Urban Forestry Commission

Urban Forestry Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday, October 16, 2019  7:30 - 9:30 pm Falls Church City Hall, Dogwood Room Present: Dennis Szymanski, Kathy Philpott Costa, Dave De Coste, Kate Reich, Charles Prince, Tim Stevens, Jeremy Edwards, Keith Thurston, Seth Heminway, Sam Beatty, Ellen Gilmore, Jeff Peterson, Amy Crumpton, Dave Braun 1. Approval of September 18 Tree Commission Meeting Minutes: The UFC approved the September 18, 2019 minutes. 2. Public Comments: Keith Thurston commented that private maintenance agreements often don’t work as intended, and he cited the property outside the Famille café as an example of bad pruning. He urged the UFC to focus on enforcement of private maintenance agreements. 3. Staff Updates/ Informational Items:  The UFC has been invited to a City Council Work Session on Nov. 18 to discuss preservation of mature trees on residential properties. The West End Economic Development team has also proposed a meeting with the UFC and the ESC during the same week.  The City pruned street trees on Broad Street from Applebee’s to Little Falls and will continue moving west with this effort.  Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech) replied to the City that it needs more red oak samples to conduct the test for bacterial leaf scorch. The City is awaiting confirmation of bacterial leaf scorch before injecting chemicals into affected trees. The City will press Va. Extension if testing is not forthcoming soon. Additional testing options will be investigated in the event that we don’t receive satisfactory timing and/or testing from Virginia Cooperative Extension.  Several regional urban foresters met last month to talk about oak and other tree decline. Mature trees are declining quickly (over a year or two), probably due to years of drought and difficult conditions. The Arlington County Urban Forester is putting together a brochure about holistic treatment of these trees. 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 703-248-5030. (TTY 711)   The COG Canopy Work Group has a schedule of deliverables: (1) examining and strengthening local ordinances, (2) establishing attainable canopy cover goals, (3) tree planting strategies, (4) developing a regional urban forest action plan. 4. Current Business  Council/UFC summit on preserving more mature trees during residential development: The TC will put together a plan for topics to discuss at the summit.  Neighborhood Tree Program concerns/proposals from VPIS: Seth Heminway presented VPIS’ proposal for changes to the Neighborhood Tree Program (see Attachment 1). He emphasized a goal to reduce the physical burden on volunteers by focusing on obtaining smaller caliper trees. He also proposed supporting additional Tree Steward training in Falls Church to promote deeper engagement of Tree Stewards in the NTP. VPIS proposes stormwater credits for new street trees and $30,000 in City funding to support contract plantings on right-of-way and private properties via a VPIS tree grant program funded and operated similarly to the EcoAction Arlington’s Tree Canopy Fund program. Discussion touched on logistics of contract planting and a tree-planting fund. Kate clarified that the City cannot legally fund private property planting. Kate suggested that VPIS participate in the Stormwater Management Plan to propose its stormwater credit idea and pitch their street tree and private property planting priorities to City Council. The UFC emphasized its preference for mature tree preservation credits over new street tree credits. Broadly, the UFC supported VPIS’ proposals and will draft a memo clarifying its positions. 5. Future Business  Urban Forest Management Plan – work plan items/outline, development schedule  Possible tree conflicts with future 5G antenna installations  Future of green space associated with Special Exception projects  City Code updates/modifications relating to urban forestry  Standard private maintenance agreements for streetscapes 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 703-248-5030. (TTY 711)