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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-03-30 Tree Board Minutes Tree Board Tuesday, March 30, 2023 @ 5:30 p.m. City Council Chambers Agenda 1. Approval of meeting minutes 11/9/22 (attached) a. Approved - unanimous 2. Tree Board Ordinance Review a. Review of Ordinance Chapter 284 b. Board is an advisory board i. Decisions are advisory c. Public Works Director has requirement to follow ordinance i. Tree removal based on diseased, injured, or danger of falling too close to existing or proposed structures. d. Tree Board can recommend not to follow ordinance but that recommendation has to go to Council for approval of variance from ordinance. 3. Tree Board Membership a. Government Operations Committee has requested that we review the membership requirements b. If we relax requirements, will it bring in more volunteers – currently have 2 empty seats c. Do we want to have either a landscape architect or a member having completed training in arboriculture, instead of requiring both? d. Board members are willing to change the ordinance. i. Director Huotari will report back to Government Operations Committee on April 19th e. Board recommends that we look for other ways to advertise open seats on Board. 4. Board Officer Discussion a. Board members discussed the merit of electing a Board Chair. b. Annette Dodd and Greg Edwards voted to elect Greg Edwards to Chair of Tree Board. Tree Board Member Erica DuBois absent. 5. Tree Board Meeting Frequency a. Members want to have meetings on a quarterly basis b. Quarterly dates are to be determined 6. Council Reporting a. Public Works Director Huotari has been asked to report out activities of the Tree Board b. Will start with twice annual reports to Infrastructure Committee 7. Tree Removal Requests a. No removal requests at this time 8. Spring Tree Planting List a. Planned planting list is attached i. No trees have been ordered or purchased at this time ii. Makes it very difficult to get specialty or larger caliper trees if we don’t order ahead b. Discussion about tree selection c. Discussion about pollinator trees d. Discussion about unfinished tree nursery e. Discussion about trees by the Pickering Parking Garage 9. Browntail Moth Update a. Bucket truck couldn’t reach nests to clip in Fairmount Park b. Lift rentals, 40’, 65’ – still couldn’t reach nests c. Planned pesticide injections in parks i. Targeting trees that have nests in parks where we have received complaints through the Service Request system ii. Looking at 6 parks around the City that have reported complaints 10. Public Works Forestry Division staffing update a. Only one licensed arborist left in the Forestry Division i. Have posted the open positions within the PW department for existing employees to bid on b. Working on an organizational change to PW add a Forestry Manager i. This would eliminate the need for the position to plow ii. Plowing responsibilities were making it difficult to recruit 11. Other items a. Asset Management Software i. Currently starting implementation of new software – discovery phase b. Arbor Day Celebration i. Attempting to set up an Arbor Day celebration at a Bangor school 1. Involvement with children desired ii. April 28, 2023 c. Essex Woods Forestry Management Plan (FMP) i. Walked the property with Forester David Irving, Shelterwood Solutions ii. P&R to contract with Shelterwood for a management plan d. Rolland Perry City Forest FMP – targeting three projects in CY23 i. Invasive plant removals – scheduled for this spring ii. Trail widening iii. Non-native thinning 1. More room for native trees 2. Promote better wildlife habitat iv. Tree tipping for wreaths was done last fall 1. This activity was suggested by the FMP e. Urban FMP i. Discussion about developing an Urban Forestry Management Plan (FMP) ii. Develop answers to 5W’s 1. Why do we need to develop a plan? 2. Who will support the plan? 3. Where are the geographical limits of the plan? 4. What trees will be addressed? 5. When will the plan be developed? Time frame of plan? iii. Develop Vision Statement of plan iv. Make plans to finish inventory of public trees 1. John Daigle @ University of Maine, intern to inventory tree v. Once we develop answers to these questions, decide whether to tackle internally or to hire consultant vi. Can we have workshops to work on this plan? 1. Director Huotari to ask City Solicitor about public meeting rules f. Bangor Beautiful, Inc. (non-profit) just launched i. Soliciting money to support City of Bangor tree planting program 1. Similar to Bath Community Forestry Committee ii. Tree Board members Greg Edwards and Annette Dodd are founding members iii. Targeting a tree planting on Center Street on the triangle at Center/Park Streets g. Non-profit success metrics – Greg Edwards i. Tree/Arborist ratio 1. Number of arborists 2. Number of trees 3. What is a manageable ratio? ii. Number of trees we prune each year 1. Arbor Day Foundation says prune every 5 years 2. 20% of City trees iii. Continual update of tree inventory – each time we touch a tree iv. ISA Tree Assessment Form 1. Forestry started using these forms at the beginning of 2023 12. Next Meeting a. July 12, 2023. 5:30 pm In Attendance: Board Annette Dodd – Board Member Greg Edwards – Board Member Staff Jefferson Davis – City of Bangor Engineering Dept. Landscape Architect Aaron Huotari – Director, PW Dept. Tracy Willette – Director, P&R Dept. Public Carolyn Delouse, Resident - Dexter St.