Landscape & Design Committee

CITY OF CORTLAND LANDSCAPE AND DESIGN COMMISSION MINUTES – November 13, 2019 Mayor’s Conference Room at 4:00 p.m. Members Present: Mike Dexter (Chair), Anne Doyle, Paul Paradine, Theresa Quail, Diane Batzing Approve Minutes: Comm. Paradine, 1st; Comm. Quail, 2nd DEC Chesapeake Bay Tree Planting Program Planning • Twenty-five trees are planned for this project. • A gas line runs along part of the right-of-way space at the County Office Bldg. parking lot on Greenbush St. Following communications with NYSEG’s Doug Spafford and arborists Jim Maloney and Paul Paradine, Comm. Batzing has decided to proceed with hand-digging the holes for fewer trees, allowing for more space beween the trees should backhoe work be necessary. Five trees are not an issue along this strip. This decision is contrary to Nic Dovi’s view on planting along this right-of-way space. An additional four trees will be planted on other Greenbush properties in this vicinity, as well as one more at the corner of Greenbush St. and Elm St. • Comm. Batzing, along with local DEC rep. Matt Swayze and representatives from Albany and Tioga Co., surveyed various sites in the Cortland and Homer area that may be appropriate for 200 riparian (streambed) plantings next May. This is the second part of the Chesapeake Bay Project. DEC Round 15 Grant Application • The application is due December 4, 2019. Thoma Development will be submitting the application for the Tree Inventory and Management and the Tree Maintenance portions. Unlike the inventory that was completed in 2008 by SUNY professor Steve Broyles and his students, the DEC now requires projects to be done by certified arborists; as a result, we have struggled to find local groups that do this work, and the fees are high. The Maintenance grant requires a 25% match. Recent Tree Concerns/Notes • None at this time. Other • Comm. Batzing has composed a letter asking the engineers for the Clinton Ave. project to communicate the plans for tree planting with the Commission. Because Nic Dovi is in charge of this project, Mayor Tobin would prefer that the Commission communicates landscaping plans and input with Nic. • Comm. Dexter is accumulating the paperwork to be submitted for our Tree City USA application, due December 31, 2019 • The $1000 check for collaborative grant work with SUNY professor Melinda Shimizu has been received. We are happy to add this additional funding for future tree planting! • For the second year in a row, a resident has sent an anonymous $150 check toward the purchase of a tree, in appreciation of the many trees planted along Pendleton and Squires Streets. “I see them daily and am grateful for their work taking carbon out of the air and providing shade and beauty,” the donor wrote. We are very appreciative of this generous gesture! Next Meeting: TBD 4 p.m. Respectfully, Comm. Batzing