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Agendas and Minutes

Tree Management Advisory Committee (View All)

Tree Commission Regular Meeting

Agenda
Thursday, November 05, 2015

Tree Commission Minutes

November 5, 2015

CALL TO ORDER
6:00 p.m. in the Siskiyou Room of the Community Development and Engineering Services building located at 51 Winburn Way.

Commissioners	Council Liaison
Ken Schmidt	Carol Voisin (absent)
Gregg Trunnell	Staff
Casey Roland	Zechariah Heck, Staff Liaison
Maureen Battistella	Pete Baughman, Parks Liaison (absent)
Russell Neff
Christopher John (absent)
Mike Oxendine

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Trunnell/Oxendine m/s to approve October 8, 2015 regular meeting minutes. The motion passed unanimously.

ANNOUNCEMENTS & LIAISON REPORTS

City Council Liaison
Parks & Recreation Liaison
Community Development Liaison

Heck updated the Commission on Code of Ethics for Commissioners and explained that Commissioners shall not present a project in front of a body they are appointed to, whether they received payment or not for the project. Heck also gave the Commission an update on Planning Actions reviewed last month.

PUBLIC FORUM
Nobody from the audience provided public comments.

TYPE I REVIEWS

PLANNING ACTION:         PA-2015-01894
SUBJECT PROPERTIES:   263 and 267 Granite Street
OWNER:                               Robert and Susan Cain
APPLICANT:                        Kerry Kencairn
DESCRIPTION:                   A request to modify a previous subdivision approval and a Physical and Environmental Constraints Permit in order to build a single family residence with an accessory residential unit. Included in the application is a proposal to relocate a public path and pedestrian easement.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Single Family Residential and Woodland; ZONING: R-1-10 and WR; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 08DA; TAX LOTS: 1902; 1900.
Commissioners Trunnell/Oxendine m/s to recommend approval of the plans as submitted with the following recommended condition. The motion was unanimously supported.

That the applicant provides an updated tree inventory identifying the Zelkova serratas located on the inside of the second driveway, east of the proposed property line. These trees should have protective fencing around them during all construction on site and be inspected/approved by Staff prior to the beginning of work on site.

PLANNING ACTION:         PA-2015-01981
SUBJECT PROPERTY:       624 & 640 A Street
APPLICANT/OWNER:        Jim & Cheryl Lewis
DESCRIPTION:                   A request for a Tree Removal Permit to remove four Black Cottonwood Trees situated between 624 & 640 A Street. The project arborist notes that limbs or tops of the trees have unexpectedly broke and fell to the ground resulting in damage to structures on the property.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Employment; ZONING: E-1; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 09AB; TAX LOT: 4800 & 4900.

Commissioners Neff/Roland m/s to recommend approval of the plans as submitted. The motion was unanimously supported.

PLANNING ACTION:         PA-2015-02003
SUBJECT PROPERTY:       35 South Second Street
OWNER/APPLICANT:        MPM Investments
AGENT:                                 Kistler, Small & White, Architects
DESCRIPTION:                   A request for a Modification of Planning Action #2015-01496 to allow the removal of two trees, a 12-inch diameter at breast height (d.b.h.) Birch and a 4-inch d.b.h. Maple that were not identified for removal in the original approval which included a Conditional Use Permit, Site Design Review, Tree Removal Permit to remove two trees, and an Exception to Street Standards to allow new kitchen and bar additions to the Winchester Inn located at 35 S. Second St. The removal of the Birch tree requires a Tree Removal Permit because the tree is over six-inches in diameter.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Commercial Downtown; ZONING: C-1-D; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 09BD; TAX LOTS: 5600-5700.

Commissioners Oxendine/Trunnell m/s to recommend approval of the plans as submitted with the following recommended conditions. The motion was unanimously supported.

That three (3) apple trees, as proposed by the applicant, are planted on site as mitigation trees. Two (2) of the mitigation trees should be seen as a punitive measure for removing a tree without a permit that was previously listed as being preserved.

PLANNING ACTION:         PA-2015-02022
SUBJECT PROPERTIES:   670 C Street
OWNER:                               Mike and Laura Murphy
APPLICANT:                        Canopy LLC
DESCRIPTION:                   A request to remove one scots pine tree (Pinus sylvestris) that is described as a problematic tree for various reasons.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Multi-Family Residential; ZONING: R-2; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 09AC; TAX LOTS: 8400.

Commissioners Oxendine/Neff m/s to recommend a decision on the Planning Action be postponed in order to allow the applicant to substantiate their case for removal, citing the points below, and request the applicant present their case in front of the Commission during their next meeting. The motion was unanimously supported.

That the arborist report speak to whether the tree is a hazard tree or not;
That the application include evidence of the tree affecting the foundation of the house, if determined to be a “hazard tree”;
And that the arborist report speaks specifically to the Approval Criteria for tree removal (either Hazard or Non-Hazard).

TYPE II REVIEWS

PLANNING ACTION:         PA-2015-01284
SUBJECT PROPERTY:       474 Russell Street
OWNER/APPLICANT:        Laz Ayala/Ayala Properties, LLC
DESCRIPTION:                   A request for Site Design Review approval to construct two mixed-use buildings for the property located at 474 Russell Street. “Building A” will be a two-story, mixed use 8,688 square foot building consisting of commercial space and garages on the ground floor, and four residential condominiums on the second floor; “Building B” will be a two-story 12,617 feet commercial building consisting of commercial space with six residential condominiums on the second floor.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Employment; ZONING: E-1; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 09AA; TAX LOTS: 2805

Commissioners Oxendine/Schmidt m/s to recommend approval of the plans as submitted with the following conditions and recommendations. The motion was unanimously supported.
1)That the project landscaper signs off on specification notes on the planting plans before installation;
2)That, as a recommendation, the applicant selects locally adapted trees for the site;
3)And, as a recommendation, the applicant uses structural soil and provides sun protection to increase the longevity of the newly planted trees.

PLANNING ACTION:         PA-2015-01517
SUBJECT PROPERTY:        209 Oak St., 221 Oak St., 225 Oak St. and 11 B St. (And shared driveway partially on 237-239 Oak St.)
OWNER/APPLICANT:        Spartan Ashland Natalie Real Estate, LLC
AGENTS:                              Kistler, Small & White, Architects
DESCRIPTION:   A request for Outline Plan, Final Plan and Site Design Review approvals for the properties at 209 Oak Street, 221 Oak Street, 225 Oak Street and 11 B Street. The proposal includes the renovation of two existing, historic homes; the construction of six townhouses along B Street; and the construction a new, detached residential cottage. Also included are requests for a Variance to allow a 15-foot wide, one-way driveway where a 20-foot driveway width would typically be required; two Conditional Use Permits to allow a 25 percent increase in the Maximum Permitted Floor Area, and to allow a commercial use within an existing, historic residential building; an Exception to the Street Standards to allow a curbside sidewalk along B Street where a planting strip would typically be required between the curb and the sidewalk; an Exception to the Site Development and Design Standards to allow the placement of a new residence on proposed Lot #9 to be placed behind the setback line of adjacent historic buildings; and a Tree Removal Permit to remove two trees which are within the footprints of proposed buildings. (The proposal involves use of the existing driveway which is partially located on the adjacent property to the north at 237-239 Oak Street; this property’s owner has signed to allow the application to move forward using the shared driveway.) COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Low Density Multi-Family Residential; ZONING: R-2; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 09BB; TAX LOTS: 15600, 15700, 15900 and 16000.

Commissioners Trunnell/Battistella m/s to recommend approval of the plans with the following conditions and recommendations. The motion was unanimously supported.

That trees numbered 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 on the applicant’s protection plan meet the criteria for removal;

2)That the Tree Protection Zone is not adequate to protect trees numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4, and, therefore, shall be extended to the maximum extent possible;
3)That the applicant begins a watering regime and applies a mulch to the base of all the site’s trees to remain in order to mitigate negative impacts;
4)That the applicant installs street trees per city standards and that are a minimum of three (3) inch caliper specimens;
5)That, as a recommendation, the applicant obtains a second opinion of another arborist in order to determine the likelihood of preserving trees numbered 1 and 3 on the applicant’s protection plan.

NEW BUSINESS/ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS

Tree of the Year nominations to be selected to the Top 5.

The Commissioners had a discussion on the nominees and the overall process of the program. They also reviewed an email submitted by a community member concerned about the benefits of the Tree of the Year program (agenda item below). At the end of the discussion, the Commissioners provided Heck with their votes for the top five finalists. Heck tallied the votes and the top five were determined to be as follows: Magnolia on Oak Street, Japanese Maple on Holly Street, Oak tree at Mt. View Cemetery, Black Walnut at the Nature Center in North Mountain Park, and the Italian Pine on Walker Avenue.