HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-06-20-TREE-min Lexington Tree Committee Minutes
6.20.24
1. The meeting was called to order at 7:31 AM. Present (not all for the entire time) were:
Pat Moyer (co chair and minutes), Mark Connor (co-chair), Alicia Morris, Rachel Noack
Summers , Nancy Sofen, Barbara Tarrh, Gerry Paul, Joe Pato (ex-officio), Dave
Pinsonneault, head of DPW, and guests Sara Bothwell Allen, Kathleen Lenihan, Charles
Hornig,Janice Litwin, Alan Wichlei, and Patrick Mehr. Absent, Gavin Grant,Jim Wood
2. The minutes of May 9 were accepted unanimously.
3. We discussed various items with Dave. Two elms were planted last week in Emery Park;
widespread appreciation. One member wanted to get the species, Dave will forward to
us. The spring planting (75 trees) cost an average of $510/tree (tree plus labor). On the
issue of homeowners insurance companies mandating tree removals, Dave met with
Jonas Miller (chief information officer) and is preparing a letter to go out to homeowners
re: options, if this happens.Joe Pato said he had met with state officials who are aware of
other insurance company's refusing coverage or putting strenuous conditions on coverage
re: coastal homes, homes near rivers, etc. He notes that reining this activity by insurance
cos. In will require legislative action.
Dave requested 2 Tree Committee members to help with planning for fall planting. The
order must be in by 8/1. Some watering bags have been picked up by recipients of town
trees; others remain at DPW. Dave will send Pat the "hazard trees removed report" for
this year. We all observed the honey locust trees in the center looking betterthis year.The
Town forestry staff did some shaping on the new, upright hornbeams in front of the post
office.
4. Barbara updated us on happenings at Discovery Day, May 25, 2024. We had a table. We
answered specific questions about tree care, and fielded a few about homeowners
insurance and tree-cutting. There were requests for arborist recommendations. These
were referred to the Mass Tree Warden Assn/International Society of Arborist websites.
The tree sapling giveaway was featured and popular including with teens. Remaining trees
went to Conservation.
Her suggestions: We need better signage. We should update all our brochures. We should
have printed/QR code contact info for numbers at the DPW, how to reach the tree
committee, etc
5. About 100 tree saplings obtained (at the very last minute) from the MTWA, and brought
post-haste to the school,were given away to graduating 5t"graders at Harrington in June.
Questions:expand or move to other elementary schools. Species of trees were unmarked
(likely due to the rapid turnover DPW to Harrington). We had Gavin to help coordinate—
as a Harrington parent. What about other schools?
6. Sara Bothwell Allen is a citizen who is on the Town group working with the search
committee for a new Town Manager. She wanted to know our concerns. They included:
ability to work with the Select Board, a goal to break down silos between departments;
willingness to listen to and consider opinions of advisory committees, professionalizing
town operations, more transparency than we currently have, a green focus on the Town's
present and future.
7. Nancy updated us on activities of the Bylaw regulations working group. They are mostly
done with a pause while DPW reviews what's been written. Ultimately Planning, IT
Building Committee must also review before going to the Select Board. The groups's work
to date has been sent to us and we should review, send feedback. Joe reminded us that
there is a Town accepted format for these: a set of bylaws, of which Section 3 has
regulations. Nancy voiced her goal to have the Tree Bylaw and the regulations together
in a format that developers could easily access.
8. Patrick Mehr came to us as a guest with a strong recommendation that the Tree Bylaw be
amended to stipulate that every tree in town regardless of ownership, over a certain
dimension, require a permit before removal. A very large oak at 25 Normandy was
carefully preserved by a developer (bravo) but cut down soon after purchase by the new
owner, much to neighbor's dismay.
9. Nancy, Pat, and Charlie Wyman all proferred suggestions this month to the Affordable
Housing Trust about the RFP to be issued by the Select Board in July. All of those
suggestions were incorporated into their document.
10. We discussed the 2501" anniversary, next year, of the Town. Without committing
ourselves,we discussed the notion of getting 250 new trees planted. Issues of funds to do
this (250 trees x $30=$7500); how to distribute, and storage for viability were discussed.
We deferred decisions to item 11.
11. Next months' meeting, on July 11, will be devoted to setting goals for the year. Items to
be considered: 250th planting, creating better pamphlets and signs, the homeowners'
insurance issue, bylaw enforcement and monitoring, working on regulating builders and
helping homeowners, website improvement, getting large shade trees into the ground,
advocacy and education, including educational materials.
12. Homeowners insurance issue.Going back to the individual (olderwoman, lives alone)who
first brought our attention to the issue (though others have come forward), Nancy noted
that the person was less forthcoming, perhaps having been bullied into submission.There
were questions about how accurate the drone film was,whether there could have been a
change in the scope of the request(trimming, not tree execution), her attempt to get tree
companies to help failed as they did not get back to her in the time allotted; she did not
realize she had 45 days to make a decision, the insurance co. was not interested in an
arborists' opinion. See item 3.. The legal allowance of 45 days was re-iterated. The
company behind this incident was MAPFRE. There was a sense that Town, DPW, and we
should work together on this; the Town should have an interest in town trees at the very
least.lt seemed to us that the single elderly homeowner might be targeted by the ins.
Company. How to reach them with options when this occurs again? Lexington
Observer?Lexington Times? LFOT? Churches? SAGE. Janice Litwin and Alan Wichtel had
joined us specifically to discuss this, issue, which occurred similarly to a neighbor.
13. About the fall planting. We tentatively appointed Barbara and Jim to work with Chris (Pat
will confirm Jim's interest). We voted, unanimously to suggest 70% of trees planted be
large shade trees, almost entirely native (depending on site issues).
14. It was noted that trees protected during the construction of the police station appeared
to have survived. The solar canopy over the parking lot poses a large restriction on
planting additional trees.
15. Ricki Pappo of LexCAN has organized a large meeting of environmental groups next
Wednesday, June 26, 630-830 at the Community Center. Gerry plans to go; Pat will go
(tho must be late, and one other TC member can go. If 4 of us go, we'll be in violation of
the OML.
16. We adjourned at 9:58 AM, purposing to meet again on zoom on Thursday, 7/11/24
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia Moyer