URBAN FORESTRY COUNCIL 

PLANNING & FUNDING COMMITTEE

 

REGULAR MEETING

APPROVED MINUTES

 

Thursday, November 18, 2010, 4:15 p.m.

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:  Chris Buck (Chair), Maria D’Agostino, Terry Milne, Bonnie Ora Sherk

 

Order of Business

 

1.      Call to Order and Roll Call.  The Planning and Funding Committee meeting was called to order at 4:32 p.m. Present: Committee Chair Buck, Members D’Agostino, Milne and Sherk (4:36 p.m.)

 

2.   Approval of Minutes of the September 16, 2010 Urban Forestry Council Planning and Funding Committee Regular Meeting. (Discussion and Action)  Upon Motion by Member D’Agostino, second by Member Milne, the September 16, 2010 Meeting Minutes were approved without objection (AYES:  Chair Buck, Members D’Agostino and Milne; Absent: Member Sherk) (Explanatory Document: September 16, 2010 Meeting Draft and Approved Minutes)

 

3.   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.

 

4.   Review and Approval of the Draft Annual Urban Forest Report for recommendation to the Urban Forestry Council. Staff provided a Draft Annual Urban Forest Report for the Committee’s review for recommendation to the Council. Speaker: Urban Forestry Council Coordinator Mei Ling Hui (Explanatory Documents: Draft 2010 Annual Urban Forest Report; 2009 Annual Urban Forest Report; and Annual Urban Forest Report Survey Responses Matrix) (Discussion and Action)

 

Council Coordinator Hui presented a Draft of the Annual Urban Forest Report explaining revisions that were made from the previous year and status of responses received. Committee members provided input into the report.  Member D’Agostino requested a totals column be added to the Work plans and subsequent pages. Ms. Hui reported that she would edit the report with totals and additional responses once received. Council members discussed how to publicize the report. Suggestions included media coverage, asking member organizations to include the report in their materials, issuing a press release, and including an excerpt in the Department of the Environment’s newsletter.

 

Committee members and Coordinator Hui discussed the pros and cons of this year’s survey process versus last year’s. Coordinator Hui reported that it was impossible to reach anyone by telephone for an interview. She explained that because of the shortened format, better information was received by email, and it was easier to distribute and synthesize the data. Committee members offered their assistance next year to follow-up with organizations that did not respond and to provide contacts. 

 

The Committee approved the report with amendments as discussed in Committee for recommendation to the Council for their consideration and approval at the December 10 meeting.  The final report would then be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors and Mayor.

 

5.   Tree Protection Requirements in San Francisco. A discussion about tree protection requirements for street trees, significant trees, Landmark trees, trees at construction sites and trees on private property. (Explanatory Documents:  San Francisco’s Urban Forestry Ordinance, Public Works Code Article 16 http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=14142&stateId=5&stateName=California and “What you should Know About Tree Protection Legislation”) (Discussion)

 

Committee Chair Buck reported that the Planning Department revised the Tree Disclosure Statement that included edits recommended by the Council and Ms. Short of the Department of Public Works.  He asked Committee Members to report any violations that they see to protected, street or significant trees either to 311 or to DPW. A protected tree is any street tree or a tree on private property within ten-feet of the right of way and meets a certain size criteria (significant tree) or is a landmark tree. A tree removal permit is required to remove these types of trees.  It was explained that Article 16 states that it is unlawful for any person to engage in construction work on public or private property without taking steps to protect street, significant, and landmark trees from damage. A discussion was held about large-scale projects that have no visible protection measures in place to protect trees. Committee Chair Buck explained DPW’s process for complaints received for tree violations that are not street trees and under the jurisdiction of other agencies such as the San Francisco Unified School District, Recreation and Park Department, Water Department, etc.

 

Committee Chair Buck stated that DPW sends information about proper pruning guidelines to the public. He discussed documents that other jurisdictions and agencies share with the public that may provide remedies to protect trees.  Member D’Agostino made reference to the ISA standards.  Potential remedies were discussed that included contacting local constituents, the state senator, including printable violation flyers on websites that could be put on the tree. Council Coordinator Hui suggested developing a pamphlet of regulations that would apply to other San Francisco land owners that would include contact information.

Member Milne discussed the Board of Permit appeals process for tree removals.  Committee Chair Buck stated that the current makeup of the Board of Appeals appears to be denying more requests to remove trees. Member Sherk discussed developing protection measures for other trees that do no fall in the protected category such as young trees.

 

Council Coordinator Hui reported that Member D’Agostino, Member Rodgers and Ms. Short, Department of Public Works Urban Forestry, would be meeting in a work group to start exploring tree protection measures during construction.  A discussion would be held on creating a document of all City tree regulations that would apply to agencies besides DPW in order to know who to contact to report violations.  A discussion would also be held on identifying potential neighborhood outreach programs to report tree violations.

 

6.   New Business/Future Agenda Items. (Discussion)  Council Coordinator Hui reported on CAL Fire grant applications filed by the Department of the Environment, Planning Department and Recreation and Park Department. Member D’Agostino suggested that the Planning & Funding Committee review the Council’s Bylaws at a future meeting.  Member Sherk suggested discussing her work on watershed management at the January meeting. Member D’Agostino requested bringing back a discussion of obstacles to establishing a list of violating contractors who have done damage to trees. Chair Buck reported that he is not sure which Committee or if the full Council will discuss the landmarking of groves of trees being worked on by Member Cohen.

 

7.   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 were no members of the public present at this time.

 

8.   Adjournment.  The Urban Forestry Council Planning & Funding Committee meeting adjourned at 5:56 p.m.

 

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., by clicking on the attachments with each meeting minutes posted online https://sites.google.com/a/sfenvironment.org/commission/urban-forestry-council/planning-funding-committee, or upon request to the Council Secretary at the address listed above, telephone number 415-355-3709, or via e-mail at [email protected].

Respectfully submitted by,

 

Monica Fish, Council Secretary

 

Approved:  January 20, 2011