ASHLAND TREE COMMISSION

MINUTES

August 3, 2006

CALL TO ORDER –Chair Bryan Holley called the Ashland Tree Commission meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. on August 3, 2006 in the Siskiyou Room in the Community Development and Engineering Services Building located at 51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

No minutes to approve

PUBLIC FORUM

No public forum

PUBLIC HEARINGS

PLANNING ACTION 2005-01869 Request for a land partition to create three parcels for the property located at 1751 Dragonfly Lane.  A Variance is also requested to exceed the maximum of three lots permitted to use a flag drive (Dragonfly Lane).   COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION:  Rural Residential District; ZONING:  RR.5; ASSESSOR’S MAP # 39 1E 15 D; TAX LOT:  1417. 

APPLICANT:  Peggy George

Amy read the staff report and explained that based on the submitted information, staff cannot recommend approval of the proposal.  She also read the conditions of approval that would apply if the Planning Commission Hearings Board chooses to approve the project. 

Applicant Testimony:  Mrs. Peggy George spoke about her desire to partition the property that she and her late husband purchased in the late 1970s.  She stated that she has hired a Land Use Attorney to aid her in the preparation of the application. 

Public Testimony:  Morgan Paull – agent for the late Jack Elam and for his widow Jenny Elam; asked if this application has come forth previously and received denial. 

Jenny Elam 1891 Dragonfly Lane – questioned the ability of the driveway to be constructed adjacent to the property line and since no buffer is proposed, she is concerned about the impact of the driveway and its construction impacts to the trees located on her parcel.

Jan Chaiken 1800 Crestview – Mr. Chaiken is concerned about the impacts to his trees from further trenching for the utility lines that potentially would be installed up the flag drive. 

Recommendation:

1)       That all trees within 15 feet of the parcel be included in the Tree Protection and Preservation plan

2)       That a driveway construction and grading plan incorporating the specifications of the Tree Protection plan be submitted for review and approval by the staff advisor prior to signature of the final survey plat.

3)       That the Tree Commission supports the staff recommendations.

PLANNING ACTION 2006-00612 Site Review approval to construct a mixed-use development comprised of 7,841 square feet of general office space and six residential condominiums for the property located at 160 Helman St.  COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Employment District W/Residential Overlay; ZONING: E-1; ASSESSOR’S MAP # 39 1E 04 CC; TAX LOT:  2100.

APPLICANT:  Siskiyou LLC/James Batzer

This application was postponed until next month.

PLANNING ACTION 2006-01295 Request for Outline and Final Plan approval for a seven lot (six units and common

area) Performance Standards Subdivision at 795 Park St. and 1849 Siskiyou Blvd.  A Variance to the Off-Street Parking

Standards to allow for the elimination of a required disabled person parking space, and a Tree Removal Permit to remove

eight trees are also requested.  COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: High Density Multi-Family; ZONING: R-3; ASSESSOR’S MAP # 39 1E 15 AD; TAX LOT:  1806.

APPLICANT:  Rogue Valley Community Development Corporation

Amy read the staff report and conditions of approval. 

Applicant Testimony:  There was no applicant testimony

Public Testimony:  There was no public testimony

Recommendations: 

1)                   That a certified / licensed Arborist shall be hired to determine the health of the Oak and the Birch trees and the impacts of construction within their driplines.

2)                   That the Arborist shall reevaluate the health of the Birch trees while in bloom and leaved out to determine if they should be removed and structures shifted towards eastern property line further away from the 40-inch dbh Oak tree.

3)                   That any construction within the root zone of the 40-inch dbh Oak tree shall be monitored on site by the certified Arborist.

4)                   That the footprint within the dripline of the 40-inch Oak tree shall be minimized or constructed using alternative construction measures such as post and beam foundations to limit impacts to the tree. 

5)                   Tree Commission recommends that no utility lines including but not limited to sewer, water, electric and irrigation lines shall be installed within the dripline of the 40-inch dbh Oak tree.

6)                   That no new additional landscaping shall be installed within the dripline of the 40-inch dbh Oak tree.

7)                   That an accurate outline of the canopy of the 40-inch dbh Oak tree be provided for review to determine placement of building footprint, sidewalks, bicycle parking facilities and their impact to the Oak tree.

8)                   Because conifer trees are being removed the Tree Commission recommends that a few of the mitigation trees be substituted with conifers such as Vanderwolf Pine, Arizona Cypress, Dwarf Scot pine, Pinus nigra in appropriate locations to achieve full growth.

No other business was addressed

ADJOURNMENT  - Commissioner Holley adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by

Amy Anderson, Assistant Planner