Tree Board Meeting

TREE BOARD July 9, 2018 The Tree Board of the City of Norman, Cleveland County, State of Oklahoma, met in the Study Session Room on the 9th day of July 2018 at 4:00 P.M. ITEM 1, being: ROLL CALL Present: Chairman Menzie and Commissioners Fagin, Huffman, Janaway, Lavastida, Spain, and Tedder-Loffland Absent: Commissioners Grisso and Winegarnder City Officials James Briggs, City of Norman Park Planner Lisa Griggs, Senior Program Coordinator Karla Sitton, Administrative Technician IV ITEM 2, being: APPROVAL OF THE JUNE 4, 2018 MEETING MINUTES Commissioner Tedder-Loffland made the motion and Commissioner Huffman seconded to approve the minutes. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chairman Menzie and Commissioners Fagin, Huffman, Janaway, Lavastida, Spain, and Tedder-Loffland NAY: None ITEM 3, being: APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Commissioner Lavastida made the motion and Commissioner Huffman seconded to approve the agenda. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chairman Menzie and Commissioners Fagin, Huffman, Janaway, Lavastida, Spain, and Tedder-Loffland NAY: None _________________________________________________________________________________________________ ITEM 4, being: SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS None ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Tree Board Page 2 of 3 July 9, 2018 ITEM 5, being: CONTINUED DISCUSSION REGARDING POTENTIAL CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO ORDINANCE O-1112-19, CHAPTER 1, LANDSCAPE REGUIREMENTS Chairman Menzie said he did not have a new(er) version of the potential changes and/or additions to the tree ordinance as he had hoped. He felt the most efficient way to manage the urban forest is to have a consistent enforcer, such as a Forester. Commissioner Huffman asked who is in charge of enforcement and Chairman Menzie said enforcement now falls to Code Enforcement or Park Staff, which are both understaffed to do so at this time; therefore, he felt the ordinance should state that a (future) Forester would have the authority to make flexible decisions. Commissioner Spain felt like the terminology for “officer” and/or “forester” have the same authority and Commissioner Huffman requested removing “officer” from the draft ordinance. Commissioner Spain said the “core area” should be changed to “defined area” and the Board agreed. The Board discussed the boundaries for an amended ordinance and Commissioner Tedder-Loffland felt the eastern boundary should be 36th Avenue SE and Commissioner Janaway agreed. The Board determined the boundaries as follows: Franklin Road on the north; southern City limits on the south; 36th Avenue SE on the east; and 48th Avenue NW on the West. Mr. Montgomery Johnson, concerned citizen, requested to speak to the Tree Board. He felt citizens should be incentivized to plant trees in order to maintain the City’s tree canopy. Mr. Johnson felt Norman’s tree canopy is just as important as any other quality of life issue and said he would volunteer to help in any way he could help out. Chairman Menzie said increasing Norman’s tree canopy would also increase property values. Mr. Johnson said he has looked at Overland Park, KS tree ordinance and its incentives, and would forward them to the Tree Board. Chairman Menzie said the Board has looked at Overland Park’s ordinance as well. He felt the City of Norman would need to have an ordinance in place and then make “upgrades” to it as necessary. Mr. Johnson asked whether or not an amended ordinance would include terminology for staffing a City Forester and Chairman Menzie said yes. Commissioner Janaway said the current ordinance requires a tree to be planted for new construction; however, it does not state that those trees must be replaced if they are removed after planting and/or die and felt a tree should be planted in either instance, period. Mr. Johnson agreed and said preserving existing trees should be more detailed in an amended ordinance. Chairman Menzie felt incentives for owners who plant/replant trees should be included in an amended ordinance. The Board discussed replanting a tree equal to the Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) and Commissioner Huffman felt doing so would not get the caliper of tree being removed. He said the goal of replanting will be met to some degree; but felt the City should be able to impose a fine. Commissioner Tedder-Loffland said she does not like the DBH and Commissioner Spain said it is a tricky term. The Board discussed fines being $200 for small tree(s); $300 for medium tree(s), and $400 for large tree(s) and agreed the sizes will need to be defined in the ordinance. Mr. James Briggs, Park Planner, said City Council Community Planning and Transportation Committee (CPTC) would like to discuss amendments to Ordinance O-1112-19, at their September meeting. He felt a recommendation for good/strong amendments to the ordinance would need to be discussed at next month’s meeting in order to have it to the CPTC in September. Commissioner Lavastida agreed and Commissioner Tedder-Loffland felt a Historical Tree section should be added to the ordinance. Chairman Menzie and Commissioners Spain and Huffman volunteered to get together and work on proposed amendments. Chairman Menzie said he would get the amendments to Staff so the amendments can be forwarded to the rest of the board before the August 6, 2018, meeting. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Fagin left the meeting at 5:04 p.m. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Tree Board Page 3 of 3 July 9, 2018 ITEM 6, being: MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION Ms. Lisa Griggs, Senior Program Coordinator for the Parks and Recreation Department, said she will be applying for the Apache Tree Grant soon and requested recommendations from the Board about what types of trees she should request. She said she will be requesting 2,000 trees; however, depending on availability, the City of Norman may only receive 1,000. Ms. Griggs said some of the trees can be used for the ReLeaf Berry Road projects and/or be given to citizens at a tree giveaway. Commissioner Tedder-Loffland suggested having a Plant Norman project and Chairman Menzie agreed stating the Tree Board could set up a date requesting volunteers to help as well. Ms. Griggs said the Apache Tree Grant needed to be completed by July 31 st and she would send an Apache Tree Grant link to the Tree Board explaining the types of trees being given as well as what is available in seedling or five (5) gallon sizes. She said the trees/seedlings are brought to the City; and if the City is to have a giveaway, the Board will need to determine the maximum amount of trees to be given per person. ITEM 7, being: ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Huffman made the motion and Commissioner Lavastifa seconded to adjourn. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chairman Menzie and Commissioners Fagin, Huffman, Janaway, Lavastida, Spain, and Tedder-Loffland NAY: None Passed and approved this ____________of ________________________ 2018 Don Menzie, Chairperson