URBAN FORESTRY COUNCIL

LANDMARK TREE AD HOC COMMITTEE

Special Meeting Notice and Agenda

Tuesday, April 13, 2010, 4:00 p.m.

City Hall, Room 421

One Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

San Francisco, CA 94102

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:  Malcolm Hillan (Chair), Jocelyn Cohen, Kelaine Vargas

                                           

Order of Business

Public Comment will be heard before the Committee takes action on any item.

 

1.      Call to Order and Roll Call.

2.      Adoption of Minutes of the November 10, 2009 Urban Forestry Council Landmark Tree Committee Regular Meeting (Explanatory Document: November 10, 2009 Draft Minutes) (Discussion and Action).

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. (Discussion and Action)

 

Sequoia sempervirens located at Assessor’s Block 6734, Lot 023; 46 Stillings Avenue, San Francisco, CA. (Explanatory Documents: Nomination Form, Landmark Tree Evaluation Forms)

 

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

5.      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.

6.      Adjournment.

Landmark Tree Hearing Recommended Guidelines

The Committee Chair has the discretion to change speaker order or length of time for each speaker if the Chair determines the request to be reasonable.

1)   Sponsor for nomination (8 min)

2)   Staff analysis (8 min)

3)   Property owner’s presentation, including outside professional staff (8 min)

4)   Affected property owner’s presentation, including outside professional staff (8 min)

5)   Public comment (up to 3 min/per person)

6)   Committee Evaluation Reports (8 min total)

7)   Staff Rebuttal (3-5 min)

8)   Property Owner Rebuttal (3-5 min)

9)   Affected property owner rebuttal (3-5 min)

10) Discussion and Action by Committee

Public Comment

At this time, members of the public may address the Committee on items of interest that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Committee but are not on today’s agenda.  Public comment will be taken following each agendized item.  Each member of the public may address the Committee 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 Committee 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 Committee 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 Landmark Tree Committee meetings will be held in Room 421, City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA.  The Committee 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.

 

In order to assist the City's efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illnesses, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical based products.  Please help the City accommodate these individuals.  Individuals with chemical sensitivity or related disabilities should call the Mayor’s Office on Disability at (415) 554-6789 or (415) 554-6799 (TTY) for additional information.

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 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 Sunshine Task Force Administrator, 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: 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 220, San Francisco, CA 94102; telephone (415) 252-3100, fax (415) 252-3112; 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 (1) the Department of the Environment, 11 Grove Street, San Francisco, California between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., (2) or when possible, on the Landmark Tree Committee agenda webpage https://sites.google.com/a/sfenvironment.org/commission/urban-forestry-council/landmark-tree-committee/2010-meetings/04-13-special-meeting-agenda, (3) 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. If any materials related to an item on this agenda have been distributed to the Landmark Tree Committee 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 agenda website link as links with each agenda or meeting minutes.

 

Monica Fish, Council Secretary

TEL:  (415) 355-3709; FAX: 415-554-6393

 

Posted: April 6, 2010