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Agendas and Minutes

Tree Management Advisory Committee (View All)

Tree Commission Regular Meeting

Agenda
Thursday, July 07, 2016

TREE COMMISSION MINUTES

July 7, 2016

CALL TO ORDER
Acting Chair John called the meeting to order at 6:02 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
Mike Oxendine
Russell Neff
Chris John
	Parks Liaison
	Peter Baughman

Commissioners Absent:	Staff Present
Commissioners Absent:	Cory Darrow, Assistant Planner
Maureen Batistella

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Russell/Oxendine m/s to approve the June 9, 2016 meeting minutes. Motion passed.

ANNOUNCEMENTS & LIAISON REPORTS

Council – Voisin reported that Verde Village has been approved by the Council. The wastewater treatment plan loan has been renegotiated and the City has 600,000 to put towards some projects that are undetermined at this time. They are looking at putting some things on the ballot in May of 2017. Revisions to the water master plan and the transportation plan are being worked on. Voisin went on to say that she would like the Commission to look in to some sort of Urban Tree Study.

Parks Department - Baughman reported that he had the chance to walk around town with a contingent and an arborist from Guanajuato, Mexico. Baughman remarked that is was nice to chat with them and get a different perspective.

Staff – There was nothing to report.

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

John read aloud the procedures for public hearings.

TYPE I REVIEWS
PLANNING ACTION:         PA-2016-01007
SUBJECT PROPERTY:      818 Liberty Street
APPLICANT/OWNER:       Daniel Dawson
DESCRIPTION: A request for Physical and Environmental Constraints Review Permit for alteration of the land surface on lands identified as Hillside Land. The project will involve re-grading and paving of an existing driveway, creating a larger landing\parking space near the garage, and terracing.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Single-Family Residential; ZONING: R-1-7.5; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 16AD; TAX LOTS: 6200.
There was no conflict of interest or ex-parte contact indicated by the Commission.

Darrow gave the staff report for PA-2016-01007

John opened the public hearing to the applicant.

Daniel Dawson, residing at 818 Liberty addressed the Commission. Mr. Dawson gave a history on the project and what he plans to do with the property. He went on to say that there will be 3 trees removed, not 4 as previously stated in the application. The crab apple tree that’s located in the north east corner of the home will stay.

Oxendine/John m/s to approve the planning application with recommendations stated below. Motion passed.

Commission recommends a modified tree protection plan that uses a single wall of diagonal fencing to prevent access to an entire area of the lot instead of enclosing several individual trees.

PLANNING ACTION: PA-2016-00863
SUBJECT PROPERTY: 155 & 163 Walker Avenue
APPLICANT: Christopher Brown
OWNER: Southern Oregon University
DESCRIPTION: A request for Site Design Review approval to construct an open air pavilion of approximately 2,300 square feet including a new 5-vehicle parking area on the subject properties. The pavilion will contain a kitchen/lab area. The proposal also includes a bioswale to treat and reduce runoff from the new parking area.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Southern Oregon University District; ZONING: SO; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 10CA; TAX LOTS: 1400 & 4100.

Darrow gave the staff report for PA-2016-00863.

There was no conflict of interest or ex-parte contact indicated by the Commission.

John opened the public hearing to the applicant.

The applicant, Chris Brown, was present and indicated he is available for questions but had no comments for the Commission.

Baughman stated that he would like arborists included earlier on in all capital projects due to an oversight of a sidewalk installation where a birch tree died.

Casey/John m/s to approve the planning application with the recommendations stated below. Motion passed

Commission recommends applicant consults with the SOU arborist during the project.

PLANNING ACTION: PA-2016-01027
SUBJECT PROPERTY: 276 B Street (Tax lot 5800 & 5900)
OWNER/APPLICANT: Kimberlynn Locklin
DESCRIPTION: A request for Site Design Review approval for the construction of two detached Accessory Residential Unit’s less than 500 square feet, one on each of the subject properties. The project will also involve the removal of trees and the construction of one single-family dwelling per tax lot as well. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Low Density Multiple Family Residential; ZONING: R-2; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 09BA; TAX LOT: 5800 & 5900.

Darrow gave the staff report for PA-2016-01027.

There was no conflict of interest or ex-parte contact indicated by the Commission.

John opened the public hearing to the applicant.
Kim Locklin and Vadim Agakhanov, property owners, residing at, 521 Schofield Street in Ashland, OR, addressed the Commission regarding their project.

Oxendine/Neff m/s to approve the planning application with the recommendations stated below. Motion passed

Commission recommends that trees 12, 13, 14, and 15 be wrapped (for extra protection) during the removal of asphalt.

PLANNING ACTION: PA-2016-01072
SUBJECT PROPERTY: Vacant Lot, B Street
OWNER/APPLICANT: Rogue Planning and Development Services
DESCRIPTION: A request for a Tree Removal Permit to remove one large Black Walnut tree from the northwest corner of a vacant lot on the north side of B Street abutting the west property line of 661 B Street. The removal will allow for the development of a single-family home and detached garage. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Low Density Multi-family Residential; ZONING: R-2; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 09AB TAX LOTS: 3701.

Darrow gave the staff report for PA-2016-01072.

There was no conflict of interest or ex-parte contact indicated by the Commission.

John opened the public hearing to the applicant.

Amy Gunter, Rogue Planning and Development Services, 1424 S. Ivy, Medford, OR, addressed the Commission regarding the project. Ms. Gunter gave a brief history regarding the lot and what is proposed. Ms. Gunter gave the Commission copies of an email that she received from a neighbor directly adjacent from the property on Fifth Street. The email stated that the tree is a nuisance and is dropping branches on to her lot. Ms. Gunter stated that the tree does not appear to be a hazard tree. An arborist was called to come out and do an assessment on the tree and it was determined that the applicant should apply for tree removal.

Oxendine/Roland m/s to deny the planning application until submittal of a landscaping plan and arborist report is submitted. No one opposed.

TYPE II REVIEWS

PLANNING ACTION #: PA-2016-01029
SUBJECT PROPERTY:      1365 Tolman Creek Road
OWNER/APPLICANT:       Ronald Rezek/Clason Company LLC
DESCRIPTION: A request for Outline and Final Plan approval under the Performance Standards Options Chapter (AMC 18.3.9) for a three-lot subdivision for the property located at 1365 Tolman Creek Road. Also included are requests for a Physical and Environmental Constraints Review Permit for Floodplain Development to allow widening of the existing driveway entrance by two to five feet and the installation of utilities including storm water drainage facilities within the floodplain; a Limited Use Permit to allow grading for utility installation and restoration of the buffer area of a small wetland on the property; and an Exception to Street Standards to not install city standard street improvements along the property’s Tolman Creek Road street frontage.     COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Single Family Residential; ZONING: R-1-7.5; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 23BA; TAX LOT #: 201.

Darrow gave the staff report for PA-2016-01029.

Darrow read into the record, a letter submitted by neighbors, Christina Lefever and Dave Maher, Carolyn and Walt Minson, Denny and Anne Eubanks, and John Lange and Marie Donovan. See exhibit A, attached.

There was no conflict of interest or ex-parte contact indicated by the Commission.

John opened the public hearing to the applicant.

Amy Gunter, Rogue Planning and Development Services, 1424 S. Ivy, Medford, OR, addressed the Commission regarding the project. Ms. Gunter gave a history on the lot and briefly discussed what is being proposed. Ms. Gunter conveyed that the building envelopes slightly encroach into the tree protection area, which is not uncommon in projects like these.

Zach Brombacker, neighbor at 1370 Tolman Creek Rd, commented that he has been concerned about the trees on the property but is more comfortable with the proposal after witnessing how involved the Tree Commission is with these matters. He also worries about the impact of storm water runoff.

Oxendine/John m/s to approve the planning application with the recommendations stated below. Motion passed.

Commission recommends tree protection fencing be provided for tree #15, and that tree #39 and #40 be skirted (or limbed up) to a height of 13 feet from the base of the tree.

DISCUSSION ITEMS
Oxendine/Russell m/s to appoint John to Chair of the Commission. No one opposed. Motion passed.

James Urban’s Visit – Next Steps

Staff inquired if the discussion should continue on the James Urban Event and the Commission declined due to the limitations of adopting new ordinances.

ADJOURNMENT
The next meeting is scheduled for August 4, 2016. There being no other items to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 7:50pm.