City and County of San Francisco

 

 Regular Meeting Notice and Agenda

Friday, May 27, 2011, 8:30 a.m.

 

City Hall, Room 400   

 

Council Members: Maria D’Agostino (Chair), Chris Buck (Department of Public Works—Vice Chair), Dr. Larry Costello, Dan Flanagan, Malcolm Hillan, Rose Hillson, Sandy Sherwin, Dan Sider (San Francisco Planning Department), Andrew Sullivan, Megan Sutherland, and Kelaine Vargas; Advisory Members: Mike Barrow (San Francisco Public Utilities Commission); Stanley Muraoka, San Francisco Redevelopment Agency; San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (Vacant); Golden Gate National Recreation Area (Vacant)

 

Council Coordinator:  Mei Ling Hui               Council Secretary:  Monica Fish

 

     Public comment will be taken before the Council takes action on any item.

Order of Business

 

1.      Call to Order and Roll Call.

2.      Adoption of Minutes of the March 25, 2011 Urban Forestry Council Regular Meeting. (Explanatory Document:  March 25, 2011 Draft Minutes) (Discussion and Action)

3.      Introduction of New Urban Forestry Council Members. (Discussion)

4.      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.

5.      Approval of Draft Resolution File No. 2011-05-UFC commending Terry Milne for his service to the Urban Forestry Council. (Explanatory Document:  Draft Resolution File No. 2011-05-UFC) (Discussion and Action)

6.      Election of Urban Forestry Council Chair and Vice-Chair. (Discussion and Action)

7.      Tree of the Month Campaign.  The Council will discuss program planning for the Tree of the Month campaign. (Explanatory Documents: Tree of the Month Program Plan and Tree of the Month Campaign Example) (Discussion)

8.      Presentation on the Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit Plan. Speaker: Rachel Hiatt, Senior Transportation Planner for the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. (Informational Presentation and Discussion)

 

9.      Hearing on Nominations for Landmark Tree Status. The Urban Forestry Council will hold a hearing to determine whether the trees nominated at the following locations meet the criteria for designation as landmark trees. (Discussion and Action)

 

At the conclusion of the hearing, the Council will vote on whether to approve or reject the nominations and shall adopt written findings to support its decision.  The Council will forward approved nominations to the Board of Supervisors for further consideration.

 

Blackwood Acacia (Acacia Melanoxylon) located at 2853 Vallejo Street, Assessor’s Block 0958, Lot 18, San Francisco, CA (Explanatory Documents:  Landmark Tree Committee Written Summary, Nomination Form, Committee and Staff Evaluation Forms, Magazine Article, Tree Images, Support and Objection Letters)

 

Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) located at 774 Cayuga Street, Assessor’s Block 3146, Lot 042, San Francisco, CA.  (Explanatory Documents:  Landmark Tree Committee Written Summary, Nomination Form, Committee and Staff Evaluation Forms, Tree Images)

 

English Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) located at 864 Francisco Street, Assessor’s Block 0045, Lot 006, San Francisco, CA (Explanatory Documents:  Landmark Tree Committee Written Summary, Nomination Form, Arborist Report, Committee and Staff Evaluation Forms, Tree Images)

 

10.  Urban Forestry Council Review of its Goals and Objectives.  (Explanatory Document:  Urban Forestry Council Goals and Objectives Chart)(Discussion)

11.  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)

12.  Committee Reports: (Informational Reports and Discussion)

Planning & Funding Committee. Chair’s Report on the April 21 and May 19, 2011 meetings. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 16, 2011, 4:15 p.m. at City Hall, Room 421.

Landmark Tree Ad Hoc Committee Report.  Chair’s Report on the April 12 and May 10, 2011 meetings.  The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 14, 2011.

13.  Chair’s Announcements: Chair, Urban Forestry Council (Information and Discussion)

14.  Urban Forestry Council Member Announcements. (Information and Discussion)

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

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.

17.  Adjournment.

 

The next meeting of the Urban Forestry Council is scheduled for Tuesday, June 28, 2011, at 6:00 p.m. in Room 400, City Hall.

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.

 

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 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 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] within three business days of a meeting. Explanatory documents are also available at the Council’s meeting or agenda website https://sites.google.com/a/sfenvironment.org/commission/urban-forestry-council as attachments with each agenda or meeting minutes. If any materials related to an item on this agenda have been distributed to the Urban Forestry Council after distribution of the agenda packet, those materials are available for public inspection at the Department of the Environment, 11 Grove Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 during normal office hours or will be made available at the meeting website as attachments with the agenda or meeting minutes.

 

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 Council and the public.

 

Posted: May 23, 2011