Shade Tree Committee

PARKS & RECREATION SHADE TREE COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday October 29, 2019 Activity Center 12:00 Noon ATTENDEES: Mayor Casper, Matt Hill, Aaron McCracken, Lee Washburn, Randy Westergard, Brian Stevens, Justin Garn, and Kim Johnson, Wid Ritchie APPROVAL OF MINUTES Aaron McCracken Brian Stevens second PUBLIC COMMENTS NA 2020 MEETING CALENDAR Calendar was approved Arbor Day 2020 Moved to January meeting TREE PLOTTER Moved to January Meeting, We will have the trees plotted on Tree Plotter. Trees are plotted BLV. PROJECT Moved to January meeting. We will revisit this when more comes up, the street trees will not be removed in this Phase. STREET TREE TRIMMING Justin said we are almost done with the Freeman zone it has been a struggle to get all of it done but trying to get there we have a few that will need the bucket truck to finish. Kim Johnson asked about how long each tree takes to trim, Justin said it depends on how much we need to trim about a half hour to an hour for most, there were a few that took 2 plus hours and need a bucket truck to finish. Lee and Justin said we are not trimming the smaller trees because we would damage the trees, Mayor said maybe the ordinance needs some changes made to it so we are not doing a half way job and we are planting the correct trees in the right places. Kim suggest doing suppression trimming on the smaller trees he also suggest some education so the public knows what trees to plant, where to plant them and how to trim them. Brian suggest we change the ordinance to say it needs to be at least 2” in diameter and do some planned pruning to get the trees to grow taller. Randy talked about the Ride-A-Way street trees and how the new power is underground so we have to be careful where we take out trees and replace. .Alley trees are a huge problem also and they are getting a lot of calls on them. The Power Department does have two Arborist to help and their trimming is contracted out. Brian asked what the measurement from the power where, they are 20’ on overhead and 5’ for underground. Mayor said each neighborhood will have their own challenges as we get to them. ENERGY SAVING PROGRAM Wit Ritchie from power also attended the meeting he said the Power Department will have to have proof that the trees will save on energy and we can’t prove that. Mayor suggest getting some software that the public has access to so they have the knowledge on what trees to plant and where to plant them. BLV. PROJECT We need to get the trees on Tree Plotter and do inventory on them Paul with Davey Tree Service may already have them plotted. Brian says the loss of the trees is one of the biggest concerns, Mayor said the restriping has been a good success and has not had any complaints but there are still some concerns about the next phase which is widening the road. CALL FOR AGENDA ITEMS 50th Anniversary of Earth Day Arbor Day 2020 Energy Saving Program Changes to ordinance Recorded by Terrie Safford