City and County of San Francisco

DEpartment of the ENvironment

URBAN FORESTRY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING

APPROVED MINUTES

 

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010, 8:30 A.M.

 

ORDER OF BUSINESS

 

2.      Adoption of Minutes of the October 26, 2010 Urban Forestry Council Regular Meeting. (Explanatory Document:  October 26, 2010 Draft Minutes) (Discussion and Action)  Upon Motion by Member Hillson, second by Member Milne, the October 26, 2010 Meeting Minutes were approved without objection (AYES: Members D’Agostino, Buck, Cohen, Hillson, Milne, Sider; Absent: Members Costello, Hillan, Sherk and Vargas).

 

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.

 

Council Member Cohen stated that although she has many more goals and accomplishments mapped out as a member of the Urban Forestry Council, she is announcing her resignation to the Council which coincides with the end of her third term and six years with the Council.  She described her work and collaboration on a Council project to draft language for the landmark tree Ordinance and working for its safe passage.  She discussed her monumental vision to change San Francisco streets into public right-of-ways with contiguous landscapes supporting eco-systems of trees and a harmonious understory.  The reality was a small sidewalk pocket park garden honoring Arbor Day. Member Cohen stated that her experience with the Council has been enriching and insightful and feels that she has made a contribution to something that she cares most about, trees and the urban forest.  She thanked all Council members and Council staff for the opportunity to serve with them, to learn from their experiences, and work on common goals.  Member Cohen stated that she would like to continue working outside of the Council with Members Hillson and Vargas on amending the landmark tree ordinance to include groves of trees. She requested a commendation letter from Council Member Milne if the Council feels it is deserved for her contribution to the Council. She thanked the Council for being part of her tree world journey.

     

4.      Review and Adoption of the Draft 2010 Urban Forest Annual Report.  Council Coordinator Mei Ling Hui presented the final draft of the 2010 Annual Urban Forest Report for discussion and adoption by the Council. (Explanatory Documents:  2010 Annual Report Draft and updated Annual Urban Forest Report Survey Responses Matrix) (Presentation, Discussion and Action)

 

Council Coordinator Hui reported on edits that would be made to the Annual Report to include the number of Department of Public Works citations issued for illegal tree removals and prunings, Living Library edits on the section on tree removal, and copy edits. She reported that the Planning and Funding Committee has approved the report. The Annual Report is required by the Ordinance that created the Council as an annual task to inform urban forest stakeholders and policy makers of issues that urban forest managers are dealing with.  The Mayor, Board of Supervisors and everyone that contributed or was asked to contribute will receive a copy of the report.  There has already been a request from the media for a copy of the report. Member Cohen suggested creating a holiday article around the report.  Council Coordinator Hui reported that a graphic artist is not available to work on the graphics at this time.

 

Upon Motion by Council Member Cohen, second by Member Milne, the 2010 Urban Forest Annual Report was approved with edits and would be issued in January 2011 (AYES: Members D’Agostino, Buck, Cohen, Costello, Hillson, Milne, Sherk and Sider; Absent:  Members Hillan and Vargas). 

 

5.      Urban Forestry Council Discussion and Vote on Draft Resolution File No. 2010-09-UFC to amend its Bylaws to delete the Urban Forestry Council’s Meeting Requirements for the April and July Meetings.  (Continued from the October 26, 2010 Meeting) Sponsor and Speaker: Chair D’Agostino (Explanatory Document: Draft Resolution File No. 2010-09-UFC) (Discussion and Action)

 

Chair D’Agostino reported on reasons to delete the April and July meetings due to a lack of reaching quorum at these past meetings, and that it would enable the Council to do more productive work and hold more effective meetings. Upon Motion by Council Chair D’Agostino, second by Member Milne, Resolution File No. 2010-09-UFC to amend the Urban Forestry Council’s Bylaws to delete the meeting requirements for the April and July meetings was approved (AYES: Members D’Agostino, Buck, Cohen, Costello, Hillson, Milne, and Sider; Noes: Member Sherk; Absent: Members Hillan and Vargas) (Explanatory Document: Final Resolution 009-10-UFC).

 

6.      Approval of Draft Resolution File No. 2010-10-UFC commending Susan Nervo, Recreation and Park Department representative, for her service to the Urban Forestry Council. (Explanatory Document:  Draft Resolution File No. 2010-10-UFC) (Discussion and Action)

 

Council Chair D’Agostino read the Draft Resolution commending Council Member Emeritus Member Nervo for her service to the Urban Forestry Council.  Council Member Emeritus Nervo expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to serve five years with past and present Council members and with Council staff.  Upon Motion by Member Milne, second by Chair D’Agostino, Draft Resolution File No. 2010-10-UFC was approved without objection (AYES: Members D’Agostino, Buck, Cohen, Costello, Hillson, Milne, Sherk and Sider; Absent: Members Hillan and Vargas) (Explanatory Document: Final Resolution 010-10-UFC).   

 

7.      Approval of Draft Resolution File No. 2010-11-UFC commending AnMarie Rodgers, Planning Department representative, for her service to the Urban Forestry Council.  (Explanatory Document:  Draft Resolution File No. 2010-11-UFC) (Discussion and Action)

 

Upon Motion by Member Milne, second by Member Cohen, Draft Resolution File No. 2010-11-UFC commending AnMarie Rodgers, Planning Department representative, for her service to the Urban Forestry Council was approved with edits without objection.  Edits:  Line 11, after “arboreal” add “planning and policy” before wisdom; add a paragraph about how Member Emeritus Rodgers was instrumental in (a) advocating for the Urban Forest Plan and transferring it to the Planning Department and (b) for her work on the Tree Disclosure Statement.  (AYES: Members D’Agostino, Buck, Cohen, Costello, Hillson, Milne, Sherk and Sider; Absent: Members Hillan and Vargas) (Explanatory Document: Final Resolution 011-10-UFC)   

 

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 Coordinator Hui reported that (1) she has been working on the Annual Report; (2) that Mr. Andres Power of the Planning Department may be providing an update on the Urban Forest Plan at the January Council meeting; and (3) the EnvironmentNow tree planting, tree care and job training program with Friends of the Urban Forest on Thursdays has been re-launched. Council members were asked to provide suggestions for projects. 

 

9.      Committee Reports: (Informational Reports and Discussion)

Planning & Funding Committee. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 16, 2010, 4:15 p.m. at City Hall, Room 421. 

 

Committee Chair Buck inquired whether a discussion of Member Cohen’s Ordinance language for landmarking groves of trees should be held at the Planning and Funding Committee, Landmark Tree Ad Hoc Committee, or the full Council.  Council Members discussed the need to identify the process for implementing ordinance amendments and the proper Committee where this issue should be worked on. Member Milne suggested that a Resolution be prepared by the Landmark Tree Adhoc Committee to be recommended to the Council to suggest and recommend to the Board of Supervisors. He explained that the City Attorney and Board of Supervisors would provide the language to make the Ordinance amendments. Council Coordinator Hui reported on past process and her limited time available to write the code for the Council and walk it through the process.  She explained that the Landmark Tree Committee had stated that more work needs to be done on the Ordinance language in order to move it forward, e.g., developing criteria, providing a definition of a grove.

 

Council Coordinator Hui would send Member Cohen’s proposed language to all Council Members for review and comment. It was agreed that this item be heard at the January 11 Landmark Tree Committee meeting.

 

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

 

10.  Chair’s Announcements: Chair, Urban Forestry Council (Information and Discussion). Council Chair D’Agostino stated that she would be seeking guidance from the Clerk of the Board on the decision-making process so that there is agreement between members. She proposed a more in-depth review of the Street Tree List for January 2011. She reported that agenda items requests made by Council members are discussed by the Chair, Council Coordinator and Council Secretary and asked that members make their requests clear.  Ms. Fish reported that an agenda item request form is sent to members several weeks before the meeting and provides a clear description of what is needed to report on an agenda request. 

 

11.  New Business/Future Agenda Items. (Information and Discussion).  Member Costello asked that Council members present three high-priority short-term goals for discussion at the January 28 meeting that can be achieved in one year and can be worked on at each meeting. He suggested an analysis of the Urban Forest Report as a potential goal. Member Cohen reported on the status of the controversial Poplar trees across from Moscone Center. She distributed a copy of two articles that she has been working on and recently published on the care of older oaks published  in the Manzanita, a journal of the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden (see explanatory document (PDF) http://www.nativeplants.org/manzanita-fall10.pdf).  Council Chair D’Agostino suggested that Council Members create a forum at meetings to share their activities in seminars/conferences they have attended and discussed her attendance at the American Society of Consulting Arborists Conference.  She announced that Member Costello had recently announced his retirement from UC Extension, and that she was honored that he mentioned that he would continue his work with the Urban Forestry Council.  

 

12.  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.

 

13.  Adjournment.  The Urban Forestry Council meeting adjourned at 10:10 a.m.

 

The next meeting of the Urban Forestry Council is scheduled for Friday, January 28, 2011, 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.