City of Athens, Ohio Athens Shade Tree Commission 2021, 14 Jan 2021

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From YouTube: Athens Shade Tree Commission - January 14, 2021

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Athens Shade Tree Commission - January 14, 2021

A

Good evening this is the athens city, shadrich commission meeting for january, the 14th uh 2021. um Before I start on the agenda, I'm going to just comment on some changes to the tree. Commission um john katowski has moved on to the planning commission for athens and uh roxanne while rooney has joined us um has essentially his replacement.

A

Her background is that she's, a master gardener and she was actively involved in athens and bloom, so welcome roxanne, uh okay to the agenda. um Originally, I didn't have a tree permit issue on the agenda, but I'm just going to report one. um I got contacted uh very recently about a tree. That's actually on morris avenue, uh 141 morris avenue it's a sugar maple.

A

um It looks as if it is dead. I knew it was in decline, but I've also noticed that uh there is a crack developing in the crotch of this tree and there's a lot of dead bark around it. So I've recommended it for removal.

A

And that's the only tree permit issue that I've got. Does it leave a big chunk? um It'll be a good spot to put another tree into yes, certainly, but there is actually a young tree growing, probably about 15 feet away. I don't know what species it is, um so we won't be short of trees, but it will open up a potential planting spot um well.

B

A

Isn't probably.

B

Yeah and that's the room for much well.

A

Yeah um and bomb has been recommending, though, that we should not stick too uh hard to the 30 feet: separation that she she encourages us to try and plant more trees. If we can so that means planting them closer together.

C

Yeah- and it depends, it depends on whether or not it's in a a tight spot. You know if it has more room, then.

B

We don't know where the tree is the other trees, so maybe.

A

uh Nothing is I mean the this would just be a spot that will be available. uh What's going? Is a sugar maple? um I don't know how old it is. I don't think it's very old, it's probably no more than 100 years. uh Typically, the trees on morris avenue are about 80 to 100 years old, the big ones, um but uh a sugar maple could probably go back there, but there are other trees that would do well there as well.

A

um Okay, um we don't have any landscape ordinance issues to deal with this evening. uh Although david riggs did tell me that there are some in the pipeline um david. If you want to comment at all on what is coming up.

D

I can there, as you know, there's a new um annexation to this- that just occurred to uh into the city of mason along 682 um on the west side of town there'll be two residential developments that will be coming in and I think they are working on some of the preliminary plans at this time.

D

A

D

uh Multi-Fam two multi-family buildings it'll actually be two different uh sub um developments. uh I think with that that came in and as an r3 zone into the city, so um there there's two multi-family buildings there: okay yeah, it is, I think that they wanted to have um a more variety of uh residential in the city. So um a little more a little more compact uh residential subdivision occurring over there.

B

When you see that, do you mean apartments.

D

um What they want to do, yeah what they want to do is condominiums. uh I think they're, two and three bedroom condominiums.

B

That's kind of new, isn't it to adams.

D

Yeah, it's something that's really needed uh into the area. We have a lot of single family and we've got a lot of rental units. This is something that we don't have a lot of, and some some people perceive that we do have a significant need for that. So.

B

How tall are they going to be.

D

I don't know the details on that. I haven't seen enough information yet.

E

Are there trees existing trees on the property already or has it been totally cleared.

D

It's mostly open space. There are some existing trees. I just had a conversation with the landscape architect and he was asking about that. I actually I said that that you can. You can count the existing trees if they're, healthy and fairly decent size. I said I don't want any scrubby troop, where I said the you guys wouldn't want any scrubby trees or any unhealthy trees. um So he's he's doing a uh tree count and trying to figure out what exactly they have.

A

Yeah, the other thing we've done in the past is if they have a woodland, that's sort of covered in trees. We just look at that acreage and assess how many trees would qualify within that, without even bothering to count the individual trees.

D

It'll be interesting to see this has got a lot of unique uh facets to it. There are two developments but they're separated by if you, if you know where university estates is, there's a detention pond across from it yeah and they're. All the this development will go on either side of that detention pond, but it won't include the detention plan. So there's going to be some interesting stuff about there's also going to be there's margaret's creek in the back with a 100 year flood plane. um So there will be some interesting issues with it.

D

With this development.

A

Yeah yeah, okay, I look forward to seeing the plans, okay speaking of planning um maintenance of the tree canopy. um This is our spot, uh especially requested by nancy, where we start to think about plans and what we're going to do with our our planning for the future. um The!

A

If we remember the uh um last meeting, um I uh circulated a yeah and there'll be a copy coming with the minutes of this meeting, uh or there was a copy with the meeting uh of a list that albert williams uh and I required uh compiled back in 2013, which is a starting point to add more uh similar lists of sites to um the um just having the site. So is only one part of the plan um and I guess I'd like to sort of the other thing we talked about.

A

The last meeting was uh taking some time to have a look at that first, video from the tree conference.

A

What makes a quality urban forest program by alan seaworth, and I found that very informative, because this uh sequence of planning that he talks about um sort of matches. Many of the things that I think we've been trying to think about, I mean.

A

Obviously, the first thing is, you need the you do need to figure out what trees to remove or what sites you've got, but you also need to figure out how you're going to maintain the trees and that's something that you know we've we have struggled with, because without a budget without assignment of people, uh it's very difficult to do the uh pruning and lifting or the maintenance. I forget what he called it um yeah.

A

He had a special phrase for that in the in the video, and it just escaped me for the moment, but um I recognized it immediately. It's the same type of thing that we have talked about the this idea that, if you uh well that the sugar maple on um morris avenue is an ideal example of this. um uh The reason it's got a crutch for the kraken is because there are two stains.

A

Two main stems going upwards uh with a narrow angle between them, and that puts a lot of stress on them, whereas uh in when that tree was young, one of those should have been selected as the leader and the other one cut out, and that would that might have enabled us to keep to keep that tree. Much longer.

B

Yeah, he talked a lot, a lot about pruning and uh care of new new trees, new plantings.

A

Yeah yeah yeah, and you know in in that regard, we've done, I think, as much as we can in terms of getting the city when they have trees planted to try and get at least a one year. Warranty and maintenance watering of the tree for the first year in hand as part of the planting. Yes, roxanne.

E

So does the city as part of the landscaping, crew or the other crews have any certified arborists? um We had two.

F

E

Both of them have been moved to other positions, so do we have to invest in recertifying other individuals or ask for a budget to contract out this work? How does this work now.

A

You're asking the hard questions already. Sorry, it's all right! That's uh it's good that you asked because the this is.

A

This is an issue that the tree commission itself doesn't have a budget um it uh after listening to alan's talk last night, one of the things that he made clear was that you may be better off, particularly as a smaller community hiring contractors to do some of these things rather than having uh staff of your own uh to do it, and so um I think that's that that is probably the tactic we need to take um with the mayor, uh because uh it's it's with the well when we go through andrew cheeky who's, the assistant service safety director on up to the mayor, um but uh we we would have to request that, in addition to setting aside money for the removal of trees, because that that is part of a budget for trees within the city and some planting of trees, I think we need a portion to deal with tree maintenance, but I have no idea what that would cost us.

A

uh You know, obviously it's going to depend on how many trees and someone that you want to have done in one game. One year.

B

Maybe maybe if we, if we outlined the things that we want to do and said, we need help with these, and this is the amount of money I mean. This is what we need a budget for.

A

B

The degree wouldn't have to be long, it could be very you know, targeted.

E

There is a possibility that we could leverage extension because they do have an odnr. um They do have certified arborists. I don't know if they would be willing or able to help us. Also. The university, of course does as well, even though they're quite overloaded right now.

A

Yeah, the the um one of the things things I always find surprising about this area. If you look in the isa site, there are remarkably few certified arborists in this area, and so it's a bit of a challenge. Finding some of these people- um and I know in the past- we've been torn between trying to get certified arborists to do particular things or just knowing that these people have been trained to some extent rather than being fully certified um to do work.

A

um You know, I think it's. We benefited from ron lucas being a certified arborist in terms of having somebody to go out on behalf of the city, to check on work that was being done and to some extent we can get ann bonner to help us with that.

B

A

B

So do you think there's any possibility that ron might want to still do that.

A

I don't think he will, because he is the hr person for the city here.

B

Well, surely he has left over time? Doesn't it.

A

Yeah, like that, we all do yes,.

C

Well, we we do have um david, we do have the resource of the arborist orion, who much prefers to deal with things like training trees. um That was the phrase.

A

Training, trees.

C

But you know I when I discussed that with ann. This is just a little deviation here when I discussed that with ann she was very vague, but I realized um I'm working on a master gardener online training course that we're going to be doing very shortly and when they talk about training, they're really talking about fruit trees, mainly, but nevertheless, um that that whole uh business about.

C

Basically it is doing exactly what you talked about. You know.

A

That was, you know, using the lower.

C

A

Yeah yeah, that was what I always liked. That's why swayworth last night was this idea of removing the lard branches, selecting leaders uh making sure there are no crossing branches, just the the general proving that you that needs to be done on a periodic basis with with with trees. So we've got. um I mean I I've just been making a quick list here. We've got a a tree, removal tree planting and a tree maintenance piece um as potentially.

B

A

B

A

Training well yeah. I'm gonna include that with the part of maintenance with with the maintenance, just uh just as the other phrase we tend to use of crown lifting um is another one. That's used in that context as well.

C

Now but but we are in good shape for when we have money and trees are planted, we are in good shape for um taking care of those young trees, and that was a big that's where a lot of money is lost, because, but so we have avoided that by and large and we have in terms of tree removal. The city has been pretty.

C

um That is something that they have taken care of in the past that so that's well, so we can have a check in the box for that so yeah. It's.

A

C

It's it's the uh maintenance, that's the biggie right.

A

Yep, I think so: yeah yep, yes, okay, um so um yeah after after watching his talk and um listening and thinking carefully about some of the suggestions that you've just been making, I think I think we can come up with a one-page uh plan. If you like um of uh sort of beginning to identify some some needs. um Yeah did you did you.

B

Watch that recently, yes last.

A

B

Do you do you want to tell a roxanne about it? Maybe she would want to watch it.

A

I I can send roxanne the link because, okay and and sent all the tree commissioners the links previously, but I I will send.

E

That please, to.

A

C

It was roxanne, it was a really excellent conference and there were a lot of talks, but the first one and the last one were um the the ones I thought were the most uh pertinent and informative for us and I think.

B

Some of the I think they were actually designed for tree commissioners. So, yes,.

A

B

Yeah somebody thought of us.

A

Yes, well, he does yeah, I mean the the uh the uh I. I wasn't aware of how the state was divided up with their urban forestry uh sections um and uh he represents one and the person coordinating the conference represented one of the other ones. Thank you. So much to cleveland.

B

I didn't quite understand how that whole thing worked either the districts and stuff.

A

Yeah, presumably somebody drew some lines many many years ago and just divided it all up, um and obviously ann bonner has the one in the southeast you'll.

B

Have to ask her about that too yeah.

E

Yep, I have another budget item, it's somewhat related and it is controversial. So, as the newbie you can just tell me to be quiet. Okay, yeah. um I have heard that once trees are planted, um sometimes they are not maintained, destroyed, removed, not replaced and that, for whatever reason there doesn't seem to be the ability to rely on code to enforce.

E

um You know some of the consequences that are supposed to happen under those situations, and I was wondering if, as a resource that we can request from the city that somehow we rectify this, I don't know if it means that you know we go into the community and we communicate with these individuals.

E

If we um go to code office- and you know, spend some time reinforcing codes, so they feel like they can enforce code, but um I guess I I've heard historically that sometimes you know the tree. Commission can put things in place and then the trees are not maintained because code isn't enforced. Am I.

A

Wrong well, you've got to be careful separating two things here. One is what we were just talking about was with trees in the right of way and the city's responsibility really for maintaining those trees um and when a tree is removed in the in the right of way.

A

It is certainly possible for code to take action if it's been done without them without the permission of the city. That was what we were talking about right at the beginning. A property owner is asking for this tree to be removed. uh He's not he's not expecting to do it himself, uh but sometimes people just take it on themselves to remove a city tree under those conditions. We would just let david riggs and his crew onto them, and it could be up to the code office. That's that's a very a rare instance.

A

I think um the other issue where we get into maintenance is under title 37, where we're dealing with landscaping of uh private properties uh developed the in the in the community under title 37 um there it's documentation, that's important, uh quite.

E

A lot of me for my misunderstanding: yeah.

A

There are that's, that's why, on the agenda, we have these two standard items. One is title 33, that's the one that established the tree, commission and and so on, and it deals with the public right-of-way and then title 37 council assigned the tree commission with the obligation of reviewing and approving uh essentially trees. For these, it's called the landscape ordinance, but most of it is to do with trees.

A

There is some some landscaping in there as well, but it's mainly trees and we're, given the responsibility of um approving these plans and uh with the issues we've run into in the past have been to do with uh us, not insisting on final plans being available when we make that approval.

A

Often we've given the provisional approval and uh nobody's come back with a final plan, um the um in cases where people have had had a final plan and have not obeyed it. We've had significant difficulties. um Taco bell, it's a it's often often held out as the prime example of this one.

A

So this is going back about four code directors. At least I think steve pearson was the co-director at that time, and the tree commission put together a lot of documentation which established that taco bell was not doing what they were supposed to do under title 37.

A

We gave it to the code office. The code office wrote letters that were ignored. We at that stage went to the law director and the law director said: I'm not going to enforce this.

A

Oh yeah, so I you know this gets to be hard. Now, it's not the current law director. This is a. This is going back several several law directors, but that's that's! That's the challenge that you face.

E

A

The discretion apparently not to to this suit to choose not to not to prosecute on behalf of the of the city.

B

And welcome to bureaucracy.

C

But but roxanne our main tool has been when a piece of property changes hands, because they cannot isn't that right david. They can't either they can't sell it until they fulfill uh their obligation.

A

It's a typical thing that happens under those conditions. Is the mortgage company will call the code office and say: are there any outstanding city liens on this property? And if the code director remembers uh or it has been documented properly, the code director will say- and this has happened- oh yes, they haven't planted their trees.

A

That can be the fastest way to get trees planted.

B

Of course, there's a long waiting period. Yes,.

A

Yeah but but they do they do respond very quickly to that. To that one.

E

So I guess my ignorant question once again. Forgive me is as we're talking about budgets for the city and potential asks. Is there a budget that would help facilitate any of those situations? Are there resources that are needed either time or finance? That would help those situations or or no.

A

No, I don't think so. I think the the important thing is that we're just gonna have to dig our heels in and say: no we're, not gonna approve this. Unless you have a final plan at.

C

That point they.

A

Can't move forward.

C

Well, what about the tree bank is the tree bank funds in the tree bank? Can they help us with? Do you think that it's going to be only planting trees or could they help us with some of the other financial things we need.

A

No they I I well, we can get on to this in a few minutes, but uh okay, um I'm told that uh peter was talking about the fact that the uh um a revised version of title 33 is coming up uh for the council to consider uh soon- and I know in there there is some. There are some changes to the language around tree, banking and so on. uh So we'll have to have a look at that, um but uh I'm in two minds about that.

A

I think what they're doing with the tree banking is supposedly paying for trees to be planted. um Listening to alan sweithers, about the fact that 50 or more of the trees that you plant die because they're not maintained properly, um makes me think. Well, maybe maybe we should spend some money some of that money on maintenance- I don't know, but um but that's, I think, an open question, but really to go back to roxanne's question. How do we enforce the code?

A

um It's only by proper documentation and by the tree commissioners individually, watching out, I mean nancy did a great job um in terms of looking at a property. uh I think in the far east side that wasn't complying with the ordnance and she took the previous code director to that site several times and eventually I think we got the trees planted that should have been planted.

A

But that's the sort of effort that gets gets things done, david.

B

Never happened.

A

It didn't happen. Oh I'm sorry. I I I I I thought.

B

You were still surrounded by a little tiny.

C

Idea, oh, they were planted, but it was the wrong size.

B

They planted trees but they're not shade trees, yeah, oh right, yeah.

A

Now I I was mistaken, I I thought you managed to get them to plant the uh no.

B

Right that would happen. Oh.

A

B

I was told that it wasn't gonna happen. Okay,.

A

Okay, yeah, but so this is the problem. It's uh it comes down to proper documentation. um We have been told that our.

B

Minutes, I think it depends somewhat on if the owner of the property has more clout than we do. That's what I think happens.

A

It'd be true, but the the law director, the current law director, made it very clear that um if she was to take legal action, she would have to depend on the minutes of the tree commission to initiate that action. So it's important that's why it's important that our minutes include copies of the plans.

A

Yeah, that's something we didn't do until she told us that, because I thought that the city was keeping copies of the plans for these developments and apparently they were not, and so um she made it clear if you if these are in your minutes- and these minutes are uh archived by the city which they are then we'll be able to go back to those minutes and we'll start from there moving forward.

A

And so that's again that.

B

Was that was a good plan to start doing that yeah.

A

Yeah and then the other issue that um again nancy suggested this one is that we have. We set a calendar for ourselves to go back and check a year or whatever after we approve something to see if it was actually done.

A

So those are the steps that we are thinking of taking, but unfortunately I don't think money is going to help us with that one.

A

It's it's people's time, um so I I alluded to some potential changes. Peter. um Do you want to tell us about what you heard so far in committee on the uh changes proposed changes to title 33.

F

Right, um you know in my my understanding uh what they, uh what they touched on on monday, was that, um from the the tree uh standpoint that not much had changed from the first rendition, it seemed like there was more discussion about the pollinator gardens, because some people are starting are worried. um This one. This was a worry that was brought up. Was that they're afraid that people will pay uh pay for these permits to have a pollinator garden, and then they don't have to mow their lawns.

F

So that was uh oh, that was harassed.

B

They don't what.

F

They wouldn't know that they could purchase these permits and basically, what it would allow them to do would be to grow their grasses taller um so that it would basically allow you to um not not have to keep your lawn mowed.

A

E

Yeah, so I actually was on a walk with chris knisley and she mentioned that to me. uh I have gone through some certifications for pollinator gallerins and there are some pretty loose requirements like one certification, you put a bird bath in your yard and you're certified.

E

Others are all about how many pollinators plants do you have per square foot, and you know what's your diversity and actually send somebody to certify. So I did suggest to her that there is some formal certification process.

E

um In addition, I don't know if I should have, but I thought that maybe somebody from the shady tree, commission or somebody else could actually go to the property and certify that it is a pollinator garden well before this allow.

A

This could be our opportunity because once peter sends me the copy, the current copy or the rather debbie walker will scrub this and send out the copy to me. um I will then circulate it to all of you and um if we see things like that within there that makes sense, because tiger 33, I'm assuming if it is like peter said it still establishes the the tree commission is the as the the go-to organization for.

B

Well, you know I volunteer in the wistendal garden and and it takes a lot of work. Yes, people are gonna, do it like yeah.

A

Well, yeah I mean, but the the uh the the language that's currently in title 33. Is that we're here to give advice to the city, and so it could quite easily be that uh the the tree commission could be consulted as to whether this meets some standard. Whatever.

E

And there's a very different way that you maintain a perennial pollinator garden like.

B

E

Doll versus an annual pollinator garden, where you know you're, basically taking you, know, you're mowing the lawn once a year, which is honestly when pollinator gardens are usually looking their worst and you know late summer fall is when you actually should be plowing them and removing all the nutrients for the following year.

B

Right and to allow the uh the uh some of the critters to maintain their lives. Okay,.

A

Well, it sounds like we'll have some homework to do anyway, um once once, once we get a copy of that, we'll have to read it carefully and look and see. um That brings me to the end of my list of things for the agenda. Is there anything else that people want to raise before we look at the minutes of the last meeting.

C

uh I had a question: I noticed that the bank um has changed hands on east state street and it's now the park bank, and maybe it happened a long time ago and I just never noticed it. But uh that was something that I don't know, whether it's the same bank and it just changed the name. I think it was century that was there um but uh and I was wondering uh what had happened. There are no trees there and I I thought, maybe so.

A

I don't know the uh it's interesting. You say that I wasn't aware of that. One. The bank on stimson avenue has changed names as well.

C

A

Well, that's a thing: that's happening in the city that uh we're exchanging the banks.

B

What is that? What is that? What is the stand on that I mean do? Are they then require new owners? No, no.

A

No, no, the the only thing that triggers compliance is uh uh development of of the property. Okay, just change, changing ownership- I don't think, is enough to trigger any of the uh the rules. It's change of use and um investing in the in the property can lead to uh yes, but.

C

But I thought in in order to sell it. If there was a lien on it, then that would have to be dealt with before it could be sold. Yes,.

A

Yeah, but I think that one on.

C

A

8Th street there is no, there is nothing. There is no no requirement outstanding on that, one that I'm aware of yeah. So.

E

David is it possible to set up a mechanism by which, when a property, a business property is up for sale that the shade tree commission is notified. So that way we can ensure there are no liens and nothing else.

A

Now that that doesn't happen.

E

I understand it might not happen, but could it happen? Could.

A

That be no! No, because the uh the way these things work is that it's the mortgage company that will come to the city and that's them. The city, isn't aware of these sales. Unless somebody comes to them to do it, and only.

E

The city is notified, could we.

A

No, they they wouldn't be notified. The city would only be the the only thing that would happen is if a mortgage company thinks there might be a lien or wants to clear make make it clear, there's a lien. They would then call, but they don't always call. I mean it's, there's no, there's no guarantee, there's, no, there's no legal requirement for them to do that. It's their risk.

E

I guess there's no requirement, but if it happens, I would think that somebody in the city should be notifying us.

A

Yeah well yeah, but it's the code that it's the code office that they would call and it's the code office. That would know uh if there's anything outstanding, but I mean that other than that. That's that it is the code office that all these all these queries get get gets empty, yeah.

C

But isn't that one of the things that a title company does? Because when you sell something at all, you always have to pay a title company to make sure everything is as it should be.

A

That's what you pay them for, yes, and that's why you take.

C

Out title insurance.

F

A

They don't do their job properly. You can claim on the insurance. That's.

C

Right: okay, well,.

A

Yeah, so there is no perfect system.

E

I'm just going to stick my nose in it one more time, david, but the title office. When it changes title, they are required to call the city's title office. Aren't they there.

A

Is no city title office? It's it's a county. One.

E

A

And we don't deal with the county office.

E

That would be given notification of a change of ownership. I guess I don't understand why it's so hard for us to find that out, but.

A

At that stage, we couldn't intervene.

E

Right but at least we would be on notice to go hey, let's go, you know, look, let's make sure they're not developing, let's make sure they're not changing their footprint. Instead of us just wandering up and down east state street noticing you know a sign change. Well, that's.

A

That's essentially the code office, because the code office uh is supposed to be the eyes and ears when it comes to that.

F

I I will mention so basically that that type of process would trigger most most commercial development is is, uh is all at the state level. uh So the only thing that uh that a person on a with a commercial property within the city limits would have to apply for would be a permit.

F

um You know a building permit, and so those would be the that would be the only only notification that the city would uh receive about about a change unless they are starting to um unless they're asking to do something that the uh the you know say a reduction in in parking spaces or or something like that, and then that that'll trigger um oh. What is that is that a title title title thirty.

F

C

You mean a variant if they want a variant, correct.

F

Yeah and then it goes in front of the planning commission and there's sean katowski and he'll. Ask how many.

C

B

What about taxation is there some way we could get in with them.

A

Oh really, no, I mean because the idea is, you want to be able to interrupt the sale um by making them comply with something that is outstanding and that's where you have to rely on the mortgage company or somebody doing, I guess, a title search, maybe as well, but the mortgage company coming to the city and asking is railing there and so we're heavily reliant on that on that side of the process.

C

So, unless we've taken some action to show that they have not done what they said, they would do there will not be a lien, so we have to make sure that they're lien on all the properties that haven't been yeah- yeah. Okay. Well, that's that's. Definitely an action that could be taken.

A

Oh yes, yeah yeah, yeah,.

B

I was trying to think how how the tax department gets notified when you buy a new house or when the house changes and or building building changes, hands that do they.

F

B

F

Come down, I would assume that would be through the bank, because um your your taxes, I think you have to pay the taxes forward, because I think your your your your tax bill is always for the previous year. So if you're selling properly that's right, you have to pay your taxes forward.

B

That would be so they would know.

F

They would be contacted.

A

Yeah I mean that's that that's my way of finding out who who owns what I just go to the uh uh the county uh uh auditor uh office. I think that holds the titles I mean it's, it's a very easy site to navigate to find these things, but intercepting the changes would be very hard.

A

What I can see.

A

A

Well, one thing that just occurred to me: we probably ought to do, and I'm sure you'll all agree with this. We should note in our minutes our thanks to john john katowski for his service to the shade tree commission and wish him well on the planning commission. So.

B

A

That as a motion that is going to be acknowledged by all the tree, commissioners and I can see people.

B

Not that he heard our feelings.

C

Well, it will reduce the concentration of tree care tree commissioners up in my neighborhood, okay, because living next door to each other, which wasn't very spread out and then david sinkoff is just you know, a few blocks away and then emily wood, so yeah.

A

Yeah, yes, yeah, okay! um Well, if there is no other business, then I'd like to move on to the minutes of the last meeting. Let me find my share thing so that you can see what we've got for the minutes of the last meeting that should now pop up on your screen. uh So these are the minutes. um I think I've got the attendees correct for this one.

B

I looked at it before, but I forget.

B

B

So what happened about the tree on the on the rain.

A

Oh, it was, it was just a possible sight. I don't think there was a tree there or if it, if there was it, had been removed uh some time ago and the owner wanted to plant a tree but was uncertain as to whether the tree was in the wood. If the location is going to be in the right of way, and I believe it is in the right of way, but they have permission to go ahead.

A

Okay and plant the chili tree that they want to plant.

D

David, I don't see a copy of the uh tree list, that of sites that you and alby.

A

Compiled was that didn't didn't I attach it to the I'm. Sorry, if I didn't do that, I don't have it okay. um I I intended to attach it to the email I sent out last night, and maybe I didn't attach it properly or something, but.

B

I have a copy of it from somewhere. Yes, I mean I looked at it. I think it was with minutes uh at the at the meeting.

A

Yes, it was with the minister meeting and now I've yeah. um Yes, I uh it looks like I didn't. I don't think I attached it. I apologize for that I'll, but it will be attached when the final minutes go in and I will make a note to send you out all the copy, because I I certainly intended to send out the um the uh the tree list that we circulated uh the the site list.

B

My goal was to uh to use your format and uh continue uh documenting in this neighborhood and it got too cold and I haven't done any of it.

A

It's all right, yeah. I understand that. um Let me find it here. We go.

B

You guys did in a car, though, didn't you.

A

I believe so, yes, yep.

B

You guess that you get in my car.

E

A favor as a movie would somebody be willing to take me around. Maybe at some point- and you know just take me to a neighborhood and say: hey here's the right of way. Here's a tree! This is what we look for, or you know maybe a business property or something just to indoctrinate me well drive out.

B

To menards and you'll see all the trees that were required of them.

E

I did see those yeah.

B

E

Those and I know.

B

That's one of the things.

A

Yeah, um let me just I found the document, I'm gonna just pop it up on the screen, so you you'll see what I'm what nancy and I've been talking about. uh That's this is the document. um uh It's just a one-page summary of uh possible sites, uh the streets, uh the numbers of the addresses where we thought uh trees could be planted and some comments occasionally about uh what might be possible at those various sites.

A

So that was the uh that was the missing document and I I apologize.

B

Do you think it would be any? Do you think it would be of any help if each of us took an area and did that.

A

And then I I get it, I mean that that could certainly be part of our of our planning, um because.

B

This is why we need money.

A

Well, it has been suggested in the past that uh individual commissioners look after certain portions, if you like of the of the city, um the um so that that may be something that we want to do um I'll. Put that in my planning document as a question.

E

A

E

Looking at the list, I see a lot of east side.

A

Well, yeah, because what we did alvey and I just drove around the uh the the far east side. Basically, oh.

E

Okay, I'm beginning to see a problem where I am on the south side. I guess it would be long view.

E

We've lost a lot of ash trees along the ridge and um basically, we as neighbors, we sort of take it upon ourselves when they fall on the street to move them out of the street.

E

um There are a couple of trees that will remain falling, I'm not so concerned about that, but we're losing the trees that are holding some of these very steep hills and there are a lot of trash trees. I'm sorry! If that's not the proper word to be that's.

A

Nothing, no no tree is a trash tree, they're all good trees,.

E

They're invasive oh yeah,.

A

Yeah, this is a badass little.

E

Trees um and they're, not banks and I'm. I am concerned about that. Yeah yeah.

A

Now one of the you were just asking about uh knowing how uh right-of-way identification and so on, um to start with, where I, where, where these uh properties are located, uh the right-of-way um is usually measured, uh measured from the center of the street out to some point on either side of the street. It's a little bit variable.

A

um Typically, it's at least the sidewalk, but not always. Sometimes the sidewalk is on private property, um sometimes.

B

There's no sidewalk.

A

Well, yeah: there are no sidewalks and then I think in areas like you were mentioning up in longview heights, certainly up on uh columbus.

A

What is it called the uh the one that leads? Not not columbus, maybe maybe it's columbus road, colombia, colombia, that's it colombia, um the um the the right of the the owner, has actually granted an easement to the city for the street, so I I I'm very perplexed as to what we do at that point in terms of planting trees, um but because outs, when these properties were first developed, they were in the county.

A

They weren't in the city in the county, an owner typically owns to the middle of the street and sometimes owns to the far side of the street, and then the county is granted an easement to go through the property uh on a certain track through there really, and so it gets to be a little bit complicated, and so, when those are annexed into the city, uh those uh rights and privileges all will remain the same. uh There is no right of way like there is saying in the east side.

A

um I think I think, on, uh I think, canterbury um and the streets around there. I believe there is a proper right of way for those, uh because those were established uh just like oakview as a viewer, oakmont yeah uh oakmont was a development. It was a subdivision developed under the city rules, and so that has a right of way.

A

I think for each of the streets there and you can sometimes get the right of way off the auditor's uh uh website, the um where all the properties are listed, because quite often the uh the right-of-way is shown there and that's where you get into some really interesting things, because you can overlay um satellite pictures of properties with the rights of way- and you say oops there's something wrong there, but david. Yes,.

C

I can remember when people on northwood were asked to uh grant the city.

C

Well, I can't remember the wording, but we basically were turning over this part of the street and part of our property to the city, and I thought that the city then had the right of way, uh which goes right up, uh takes up quite a bit of my front lawn as it turns out, um and we have no sidewalk and so, um but at the time and and now it seemed like the right thing to do because they do. The city does pave um this. You know pavar street et cetera, it does the maintenance.

C

So um so I wonder if it's the same as on colombia or whether or not it was because it happened later,.

A

It could well be, and in which case, the agreement is going to have to state exactly what the city can do, and it probably, I would suspect in your case it's probably just the maintenance of that street itself, which is the requirement, and so there wouldn't be any expectation that the city will be able to plant trees uh in that area and so that it will be up to the property owner to plant plant. The trees.

C

Well it it. I know that when I did plant uh a tree I did uh have to get a form and fill it out. Oh yes, when alvi was, uh I mean I don't know whether I had to, but I was told that that was the right thing to do, and so I did um unfortunately that tree died, but I.

B

Just think where is it.

C

Mysterious the mysterious death of the buckeye tree yep- oh I'm sorry.

A

Okay, so if we can return to the uh the minutes, um I will make sure you get a copy of this piece and.

B

To take john's place, I will recommend that.

A

Thank you nancy. Maybe.

B

C

I'll second, that thank you. Thank you very much.

A

Are there any objections to approving the minutes of the last meeting hearing none. We have minutes of our last meeting, um uh I'm looking around for my agenda just.

E

Make sure you note that I had to abstain as I wasn't there.

A

Oh, we don't mind, but it's it's, whether the any any I just notice it's without objection.

A

I I do it that way. It's easier, I don't have to count the votes that way. um Our next meeting um is going to be february. 11Th um uh 7 p.m. On zoom, again, uh we'll see if we've got any plans for um developments. That uh will be interesting. If we do.

C

And david, if you're going to send out that link to roxanne, could you just send out the link for the tree conference to to us all so that we can have a a second chance? I would like to watch it again and that would be yeah easy and then maybe.

A

I believe they're now all on youtube, because that that was where I went to. uh That was where the link, the link took, taught me to so hopefully it'll be maintained. Great yeah.

C

Okay and thanks again for doing the minutes, I I think it's very, very generous of you to do those well.

A

Again, it's a resource, we don't have anymore. um Okay, uh I guess we are adjourned, then. Thank you.