*The Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 4:00 p.m. Regular Meeting of the Landmark Tree Committee was RESCHEDULED to Monday, November 17, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. due to a legal holiday on November 11th.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Mike Boss (Chair), Carolyn Blair, Steve Griswold, Malcolm Hillan, and Mark Sustarich.
Order of Business
1. Call to Order and Roll Call. The Landmark Tree Committee meeting was called to order at 4:03 p.m. Present: Chair Boss, Members Blair, Hillan, and Sustarich (Absent: Member Griswold).
2. Adoption of Minutes of the August 12, 2008 Urban Forestry Council Landmark Tree Committee Regular Meeting. (Discussion and Action) Upon Motion by Member Hillan and second by Member Sustarich, the Meeting Minutes were approved without objection (AYES: Chair Boss, Members Hillan and Sustarich; Absent: Members Blair and Griswold) (Explanatory Document: August 12, 2008 Approved Minutes)
3. Hearing on Nomination for Landmark Tree Status. The Landmark Tree Committee will hold a hearing to determine whether the tree nominated at the following address meets the criteria for designation as a landmark tree. (Explanatory Documents: Board of Supervisors Resolution 431-08, Landmark Tree Nomination Packet, and Committee and Staff Evaluation Forms) (Discussion and Action)
California Buckeye (Aesculus Californica), 757 California Street, Assessor’s Block 416B, Lot 11.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the Landmark Tree Committee will vote on whether to approve or reject the nomination and shall adopt written findings to support its decision to forward to the Urban Forestry Council. The Council will forward approved nominations to the Board of Supervisors for further consideration.
Chair Boss provided an overview of the Committee, Urban Forestry Council and Board of Supervisors landmark tree designation process. Staff and Committee members discussed their evaluation of the tree (see Evaluation Forms)
Mr. Peter Linenthal, Director, Potrero Hill Archives Project, stated that the organization has been collecting historical material on Potrero Hill for about twenty years, and a book was created on Potrero Hill’s history that includes this particular tree. An inquiry was made as to the potential age of the tree. Mr. Linenthal spoke in support of landmark status.
Representative from Supervisor Maxwell’s Office stated that Supervisor Maxwell decided to sponsor this tree because of its uniqueness, that it’s a low-growing tree, expansive, and is appreciated on a regular basis in people’s every day lives. The age of the tree was questioned as the tree is larger than these trees tend to grow, and appears that it has been in existence for a long time.
Mr. Greg Gaar, Nature in the City, stated this tree is an indigenous tree and spoke on the importance of preserving what is left of San Francisco’s heritage. Mr. Gaar spoke in support of landmark status.
Council Chair Terry Milne recommended placing a plaque on this tree if it were to be granted landmark tree status. It was recommended that there be interaction with CalTrans to make sure they are aware of its landmark status and to avoid removal/pruning of the tree.
Upon Motion by Member Hillan and second by Member Blair, the California Buckeye tree at 757 Pennsylvania Avenue was recommended for landmark tree status for the full Council’s consideration at their December 14th meeting. (AYES: Chair Boss, Members Blair, Hillan, and Sustarich; Absent: Member Griswold)
4. Landmark Tree Public Outreach. (Discussion) Coordinator Hui reported that an outreach letter had previously been sent to all entities with the authority to nominate a tree. Coordinator Hui presented on the landmark tree program to the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board earlier this year. Chair Boss and Member Hillan recommended media events surrounding landmark tree plaque installations which may stimulate others to nominate trees. Chair Boss recommended creating publication or newspaper articles on the landmark tree process. Coordinator Hui reported that (1) there would be an annual landmark tree tour and would request partnership from Friends of the Urban Forest; (2) the Department of the Environment’s Outreach program area would be funding an informational postcard that would have a landmark tree in the front and include basic instructions on the process on the back of the postcard; (3) biographies would be added to the landmark tree database which would feed into a self-guided landmark tree tour; and (4) fundraising is being done for the plaques. Member Hillan recommended handing out the postcards to certified arborists to give to their clients. Member Blair recommended adding photos of landmark trees to the Department’s website. Coordinator Hui reported that there would be an image of each tree added to the google map of landmark trees on the Department of the Environment’s website and to the biographies.
Council Chair Milne recommended media events as an effective outreach method. It was stated that the nomination forms may be a deterrent to property owners because they may feel they don’t have the expertise or information available to fill out the form.
Public Comment: Mr. Gaar stated that docents at the Arboretum could assist in promoting landmark tree outreach. Additional publicity recommendations included requesting coverage by Channel 7 Salutes, advertisement on U-Tube, and a teaching guide that can be used in schools, e.g. pictures of kids in trees. Coordinator Hui reported that she would consult with the Department’s Education program on partnering in this effort
5. New Business/Future Agenda Items. (Information and Discussion) Committee members discussed the new Committee structure due to Urban Forestry Council Ordinance changes as it applies to Council membership. Urban Forestry Council Chair Milne stated that the Bylaws would have to be amended at a future meeting in order to reflect membership changes. Member Hillan recommended that the Committee revisit the visible identification of landmark trees topic at a future meeting.
6. Public Comment: Members of the public may address the Committee on matters that are within the Committee’s jurisdiction and are not on today’s agenda. There was no public comment at this time.
7. Adjournment. The Landmark Tree Committee meeting adjourned at 5:08 p.m.
