Tree Advisory Board

1. Call To Order & Roll Call Members Present: David Price, Robert Connors, Mandy Cilliers, Preston Troutman Staff Present: Michael Manning – Assistant to the City Manager, Lester Gulledge – Parks & Horticulture Manager, Autumn Cochella – Assistant Director of Development Services Guests: Susan Webb. A quorum was present. 2. Communications And Petitions None. 3. Minutes – September 7, 2022 Mr. Price asked if everyone had a chance to review the minutes, and asked for a motion to accept the minutes. Mandy Cilliers moved for approval, seconded by Robert Connors. The motion was unanimously approved. 4. Board Appointments Mr. Price introduced the two candidates for appointment to the board and asked for Ms. Webb to introduce herself to the board. Ms. Webb stated that she has lived in Lake Wales for approximately 5 years; she had worked for IFAS until January as an extension agent, a role she held for about six and a half years. She is interested in horticulture and the greening of the city. She and her family spend a lot of time outside and care about the environment. She mentioned she is excited about the board and would like to be a part of it. Mr. Connors asked where Ms. Webb lives, she informed him at the corner of Eighth and Campbell. Mr. Manning recommended that the board move to approve someone to the City Commission, however, the board is allowed to recommend both candidates and defer to the City Commission for appointment to the single seat. Mr. Connors asked if there was a reason Mr. Wiles was not at the meeting, Mr. Manning was not aware of a reason. Mr. Connors mentioned that he has heard lots of good things about Mr. Wiles. Ms. Cilliers asked if the board could only have five members. Mr. Manning confirmed that the ordinance only calls for five appointees. Mr. Manning mentioned that there are currently four appointed members and two candidates for the remaining seat. Mr. Manning highlighted the process for filling the remaining seat. Mr. Price asked for a motion. Mr. Connors asked if we had any information on Mr. Wiles. Mr. Manning provided an electronic copy of Mr. Wiles’ board application. Mr. Manning spoke to Mr. Wiles’ background and information provided on his application. Mr. Connors inquired if there is a provision for Tree Advisory Board alternate board members. Ms. Cochella advised that alternates are defined on a board by board basis. Mr. Connors nominated Ms. Webb to serve and Mr. Wiles as an alternate member, seconded by Ms. Cilliers. Mr. Manning advised that he will check with the City Clerk and work to amend the ordinance if needed. Motion passed 5-0. Mr. Manning advised that this is just for a recommendation, and that the City Commission will make the final appointment at its next meeting. 5. Determination of Future Meetings Mr. Manning proposed the board meet bimonthly to start calendar year 2023 and then switch to a quarterly schedule when deemed appropriate. He advised that it would be best to set a meeting schedule for the entire year at this time and adjust as needed. The second Wednesday of the month was proposed. Ms. Cilliers asked to revise Wednesday to any other weekday. Mr. Price recommended Thursdays. Ms. Cochella reviewed when other boards meet. The board established consensus to meet on the second Thursday of the month for the following months: January, March, May, August, and November. 6. Staff Updates 6.1. Development Services Overview – Tree Ordinance Ms. Cochella provided a brief overview of what the City currently has in the Land Development Regulations (LDRs) in terms of trees and plantings. Chapter 23 is the land development code that covers the landscape ordinance from defining what a tree is to defining when permits are needed. Tree removal permits require detailed information; basic trimming does not require a permit so long as it does not threaten the life of the tree. Dead and destroyed trees do not require permits with a report from an arborist. Fines are defined in the code for removal without a permit. Ms. Cochella spoke to and gave an example when trees are removed and how replacement is determined. Ms. Cochella spoke to the challenges of enforcing tree replacement fees with developers. The City requires a tree survey prior to land clearing. Mr. Connors mentioned that significant live oaks are worth far more than the amount owed by the formula. Mr. Price asked how trees that are not healthy figure into the equation and if species is considered with site constraints. Ms. Cochella advised that if replacement does not fit on the site, the site owner could pay in lieu. Mr. Gulledge advised that if an arborist confirms the trees as a risk then the site owner can take the trees down without penalty. Ms. Cilliers asked if there are specifications on what replacement trees are planted. It was advised that replacement trees must be Florida native shade trees. A recent new minimum standard for new development requires a street tree plan in addition to other minimum landscape requirements. Ms. Cochella spoke to other minimum landscape requirements that are currently in effect. Ms. Cochella informed that revising the landscape code is on her radar for this fiscal year and would welcome the board’s opinion on that process. Mr. Price asked if there are penalties for trees that don’t live for a certain amount of years. Ms. Cochella advised that the City only employs one code enforcement officer currently and proactive enforcement is a challenge. Mr. Troutman spoke to challenges with residents who don’t like trees and their impact on public tree planting projects. Mr. Connors stated that Lake Wales Heritage has faced similar challenges with their Magnolia planting project along Lakeshore Blvd. Ms. Cochella mentioned that commercial removals require replacement as trees are removed over time. The board discussed the YMCA parking lot rehabilitation project and its impact on the existing trees. Mr. Price advised that significant care must be taken when determining where trees are planted and having arborists available to advise on when trees should be taken down. Ms. Cilliers asked if IFAS has resources available to consult on tree placement for new development. Ms. Webb advised that IFAS generally provides overarching guidance but not specific plan guidance. Mr. Gulledge stated that he does review each plan set as it comes in to provided expert knowledge of tree placement. Ms. Webb asked what the ultimate goals of the board are. Ms. Cochella advised that the board would be a valuable partner in the landscape code revisions and to advocate for tree related changes, such as hiring a consulting arborist. Mr. Connors stated he asked for this presentation because there were applicable codes that the board needed to understand. Mr. Manning stated that if any internal departments have a request of the Tree Advisory Board, that staff will bring it to the board. Mr. Gulledge provided a recap of the board’s mission. Mr. Price asked what Tree Replacement Fund money could be used for. Ms. Cochella advised that any projects related to plantings in public spaces are eligible, such as streetscapes, irrigation, root barriers and other supporting purchases. Ms. Cochella advised that the code can be updated as needed. The board discussed funds being expended on arboriculture work at Howell Family Park. Mr. Price stated that he would support that initiative if a change to the ordinance is needed. Mr. Manning highlighted the process for amending the ordinance. Mr. Price stated that some projects needed are new plantings, but many are rejuvenating projects. Mr. Troutman asked how the fiber optic installation in City ROWs will impact future plantings. Mr. Manning stated that it is an issue and that the Parks & Horticulture department has raised to the Public Works department, who is tasked with ROW use permits. Mr. Gulledge mentioned that this issue was identified from the beginning of installation to be mindful of future street tree plantings. Mr. Gulledge stated that the Parks & Horticulture department is working on revising the policy that requires a 25-ft. setback from public infrastructure. Mr. Manning highlighted that if private organizations want to do public street tree plantings, to work with the Parks & Horticulture department in advance to get an administrative waiver to the 25-ft. setback. Mr. Manning mentioned that the department is working towards revising that policy and citied other cities that utilize a 7-ft and 8-ft setback distance instead. 6.2. Hurricane Ian Impacts Mr. Gulledge reported that impacts from Hurricane Ian were less severe than initially anticipated. He estimated that almost all trees that came down during the storm were Laurel Oaks, which supports Mr. Price’s opinion that Laurel Oaks are a less desirable species of tree and more likely to fail. Debris cleanup is still ongoing and that you will see city trucks picking up debris. 6.3. Sessoms Avenue Trees Mr. Gulledge shared that prior to the hurricane coming through; the newly planted trees along Sessoms Avenue have shown signs of health issues. He is currently working with a forensic arborist and extension agents to determine what may be affecting them negatively. They have eliminated drought stress as a potential cause. Currently, the trees appear to have returned to normal health, though the cause for their sudden change is undetermined at this time. Only the newly install cathedral live oaks were affected, while the nearby blueberries and existing live oak remained in good condition. Fungal and chemical damage are the leading causes for concern. Staff anticipates the trees will ultimately be fine and that it may have just been transplant shock. Mr. Price shared that there is a great article on proper watering technique that revolves around a small amount of water on a constant basis rather than a large sum of water on a less frequent basis. 6.4. Tree Assessments Mr. Gulledge stated that he recently took the tree risk assessment qualification exam and is awaiting the results. This certification will formalize the process that the City is already taking for tree assessments. Mr. Price asked who is currently doing tree work for the City. Mr. Gulledge advised that currently the work is mostly being done by the Streets and Parks departments with little to no formalized training. Advanced tree trimming training is a priority to Mr. Gulledge. He spent much of the past week working on inventorying current tree trimming equipment and identifying staff for a new trimming training course at the end of the month. While staff is being trained, he would like to prioritize and outsource immediate trimming work. Mr. Price asked if the people doing the tree work also have other fulltime responsibilities, Mr. Gulledge confirmed that was the case. Ms. Cilliers asked if the cuts were identified for them or if they go out on their own. It was stated that previously the crew would identify the cuts themselves, however, now Mr. Gulledge carefully identifies the work required. Mr. Gulledge defined how the tree assessment and work prescription process works currently. Mr. Price asked about the Tree Maintenance & Replacement budget line, which only had $7,000. Mr. Manning spoke to the fact that many of the lines in the Parks budget are not where they should be and that Tree Replacement Fund dollars can be utilized in addition to the funds budgeted for tree maintenance and replacement. Mr. Troutman asked how much formal training Bok Tower has on hand. Mr. Price stated that they outsource most of their trimming work and that they have lists of vendors who they turn to for different types of trimming. Mr. Price recommended that it is best to have someone onsite and supervise the trimming. He mentioned that there are high priority areas that should be looked at for maintenance soon. Mr. Gulledge advised that he will work to prioritize high risk trees and begin outsourcing that work. It was identified that there is significant differed maintenance throughout the parks system. Mr. Price stated that he would like to be an advocate for where the trees are planted, such as the parks. He asked if there was traction among the committee to advocate for the parks and the work Lester is doing. Mr. Price recommended a driving tour of the parks system. The board discussed how to prioritize the areas looked at and the health of the trees. The discussion continued towards missing facilities and parks in the Parks Master Planning process, such as the Alex Wheeler Memorial picnic shelter area. Mr. Gulledge advised that there is a purview of what the board is tasked with and it was established that there is a Recreation Commission tasked with monitoring citywide Parks & Recreation issues. Mr. Manning advised that the discussion stay towards the living items in the parks, such as trees and other plant life rather than park facilities. Staff recognizes that improvements to park facilities are needed and that capital improvements are coming. 7. Board Member Comments Mr. Connors stated that Highway 60 has a nice arching canopy and yet the scenic highway canopy was damaged by FDOT’s tree trimming process. He expressed concerns over landscaping plans for the SR60/Hwy27 intersection to which Mr. Manning stated that he would provide the most recently reviewed plan set submitted by FDOT. Mr. Gulledge stated he will speak to the contractor that maintains the Scenic Highway maintenance and will ask for them to take better care in future maintenance efforts. Ms. Cilliers asked for a formal work plan that the board will prioritize, such as a specific project for the board to work on. Mr. Gulledge spoke to different types of projects the board could take on. Mr. Manning mentioned that the timeline for the landscape code revisions are anticipated to take place between October 2022 and September 2023. Staff spoke to potential codes, such as the landscape code, that could be good projects for the board to work on. Mr. Price asked the board to bring ideas to discuss at the next meeting for what that project may be. He stated that he is a firm believer in taking care of what the City already has and mentioned considering city ROWs with the existing Parks system. Mr. Connors recommended FRDAP grants for the City, Mr. Manning informed him that the City pursued a FRDAP grant in the last application cycle for the first time in several years. He spoke to the City’s application for $50,000 to rehabilitate the Northwest Sports Complex. Mr. Price reiterated that it is important to maintain existing assets and recommended that Victor Dover advise the City on its Parks System. Mr. Connors shared with the group that Lake Wales Heritage received a grant to educate local students about landscape architecture and the City’s rich Olmsted history. Prior to adjournment, Mr. Price confirmed that the next board meeting is scheduled for January 12, 2023 at 5:30 pm. 8. Adjourn The meeting was adjourned at 7:13 p.m.