4.21.2020 Tree Advisory Board Meeting

Detailed briefing

Tree Advisory Board — April 21, 2020 - The board met specially by conference call to address the downtown Main Street tree-base project after City Council authorized staff to move forward. Staff said Benchmark will prepare an RFP because the overall project is expected to exceed the city’s $40,000 bidding threshold. - The work discussed includes tree grates, sidewalk and concrete work, potential electrical-related work near transformers, and optional brick detailing around the grates. Staff confirmed the bid will include brick-detail and brick-material line items, as well as an option without brick. - Members raised concerns that the board had not previously made specific recommendations on tree removals, replacements, or species. The city arborist said he had not assessed individual tree health or hazard for this project, though prior inventory data exists and should be reviewed because it is five years old. - The board discussed whether trees removed during construction should be reinstalled or replaced. Members generally favored a full replacement approach because transplanting could damage trees and may not provide a warranty. They also suggested that smaller healthy trees could potentially be moved to other city locations if feasible. - The board approved a recommendation for Benchmark’s RFP to include nine acceptable tree species, with individual pricing for each species and a target of five or six species in the final mix. Discussion stressed avoiding a monoculture, reducing the number of maples compared with existing Main Street conditions, and considering availability, urban tolerance, salt, moisture, and planting-site conditions. - Members and staff called for national planting standards and clearer bid requirements covering installation, root treatment, backfill, root-collar placement, irrigation, and contractor responsibility for correcting deficient planting. Staff agreed to coordinate project information and tree-specification language with the arborist and others involved. Worth watching: - Benchmark’s RFP should reflect the approved species list, individual species pricing, and planting-standard language. - City Council must decide whether to accept any added costs tied to replacing all trees or adding brick details. - The feasibility of relocating smaller healthy existing trees remains unresolved. Upcoming: The next regular Tree Advisory Board meeting was planned for May 15, 2020, by video and telephone conference if restrictions remained in place. Why it matters: The project will reshape Main Street’s tree canopy and streetscape, with long-term costs and tree survival dependent on final bid details and Council funding decisions.

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