URBAN FORESTRY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING

 

ORDER OF BUSINESS

 

1.    Call to Order and Roll Call.  The Urban Forestry Council meeting convened at 8:35 a.m. Present:  Chair D’Agostino, Vice-Chair Hillson, Council Members Buck, Flanagan, Sider, Sutherland, Vargas, Barrow, Muraoka, and Sherwin; Absent: Members Costello and Hillan; Excused:  Member Sullivan.

 

2.    Adoption of Minutes of the August 23, 2011 Urban Forestry Council Regular Meeting. (Explanatory Document:  August 23, 2011 Draft and Approved Minutes) (Discussion and Action) Upon Motion by Chair D’Agostino, second by Member Flanagan, the September 23, 2011 Meeting Minutes were approved without objection. (AYES:  Chair D’Agostino, Vice-Chair Hillson, Council Members Buck, Flanagan, Sider, Sutherland, Vargas;Absent:  Members Costello, Hillan, and Sherwin)

 

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. 

 

Mr. Frank Mason questioned why the Department of Public Works planted trees in District 8 as part of tree planting programs when statistics cited in the Urban Forest Report on tree-counts reflect other San Francisco districts with a much lower tree canopy.  He questioned the logic behind a “one-size-fits-all policy” that residents are required to have a tree whether they want one or not, and that the needs of the disabled, seniors, and caregivers who are not able to care for trees were not taken into account.  Mr. Mason discussed the Department of Public Work’s proposed plan for relinquishment of tree maintenance to property owners and questioned why this program was implemented without a vision of how funding would be acquired to provide maintenance for trees planted as part of the tree-planting programs. 

 

4.    Planning Department Presentation on the Recreation and Open Space Element (ROSE) and Implementation Plan. (Explanatory Documents: (Link to ROSE and Implementation Plan:   http://openspace.sfplanning.org/ and Public Comment) Sponsor:  Vice-Chair Hillson; Speaker:  Susan Exline, Planner, Citywide Policy, San Francisco Planning Department (Informational Presentation and Discussion)

 

Ms. Exline presented a brief history and overview of the San Francisco General Plan and the Recreation and Open Space Element (ROSE) of the General Plan.  She provided a description of guiding principles, objectives, and policies of the Draft Plan, process, and timeline for adoption.  A final draft of the Plan is scheduled for release in mid-October and will be before the Planning Commission at a public hearing.  Adoption of the Plan is scheduled for November or December.  A schedule will be finalized next week and available on www.sfplanning.org.   

 

Council Members discussed the role of the urban forest in open space and informed Ms. Exline that suggestions within the Urban Forestry Council’s purview would be provided.  Ms. Exline confirmed that comments should be submitted by September 30 so they can be incorporated into the final draft. 

 

Item 6 was heard before Item 5.

 

5.    Urban Forestry Council Review and Approval of Draft Resolution File 2011-08-UFC in support of the Recreation and Open Space Element of the General Plan. (Explanatory Document: Draft Resolution File No. 2011-08-UFC and Attachment A) (Discussion and Action)

 

Upon Motion by Member Sider, second by Member Flanagan, Draft Resolution File 2011-08-UFC and Attachment A were amended as reflected in explanatory documents Resolution 008-11-UFC and Attachment A to Resolution. (AYES:  Council Members D’Agostino, Hillson, Flanagan, Sherwin, Sider, Sutherland, and Vargas; Absent:  Members Buck, Costello, Hillan, and Sullivan)

 

6.    Informational Presentation on Grey2Green. Speaker:  Markos Major, Program Intern, San Francisco Botanical Garden (Explanatory Documents:  Link to Program:
http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/Grey2Green/index.html; Link to Poster: Here is the link to the contest poster
 http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/Grey2Green/contest.html; Link to the DPW website
 http://www.sfdpw.org/index.aspx?page=1350 (Informational Presentation and Discussion)

 

Mr. Major, reported on his role as part of a team in partnership with the Department of Public Works Bureau of Urban Forestry and the San Francisco Botanical Garden working on the Grey2Green sidewalk landscaping project.  He reported that this was the first year of the program, and additional grant funding would be applied for to continue the program next year. He discussed topics such as program goals and challenges, details of permitting and installation requirements, and the Grey2Green contest.

 

Council Members asked questions and provided feedback. Council Members requested that Mr. Major email links to the DPW website, the poster describing the G2G contest, and an invitation to the Argonne call to action.  Mr. Major invited Council Members to an unveiling of a demonstration garden at Argonne Elementary School on October 21 at 1 p.m. and reported on Grey2Green classes held every second Saturday. 

 

The Council Meeting adjourned at this time due to a loss of quorum.

 

7.    Review of Urban Forestry Council Annual Work Plan Meeting Framework. (Explanatory Documents:Strategic Planning Process Work Plan Follow-up and Notes and Urban Forestry Council Environment and Public Works Code Sections)  (Informational Report and Discussion)  This agenda item was not heard at this time.

 

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). This agenda item was not heard at this time

9.    Committee Reports: (Informational Reports and Discussion) This agenda item was not heard at this time.

Planning & Funding Committee. Chair’s Report on the September 15, 2011 meeting. The next meeting will be a special meeting scheduled for Monday, October 17, 2011, 4:15 p.m., location to be announced.  The Thursday, October 20, 2011 Regular Meeting will be cancelled.

Landmark Tree Ad Hoc Committee Report. 

10.  Chair’s Announcements: Chair, Urban Forestry Council (Information and Discussion)This agenda item was not heard at this time.

11.  Urban Forestry Council Member Announcements. (Information and Discussion) This agenda item was not heard at this time.

12.  New Business/Future Agenda Items. (Information and Discussion) This agenda item was not heard at this time.

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. This agenda item was not heard at this time.

14.  Adjournment.  The Urban Forestry Council meeting adjourned at 10:20 a.m. due to a loss of quorum.

 

The next meeting of the Urban Forestry Council is scheduled for Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 6:00 p.m., Room 416, San Francisco City Hall.