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City and County of San Francisco DEpartment of the ENvironment URBAN FORESTRY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETINGAPPROVED MINUTES
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009, 10:00 A.M. CITY HALL, ROOM 400, ONE DR. CARLTON B. GOODLETT PLACE SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102
ORDER OF BUSINESS
1. Call to Order and Roll Call. The Urban Forestry Council Meeting convened at 8:38 a.m. Present: Chair Milne, Vice-Chair D’Agostino, Council Members Buck (8:45 a.m.), Cohen, Hillan, LeBeau, Rodgers, Sherk (8:50 a.m.), and Vargas; Advisory Members Present: Members Nervo and Sustarich; (2 Vacant).
2. Adoption of Minutes of the October 27, 2009 Urban Forestry Council Regular Meeting and November 20, 2009 Retreat Special Meeting. (Discussion and Action) Upon Motion by Member Cohen and second by Member Hillan, the October 27 and November 20, 2009 Meeting Minutes were approved without objection (AYES: Chair Milne, Vice-Chair D’Agostino, Council Members Cohen, Hillan, LeBeau, Rodgers and Vargas; Absent: Members Buck and Sherk) (Explanatory Documents: October 27, 2009 Regular Meeting Approved Minutes and November 20, 2009 Retreat Special Meeting Approved Minutes).
3. 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.
Ms. Rose Hillson, Jordan Park Improvement Association, discussed how Department of Public Works rules and City legislation are not effective in the case of trees that are cut down when they are not within ten feet of a public right-of-way. Ms. Hillson cited a particular tree that was set in a backwards-built lot, was fairly large and recently cut down. Chair Milne stated that the tree was not considered a significant tree because it was not within ten feet of the public right-of-way. Member Cohen acknowledged Ms. Hillson for presenting this issue to the Council and explained that when the legislation was redrafted a few years ago, there was a failed attempt to include a conservation measure that would protect trees on private property and of a particular size.
Mr. Bill McLeod stated that he has helped plant trees with Friends of the Urban Forest in the neighborhood in which he resides and for a few years has wondered why there couldn’t be a better way for the City to finance tree maintenance and planting. He proposed identifying a fund to take care of tree maintenance, tree planting and sidewalks through a program similar to the solar initiative that would add a certain amount onto the sale of a house. He proposed that the initial cost could be added to property tax and be paid over a course of twenty years. Mr. McLeod also expressed his concern with the Department of Public Works program to repair sidewalks that he believes is causing blight through spray painting of x’s throughout the sidewalks. He stated that the City is also requiring that people repair their sidewalks and expressed his concern that people who reside on his block have had to spend $10,000 for sidewalk repair, which is causing a hardship due to the recession. Chair Milne stated that he would forward this information to the Department of Public Works and indicated that the Council is always trying to identify funding mechanisms for urban forestry and would investigate his recommendation.
4. Hearing on Nomination for Landmark Tree Status. The Council will hold a hearing to determine whether the following trees meet the criteria for designation as landmark trees: PRESENTER: Landmark Tree Committee Chair Malcolm Hillan (Discussion and Action)
2040-2060 Sutter Street, SF, CA 94115, Assessor’s Block 0678, Lots 037-104 · Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heteropylla) (Explanatory Doc. Nomination Form) · Canary Island Date Palm #1 (Phoenix canariensis) (Explanatory Doc.: Nomination Form) · Canary Island Date Palm #2 (Phoenix canariensis) (Explanatory Doc.: Nomination Form)
(Additional Explanatory Documents:
Landmark Tree Committee Evaluations— Committee Chair Hillan and Member Vargas)
At the conclusion of the hearing, the Council voted on whether to approve or reject the nominations and adopted written findings to support its decision. The Council will forward approved nominations to the Board of Supervisors for further consideration.
Landmark Tree Committee Chair Hillan reported that the Sutter Park West Homeowners Association of the condominium complex located at 2040-2060 Sutter Street nominated the three trees for landmark status. These trees are located in a center courtyard common area for the condominium buildings. He described landmark tree criteria that would qualify the trees for landmark tree status and recommended on behalf of the Committee that all three trees be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for consideration of landmark tree status.
Council members discussed providing address links to aerial views, noticing requirements, notification to property owners, their concerns, and landmark tree criteria as it would apply to the nominated trees. Landmark Tree Committee Chair Hillan stated that the two strongest evaluation criteria that these nominations would fall under would be the categories of physical and environmental and discussed other areas of evaluation as described in the written report and evaluation forms.
Upon Motion by Member Vargas, second by Member Hillan, the Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heteropylla) located at 2040-2060 Sutter Street, Assessor’s Block 0678, Lots 037-104 was approved for recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for landmark tree status (AYES: Chair Milne, Vice-Chair D’Agostino, Council Members Buck, Cohen, Hillan, LeBeau, Rodgers, Sherk and Vargas; Noes: None; Absent: None) (Explanatory Document: Final Resolution 007-09-UFC Packet) Upon Motion by Member Hillan, second by Member Cohen, the Canary Island Date Palm #1 (Phoenix canariensis) located at 2040-2060 Sutter Street, Assessor’s Block 0678, Lots 037-104 was approved for recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for landmark tree status (AYES: Chair Milne, Vice-Chair D’Agostino, Council Members Buck, Cohen, Hillan, LeBeau, Rodgers, Sherk and Vargas; Noes: None; Absent: None) (Explanatory Document: Final Resolution 008-09-UFC Packet)
Upon Motion by Vice-Chair D’Agostino, second by Member LeBeau, the Canary Island Date Palm #2 (Phoenix canariensis located at 2040-2060 Sutter Street, Assessor’s Block 0678, Lots 037-104 was approved for recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for landmark tree status (AYES: Vice-Chair D’Agostino, Council Members Buck, Cohen, Hillan, LeBeau, Rodgers, Sherk and Vargas; Noes: Chair Milne; Absent: None) (Final Resolution 009-09-UFC Packet)
The Council reverted to Mr. McLeod’s Public Comment Item 3 at this time (see Item 3).
5. Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond. Presentation and discussion on the Recreation and Park Department’s Planning of the Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond Forestry Hazard Area Prioritization and Forestry Management Plan. Speakers: Jim Clark, Hortscience (Explanatory Document: Presentation; Rick Thall, Recreation and Park Department Project Manager; Karen Mauney-Brodek, Recreation and Park Department Planner. (Informational Report and Discussion)
Ms. Mauney-Brodek reported that the Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond is a four-million dollar bond that is an opportunity for the City Recreation and Park Department to finance forestry-related improvements and forestry public-safety concerns on Recreation and Park lands using capital dollars. The bond would not address all forestry needs in all parks so there is planning and prioritization work in progress at the current time. The process is currently in the outreach phase in order to receive feedback from entities that include the Urban Forestry Council, stakeholders, the Neighborhood Parks Council, Parks Trust, Parks Advisory Committee, and other related community organizations.
Mr. Clark provided background on HortScience Inc. and presented on the Tree Risk Area Identification and Prioritization Project and components of the Tree Management Plan (see Explanatory Document on topics of discussion). He reported that the project would include identifying properties and facilities within properties that have the greatest need (a mix of trees or tree characteristics that are most likely to fail) and then identifying the highest use in occupancy. The matrix is currently being developed and analyzed. The Tree Management/Operational Plan is being developed for all Recreation and Park Department properties and is aimed in making the transition to implementing recommendations.
Council Members expressed their support of the program and provided feedback and recommendations. Discussions were held on topics that include changing the title of the project plan to add preservation project; availability of state grant funding allocations for park tree inventories, utilizing tree-species profiles for risk assessments, and priority allocation of funds to public safety vs. urban forestry planting projects.
Public Comment: Ms. Rose Hillson expressed her support of the project.
6. Development and Trees. The Council will review and discuss tree disclosure and protection requirements when developing near protected trees as it relates to the tree protection zone described for Landmark and Significant trees. Speaker: Council Member AnMarie Rodgers. (Informational Report and Discussion). This agenda item was continued to the January 22, 2010 meeting.
7. Development of Policies to address Pine Pitch Canker Solutions. Sponsor: Council Chair Milne (Discussion) Council Chair Milne requested that Council Members provide ideas for regulations or a legislative proposal for discussion at a future Planning and Funding Committee meeting.
8. Staff Report. Staff will provide updates on Urban Forestry Council administrative and programmatic operations relating to research, planning, funding, outreach, and other related activities. (Informational Report and Discussion)
Council Chair Milne reported that Member Blair had resigned from the Council. Council Coordinator Hui presented her staff report on topics that include Council membership resignations and status of appointments, landmark tree current events, urban gleaning project, strategic planning retreat session, Green Christmas program, climate action planning, Green Stacks and Environment Now programs (Explanatory Document: Staff Report)
9. Correspondence Distribution: Council Meeting Schedule for 2010. (Information and Discussion) Ms. Fish distributed the Council Meeting Schedule for 2010.
10. Committee Reports: (Informational Reports and Discussion) · Planning & Funding Committee, Chair The next meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 4:15 p.m. at City Hall, Room 421 has been cancelled. · Landmark Tree Ad Hoc Committee, Chair Malcolm Hillan
Council Chair Milne stated that there would be no Committee reports because the Planning and Funding Committee meeting scheduled for next week would be cancelled due to a lack of quorum, and a Chair has not yet been selected. The Landmark Tree Committee did meet in November and nominated trees were discussed in Agenda Item 4.
11. Chair’s Announcements: Terry Milne, Chair, Urban Forestry Council (Information and Discussion) There were no Chair’s announcements made at this time.
12. New Business/Future Agenda Items. (Information and Discussion). Coordinator Hui reported that she had previously communicated with Mr. McLeod on his ideas and would be exploring the issue of tax financing for urban forestry work. A report would be made at the next meeting. Member Sherk recommended contacting the Assessor’s Office for information. Member Sherk reported that (1) her agency is currently planting a lot of trees and (2) Nature Walk had been stopped for a year because of the state’s budget freeze, but is now moving forward in conjunction with Life Frames Inc., the Living Library, Recreation and Park Department and Public Utilities Commission. Member Cohen recommended a discussion on raising revenue for tree care so that individuals could become certified to issue fines for improper tree care and fees collected could go into a tree care fund.
13. 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. There was no public comment at this time.
14. Adjournment. The Urban Forestry Council meeting adjourned at 10:40 a.m.
The next meeting of the Urban Forestry Council is scheduled for Friday, January 22, 2010 at 8:30 a.m. in Room 400, City Hall.
Explanatory documents are available to the public at the Department of the Environment, 11 Grove Street, San Francisco, California between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., by clicking on the attachments with each agenda or meeting minutes, or upon request to the Council Secretary at the address listed below, telephone number 415-355-3709, or via e-mail at [email protected].
Urban Forestry Council San Francisco Department of the Environment City and County of San Francisco 11 Grove Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Respectfully submitted by,
Monica Fish, Council Secretary
*Approved: January 22, 2010 |
Urban Forestry Council > 2009 Meetings >
