Tree & Landscape Board

Approved: 01212021 Minutes of the Tree and Landscape Board Virtual Urban Tree Canopy Forum City of College Park November 18, 2020 Term Exp. Members Present Absent N/A Brenda Alexander, Public Works Assistant Director 04/30/2021 John Lea-Cox, City Forester 04/30/2021 Christine O’Brien, member 10/31/2021 James Meyer, member 04/09/2021 Janet Wagner, member 04/30/2021 Rashawna Alfred, member 04/30/2021 Todd Reitzel, member ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carleveva Thompson, Contract Secretary The TLB held a virtual Urban Tree Canopy Forum on November 18, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the proposed Urban Tree Policy. The City Council members in attendance were Mayor Patrick Wojahn, along with Council Members Monroe Dennis, Denise Mitchell, Fazlul Kabir, Kate Kennedy, John Rigg, Maria Mackie, and Robert Day. The Board presented to City Residents the status of the City’s current tree canopy and reviewed recommendations of the Board’s proposed Urban Tree Canopy Protection policy. The following questions and comments were stated by City residents and discussed during the forum: 1) Should tree replacements be the same type of tree or similar? 2) Where are the replacement trees from all the development that has occurred throughout the City? 3) Not all residents are able to afford the cost of tree maintenance and the City should have a rebate available to residents. 4) The tree policy infringes on City resident’s property rights. 5) More education and mentoring to residents for tree maintaince should be provided instead of enforcing a policy. 6) Stricter enforcement of tree removal/tree replacement should be given to developers. 7) What is the size of the required tree canopy in the City and how is that number determined? 8) There were a lot of trees removed on Route 1 and for student housing. How will these trees be replaced? 9) Not all homeowners want a yard full of trees and trees on private property should not be controlled by the City. 10) A parking fee was recently removed by the City, but now adding a policy to fine homeowners for tree removal needs to be reconsidered. 11) The Mayor and Council shall not endorse a development that does not meet the intent of a tree ordinance. 1  12) Is it possible to create an opt-out process for City residents for planting of trees in the right-of-way? 13) Create an incentive for City residents that opt-in for having a tree planted in the right-of- way such as free mulch. 14) It was requested that the City provide more assistance to residents that cannot afford tree maintenance instead of creating new fee for tree removal. 15) It was suggested to have a tree service in replacement of the $150 that is reimbursed by the TCEP. 16) Is there a requirement to replace the tree in the same place? 17) The map showed predominantly red patches of tree loss. Were the causes from tree death, tree damage, tree removals, or development? 18) Why must residents follow the recommended tree list? 19) It was suggested to have more advertisement of the TCEP. 20) It was suggested to have incentives for tree maintenance or for the quantity of maintained trees on private property. Possibly reimbursement for arbor fees or providing free mulch to help residents increase the tree canopy. 21) There was a suggestion for the TLB to do other measures to educate residents on tree health, especially with leaves. 22) A resident stated how 5 trees died on their property, and the policy would have placed a burden with the proposed fees. 23) It was suggested to charge additional fees to developers to be able to help with tree replacements in the City. The Mayor provided final remarks to the Board and City residents in attendance. The forum ended at 9:00 p.m. Executive Summary and Presentation attached. 2