Tree Board - Regular Meeting and Via Zoom

CITY OF HENDERSONVILLE TREE BOARD - REGULAR MEETING AND VIA ZOOM Operations Center - Assembly Room | 305 Williams St. | Hendersonville NC 28792 Tuesday, March 15, 2022 – 2:00 PM MINUTES 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 2:00 PM. Members present were Mac Brackett, Mark Madsen, Glenn Lange, Pat Christie, Andy Crawford, and Council Member Debbie Roundtree. Members absent were Mary Davis and Landon Justice. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A motion was made by Glenn Lange to approve the agenda. Vote - all ayes. 3. Approval of the February 15, 2022 Minutes A motion was made by Glenn Lange to approve the February 15, 2022 minutes. Vote - all ayes. A. February 15, 2022 Minutes 4. NEW BUSINESS A. Public Relations Update - Mary Jo Padgett Mary Jo provided an update prior to the meeting via email and highlighted portions of the report to the board. She noted that the March 10th educational program was well attended, and a number of people signed up to volunteer. She suggested a Board member be assigned to be a volunteer coordinator. Mac Brackett said that Mary Davis has agreed to be volunteer coordinator. Mary Jo produced an updated Tree Board brochure for the educational program and said she has copies available for the Board. B. Bee City Update - Elizabeth Queen & Kim Bailey Kim Bailey provided an update on the Bee City USA transition to the Bullington Gardens. She also provided an update on the Bee Mural and pollinator beds by the mural. Kim believes they have funding available to purchase informational signs for the pollinator bed and for the raised bed on Main Street. They will be installing 31 permanent plant markers in the pollinator bed to identify the plants (at $15 per permanent marker). Elizabeth Queen spoke about the sidewalk mural that will connect the Bee Mural to the mural on 5th Avenue. Elizabeth also proposed a six foot wide pollinator bed along the beeline sidewalk mural. Volunteers would prepare the area, plant the beds and maintain them. Mac will follow up with Elizabeth on the cost. TREE BOARD - REGULAR MEETING AND VIA ZOOM – March 15, 2022 Page | 1  C. Spring Planting Projects: A. Oklawaha Greenway Trail - the Tree Board would like to plant 26 trees along the greenway trail as soon as possible. Several members are getting prices and availability. That information will be given to city staff so we can place an order. City Staff would like to plant some trees along the creek in Patton Park using Tree Board funds. Staff are getting quotes for this project and hope to complete it as soon as possible. B. Wolf Chase - Debbie will send a list of trees to City Staff so we can prepare to order the trees. C. 9th Avenue - no action taken. Planning for a Fall planting project. D. Vegetation Removal Permit Application - 225 N. Main Street An application to remove a Holly Tree at 225 N. Main Street was discussed. The tree is in relatively good shape, so the Tree Board decided to deny the vegetation removal permit. A motion to deny the permit was made by Glenn Lange. Vote - all ayes. E. Renewal Maintenance Contract for Bee Mural & Bearcat Loop Tom Wooten will contact Kelsey to renew the maintenance contract for the upcoming year. F. Conditional Zoning District - Hawkins Pointe Apartments There are a total of 16 trees on this site. Eight are planned for removal. The Tree Board and Staff discussed shifting things around to attempt to save two large mature trees. A motion was made by Glenn Lange. Vote - all ayes. Motion: Based on the following guiding city code documents (the Municipal Code, Chapter 46, Article IV, Division 1,Trees & Shrubs, Section 46, 116 & 117; the Zoning Code, Article XV Buffering, Screening & Landscaping Sections 15-1, A & C and 15-4 A; the Subdivision Ordinance, Purpose and Intent, Section1.04, Part H; and the Comprehensive Plan, Vision Statement and Section 3.3, Goal NR-2, Strategy 2.3) and the City Council’s adoption (Feb., 2021) of core values and beliefs as guiding principles as they apply to protection of natural resources and the prioritization of existing tree canopy, the Tree Board recommends the following development conditions be placed on this property: 1. All preserved trees must be protected from construction activities as prescribed in the zoning code 15-4c regardless of use as tree credits. 2. All preserved trees must have the English Ivy removed from the trunks and limbs. TREE BOARD - REGULAR MEETING AND VIA ZOOM – March 15, 2022 Page | 2  3. All private land trees that are adjacent to this project are required to have the construction barrier protection as prescribed in the zoning code 15-4c. 4. Preserve and protect the 48 inch Oak and 60 inch Maple near the northwest corner of the property. G. Conditional Zoning District - White Pine Villas Apartments Stephen Drake was present to discuss this project. Mr. Drake stated that "Street trees are required as well as landscape requirements" for this project. A motion was made by Glenn Lange. Vote - all ayes. Motion: Based on the following guiding city code documents (the Municipal Code, Chapter 46, Article IV, Division 1,Trees & Shrubs, Section 46, 116 & 117; the Zoning Code, Article XV Buffering, Screening & Landscaping Sections 15-1, A &C and 15-4 A; the Subdivision Ordinance, Purpose and Intent, Section1.04, Part H; and the Comprehensive Plan, Vision Statement and Section 3.3, Goal NR-2, Strategy 2.3) and the City Council’s adoption (Feb., 2021) of core values and beliefs as guiding principles as they apply to protection of natural resources and the prioritization of existing tree canopy, the Tree Board recommends the following developmental conditions be place on this project: 1. All preserved trees must be protected from construction activities as prescribed in the zoning code 15-4c regardless of use as tree credits. 2. An additional 25 large and medium canopy trees, 2 ½” or larger caliper, beyond those shown as preserved (10) on the site plan reviewed by the Tree Board, must be planted throughout the site. 3. Implement a vegetative planting plan that will enhance the banks of and a 20 foot corridor around the stormwater pond to provide filtration and infiltration of stormwater from turf managed areas and enhance wildlife habitat. The plan must include diverse and appropriate species of native upland and wetland shrubs and perennial herbaceous plants (including warm season grasses, sedges, and plants important to pollinators) selected from the city’s Recommended Landscape Species List for Street Trees and Land Development Projects. No turf grasses can be used. H. Conditional Zoning District - Duncan Terrace Apartments Leah Burgman was present via zoom to discuss the project. Some apartments are proposed to be low income/work force housing. A motion was made by Glenn Lange. Vote - all ayes. TREE BOARD - REGULAR MEETING AND VIA ZOOM – March 15, 2022 Page | 3  Motion: Based on the following guiding city code documents (the Municipal Code, Chapter 46, Article IV, Division 1,Trees & Shrubs, Section 46, 116 & 117; the Zoning Code, Article XV Buffering, Screening & Landscaping Sections 15-1, A & C and 15-4 A; the Subdivision Ordinance, Purpose and Intent, Section1.04, Part H; and the Comprehensive Plan, Vision Statement and Section 3.3, Goal NR-2, Strategy 2.3) and the City Council’s adoption (Feb., 2021) of core values and beliefs as guiding principles as they apply to protection of natural resources and the prioritization of existing tree canopy, the Tree Board believes that this project is inconsistent and incompatible with the preservation of tree canopy or even the replanting of some canopy trees removed as compensation for trees removed for the following reasons: 1. Based on the documents provided prior to the Tree Board meeting, more than 300 10” and 12” trees on this property consist primarily of Oak, Maple, Hickory, Poplar, and Pine. 2. It appears that a large number (more than 200 of the more than 300) 10” and 12” trees will be removed from this property and not be preserved or replanted. 3. Of the trees proposed to be planted, only about half (about 35) would be considered to be future large canopy trees and only 6 Maple and 8 Oak are proposed to be planted. Note: The oak tree listed is not listed for our hardiness zone. 4. This property is one of the few remaining forested properties of this size and tree diversity in Hendersonville. The Tree Board recommends the following conditions be applied to this development: 1. All tree and shrub planting materials must be selected from the city’s Recommended Landscape Species List for Street Trees and Land Development Projects. None of the listed undesirable plants can be planted on this project which specially applies to Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei). 2. Gulf Stream Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) is considered invasive by the North Carolina Invasive Species Council and the US Forest Service. It cannot be planted on this project. TREE BOARD - REGULAR MEETING AND VIA ZOOM – March 15, 2022 Page | 4  3. All preserved trees must be protected from construction activities as prescribed in the zoning code 15-4c regardless of use as tree credits. 4. An additional 75, 2 1/2” or larger caliper, trees must be planted throughout the project and selected from the city’s Recommended Landscape Species List for Street Trees and Land Development Projects. 5. Implement a vegetative planting plan that will enhance the banks of and a 20 foot corridor around the stormwater pond to provide filtration and infiltration of stormwater from turf managed areas and enhance wildlife habitat. The plan must include diverse and appropriate species of native upland and wetland shrubs and perennial herbaceous plants (including warm season grasses, sedges, and plants important to pollinators) selected from the city’s Recommended Landscape Species List for Street Trees and Land Development Projects. No turf grasses should be used. 5. OLD BUSINESS A. Changes to City Ordinances/Zoning Concerning Trees Glenn Lange will meet with Debbie O'Neil Roundtree to discuss the proposed changes. The Tree Board should present the changes to City Council. City Council will likely refer it back to staff for review. 6. OTHER BUSINESS A. Utility Update Nothing to update at this time. B. Tree Board Budget Expenditures Staff provided an update to the current budget and remaining available funds. C. Vice Chairperson Mark Madsen was appointed as Vice-Chairperson. D. Staff Comments No staff updates. 7. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned. 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