City and County of San Francisco

DEpartment of the ENvironment

URBAN FORESTRY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING

APPROVED MINUTES

 

TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2010, 6:00 P.M.

CITY HALL, ROOM 416, ONE DR. CARLTON B. GOODLETT JR. PLACE

SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102

 ORDER OF BUSINESS

 

 

1.      Call to Order and Roll Call.  The Urban Forestry Council meeting convened at 6:05 p.m. Voting Members Present:  Acting Chair D’Agostino, Members Buck, Cohen, Costello (6:33), Hillan, Hillson, Rodgers, Sherk and Vargas. Excused: Council Members LeBeau and Milne; Advisory Member Excused:  Member Nervo.

 

2.      Adoption of Minutes of the May 28, 2010 Urban Forestry Council Regular Meeting and June 2, 2010 Retreat Minutes. (Discussion and Action)  Upon Motion by Council Member Cohen and second by Council Member Sherk, the May 28 and June 2, 2010 Meeting Minutes were approved without objection (AYES:  Vice-Chair D’Agostino, Members Buck, Cohen, Hillan, Hillson, Rodgers, Sherk and Vargas; Absent: Council Members LeBeau, Costello and Milne) (Explanatory Documents: May 28 and June 2, 2010 Draft and 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.  There was no public comment at this time.

 

Item 5 was heard before Item 4.    

 

4.      Election of Urban Forestry Council Officers. (Continued from the May 28, 2010 Meeting) (Discussion and Action)

 

Council Coordinator Hui reported that Members D’Agostino and Milne had been nominated for Chair and Members D’Agostino and Buck were nominated for Vice-Chair.  Upon Motion by Member Vargas and second by Member Hillan, Member D’Agostino was elected as Chair (Vote: Approved 6-3; 2 Absent) AYES: Members D’Agostino, Costello, Hillan, Sherk, Buck, and Vargas; NOES: Members Cohen, Hillson, and Rodgers; ABSENT: Members LeBeau and Milne). 

 

5.      San Francisco Recreation & Park Department Draft Assessment of Urban Forestry Operations. (Explanatory Document: Recreation and Park Department Draft Assessment of Urban Forestry Operations) (Informational Report and Discussion) 

 

Ms. Karen Mauney Brodeck, Planner, Recreation and Park Department provided an overview of San Francisco Recreation and Park Department’s Draft Assessment of Urban Forestry Operations as prepared by HortScience (see explanatory document).  She explained that the Plan provides recommendations for improvement of Recreation and Park Department’s urban forestry operations.  Recommendations that were emphasized is that the Department take a proactive programmed instead of reactive approach to management and maintenance of its trees such as establishing pruning cycles for park trees instead of on-call maintenance.  Ms. Brodeck explained that the Recreation and Park Department is working on implementing some of the recommendations in the Plan that could be achievable without additional funding, but other recommendations would require additional funding and staff.  She stated that this analysis can also help the Planning Department’s Urban Forest Plan once it gets off the ground.

 

Planning and Funding Committee Chair Buck reported on the presentation heard at the Planning and Funding Committee meeting on June 17, 2010 by Mr. Jim Clark with HortScience on the Plan.  He stated that Mr. Clark discussed the assessment of Recreation and Park Department’s urban forestry operations and the context and history for management of Recreation and Park Department trees, which includes Golden Gate Park, trees in all the other parks, and in plazas and squares.   Vice-Chair Buck stated that the Plan provides a roadmap for Recreation and Park Department to consider and reflects a commitment to best management practices as well as an opportunity for feedback from community groups and their own staff.  He suggested that this Plan be incorporated into the Urban Forest Master Plan once work restarts on the plan.  Ms. Mauney Brodeck stated that the Plan recommends working together with neighborhood/community groups in preparing a Park Management Plan and identifying their needs.

 

Council Members commended the comprehensiveness of the plan and provided Ms. Mauney Brodeck with suggestions to incorporate, e.g. include a reference to the Draft Urban Forest Plan, Recreation and Park Department to initiate landmarking trees and setting goals for how many trees should be landmarked, establishing pruning schedules for prime specimens, citing Recreation and Park Department seat on the Council, providing notification for removal of trees, building more trust throughout the community, providing green skills job training (outdoor classrooms in parks to expand and maintain the urban forest), and planting large trees in parks.  Council Member Hillson requested a response to her comments which Ms. Mauney Brodeck reported she or Mr. Clark would provide feedback and try to incorporate into the report (Explanatory Document: Council Member Hillson’s comments).

 

Member Costello joined the meeting during this agenda item.

 

6.      Approval of the Annual Urban Forest Report Survey. Council Members reviewed and provided suggestions for updates to the Annual Urban Forest Report Survey.  (Explanatory Document:  Draft Annual Urban Forest Report Survey) Speaker:  Mei Ling Hui, Council Coordinator (Discussion and Action)

 

Council Members provided suggestions for amendments to the Survey.  Council Coordinator Hui reported on the schedule for sending out the survey, reviewing responses, and finalizing the Annual Report which is usually done the first week of September.  Council Chair D’Agostino, Members Costello and Vargas would meet to work on the survey, review last year’s responses, and then forward to the Planning and Funding Committee for their July 15 meeting for review and recommendation to the full Council for approval at their July 23 meeting.   

 

7.      Resolution commending Mark Sustarich, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission representative, for his service to the Urban Forestry Council.    (Discussion and Action) 

 

The Resolution commending Public Utilities Commission Representative Mark Sustarich for his service to the Urban Forestry Council was read into the record.  Upon Motion by Vice-Chair Buck, second by Chair D’Agostino, Resolution File No. 2010-06-UFC was approved without objection. (Vote:  Approved 8-0; 3 Absent; AYES: Chair D’Agostino, Vice-Chair Buck, Council Members Costello, Hillan, Hillson, Rodgers, Sherk and Vargas; Absent: Members Cohen, LeBeau and Milne) (Explanatory Documents: Draft Resolution File 2010-06-UFC and Approved Resolution No. 006-10-UFC).

 

8.      Greening of Lots where Development is on Hold. The Council discussed and voted on the Planning and Funding Committee’s proposed Resolution making recommendations. (Continued from the May 28, 2010 Meeting) (Explanatory Document: Draft Resolution and Approved Resolution 007-10-UFC) (Discussion and Possible Action)

 

Council Member Hillan left the meeting at this time.  Upon Motion by Council Member Rodgers, second by Council Member Cohen, the Resolution was approved as written (Vote:  Approved 8-0; 3 Absent; AYES: Chair D’Agostino, Vice-Chair Buck, Council Members Cohen, Costello, Hillson, Rodgers, Sherk and Vargas; Absent: Members LeBeau, Hillan and Milne). (Explanatory Document:  Approved Resolution 007-10-UFC)

 

Item 9 was heard before Item 8.

 

9.      Urban Forest Map.  Urban Forest Map Developer, Council Member Vargas provided an informational presentation on the map to the Council. Speaker: Council Member Kelaine Vargas. (Informational Presentation and Discussion) 

 

Council Member Vargas presented on the Urban Forest Map www.Urbanforestmap.org, a tree inventory of San Francisco’s urban forest.  She stated that the program was recently launched publicly and described the program’s features, source of data, functionality, content, partners, funding source, future plans and goals.  She stated that data is continuously being incorporated into the program.  Council Member Vargas referenced a component of the Urban Forest Map, Urban Tree Key, www.UrbanTreeKey.org, a resource for identifying common urban tree species.  Council Members highly commended Member Vargas on development of the Map.  She requested Council Member feedback.

 

10.  Urban Forestry Council June 2 Strategic Planning Retreat Outcomes and Next Steps.  (Explanatory Document:  June 2, 2010 Draft Minutes and Member D’Agostino’s Retreat Notes) (Discussion) 

 

This agenda item was sent back to the Planning and Funding Committee for discussion at their July 15 meeting and then to a future full Council meeting. Council Chair D’Agostino asked Council Members to review her notes from the meeting and respond with comments.  Member Rodgers left during this agenda item. 

 

11.  Urban Forestry Council Budget Review and Planning. The Council will hear a report and recommendations from the Planning Committee on the currently allocated Urban Forestry budget for Fiscal Year 2010-11. (Informational Report and Discussion)

 

This agenda item was sent back to the Planning and Funding Committee for discussion at their July 15 meeting and then to a future full Council meeting. 

 

12.  Staff Report.  Council Coordinator Hui provided updates on Urban Forestry Council administrative and programmatic operations relating to research, planning, funding, outreach, and other related activities. (Informational Report and Discussion) (See Explanatory Document: Staff Report).  Chair Buck asked Council Coordinator Hui to consult with Urban Forester Carla Short on her presentation to 311.  

 

13.  Committee Reports: (Informational Reports and Discussion)

Planning & Funding Committee

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 15, 2010, 4:15 p.m. at City Hall, Room 421.  Committee Chair Buck discussed the importance of maintaining quorum for Committee meetings and finding a new meeting location that would allow for additional meeting time. This topic would be discussed at the July 15 Planning and Funding Committee meeting.  Ms. Fish stated that she would check meeting room availability and report back to Committee Members.

 

Landmark Tree Ad Hoc Committee Report.  There was no report made at this time.

 

14.  Chair’s Announcements: Chair, Urban Forestry Council (Information and Discussion) Council Chair D’Agostino stated that she is delighted to be Chair.  No additional report was made at this time.

 

15.  New Business/Future Agenda Items. (Information and Discussion).  Council Member Cohen stated that she and Council Member Hillan are working on an amendment to the Landmark Tree Ordinance to include groves and groups of trees that would be brought to the Council at a future date. She distributed a copy of proposed Urban Forestry Ordinance Revisions (see Explanatory Document). Council Coordinator Hui stated that a Board of Supervisors sponsor has expressed interest in sponsoring the proposed amendments. Council Member Hillson inquired about the status of modifying “What you need to Know about the Tree Protection Legislation”?  Council Coordinator Hui reported that she has sent a request to Member Rodgers about the Tree Disclosure Statement, not the other referenced document, and would report back at the July 23 meeting.  Council Chair D’Agostino and Chair Buck stated that the Tree Disclosure Statement was the first step and that this topic would be discussed further at a future Planning and Funding Committee meeting.

 

16.  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.

 

17.  Adjournment. The Urban Forestry Council meeting adjourned at 8:29 p.m.

 

The next meeting of the Urban Forestry Council is scheduled for Friday, July 23, 2010 at 8:30 a.m. in Room 400, City Hall.

Copies of explanatory documents are available to the public at the Department of Environment, 11 Grove Street, San Francisco, California between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., upon request to the Council Secretary at the above address or telephone number 415-355-3709 or via e-mail at [email protected].  Explanatory documents are also available at the Council’s meeting or agenda website https://sites.google.com/a/sfenvironment.org/commission/urban-forestry-council/2010-meetings as attachments with each agenda or meeting minutes.