Tree Protection Board

Tree Protection Board Minutes Monday, November 12, 2019 Summerville Municipal Complex –Annex Building Training Room Members Present: Staff Present: Kenny Sott Jessi Shuler Director of Planning Ginger Reilly Bill Salisbury Arborist Faye Campbell David Morris Items on the agenda: Old Business: 1. N/A New Business: 1. 711 W. Carolina Avenue – Removal of three sweet gum trees 2. 143 Longdale Drive - Removal of three pine trees 3. 106 Kapalua Run – Removal of five pine trees 4. 200 Peters Street – Removal of one pine tree 5. 295 Midland Parkway – Removal of 33 pine trees, 156 oak trees, one birch tree and one magnolia tree 6. 320 Ashley Drive – Removal of one pine tree 7. 209 Gardenia Street – Removal of one pine tree Miscellaneous: 1. Rules & Procedures 2. Election of Chair & Vice Chair The meeting was called to order at 9:00 am. As this was the first meeting of the newly formatted, Tree Protection Board, the items under Miscellaneous were moved to first on the agenda. Miscellaneous 1. Rules & Procedures - Ms. Shuler explained that the Board need to adopt the Rules & Procedures, and she provided the members with a copy of Rules & Procedures that the Town’s other Citizen Boards use. Mr. Sott made a motion to adopt the Rules & Procedures as presented. Ms. Reilly made the second, and the motion passed unanimously. 2. Election of Chair & Vice Chair – Ms. Shuler then stated that the Board needed to adopt a Chair and Vice Chair and asked for any volunteers or nominations. Mr. Sott volunteered to serve as Chair, and Ms. Campbell seconded. All voted in favor. Mr. Sott then nominated Ms. Campbell to serve as Vice Chair, and Ms. Reilly seconded the nomination. All voted in favor. Old Business There were no items to review under Old Business. New Business 1. 711 West Carolina Ave.- The first item under New Business was a request to remove three sweet gum trees. Mr. Salisbury explained that the trees all appeared to be healthy, and all were located more than ten feet from the residence. Mr. Salisbury provided pictures of the trees in question. The applicant was not in attendance. A motion was made by Ms. Campbell to deny the removal of the three trees and recommend that the limbs could be pruned up to help with debris on cars, but no more than 20% of each tree should be pruned. Ms. Reilly made the second, and the motion passed unanimously. 2. 143 Longdale Dr. – The next item under New Business was a request to remove three pine trees. Mr. Salisbury explained that all three trees appeared to be healthy and were not within ten feet of the residence; however, the smaller pine tree in the middle of the other two trees had a slight lean towards the neighbor’s yard. Mr. Salisbury provided pictures of the trees in question. Robert Kenyon, the owner, stated that he was not necessarily concerned with the trees damaging his house, but they were close to his neighbor’s house, and he wanted to prevent possible damage in the future to the neighbor’s house. He also explained that the trees lost a number of limbs in the recent hurricane. The Board discussed the concerns of the owner, and following the discussion, Mr. Morris made a motion to deny the removal of the two larger trees, and approve the remove of the smaller tree in the middle. The Board recommended that the damaged limbs on the two larger trees be pruned. Ms. Campbell made the second, and the motion passed unanimously. 3. 106 Kapalua Run – The next item under New Business was a request to remove five pine trees. Mr. Salisbury explained that all five trees appeared to be healthy and are not within ten feet of the residence. Mr. Salisbury provided pictures of the trees in question. Mr. Salisbury provided pictures of the trees in question. The applicant was not in attendance. A motion was made by Ms. Campbell to deny the removal of the five trees. Ms. Reilly made the second, and the motion passed unanimously. 4. 200 Peters St. – The next item under New Business was a request to remove one pine tree. Mr. Salisbury explained that the tree appeared to be healthy and was not within ten feet of the residence; however, it did have a significant lean towards the house. Mr. Salisbury provided pictures of the tree in question. The Board members were concerned about the lean but wanted to see if the property had other existing trees. Ms. Shuler was able to bring up Google street view of the property, and show that other large existing trees would remain of the property. The Board discussed the possibility of requiring mitigation for the removal. The applicant was not in attendance. Following the discussion, Mr. Sott made a motion to approve removal of the pine tree due to the significant lean with mitigation of one 3” caliper canopy tree required to be planted on the lot. Ms. Campbell made the second, and the motion passed unanimously. 5. 295 Midland Pkwy. – The next item under New Business was a request to remove 33 pine trees, 156 oak trees, one birch tree and one magnolia tree in order to extend the parking lot at Summerville Medical Center. Ms. Shuler explained that the site plan had already been approved by the CDRB, and a full landscape plan would be required. The applicant was not in attendance. Ms. Reilly made a motion to approve the trees requested for removal. Mr. Morris made the second, and the motion passed unanimously. 6. 320 Ashley Dr. - The next item under New Business was a request to remove one pine tree. Mr. Salisbury explained that the tree appeared to be healthy and was not within ten feet of the residence. Mr. Salisbury provided pictures of the tree in question, and he did note that the tree had a slight lean toward the house and the top had been broken out in the past. The Board members were concerned about the lean but wanted to see if the property had other existing trees. Ms. Shuler was able to bring up Google street view of the property. The Board discussed the possibility of requiring mitigation for the removal. The applicant was not in attendance. Following the discussion, Ms. Campbell made a motion to approve removal of the pine tree due to the lean and broken top with mitigation of one 2 1/2” caliper canopy tree required to be planted on the lot. Mr. Morris made the second, and the motion passed unanimously. 7. 309 Gardenia St. - The next item under New Business was a request to remove one pine tree. Mr. Salisbury explained that the tree appeared to be healthy and was not within ten feet of the residence. Mr. Salisbury provided pictures of the tree in question, and he did note that the tree had a poor structure and was close to the neighbor’s residence. The Board members agreed that the tree’s structure was deficient, but they were concerned about the lack of any other existing trees on the property. Ms. Shuler was able to 2 bring up Google street view of the property, and there did not appear to be any other large trees existing on the lot. The Board discussed the possibility of requiring mitigation for the removal. The applicant was not in attendance. Following the discussion, Mr. Sott made a motion to approve removal of the pine tree due to the poor structure with mitigation of two 2 1/2” to 3” caliper canopy trees required to be planted on the lot. Ms. Campbell made the second, and the motion passed unanimously. ADJOURN: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:19 AM on a motion by Mr. Sott and a second by Mr. Morris. The motion passed unanimously Respectfully Submitted, Date: ________________ Bill Salisbury Arborist/Natural Resource Planner Approved: Kenny Sott, Chair _____________________________________; or, Faye Campbell, Vice Chair ______________________________________ 3