forestry staff is
working to get all the trees planted this spring- summer, along with other duties. They
have one summer staff, Nicholas Eisenhower. Joel Custance is crew chief, now that
Chuck Walton has retired.
4. Town Hall Shrubs: Chris Filadoro stated that he plans to re- landscape the Town Hall
and the Brown House with new shrubs.
5. Tree Removals -2012 Annual report clarification: Chris Filadoro clarified that the
number of trees removed as stated in the 2012 Town Annual Report is for the full fiscal
year. There was a question of whether it was just for the storm of Oct. 2011.
6. Tree Requests
a. Street and Setback sites. Anne Senning reported that she and John Frey
placed 11 street trees and 23 setback trees. Of the 23 setback trees, 20 were large shade
trees.
b. Setback tree sites. Jewel Kuljian reported that she placed 3 street trees and 48
setback trees. She stated that some setback trees had been on the wait list from the fall
2012. Jim Wood agreed to work with Jewel placing trees on an individual request basis.
The total between both teams is 14 street trees, 71 setback trees, a total of 85 trees.
c. Dig Safe. Jim Wood reported that he had completed all Dig Safe requirements
for all 85 trees.
d. Summary and recommendations for future tree site location and planting
1. Tree Committee member cooperation, 2013 mandate fulfilled, large
number of trees: There was good cooperation among Jewel Kuljian - setback trees, John
Frey and Anne Senning - street and setback trees, Jim Wood - Dig Safe of all trees,
Gerry Paul - maps of Jewel's setback trees and Anne Senning - maps for setback and
street trees. The mandate to move trees out of the tree nursery to avoid them becoming
too large to plant was fulfilled successfully. Eighty -five trees is a large number of trees
for the current staffing level in the Forestry Department to plant in the spring season.
2. First come, First Serve Request System Successful: The open request,
first come, first serve system implemented for the first time this spring, by placing stories
in the Minuteman and Colonial Times was very successful. It generated close to 100
requests from homeowners for trees.
3. Future changes; additional staff, waiting lists, and /or alter tree
planting goals: Additional staff will be required to satisfy the needs of client's requests,
if the demand remains the same. More residents will need to be placed on longer waiting
lists. If the goal remains to plant enough trees to replace those lost for a variety of
reasons, more trees will need to be ordered. Jewel Kuljian and Anne Senning said that
they would take fewer clients' requests than they each processed this spring. They each
have people currently on waiting lists for fall 2013 and spring 2014.
4. Tree Issues: Reduce the number of oaks in future shade trees orders, as
oaks were not popular with spring 2013 clients. Consider ordering salt tolerant shade
trees for both street and setback situations. There was discussion but no vote on either
tree issue.
7. Tercentennial Tree Medallion sales: Karen reported that 91 Medallions have been
sold. These sales cover half the production cost. A motion was made and passed to
continue to sell whatever Medallions could be sold and to place the remainder on the
street trees that are planted during 2013.
8. Request for Donation from the Garden Club to the Tree Fund: Jewel Kuljian
requested that the incoming President of the Lexington Field & Garden Club, Susan
Spicer and the outgoing President, Ann Webster ask the Board to give consideration of a
donation to the Lexington Tree Fund based on the efforts to plant trees in the community
consistent with the founding purpose of the care, planting, and protection of trees in the
Club's Constitution in 1876. The Board voted to donate $1,500 to the Tree Fund,
stipulating that the funds be used for "planting a diverse group of trees and the pruning of
trees ".
There was no remote participation. The meeting was not recorded.
Respectfully submitted, Anne Senning, Scribe
Next regular meeting: July 11, 2013, 7:30 a.m. at Samuel Hadley Public Services
Building, Room 125