Urban Forestry Commission

Tree Commission & Environmental Sustainability Council Joint Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 17, 2017 v 7:30 - 9:40 pm Dogwood Room, City Hall Present: Kathy Philpott Costa, Dennis Szymanski, John Tesner, Karen Jones, Kate Reich, Cory Firestone-Weiss, Peter Oppenheimer, Phil Skotte, Thomas Cash, Andrew Crawford, Jon Ward, Sarah Bayldon, Andrew Young, Kate Walker, Dan Sze, Tim Stevens, Brian Goggin Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. 1. Approval of April Minutes: The minutes from the April 19, 2017 Tree Commission meeting were approved. The minutes from the April 20, 2017 ESC meeting were approved. 2. Public Comments: Brian Goggin explained that he had completed the Tree Steward course and was attending the meeting as part of Tree Steward volunteer requirements. 3. Staff Updates: None 4. Current Business  George Mason campus redevelopment project -- how the Tree Commission and Environmental Sustainability Council can best work together: To influence what goes into the RFP, the TC and ESC should review the Feasibility Study (due after Memorial Day) and comment. There will be additional opportunities to gather information or offer input. On June 5, the City Council and the School Board will hold a joint working session on the Feasibility Study. On June 10, the relevant Small Area Plan review will take place, with likely opportunity for public input. Andrew Young will draft a joint TC-ESC memorandum for submission to the June 5 working session. Dennis Szymanski will research the schools that are exemplary for their LEED Gold or green space standards. Dennis will also draft the TC’s goals for space/tree canopy requirements. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability call (703) 248-5350, option 5.   Possible Mixed-Use Voluntary Concession: offset for trees/green space lost and LEED landscaping credits:* Falls Church has a sustainable building policy for City-owned buildings but no such policy for private development or for the schools. The ESC has been discussing using the Arlington Green Building Policy as a model that could be applied in Falls Church for private development. The Policy gives bonus density incentives within the LEED framework. Arlington also has its own Priority Credits (certain LEED credits), and the ESC is interested in proposing specific Falls Church Priority Credits. Potential Priority Credits were discussed. In particular, the TC does not favor the LEED Credit for protection and restoration of onsite habitat because it fails to address tree canopy or planting when there is inadequate greenfield or brownfield space to protect or restore in a project. The TC and ESC also discussed that some priorities might be considered “basic threshold requirements” for a building to be certified as “Green,” while others might simply be considered “priority credits” for additional bonus density incentives. The TC will propose its ideas for basic certification requirements and bonus incentives. 5. Plan Reviews  Broad & Washington – Insight development project: Plans have changed slightly with a separation between two buildings, a larger buffer space on the back side that maintains current tree buffer, and a restaurant space in addition to sidewalk on Washington. The adjacent parking lot behind Claire and Don’s will remain.  Railroad Cottages project: The developer is discussing the Special Exception Application. The ESC plans to meet with concerned citizens to provide factual information in response to environmental and energy-related questions.  Founder’s Row project (formerly known and Mason Row): The developer is planning to obtain National Green Building Certification (not LEED), as has been the case since project was previously approved. In addition, Market Square appears green now rather than hardscape. Boards and Commissions will comment next month.  116 Great Falls/Columbia Baptist Church subdivision: A new submission shows street trees on Maple but still does not restore the landscape in the current parking lot. 6. Informational Items: Andrew Young recently joined the ESC. Dan Sze will be chairing the Virginia Municipal League’s Environmental Committee. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability call (703) 248-5350, option 5. * Note that two separate bullet points on the agenda, “Possible Mixed-Use Voluntary Concession: offset for trees/green space lost” and “Possible Mixed-Use Voluntary Concession: LEED landscaping credits” have been combined into one bullet point in these minutes because the discussion at the meeting grouped these topics together. The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m. Staff liaison Tree Commission: Kate Reich, 703-248-5183 kreich@fallschurchva.gov Staff liaison Environmental S.C.: Kate Walker, 703-248-5297 kwalker@fallschurchva.gov The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability call (703) 248-5350, option 5.