Shade Tree Commission

Borough of Doylestown Shade Tree Commission Minutes Tuesday, March 10, 2026 6:30 P.M. Full Meeting Packet: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/jfjpn78jhw5xbfi1lcl82/AFeCPgfdgcTSpRPSnhXyzvk?rlkey=asrgu6n u6vd15yzzj6kxfo096&dl=0 The regular meeting of the Shade Tree Commission was held on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 6:30 PM at Doylestown Borough Hall, 10 Doyle Street. Commission members in attendance included Lisa Moscherosch, Kayvon Tabatabai, Christopher May, and Baldev Lamba. Also present were Bob McMullin, Borough Arborist, and Grant Rowe, Sustainability Coordinator. Call to Order: Lisa Moscherosch called the meeting to order at 6:33pm. Approval of Minutes: The February 2026 minutes were approved. (TABATABAI/MAY) Subdivision/Land Development: None. Tree Applications: 1. 121 Cottage Street, Ellis and Linda Klein, Property Owners a. The homeowners were in attendance. Arborist McMullin shared that the black walnut may be close to the property line. Linda Klein (homeowner) noted that their neighbor is working on a letter of support that she can share with the Borough. The members of the Shade Tree Commission recommended approval. (LAMBA/TABATABAI) 2. 205 Shewell Avenue, Jessica May, Property Owner a. The homeowner was not in attendance. May contributed that the tree species is a white poplar, not maple as listed on the permit. Moscherosch commented that the tree is covered with ivy. Arborist McMullin added that it is also covered with dead wood, is in decline, and that the tree species itself has a short lifespan. The members of the Shade Tree Commission recommended approval. (LAMBA/TABATABAI) Old/New Business: 1. Properties to Review for Street Tree Planting Initiative a. Grant R. shared a document with the Shade Tree Commission that included residents and their respective properties who responded to requests from the Borough for street tree planting. The Shade Tree Commission divided up these addresses and set a schedule to begin reaching out to these residents and conducting site-visits. At these visits, specific locations for street trees will be identified as well as specific tree species best for planting. Grant R. confirmed that the Borough is aiming to purchase around 45 trees. May suggested that the Borough reach out to anyone who may have tried to participate in street tree planting last year but was unsuccessful due to time or resources. The Shade Tree Commission reviewed street tree documents from previous years and added one name to the list. 2. Draft Tree Educational Material a. Grant R. reviewed a draft Tree Guide that would help aid Borough residents when deciding what trees to plant on their properties. He discussed the layout of the document, stating its goal is to include quick educational material and effective graphs and images, while not being overwhelming. Moscherosch commented that the guide should include a photo of an entire tree, e.g. a tree as a whole as opposed to specific parts such as branches. Tabatabai suggested that such a full-size tree image could be included on its own page for trees listed in the guide. Arborist McMullin requested that the scaling/size graphic be edited to include a more realistic home. Lamba agreed and suggested that the scaling be reworked to include more numbers. May added that the graphics in the guide be edited to be more targeted towards a community audience, highlighting the best attributes of a specific tree. 3. Plant Grant Award a. Grant R. informed the Shade Tree Commission that the Borough applied to the Bowman’s Hill  Wldflower Preserve Plant Grant, requesting approximately 100 plants to be installed at a section of Broad Commons Park. The Borough was awarded the grant and will be installing and promoting the plantings in the coming months. Lamba asked about the planting layout/plan and Tabatabai suggested taking steps to keep dogs out of the new planting area. Grant R. shared that he is working with the Public Works Department to finalize details for the planting. Tabatabai offered to help with the planting and planning. Reports: 1. Chairperson Report: a. Tree Tabulation Report i. Moscherosch reviewed the tree tabulation report and the Shade Tree Commission discussed ways to make the data clearer. Arborist McMullin suggested adding more information to the tree tabulation. May recommended that the trees be listed by zone (section of Borough they were removed). Arborist McMullin agreed. Tabatabai suggested that the TreeKeeper software could be utilized for this. Arborist McMullin also suggested adding a column to the tabulation for cumulative tree removals (totals). Grant R. agreed to look into these suggestions but added that certain additions to the report would depend on staff time and resources. b. Earth Day i. Moscherosch brought up discussion on the Borough’s Earth Day event on April 25th as the Shade Tree Commission will be giving away trees at the program. Grant R. shared that the plants for the giveaway will arrive a few days before the Earth Day event, and the event itself will take place at Broad Commons Park from 10:00am to 1:00pm. 2. Arborist’s Report: a. Arborist McMullin commented on the flora and fauna in the Borough, particularly regarding chipmunks. Public Comment: None Adjournment: There will be no further business before the Shade Tree Commission. The meeting was adjourned at 7:58pm. (LAMBA/MOSCHEROSCH). Next Shade Tree Commission Meeting is Tuesday, April 14, 2026