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Agendas and Minutes

Tree Management Advisory Committee (View All)

Tree Commission Regular Meeting

Agenda
Thursday, September 08, 2016

TREE COMMISSION MINUTES

September 8, 2016

CALL TO ORDER
Chair Christopher John called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. in the Siskiyou Room of the Community Development and Engineering Services Building located at 51 Winburn Way.

Commissioners Present:	Council Liaison:
Casey Roland	Carol Voisin ABSENT
Mike Oxendine
Russell Neff	Parks Liaison:
Christopher John	Peter Baughman
Maureen Batistella

Commissioners Absent:	Staff Present:
None	Cory Darrow, Assistant Planner

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Oxendine / John m/s to approve the minutes of August 4, 2016 with corrections. Voice Vote: Commissioners Roland, Oxendine, Neff, Batistella, and John.

ANNOUNCEMENTS & LIAISON REPORTS

City Council Liaison:
- Voisin absent. No report was given.

Parks & Recreation Department Liaison:
- Baughman stated that the Garfield Park improvement project is going out to bid and construction at North Mountain Park has begun.

Staff Liaison:
- Darrow informed the Commission that the Jefferson Public Radio Project at SOU has been delayed due to possible revisions.

PUBLIC FORUM
There was no one in the audience wishing to speak.

TYPE I REVIEWS
PLANNING ACTION: PA-2016-01669
SUBJECT PROPERTY: 1615 Clark
APPLICANT: First Presbyterian/ Howard Miller
DESCRIPTION: A request for a Tree Removal Permit to remove a potentially hazardous Ginkgo Tree from the property. The Ginkgo tree is located near the center of the property and is causing damage to utility infrastructure and sidewalks. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Commercial; ZONING: C-1; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 15 AB TAX LOT: 400.

Howard Miller, applicant, residing at 160 Normal Ave, Ashland, addressed the Commission about this project.

Batistella motioned to approve. Motion does not carry.

Roland/Neff m/s to approve PA-2016-01669 with recommendation that mitigation tree of a minimum of 3” deciduous species is planted on site. Voice Vote: Commissioners Oxendine, John, and Batistella.

PLANNING ACTION: PA-2016-01504
SUBJECT PROPERTY: 1098 B Street
OWNER/APPLICANT: RNN Properties, LLC
DESCRIPTION: A request for Site Design Review approval to allow the re-construction of a second dwelling located on the property at 1098 B Street. Also included are requests for Exception to Street Standards to not install city standard sidewalks, to allow the retention of an existing driveway curb cut on North Mountain Avenue that is closer to the adjacent curb cut than allowed by current codes, and for a Tree Removal Permit to remove a 15½ -inch Ash tree. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: High Density Multi-Family Residential; ZONING: R-3; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 09AD; TAX LOT #:100

Amy Gunter of Rogue Planning and Development, residing at 1424 S. Ivy Street, Medford, addressed the Commission about this project.

Oxendine motions to approve the recommendation that the Linden tree on the plan be replaced with a large Oak. Motion does not carry.

Oxendine/Roland m/s to approve PA-2016-01504 with recommendation that the applicant considers planting larger stature trees instead of Lindens. Voice Vote: Commissioners Neff, John, and Batistella.

PLANNING ACTION: PA-2016-01618
SUBJECT PROPERTY: 638-658 N. Main
APPLICANT: Eric Herron
DESCRIPTION: A request for a Tree Removal Permit to remove a potentially hazardous 30’ tall, 14” diameter at breast height (DBH) Austman Pine tree from the property. The Pine is located near the northern entrance of the property and is displaying significant lean towards the structures on site. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Employment; ZONING: E-1; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 05 AD TAX LOT: 700.

John / Roland m/s to approve PA-2016-01618. Voice Vote: Commissioners Oxendine, Neff, and Batistella.

PLANNING ACTION: PA-2016-01575
SUBJECT PROPERTY: 320 Grandview Drive
APPLICANT: Reichenshammer Building & Design, Inc.
OWNERS: Courtney & Matt Burkholder
DESCRIPTION: A request for a Physical & Environmental Constraints Review Permit for the development of a single-family residence, and removal of four trees within the proposed building envelope, on Hillside Lands with Severe Constraints for the property located at 320 Grandview Drive. Also included is a request for a Variance to exceed the maximum lot coverage by 1.8 percent (401 square feet). An Exception to the Development Standards for Hillside Lands is requested to allow a downhill wall in excess of 20 feet without the requisite six-foot stepback. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Rural Residential; ZONING: RR-.5; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 05DC; TAX LOT: 2401.

Roland/ Oxendine m/s to approve PA-2016-01575. Voice Vote: Commissioners Neff, John, and Batistella.

PLANNING ACTION: PA-2016-01490
SUBJECT PROPERTY: 2020 Crestview
PROPERTY OWNER: Potocki
DESCRIPTION: A request for Site Design Review approval to allow the construction of a 494 square foot Accessory Residential Unit (ARU) in the southeast corner of 2020 Crestview. The proposal includes a request to remove one 21” DBH Fir tree. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Single-family Residential; ZONING: R-1-7.5; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 15 DD TAX LOT: 210

Roland/John m/s to deny PA-2016-01490 until the applicant can demonstrate that no alternative exists that will retain the tree and allow for the ARU to be constructed in a manner that meets all AMC standards. Batistella opposed. Motion does not carry.

Roland/John m/s to approve PA-2016-01490 with the recommendation that the applicant demonstrates compliance with the following nonhazardous tree removal approval criteria (below). Voice Vote: Commissioners Neff, Oxendine, and Batistella.

That the tree is proposed for removal in order to permit the application to be consistent with other applicable Land Use Ordinance requirements and standards.
That removal of the tree will not have a significant negative impact on the tree densities, sizes, canopies, and species diversity within 200 feet of the subject property.
That the applicant mitigate for the removal of the tree.

DISCUSSION

The tree removals at 85 Winburn Way were explained by Darrow.
Roland spoke about the tree protection fencing and tree removal at the B street project and whether they may be in violation of their plan. Darrow stated that he will take a look at the site to determine if violation has occurred. Darrow went on to say that if the Commission as a whole feels that applicants are not taking the recommendations seriously (by enforcing stricter fines), as a group, they should address it by drafting a letter to City Council.
Batistella spoke about “tamper proof tags” being put back on the agenda and asked that Roland bring an example to the next meeting.
John made a suggestion that all Commissioners write down three priorities that they would like to accomplish (in the next year) and bring them to the next meeting for discussion.
Roland would like to donate ISA Tree risk assessment forms to the Planning Department to be used for all hazard tree removals. By filling these out it, would help the commission make a more informed decision on removals. Roland gave the forms to Darrow to distribute.
Batistella spoke about the application for submittal requirements of tree removal and stated that they are not specific to the Tree Commission.