Tree Board 3.17.2023

Detailed briefing

Tree Advisory Board — March 17, 2023 ATTENDEES: Gail Brown, Jamie Melky, and Teresa Johnson. • The board approved the February 17 meeting minutes, with the recorded vote stated as 3-0. Staff also announced that the city had reached what was described as a contingent agreement with the company involved in illegal tree cutting on the bluff. Staff said the company would probably provide landscaping services around the boardwalk and that the matter had been settled. • Members reviewed a conceptual M-119 entrance replanting plan for the right-of-way near Bay Bluffs and the skate park. The proposed species are Green Gable black tupelo, Donald Wyman flowering crabapple, and arborvitae. The concept showed trees in clusters of three or five and more than 50 trees overall. • The board generally supported the species and plan, while asking staff to reduce crowding in some areas, especially by potentially reducing crabapple clusters from five to three. Members also discussed removing one or more trees near Bay Bluffs signage so the sign remains visible. Bay Bluffs feedback was generally positive, with signage visibility identified as the concern. • Staff said the city has about $10,000 remaining from the original M-119 project after removal and stump-grinding work, plus several donated trees not yet planted. Planting may be phased because of cost. Staff recommended planting the Bay Bluffs-side area first and waiting on the skate park/pickleball area until after planned skate park reconstruction. • For the Arbor Day Fest at Kiwanis Park, planned for Memorial Day weekend, the group discussed a pruning demonstration, a tree-related scavenger hunt, bird-feeder making, art activities, food, seedling giveaways, and possibly a speaker or tree walk. The proposed event time was 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Staff said advertising would include the Harbor Light and social media. • In reviewing the city tree-plan matrix, the board identified major unfinished work: a fuller public-tree inventory, inventory updates after removals and plantings, tree-health assessments, mapping, and some outreach and funding-tracking tasks. Staff said it would forward zoning-code-related tree items to the planning consultant. Worth watching: • Staff will revise the M-119 concept for sign visibility, tree spacing, phasing, and planned skate park work. • Staff said it would discuss a better notification process with DPW and the electric department when city trees are removed, so the arborist can update the inventory. • The board still needs a plan for tracking and replacing removed neighborhood street trees, including trees recently removed on Maple Street. Upcoming: Staff said it would bring a finalized Arbor Day Fest plan and volunteer-assignment discussion to the April meeting. Why it matters: The board is linking tree replacement, maintenance records, public programming, and development policy to the city’s long-term urban forest goals.

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