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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMilton Tree Preservation Committee Meeting 09 10 08ME - Minutes The Milton Tree Preservation Committee Wednesday, September 1O, 2008 at 3:30 p.m. MEETING LOCATION: Milton City Hall Council Chambers COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE Roger Festa Zack Middlebrooks Adam Orkin Scott Gronholm COMMITTEE MEMBERS NOT IN ATTENDANCE Cherilyn Allen David Holcomb Diane Palmer GUEST ATTENDEES Joe Padilla MILTON STAFF IN ATTENDANCE Mark Law, City Arborist Matt Zyjewski, Community Development Intern AGENDA 1) Call to order 2) Approval of the minutes for August 27 meetings. 3) Brief on last meeting 4) Tree Removal Permit 5) Additional discussion 6) Public comment 7) Adjournment Minutes Milton Tree Preservation Committee September 10, 2008 CALL TO ORDER ➢ Meeting called to order by City Arborist, Mark Law INTRODUCTION APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES: ➢ Deferred until next meeting on September 24, 2008. GENERAL COMMENTS: Discussion of Tree Removal Information Packet and Application: Mark Law ➢ This is mainly guidelines for the individual property owners wanting to get tree removal permits. ➢ Commercial tree removal will be addressed separately in LDP process. Mark Law ➢ 6"DBH gives flexibility for smaller trees Roger Festa ➢ Cannot go lower than 6"DBH (for larger trees) Scott Gronholm ➢ Raised questions ■ Do we really want people to pay to remove a 6" tree? ■ Is $35 going to cover all processing? Roger Festa ➢ Should not be out to make profits on tree removal permits Scott Gronholm ➢ Thought 8" would be a better requirement than a 6" tree requirement Roger Festa ➢ Should be able to do tree removal permits online and pay ➢ Group agrees that 8" requirement would work best 2 Minutes Milton Tree Preservation Committee September 10, 2008 Roger Festa ➢ Question about arborist certification checklist ➢ Leaving something wide open in 3rd certification check Question about "unsightly" and what that means Mark Law ➢ Some jurisdictions require bonds from tree service companies Roger Festa ➢ Concerned about insurance, liability, and workers comp regarding tree removal companies Roger Festa ➢ Remove third check point and replace with "other" Mark Law Need to work on additional fee details, such as mitigation fees if owner wants to remove more than 6 trees Adam Orkin ➢ Likes the language contained in City of Kirkland tree removal permit Adam Orkin ➢ If an owner is caught removing, should go through recompense procedure, rather than a regulation or just fine ➢ Perhaps use fines to be placed in the tree fund Scott Gronholm ➢ Prefers penalties ➢ Should double recompense ➢ Maybe could place a lien on property Mark Law ➢ Need to come up with something that can be easily enforced and will take little time, ➢ Ordinance needs to be enforceable 3 Minutes Milton Tree Preservation Committee September 10, 2008 Scott Gronholm ➢ Would be great to have administrative variance, perhaps 15% reduction to reduce parking if specimen tree is saved Roger Festa ➢ Need to prioritize what is to be done with tree fund money Adam Orkin Asked Mark if he could ask Alice Wakefield the "proper" way to give incentive to get the city to save trees?" Roger Festa ➢ Should work on definitions next meeting, Vote on tree removal permit next meeting. Mark Law ➢ There will discussion of violations and enforcement at next meeting PUBLIC COMMENTS Joe Padilla ➢ Likes equity concept of applying tree removal permits to residential and not just commercial, ➢ Likes idea of raising awareness ➢ Recommends adding tree removal information on closing papers when people are buying/selling homes ➢ May receive some pushback from realtors, but would benefit homeowners NEXT MEETING DATE ➢ Wednesday, September 24, 2008 P 3:30 p.m. ➢ Location: City Hall Executive Conference Room, Suite 107-G 11 Minutes Milton Tree Preservation Committee September io, 2oo8 ADJOURNMENT ➢ There was no further business ➢ The Milton Tree Preservation Committee meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m. Date Approved:%� L6� APPROVED BY: Vyancesca Ivie City Clerk's Office W- Mark Law, City Arborist