Urban Forestry Commission

Tree Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, July 19, 2017 v 7:30 - 9:35 pm Dogwood Room, City Hall Present: Kathy Philpott Costa, Dennis Szymanski, John Tesner, Kate Reich, Dan Sze, Karen White (Walter Phillips), Ben Schitter (Walter Phillips) 1. Approval of June Minutes: The minutes from the June 21, 2017 joint Tree Commission-Environmental Sustainability Council meeting were approved. 2. Public Comments: None 3. Staff Updates: None 4. Current Business  TC Calendar: The Tree Commission approved the 2017-18 calendar (Exhibit 1). Current officers were reappointed for 2017-18, as follows: Dennis Szymanski, Chair; Barbara Tesner, Vice-Chair; and Kathy Philpott Costa, Secretary.  George Mason campus project – strategies for influencing green space: The Tree Commission is concerned that proposed conceptual designs for the high school show very little green space or tree canopy around the school and no buffer between the commercial and school spaces. The Tree Commission will stay engaged as the design progresses.  Possible Mixed-Use Voluntary Concession: offset for trees/green space lost: Kathy will write a first draft of a memo proposing standards for tree canopy and a tree canopy/planting fund in future Special Exception/Mixed-Use projects.  Potential Use of Tree Canopy Fund for Commercial Projects: The Tree Commission will work on a proposal regarding compensation for waivers of landscaping Code requirements in commercial projects. Kate will first talk with the Zoning Administrator about process. 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.  5. Plan Reviews  Broad & Washington – Insight development project: The current developer’s list of voluntary concessions did not address the Arborist’s prior request for $20,000 to be dedicated to tree planting in the stormwater fund. The TC has reiterated the request.  Railroad Cottages development project: The project as designed will not allow for many trees to be saved around the perimeter or in the property interior. However, at Site Plan review, TC comments will address saving certain trees in the eastern portion of the property and replacing a combination of large and small canopy trees throughout the property up to City Code requirements of 20% canopy coverage in 10 years. There is a possibility that neighbors will not be willing to grant easements for underground stormwater drainage, so the plan may need to be redrawn with more underground facilities onsite; this would result in less capacity for canopy trees.  116 Great Falls/Columbia Baptist Church subdivision: Karen White and Ben Schitter presented the project design. The new parking lot landscaping meets City Code. The landscape buffer between the historic houses and the new parking lot will require a waiver because the buffer itself is on the residential properties. A tree inventory is not required until Site Plan, but the TC will request that the Site Plan show the existing parking lot landscaping either updated to current Code or restored as it was originally planted. To construct the proposed Maple Ave. sidewalk where there is currently a steep property slope, there will be some tree loss: four mature trees and others that are young or not in good shape. The TC will comment at the Site Plan stage that more trees need to be replaced along the sidewalk, at least three feet behind the walk. 6. Informational Items  Capital Bike Share: The City has obtained crowdsourcing input on Bike Share stations, and a decision on locations is upcoming. Bike Share will mount stations in existing pavement, so no trees should be affected.  Founders Row development project: No update.  Downtown Plaza – Broad Street: The conceptual design shows honey locust trees with tree grates in a walkable plaza with a water feature. The large electrical box will remain in a planted area. The TC members agreed to send a memo (Exhibit 2) to the EDA, City Council, the Planning Commission and the City Manager suggesting that (1) the project should budget for either a continuous trench with proper tree soil to maintain the locust trees or an 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.  expansion of the proposed tree planters for more healthy tree space, and (2) the green wall design be simplified with latticework and vines, as the proposed elaborate design cannot realistically be maintained with current Urban Forestry staffing numbers. 7. Future Business  Private maintenance agreements for streetscapes  Code updates/modifications relating to urban forestry  Urban Forest Management Plan, Tree canopy goals and strategies  Enforcement of site plan tree violations Staff liaison: Kate Reich, 703-248-5183, kreich@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.