CALL TO ORDER - The meeting was called to order at 5:10 p.m. by acting chair January Jennings. Additional commissioners in attendance included Bryan Nelson, Bryan Holley, Greg Covey, Tom Peil, Rich Whitall and parks liaison Donn Todt, Planning liaison Kerry Kencairn and staff Robbin Pearce.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Minutes for January were approved with corrections.

WELCOME GUESTS - Charlie Hamilton, representing Suncrest Homes, and Dave Richardson and Bill Thompson, representing KFC & A&W were welcomed.

OLD BUSINESS

1. Siskiyou Boulevard - January Jennings had included in the meeting packet a handout from the Public Works department that describes the proposal the Siskiyou Boulevard Committee recommended to City council. City Council has approved the proposal. The proposal shows that only hazard trees will be replaced. However, there are some "holes" that will be filled in with new trees. January will conduct an inventory of the trees on Siskiyou Boulevard in the spring to update the 1992 inventory. The full committee Thanked January for her continued dedicated work.
2. Library - There is no additional information at this time. And no additional information on the Gresham Street paring situation.
3. Helman Street project - Staff will be walking the project with Ray Smith from Engineering to be sure there is consistency and that the parkrows developed are adequate. Bryan Nelson recommended being sure we recommend sleeving to parkrows so irrigation can be added.
4. Recommended Street Tree List - Bryan Nelson finished the list. Staff will print it and let Nelson edit it. Then it will go to the consultant that will add the symbols. Staff will bring tree photos to the March meeting to discuss cover options.
5. Tree ordinance - This item is on hold until the fate of Measure 7 has been determined.
6. Elk's parking lot - Donn Todt reported it is almost complete. Engineering needs to add concrete to bumpers to direct water. Staff added Public Works will conduct a tour of the project for them next summer and Public Works is looking into signage to explain what a bioswale does.

Arbor Week - January Jennings will be working with a group of teachers for 1^st and 3^rd graders at Lincoln School. There will be small group activities over a number of weeks and an assembly on Friday April 27^th (Arbor Day). Tom Peil volunteered to work with Jennings. Rich Whitall would like to present a 10 - 15 verbal presentation to Council on Arbor Week (April 3^rd council meetings). A number of locations were discussed for a tree planting. It was decided to work on the North Mountain Park location. Donn Todt will pick a spot to plant a tree at the park. Staff will contact the coordinators of the park project to see if school kids would be available to help plant. Rich Whitall will contact the Mayor and invite him to be involved in the tree planting also. Staff will also contact the media. The commission then discussed a plaque for the Ginkgo as Tree of the Year 2000. Bryan Holley will draft a letter to Friends of Ashland Library to invite them to discuss ideas on where to put the plaque. Staff stated the total for Terry's photos is more than our budget will allow in one year. ($13.50/photo; 40 photos for a total of $540) Discussion included having pictures for five trees done each year and getting the tree photos on the City's website.

1. Rich Whitall said the Tidings is permitting three articles to be printed. The articles will be: a) Overview (Holley/Todt); b) Right Tree/Right Place (Moore); and c) Topping (Jennings). Everyone else who is writing should keep at it but hold the material in case we get more slots in April.
2. January Jennings shared her draft letter to Greg Scoles regarding the use of local landscape architects for local projects. Greg Covey and Kerry Kencairn ill share ideas with Jennings. Final draft will come to stafff to be presented to Scoles.
3. January Jennings stated in the course of researching her article she found a book in the public library that showed topping as an appropriate form of pruning as well as other archaic tree processes. She asked the Commission to replace the existing book with a copy of Gilman and she will draft a letter to the Library asking that the original book be removed.
4. Bryan Nelson brought up the topic of structural soil. He reminded the Commission we have recommended the use of it and yet it is not being done. Discussion included: recipe, who owns the rights, how to get the City to try it or a local developer to try it. The topic was tabled until March.

1. Planning Action 2000-012 (Thompson on Clover Lane - KFC/A&W) Osmanthus won't take the reflected heat. Use an alternative. Move the red sunset closest to the exit deeper into the planting bed. The buffering between the street and parking needs to be taller at maturity - maximum three feet.
2. Planning Action 2000-0007 (Suncrest Homes - Tolman Creek) Use an appropriate built-up base before putting down your asphalt paths. Ceonoths 'Point Reyes' will be frozen out in coldest winters. Add to the plan Sargeant Cherry is not columnar variety or form.

Other - There was no additional new business.

ADJOURNMENT - Meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.