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HomeMy Public PortalAbout08-15-2018 Minutes Tree Board Regular MeetingPage 1 of 3 Minutes Tree Board 9 a.m. Aug. 15, 2018 Town Hall Annex Financial Services Meeting Room, 105 E. Corbin St. Present: Chair Andrea Lewis, Vice Chair Frances Harris, Casey Collins, Tim Logue, Phyllis Simon, Bryan Stuart, Liz Waters, and Greg Yavelak (ex officio) Staff: Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood Guests: Tom Roberts Item 1: Call to order, roll call, and confirmation of quorum Chair Andrea Lewis 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 June 20, 2018, meeting Motion: Vice Chair Frances Harris moved to approve the minutes as amended. Member Phyllis Simon seconded. Vote: Unanimous Changes: Change “Lewis” to “Harris” for the adjournment. Item 4: Discuss recommendations for 2018 fall plantings Harris suggested planting a pollinator tree near the pollinator garden in Gold Park in the sunny area north of the greenway. When asked about planting in Cates Creek Park, Trueblood explained that there are locations identified in the park master plan, which was recently approved. One area is the entrances of Cates Creek Park. She added that planting in this park is on her list. The board and staff suggesting planting: • The entrances to Cates Creek Park. • A hydrangea in the empty planter on West King Street. • A replacement for the cherry tree that died and was removed on the corner of the Margaret Lane Cemetery. • A crepe myrtle tree in a vacant spot in front of the Hot Tin Roof on West Margaret Lane. Page 2 of 3 • At Murray Street Park. Trueblood believes a sycamore and two crab apples are not doing well in that park and may need to be replaced. • Flowering trees along Riverwalk • A chaste tree in the pollinator garden near the restaurants Trueblood noted that the funds do not have to be spent on new plantings and that some of the money could be spent instead on root treatment and aeration for street trees. The crepe myrtles downtown, which used to benefit from a terracotta stormwater pipe, may struggle now that their roots cannot penetrate the new stormwater pipe for nutrients, she said. Trueblood will research the costs of aerating and fertilizing the crepe myrtles. It was noted that if the board wanted to treat any trees for emerald ash borer, it would need to come out of this budget as well. It was also noted that there are crab apples on North Churton and West King streets that are struggling and could be replaced with hardier varieties. Trueblood encouraged members to visit each site and prioritize the list in preparation for the next meeting. Lewis introduced a guest, Tom Roberts, and asked if there was a reason he was attending the meeting. Roberts said he came to hear the Tree Board’s thoughts on the proposal to remove some large trees at 153 W. King St. Trueblood explained this board does no t have jurisdiction over the removal of trees on private property, but the Historic District Commission does because that property is in the Hillsborough Historic District. Item 5: Begin planning 2018 Arbor Day celebration It was decided to plant a basswood or a sourwood at 10 a.m. Oct. 4 near the Gold Park pollinator garden for the 2018 Arbor Day celebration. Item 6: Update on Bee City 2018 initiatives: Trueblood said it was time to plan additional outreach as a Bee City 2018 initiative. Simon said she is now co-chair of the Hillsborough Garden Club’s Bee City subcommittee and she would like to report some additional ideas at the September Tree Board meeting. Lewis shared a copy of The National Gardener Magazine with the board. She said this is the first time a North Carolina article has appeared in the national publication , and the article is about Hillsborough’s Bee City initiatives. Simon reported an article would be appearing in The News of Orange about efforts she and others make to assist monarch butterflies. Simon explained that she collects monarch eggs and raises them in a nursery to protect them from predators. She also tags the butterflies, as part of a national program. Page 3 of 3 Lewis confirmed that the Garden Club is keeping a full list of Bee City activities for the annual Bee City USA report. Item 6: Updates • Hillsborough Garden Club — Lewis noted that the updates were given during the Bee City initiatives discussion. Staff updates — Trueblood reported that: ○ Tim Wells, a kindergarten teacher at The Expedition School, contacted her after the agenda was sent out. His kindergarten class wants to learn about trees and would like to have an expert talk about trees. Wells also wants the kids to have a project or program. He gave Trueblood a list of questions generated by his students for the Tree Board to answer, which she shared with the board. Board members brainstormed tree-related activities, including straightening the tree identification signs along the Riverwalk greenway and making leaf rubbings. Board members volunteered to visits the kindergartners with Trueblood to answer questions. ○ Trueblood is interested in purchasing a steam weeder as an alternative to Roundup where weeds grow through cracks in sidewalks and parking lots and to kill English ivy and poison ivy. There are not many choices available for purchase in the United States. She asked Tree Board members to do some reading about these new steam weeders and to let her know next month what they think. • Member Bryan Stuart noted that the Tree Board needs to review the proposed plantings of three trees in front of the apartment building on East Tryon Street at a future meeting. Item 8: Adjournment Lewis adjourned the meeting at 10:31 a.m.