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HomeMy Public PortalAbout10-18-2017 Minutes Tree Board Regular meetingPage 1 of 4 Minutes Tree Board 9 a.m. Oct. 18, 2017 Town Barn, 101 E. Orange St. Present: Vice Chairwoman Frances Harris, George Campbell, Tim Logue, Bryan Stuart, Liz Waters and Greg Yavelak (ex officio) Absent: Chairwoman Andrea Lewis and Casey Collins Guests: Randy Hall, Carson Harkrader, Susan Harris and Sarah Meadows Item 1: Call to order, roll call, and confirmation of quorum Vice Chairwoman Frances Harris called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum. Item 2: Additions to the agenda and agenda adjustment There were no changes or adjustments. Item 3: Approval of minutes from Sept. 20, 2017, meetings Motion: Tree Board Member Bryan Stuart moved to approve the minutes as presented. Second: Tree Board Member George Campbell seconded. Vote: Unanimous Item 4: Review request from developer of proposed residential development West End Heights at 111 Jones Ave. to remove three Eastern hophornbeam trees from the West King Street right of way and five pine trees from the Jones Avenue right of way Ms. Trueblood introduced Randy Hall with Summit Design and Engineering Services, who was present at this meeting on behalf of the applicant. Ms. Trueblood reviewed that the agenda packet included a narrative, a site plan and photographs. The town only has authority over the trees in the right of way. Ms. Trueblood reminded the Tree Board that this board planted the trees in question and has discussed the hophornbeams in the past when an ice storm damaged one of the trees. Mr. Hall shared that the three hophornbeam trees would have to be removed to build stormwater drainage and to build the sidewalk. He said one of the trees is damaged but the other two are healthy. Vice Chairwoman Harris noted there are not a lot of this type of tree in town. She had read that the trees do not live a long time, although she did not know how many years the hophornbeam trees have left. Ms. Trueblood added that West King Street is a state road and any sidewalk built along there would need approval from the North Carolina Department of Transportation and would need to be handicap accessible. Ms. Trueblood said sometimes sidewalks are built on the back side of the ditch, as this developer is proposing, and others are built along the street edge behind curb and gutter. She added that this sidewalk would connect Page 2 of 4 to the handicap ramp at the corner. She explained that trees often have to be planted farther from the street unless they are the size of a red bud or smaller to meet NCDOT standards. Ms. Trueblood noted that the landscape plan included three Chinese pistache trees on the site. Vice Chairwoman Harris said it is nice to have trees near the sidewalk to provide shade for pedestrians. Carson Harkrader, who lives close to the site and was present at this meeting for the next agenda item, asked to address the board. Ms. Harkrader pointed out that there are old oak trees on the site. Ms. Trueblood said the Tree Board only has authority over the trees in the right of way, which are the pines and the hophornbeams. Ms. Harkrader said she wanted to point out that the site plan calls for saving some of the old oak trees but not all of them and that they are beautiful trees. Mr. Hall said regarding the pine trees, they fall in the middle of where the driveway would be. The pine trees are large and overlap the power lines. Also, there is some pavement damage in the roadway, and he supposes some of that damage is due to the root system of the pine trees. He said there would only be two connections from the development to the public roads, and the driveways cannot be moved. Vice Chairwoman Harris said she had noted that the pine trees are over the power lines and that someday Duke Energy would prune one side. Mr. Campbell said one of the pine trees appears to be dead or dying. Mr. Stuart asked whether both scenarios for the sidewalk discussed the previous evening at the Parks and Recreation Board meeting would require the hophornbeams to be removed. Ms. Trueblood said that one of the scenarios brought up the previous evening has probably not been investigated enough for the developer to say. Ms. Trueblood said the multi-family buildings are close to the property line, so the trees are in the area of grading for a sidewalk behind the stone wall. To create a curb-and-gutter sidewalk adjacent to West King Street, there would be 2 feet of gutter, 6 inches of curb, a 3-foot or 4-foot planting strip, and a 5-foot sidewalk. So, that scenario would also likely encroach on the trees. Vice Chairwoman Harris said it appears grading would impact the roots. She is interested in street tree plantings if the sidewalk is built along the street. Ms. Trueblood reviewed that the Tree Board has authority over removal of trees in the right of way and can place conditions on the removal of trees in the right of way. Mr. Hall said he would not want to speak for the developer, but he would think the developer would be willing to plant street trees if the sidewalk were to be built adjacent to the street. Ms. Trueblood explained the developer is required to use the recommended plant list in the Unified Development Ordinance, which was developed by this board. Mr. Hall reminded the board that if the sidewalk were to be built behind the wall, where it is proposed, there would be no room for street trees. Motion: Mr. Stuart moved to approve removal of the pine trees as proposed. Second: Tree Board Member Tim Logue seconded. Vote: Unanimous Page 3 of 4 Motion: Mr. Stuart moved to approve removal of the hophornbeams only if they can be replaced along the West King Street right of way with three trees that meet the standards of both the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Town of Hillsborough. If the trees cannot be replaced, then the applicant must return to the Tree Board before trees are removed for further discussion and mitigation options. Second: Tree Board Member Liz Waters seconded. Vote: Unanimous Item 5: Review request from Carson Harkrader to plant three Natchez crape myrtle trees in the Eno Street right of way adjacent to 225 S. Bellevue St. Ms. Harkrader said she loves trees and street trees. She said many residents of West Hillsborough reach their neighborhood via Eno Mountain Road, crossing over the railroad tracks and then entering the neighborhood at the corner of Eno Street and South Bellevue Street. She would like to plant three new street trees in the right of way to enhance the attractiveness of this area of the neighborhood. She said some people park in the grass to attend the Baptist church, but she believes the church attendees have enough space to park. Ms. Trueblood added that Duke Energy has approved trees no more than 15-20 feet tall when mature because of overhead powerlines. Ms. Harkrader said she proposed Natchez crape myrtle because the proposed area is a sunny spot that requires a hardy tree and the crape myrtle would match Churton Street. Ms. Trueblood said this is a harsh spot with compacted soil and a lot of pedestrian traffic around it. There are only a few types of trees that do well in those conditions. Ms. Trueblood said it would be very important for the church to understand that the town will maintain the trees so the church does not prune the trees. Motion: Mr. Logue moved to approve the request to plant Natchez crape myrtle trees along the Eno Street right of way as proposed. Second: Tree Board Member George Campbell seconded. Vote: Unanimous Item 6: Review and approve fall plantings: Turnip Patch Park butterfly garden and Cates Creek Park Ms. Trueblood reviewed that there is about $5,400 in the budget for fall plantings. She had gathered estimates. The $4,500 estimate for moving the butterfly garden includes preparing the soil in the new, larger bed; transplanting all plants that can be transplanted; and adding 24 1-gallon perennials and five shrubs. That would leave money to buy a tree for Arbor Day. Ms. Trueblood said she has only been able to find an American basswood in a 1-gallon size, which would not make for a spectacular Arbor Day ceremony. She said the Tree Board may plant a black gum instead. There was brief discussion that Ms. Trueblood is building a group of volunteers who water Tree Board plantings. Motion: Mr. Campbell moved to approve the fall plantings in Turnip Patch Park and Cates Creek Park as proposed. Second: Mr. Logue seconded. Vote: Unanimous Page 4 of 4 Item 7: Discuss Nov. 15 Arbor Day planning Ms. Trueblood said the Public Works Department would dig a hole for the Arbor Day tree planting ahead of time. Mr. Stuart said he has an American basswood that has been growing for three years and would be happy to donate it. It was a 1-gallon tree when he bought it. The Tree Board expressed appreciation for Mr. Stuart’s offer and decided to plant his tree for Arbor Day. Item 8: Updates • Hillsborough Garden Club: Andrea Lewis — Vice Chairwoman Harris noted that Chairwoman Andrea Lewis was absent but that two Garden Club members, Susan Harris and Sarah Meadows, wished to address the board. Ms. Meadows said she is heading a committee focused on Bee City USA activities. She wanted to let the Tree Board know that her committee will be participating in the bee hotel unveiling on Nov. 4. Her committee will also be conducting a survey that day to gather information on how they can be helpful in sharing information on pollinators. • Staff updates: Stephanie Trueblood — Ms. Trueblood shared the details on the bee hotel unveiling, available in news releases on the town website. — Ms. Trueblood reported that there are three black walnut trees on the edge of the Town Hall parking lot are dropping walnuts that damage windshields and vehicles. She wanted to let the board know she planned to put together an application to the Historic District Commission and the Tree Board to have the trees removed. — Ms. Trueblood reported she had approved the removal of two dead trees on the corner of Mitchell and East Corbin streets by Corbin Creek Woods. — Ms. Trueblood called on Tree Board member and Certified Arborist Greg Yavelak regarding the sugar maples in front of the Town Hall Annex, 137 N. Churton St. She had asked him to investigate the trees. Mr. Yavelak reported that the southernmost tree has more dead wood than the northern one. Removing the dead wood would remove the center of the tree, he said. The northern tree is in decline too, but the dead wood be cut out and the surrounding ground could be aerated and fertilized to help the tree. Ms. Trueblood said she would suggest not replanting in this location because the town has plans to sell that property. Ms. Trueblood said that two people have complained to her and that people who work in the annex are concerned about the decline of the trees. Mr. Stuart said the trees are beautiful and the biggest in the area. He advocated for saving them. Ms. Trueblood said that the annex property and the police station property are likely future redevelopment sites. Mr. Stuart said he would prefer to remove the dead wood in the trees and try to save them than to have no trees at all. — Ms. Trueblood reported there is aphid infestation in trees at Turnip Patch Park. She was seeking the expert opinion of the U.S. Forest Service. Item 8: Adjourn Vice Chairwoman Harris adjourned the meeting at 10:23 a.m.