Shade Tree Advisory Committee

WESTWOOD SHADE TREE COMMITTEE APPROVED MINUTES WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2023 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by the chairman, Dan Zambrano at 7:00pm. 2. MEMBERS PRESENT: Dan Zambrano, Christine Blaney, Michael Murtaugh, Beth Staples (via FaceTime), Councilwoman Erin Collins Absent: Fred Rella 3. APPROVAL OF PAST MINUTES: The minutes of March 14, 2023 were approved 4. WSTC 2023-2024 OPERATIONS PLAN: The Operations Plan was adopted by the Mayor and Council at their March 21, 2023 meeting and is posted in full on our webpage. The list of Borough owned orphan lots that is referenced in the Operations Plan is attached. 5. BOROUGH CERTIFIED TREE ARBORIST: The Borough has hired Liz Stewart, NJ Licensed Tree Expert, on a contract basis within the DPW. She has already provided tree evaluations for 3 trees: 36 Hurlbut Street, 237 David Hooper Place, and 32 High Street. Resident requests will first go to Rick Woods, DPW Superintendent for review and, if he has any questions/concerns, he will then send them to Liz for her review. She will focus mainly on diseased trees, trees with falling limbs, etc. Liz was provided with the dates and locations for Arbor Day Fest and may come to the plantings. 6. ARBOR DAY TREE PLANTING DONATION – COLUMBIA BANK: The Columbia Bank Facilieis Officer, Drew Yocum, confirmed Downes tree service will plant their donated tree at McKinley Park on Tuesday 4/25 at 10AM. 7. WESTWOOD ARBOR FEST TREE PLANTNG CELEBRATION – FINAL PLANNING: Fred Rella will pick up the 100 donated saplings from Bartlett which will be disseminated over the planting days. Rick Woods will pick up the red maples to be planted and will bring the plastic tubing to protect the tree trunks from stripping by deer. DPW will also have the holes dug and wood chips on site. WSTC members will bring shovel(s), rake(s), and watering can. Dan will bring the Marketing (2x 24x36” Posters w/ Easels; Arbor Day Plaque for each tree). Each WSTC member is asked to prepare remarks on “What does Arbor Day mean to you.” Fred will bring a table with some snacks and drinking water along with the signed and framed Arbor Day Proclamation. It was suggested to park on Dean Street for the planting at Overbrook Park. 8. TREE REQUESTS: There has been an increase in tree requests with 9 new submissions, 1 re- submitted; 1 replacement, 1 from remaining tree request from 2022, 5 from early 2023, 3 from Rick at the DPW for a total of 19 new tree plantings for the Spring. These new requests are located at 22 Lotus Street (dead Borough tree removed 3/17/23); 177 Roosevelt Avenue; 175 Lexington Avenue (dead Borough tree removed 3/24/23); 54 Sealy Street; 42 Prospect Avenue; 21 Garden Place; 25 Summit Avenue; 151 Mill Street; 48 Clairmont Avenue; 66 Garden Place (originally denied in 2022 before yard side planting agreement was approved); 217 Washington Avenue; and 237 David Hooper (2 trees). Previous requests are located at 119 Langner (3 trees); 18 Kaufman Drive; 171 Westwood Boulevard, and 27 6th Avenue (replacement). 9. TREE REMOVALS & PRUNING – The DPW has been doing a number of prunings (see attached March 2023 Spreadsheet for removals and prunings. Resident at 2 Hurlbut Street emailed Rick on 3/15/23 about Borough Oak tree losing giant branches requesting that the tree be removed. Rick had the Arborist evaluate the tree, and she recommended its removal. Resident at 42 Roosevelt Avenue emailed regarding a neighbor wanting to trim non-Borough tree branches hanging over property line. Dan forwarded the email for clarification to Armand, the Construction Code Official who went to the property and met with owner on 3/22/23. He explained that the neighbor is allowed to prune overhanging branches under the law but would have to do it in a way that does not harm the tree, and the neighbor would need to notify the 42 Roosevelt resident of the intended pruning. Armand advised that an arborist be consulted to recommend pruning care, and that this is a civil matter which the Borough does not regulate. Resident at 676 Ackerman Avenue emailed on 3/28/23 requesting trimming of the  Borough tree in the curb strip which has branches fall every now and then and stating that one branch in particular was already hanging and could fall. Email was forwarded to Rick, and the resident had called also about the sidewalk slightly lifting. DPW crew trimmed the branches and advised the resident was advised that sidewalks are the homeowner’s responsibility. Resident at 427 Center Avenue emailed on 4/3/23 regarding tree roots lifting the sidewalk. Message was forwarded to Rick to inspect the condition of the Borough tree. Response to a previous request from the resident at 87 Lexington Avenue had not been sent. WSTC had reviewed and voted not to remove the healthy Borough tree as there is minimal lift their sidewalk. Resident was informed of the decision and advised on options for sidewalks. Tree care contractor, 24-7 Tree Care LLC, emailed on 4/15/23 regarding 64 Lincoln Avenue asking if a tree permit was required to remove a tree on the property. Dan replied a tree removal permit must be applied from the Borough Building Department and any tree within 10’ of the street could not be removed as it would be a Borough tree. Resident at 174 3rd Avenue emailed Rick on 3/17/23 asking for removal of a 20 year old Zelkova tree claiming that its roots were starting to buckle the sidewalk. Rick and members of the WSTC inspected the tree and found it to be healthy and beautiful and the sidewalk had only minor lifting on two corners of a slab. The request to remove was denied 10. COMMUNITY FORESTRY MANAGEMENT PLAN: The current draft dated 3/19/23 was reviewed. It was noted that a general overview of the Borough’s tree history is needed. It will also need a link to the Borough’s Master Plan update sections that pertain to trees as well as any current ordinance regarding trees and buffers. The CFMP will need the actual working and a synopsis. Also will need information on the latest Borough budget as it pertains to WSTC. 11. DEP STORMWATER - DRAFT TREE ORDINANCE: Christine advised that the Borough will be required to adopt whichever is the most stringent – the DEP draft ordinance or the Borough’s ordinance. It was the feeling of the WSTC that we will probably have to adopt the DEP ordinance until ours is ready. Christine will report to the WSTC as to timing. However, since our new permit went into effect in January, our deadline for adopting the ordinance will most likely be January of 2024. Westwood is more stringent that the DEP in Section 3A as we do not allow anyone, other than the Borough, to remove a Borough tree. DEP ordinance may be more stringent in regard to the replacement ratio of trees. The WSTC will need input from Armand, the Construction Code Official. Enforcement will fall to Armand and the DPW. There was discussion of reintroducing our request for tree removal companies to purchase an annual permit to work within the Borough as the timing may now be more conducive to successful adoption. This will be pursued after our Arbor Day Fest. 12. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:46pm. Next Meeting will be on May 9th at 7pm. WESTWOOD BOROUGH OWNED VACANT LOTS Lo t S iz e B lo c k Lo t Qu al Lo c atio n (S F) 103 8 HARDING AVE 13,808 103 11 46 HARDING AVE 6,250 104 1 60 HARDING AVE 12,249 104 2 23 NUGENT PLACE 7,600 104 3 27 NUGENT PLACE 8,189 104 4 31 NUGENT PLACE 12,458 106 6 HARDING AVE 8,709 106 10 111 HARDING AVE 11,250 106 11 105 HARDING AVE 11,250 106 16 55 HARDING AVE 7,500 106 26 678 LAFAYETTE AVE 11,325 201 3 WASHINGTON AVE 1,581 504 7 FOREST AVE 2,326 917 1 SIXTH AVE 3,484 1007 23 GOODWIN TERR 2,526 1007 32 GOODWIN TERR 261 1102 17 MEADOW ROAD 1,000 1102 22 MEADOW ROAD 14,941 1606 13 GLADYS PL - END 2,500 1701 10 228 WESTWOOD BLVD 13,460 1701 15 PASCACK RD 3,000 1801 18 REAR LOT 3 3,175 1802 1 PASCACK RD 11,282 1802 2 LEWIS PLACE 2,500 1802 5 LEWIS PLACE 13,329 1906 7 PALISADE AVE 2,500 1906 12 PALISADE AVE 5,000 1907 26 WESTWOOD BLVD 2,500 1908 2 PALISADE AVE 2,500 1908 13 84 EMERSON RD 5,998 1908 21 WESTWOOD BLVD 2,500 2109 2 HOPPER AVE 1,263 2207 3 EMERSON RD 3,049 2207 5 EMERSON RD 3,537 2208 9 HOOPER ST 11,500 1 of 1