Tree Advisory Board Meeting — 2025-11-21

Detailed briefing

Tree Advisory Board Meeting — November 21, 2025 ATTENDEES: Bob Coleman, Dana Mulder, Carol Leonard, Kathy Motyl, Henry Kudzel and Molly Baker-Deelen • The board approved the October 17 meeting minutes without stated opposition. A quorum was confirmed, and the roll taker said everyone named was present. There was no public comment. • Staff addressed concerns raised elsewhere about trees removed near the Shea Historical Museum on Main Street. The trees had been monitored after an ice storm, with damaged branches posing risks to electric lines. Staff said hazardous trees may be removed without advance review and that several trees have been taken down citywide following storm damage. The city intends to plant replacements near the museum that are appropriately sized for the intersection and overhead utilities. • This year’s planting work is complete. Staff reported that DPW planted 18 street trees, mostly along Lake, Traverse and Spring streets. Species included oaks, maples and flowering crabapples, selected using the “right tree, right place” approach. A few desired trees were unavailable and may be considered next year. • The board worked through extensive revisions to a proposed “2025 Management Plan for Trees and Vegetation on City Property.” Members supported making a three-year rotating tree assessment and maintenance program the plan’s centerpiece, with one-third of city trees evaluated during each cycle. The draft would identify hazardous or declining trees, pruning needs, pests and diseases, and locations for new trees. • Proposed edits include adding protection and maintenance of city infrastructure as an objective; stating that the city’s previous tree inventory is outdated; establishing a basic minimum training standard for relevant staff; and creating guidance for when professional assistance is needed. The board also agreed to remove a proposed stipend for residents who help care for trees. • Discussion favored ending resident applications to remove or trim vegetation on city property while retaining applications to plant street trees. The stated goal is for the city to manage public vegetation for public benefit rather than private views. This remains part of an unfinished draft and was not adopted at this meeting. Worth watching: 1. The revised plan still needs further board review and eventual City Council consideration. 2. Funding and the likely financial impact of the three-year program have not been determined. 3. Staff questioned how maintenance activity can be tracked without creating an impractical reporting burden. Upcoming: The next scheduled meeting is December 19 at 8:30 a.m.; the time change applies to that meeting only. Why it matters: The proposed policy would shift Harbor Springs toward planned, city-directed care of public trees and vegetation while balancing safety, utilities, costs and canopy replacement.

No open public follow-ups are linked to this meeting yet.