Urban Forestry Council

 

Regular Meeting Notice and Agenda

 

Friday, December 14, 2007 at 10:00 a.m.

City Hall, Room 400   

One Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102

 

Council Members:  Terry Milne (Chair); Kelly Quirke (Vice Chair); Carolyn Blair, Milton Marks; Mike Boss, Lena Miller; Jocelyn Cohen, Bonnie Ora Sherk, Steve Griswold, Malcolm Hillan, David Habert, SF Redevelopment Agency, AnMarie Rodgers, SF Planning Department, Susan Nervo, SF Recreation & Park Department, Carla Short, SF Department of Public Works, Mark Sustarich; SF Public Utilities Commission

 

Mei Ling Hui, Urban Forestry Council Coordinator              Monica Fish, Council Secretary

Order of Business

 

1.      Call to Order and Roll Call

 

2.      Adoption of Minutes of the October 23, 2007 Urban Forestry Council Regular Meeting (Explanatory Document: Draft Minutes of the October 23, 2007 Regular Meeting) (Discussion and Action).

 

3.      Better Streets Program as it relates to the Urban Forestry Council (Informational Report and Discussion)

Sponsor:  Chair Terry Milne

Speaker:  Adam Varat, Planner, City Planning Department

 

4.      Landmark Tree Nominations.  The Urban Forestry Council will hear the Landmark Tree Committee recommendations for trees nominated for landmark tree status at the following addresses: (Discussion and Action) (Explanatory Document:  Landmark Tree Committee Written Findings).

 

Two Flowering Ash trees (Fraxinus ornus) located at 500 Cortland Street in front of the Bernal Heights Library (Assessor’s Block 5707, Lot 027). (Explanatory Document: Board of Supervisors Resolution of intent to nominate and Nomination Packet) 

 

Moreton Bay Fig tree (Ficus macrophylla) located at 3555 Cesar Chavez Street (Assessor’s Block 6575, Lot 002).  (Explanatory Document: Board of Supervisors Resolution of intent to nominate and Nomination Packet)

 

Blue Elderberry Tree (Sambucus Mexicana) located at Folsom Street and Bernal Heights Boulevard in the Bernal Heights Natural Area (Assessor’s Block 5548, Lot 002). (Explanatory Document:  Board of Supervisors Resolution of intent to nominate, Nomination Packet , Support Ltrs.  and Support Emails)

 

Explanatory Documents for trees listed above:  Tree Evaluation Forms, pictures, neighborhood support letters)

 

Black Acacia Tree (Acacia melanoxylon) located at 1245 Masonic Avenue (Assessor’s Block 1244, Lot 005) (Explanatory Document:  Board of Supervisors Resolution of intent to nominate, Public Correspondence Received and Evaluation Form)

 

At the conclusion of the discussion, the Council will vote on whether to approve, reject, or not take action on the nominations and shall adopt written findings to support its decision (if required) to forward to the Board of Supervisors.  

 

5.      Landmark Tree Initiation of the Mature blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) trees located at 1661 Octavia Street (Discussion and Action).  The Council will consider the Landmark Tree Committee’s recommendation to direct staff to write a letter to the Board of Supervisors indicating that the referenced trees were approved for landmark tree status by the Department of Public Works in 1996 (Explanatory Document:  Board of Supervisors Resolution of intent to nominate). 

 

6.      Utility Undergrounding and Street Trees (Informational Report and Discussion).

SPEAKER:  Doug Wildman, Program Director, Friends of the Urban Forest

 

7.      Staff Report.  Staff will provide updates on UFC administrative and programmatic operations relating to research, planning, funding, outreach, and other related activities. (Informational Report and Discussion)

 

8.      Committee Reports: (Informational Reports and Discussion)

·         Planning & Funding Committee, Chair, Carla Short

The next meeting will be on December 20, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. at 11 Grove Street.

·         Landmark Tree Committee, Chair, Mike Boss

The next meeting will be on January 14, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall, Room 421.

 

9.      Chair’s Announcements: Terry Milne, Chair, Urban Forestry Council (Information and Discussion).

 

10.  New Business/Future Agenda Items (Information and Discussion).

 

11.  Public Comment:  Members of the public may address the Council on matters that are within the Council’s jurisdiction and are not on today’s agenda.

 

12.  Adjournment

 

Public Comment

At this time, members of the public may address the Council on items of interest that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council but are not on today’s agenda.  Public comment will be taken following each agendized item.  Each member of the public may address the Council for up to three minutes, unless otherwise announced by the Chair. If it is demonstrated that the comments by the public will exceed 15 minutes, the Chair may continue Public Comment to another time during the meeting.

 

The Brown Act forbids the Council from taking action or discussing any item or issue not appearing on the posted agenda.  This rule applies to issues raised in public comment as well.   In response to public comment, not on an agendized item, the Council is limited to:

 

1.             Briefly responding to statements made or questions posed by members of the public, or

2.             Request staff to report back on a matter at a subsequent meeting, or

3.             Directing staff to place the item or issue on a future agenda  (Government Code Section 54954.2(a).)

 

Disability Access

The Urban Forestry Council meetings will be held in Room 400 or 416, City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA.  The Council meeting room is wheelchair accessible.  The closest accessible BART station is the Civic Center Station at United Nations Plaza and Market Street.  Accessible MUNI lines serving this location are: #42 Downtown Loop, and #71 Haight/Noriega and the F Line to Market and Van Ness and the Metro Stations at Van Ness and Market and at Civic Center.  For information about MUNI accessible services call (415) 923-6142.  There is accessible curbside parking adjacent to City Hall on Grove Street and Van Ness Avenue and in the vicinity of the Veterans Building at 401 Van Ness Avenue adjacent to Davies Hall and the War Memorial Complex.

 

The following services are available on request 48 hours prior to the meeting; except for Monday meetings, for which the deadline shall be 4:00 p.m. of the last business day of the preceding week:  For American sign language interpreters or the use of a reader during a meeting, a sound enhancement system, and/or alternative formats of the agenda and minutes, please contact Monica Fish at (415) 355-3709 to make arrangements for the accommodation.  Late requests will be honored, if possible.

 

In order to assist the City's efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illnesses, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical based products.  Please help the City accommodate these individuals.  Individuals with chemical sensitivity or related disabilities should call the Mayor’s Office on Disability at (415) 554-6789 or (415) 554-6799 (TTY) for additional information.

 

Know your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance

(Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code)

Government’s duty is to serve the public, reaching its decisions in full view of the public.  Commissions, boards, councils, and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people’s business.  This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people’s review.  For more information on your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance or to report a violation of the ordinance, contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, Frank Darby, Sunshine Task Force Administrator, City Hall, Room 409, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA  94102-4683 at Phone No.: (415) 554-7724; Fax No.: (415) 554-7854; E-mail: [email protected].  Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance can be obtained from the Clerk of the Sunshine Task Force, the San Francisco Public Library and on the City’s website at www.sfgov.org.

 

Lobbyist Registration and Reporting Requirements

Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance [SF Campaign & Governmental Conduct Code §2.100, et. seq] to register and report lobbying activity.  For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the Ethics Commission at: 30 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 3900, San Francisco, CA 94102; telephone (415) 581-2300, fax (415) 581-2317; web site at www.sfgov.org/ethics.

 

 

Other Important Information

The ringing of and use of cell phones, pagers and similar sound-producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting.  Please be advised that the Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person(s) responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic devices.

 

Copies of explanatory documents are available to the public at Department of Environment, 11 Grove Street, San Francisco, California between the hours of  9 a.m. and 5 p.m., by clicking on the links by each agenda item above, or upon request to the Council Secretary at the above address or telephone number 415-355-3709 or via e-mail at [email protected] within three business days of a meeting.

 

When bringing handouts to meetings, please photocopy on both sides of the paper and try to use post-consumer recycled or tree-free paper.  Also, please bring sufficient copies of handouts for both the Commission and the public.