Tree Board Regular Meeting

Minutes TREE BOARD Regular meeting 9 a.m. Feb 21, 2024 Board Meeting Room of Town Hall Annex, 105 E. Corbin St. Present: Chair Linda Paynter, Sharon Billings, Mixon Nelson, Thomas Darling and Gregory Yavelak Absent: Vice Chair Bridget Booher and Jon Simpson Staff: Public Space and Sustainability Manager Stephanie Trueblood 1. Call to order, roll call and confirmation of quorum Chair Linda Paynter called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Public Space and Sustainability Manager Stephanie Trueblood called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum. 2. Agenda changes and approval There were no changes to the agenda. Motion: Thomas Darling moved to approve the agenda as it stands. Greg Yavelak seconded. Vote: 5-0 3. Minutes review and approval Minutes from regular meeting on Jan. 17, 2024 Motion: Sharon Billings moved approval of the Jan. 17, 2024, minutes as submitted. Paynter seconded. Vote: 5-0 4. Discussion items A. Review the proposal for a rain garden at the Dorothy N. Johnson Community Center Pascale Mittendorf, a representative of Outdoor Science Labs, proposed a collaboration with the Fairview Community Watch and the town in a demonstrative rain garden installation at the Dorothy N. Johnson Community Center. Mittendorf asked the board for approval to use the property for the rain garden. The project, funded by a Triangle Community Foundation grant, will be maintained by the Fairview Community Watch. The Town of Hillsborough will provide plants, yearly mulch and initial digging. Trueblood gave a history of the property, the Fairview Community Watch and the Dorothy N. Johnson Community Center. The rain garden will not be maintained by the town or the Tree Board. The board will not take ownership of the project or fund the project. Trueblood also conveyed a timeline for the project as follows:  March 21, 2024, soil preparation  April 13, 2024, Fairview Community Watch intern and volunteer grounds maintenance  May 4, 2024, 9 a.m. - 12 a.m. planting 101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278 919-732-1270 | www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov TREE BOARD MINUTES | 1 of 3  TREE BOARD MINUTES | 2 of 3 Motion: Billings moved approval of the town property for use as a rain garden. Paynter seconded. Vote: 5-0 B. Bee City USA initiatives for 2024 Trueblood suggested building upon the success of last year’s initiatives. Paynter put forth rescheduling Pollinator Week to May from June. Trueblood noted that May is full of other events. C. “No Mow March” public outreach The board deliberated ways to broaden public participation in “No Mow March.” Paynter and Mixon Nelson will pursue a promotional video. Nelson suggested the phrase “No Mow Excuses.” 5. Updates A. Garden Club Billings reported that the club is celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2024. It will be hosting celebratory events throughout the year. B. Invasive species removal team Thomas Darling reported the team’s current focus is spring planting. Paynter added that she and Bryan will represent the board at a table during an upcoming “Creek Week“ event. C. Prohibited/Recommended Plant Lists Subcommittee Paynter reported the subcommittee is gathering information. D. Education/Outreach Materials Subcommittee Nelson reported the town’s current material is being sorted. Vice Chair Bridget Booher will gather updated information and compile a leaflet. Trueblood requested compilation of a notebook of originals. E. Staff updates  There will be new floating wetlands interpretive signs at King’s Highway Park.  Trueblood is completing a GIS of pollinator habitats in the town.  The train station site plans for submission are being finalized.  The Ridgewalk Greenway is in the conceptual design phase.  There were no tree removals.  The town is preparing for spring plantings.gs.  On March 25, 2024, the South Churton Street Multimodal Corridor Study and the US 70 Multimodal Corridor Study findings will be presented to the Board of Commissioners.  Trueblood is working on Bee City report due in February.  A survey is available on the town’s website for Riverwalk’s impact. A Fiori Hill resident approached the board with landscaping and utility concerns for the neighborhood. Trueblood reported private property is not under the Tree Board’s jurisdiction, but Trueblood can assist with the concerns. 6. Adjournment Paynter adjourned the meeting at 10:17 a.m. Respectfully submitted,  TREE BOARD MINUTES | 3 of 3 Stephanie Trueblood Public Space and Sustainability Manager Staff support to the Tree Board Approved: March 20, 2024