Agendas and Minutes

Forest Lands Committee (View All)

Regular Meeting

Agenda
Wednesday, January 12, 2005

 

MINUTES FOR THE MEETING

ASHLAND FOREST LANDS COMMISSION

January 12, 2005 – 4:30 PM

Community Development, 51 Winburn Way

 

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:         Frank Betlejewski, Richard Brock, Jo Anne Eggers, Stephen Jensen (Chair), Anthony Kerwin, Bill Robertson (Vice Chair), Diane White

Members Absent:                   None

Staff Present:                           Chris Chambers, Nancy Slocum, Keith Woodley

Non-Voting Members Present: Cate Hartzell, Marty Main

 

I.                   CALL TO ORDER: Chair Jensen called the meeting to order at 4:30 PM in the Siskiyou Room. Jensen announced that Mayor John Morrison appointed Cate Hartzell as the commission’s new City Council Liaison. This coming Friday and Saturday is the Council’s annual goal setting meetings. The public was welcome to attend.

 

II.        APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Betlejewski/White m/s the minutes of November 10, 2004 as submitted. Motion passed unanimously.

 

III.       PUBLIC FORUM: No one spoke.

 

IV.       STAFF REPORTS

A.     2005 Proposed Work Projects – Woodley and Main announced their proposed work for the coming year: 1) finish burning piles created from logging slash within the timber sale area of the City Forest Lands Restoration Project Phase II; 2) reforestation, 1500 seedlings in timber sale area, primarily in Units D1, B2 and B3; 3) maintenance of drainage devices on Alice and BTI trails; 4) coordination for prescribed burn in Unit K with US Forest Service; 5) prescribed underburning, Units J and M; 6) brushing, thinning to create additional holes in Units G, U; 7) hazard tree removal (as needed) and; 8) Winburn prescriptions. This list did not include continued work with the Forest Service on the Ashland Fire Resiliency Project. Main noted the narrow windows for burning units located in close proximity to town. Non-commercial thinning of Units P and Q would be added to the list if the old waterline were shut down permanently. In addition, noxious vegetation was not listed. Main noted that various species of grass seed were spread in burn piles this fall and would need to be assessed for effectiveness.

 

B.     Commission Budget – Woodley reported that of this year’s $70,000 budget, $40,000 had been expended. He expected a similar level of funding for next year. 

 

C.     Interface Work – Chambers reported that recent work had taken place mainly outside the City limits including the areas around Tolman Creek, Ashland Loop Road, and Wright's Creek. Key projects were underway in the City along Granite Street and upper Liberty Street. Chambers was working on a flammable landscaping removal program to coincide with letters sent out by ODF later this month regarding Senate Bill 360.  The City recently received grant approval for funding restoration activities including Scotch broom removal, tree planting, and grass seeding. In addition, a $250,000 federal grant would be signed this coming spring for treating the area starting at Tolman Creek road and encompassing the area east to I-5.  Chambers showed the commission a sample interpretive trail marker purchased with Jackson County Title III grant monies earmarked for watershed education.

 

D.     Main Feeder Pipeline Replacement Project – Slocum reported for Project Manager Pieter Smeenk. The project had bid with the preconstruction meeting scheduled for the end of January and construction beginning in early February. Slocum passed out a tentative schedule for the project and asked the commission to call Smeenk if there were any questions. Project plans were available for review.

 

 

V.         OLD BUSINESS

AFRCA Team: Review of Minutes/Update -  Main and Darren Borgias were continuing to meet regularly with three planners from the Forest Service. The Forest Service is currently working on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) due out in March. The Forest Service plans on presenting the AFRCA alternative and their alternative separately.

 

The AFRCATs continue to work on unresolved issues including riparian, inventory and operations issues, however the process is close to being finished. Any additional issues would be discussed after the Draft EIS was published.

 

Hartzell asked about monitoring and weed issues. Eggers reported that Cindy Deacon-Williams and George Baduras had concerns regarding riparian and soils issues. Main said the AFRCATs, including Baduras, met the day before and discussed these issues. Some commissioners were concerned about the short notice for these meetings.

 

Kerwin noted that in the December 17th AFRCAT minutes the group had discussed the need for a supplemental EIS if the Plant Association Group mapping turned out to be inaccurate. Main said it would be difficult to quantify a condition that would trigger a need for a supplemental EIS.

 

Chambers wondered if the Forest Service could obtain the funding needed for the project. Main wanted to lobby for the possibility of completing inventory and monitoring work before the implementation phase begun. Hartzell spoke with the Forest Service while on a trip to Washington DC. She reported that an agenda to obtain necessary funding was already in place. Eggers would like to see funding for implementation of the project tied to funding for monitoring.

 

Borgias noted the Nature Conservatory’s vast experience in monitoring issues. He thought a commission orientation on stewardship contracting might by helpful. Commission agreed and asked that the topic be put on a future agenda.

 

VI.       ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION

A.     Field Trip Enhancements to Improve Public Participation – Jensen suggested forming a subcommittee to address this issue. Commissioners suggested some ways to improve public participation including serving free food, making a list of those desired and contacting them personally. The rest of the discussion was tabled.

 

VII.      NEW BUSINESS

A. Review of the Forest Lands Commission Powers and Duties – Tabled as the commission ran out of time. Hartzell recommended immediately discussing most important issues. Commission agreed to set a special meeting in approximately two weeks to finish the agenda.

B.     2005 AFLC Goals – Tabled.           

C.     Exhibitor Booth at Earth Day, April 23, 2005 – Tabled.

D.     Schedule additional field trips – Tabled.

E.      Winburn ParcelTabled.

 

VIII.    COMMISSIONER COMMENTS – Tabled.

 

IX.       REVIEW AND SET COMMISSION CALENDAR / NEXT MEETING

A special meeting was set for Wednesday, January 16th beginning at 4:30 PM. The venue would be announced. The next regularly scheduled commission meeting is Wednesday, February 9, 2005.

 

X.         ADJOURN 6:00 PM

 

 

___________________________

Stephen Jensen, Chair

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

___________________________

Nancy Slocum, Clerk

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