HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-07-13-TREE-min
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.
9. Policy on tree planting locations and best practices: the subcommittee met on June 28 and
reported that one of their suggestions would be to meet, where possible, with neighboring town
tree wardens. The whole committee approved, and Chris Filadoro will also attend when the
press of business allows him.
10. Fall planting strategy. See #9 above. Also, Nancy later noted that fall tree planting was
suspended in 2016 due to the extreme drought. The trees chosen for Fall 2015 were Fort
McNair Horse Chestnut, Pin Oak, London Plane Tree, Yellowwood, American Sentry Linden,
White Fringetree, and Purple Leaf Catalpa.
We may not need to find setback sites this fall; if the Town plants enough trees in the East
Lexington project (see #11), it may meet our goal. We also have 50 sites for setback requests
on a waiting list from spring 2017; we may not have to advertise for more requests.
11. Sidewalk reconstruction Bow St to Fottler St.: Four Committee members had a useful site
visit/walk with Erik Gitschier from Engineering. He said that he plans to construct continuous
planting strips between the sidewalk and the street, and that his first obligation is to make a 5’
wide sidewalk, so planting strips may vary in width. Chris noted that he prefers a 4’ wide
planting strip, not 3’, to favor tree growth. He also noted that strip maintenance is a problem, as
abutters will often not maintain these strips and they go to unsightly weeds. The Committee
may be able to help with publicity to encourage abutters to take responsibility for maintenance.
Chris would therefore prefer that the spaces between tree pits be paved. It was agreed that the
Committee and Chris need to identify tree planting sites by mid-September. We can identify
tree sites and species and turn it over to Chris. Gerry suggests getting a full-size map from
Engineering.
12. Tree species for new Mass Ave construction: Gerry looked at the Commonwealth’s revised
plans online. The trees we advised against, such as Redbud, were removed from the plan. The
tree species we advised were not always included. The new plans show Japanese Tree Lilacs
and Zumi Cherries instead of the Silverbells and Prunus ‘Accolade’ that we recommended. We
will let it lie at this point. Anne said there was new research that showed that Japanese Tree
Lilacs might be invasive. She will research it further as soon as she can.
13. Preventing soil compaction after tree planting: this item postponed, as Jim Wood had that
information gathered.
Other: Joel has an active TABLET in his truck, which is synched with the work order system.
The committee could not sufficiently express their joy that this is now happening.
Adjourned 9:45 am.
Next regular meeting: August 10, 7:30 a.m. at DPW.