[00:00:03]
HI, WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF PETALUMA.
[CALL TO ORDER]
WE CALL TO ORDER AND A ROLL CALL.UH, SEEING THAT WE HAVE NO, ACTUALLY,
[GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT]
ACTUALLY, WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, AND I BELIEVE STEPHANIE SANCHEZ HAS SOME NICE WORDS FOR US.I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE AND I HAVE MET A COUPLE OF YOU IN OTHER PLACES.
I THINK CINDY, YOU AND I MET AT ONE OF THE RELIEF MEETINGS WAY LONG AGO.
AND, UM, I'M HERE LARGELY JUST TO LET YOU KNOW WHO I AM AND WHAT I FEEL I REPRESENT ABOUT THE CITY, ABOUT, UH, SPECIFICALLY MEDTOWN.
AND, UM, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS I'D LIKE TO SAY.
I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR SO LONG.
THE PROBLEM OF THE TREE DESERT THAT WE HAVE HERE, THAT EVERYBODY HAVE, HAVE DESIGNATED THE TREE DESERT AND TALKS ABOUT AS A PROBLEM, UM, AND THAT IT SEEMS TO KIND OF GET SHUFFLED OFF, WHICH I UNDERSTAND WHY WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE KIND OF, UH, THE DEMOGRAPHICS IN OUR AREA TO SUPPORT THE KINDS OF PROGRAMS THAT I KNOW RELIEF IS DOING.
AND ALSO URBAN, YOU GUYS ON THE URBAN FOREST COMMITTEE, IT'S LIKE GETTING REALLY ENGAGED COMMUNITY TOGETHER IS, UH, IT'S EASY IN PLACES WHERE FOLKS ARE MORE AFFLUENT, EDUCATED, AND SAVVY ABOUT THE ISSUES OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND IT'S MUCH TOUGHER IN THE AREA THAT I LIVE IN NOW, I IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT A GOOGLE MAP OF MY HOUSE, YOU WON'T SEE IT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY TREES PLANTED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
IT'S THE FIRST THING I DID WHEN I MOVED IN HERE 20 YEARS AGO, AND I MOVED HERE FROM, UM, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND I TAUGHT AT THE JC FOR 20 YEARS.
I'M A PROFESSOR OF ART, AND DURING THAT 20 YEARS, I REALLY EXPECTED TO SEE CHANGES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN TO ANY EXTENT.
IF YOU DRIVE AROUND AND YOU SEE SOME OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT FOLKS HAVE DONE IN MY AREA, YOU CAN BET THAT THEY ARE WHITE AND THEY ARE EDUCATED, THEY'RE COLLEGE EDUCATED, AND THEY'RE AFFLUENT, AND THEY'RE, SOMETIMES THEY'RE RE THEY'RE, THEY'RE RETIRED, BUT USUALLY NOT.
AND THE PROBLEMS ABOUT HOW TO GET PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THAT PLACE ARE VERY DIFF, ARE VERY, UH, MYRIAD.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR 20 YEARS BY MYSELF AND BEING AN INDIVIDUAL JUST DOESN'T WORK.
AND I'VE FOUND THAT I'VE BROUGHT MANY PEOPLE AROUND TO THE IDEA OF KNEADING TREES AND WANTING THEM IN THAT AREA.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE LEFT, BUT JOHN SCHIBS AND I TALKED, OKAY, I'M TRYING.
JOHN SCHREMS AND I TALKED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, AND JOHN MUST KNOW ABOUT GRANTS THAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT OR OTHERS DON'T.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT HE'S VERY AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS AND I THINK ALL OF YOU ARE ABOUT WHY IT'S REMAINED THE WAY IT IS.
UM, BUT, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE COST OF TREES, THE COST OF MAINTAINING THEM FOR THREE YEARS, AND THE COST OF TAKING UP CONCRETE WHEN NECESSARY AS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE COVERED BY SOME GRANTS.
HE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO, AND IF ANY OF YOU GO THERE A LOT, YOU CAN SEE IT HAPPENING.
THERE ARE PLACES WHERE LITTLE PATCHES OF CONCRETE HAVE BEEN TAKEN UP AND, AND, UH, TREES AND OTHER, UM, UH, GROWING THINGS HAVE BEEN PLANTED.
BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S, IT SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT LIKE PIE IN THE SKY, BUT I TRULY THINK THAT WE NEED A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THAT AREA.
AND I'LL SAY ONE MORE THING, WHICH IS THAT IT'S, IT IS AN EQUITY ISSUE.
WE HAVE TERRIBLE PROBLEMS WITH SPEEDING.
I'VE BEEN UP IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT THERE'S A DISRESPECT FOR THAT AREA.
AND I HAVE FRIENDS UP ON THE WEST SIDE WHO'VE ADMITTED TO ME THAT THEY JUST SPEED DOWN MADISON.
OH, NOW THAT WE KNOW YOU, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT.
BUT, UM, MY THREE MINUTES, UM,
[00:05:01]
OKAY.BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION OR HOW DOES THIS WORK? YEAH, I I'M, WE HAVE TIME IF YOU WANT TO, IS THAT APPROPRIATE? YEAH.
YOU WANNA ALLOW MORE TIME? YOU MAY I ALLOW ANOTHER COUPLE OF MINUTES? YEAH.
YEAH, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF I WANTED TO BE SELFISH AND LAZY, I'VE GOT MY, I'VE GOT TREES ALL OVER MY PROPERTY AND I DON'T HAVE A BIG PROPERTY, BUT I'VE GROWN THEM THERE.
AND, UM, WHAT WHAT I SEE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF PLANTING TREES BECAUSE THEY ARE, THEY'RE AFRAID THAT THEY'RE GONNA GET STUCK WITH THE COST OF THE SIDEWALKS BEING, UM, TURNED UP.
THERE ARE MEDIANS THAT I'VE TAKEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF, WHICH ARE BARREN AND THEY'VE BEEN BARREN FOR 20 FREAKING YEARS, AND A FEW PEOPLE HAVE PLANTED TREES ON THEM AND THEY'RE DOING BEAUTIFULLY SO THEY CAN GROW.
YOU TALKING MEDIUM STREET OR THE SIDE ON THE SIDE? YEAH.
YEAH, THAT WELL, THAT'S WHAT, THANKS FOR TELLING ME WHAT IT WAS.
'CAUSE I'VE, I'VE JUST CALLED THEM MEDIUMS, JUST FOR LACK OF NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY'RE CALLED, BUT IT'S THOSE PLANTER STRIPS.
SORRY, I'M GONNA INTERRUPT HERE.
THIS IS TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, SO WE DON'T ASK QUESTIONS OF CLARIFICATION, SO WE JUST, IF WE ALLOW FOR THE COMMENT.
WELL, ANYWAY, NO, THAT'S WHAT I'M REFERRING TO.
AND THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO PLANTED TREES SUCCESSFULLY IN THEM, AND I'VE TAKEN IT UPON MYSELF TO PLANT A COUPLE WITH THE NEIGHBOR'S HELP.
THERE'S ONE OTHER THING I WANNA, AND, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S TOUGH TO KEEP THEM GROWING, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG.
LIKE, I HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE LAST NIGHT TALKING ABOUT PRUNING AND WHAT A PROBLEM IT WAS FOR THEM.
BUT JUST GETTING THEM TO GROW TO THE POINT WHERE THEY NEED TO BE PRUNED IS PRETTY CHALLENGING.
I'VE SEEN, SO IT'S IN ISSUES OF WATERING.
I HAVE PERSONALLY TRIED TO ENGAGE SOME OF THE PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT LIVE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I HAVE GOTTEN THEM ON BOARD, BUT THEY'RE SO DARN BUSY WITH THEIR JOBS, THEIR KIDS, AND THEIR, UM, JUST GEN AND CHURCH.
BUT I'M, I'M ACTUALLY GROOMING SOMEONE THAT I REALLY THINK WOULD BE A GREAT REPRESENTATIVE FOR MY AREA, BUT SHE'S NOT HERE.
SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE TIME TO BE HERE, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN ALL SEE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT GET INVOLVED IN THIS STUFF ARE, ARE NOT PEOPLE OF COLOR.
SO WE JUST HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M, I'M ABLE TO, I'M STARTING TO DO IT, BUT I NOW WANNA GET PEOPLE INVOLVED IN A, IN A WAY THAT IS, IS LESS THAN JUST ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
SO I'VE STARTED SENDING AROUND, UM, JUST A STATEMENT OF INTEREST THAT JOHN AND JOHN SCHIBS HAD SUGGESTED THAT I DO.
AND SO I HAVE THAT GOING, BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU IN SOME WAY AND JUST MAKE YOU AWARE OF WHAT'S IF, IF YOU KNOW OF ISSUES THAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT, BUT KNOW THAT I HAVE PLENTY OF INFORMATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THE SITUATION EXISTS LIKE THAT.
AND ALSO, IT'S REALLY POOR CITY PLANNING IN THE FIFTIES THAT LAID OUT THOSE STRIPS THE WAY THEY DID.
I MEAN, THAT WAS, WE ARE STUCK WITH THOSE THINGS.
SO IT IS A PROBLEM, BUT IT, BUT WE CAN PLANT ON THEM, AND I'VE DONE IT AND IT DOES WORK.
SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME, UM, SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
AND I'M, I'M HOPING I'M NOT POINTING FINGERS AT ANYONE.
I'M REALLY HOPING THAT YOU GUYS CAN KIND OF PAY SOME MORE ATTENTION TO THAT AND NOT JUST LIKE, GO ON AND THEN PUT TREES AND PAR PARKS.
THAT'S WONDERFUL THAT YOU'RE PUTTING 'EM IN THERE, BUT GOSH, WE REALLY NEED THIS NEIGHBORHOOD TO, TO STEP UP.
WE NEED, WE NEED HELP WITH IT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
MINUTES IS BEING MOVED TO OCTOBER.UM, DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH AD HOC COMMITTEE? UH, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER, THE MOST OF THE MEMBERS THIS SUMMER HAVE BEEN TRAVELING, AND I THINK WE, WE'VE HAD SUCH A FLURRY OF ACTIVITY IN JUNE AND JULY, BUT I THINK, UH, SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, UH, THERE IS NO UPDATE.
UM, ROGER, WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR HERITAGE TREELESS PROGRESS.
WE HAVE TO OPEN IT UP FOR GENERAL COMMENT.
IS THERE A GENERAL COMMENT? SEEING NONE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, HERITAGE TREE LIST PROGRESS UPDATE.
UH, I PASSED WHAT I HAD ON TO CINDY.
SO I HAVE THE DOCUMENTS THAT CAME FROM THE PAST
[00:10:01]
AD HOC FROM DAVID.AND IS THAT YOUR FINAL UPDATE? IS THAT ALL THE WORK COMPLETE? OKAY.
SO I THINK IN THIS, IT WOULD BE LIKE THE, I CAN BRING IT TO THE COMMITTEE OR EMAIL YOU THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, BUT THAT IT AD HOC COMMITTEE IS NOW COMPLETE WITH THEIR WORK.
THEN I WOULD SAY THAT THAT, THAT THAT'LL BE THE END OF THAT AD HOC.
EXCUSE ME, CHAIR, CAN YOU SPEAK, UH, LOUDER AND CLOSER TO YOUR MIC.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S COMPLETE.
UM, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, SEEING THAT THERE IS NONE.
UM, NEXT ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UH, STREET TREE LIST AD HOC PROGRESS UPDATE.
UH, WE DID APPROACH, UH, PLANNING ABOUT DOING, UM, A SORT OF A STOP GAP.
AT LEAST GET SOME, SOME, SOME TREES ON THE, ON OUR LIST AS A, AS A MEASURE UNTIL WE GET THE NEW, UM, THE NEW, UM,
UM, IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY AND, UM, BUT IT WAS DECIDED THAT WE WE'RE SO CLOSE TO BEING, THAT BEING COMPLETED.
WE'LL JUST WAIT AND, AND DO THAT AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE CITY.
SO I, UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, IS THIS WHERE WE BRING IN THAT WE'LL BRING IN THE, THE NEW MEMBER, THE NEW MEMBER LATER.
THAT'S ITEM SIX ON THE AGENDA.
UM, THEN IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT OUR STREET TREE LIST AD HOC, SEEING THAT THERE IS NO, OH, OH,
I, I HAD A, UH, A NEIGHBOR ASK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, UH, STREET TREES TO PLANT OR CONSIDER, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE WELL AWARE OF THE OLD LIST AND I WAS MM-HMM.
WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU THINK THAT, UM, ARE WE THERE YET? OR, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WELCOME TO, UH, AS, AS A MEMBER OF THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE'RE ALLOWED TO MAKE EXECUTIVE DECISIONS AND ACTUALLY PUT TREES THAT AREN'T ON THE LIST OR RECOMMEND TREES THAT AREN'T ON THE LIST.
THE TREES ON NORTH WATER STREET ACTUALLY AREN'T ON THE APPROVED CITY LIST, BUT I WAS, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I COULD MAKE THAT DECISION, AND I DID.
AND, UM, AND I WASN'T CHAIR THEN.
SO I THINK THAT, I MEAN, YOU CERTAINLY COULD, BUT, UM, PLEASE, ANYBODY IS MORE THAN WELCOME TO REACH OUT TO ME OR, AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO ADVISE.
SO YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES.
AND THEN THERE WERE SOME INTERESTING, UH, INTERESTING FEEDBACK, UH, LAST NIGHT FROM OUR CONSULTING ARBORIST ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT STREET TREES ARE GETTING PLANTED.
MAYBE WOULD WE MAYBE TALK ABOUT LAST NIGHT'S MEETING AT A LATER POINT, BUT, UM, CINDY, OR, SURE, THE ARBORIST IS GONNA COME AT SOME POINT TO BRING THE U F M TO THE COMMITTEE AND TO ASK FOR FEEDBACK.
SO THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THAT PRO IN THAT PROCESS.
AND SO I GUESS PART OF WHAT WE'RE, LOOK, WE'RE ASKING IN OR LOOKING AT IN TO UPGRADE OUR LIST, AND IT'S A FAIRLY GOOD LIST AS IT IS.
UH, THERE'RE JUST SOME, SOME THINGS THAT SHOULD BE ON THERE THAT, THAT AREN'T, OR A COUPLE THAT SHOULD PROBABLY NOT BE ON THERE.
UM, BUT I, I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE USABLE TO THE AVERAGE PERSON TO SAY, UM, PUT IN A, THE RIGHT TREE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT A NICE BIG PLANTING STRIP AND YOU'VE GOT A, YOU'VE GOT NO OVERHEAD WIRES, THERE'S CERTAINLY NO REASON YOU SHOULD BE PLANTING A, A CRATE MYRTLE THERE.
AND, AND, AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT WOULD BE NICE IF THE CITY DIDN'T ALLOW THAT, BUT, UM, UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S, IT IS, IT IS, THERE'S GENERAL GUIDELINES ON THE LIST AS IT EXISTS, SO, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
UM, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE A LOT MORE CONCISE AND, AND, AND I THINK, UM, EASILY READABLE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY COULD BE MAYBE BETTER DETERMINED BY, UH, A PROFESSIONAL THAT EMPLOYED BY THE CITY OR, UM, CONSULTING FOR THE CITY.
YEAH, I THINK, I THINK ALL OF THOSE ARE GREAT THINGS.
UM, I THINK WITH THIS, WITH THIS, THE, THE TREE LIST IS, WE'RE, WE'RE MOSTLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RIGHT TREE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND ACTUALLY GETTING OURSELVES A, A, A BETTER LIST AND EXISTS.
BUT AS I SAID, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY GOOD AS IT EXISTS.
SO PEOPLE COULD CERTAINLY FEEL EMPOWERED TO, TO USE IT AND, UM, PLANT
[00:15:01]
WHAT THEY SEE FIT.BUT IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, THEN WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION.
WE REOPEN AD HOC COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS.
AND, UM, THERE'S BEEN, EBERLY HAS, UH, IN, UH, EXPRESSED INTEREST IN BEING ON OUR TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SHE'S ABSENT.
AND SO I BELIEVE WE CAN ADD HER IN ABSENTIA.
UH, CHAIR FORMBY, I THINK YOUR REQUEST IS FOR A MOTION TO REOPEN SO THAT YOU CAN ADD MEMBERS TO ANY OF THE AD HOCS.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK THE MEMBERSHIP TO MOTION IN A SECOND, IS THERE A MOTION THAT WE REOPEN THESE AD HOC COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEES? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? I MEAN, TWO ABSENTEES, RIGHT? THEN THE MOTION PASSES.
SO CHAIR FORM B IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
SO THE AD HOCS THAT YOU HAVE ARE THE STREET TREE, THE, UM, THE STREET TREE AD HOC LIST, AD HOC.
YOU HAVE THE COMMUNICATION AD HOC, AND THEN THERE'S ONE MORE.
WHICH 1:00 AM I MISSING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD? BECAUSE THE HERITAGE TREE LIST, BUT THAT ONE'S DONE NOW THAT'S DONE.
IS THAT, DO WE ONLY HAVE TWO? WE KNOW THERE'S ONE MORE.
DID YOU SAY RELIEF ALREADY? DO WE HAVE A RELIEF AD HOC? WE DON'T HAVE TO.
WE USED TO, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THAT.
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAD ADVISED AGAINST HAVING THAT.
OH, YOU KNOW, NO, BECAUSE THE WEBSITE, OH, WE WERE GONNA, I'M SORRY, WE WERE GONNA, OH, THAT'S NUMBER SEVEN.
YEAH, THE WEBSITE AD HOC IS ALSO FINISHED.
SO AT THIS POINT, YES, YOU JUST HAVE THE TWO.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO REOPEN TO LOOK AT THE MEMBERSHIP FOR YOUR STREET TREE LIST AD HOC, YOU CAN ADD TWO MORE MEMBERS TO, OH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ROOM FOR TWO BECAUSE IT'S YOU AND ROGER, I BELIEVE, ISN'T IT IN THE MAKEUP CURRENTLY? YEAH.
OH, WAIT, NO, YOU CAN HAVE THREE.
MY BRAIN IS NOT FUNCTIONING TODAY.
YOU CAN HAVE ADD UP TO ONE MORE, AND I THINK EVERLY HAD SAID SHE WAS INTERESTED.
UM, BUT IF THERE'S OTHER COMMITTEE, COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT ARE INTERESTED, YOU CAN ALSO ASK IF THERE'S INTERESTED TO ADD TO THAT ADD HOME.
SO EVERLY HAD EXPRESSED INTEREST AND, UM, AND SAID THAT SHE COULDN'T BE HERE, BUT SHE WOULD BE WILLING TO BE ADDED.
SO HOW, WHAT'S THAT? AND IS ACTUALLY, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED? DO WE JUST ADD HER? DO WE NEED TO VOTE OR NOT? YOU, YOU ALREADY OPENED IT UP SO YOU CAN ADD HER.
WELL THEN I WOULD SAY THAT EVERLY IS OUR NEWEST MEMBER OF THE STREET TREE LIST AD HOC.
AND I THINK THE OTHER ITEM TOO IS WITH THE OTHER AD HOC, WAS THE MEMBERSHIP.
TERRANCE'S NOT HERE TODAY, BUT, UM, DARREN AND ROGER, ARE YOU STILL OKAY WITH THE MAKEUP OF YOUR AD HOC? DOES ANYBODY, ALL THREE OF YOU'RE OKAY WITH STAYING ON THAT AD HOC MM-HMM.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING THAT THERE IS NONE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION TO ESTABLISH A NEW AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR OUR 2024 ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION.
AND DO WE HAVE A, UH, UM, SO CHAIR FORMBY, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE THE TOPIC.
SO WE'VE SPOKEN A LOT ABOUT ARBOR DAY AND IN THE PAST YEAR.
TYPICALLY IN THE PAST, WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THE PARKS DIVISION HAS SET UP A TREE PLANTING, AND THAT'S BEEN THE OFFICIAL ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION FOR THE CITY.
BUT LAST YEAR AT THE TIME, THERE WAS A LOT OF IDEAS BROUGHT FORWARD BY THIS COMMITTEE.
SO I THOUGHT I WOULD BRING FORWARD TO SEE IF YOU WANTED TO FORM AN AD HOC TO ACTUALLY FORM WHAT THE ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION WOULD BE FOR 2024.
THERE ARE ALSO TWO OTHER THINGS FOR CONSIDERATION.
NATIONAL ARBOR DAY GENERALLY FALLS AT THE END OF APRIL.
I BELIEVE IT'S THE LAST THURSDAY OF THE APRIL, LAST THURSDAY IN APRIL.
SO CLOSE TO EARTH DAY, CALIFORNIA GENERALLY HAS AN EARTH DAY CELEBRATION THAT HAPPENED.
I MEAN, A ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION, THAT HAPPENS MORE IN FEBRUARY.
SO I'M NOT TIED TO EITHER ONE.
IT'S JUST THAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY HONORED THE APRIL PLANTING DATE OR ARBOR DAY, AND WE'RE ALSO NOT TIED TO THAT.
IT HAS TO BE A PLANTING BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS.
AND I THINK AT THAT TIME, I JUST THOUGHT, UM, THE COMMITTEE MIGHT WANNA ENGAGE AND HELP FORM WHAT THE CITY CELEBRATION WOULD BE INSTEAD OF IT COMING FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
BUT THOUGHTS, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU WANNA FORM THAT AD HOC, AND IF YOU DON'T, IT'S OKAY.
I JUST THOUGHT I'D BRING IT NOW, BECAUSE ANY EVENT TAKES SOME TIME TO PLAN, SO YOU'RE GONNA WANT MORE THAN JUST A COUPLE WEEKS.
CINDY? YEAH, I, I WOULD AGREE WITH CINDY.
IT'S, IT'S THIS LAST YEAR, UH, WE CAME IN LATE AND THERE WERE A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS THROWN AROUND, AND I THOUGHT WOULD'VE BEEN SOME GREAT THINGS, BUT THERE WAS SIMPLY NO TIME TO PLAN IT.
[00:20:01]
I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO ESTABLISH THIS NOW AND GET THOSE THINGS IN PLANNING AND, AND DO SOMETHING REALLY VERY SPECIAL FOR 2024.UM, LAST YEAR I HAD THROWN OUT, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF TREE FEST, WHICH AT FIRST IT'S JUST AN IDEA, BUT I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE CAN DO THERE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SHIFTING THE CULTURE AROUND TREES, AND I THINK MAKING AN APPROACHABLE EVENT, THROW IN A LITTLE MUSIC, THROW IN A LITTLE FOOD, GET ALL THE LOCAL FOLKS, WHETHER IT'S LIKE DEVIL MOUNTAIN, WHETHER IT'S OUR PARKS AND REC, UH, CITY STAFF KIND OF SHOW UP, HAVE BOOTHS, TALK TO PEOPLE, JUST CREATE A GATHERING POINT.
UM, WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT LOCATION WOULD BE BEST, BUT THAT, THAT'S ONE IDEA, UM, THAT I REALLY LIKE.
SO I LIKE THE IDEA OF THIS COMMITTEE.
I'M EAGERLY AWAITING WHEN YOU NEED VOLUNTEERS.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF A TREE FEST.
ANYBODY ELSE? ANY OTHER COMMENT? IS THERE A RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE A MOTION OR DO YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAY THIS TO THE NEXT AGENDA WHEN THERE'S MORE MEMBERS HERE? ALTHOUGH CHAIR FORM B, YOU WILL NOT BE HERE NEXT MEETING? UM, I, I THINK I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE TO DECIDE IF WE WANT TO CH TABLE THIS AND, AND OPEN IT UP FOR ELECTIONS OR MEMBERSHIP OR VOLUNTEERS NEXT IN OCTOBER.
I CAN CERTAINLY, IF I FEEL LIKE ONE I WANT TO BE ON IT, I CAN DO, I CAN SAY SO, BUT I KNOW I WON'T BE HERE.
SO HOW DOES, HOW DOES EVERYBODY, I THINK, I THINK WAITING FOR OTHER MEMBERS MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE I THINK EVERLY AND TERRAN ARE BOTH VERY ACTIVE AND ENGAGED.
AND VERY GOOD AT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND THINGS, SO IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA.
WELL, I, I THINK THEN WE'LL, WE'LL TABLE THIS TILL NEXT MONTH AND SOUNDS GOOD.
I JUST, YEAH, LIKE TO SAY THAT I THINK CHANGING ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO CHANGE THE CULTURE IN THIS TOWN ABOUT, ABOUT TREES AND GET PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT TREES, I THINK IS, IS WELL WORTH DOING.
UM, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, SEEING THAT THERE IS NONE? WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMITTEE COMMENTS.
UM, AND I THINK I'LL OPEN IT UP FIRST TO ANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THAT WANNA MAKE COMMENTS, SEEING THAT THERE IS NONE.
UM, OR, OR LIAISON UPDATES MAYBE FROM, OH, WHAT'S THAT? LIAISON UPDATES FROM PARKS AND REC MAYBE IN PLANNING AND, OKAY.
IS THERE, SHOULD WE HAVE THAT? WELL, OUR PARK, OUR MEETING IS TONIGHT, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY FOR THE TREE ADVISOR.
NOTHING FROM TREES FROM THE LAST MEETING, BUT THE MAJOR ITEM THAT WENT TO THE PARKS AND REC COMMISSION, IT'S HARD BECAUSE THEY MEET RIGHT AFTER US, SO YOU WAIT A WHOLE MONTH TO REMEMBER.
UM, THE TURF ITEM FOR LUCCHESE TURF REPLACEMENT WAS BROUGHT FORTH TO THE REC COMMISSION LAST MEETING, AND IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SYNTHETIC TURF BY THE REC COMMISSIONERS.
WHAT, SO THAT WAS, THAT'S WHERE THAT ONE IS SITTING AND THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MAJOR ITEM AND UPDATE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FROM TONIGHT'S YET NEXT MONTH.
I'M SURE MARYANNE CAN REPORT OUT ON THAT.
WELL, THAT WAS QUITE A NICE UPDATE, UM, UH, FROM PLANNING, ARE YOU PLANNING ON LATER LINE? ANY UPDATES? OH, ANY UPDATES FROM PLANNING? I, UM, IS IT RELEVANT, THE CHICK-FIL-A PARKING LOT? SURE.
YOU CAN PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS IN YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS.
WELL, I, I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH ABOUT THAT, BUT MAYBE DARREN WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
I'LL, I'LL JUST TAKE A SWING AT IT.
'CAUSE ROGER AND I, SO WE DID A SPAR REVIEW FOR THE CHICK-FIL-A THAT'S GONNA BE, UH, REPLACING THE CATTLEMEN'S THAT EVERYONE KNOWS.
UH, AND WITHOUT GETTING INTO THAT, A LOT OF IT WAS ABOUT THE DESIGN, BUT A MAIN FOCUS WAS ON THE PARKING LOT AND THE TREES.
THEY'RE GONNA BE PLANTING, I BELIEVE IT'S 93 OR 94 NEW TREES ON THE SITE.
UH, AND THEY HAD, PER THE GENERAL PLAN, THEY HAD IDENTIFIED THAT THEY'LL BE ENHANCING BIODIVERSITY AND NATIVE TREE COVERAGE.
BUT WHEN WE SAW THE LIST, THERE WAS A LOT OF STRAWBERRY TREES AND CREPE MYRTLES, NOT GREAT COVERAGE TREES.
UH, AND THE APPLICANT SAID, WELL, THE CITY TOLD US TO PLANT THOSE.
AND, UH, THE CITY STAFF SAID, HOLD ON, WE NEVER GAVE YOU THOSE TREES.
BUT THEY HAD TAKEN OUR CITY, UH, STREET TREE LIST AND USED THAT AS THE ONLY TREES THEY COULD PLANT ON THIS SITE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY ARE VERY DIFFERENT, UH, APPLICATIONS.
SO BECAUSE WE LACK CITY STANDARDS TO REALLY ENFORCE, UH, DURING A FAR REVIEW, THE APPLICANT
[00:25:01]
IS NOT REQUIRED TO CHANGE THEIR TREE PLANTING SCHEME NECESSARILY.BUT I THOUGHT WE DID A GREAT JOB IN NEGOTIATING AND PUSHING THEM TO DO A 60% NATIVE TARGET TO BASICALLY ASK THEM TO GO BACK TO THEIR DESIGN ARBORIST, UH, SHOOT FOR 60% NATIVE, WHICH I BELIEVE THEY WERE ALREADY AT LIKE 34 OR 35% AND FOCUSED ON REPLACING CREPE MYRTLES, UH, AND STRAWBERRY TREES, WHICH I SEE AS MORE ORNAMENTAL WHEN YOU REALLY WANT TO COVER A LOT OF THAT ASPHALT WITH BETTER COVERAGE TREES.
AND WE THREW OUT COAST LIVE OAK, UM, SYCAMORES AND THEY EXPRESSED CONCERNS OVER THE SIDEWALK OR OVER THE INTERACTIONS WITH ASPHALT.
BUT WE KIND OF LEFT THAT TO THEM IN THEIR ARBORIST TO OVERCOME WITH THAT RESTRICTION.
AND WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT POTENTIALLY ADDING A CANOPY COVERAGE REQUIREMENT.
UH, BUT THEY WERE RESISTANT TO THAT.
AND AGAIN, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TEETH TO FORCE THEM TO MAKE A CHANGE, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE, WE GOT SOME PROGRESS THERE.
AND WE ALSO HAD THEM REMOVE OR, OR PUT TEMPORARY LANDSCAPING IN 17 PARKING SPACES.
'CAUSE THEY WERE GONNA HAVE 170 PARKING SPACES AND THE MINIMUM WAS 63.
SO IT'S A PRETTY BIG NOW FOR THE APPLICANT, THEY SAID THEY NEEDED THAT TO RUN THEIR BUSINESS, A HIGH VOLUME BUSINESS.
THEY WANT PARKING FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.
UM, BUT I THINK WE KIND OF MET WITH AS MUCH AS WE COULD, WHICH IS BASICALLY REDUCING BY 10% AND CREATING TEMPORARY LANDSCAPE SPACES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WASN'T MUCH DISCUSSION OF THE DESIGN OF THE SITE BECAUSE I THINK MOST PEOPLE WERE RELATIVELY, I, AND I KNOW I WAS SURPRISED AT KIND OF THE PLEASING NATURE OF THE DESIGN.
THE MASSING AND THE DESIGN WAS PRETTY GOOD FOR THAT FACILITY.
UM, IT'S GONNA LOOK KIND OF LIKE WHITE WITH BLACK TRIM BARN STYLE DESIGN, AND THEY'RE BUILDING ANOTHER BUILDING ON THE SITE.
UM, SO ANYWAY, A LOT OF DISCUSSION WAS TREES AND PARKING, AND I THINK THE TREE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HELPED KIND OF PUSH THAT TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A BETTER PROJECT.
YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT, CAN I, CAN I JUST GO AHEAD? YES, PLEASE.
UH, THAT'S OUTSTANDING BY THE WAY.
I JUST LOVE THE FACT THAT WE STEERED THE SHIP TOWARDS LARGER TREE CANOPY, UH, ESPECIALLY AT A SITE LIKE THAT, THAT'S AN OBVIOUS HEAT ISLAND.
AND, UH, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, COULD BE, UH, VASTLY IMPROVED AS A RESULT.
SO, AND I ALSO WANT TO, UH, MENTION THAT APPRECIATED, UH, UH, ROGER SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT THE TREES DURING THE OVERLAY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
A FEW, WAS IT A WORKSHOP? I THINK, YEAH, MAYBE EVEN, UM, SIX WEEKS AGO OR SO.
I FELT LIKE, UH, UH, THE EARLY DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TREES COULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THAT DESIGN.
AND I THINK I WAS CONCERNED WITH SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT MAYBE THEY WOULD CHOOSE SMALLER TREES, UH, TO THAT WOULDN'T, UH, INTERFERE WITH THE, UH, OVERHANG THE OVERHANG.
SO HOPE, HOPE THAT WE'D COME TO A DIFFERENT RESULT AND HAVE A, HAVE SOME, SOME GOOD CANOPY THERE EVENTUALLY.
I, UM, SO I ALWAYS WONDER, I MEAN, IT'S NICE TO HAVE CANOPY OVER A PARKING LOT AND CERTAINLY I, I AGREE WITH IT, BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, RICHARD, IF THERE ARE MORE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE, AND MAYBE THAT'LL COME WITH OUR NEW T P O, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S TO STOP THEM TO SHAPING THEM INTO 15 FOOT LOLLIPOPS? YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU HAVE A, A BIG GIANT SYCAMORE, WHICH SHOULD BE 90 FEET TALL IS NOW 12.
SO, UM, UH, WHICH IS COMMON, ESPECIALLY IN A PARKING LOT, UM, WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
BUT, UM, IT, IT JUST SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PRACTICE.
SO IT'D BE NICE IF THERE WERE SAFEGUARDS FOR THOSE SORTS OF THINGS AS WELL.
ON THAT NOTE, ON THAT SAME TOPIC, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN NOTICING DIFFERENT MUTILATION OF STREET TREES ALL AROUND THE CITY.
UH, WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THAT? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO PROPOSE SOME, UH, AN ORDINANCE THAT, UM, MANDATES SOME OF THESE THINGS? WELL, I THINK HEATHER MIGHT TALK ABOUT THAT IN A LITTLE BIT,
UM, THERE SEEMS TO BE AN EPIDEMIC OF CRATE MYRTLES AND AN EPIDEMIC OF CUTTING THINGS DOWN TO HALF THEIR SIZE.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY BEING DONE BY SOME PROFESSIONALS AS WELL.
SO, UM, YEAH, IT, IT, IT, IT IS A HOT TOPIC AND, UM, HEATHER'S HERE, SHE'S GONNA SPEAK TO US IN A LITTLE BIT.
SO, UM, AND, UH, SEEING THAT THERE, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS THEN? I, I, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I, I APPRECIATE, UM, OUR, OUR PUBLIC COMMENT, STEPHANIE SANCHEZ.
AND, UM, I APPRECIATE WITH THE IDEA WITH SAN FRANCISCO, WITH GRANTS AND THINGS, UM, IT'S COME UP IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT TAKING UP SOME OF THE CONCRETE, YOU KNOW, AND I LIVE, I LIVE ON, ON THE WEST SIDE, UM, AND
[00:30:01]
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLANTING TREES ON MY BLOCK, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN CONCRETED IN.AND SO WE'RE, IT'S BEEN TASKED TO ME AND I SAID, I WOULD ASK ABOUT TAKING UP THAT CONCRETE AND IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF CITY SERVICES OR CITY WE CAN GET CITY HELP TO DO SUCH THINGS AND GET SOME TREES IN ON OUR BLOCK.
'CAUSE EVEN THOUGH I LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE, I LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE ON ON IN OAK HILL BREWSTER, WHICH WHEN I WAS A KID, WAS AN ENTIRELY CANOPY IN SYCAMORES, WHICH THERE MAYBE THERE ARE FOUR SYCAMORES LEFT IN THE ENTIRE HILLSIDE.
SO, UM, AND, UM, MAINTENANCE IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS AN ISSUE.
IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT'S ON MY MIND.
UM, AND, UM, AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO SEE SOMETHING DONE, SOME OF THE MEDIANS THAT WE HAVE SOME, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WITH THE CITY, ESPECIALLY, UH, THE MEDIAN IN WASHINGTON STREET, RIGHT AS YOU GET OFF THE FREEWAY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, HAS SOME LOVELY OAKS GROWING IN IT, BUT IT HAD MEXICAN FEATHER GRASS, WHICH IS NOW ACTUALLY DEEMED A, UH, AN INVASIVE SPECIES AND ANYTHING ELSE IN THERE HAS DIED.
I SAW THEY WEED WHACKED IT YESTERDAY, WHICH LOOKS A LOT BETTER THAN THE FOUR FOOT WEEDS THAT WERE THERE FOR MONTHS.
BUT, UM, AND I HAVE, I HAVE TALKED TO WENDY AT RELIEF ABOUT PERHAPS RELIEF COULD ADOPT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IF IT'S, IF IT'S, IF IT'S, IF IT'S LEGAL TO, UM, PLANT NATIVES IN THERE AND JUST DO A BIG SWATH OF CENO OR ARCTOSTAPHYLOS AND HAVE A NATIVE SORT OF POLLINATOR, YOU KNOW, DEMONSTRATION GARDEN THERE NOT, NOT, NOT.
I REALIZE THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT OF MAINTENANCE, BUT IT COULD BE DONE SIMPLY.
BUT IT ALSO WOULD BE A NICE SORT OF INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY.
AND THE SAME WITH THE, UM, THE ROUNDABOUT ON PIMA BOULEVARD SOUTH, WHICH IS, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE CAN'T HAVE TREES IN THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE RUN THEM OVER, WHICH IS BIZARRE TO ME.
A COUPLE OF BALLARDS, IT SEEMS THEY RUN INTO BALLARDS.
MAYBE WE'RE NOT SO LIABLE IF, IF PEOPLE RUN INTO BALLARDS AS IF THEY RUN INTO A TREE, UM, UH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME LARGE OAKS OR, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE, WOULD BE WONDERFUL IN THERE AND A GOOD UNDERSTORY PLANTING.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS TO DO GOOD UNDERSTORY PLANTINGS THAT AREN'T GONNA REQUIRE A LOT OF MAINTENANCE, ESPECIALLY I THINK THE UNDERSTORY THERE IS STAR JASMINE, WHICH IS SILLY.
UM, ANYWAY, UM, SO THAT'S ALL MY COMMIT COMMENTS.
IS THERE, SHOULD I CLOSE IT DOWN AND GO ON TO STAFF COMMENT, SINCE WE'LL DO, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO STAFF COMMENT.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND WELCOME HEATHER HOWARD TO HEATHER HOWARD, HEATHER HINES TO THE PODIUM TO GIVE STAFF COMMENTS.
I APPRECIATED EVERYONE'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT.
UM, AND IT WAS KIND OF RAPID FIRE QUESTION, WHAT ABOUT THIS TREE? WHAT ABOUT THAT? WHAT HAPPENED HERE? UM, SO I DID MY BEST, UM, TO RESPOND TO THOSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I SAID THIS LAST NIGHT THAT WE ARE WORKING IN ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND EVEN JUST SITTING HERE FOR AS LONG AS I SAT, I HAD A BUNCH OF NOTES LIKE, OH, I SHOULD LOOK INTO THAT.
OH, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? WHY CAN'T WE? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS IS WE TRY TO SOMETIMES DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE, AND THEN KIND OF NOTHING HAPPENS ALL THE WAY.
UM, SO I SAID THIS AT THE MEETING LAST NIGHT.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A DESIRE TO HAVE EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH TREES FIXED AND BROUGHT UP TO A STANDARD, AND CULTURE CHANGED AND EDUCATION, AND AN APPROVED, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, TREE COMPANIES LIST.
AND THERE WAS SO MANY GREAT IDEAS.
AND WE WILL START GOING THROUGH THEM, BUT WE CAN'T DO THEM ALL AT ONCE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO DO, AND I TALKED WITH CINDY ABOUT COMING, IS JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE NUMBER OF THINGS.
'CAUSE I KNOW SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE A, A VACUUM AND WE GO BACK IN AND START WORKING ON THINGS AND HAVE TO LIFT OUR HEADS UP AND COMMUNICATE THAT TO ALL OF YOU SO YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, SO WE ARE LOOKING PRETTY COMPREHENSIVELY AT TREES, WHICH I THINK IS THE DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL.
I KNOW IT'S THE DIRECTION FROM, UM, THIS OR THE DESIRE FROM THIS, UM, COMMITTEE.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING TO MAXIMIZE PRESERVATION OF TREES.
WE'RE LOOKING TO ACKNOWLEDGE TREES FOR ALL THAT THEY ARE.
UM, AND THAT HAS BEEN KIND OF ONE OF, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR SHADE, THEIR, UM, CARBON SEQUESTRATION, THEIR BIODIVERSITY THERE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY BENEFITS.
SO TRYING TO KIND OF FLIP THAT DISCUSSION TO, UH, UPLIFT AND SHOWCASE TREES FOR THE WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS THEY BRING.
AND WITH THAT, A SHIFT IN HOW WE LOOK AT EVERYTHING WE DO FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A TREE PERMIT, A BUILDING PERMIT, A
[00:35:01]
A STREET PROJECT, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO UPLIFT TREES SO THAT THEY ARE, UH, PART OF THAT CONVERSATION IN THE BEGINNING AND NOT, UH, AN AFTERTHOUGHT OR, OH, HMM, WELL NOW IT HAS TO FIT IN THIS, THIS SCOPE OR THIS FORM BECAUSE WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT EARLIER.SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING, UH, REALLY LOOKING A LOT AT STREET TREES, WHEN I WAS LAST BEFORE YOU, STREET TREES WAS SUCH A FOCUS.
UM, AND SO I'VE BEEN WORKING A LOT WITH STAFF TO TALK ABOUT THE STREET TREE PROCESS, THE REMOVAL PROCESS.
WHAT DOES OUR ORDINANCE SAY? WHAT, WHAT CURRENTLY IN OUR ORDINANCE, WHAT CAN WE KINDA LEAN INTO, UM, EVEN IF WE THINK IT NEEDS AN UPDATE, WHAT CAN WE LEAN INTO TODAY TO START SHIFTING THAT AND START LOOKING AT IT DIFFERENTLY? SO, UH, THERE HAS BEEN, UM, A, UM, TIGHTENING AND FOCUS, I'D SAY FROM PUBLIC WORKS THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE, UM, APPROVING STREET TREE PERMITS UNLESS THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY BECAUSE OF A HAZARD, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AN IMMINENT, UM, ISSUE GOING ON, AND THAT THERE'S NO OTHER OPTION.
UM, SO THAT HAS REALLY HAPPENED.
NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT PEOPLE DON'T STILL CUT TREES DOWN WITHOUT A PERMIT.
AND WE'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF THOSE RECENTLY, AND THERE'S BEEN AN IMMEDIATE FOCUS ON IT.
WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT? IS IT, WAS IT A, AN EGREGIOUS THING THAT SOMEONE WENT OUT AND JUST CUT IT? WE'RE FINDING THAT A LOT OF THIS, OF THE INFORMATION WE'RE GETTING WHEN WE GO KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND SAY, HEY, WHAT HAPPENED HERE? STREET TREE IS, UM, A TRUCK.
SO OF COURSE, UNLESS YOU SEE IT HAPPEN, I, I CAN'T VERIFY EVERY SINGLE ONE.
BUT WE'VE HAD THREE RECENTLY THAT, THAT WHAT WE'RE TOLD IS THAT A TRUCK HIT IT AND BROKE IT.
AND SO THAT PART OF IT WAS FALLING INTO THE STREET.
AND SO THEN THEY CALLED SOMEBODY TO, YOU KNOW, A, A TREE REMOVAL OR A TREE, UM, COMPANY TO COME OUT AND THEY SAID IT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED, AND THEY REMOVE IT.
SO NOW THE PROCESS IS GOING OUT AND SAYING, OKAY, YOU NEED, YOU NEED NOW, YOU NEED TO REPLACE IT.
IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE IT.
AND GETTING BACK TO THE CREPE MYRTLE DISCUSSION WITH A, I THINK THAT WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS IS A SUITABLE STREET TREE REPLACEMENT OR SOMETHING FROM THE STREET TREE LIST.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THING, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE CAN LEAN INTO THAT A BIT IS THE STREET TREE LIST HAS A LOT OF TREES IN THEM, IN IT.
UH, THEY'RE NOT ALL APPROPRIATE IN ANY LOCATION.
AND SO TRYING TO REALLY LEAN INTO WHAT IS SUITABLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, THE ONE ON, UM, PETALUMA BOULEVARD BY THEATER SQUARE, IT'S IN A ROW OF, I THINK THEY'RE, SYCAMORE IS A ROW OF SYCAMORE.
SO I THINK THE PROPER REPLACEMENT IS A SYCAMORE, IT SEEMS, UH, YOU KNOW, SO WE NEED TO, LIKE, THOSE ARE THINGS WE CAN LEAN INTO.
THOSE ARE AREAS THAT THE ORDINANCE GIVES US SOME, SOME AUTHORITY.
SO WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING A LOT ON THAT.
UM, THERE'S CERTAIN FINDINGS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE TO APPROVE A STREET TREE REMOVAL, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE LEANING INTO THOSE FINDINGS AND CLEARLY GOING THROUGH THAT EXERCISE.
SO THAT IS ONE THING THAT WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON, UM, GETTING CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OUT THERE TO SAY, OKAY, A TREE, MAYBE HIT IT, BUT NOW YOU NEED TO, IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE THAT TREE.
SO THAT HAS BEEN A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS RECENTLY.
ANOTHER THING WE DID, UM, WAS WE BROUGHT BEN ANDERSON, THE CERTIFIED AORIST, THAT WAS AT LAST NIGHT'S HEARING INTO CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OUT OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
THAT WAS, UM, TO HAVE HIM UNDER CONTRACT TO ASSIST WITH THE CODE UPDATES.
UM, SO HE AND I HAVE STARTED MEETING BIWEEKLY TO TAKE THEM IN CHUNKS AND START TALKING ABOUT 'EM AND PULLING DIFFERENT, UM, EXAMPLES FROM OTHER PLACES THAT URBAN FORESTRY HAS, HAS WORKED AND THINKS WORKS WELL, DOESN'T WORK WELL.
THIS ONE WORKS REALLY WELL EXCEPT FOR, AND KIND OF TAKE THE BEST OPTIONS, UM, AND MAKE IT THE PETAL, THE RIGHT, RIGHT SIZE FOR PETALUMA.
UM, ANOTHER COMPONENT OF OUR CONTRACT WITH, UM, URBAN FORESTRY IS, UM, TO HAVE THEM ON CALL IF WE WOULD LIKE THAT FOR A COST RECOVERY PROJECT.
SO IF WE HAVE A DISCRETIONARY REVIEW PROJECT THAT'S IN, AND
[00:40:01]
STAFF HAS A QUESTION ABOUT THEIR LANDSCAPE PLAN OR THEIR, UM, THEIR ARBORIST REPORT OR SOMETHING THEY'RE PROPOSING THAT DOESN'T, DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT, OR, UM, THAT WE CAN BRING HIM IN TO CONSULT AND GIVE US FEEDBACK ON THAT AS A, AS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE CITY, NOT, UM, THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT, THE DEVELOPER'S APPLICATION.AND THEN ALSO FOR SOME OF THE KIND OF GENERAL, GENERAL THINGS, A SMALL BUDGET FOR IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THINGS THAT DON'T DIRECTLY LEAD INTO A COST RECOVERY ACCOUNT.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE APPLICANT IS PAYING THE BILL, BUT WE WANT THEIR SUGGESTION ON WHATEVER MAY COME UP.
SO REALLY SEEING THAT AS A RESOURCE FOR STAFF TO HAVE, UM, A CERTIFIED ARBORIST WHO UNDERSTANDS WHERE THE CITY IS WITH THEIR EFFORTS, WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS AND IS IN, IN LINE WITH THAT.
SO, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON THE ORDINANCE UPDATE.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE, OR I HAVE TO CINDY, IS THAT IN, AT YOUR OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER MEETINGS TO HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM WHERE WE DO A STUDY SESSION ON SECTIONS OF THE CODE.
SO BRING BACK CERTAIN SECTIONS, KIND OF DIG IN, GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON THOSE SO WE CAN TAKE 'EM AND REVISE 'EM THE NEXT MEETING ON OTHER SECTIONS.
SO WE HAVE TWO, TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO KIND OF DIG IN, BRING DRAFTS OF CERTAIN SECTIONS TO YOU THAT WOULD GO OUT WITH A STAFF REPORT, MAYBE HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE AREAS.
WE COULD DO IT THIS WAY, WE COULD DO IT THAT WAY.
WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK, UM, QUESTIONS WE HAVE? ARE THESE THE RIGHT DEFINITIONS? YOU KNOW, SOME OF, SOME OF THOSE THINGS TO REALLY GET YOU ALL'S EXPERTISE AND INPUT, UM, INTO THOSE DRAFTING.
UM, FROM THAT, AFTER WE DO GET A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, IT WOULD GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, AND WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE ALSO SIT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO THAT WILL BE REALLY GOOD TO EMPHASIZE THE DISCUSSION AT THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
BUT THEY WILL MAKE AN ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE IT IS AN UPDATE TO THE ZONING CODE, AND THEN IT WOULD GO TO CITY COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH CINDY, WITH THE CAL GRANT, UM, CAL FIRE GRANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, UM, MEETING THAT.
UM, SO WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT.
WE ARE NOT OUT OF STEP WITH THAT.
WE ARE, WE ARE WORKING IN LOCKSTEP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, KEEPING, KEEPING GOOD WITH THOSE DEADLINES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITHIN THE EXISTING ORDINANCE WITH STREET TREES.
WHAT I WOULD ALSO SAY IS THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES OF OUR ZONING CODE ORDINANCE ARE MUCH HARDER TO LEAN INTO.
UM, AND HOWARD AND I HAD THIS CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT WITH A REDWOOD TREE.
AND EVEN THOUGH REDWOODS ARE A PROTECTED TREE, THE WAY OUR ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN, IF YOU ARE NOT DOING ANY, YOU KNOW, YOU ONLY HAVE A BUILDING PERMIT IF YOU'RE NOT DOING A, WHAT WE CALL A DISCRETIONARY REVIEW, WHICH IS WHEN THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, CHICK-FIL-A HAD A DISCRETIONARY REVIEW, IT WENT TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
IF THERE'S A, IF THERE'S A ENTITLEMENT IN THAT WAY, WE HAVE MORE, UM, TEETH.
BUT IF YOU ARE JUST, YOU JUST WANNA REMOVE YOU THE TREE IN YOUR BACKYARD, EVEN IF IT IS UNDER THE PROTECTED TREES, YOU DON'T NEED A PERMIT.
AND THAT IS A REALLY, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ROOM THERE, RIGHT? IT IS BLACK AND WHITE IN THE CODE.
UM, SO TO ME, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HOP IN AND THAT'S LIKE A IMMEDIATE THING THAT A SEE AS REALLY NECESSARY TO STOP SOME OF THE CANOPY LOSS THAT WE'RE SEEING.
UM, AND AT LEAST HAVE THAT, THAT
SO THAT'S ONE THING I KIND OF WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE STREET TREAT ORDINANCE, IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT I THINK WE CAN LEAN INTO SOME OF THE THINGS IN THERE.
WHEREAS THE ZONING CORD OR ZONING CODE ORDINANCE, ACTUALLY IT IS, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF WIGGLE ROOM IN THAT.
UM, BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF BEING CREATIVE AND FLEXIBLE AND, UM, FURTHERING THE VISION AND THE DIRECTION THAT THE COMMUNITY IS GOING IN RESPONSE TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT REDWOOD TREE, I ACTUALLY SAT DOWN AND MET WITH THE CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL TODAY, AND WE TALKED ABOUT SOME STRATEGIES FOR, UM, REQUIREMENTS FOR A BUILDING PERMIT TO IDENTIFY
[00:45:01]
TREES, TO DO TREE PROTECTIVE, UM, PROTECTION FENCING AROUND TO BRING AWARENESS TO IT.UH, SO THAT AT MINIMUM WE'RE ENSURING THAT THAT AWARENESS IS NOT LOST AND TREES ARE DAMAGED ACCIDENTALLY JUST BECAUSE THERE'S NOT AN AWARENESS OF IT.
SO WHERE WE CAN FIND FLEXIBILITY OR SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO FURTHER THE, THE VISION, UM, AND WHERE WE'RE GOING, WE ARE TRYING TO DO THAT IN THE INTERIM.
UM, SIMILARLY, I WAS THINKING WITH THE TREE, THE STREET TREE LIST, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH THE, UM, AD HOC AND TALK ABOUT IS THERE WAYS WE CAN HAVE KIND OF, UM, MEMOS, LIKE INTERIM MEMOS THAT WE COULD DO THAT MAYBE IDENTIFIES IF IT'S NOT IN THERE FORMALLY.
UM, BUT THERE'S DISCRETION FOR THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WE CAN ADD SOMETHING THAT IN THE INTERIM, UNTIL THIS IS UPDATED, THESE ARE NOW ADDITIONAL TREE SPECIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY, UM, THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS BEING SUITABLE.
SO I'M HAPPY TO ALSO TRY TO GET CREATIVE WITH THAT, WHERE WE CAN WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE ORDINANCE AND THE ENABLING LEGISLATION.
SO THAT'S JUST, I WANTED TO COME AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WHEN YOU'RE LIKELY TO SEE US NEXT.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
ROGER, CINDY, UM, LAST NIGHT THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT UPDATING OR CITY CRITERIA FOR STREETSCAPE OR FOR PARKWAYS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT THAT PRIMARILY APPLIES TO NEW PROJECTS.
SO IT WON'T HAVE MUCH IMPACT ON THE NATURE OF THE CITY.
YOU HAVE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, OR YOU HAVE PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND I, SO FAR I'VE HEARD PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY IS NOT SOMETHING WE WANNA TOUCH.
NOT SOMETHING THAT'S BUDGETED, NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE STAFF TO DEAL WITH.
IT'S, UH, IT'S MAINTAINED BY THE PRIVATE PROPERTY, UH, EXCEPT FOR DOWN KEY AREAS, DOWNTOWN OR CERTAIN STREETSCAPE.
BUT FOR NORMAL NEIGHBORHOODS, STREETS, BOULEVARDS, AND SO ON.
YOU, THE, THE, THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY TAKES CARE OF THE TREE OUT TO THE BACK OF CURB.
THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA INCREASE TREE COVERAGE, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT BY PLANTING MORE PARKS.
WE'RE GONNA DO IT BY PLANTING STREET SCAPE, STREET EDGES, PRIVATE PROPERTY PROGRAMS TO HELP THE INCENTIVE NEIGHBORHOODS TO RE REPLANT THEIR BLOCK.
SO I I I'M CONCERNED A LITTLE BIT THAT WE'RE KIND OF DEALING WITH THE WAY CITY WORKS RIGHT NOW, BUT, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITIES THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL WITH COVERAGE, THEY HAVE STREET TREE PROGRAM, THEY HAVE STREET TREE DEPARTMENTS, THEY'RE STREET TREE MAINTENANCE.
THEY HAVE A BIG PROGRAM THAT I THINK PETALUMA NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT.
WHAT'S THE COST OF THAT? IS IT FEASIBLE? IS IT NOT FEASIBLE? HOW DO, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENT WAYS OF APPROACHING IF WE STILL WANNA INCREASE TREE COVERAGE? WHAT ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THAT? AND IS THAT HAPPENING? SO I I WOULD SAY TWO THINGS.
ONE, I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT INCREASING TREE CANOPY, UH, UH, FOR IN PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS.
SO, SO THERE'S, THAT'S NOT, NOT SOMETHING I'M NOT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S BUDGETED, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
I WISH I HAD A, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WORKS, UM, COLLEAGUE HERE RIGHT NOW TO HELP ANSWER THAT.
BUT I, I HAVE NOT HEARD, I IN FACT SAT DOWN WITH RELIEF AND SAID, COULD WE START THINKING ABOUT EFFORTS TO REPLANT STREET TREES IN AREAS WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'VE BEEN LOST.
SO THE, THE PLANTER STRIP IS THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, I KNOW THAT IN SOME AREAS IT'D BE GREAT TO REMOVE CONCRETE, BUT WHAT ABOUT, LIKE, WHAT ABOUT STARTING WITH WHERE THERE'S AREAS WHERE IT'S ALREADY THERE THAT SEEMS, YES, WE PROBABLY HAVE TO DO SOME SOIL AMENDING.
WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE KEEP THEM ALIVE SO WE, YOU KNOW, BRAINSTORMED.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD, YOU KNOW, GET PUT, UM, WATER BLADDERS ON 'EM AND COULD WE WORK WITH COOL PETALUMA MAYBE TO SEE IF BLOCK LEADERS WOULD ADOPT A BLOCK TO FILL THOSE WATER BLADDERS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, YEAH, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS IN DIFFERENT IDEAS.
UM, SO I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK IT'S ACCURATE TO SAY THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO INCREASE STREET TREE
[00:50:01]
CANOPY AS PART OF THIS, BUT I GUESS THE QUESTION BEHIND ALL THOSE MOVEMENTS WOULD BE BUDGETS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIES TO TAXES OR WHATEVER, HOWEVER YOU GET THE MONEY TO DO IT.AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY, ANY DISCUSSION OF THAT, EVEN IN THE, YEAH, WELL, THERE'S GRANT FUNDING.
I MEAN, WE'RE CONTINUALLY GOING AFTER GRANT FUNDING.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE THING I, I AM NOT ABLE TO SPEAK ON.
LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A I KNOW LAST NIGHT IT CAME UP THAT I THINK IT WAS SAN FRANCISCO DID A TAX MEASURE AND THAT KIND OF STUFF, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD HEARD OF THAT.
AND SO I DEFINITELY DON'T THINK THAT'S LIKE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, BUT THERE IS CONVERSATION AND A LOT OF THIS IS LET'S, YOU KNOW, LET'S DO THINGS AND GET THINGS DONE, LIKE THE ORDINANCE UPDATE.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT'S NOT LIKE, OH, WE'RE, WE DO THAT AND THEN WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, WE WE'RE DONE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S CONTINUING TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS SURE.
BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT KIND OF SCATTERSHOT, UH, SCATTERSHOT OUR, OUR EFFORTS.
NOTHING QUITE GETS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE 'CAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO DO TOO MANY THINGS SIMULTANEOUSLY TOO.
ANYBODY ELSE? OH, GO AHEAD, BILL.
WELL, YEAH, I GUESS A LITTLE, UH, TO FURTHER ROGER'S KIND OF QUESTION AROUND THAT AND TO REPOPULATE OUR STREET TREES, IT, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES OR ORDINANCES WOULD HAVE IN PLACE TO, UM, SOME SORT OF MECHANISM TO, I DON'T WANNA SAY REQUIRE THE, THE HOMEOWNER OR THE PROPERTY OWNER TO REPOPULATE THEIR, THEIR, UM, STREETSCAPE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M, YOU KNOW, MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF LOSS, BUT NOT A LOT OF REPLACEMENT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A STRETCH RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER OF MY HOUSE WHERE, UM, I'VE SEEN, I THINK IT'S FOUR, IT IS FOUR HOUSES THAT HAD NINE STREET TREES WHEN I MOVED IN ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET.
AND THAT SIDE OF THE STREET NO LONGER HAS ANY STREET TREES ALONG THAT SECTION, WHICH IS ABOUT 150 YARDS OF A FOOTBALL FIELD AND A HALF.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WENT OUT THERE AND ON AN 85 DEGREE DAY, AND I WAS CHECKING THE TEMPERATURE ON MY STREET THAT HAS A NICE SHADY CANOPY.
AND AN 85 DEGREE DAY IS ABOUT 80 DEGREES ON THE SIDEWALK.
AND IT WAS ABOUT 120 TO 118 TO 125 DEGREES ON PARTS OF THE ASPHALT OR THE SIDEWALK WHERE THERE WEREN'T ANY TREES JUST RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
AND IT IS NOT A HOSPITABLE PLACE TO WALK OR BE.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT A PET, UH, TO WALK ALONG THAT AND, OR, OR BE, BE WITHOUT A HAT OR SUNGLASSES OR A WATER BOTTLE.
BUT, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO LOOK AT WHAT SORT OF MECHANISMS WE COULD HAVE IN PLACE TO GO BACK TO PLACE AREAS THAT NEED, NEED TO BE REPLANTED.
AND MAYBE IT'S A COMMUNITY EFFORT, BUT WE HEARD FROM STEPHANIE HOW HARD SHE'S WORKED FOR 20 YEARS WITH HER NEIGHBORHOOD AND A LOT OF FOLKS ARE RESISTANT OR DON'T HAVE THE, THE INCOME OR MONEY TO MM-HMM.
SO, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT SOCIOECONOMIC IS AN ISSUE WHERE I'M THINKING ABOUT THERE ARE OTHER CHALLENGES OR OTHER REASONS WHY THESE HOMEOWNERS HAVEN'T REPLANTED.
WELL, AND I THINK LAST NIGHT THERE WAS SOME GREAT IDEAS ABOUT LIKE, WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHERE MAYBE THERE'S A FINE FOR TREES BEING REMOVED, UM, I REMEMBER, UM, I AM FORGETTING WHAT THE PROJECT WAS CALLED OVER ON PERRY, UM, I'M FORGETTING WHAT IT WAS CALLED, THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
AND THEY REMOVED A BUNCH OF OAKS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PRESERVED.
UM, AND THERE WAS A FINANCIAL, WE FIND THEM, YOU KNOW, MADE THEM REPLANT 'EM AND FIND THEM.
AND THAT STRUCTURE OF MAYBE YOU HAVE A, A SYSTEM WHERE THO WHEN YOU GET FUNDS LIKE THAT, THEY GO INTO A BANK AND THEY EITHER GO TOWARDS A REPLANTING EFFORT OR THEY GO, I THINK SOMEONE SUGGESTED IF SOMEONE WANTS TO PLANT A TREE AND DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO IT, MAYBE THAT THAT MONEY HELPS.
HERE'S A TREE, OR HERE'S A TREE AND A, YOU KNOW, A CREW COME OUT AND SPEND WHATEVER AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOME ROOM FOR CREATIVITY AND THERE'S PROBABLY A MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO, TO MAKE AN IMPACT OVER TIME.
AND ROGER, I, I KNOW WE'RE NOT EXACTLY TALKING ABOUT PERCENTAGES, BUT FROM A, WHEN A PROJECT COMES IN, A DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION, A BRAND NEW PROJECT,
[00:55:01]
YOU KNOW, IF THERE WAS A TARGET, THERE WAS SOMETHING WRITTEN IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, 30% CANOPY COVERAGE, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT GUIDELINE TO HAVE TO SAY, OKAY, WHEN YOU'RE DEVELOPING YOUR LANDSCAPE PLAN, THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE SHOOTING FOR.UM, AND SO THAT WOULD HELP WITH WHAT TYPES OF TREES YOU'RE PUTTING IN TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE BIGGER CANOPIES OR YOU KNOW, THAT HOW MANY TREES OR WHATEVER.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, ALONG THE LINES, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO BE LOOKING AT TO SET SOME SORT OF STANDARD.
BUT IT, IT, I THINK IT'S THE SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF THE LAND THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.
IT'S JUST ONE, RIGHT? IT'S JUST ONE.
WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS CITYWIDE.
THERE, THERE'S AN OVERALL PROBLEM HERE THAT WE HAVE NEGLECTED FOR MANY MM-HMM
AND WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND LOOK AT IT HOLISTICALLY, UH, AT, YOU KNOW, BOULEVARDS, MAIN BOULEVARDS THAT ARE HIGH IMAGE STREETS, STREETS, NEIGHBORHOODS, PRIVATE, PUBLIC, UH, FUNDING ALL, I MEAN, ALL THOSE ISSUES ARE HUGE.
AND, AND IT'S KINDA LIKE IT HASN'T BEEN DEALT WITH FOR 60 YEARS.
AND, AND FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM CINDY SAYING, IT'S ALL TOP DOWN.
IT COMES FROM THE COUNCIL FROM, SO SOMEHOW WE NEED TO GET THE PRIORITY OF BUDGETING AND DIRECTING THAT WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF STREET TREES, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GET IT UP THERE, BUT THAT'S WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE ESTABLISHED.
AND I DO THINK, CINDY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK BEN MENTIONED THIS LAST NIGHT THAT, UM, SOME OF THE INVENTORY HE'S DOING IT'S PARKS, BUT IT IS ALSO TREE STREET, TREE CANOPY ON SOME OF THE ARTERIALS.
SO I ASKED FOR HIM TO GO THROUGH DOWNTOWN IN THE MAJOR ARTERIALS, SO D STREET, EAST WASHINGTON, ELI, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE, THE BIGGER ARTERIAL STREETS.
WE WERE NOT GONNA HAVE ENOUGH TIME IN THIS SCOPE THIS TIME, PARTICULARLY TO DO ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT I WANTED TO START THE WORK AND WE WENT THROUGH THE PARK INVENTORY MUCH QUICKER THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
SO HE'S DOING THE MAJOR ARTERIALS.
WHAT WHAT I'M RELAYING TO IS, I THINK PUBLIC WORKS HAS EIGHT OR 12 STREET RENEW RE REDO PROJECTS, THE REPAVING OF STREETS, WHICH INCLUDES MOVING CURBS AND GUTTERS, WHICH INCLUDES MOVING INTERSECTIONS CLOSER TOGETHER AT, AT WHERE THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING.
THERE'S A TON OF DEMOLITION AND REBUILDING OF CURBS.
THERE'S NO STREET TREE IN MIND.
THERE IS NO STREET TREE PROGRAM THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT PROJECT.
THERE IS NO EVALUATION OF STREET TREES THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT PROJECT.
AND THAT'S IMMEDIATE, THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN A FEW YEARS.
SO THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE LOOKED AT.
HERE'S A LOW HANGING FRUIT, HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, WHAT CAN WE DO? OR DO WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING? BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S UP TO PUBLIC WORK.
THERE'S NO BUDGET, THERE'S NO NO SKILLSET, THERE'S NO INVOLVEMENT OF ANYBODY CARES ABOUT TREES.
I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST GONNA STEP IN HERE BECAUSE I DON'T, THAT'S NOT CORRECT.
FROM MY EXPERIENCE, AND THIS IS STAFF COMMENTS, BUT I DON'T WANNA DELVE INTO THIS TOO MUCH, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND JUST ANSWER THAT.
I MEAN, I'VE SEEN, AND I'VE SEEN THE REQUESTS COME THROUGH FOR CONSULTATION ON STREETS AND TREES IN PARTICULAR.
RELIEF HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE STREET TREES FOR STREET PROJECTS AND MOVING FORWARD, I, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S A STANDARD THAT THEY'RE BUILDING THOSE IN.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'D HAVE TO TOUCH BASE WITH PUBLIC WORKS FOR SURE, ROGER.
BUT THAT'S MY EXPERIENCE AND WHAT I'VE HEARD, UM, AND IN MEETINGS I'VE BEEN IN, THAT'S WHAT I'VE SEEN.
I, I'VE MET WITH PUBLIC WORKS WITH RELIEF.
WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN CALLED IN BY PUBLIC WORKS TO SAY, TELL US WHERE WE CAN PLANT TREES.
BUT THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO PROGRAM.
IT'S AFTER, AFTER CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS ARE DONE, IT'S AFTER CONSTRUCTION HAS STARTED, CAN WE PLANT MORE TREES HERE? AND IT'S MORE OF A PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORT THAN A SERIOUS EFFORT OF RE OF DOING.
SO THIS, I'M A, ONCE AGAIN, I'M GONNA INTERRUPT BECAUSE THAT IS INCORRECT.
THERE'S ONE PROJECT IN PARTIC PARTICULAR, AND THAT WAS NORTH MCDOWELL, WHICH WAS POSTBAC.
BUT MOVING FORWARD, THEY'VE ALREADY ASKED THEM, AND ACTUALLY WENDY AND I HAD THIS CONVERSATION.
SO THEY HAVE ALREADY ASKED FOR THEM TO CONSULT.
THEY'VE ASKED ME TO HAVE MY STAFF WHO HOLDS AN ARBOR'S LICENSE ON HIS OWN IF HE CAN CONSULT ON THEM.
I THINK NORTH MCDOWELL IN PARTICULAR, ROGER, YES.
IT WAS AFTER THE FACT BECAUSE THEY HAD PLANS AND LIKE, OH, WE WANNA PUT TREES, AND THEN THEY DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, THEY HADN'T THOUGHT THAT PROCESS THROUGH, BUT I'VE SEEN THAT ALREADY SHIFT.
AND I DON'T, I THINK IT'S PRETTY STANDARD, STANDARD AFTER SPEAKING TO THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS RECENTLY, THAT IT'S A REQUIREMENT THAT HE'S HAVING OF HIS STAFF TO REVIEW IT AND INCLUDE.
SO WHILE THERE'S NOT A DESIGN STANDARD, I'D SAY IT'S, IT'S BEING PRIORITIZED, PUT INTO PRACTICE.
THAT'S THE IMPRESSION THAT I'VE GOTTEN IS THAT, IS THAT THAT IS SHIFTING AND IT IS, IT IS PRIOR BEING PRIORITIZED, MOVING FORWARD.
SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO KEEP FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, BUT I, I THINK THINGS ARE, ARE SHIFTING WITH THE ATTENTION TO THAT.
I, I, I THINK THAT, UM, I KEEP HEARING OVER AND OVER AGAIN ABOUT OUR ANTIQUATED STREET STANDARDS FROM, WHAT, 1994 OR SOMETHING.
[01:00:01]
THAT THERE'S ENOUGH MOMENTUM THERE THAT THEY ARE GONNA BE UPDATED.AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, BIOSWALES TREES, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE, ALL OF THE, THEY'RE NOT EVEN, THEY'RE NOT EVEN MODERN CONCEPTS.
THEY'VE BEEN WITH US FOR 30 YEARS, SO OUR STREET STANDARDS ARE MUCH OLDER OR OLDER.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK THERE'S HOPE IN THE DARK THERE.
AND JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THIS, I MEAN, WE ALWAYS CALL IT THE, THE TREE ORDINANCE, BUT THIS IS MORE THAN JUST ONE ORDINANCE.
I MEAN, THIS IS A PACKAGE OF, OF TREE POLICY.
UH, SO RIGHT NOW, DO YOU GUYS HAVE IDENTIFIED THOSE KIND OF SECTIONS THAT YOU'RE FOCUSED ON? LIKE OBVIOUSLY CHAPTER 17 IS TREE PRESERVATION, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT IS EXPANDED OUTTA DISCRETIONARY REVIEW OR IF THERE'S LIKE A SEPARATE CHAPTER THAT'S MADE TO START GETTING INTO PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY OR OTHER PROJECTS.
AND THEN YOU START THINKING ABOUT DESIGN STANDARDS, WHETHER IT'S STREET DESIGN STANDARDS, OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS, I WOULD GUESS MAY HAVE SOMETHING ABOUT TREES, UH, FOR PROJECTS THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE DISCRETIONARY REVIEW.
SO DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF KIND OF WHAT THOSE SEGMENTS ARE AT THIS POINT? OR ARE WE STILL KIND OF LIKE, KIND OF WRAPPING OUR HEAD AROUND ALL THE, ALL OF THE PARTS WE NEED TO TOUCH? 'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SO MANY DIFFERENT USE CASES AND ISSUES.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I MEAN WHEN WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO DO ONE THING FIRST, RIGHT? OR A COUPLE THINGS FIRST THAT WE HAVE THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WENT THROUGH AND THEY FOUND EVERY SINGLE PLACE TREES ARE REFERENCED IN ALL OF OUR, IN OUR ZONING CODE, OUR SMART CODE, OUR MUNICIPAL CODE.
AND SO WE HAVE THAT CONS COMPREHENSIVE LIST THAT THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THIS WAS KIND OF TO A POINT I THINK YOU AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF LIKE, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE WE'RE BUILDING OFF OF WHAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS DONE AND THE INPUT THEY'VE PROVIDED AND THAT, THAT WAS OUR STARTING POINT.
WE GATHERED ALL THAT INFORMATION TO START.
SO TWO OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE FRONT AND CENTER ARE, UM, THE STREET TREE SECTION.
AND I WANNA SAY IT'S THE 13 SOMETHING IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE, BUT DON'T HOLD ME TO THAT.
BUT THE SECTION IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE THAT TALKS ABOUT STREET TREES, STREET TREE PERMITS, UH, YOU KNOW, PENALTIES, ENFORCEMENT, APPEALS, THAT SECTION.
AND THEN CHAPTER 17 IN THE I Z O, THAT'S LIKE OUR FIRST, 'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK.
UM, IN TERMS OF LIKE SHIFTING, SHIFTING THE TIDE.
MEANWHILE WE'RE TRYING TO DO THINGS LIKE BUILDING PERMIT, YOU KNOW, ADDING ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A BUILDING PERMIT TO SHOW YOUR TREES ON YOUR SITE PLAN AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT DON'T NEED CODIFIED, BUT WE'RE RECOGNIZING, OH, WELL THAT'S KIND OF A HOLE.
I THOUGHT THE, YOU KNOW, THE REALTOR THAT WAS THERE LAST NIGHT THAT SAID, HEY, YOU GUYS SHOULD COME TO OUR MONTHLY REALTOR GROUP.
I'VE GONE TO THAT GROUP BEFORE ON OTHER TOPICS.
MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD THING TO GO AND TALK ABOUT TREES.
YOU KNOW, SO WE ARE DOING SIMULTANEOUSLY AS WE'RE WORKING ON CERTAIN CODE SECTIONS, WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO WORK ON MESSAGING AND SOME OF THAT KIND OF STUFF.
STREET STANDARDS, THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT PROJECT.
IT'S GONNA BE ON A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TIMELINE.
I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ON PUBLIC WORKS LIST OF THEY WANNA UPDATE THEIR STREET STANDARDS.
THERE MIGHT BE, I FEEL LIKE MAYBE WE HAVE THAT AS A PROGRAM IN THE GENERAL PLAN POLICY FRAMEWORKS.
I FEEL LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT LIKE, WELL ONE OF THE REASONS THIS IS HAPPENING AND WE'RE PUTTING THIS GOAL AND YOU KNOW, AND IT, THE STREET STANDARDS ARE SOMETHING THAT REALLY ENFORCE OR REINFORCE OR DON'T.
UM, SO THOSE WILL BE THINGS THAT WILL, WILL BE COMING OUT OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO ALSO TREES IN THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE TO LIKE SHIFT THAT CONVERSATION, SHIFT THAT PRIORITY, THAT FOCUS AND TREES ARE KIND OF SOMETHING THAT GO ACROSS MANY DIFFERENT ELEMENTS IN THE GENERAL PLAN.
I I WAS GONNA SAY, I WOULD LOVE TO THINK THAT THIS COMMITTEE IS INVOKED AT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT TOUCHPOINTS ON POLICY WHEN, OH, THERE'S DESIGN STANDARDS, WHERE DO TREES SHOW UP? BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL DO THAT AS INDIVIDUALS.
ROGER AND I ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ON PLANNING COMMISSION, SO WE'LL SEE SOME OF THESE DESIGN DOCUMENTS AND WE CAN REALLY ADVOCATE FOR TREES.
BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S GENERAL PLAN DISCUSSIONS.
ANYTIME WE SEE A POLICY COME FORWARD, YOU KNOW, NOW I'M, UM, A LIAISON FROM PLANNING TO BIKE AND PED AND WE'VE BEEN REDOING THE ACTIVE TRANSIT MASTER PLAN.
AND I PUT IN THERE WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT COVERAGE PERCENTAGES ON ALL OF OUR ACTIVE TRANSIT NETWORK.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S A ROLE FOR EACH OF US JUST AS TREE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON OUR OWN TO INFLUENCE A LOT OF THOSE POLICY DISCUSSIONS AND SAY, OKAY, WHERE ARE TREES SHOWING UP? ARE WE MAKING AN ALLOWANCE FOR TREES? ARE WE BUDGETING FOR TREES? I MEAN THAT'S A HUGE PIECE.
[01:05:01]
PART OF OUR CONVERSATION WITH OUR AD HOC TOO, WITH BEN ANDERSON, AS HE'S SAID THAT CITIES HE'S SEEN THAT DO THIS REALLY WELL.UH, IT'S ALL STAKEHOLDERS JUST BEING CONTACTED AND REMINDED, HEY, WE SHOULD ENTER TREES HERE.
WHETHER THAT'S KEN AND BJORN, KIND OF OUR TRAFFIC WIZARDS OR WHOEVER.
JUST REMIND THEM AND KEEP PUSHING THAT FORWARD.
UM, BECAUSE I, YEAH, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE WANNA WAIT NECESSARILY FOR DESIGN STANDARDS TO TRY TO, TO REMOVE THAT CONVERSATION.
UH, ANOTHER QUESTION THAT GETS A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC FOR ENFORCEMENT, I, SOMEONE TOLD ME RECENTLY, AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHO THAT ENFORCEMENT FOR THIS WAS GONNA MOVE UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WHEREAS NOW IT MIGHT BE WITH POLICE.
I KNOW THAT'S A LITTLE OUTTA LEFT FIELD.
ARE THERE ANY CHANGES THERE? 'CAUSE WE ALL WONDER, YOU KNOW, WHO'S FOLLOWING UP ON PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE THEY DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO OR SOMEONE DIDN'T GET A STREET TREE PERMIT.
HOW DOES THAT HANDLE, HAS THAT CHANGED AT ALL? SO CODE ENFORCEMENT IS MOVING UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UM, FROM POLICE.
UM, SO THAT IS HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, IT WAS CODE ENFORCEMENT, ONE OF THE STREET TREES THAT RECENTLY DISAPPEARED.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS CODE ENFORCEMENT THAT WENT OUT AND SAID, HEY, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR STREET TREE? AND YOU, YOU, YOU CAN'T REMOVE A STREET TREE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU NEED TO GO INTO THE CITY AND GET A TREE PERMIT AND REPLACEMENT FOR THAT TREE.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO WE ARE PULLING THEM IN FOR THAT KIND OF ON THE GROUND STUFF.
THEY'RE NOT THE ONES THAT GO OUT LIKE WHEN A NEW PROJECT IS BEING BUILT, THAT IS, UM, BUILDING AND PLANNING THAT WOULD GO OUT TO LIKE SAY, OKAY, BEFORE WE'RE GONNA GIVE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, DID YOU FINISH YOUR LANDSCAPE PLAN CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED? ARE YOUR WINDOWS CONSISTENT WITH THE ELEVATIONS THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE CITY? THAT'S NOT ENFORCEMENT, IF YOU WILL.
THAT'S LIKE CONDITION COMPLIANCE.
UM, THINGS WITH, WITH STREETS.
SO LET'S SAY YOU HAD A PROJECT WHERE THERE WAS A SUBDIVISION AND A NEW ROAD THAT WENT IN AND YOUR IMPROVEMENT PLANS AND IT SHOWED STREET TREES.
SO THAT'S YOUR PUBLIC WORKS INSPECTOR BEFORE THAT IS FINALED OFF AND THE BONDS ARE RETURNED TO THE DEVELOPER.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GO OUT AND THEY TAKE THE PLANS AND SAY, DID THEY DO WHAT WE APPROVED? DID THEY DO WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE SIGNED OFF ON? UM, SO IT DEPENDS ON KIND OF WHICH WAY YOU'RE COMING AT IT.
WELL, AND ESPECIALLY WE HEAR SO MUCH IN THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE STREET TREE EXAMPLE, SOMEONE MAYBE NOT DOING WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO, IN MY MIND, MOVING IT FROM POLICE JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR WORKLOAD, THE NATURE OF THE THINGS THEY DEAL WITH.
DO YOU THINK THIS WILL LEAD TO MORE TIMELY ENFORCEMENT, BETTER RESPONSE, OR DO YOU NOT HAVE A SENSE YET? I KNOW IT'S KIND OF A NEW, UM, I WOULD SAY IT'S NICE.
THEY'RE SITTING RIGHT DOWN THE HALL FROM ME, YOU KNOW, FROM THE PLANNERS, FROM THE, YOU KNOW, BUILDING STAFF.
SO THERE'S A MORE OF A FEELING LIKE POPPING YOUR HEAD IN SOMEBODY'S OFFICE AND SAYING, HEY, DID YOU HEAR ABOUT SUCH AND SUCH? INSTEAD OF SOMEBODY BEING IN A BUILDING ACROSS TOWN.
SO THERE'S JUST THAT, THAT'S A, AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE.
I, I FEEL, UM, WITH ALL OF US JUST BEING IN THE SAME WING.
UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, HEY DOUG, YOU KNOW, AND YOU SEE SOMEBODY IN THE HALL AND IT REMINDS YOU TO ASK.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT NATURAL COLLABORATION AND I THINK THAT COULD BE SEEN AS A POSITIVE FOR PEOPLE WORRIED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ENFORCING THOSE INSTANCES IS WE MIGHT BE GETTING A MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM IN PLACE FOR THAT.
UH, AND, AND THEN FINALLY, I WAS JUST GONNA ASK, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT POLICY PIECES WHERE TREES ARE SHOWING UP KIND OF EVERYWHERE.
UH, I LOVE HEARING THAT WE WOULD HAVE A THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT TO BRING IN AS KIND OF A POINT PERSON WHEN SOME OF THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC WORKS WITH A STREET DESIGN, HAVING SOMEONE, I DON'T KNOW IF BEN ANDERSON WOULD BE THE PERSON FOR EVERY REQUEST.
I MEAN, DO YOU, AND I GUESS THAT'S THE QUESTION.
DO YOU SEE THAT KIND OF THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT AS A SOLUTION THAT COULD HELP THE ROLLOUT OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT POLICIES? DO YOU EVER FORESEE HAVING AN URBAN FORESTRY DEPARTMENT OR AN URBAN FORESTER ON STAFF? I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN AN ARBORIST AND SOMEONE WHO HAS LIKE A DESIGN SENSIBILITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND THAT? JUST 'CAUSE OUR COMMITTEE'S TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOT IN THE PAST, AND I MEAN, I'M HEARING A LOT OF GREAT DEVELOPMENTS OUT OF THIS.
DO YOU THINK THE THIRD PARTY SOLUTION IS LIKE, THAT'S GONNA MEET OUR NEEDS AS A A POINT? DO YOU EVER SEE A, A DEPARTMENT IN THE FUTURE? SO BEFORE I MOVE TO THAT, I WANNA JUST SAY ONE THING ABOUT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT THING.
UM, WE HAVE A VERY LIMITED CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF, SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO NOW THINK, OH, THEY'RE IN CDD, WE'RE NOT GONNA OVERSELL ITD, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE TRIPLED OR QUADRUPLED IN JUST THE, THE, YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF PEOPLE OR THEIR BANDWIDTH.
[01:10:01]
VERY SMALL STAFF.SO JUST KIND OF TRYING TO SET EXPECTATIONS THAT GOOD TO HELP YOU, THAT IT'S, IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED CODE ENFORCEMENT.
AND I WILL SAY THAT WHEN THERE'S HEALTH SAFETY ISSUES, THOSE HAVE TO COME FIRST, RIGHT? SO IF YOU HAVE A HEALTH SAFETY ISSUE, THAT'S, THAT'S OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC IS, IS SAFE.
UM, SO, UM, IN TERMS, I THINK IT IS A, A GREAT DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT URBAN FORESTRY ON.
UM, I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO SAY WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? WHAT, YOU KNOW, STAFFING CHANGES, HIRES, ORGAN, YOU KNOW, REORG, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING.
I'M NOT IN A POSITION TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.
UM, I WILL SAY I THINK THIS IS A GREAT FIRST STEP.
I WILL SAY THAT I'M USING BEN A LOT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW CINDY'S USING BEN A LOT.
UM, SO I FEEL REALLY GREAT ON THAT RELATIONSHIP AND BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP.
AND I THINK THAT WE WILL FALL INTO THAT AND IT WILL, WHERE DOES IT TAKE US AND WHAT DO WE NEED AND WHAT'S WORKING REALLY WELL? AND WE, WE, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE FIX AND NOW WE CAN TAKE THOSE RESOURCES AND PUT IT TOWARDS A DIFFERENT COMPONENT, YOU KNOW? SO, UM, I'M OPTIMISTIC.
UM, I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT.
I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND WHEN I SAT DOWN ORIGINALLY TO CHAT WITH BEN, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WHOEVER IS IN THAT ROLE, OR IF THERE WERE MULTIPLE, LIKE IF THERE WAS A LIST OF CONSULTING ARBORISTS THAT WE WOULD USE OR, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER IT EVOLVES IN THE FUTURE, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THAT ARBORIST OR THAT FIRM OR THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF UNDERSTANDS PETALUMA AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR.
WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONE PERSON GOING OUT TO PUNE, A TREE VERSUS ANOTHER PERSON GOING OUT TO P A TREE, AND THE RESULTS CAN LOOK VERY DIFFERENT.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO MAKE SURE OF IS IF WE WERE CALLING SOMEONE IN TO LOOK AT SOMETHING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, THAT THEY KNEW WHAT THE CITY WAS LOOKING FOR, THEY KNEW WHAT WE WERE ASPIRING TO, WE THEY KNEW THE VISION AND UNDERSTOOD THAT.
AND I DO, I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THAT WITH, WITH BEN AND, AND HIS GROUP RIGHT NOW.
AND SO IT, I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH HIM AND HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCE TO SUPPORT STAFF.
WELL, I THINK THIS IS ALL REALLY POSITIVE AND THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD NEWS FOR FOLKS ON THIS COMMITTEE.
UH, AND I THINK WE'RE STARTING IN THE RIGHT PLACES TO SET UP THE GUARDRAILS, THE POLICIES FOR MOVING FORWARD.
SO WE'VE GOT A BACKDROP OF SENSIBLE TREE POLICY, AND THEN I THINK INFLUENCING PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS DEALING WITH PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY, I MEAN, THOSE ARE MUCH KIND OF BIGGER BATTLES, I THINK.
SO I THINK THAT'LL NATURALLY KIND OF FLOW ONCE WE GET A A, A NEW SET OF RULES IN PLACE.
YEAH, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, UM, ISSUE OF THE, OF, UH, PROTECTING SIGNIFICANT TREES ON PUBLIC PROPERTY IS KIND OF A SEPARATE THING FROM THE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH TREES.
I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO CHANGE THE ZONING LAWS TO PROTECT SIGNIFICANT TREES ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
I'M, I'M SORRY, ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO, UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON.
ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, I DON'T WANNA, YOU KNOW, GIVE AWAY THIS THE AWE OF A STUDY SESSION, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS LIKE, UM, REDEFINING OUR ORDINANCE IS SET UP REALLY AROUND PROTECTED TREES ONLY.
SO MAYBE WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT PROTECTED TREES, MAYBE WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL TREES OVER A CERTAIN SIZE.
UM, SO THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT, SO THAT'S ONE.
AND TWO, FOR SOME REASON, WHAT OUR CODE SAYS IS IF YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE A DISCRETIONARY REVIEW, THEN YOU ARE EXEMPT FROM THE ORDINANCE.
SO NONE OF IT APPLIES TO YOU IF YOU'RE JUST A HOMEOWNER AND YOU WANNA TAKE A TREE OUT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT MOST JURISDICTIONS WOULD DO IS SAY, NO, NO, NO, YOU NEED A TREE PERMIT FOR ANY TREE REMOVAL AND DEFINE TREES IN A MUCH BROADER SENSE THAN WHAT WE DO.
AS, YOU KNOW, THAT EIGHT OR 10 SPECIES WE IDENTIFY AS PROTECTED TREES.
SO THOSE ARE TWO THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT.
I, I HAD, I HAD A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK THEY'VE ALL BEEN ANSWERED.
UM, AND UM, I, UH, I, I APPRECIATE OUR, OUR CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT, AND I APPRECIATE THIS, THAT THIS,
[01:15:01]
THIS, THE SAD FACT OF THIS REDWOOD COMING DOWN IS LEADING TO, YOU KNOW, THIS FURTHER DISCUSSION, THIS DEEPER DISCUSSION.AND I'M, I'M GONNA TELL MY NEIGHBOR AND I THINK SHE'LL BE PLEASED, UM, BECAUSE SHE, SHE DID FEEL BAD THAT, THAT THIS, THIS TREE DID COME DOWN.
UM, AND THEN I, I GUESS YOU, AND I'LL TALK MORE WITH CINDY ABOUT THIS INTERIM TREE LIST.
'CAUSE I AM INTERESTED IN GETTING SOMETHING OUT, YOU KNOW, SOONER THAN LATER.
UM, IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
I, I, LIKE, I KEEP HEARING ABOUT TREE COVERAGE, CITY COVERAGE, AND I KEEP, I KEEP HEARING 30% OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SO I'M KIND OF, IT SEEMS LIKE A WORTHY SORT OF NUMBER TO, TO GO TO.
AND IT, I, I THINK 30% DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MUCH, BUT I THINK IT ACTUALLY, WHEN YOU TAKE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE WITH BUILDINGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN MIND AND STREETS, YOU KNOW, IT, IT CAN BE QUITE A BIT.
SO, UM, AND, UM, YEAH, I TOO IS THE ENFORCEMENT, THE OVERSIGHT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT, I, MY, MY OFFICE IS ON THE CORNER IS THE B OF A BUILDING ON THE CORNER OF WESTERN, AND I MEAN, IN WASHINGTON AND PLUMA BOULEVARD.
AND YES, TRUCKS HAVE RUN OVER SEVERAL OF THOSE GINKGOS AND THEY'RE JUST JAGGED STICKS STICKING OUT OF THE THING.
AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR LIKE TWO YEARS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I I I, I, I'M SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT IS SMALL AND STUFF, BUT IT, THINGS LIKE THAT SEEM LIKE LOW HANGING FRUIT.
UM, THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, RECENT REMODELS ON D STREET, WHICH HAVE TAKEN OUT LARGE SYCAMORE TREES, WHICH I THINK CURRENT CODES SAYS THEY NEED TO REPLACE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
THOSE, THOSE, THOSE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BEEN DONE FOR YEARS.
THERE'S THE, UM, ALL THE SYCAMORES THAT CAME OUT ON PETA BOULEVARD SOUTH IN FRONT OF THAT FACTORY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING THERE.
UM, AND I, AS I UNDERSTAND CODE IS THAT, THAT THOSE WERE MEANT TO BE REPLACED AS SOON AS THEY CAME OUT.
SO, UM, THAT SEEMS TO BE, AS FAR AS ENFORCEMENT GOES, THAT SEEMS TO BE LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT COULD BE DEALT WITH RIGHT AWAY.
UM, AND YEAH, EVERYTHING ELSE I THINK HAS, HAS BEEN ANSWERED AND I, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT.
UM, WE ALL HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND WE GOT THEM ANSWERED, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS.
I REALLY, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, THANK YOU.
YEAH, CINDY, I, I WANNA SEE, I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TOO, AND YOUR, YOUR OPEN ATTITUDE.
OPEN UP FOR FURTHER STAFF COMMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT LAST NIGHT TO THE U F M KICKOFF.
I THINK IT WAS REALLY SUCCESSFUL.
WE GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK BACK.
SO AS BEN STARTS WRITING THAT U F M, YOU KNOW, IT HELPS US CREATE THAT VISION STATEMENT.
THERE WILL BE A SECOND COMMUNITY MEETING AS WE GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND I'LL LET YOU GUYS KNOW SO YOU CAN PARTAKE.
UM, WE'RE MOVING, I MEAN, HIS INVENTORY, IT'S ON THE G A S WE'LL, WE'LL BE SHARING IT ALL ONCE HE KIND OF GETS EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
BUT IT'S REALLY QUITE PHENOMENAL BECAUSE IN THE PUBLIC SPACES, YOU CAN SEE WHERE EACH TREE IS, YOU CAN CLICK ON IT, YOU CAN GET THE INFORMATION, THE SPECIES, UM, KIND OF WHAT HE THINKS THE CONDITION IS, IT'S ALL IN THERE.
UM, BUT BEYOND THAT, IT'S JUST, WE'LL BE MOVING FAIRLY RAPIDLY, YOU KNOW, WHO'LL BE WRITING THIS.
AND I THINK HE SAID THIS LAST NIGHT, YOU KNOW, I I, I TOLD HIM HE HAD TO BE DONE WITH IT BY THE END OF THE YEAR BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT DOVES TAILS WITH THE ORDINANCE UPDATE.
AND I ANTICIPATE THAT TO GO IN THE FIRST QUARTER TO COUNCIL IS WHAT HEATHER AND I SPOKE ABOUT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE TIMEFRAME WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO THINGS ARE, THEY ARE MOVING, UM, BUT NOT WITHOUT THOUGHT.
AND I THINK HEATHER HIT ON ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS IS THAT BEN GETS THE COMMUNITY, HE LIVES HERE, HE CARES ABOUT IT, AND THAT SHOWS IN THE WORK THAT HE'S DOING.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS TOO IS THAT, YOU KNOW, LAST NIGHT THAT I BROUGHT UP, IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT AGAINST THE PERCENTAGES.
I THINK WE SHOULD HIT A PERCENTAGE.
I DON'T WANNA COMPARE US TO ANYWHERE ELSE.
I WANNA DO WHAT'S PETALUMA, RIGHT? AND I ALSO DON'T WANNA COMPARE US TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS VALLEJO BECAUSE THE LAST TIME IT WAS BROUGHT UP IN A PUBLIC SPACE, IT WAS IN A DEROGATORY WAY.
AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK IN A NEGATIVE WAY ABOUT ANY OTHER MUNICIPALITY, ANY OTHER SPACE.
I DON'T THINK THAT DOES US ANY JUSTICE AS WHO WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHO WE ARE.
AND I DON'T, I'M NOT GONNA HELP US MOVE FORWARD IN THAT WAY.
I'M GONNA SAY WE'RE GONNA PICK A GOAL FOR US, WE'RE GONNA GET THERE.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, OH, CINDY, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT PUBLIC SPACES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I COULD HELP MOVE FORWARD, RIGHT? IN AN EASY WAY.
LIKE, I'M LIKE, OKAY, LIKE WE'VE GOT PARKS, I'VE GOT PUBLIC SPACES.
YOU WANT PLANT, LET'S GET THE PLAN TOGETHER.
PHASE TWO IS GONNA, WE'RE GONNA STILL TRY AND GET TO THE OTHER SPACES, YOU KNOW, FRONTAGES, MEDIANS, ALL OF THOSE.
UM, LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ON HOW WE GET THAT DONE.
EVEN IN ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS, I GO, THERE'S AREAS WHERE TREES HAVE COME OUT OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE THEY'VE DIED.
AND I GO, I'VE GOT A WHOLE FRONTAGE THAT'S OPEN AND RELIEF.
AND I WERE TALKING, I'M LIKE, CAN, CAN WE PLANT SOME TREES HERE? HOW DO WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN? IF IRRIGATION'S GONE? THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGER ISSUE, I'LL TELL YOU THAT WE MEET, IS THAT THE IRRIGATION IS, WE JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO, WE HAVEN'T FOUND A WAY TO BRIDGE THAT.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS IS WE CAN DO GATOR BAGS.
IF WE CAN GET SOMETHING LIKE COOL
[01:20:01]
PETALUMA TO HELP US OUT AND FILL THOSE GATOR BAGS WITH PEOPLE WHO LIVE CLOSE BY, IT'S GREAT.IF NOT TO HIRE IN A COMPANY TO DO, DO A, YOU KNOW, A WATER BUFFALO AND FILL THE GATE, IT'S, IT'S NOT EFFICIENT.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A BEST LAID PLAN, BUT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
I WAS REALLY EXCITED THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT COME OUT, I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF GREAT QUESTIONS THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD, AND I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD ENERGY.
AND BEN, WE WILL KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
BUT, AND YOU KNOW, JUST ALWAYS THANKFUL OF THE COMMITTEE AND I'M GLAD HEATHER COULD COME OUT TODAY AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS WANT HER TO GIVE AN UPDATE, SO I'M GLAD SHE COULD MAKE IT.
UM, I, I WILL ADD ON TO MY, IF I MAY, TO MY, UM, COMMITTEE LAST MEETING.
IT WAS POINTED OUT TO ME THAT, UM, WITH THE NORTH RIVER PROJECT I BROUGHT UP, THERE WAS SOME, UM, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SONOMA LAND TRUST AND THE, UM, I THINK I, I SAID THE COASTAL COMMISSION, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY, SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
WILL WE BE GETTING A PRESENTATION ON THE, IS THAT STILL PLANNED? UH, I'VE, I'VE ASKED, YEAH, I'VE ASKED ELIZABETH HOWAND AND STEPHANIE, IF THEY WILL, AND THEY, THEY HAVE AGREED TO.
WE JUST NEED TO GET IT ON THE SCHEDULE AND, UM, SOME, BUT SOME VERY, VERY EXCITING THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
I JUST, UM, SPOKE TO THE, UM, THE DIRECTOR OF ACQUISITION FOR SONOMA LAND TRUST, UM, 'CAUSE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO AND HE GAVE ME SOME VERY GOOD NEWS.
I'M SORRY, I'LL DOVETAIL ON THE END OF MINE.
UM, RELIEF WAS ALSO GONNA BE PLANNING MORE PARKS.
CAL FIRE CAME BACK TO FUND THEM SOME MORE.
SO THEY'LL HAVE A VERY BUSY FALL PLANTING SEASON BEYOND THE PARKS THAT THEY BROUGHT FORWARD TO US.
AND LOOK FOR BIG NEWS, IT'S ON THE FEDERAL WEBSITE.
THE CITY HASN'T PUT NEWS UP, BUT WE MAY HAVE BEEN AWARDED A D A TIDY GRANT.
MAYBE NOT THE FULL, BUT A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL SUM.
SO, UM, ONCE I HAVE OFFICIAL WORD, I'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOU GUYS AS WELL.
BUT LOTS OF GOOD NEWS ON THE TREE FRONT.
SO, UH, UH, WELL I HAVE, I HAVE NEWS FROM WENDY.
SHOULD I SHARE IT?
UM, CITI WILL SOON ANNOUNCE, BUT IT'S BEEN ON THE US FOREST SERVICE WEBSITE FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
WE WON A $1 MILLION GRANT FROM THE BIDEN CLIMATE ACT FOR OUR URBAN FOREST.
OUR RELIEF EQUALS MAIN PARTNER CREATE CONCEPT PLAN, CO-WROTE APPLICATION APPLICATION ONLY GOT HALF OF WHAT WE ASKED FOR.
SO THE PLAN WILL HAVE TO BE WINNOWED DOWN AND IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT WILL BE IN IT, BUT WE HAVE TO DELIVER THOUSANDS OF NEW TREES.
OTHER GOODIES TOO, I THINK THAT WAS FROM WENDY, UH, ON SATURDAY.
AND WE MAY BE THE ONLY AGENCY OR MUNICIPALITY NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO THAT WAS AWARDED.
NOT TO SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE APPLIED, BUT I, I THINK IT'S A PRETTY BIG DEAL.
IF YOU'RE LISTENING,
UM, WELL AS SEEING THAT THERE IS NOTHING ELSE, THEN I WILL MOVE TO ADJOURN.