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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-04-09-TREE-min Town of Lexington Lexington Tree Committee Minutes A meeting of the Lexington Tree Committee was held at 7:30 am on April 9, 2015 in the Reed Room of the Lexington Town Office Building. Members present: John Frey (Chair), Jewel Kuljian, Karen Longeteig, Gerry Paul, Anne Senning, Nancy Sofen, Jim Wood, Chris Filadoro (Public Grounds Superintendent, Tree Warden). Members absent: Suzie Barry (Selectman Liaison). Guests: Ann Webster and David Williams (Minuteman Cane Award Selection Committee), Dave Pinsonneault (DPW Manager of Operations), Bill Hadley (Director of Public Works), Nell Walker (former Tree Committee member). 1.Nancy Sofen was appointed as scribe. Minutes of March 12 meeting were approved as presented. 2.Bylaw tree removal applications and activity. Chris will email the log of trees removed, planted, etc. 3.Arbor Day. Liz Haines will be planning the ceremony for the Garden Club. Matt Foti has offered to donate a tree (or 2) but hasn’t been to his nursery yet; if necessary, Chris can purchase one from Shemin. The committee agreed that a good site would be in the setback along Lincoln Street at Lincoln Park, where several red maples had died from poor planting. Chris will set up site meeting for Tuesday, April 14 at 8:30 am in the Lincoln Park parking lot and will invite Garden Club representatives. It was agreed that the replacement tree need not be a maple but should be a shade tree, not an ornamental. 4.Completion of Tree Inventory. The person Chris has talked to at Sav-a-Tree has not communicated back. Chris is still working with Bartlett Tree and will ask Davy Tree, who is doing a tree inventory in Needham. Foti Tree was too expensive. The hope is to finish precincts 7, 8 & 9 to complete the first inventory, then update the entire town within 1 year. The cost is expected to be $55-65K, which Chris thinks can come from his budget. He would ask bidders to present their proposals, including software, to the department and the tree committee for September’s budget cycle and next spring’s town meeting approval. Goal is for a “continuous complete” inventory whose use is to identify public trees and to manage their preventive maintenance. Current inventory was begun on paper and continued with hand-held computers. The new inventory will add technical links that can be used in the field. Jim suggested that pcts. 7-9 be completed first under new contract as a way to work out process. A completed inventory is necessary to maintain accreditation and to qualify for some grants, so there may be an advantage to finishing the current inventory before beginning the revision of the earlier precincts. Chapter 132 of state forestry legislation provides for partial reimbursement for preventive maintenance if a town has a public shade tree inventory and management plan, but we don’t know if money has been allocated. 5.Decision on proposed tree removal at 16/18 Homestead St. Homeowner has not appealed tree committee decision, so this item will be removed from future agendas. 6.Final order of trees for Spring 2015 planting. Chris will follow up to confirm that order has been rdth approved. Delivery is expected the 3 or 4 week of April, as soon as a truck is filled for an east coast delivery. Jewel will give planting log pages to Julie at DPW. 7.Special Agenda Item. Ann Webster and David Williams arrived to inform John Frey of his selection for the 2015 Minuteman Cane Award. Congratulations to John for this well-deserved honor! Members are asked to attend the official awarding of the cane at 8 am on Patriots’ Day, on the Green, and also a reception at the Depot on Sunday, April 26, 2-4 pm. The Tree Committee asks that Jim thank Martha Wood for nominating John. 8.Tree Management Manual revision (disposal of infected trees). Until the manual is rewritten, an insert to the Tree Management Manual will be created in consultation with Dave Pinsonneault. The revision will focus on the two greatest threats for systemic damage: Asian Longhorn Beetle (ALB) and Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Massachusetts General Laws include densely written provisions outlining state and federal protocols. The gist of these laws is that when ALB or EAB are identified, the affected tree is isolated. The area is surveyed, quarantined and in most cases trees are removed. Removal is only by trained contractors. Wood is chipped only after a hard frost, when insect is in tree in its larval stage, and wood must be chipped to less than 1” cubes for ALB and less than ½” cubes for EAB. The chips are removed to a specific site for processing. Violations carry a $25K fine per infraction, with an infraction defined as one day. 9.Refined draft of policy statement on requests for removal of Town trees for Committee review. Postponed until next month because text was not available. 10.Concord Ave. sidewalk tree removal developments. Following last month’s meeting, Jim suggested that Nancy Seasholes work at the Selectmen’s level with her concerns about process. He is disappointed that town officials did not make the effort to get voluntary easements in some cases where Nancy was able to do so. Matt Foti is to look at some trees to re-evaluate their hazard status, using “maximum tree assessment” tier of review that includes borings, etc. In a review meeting, Town Engineer John Livsey committed to certain actions. Every tree has been posted with a notice. This is now in hands of engineering and the Committee approves of the planned actions. 11.Sidewalk replacement policy with respect to tree planting areas. Gerry spoke with Dave Pinsonneault and Highway Superintendent Mark Valenti. There is a “replace in kind” policy when sidewalks are replaced. Gerry wondered whether very wide sidewalks along Mass. Ave. could be made narrower so that trees could be planted on the street. Dave pointed out that there are additional costs to reclaim land for planting (removing fill, etc.) and the budget for this year is set. He wants to ensure that trees will survive and has had good luck with structural soil, but current funding doesn’t cover it. He noted that each situation is different so there can be no blanket policy. It was agreed that there could be more planning before next Town Meeting. Dave will be point person for cooperation between the Tree Committee, Sidewalk Committee, Tree Warden and Engineering, and will provide a list of sidewalks to be replaced. The sidewalk department can talk with homeowners to try to get them to plant setback trees instead. 9:15 am: Moved to the Parker Room, where we found that the Center Committee had cancelled their meeting and therefore our joint meeting with them. The Tree Committee reconvened without Anne, Chris or guests for informal discussion with Ginna Johnson, Planning Board liaison to the Center Committee. 12.Future agenda item. Gerry suggests that we designate time in a future meeting to take a broad look at what our next obstacles may be, what more we can do, to identify initiative and to plan for Town Meeting so that we’re proactive rather than reactive. Karen sees a need for more educational outreach. 13.Planning Board Listening Session. The Planning Board will use its May 20 meeting as a listening session on the question, is the character of the town changing? Issues may include environmental degradation from loss of tree canopy, social or economic changes. Ginna encourages everyone to attend and to speak about their concerns. There will also be some League of Women Voters forums on the same topic. Planning would like a public mandate for any articles that it brings to Town Meeting. 14.Liaison to Conservation Commission or Planning Board. Ginna described developments, including one on Hartwell Ave, where developers abuse “site-sensitive development” and “balanced development” exceptions to normal zoning standards. She suggests that at our next meeting the Tree Committee appoint liaisons to the Conservation Commission or the Planning Board to advocate for preserving tree canopy. Next regular meeting: May 14, 2015, 7:30 am at DPW Room Town of Lexington Lexington Tree Committee Minutes A meeting of the Lexington Tree Committee was held at 7:30 am on April 9, 2015 in the Reed Room of the Lexington Town Office Building. Members present: John Frey (Chair), Jewel Kuljian, Karen Longeteig, Gerry Paul, Anne Senning, Nancy Sofen, Jim Wood, Chris Filadoro (Public Grounds Superintendent, Tree Warden). Members absent: Suzie Barry (Selectman Liaison). Guests: Ann Webster and David Williams (Minuteman Cane Award Selection Committee), Dave Pinsonneault (DPW Manager of Operations), Bill Hadley (Director of Public Works), Nell Walker (former Tree Committee member). 15.Nancy Sofen was appointed as scribe. Minutes of March 12 meeting were approved as presented. 16.Bylaw tree removal applications and activity. Chris will email the log of trees removed, planted, etc. 17.Arbor Day. Liz Haines will be planning the ceremony for the Garden Club. Matt Foti has offered to donate a tree (or 2) but hasn’t been to his nursery yet; if necessary, Chris can purchase one from Shemin. The committee agreed that a good site would be in the setback along Lincoln Street at Lincoln Park, where several red maples had died from poor planting. Chris will set up site meeting for Tuesday, April 14 at 8:30 am in the Lincoln Park parking lot and will invite Garden Club representatives. It was agreed that the replacement tree need not be a maple but should be a shade tree, not an ornamental. 18.Completion of Tree Inventory. The person Chris has talked to at Sav-a-Tree has not communicated back. Chris is still working with Bartlett Tree and will ask Davy Tree, who is doing a tree inventory in Needham. Foti Tree was too expensive. The hope is to finish precincts 7, 8 & 9 to complete the first inventory, then update the entire town within 1 year. The cost is expected to be $55-65K, which Chris thinks can come from his budget. He would ask bidders to present their proposals, including software, to the department and the tree committee for September’s budget cycle and next spring’s town meeting approval. Goal is for a “continuous complete” inventory whose use is to identify public trees and to manage their preventive maintenance. Current inventory was begun on paper and continued with hand-held computers. The new inventory will add technical links that can be used in the field. Jim suggested that pcts. 7-9 be completed first under new contract as a way to work out process. A completed inventory is necessary to maintain accreditation and to qualify for some grants, so there may be an advantage to finishing the current inventory before beginning the revision of the earlier precincts. Chapter 132 of state forestry legislation provides for partial reimbursement for preventive maintenance if a town has a public shade tree inventory and management plan, but we don’t know if money has been allocated. 19.Decision on proposed tree removal at 16/18 Homestead St. Homeowner has not appealed tree committee decision, so this item will be removed from future agendas. 20.Final order of trees for Spring 2015 planting. Chris will follow up to confirm that order has been rdth approved. Delivery is expected the 3 or 4 week of April, as soon as a truck is filled for an east coast delivery. Jewel will give planting log pages to Julie at DPW. 21.Special Agenda Item. Ann Webster and David Williams arrived to inform John Frey of his selection for the 2015 Minuteman Cane Award. Congratulations to John for this well-deserved honor! Members are asked to attend the official awarding of the cane at 8 am on Patriots’ Day, on the Green, and also a reception at the Depot on Sunday, April 26, 2-4 pm. The Tree Committee asks that Jim thank Martha Wood for nominating John. 22.Tree Management Manual revision (disposal of infected trees). Until the manual is rewritten, an insert to the Tree Management Manual will be created in consultation with Dave Pinsonneault. The revision will focus on the two greatest threats for systemic damage: Asian Longhorn Beetle (ALB) and Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Massachusetts General Laws include densely written provisions outlining state and federal protocols. The gist of these laws is that when ALB or EAB are identified, the affected tree is isolated. The area is surveyed, quarantined and in most cases trees are removed. Removal is only by trained contractors. Wood is chipped only after a hard frost, when insect is in tree in its larval stage, and wood must be chipped to less than 1” cubes for ALB and less than ½” cubes for EAB. The chips are removed to a specific site for processing. Violations carry a $25K fine per infraction, with an infraction defined as one day. 23.Refined draft of policy statement on requests for removal of Town trees for Committee review. Postponed until next month because text was not available. 24.Concord Ave. sidewalk tree removal developments. Following last month’s meeting, Jim suggested that Nancy Seasholes work at the Selectmen’s level with her concerns about process. He is disappointed that town officials did not make the effort to get voluntary easements in some cases where Nancy was able to do so. Matt Foti is to look at some trees to re-evaluate their hazard status, using “maximum tree assessment” tier of review that includes borings, etc. In a review meeting, Town Engineer John Livsey committed to certain actions. Every tree has been posted with a notice. This is now in hands of engineering and the Committee approves of the planned actions. 25.Sidewalk replacement policy with respect to tree planting areas. Gerry spoke with Dave Pinsonneault and Highway Superintendent Mark Valenti. There is a “replace in kind” policy when sidewalks are replaced. Gerry wondered whether very wide sidewalks along Mass. Ave. could be made narrower so that trees could be planted on the street. Dave pointed out that there are additional costs to reclaim land for planting (removing fill, etc.) and the budget for this year is set. He wants to ensure that trees will survive and has had good luck with structural soil, but current funding doesn’t cover it. He noted that each situation is different so there can be no blanket policy. It was agreed that there could be more planning before next Town Meeting. Dave will be point person for cooperation between the Tree Committee, Sidewalk Committee, Tree Warden and Engineering, and will provide a list of sidewalks to be replaced. The sidewalk department can talk with homeowners to try to get them to plant setback trees instead. 9:15 am: Moved to the Parker Room, where we found that the Center Committee had cancelled their meeting and therefore our joint meeting with them. The Tree Committee reconvened without Anne, Chris or guests for informal discussion with Ginna Johnson, Planning Board liaison to the Center Committee. 26.Future agenda item. Gerry suggests that we designate time in a future meeting to take a broad look at what our next obstacles may be, what more we can do, to identify initiative and to plan for Town Meeting so that we’re proactive rather than reactive. Karen sees a need for more educational outreach. 27.Planning Board Listening Session. The Planning Board will use its May 20 meeting as a listening session on the question, is the character of the town changing? Issues may include environmental degradation from loss of tree canopy, social or economic changes. Ginna encourages everyone to attend and to speak about their concerns. There will also be some League of Women Voters forums on the same topic. Planning would like a public mandate for any articles that it brings to Town Meeting. 28.Liaison to Conservation Commission or Planning Board. Ginna described developments, including one on Hartwell Ave, where developers abuse “site-sensitive development” and “balanced development” exceptions to normal zoning standards. She suggests that at our next meeting the Tree Committee appoint liaisons to the Conservation Commission or the Planning Board to advocate for preserving tree canopy. Next regular meeting: May 14, 2015, 7:30 am at DPW Room 125, 201 Bedford Street.