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HomeMy Public PortalAbout11-14-2018 Minutes Tree Board Regular MeetingPage 1 of 3 Minutes Tree Board 9 a.m. Nov. 14, 2018 Board Meeting Room, 105 E. Corbin St. Present: Chair Andrea Lewis, Vice Chair Frances Harris, Casey Collins, Tim Logue, Bryan Stuart and Liz Waters and Greg Yavelak (ex officio) Absent: Phyllis Simon Staff: Utility Mechanic III Ethan Oles and Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood Guests: Sarah Meadows 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. 2. Additions to the agenda and agenda adjustment Trueblood requested that the board address Item 6 before Item 5 to accommodate guest Sarah Meadows. 3. Minutes review and approval Review of minutes from Sept. 19, 2018, regular meeting Motion: Vice Chair Frances Harris moved to approve the minutes as submitted. Member Casey Collins seconded. Vote: Unanimous Changes: No changes 4. Proposal to remove a mature sycamore tree in town cemetery Trueblood said the proposal to remove the tree is from the Hillsborough Utilities Department to make necessary repairs to the pump station located next to the tree. Trueblood said the Tree Board’s policy is to protect beautiful mature trees, but in certain cases the Tree Board has approved the removal of such trees for utilities work. The tree needs to be removed for a much-needed repair to the pump station. The Utilities Department budget will cover the tree removal. Ethan Oles, a town utilities employee, said there is no alternative. Digging will take place at the base of the tree. Trueblood said there are other places in the cemetery to plant a replacement tree that would grow to a similar size. She said the Tree Board could keep that in mind when creating future fall planting lists. Motion: Harris moved to approve the removal of the sycamore tree. Member Liz Waters seconded. Vote: Unanimous It was noted that the Tree Board will consider planting a tree in the cemetery. 5. Proposal to remove 12 black walnut trees at the Town Hall Annex Trueblood said the Hillsborough Public Space Division proposal is to remove the black walnuts from the perimeter of the public parking lot and allow the smaller oaks and maples to grow into the spaces. It was noted by the Tree Page 2 of 3 Board that black walnuts dropping from trees damage cars, so board members could understand why staff and visitors at the annex wish for the trees to be removed. Motion: Harris moved to approve the removal of the black walnut trees. Member Tim Logue seconded. Vote: Unanimous 6. Update from Hillsborough Garden Club regarding Bee City initiatives for Fiscal Year 2019 Sarah Meadows said she and Member Phyllis Simon are heading the Bee City subcommittee of the Hillsborough Garden Club. Meadows said for Pollinator Week 2019 they would like to contact businesses and organizations downtown and beyond to encourage several groups to participate. Trueblood suggested that in January or February the subcommittee could present its idea at a monthly meeting of the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Merchants Association. Meadows liked that idea and said she would follow up with that. Meadows said the subcommittee would take on the role of making sure that the information which organizations decide to display is accurate. Also, the subcommittee is interested in giving guidance to organizations that are interested in creating pollinator gardens on their private property. The Tree Board was supportive of the subcommittee moving forward with its ideas. Trueblood added that Durham has an organization called Bee Downtown which has located hives on top of buildings in downtown Durham and provides other pollinator support through businesses. She suggested finding out which of the efforts have been successful. Trueblood suggested it would be nice to have pollinator week flags to hang for pollinator week each year. They would cost about $4,000. She is working with Economic Development Planner Shannan Campbell to figure out if funding is available. Lewis said the Garden Club would be developing a short list of plants that are helpful for pollinators. 7. Updates Hillsborough Garden Club — Harris noted the Hillsborough Garden Club tour will be May 4. Lewis added that poppy seeds are available at the Hillsborough Visitors Center for a donation as the poppy project commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I winds down. Staff updates — Trueblood reported: • She has a quote of $1,560 from Carolina Tree Care to provide deep-root fertilization for 33 downtown crepe myrtles and vertical mulching for four trees. She thought that was reasonable and would proceed to have that work done. • Collins had nurtured a newly purchased sourwood tree for several weeks until it was time to plant it along the Riverwalk greenway near the Calvin Street bridge. • Christina King, a local landscape designer, would be planting a hydrangea in the bare planter in front of Cup-A-Joe’s at a cost of $250 and a crepe myrtle in front of Hot Tin Roof at a cost of $375. • King had developed a plan and estimate for landscaping the entrance to Cates Creek Park. That would be $3,200 for a landscaped entrance to Cates Creek Park, including labor, materials, machine time and delivery fees. The design would include the addition of low-maintenance plant material and would Page 3 of 3 incorporate the existing large boulders. She asked whether the board was OK with her moving ahead with that plan, knowing it would require the rest of the planting budget. Board members agreed. • Family members of former Mayor Fred Cates purchased a commemorative bench and red maple for the Town Hall Campus. 8. Adjournment Lewis adjourned the meeting at 10:07 a.m.