City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Trees & Greenery Committee, 9 Mar 2022

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From YouTube: 03/09/22 Trees & Public Greenery Committee Meeting

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A

Okay, I will call the march 9th meeting of the crossman trees and training committee.

A

And before we proceed with anything else, I did want to um take care of something I.

A

I'll pass this out, yeah.

A

And pass that down here and um you know we did the attendance.

A

Certificate of terrific attendance: this is to certify that each of you attended each.

A

And every meeting of the trees and green committee in the year of our law, 2022.

A

This proclamation issued at portsmouth on march 9th 2022 the trees and greenery committee by.

A

Its chair, peter jayla, so congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. I feel honored. Thank you, sir yeah.

B

I did not attend.

A

Okay, we have the minutes of the um february meeting.

B

To accept uh second, any discussion, all in favor.

A

Yeah, this is a question last time aj was asking if this is a chain reaction, and it's not um these.

C

Were just brought up at the same time their next door neighbors. However, these three trees that I.

C

Posted um I would advocate, they need to be removed. There's serious decay up the tree, there's decay at.

C

The base of one of the trees- it's just basically, we know that whole entire row of norway, spruce.

C

Needs to be managed- and this is a start- at least leading these three out and then the ones on the.

C

Ends are good, but the president expressed concern and I their valid concerns any questions.

C

All right I'll sing it uh and discussion all in favor.

A

On just to touch on that, we will plan on replanting at least a three or two.

A

B

Well, um I I I don't know about the health of that tree. I'm.

B

And it's a large tree and I really do love large trees and I think when we can have.

B

Large trees across from power lines, it's always good um and it's it's. It.

B

I don't know I don't know what the hell with the tree. It looks looks like beauty to me.

B

Yeah I thought it I I actually went to see it twice. I went yesterday during the heavy winds.

B

And I noticed something down and in the yard of the uh the owner and then uh next door as well.

B

So I you know, I thought again, not knowing the health of the tree.

B

um I thought pruning it. The two limbs that go toward the house probably would be beneficial, but.

B

Again, I don't know, I don't understand the health of the tree, but it is beautiful.

D

And no one would deliberately plant a tree like that. Clearly, some volunteers.

B

I would advocate taking it down and planting an iso tree in its place, probably.

B

Probably minutes relate to the big tree. You know aspect because it takes a long time to be a big.

B

Tree but if you look at the back side of that tree, the thing that concerns me more is the bark damage.

B

All over the butt face that tree- and I don't know what caused it I've been to the tree now. Three.

B

Times and I just called a buddy of mine- um there's something something is going on with that tree.

B

um So if you look at all the boxes, all kinds of little cracks all over the base of it.

B

Yeah one or two of them is, you know somebody hit it with. You know whatever piece of equipment.

C

Whatever we reckon, but I mean these are 10 12 feet up that must be around this.

C

Tremendous amount, so that tells me it's insect damage. I don't know what it is.

C

C

There's a bunch of different things with that tree I mean.

C

There's a section like uh dick had mentioned, you have volunteers growing together and there's a.

C

Section of included bark, that's actually pushing away. That's gonna fail. That's my bigger concern.

C

Is what aj's talking about it looks like someone? I don't even know what there's these holes and.

C

There's something around all over everything you know naturally cracks.

B

Again, no big deal in a big diamond tree, but you add up all those little dead spots.

B

And the plumbing in the tree, just just isn't working. So it's not a big obvious spot of problem.

B

That you know on the side of one of the trees, some of the others, but there's something going on.

B

That's the first thing that came to my mind, just because it's a big tree issue.

B

Something here I don't show any other characteristics of it.

C

There's usually a pencil size hole drill coming out of the tree for the insect index.

C

And also with this one, we would be looking at planting two to three shade trees in the green.

C

Strip, there's no trees in that green strip there. um So that would be a good thing, because we're.

C

Not right under the wires they're still right out of that whole strip. So then you can choose.

B

Something that would we do yeah and it'd, be you know a single stem, that's the other problem. Is it.

C

Definitely was a volunteer at some point that just had the multi-stem situation going on, which.

C

In our in the near future, at some point it's going to fail just with that included bark sections.

C

It's tearing down, you might be left with the other two stems, but and once in the road, I think we can.

C

Do better than that, and whatever has infested that tree has done some damage some serious.

C

Damages to die back, there's all sorts of stuff going on. So it's such a learning curve right.

B

You know it's pretty significant amount of greenery right there and.

B

I'm not quite as comfortable practicing eugenics as dick isn't.

C

It is, it is, I double check the right away. There, we go go in there quite a bit. Do.

A

We have a motion to recommend anymore. I will motion to recommend removal. Second,.

A

European beach- and um I guess someone's going to tell us which field you drive.

C

All right so to clarify fairview drive is where this tree is off of maplewood fairview ave.

C

Avenue is the other one that connects to edmonds, that little l, so there's a drive and an avenue.

C

Very close to each other anyways. The resident is here for that as well, but we met.

C

Yesterday, as well as um the resident's private arborist, david steadman with northeast shadrach,.

C

Advocate for tree preservation and um the kind of shame with this one is that pole was rerouted too.

C

Close to the tree in recent years, so it caught the tree on fire um and that's why you have that stem.

C

Next to the covered wire: that's all that decay and stuff, so the thought is to the hope is to.

C

Scott, we can discuss this but to bring that leader below the wire and there's that other leader.

C

Coming up a branch coming off the back toward the house on that big leader, you cut it somewhere.

C

Around there and it's way below the wires, but in return we can keep the tree for four years.

E

uh Peter, could she come up and sit at the.

E

Microphone because we don't catch, the um people come up and sit here.

B

Hello, my name is.

B

I am advocating to keep the tree really appreciate all of the help that I've gotten.

B

And meeting with me as well, unfortunately, this has been a very healthy tree.

B

Was an unfortunate incident that the fires were moved closer and it caused some trauma to the tree.

B

But this is, you know, a tree that is thought to have been planted during the time that.

B

Frank jones had the property and the enforcements were very much about historical preservation and.

B

I think that it's important that you know that extend to trees as well as buildings I experienced.

B

This tree every day, as part of the reason that we bought the property, it was not on our property.

B

But it's a beautiful tree and.

B

Provide shade to our house, I think it helps with the drainage in the area.

B

And it's something that people mention every time they come to.

B

My house is the first thing that they mentioned is.

A

I think he talked about a solution. I completely understand your position and I have met with you.

B

Yes, probably well prior to shocking every social position. Isn't that you know we need.

B

To cut down every tree that we think is bad and I know you were concerned about what we.

B

Were going to leave and that's when I got to hold the check to say you know.

B

If I do what I need to do, this is not going to be a good situation for the homeowner.

B

But you know ever so: it's just perfectly fine with trying to preserve as many trees.

B

It's such a beautiful tree, so, okay so be around it. Your house is starting to grow.

B

So do we have a motion to implement the recommendation of.

A

Chuck, which was to prune the front limb uh stem and the one that goes back towards the house.

A

A

um Three white pines.

C

Yeah there there actually was a lot of concern about those, um but it's I think that.

C

They really have to go. I don't think they have any future at all. It looks like they've been.

C

Talked already yeah many times, yeah, it's just a matter of yeah you're, just gonna.

C

Have this probably already significant decay from being topped a bunch of times.

C

Thought was get rid of them and then we will replant some ornamentals there. The resident.

C

Had some concerns about having a screen from 33, but um a lot going on behind it right there.

B

Is and I thought the second row looked- kind of cool yeah there's a lot of growth behind it. Yeah.

C

Want to remove.

E

um Peter I just want to make sure um that if we have some one person attending.

E

If they're interested in speaking, please raise your virtual hand.

E

Or somehow let us know that you're interested in speaking to a topic, so that's ian towers.

E

Hold on a second.

A

B

Hi um I was, I had sent an email, I was curious as to if we were going to get.

B

Notified um the day and the date that the twitter would be taken down and.

B

Are we going to have to justify driveway for our traffic.

E

Which property is that, in? I think, colonial drive off of seven roads.

A

So we have a request from um eversource for removal of one london, 533 colonial drive and.

A

Scott richardson, here from.

F

Again, this is just one of the trees. Unfortunately, that has been planted in.

B

A bad situation, it's grown to a state, we're not.

B

Touching the wires or has been touching the wires some decay. I think in that one it's the one, I'm.

B

Remembering and you know it's just trying to protect their infrastructure as far as.

B

Trees falling on the wires. Luckily, I think, since everything that the town has done and eversource.

B

Has done in the last over years, portsmouth in the area haven't lost much. I think. That's.

B

Part of what this board has helped accomplish, which is what episodes wants to have accomplished.

B

Unfortunately, this is just another one that falls into that category.

B

Yeah colonial is a good example of many areas. The wrong tree for the wrong location.

C

Anyways, it is a proximity issue and there's I will say, scott and eversource have done a great job.

C

In particular, that neighborhood there's way more than two trees that uh are out of out of code for.

C

Them so to just have two requests right now. Is it's a good thing? I think that one in particular.

A

Does doesn't have a future just because of the location of those wires? um I shouldn't point.

A

Out we've obviously vigilantly vigilantly guided those lindens around panaway from.

A

Quest for removal and didn't involve wires, necessarily but driveways or other things very.

A

Reluctant to to allow removals out there- and I did.

A

Tell us anything about.

A

Can hear you now.

E

And is your only concern related to timing to make sure that you're not blocked your driveway's, not.

E

Blocked, um no, not really I'd just like to know if you know maybe a couple days ahead of time.

B

When the tree is going to be taken down, yeah that shouldn't be a problem, uh usually I know.

F

About where the crew is on their removal list, so yeah somebody could definitely contact you.

F

Or reach out to you and let you know that it's going to happen fairly soon and the crew did.

B

Show up would be no problem to make sure that you had access in and out of your property and do you.

E

Have contact information you could share with us? um Yes, I will give you my home phone. It's 431-1049.

B

Thank you, ann and chuck. I think you have my email address. Also we'll share we'll share that with.

E

With scott from every source yeah ever since, when they were here last.

B

Fall since all the branches, all the way up, throwing were at the very very top of this.

B

Tree, which is well I'm in a ranch, and it's quite it's probably two times the height of my house.

B

So I don't know, there's always a concern.

B

It could go over and it would be right from my house and into my favorite backyard.

E

All right, thank you. Thank you, this particular limit. This has no.

B

There's no lower branches, it goes all the way up and then there's just in the canopy is way above.

E

Unlike the other one, so um one thing to be aware of and we will be coming before the treatment.

E

Greenery committee next month to discuss this is that we are planning a significant sidewalk.

E

Project out of panaway manor- and I believe this is one of the trees that is likely to be damaged.

E

As a result of that effort, we've identified a number of trees and some strategies to avoid.

E

The impact where possible, but there are going to be a number of trees that were coming before you.

E

That that will result in probably.

E

So but we'll have a more detailed we're having a public meeting for that.

E

Tonight, with the neighborhood to discuss the pro the project and then we'll be.

E

Coming back to you with a more specific list working closely with each other.

E

One alternative that we are floating is that, instead of building new sidewalks that we just.

E

Strike the roadway um as an alternative, um given the desire for sidewalks. I would be surprised if.

E

That was an exceptional alternative, but we need to at least explore that potential option um for.

E

A number of reasons, so I just wanted you to be aware that you know this tree. You know maybe.

E

Already damaged as a result could be damaged as well. Here any uh discussion comments about.

A

5 33, we have a motion to recommend removal, someone I'll send you a second okay.

A

All right discussion, all in favor, aye, aye, a 208 colonial drive, another request from nepalese.

A

It's the same basic issue with that wrong place: decay on.

B

But what it the health of that tree.

B

um That one is uh yes, that's got the split, um it's not a bright future on that one.

B

B

Would this be another uh tree peter, that's part of the panaway project. It's on the same.

B

So it's on the same side of the road that the sidewalk is going to be slated to go on. Yes, it is.

E

But I I think just my personal feeling and.

A

I hate to think of wiping out all those lindens out there under any circumstances.

E

We concur, and we understand that I mean it's- it's an incredible.

E

Forested area or an urban setting, and it's taken a long time to establish those trees.

E

um We are not replacing both we're not proposing to replace sidewalks on.

E

Both sides of the street so we're looking to minimize that and we're also working closely.

E

With chuck to figure out alternative uh ways of getting around um and avoiding impacts, so.

E

We're very sensitive to that. um However, the residents have been very.

E

Clear for a number of years, monies have been appropriated by city council to do this work.

E

It's frankly getting to the point where it's a failure of.

E

Management me to make sure something that the resident have been asking for, and the city council.

E

Has appropriated money for to be accomplished so we're very sensitive to the balance here.

E

And it's not a question of trees being blended in the wrong place um because when they were planted.

B

That was perfect. That's right.

B

And pruning this tree for a while, not so sensible at this point.

C

There's quite a few in there too, that have been pruned to the point. It's just. It's almost.

C

Embarrassing it just uh twigs with a little bit of well. The one before was an obvious example of that.

B

Yeah this one not not so much at this point not as much I mean you just go to the crack.

B

There's a little bit of a crack starting um and you know it looks like it's starting to open up.

B

It's not a lot of callous tissue around it, so it's been moving for a long time.

B

Getting advantage to fly up and see that at that point start over there.

B

That's one of those things that we know we know those multi-steps sort of push apart is that.

B

The part that's nearest to the road, no actually right in the bottom of that piece down.

B

So if you're out yeah.

B

Is right at the entrance up close and you all see you all saw that stuff on the.

B

I don't think it's there at that point. It's not split all the way down. We've had some.

B

Out there, that you know we're split several feet down those cracks in there become more.

B

So the sidewalk gets decided, you know, what's going to happen.

B

If everybody says we don't want any sidewalks, uh you know that tree is still a foot away.

B

From the wires so that it either has to be guarded or something has to be done,.

B

Is there another london across the street most likely, let's see.

C

Yes, uh there's a silver maple directly across anna lyndon and there's. There are.

C

Some exceptions up there too yeah. There are some brits houses up here. You know.

B

I always just like to look at the whole landscape, the whole streetscape, when these things are in.

B

Front of us- and I do feel better- that there are larger trees, balancing something the advantage to.

B

Looking ahead, is you know very similar to what we did before this committee? You know existed.

B

uh Down from the birthplace of their own bike, uh a little bit houses.

B

So before this committee existed, we you know worked in that area.

B

I picked up some of the big old trees putting into new ones during that construction project.

B

And you're able to deep frog ahead of this process. If the sidewalks go in the trees, don't die for.

B

You know two three, five six years down the road and it's a little bit of root beer, a little bit of.

B

Rotten there's a little bit of everything else, but then you know you lose all those trees. At the same.

C

Time, if you take out, you know, third, one now make some pockets have some trees already established.

C

Plus we can plant trees that will stay under 25 feet, at least in that location. They can be around.

C

For forever versus becoming an issue down the road having this happen, it'd be a giant shock.

B

And one other thing: you know this committee shouldn't be afraid to reach out to eversource.

B

And say: look, you know, we've helped you out tremendously by requesting or.

B

Granting a lot of the requests that you put in is there any chance? You know you could donate some.

B

Trees to us they've got a tree planting program. I suck at that worst you're going to get us no.

C

That is something in the past marshlane if you've ever been down to marshland.

C

There's a little kind of kayak launch area on the north mill pond by the jackson house.

C

All of those trees there's a little arboretum. We planted there as we're all.

C

Donated by eversource, so we've done this in the past, but for this past cycle from.

C

Last season this season, I think it's well worth us asking hey.

E

I appreciate that I I don't recall that I mentioned this to the committee last month.

E

But we're planning on doing um for the 400th anniversary, planting 400 trees, the rotary.

E

Has agreed to buy 200 of those 400 trees and if you know eversource could kick in some additional.

E

uh That'd be great and we're looking, you know for resident participation. We've spoken to aj briefly,.

E

About this as well, so this is a great opportunity to really do some significant planting out in this.

E

Area after you know, after we've completed the project, so it's you know. Yes, it's a. It takes 50.

C

I will say like aldrich when that got redone with sidewalks. There was definite root damage because.

C

You can tell the proximity of the sidewalk, but we've preserved a ton of trees there. They.

C

Didn't get shocked a few years after it looked like there was some severe decline, but we did.

C

Retrenchment prunes and if you go down to aldrich today, but look at all those trees, particularly.

C

On the right hand, side of the road and they really have recovered acceptable. So maybe that.

C

Down the road when this colonial thing gets discussed, maybe that's an option.

C

As well to work around more than apparently we'll see another discussion about um 208.

A

Scott, thank you you're very welcome. Thank you. Thank everybody for the.

A

Concerns and dedications to the rest of the sources. I think we've got a fine job.

A

Thanks for coming, okay, next we're going to have a presentation by david disposes and before I.

A

Even speak, I want to last time david was here, made a comment because we missed it. I didn't.

A

And david said that we're talking about the service credit union, the roads behind here.

A

David said: well, things came together and now we've got.

A

We didn't money come together. David worked for 10 years, um getting the funding doing the design work.

A

Dealing with the landowner, which was required, great diplomacy and great uh patience and.

A

Because I was involved with the landowner and uh david was tireless in pursuing that.

A

And so what didn't just come together magically it came together after um many.

A

Years of uh effort on david's path, so I just wanted to.

A

So we'll get started.

D

D

D

Sidewalks around the trees, we don't. I went to the additional right away, though.

D

Right away is the back of the sidewalk out there, but um in the past.

D

D

One side of the road uh so we'll continue to.

D

Kind of try to push that agenda tonight, um we'll come back here for next month.

D

Now for six generations and um we are almost there- I think that we did. We finished preliminary design.

D

Three, three years, four years ago, with vhb.

D

uh Started at the bypass and went to build the street and polluted columbia, street and.

D

Columbia, port, so that climbs the construction contract uh photoshop uh and we have hired.

D

Ironwood who's working for the finishing touches the streetscape that we designed.

D

As part of uh the overall plan uh never got.

D

Finalized they're, like 80 points, so we have higher underwood to do the designs.

D

So what does that mean? That means picking the final locations.

D

Picking the final locations for the trees, picking the final details for how to plant the trees.

D

So some of the trees in jeff's presentation you'll see that we're using sofa cells in other.

D

Areas where we have utility conflicts, we might use some cu structural soils to put around tree roots.

D

It's a structural soil and when you look at it, it looks mostly like crushed stone.

D

But it's got clay and other organic spaces in the stone. So structurally it's strong. You.

D

Can build sidewalks and stuff on top of it, but the trees seem to like it and it gives the tree.

D

A little bit of a chance in urban dense urban environments, we're also going to be using some of.

D

The uh cellular trees as uh stormwater treatment and blue scenes presentation, so there are several.

D

Sheets here about where uh you'll also notice that um we're hoping to do some substantial work in the.

D

Entrance to goodwin park, uh 130 years old now it's gone through several provisions over 230 years.

D

Even the monument itself has been revised at the whole time, sometimes sometimes by.

D

One of the one of the key goals we had was trying to try to use.

D

This sprucing up the entrance apart as part of the streetscape improvements, for instance,.

D

The street, so you notice we go to this sheet here. We are planning a new main entrance so far.

D

So it's right now you have a kind of those 45-degree entrances.

D

Interesting, as you can see on this diagram, schematically that what we're planning on doing.

D

Is actually shifting those a little bit so they line up the crosswalks running across the street.

D

To the side streets in the starting neighborhood and then creating a grand entrance around the.

D

Existing monuments in the center we're also planning on adding some volume lights that are.

D

The same volume lights that we're using in the market street park, you know they're the low black.

D

Concrete baller lights, because anybody who has walked through that parking lot, there's lighting.

D

Around the monument itself, there's lighting on the corners of the streets, but there's no lighting.

D

So we're planning on adding some lighting as part of this project as well.

D

That being said, I think that's enough entrance for jackie. We uh we're planning on probably.

D

Doing some work near bridge street as well, it's kind of the entrance of the street we're.

D

Hoping to do some additional things there, um which those are still kind of the plugs, but um we will.

D

Be back next month for our final, uh these are the trees we're going to use where they're going to go.

D

Type of thing, this is more or less an introduction to get feedback from you guys. The 90 design plans.

D

Need to be done by next week and so we're hoping that by the time we get feedback. Hopefully today.

D

By the time we see you again, we're almost at 100 plans we're hoping to bid this project in april.

D

For to start construction on the next phase this year, so that being said, jeff's here and he'll.

D

Give his presentation, if you have questions we'll, be here to answer them. Thank you. Okay,.

F

Good to see you all this morning, um the record my.

F

Name is jeff highland, I'm a landscape architect designer.

F

Feedback from you, there are a lot of decisions.

F

Is a list of trees that we had generally good success with? In um you know, northern.

F

New england on streetscape projects doesn't necessarily mean they're all appropriate for.

F

um But these are just you know, kind of a running list of trees that we generally like to use.

F

For islington street you can see I'm kind of walking through.

F

In the graphics, starting from the southwest end, where phase one ended um right around over street.

F

uh Started that this kind of graphic uh walkthrough in total, what you'll see over the.

F

Coming pages approximately 40 troops in the new tree, so you know one tenth of what peter said. Your.

F

Goal was for the 400th anniversary. We are hoping to get on island street. um Isn't it straight.

F

You know if you're not super familiar with it, um we've all driven it, but sometimes we don't always.

F

Take in little details like power lines and things like that for the most part on islington street.

F

All the power lines are on the south side, there are some service connections and things like that.

F

Crossing but the biggest opportunity is on this side of the street, because there are very few.

F

Power lines running parallel to the turbine, so that's where we see most of the larger shade trees.

F

uh Potentially, going and on the south side would be probably more small, understood.

F

As you can see, we're trying to get as many trees as possible.

F

The spacing does vary anywhere from about 50 feet on center to about 30 feet on center.

F

So we're trying to give them a nice rhythm, a fairly tight planting scheme for a number of.

F

Reasons: first of all, uh traffic calming um effective street trees and traffic calming.

F

When you're introducing a lot of pedestrians on a corridor, which is a very important.

F

Criteria, we also have green infrastructure goals, as well as in shading and urban forestry.

F

Obviously, as landscape architecture, one of our primary.

F

Goals is to make sure these trees live for a long time. I'm sure you know urban.

F

Trees, don't survive particularly long on average, so we try to do everything possible.

F

To kind of everything from picking the right location, picking the right tree and then providing.

F

Sufficient soil log for those trees, if you're not familiar with artwork, we did state street.

F

Which was the first project in new england to use silva cells and since then, we've used them in a.

F

Lot more projects, and then dave also mentioned structural soils pretty familiar with those as.

F

Well, I first was introduced to those uh during the jake dig. We used them on number projects.

F

In boston, um most recently, we used some structural soils on a project in exeter, new hampshire and.

F

Linda on lincoln street and it's been very successful and that during a year and a half.

F

So familiar with kind of all the different options when it comes to kind of the.

F

Street tree growing medium and soil body also on green infrastructure,.

F

um We were involved in sagamore avenue and designed the treeboxful business there.

F

We've since gone on to kind of fine-tune that design uh and we used it in bridgeton recently.

F

It's worked out relatively well from the tree box and tree boxes for storm water.

F

Management are not real. I mean it's not ideal to treat I'm kind of trying to balance both.

F

Trees, growth and trees on streetscapes and also stormwater management. Sometimes those two things.

F

You know work out in the perfect scenario. I see an awful lot of tree box soakers.

F

Trying trying not to have that happen, um you know this is really more as an information for you and.

F

I'd love to, like, I said, get your feedback at this point because we really haven't gone very far.

F

When it comes to actual tree placement on the corridor, it's really kind of like.

F

A foundation discussion about what you would like to see in particular to learn more about.

F

You know, I know the city has raised curved planters. You've got tree grates.

F

At grade silver cells, a couple you know a lot of different kind of combinations, installation.

F

Details, so if you have any preference, I think um it would be great to hear that.

F

If you have any concerns about like the number of trees, we're proposing any concerns about.

F

Power lines you know there has been some discussion about, should there be any trees.

F

Yeah, so now is a great time to have that discussion and um if you have questions.

F

About some sounds or structural soil green infrastructure tree box filters. Anything like that.

F

Yes, talk about your desire to have the trees.

A

Have given any consideration to global warming and species that are likely to relatively.

F

Correct yeah- and you know a lot of that- has to do with tests um test issues. I see more and more.

F

Challenges when it comes to tests entries and the survivability of trees, so our our list of.

F

Available trees seems to be getting smaller and smaller, especially urban streetscapes, because.

F

It's a pretty challenging environment for a tree, so you know that's where I think the real thought.

F

Process comes in it's like understanding the new um and more widespread test problems that exist.

F

Just out of concern over a variety of tests and some challenges, we've just seen over the years.

F

So you'll notice, in the kind of our list of kind of the preferred trees you'll, see.

F

Their hearts and two there are two maples on that and that's that all that's true.

C

um I have some questions like this already, the first half that's been done of.

C

It was four or five years ago when we, I isn't.

C

Had this stage of that, um what we did was.

C

Basically selected, I selected species and we bounced once the species were selected.

C

We went from there and we visited each spot, like you said, looked around anyways. My concern is that.

C

As for specs, we have the specs that have been used. The whole project is the.

C

City of portsmouth, planting specs and details are planted a certain way and then, with these sizing.

C

I think that it's important that we have some continuity from, what's already been.

C

Done in islington, so it's not so that whole corridor looks not the same, but.

C

Like it's the same corridor, absolutely- and I understand so three and a half inch calipers.

F

Larger than what you put in yes um and then I can I'd be glad to talk about not right off the top of.

C

My head, but the species that we used, not keeping them all exactly the same. But I think that if we.

C

Keep some continuity with. We have a lot of diversity in that first half.

C

And we can continue it there's some trees that we aren't going to want to put in here and.

C

Yeah, that's just yeah. This is just kind of a yeah. This is a non-island constraint. Specifically, yes,.

D

Kind of in-office kind of list that we started with, um and yes, but I I realized the calendar.

D

Size is bigger than what you would put in. This is just this is kind of our average yeah. Absolutely.

D

Is this whole section as tight on the right away, as it was the first section that we did.

D

It's the same rows. It's the same layout, okay! Yes, because I know I know I knew everything.

B

Was sort of constructed in that first section we looked at that when we're doing the sight locks.

B

So when you're doing the bump outs um and we're trying to put in four trees in those intersections.

D

You know like a cabin or whatever else, and I've also put more trees in, but we're also dealing with.

D

You know crossings we're now being told to take down trees. Oh yeah, we're very much cognizant.

D

Of that, um I've already told jeff that, if we're going to plant trees at that tablet,.

D

Section they have to be small flowering trees, so they don't interfere with the traffic signals.

D

They're going in you know the and all the other things that we need to think about.

D

When humans are crossing roads, so we are cognizant of that, we will make sure very much make sure that.

D

We pick appropriate plantings for those high pedestrian crossing and vehicular prosecutors.

D

Very much in tune with that. I think that will help that intersection right now. That intersection is.

B

A bit tricky I live on cabin, so I go down there a lot and people coming out of portsmouth. You have.

B

To really make sure you have eye contact there, so one of the things that we're doing is those set.

D

Of signals is actually coming down. There'll be a formal set of proper signals going in.

D

That has the signal heads over overhead and off to the right. So when the sun is shining down your.

D

Vision going down islington street in january in the afternoon at roughly 3 30.

D

Right, you have two signals to look at all. That sort of thing is being designed.

D

Right now, and we will make sure that the two designs mesh and currently what.

B

Is it 35 the default.

B

Okay, it seems fast yeah, it always has seems fast to me.

B

uh Because the street's so narrow and um the drivability of it so just put into it.

E

We are reviewing all the speed limits throughout the quarter, tyler's um putting together uh safety.

D

Committee, if you're interested, there's always the opportunity to come at that committee, so.

D

Yeah I mean, and totally I will tell you that you know from my experience the phase one.

D

That's complete, you know traffic, you know going by aldridge going by baxter. You know.

D

Plaza 800 area traffic is slow moving slower than it was. I agree, so I think it's going to work now.

D

Where isn't cabot street is does this? Is this in the street also being um the whole project.

B

The reachi project that's going on down by the north millpond that's going to have. I don't know.

B

What the final number is is is: is this sort of do you think about those types of things, because.

D

Compared to the amount of traffic, that's already on the road, that's background noise really.

E

And that that and it's it's it's a totally separate perception of roadway. I mean the.

E

Impacts are are going to be felt at the intersections, uh but those have all been.

E

Analyzed and it's all been reviewed as part of the different committees.

D

But yeah that's that's kind of like background noise in the numbers.

D

Really compared to the number of users, that's already using the quarter.

F

Now they've talked a little bit about that. I mean they've covered that pretty. Well, I mean.

F

We are kind of really we are trying to create a situation where the park is more connected to the.

F

Streetscape kind of drawing uh or creating that kind of strong connection from the streets apart.

F

One of the ways of doing that is creating that kind of central axis into the car, aligning.

F

With the monument the existing monuments and widening that really making that prominent entry.

F

Making the two corner entries a little bit more second and more secondary entry point.

F

uh I think that will help a lot kind of connecting requirements on state street.

B

This this I'm looking at going to islington street, so the prominent will that be also.

B

On the state street side, no, this is not a park project per se. This is the streetscape project.

D

For islington, so we're not working on the back side of the park.

F

F

I have a smaller copy here, but this one right here.

F

um What we were proposing to do there is probably a smaller flower injury, because.

F

The trees in good environment are pretty substantial, large, mature, shade trees and.

F

It's lacking a little bit of kind of understory understory that human scale.

F

To the park, so we thought that would be kind of a nice addition.

F

We have already received a bit of feedback um on some of the kind of corner plantings and we're.

F

Going to rework this a bit, so we don't have any kind of larger uh buffer plantings on the corners.

F

Just so, there's no hiding places for people.

B

But at the same time,.

F

Nothing there will.

F

And there are already a fair number of trees there, so we're alive.

B

For example, in front of the mobile station.

B

You have two trees.

B

Is that I'm just asking which I don't really know yeah, I mean you know on a corridor like this.

F

The rule of three or five or seven is not quite as important. It's really. You know, because it's.

F

Such a linear corridor, okay, I always want more concern about the kind of the rhythm.

F

Of the trees as you're driving and the kind of density of the trees between them.

F

Things like that, and also one important thing on streetscape is the placement of trees in the.

F

Relationship but on street parking, because you certainly don't want a tree where your.

F

Car door is gonna smoke. We tend to align them with the end of each parking stall. If possible.

F

And then obviously, branching height will try to make sure the trees have sufficient branching.

F

Height pedestrians walking into close proximity. um What is that distance between say the two shade.

F

Trees yeah, you know, um you know a lot of it comes down to um things in the way. um So we you know.

F

We generally start with like a 35, switch um planting, a distance, and it depends.

F

It on the types of trees on the north side, we might have a little bit larger planting.

F

Distance apart, but ultimately we there's so many things in the west on street states.

F

There's just so many things on the streetscape project in the way that does make it challenging.

F

And we we haven't yet now with the street trees, we also have roadway lighting as well, so that we're.

F

Going to have to look at, we usually start with the street trees, because they're a little harder.

F

To place because we have to deal with soil line and underground, like street lights, are smaller.

F

The relationship of canopy to street luminaire thing- that's producing light, is critical, also.

F

There's still some work to be done: fine-tuning tree placement, uh the lights on the street and.

F

Then also what trees are going to be. uh I'm gonna have tree box filters associated with that, because.

F

That requires close proximity. I would. I would encourage the community to think of this as more.

E

Species than locations because, as you recall, during the first phase of islington, we had.

E

Aspired to put trees in a number of locations and due to conflicts.

E

uh In the middle of construction, we had to come back and explain why we're not going.

E

To be able to accomplish that, so you know it really. I would focus more on. You know.

E

We're going to try to maximize the number of trees we put in. There are a lot of constraints that that.

E

We know about now that we know as we get into the design, and we know when we get into construction.

E

But in terms of species in terms of diversity and that type of thing, that's what I would.

E

uh Focus more on at this point. Well, that was my next question. How and when do you.

B

Determine what these trees will be that you want to plant? How do you use that we work with chuck.

C

Last time it was not we worked together with uh who did that project and uh it's kind of the.

C

Same as peter just mentioned, you had a list of species, we actually went and selected them all.

C

And then things change and nurseries only have certain things and we work around that and.

C

I'd say what we have now in that first phase is very diverse: it's not as uh there's some things.

C

That we didn't work out or we changed our mind or nurseries, but the biggest thing was.

C

Selecting it first there's going to be some adjustments during the project.

C

And then the most important thing in my opinion, is when the planting starts really.

C

Being on site with the contractors doing the planting so that they get planted correctly.

C

Every single one did- and I don't know if this is still roger and severino.

D

uh I don't know we were wrong, establishing a good relationship with whoever is managing the project.

C

So making sure that we have really nice trees all right, okay, great! Thank you. This is a nice species.

B

Question but I was looking on one of the last pages, and so sometimes you have the iron grates.

B

And sometimes this is what you call the box soil, that's what you said. Yes, these are just basically.

F

Examples of different types of tree plantings- you know this was an attempt to you know.

F

Get some feedback from you, so the upper um upper left picture is obviously state street.

F

The middle one is.

F

Existing tree, that has silver cells around it, with a flush tree grade and part of that.

F

Does become a bit of a both an ada accessibility and a maintenance component? Because if you don't.

F

Have width um for the sidewalk cloud? You can't really put a raised planter in it. So sometimes.

F

We're kind of forced to do the tree great approach if we have limited sidewalk space.

F

The lower three pitchers are actually the use of um sea structural soil. That's the question earlier.

F

Was it looks like I mean that's kind of a picture of it or, um and it it basically an angular stone.

F

With soil and some hydrogels mixed in and it's a proprietary product developed by cornell,.

F

There are different types of structural soil. The best one is the cornell universe.

C

It looks like gravel, that's been sprayed with water and coated in dirt yeah, but it it does.

C

Work, I mean what my preference is when you can do. Silver cells do silla cells, but there's times.

C

Where you just can't, because there's all sorts of stuff going on underground utility-wise in.

C

My preference just because I see the snow side of it and the tree side of it is and just the failure.

C

Side of it is, I love the granite planters, a raised granite long term um just because eventually, at.

C

Some point in time the tree rates will need to get replaced or the tree will be too big for the grape.

C

I was wondering about it, but then there's times like jeff said where.

C

Maybe the sidewalk's too narrow and you won't be able to get a sidewalk plow through. So you.

C

Got to do a treatment, my preference is granite planters. When you can you can't.

B

Now you also use tree guards, so obviously we generally where we have a flush tree grade.

B

Situation, we usually try to include tree guards just to protect the trees.

F

The true the rain planters, like you said, are great, because it does provide.

F

You know kind of a bumper in there.

F

um Yeah to answer some of your potential questions about the tree right, you know they can be enlarged.

B

uh If it's kept, it's a series of rings in the design.

B

uh Unfortunately, like other things that you know they get.

B

In the tree great and the tree have an issue. So then you get called in five years too late.

B

That's just you know the maintenance thing like you know, with anything else, they're going to be looked at. It's cast iron drape, put the grate up, whack it with a hammer, put it back in and.

F

That trick can.

F

And it even though it doesn't have maintenance associated with it, you have to watch the tree.

F

Treating the tree, it's still raining on that tree, so you know it's better to have a tree.

F

Absolutely I like, I do like both books and I.

B

I think they're both used very effectively on state street in the places that they are now.

F

And that's what we would kind of propose kind of moving forward with you know, obviously, what's been.

F

Done in phase one is kind of dictating what we do in phase two and then using these variety of.

F

Different treatments based on these needs in a particular specific location on the corridor.

F

And then to throw the third, the last one in the tree box.

F

Filter, um I don't have a good sense at this point, how many three boxes.

F

Because again, it's a pretty specific thing and it needs to be in close proximity to a catch basin. So.

F

That, if the water can't get into the tree box, filter, there's a catch base in close proximity to.

F

It so uh and then also the grading of the roadway and things like that, so the water gets into it.

F

So there's a lot of little details associated with a tree box filter that.

D

So in general I think that's our opening volley over the next month uh we will be working um jeff.

D

And chuck will be working, I'm hoping intensely together to come up with a final tree list and.

D

A final location list, so when we show up again next month, we have definitive uh plans for you.

D

Is there any last-minute guidance you want to just shout out, while you have the opportunity.

D

And you have our ears, I would offer if I could, um the granite protection granite boxes. I don't.

A

Know the first time we used that in lower courts, lower congress street and um I and I with all.

A

And I know as careful as as peter and chuck are, every time you have two inches of snow.

A

And the snowplow sidewalk clouds have to go out. Every tree that doesn't have protection is at risk.

A

Whether no matter, how careful you are, let alone at three o'clock in the morning after.

A

You've complimented 24 hours and I I just think if you can possibly do the granite protection.

A

And then the tree, the vertical tree, grates yeah, so you got to replace them with something, but.

A

That tree is a I sound, like a creature, and uh that tree is at risk.

A

For its entire life- um and it was just one little nick from a plague.

A

Put the silver silver cell in and protected it and got it to this first five years and then.

A

It allows kids a bit and it's damaged um the uh until we.

A

Put in the contract, the city specs that chuck has developed over the years on the plant, the.

A

Actual planting of the tree, so that I know you do that, that's that's done! Okay and the.

A

Something I had note on grant on goodman park. um Peter came in five years ago four years ago about.

A

Some improvements in goodwin park there were some issues with being caused by the dense foliage.

A

Around the monument- and we had some, I think all of us- maybe said: okay, it's kind of nice.

A

And but realizing that there were various safety problems and sanitary problems in.

A

The area right around the monument and um slowly it wasn't done immediately, but over two or three.

A

Years the plan was accomplished to clean that up, and it looks very good. It's done very well.

A

And I I I don't- have an objection to the three and a half inch caliber trees.

A

I think some places it was better. I know chuck just agreed with that.

B

You know we hear this all the time about supply chain issues. Virtually everything same thing.

F

Occurs in the nursery industry, so it is getting more and more difficult to get good quality.

F

Material, it's an appropriate size, it's easier to get smaller sizes at this point, so this is.

B

A wish list here well, I was going to say the other big thing about smaller sizes is just.

C

They're much easier to establish so a two inch tree versus a three and a half oftentimes.

C

Will actually surpass the three and a half of the establishments but random watering.

B

Routine, for whoever, which is segwaying into my next question, um is there going.

B

To be a similar watering contract with whoever installs the tree or house yep.

B

Okay, we thank you for your time. Thank you.

D

If you have any thoughts, please feel free to reach out. Okay,.

B

um All I can say about that is we have a meeting on march 16th.

B

With peter mccoran myself a couple of the piscataqua garden club, ladies.

B

Been and um already been in contact with chuck and gotten the list from the intern.

B

uh About uh trees that have been identified.

B

Who was this, could you tell me who the intervention was or where they were from, or what.

C

Emily was an outstanding intern from unh.

C

Now she's moving on to actually do forest research university of california, davis, um anyways.

C

We needed to do a tree id. That was a project that I come up for with emily and those trees have all.

C

Been identified, they're located and you had the common and scientific name and the thought was.

C

Because so many of them, especially the more uh unique trees, they're, not mature, so the thought was.

C

You can't drill into the tree, like you could maybe on a.

C

Big mature tree, but they're all of the tree id companies that we've gotten quotes from.

C

At the little it's like a black state with the sign built on it just goes to the ground.

C

So we were gonna do that order, but it didn't come to fruition, but the work.

C

Is done but right, it was a great. uh It was great when you reached out because.

B

Someone else wants to do it, it's even better good times, so I'll have a better report. After our 16.

B

And I must say we used the steak on a low, blueberry bush or high blueberry bush out in little harvard, and nobody has needed it. It's still there.

B

um Update from city average, chuck baxter and.

C

Yeah this yesterday was the had some storm damage so just to touch base the exit of colonial uh on.

C

The if you're leaving colonial on that right-hand lane on the corner there's a big linden that broke.

C

In half we need to take the rest of that down kind of as an emergency things. That's going.

C

To happen today um and some trees come down fw hartford alpine on little harbor road. So it was a.

C

Colorful day yesterday, um we're gearing up for spring planting we're trying to.

C

Arrange some harbor day plans. We don't have any plans as of right now, so uh we usually.

C

I'm open to kind of treating that week of arbor day to have different things, whether it's.

C

Planting with a school group or or anything so if you have any ideas for barber day, can we explore.

B

The adopt-a-spot people, which is a nice time to bring them all together, we haven't done that for.

B

A while, I remember a couple times when I started an adopt a spot, we had some gatherings and it was.

B

Really a wonderful community moment because we had different neighborhoods people come together and.

B

I'm at different people and there's such yep efforts and dollars invested in a pride.

B

These adoptive spots, yeah, we have the ability to do something like that. If it's a group.

C

um Oftentimes we do just a planting place two or three trees and in return um the folks learn how.

C

To properly plant a tree that stuff like that, so reach out to me anything like that. Otherwise,.

C

We're uh the formal garden crab apples that is the annual prune of those every single year.

C

Those are meticulously maintained at prescott park.

C

Alcohol on our cutting utensils between each tree is this. Fire blight spread.

C

And then the same goes for the downtown trees going into state street. All the.

C

Way to memorial bridge and then all the way down through congress.

C

All those trees, many of them are albums will be pruned here. The next couple of weeks.

C

That's kind of a biannual thing.

C

Other than that gearing up for spring street clearance is kind of what's taking up a lot of.

C

The tree cruise time, right now, it's just keeping 15 feet of clearance over all the roads and stuff.

C

It's a task we don't do in the summer because we're just buried in.

C

Service requests this time of year, we on.

B

See them out there in the middle of the road. That's articulate.

B

Chuck, have you been monitoring that pervious mix that you're using in market square? We have.

B

Which we have an issue with uh not with what's been installed, but we have a supply chain issue.

C

We're trying to sort that out, we've lost our.

C

Contact and cobian supply chain issues we weren't able to get any product last year, but.

C

It holds up, but there will be some spots that need to be redone such as porter street um and our goal.

C

Is to just have the product, so we can redo it off, but a lot of the areas downtown I haven't looked.

C

In front of tuscany kitchen, that area recently, but some of the main areas they've held up well.

A

We made the decision.

B

I do not believe there was on every part, and I think we're talking with aj and chuck.

B

The density and concentration with the road issue that was going to be redone there. I don't.

C

Think there was any potential plans yeah it's kind of an undesirable area to go in and plant.

C

The other thing is, the actual road has changed, so the shoulder has shrunk as a result of the.

E

Road being repaved, it's actually been reestablished.

C

Anyways, it's changed a bit, um that's funny! If you we are actually clearing the shoulder of little.

C

Harvard as a bunch of brush, you didn't really notice it before, because you have this offset.

C

But now that the pavement goes right to the edge, there's all sorts of little volunteers, that we are.

C

Removing but we're not cutting down any trees. It's just a little stuck about that.

C

But as far as plantings go it's really a wooded environment. It's still a very tree-lined road.

C

You know you go down there when you see a few stumps here. You know.

C

Stop missing, but it was nothing that you know like we have in those public walks. uh We were able to.

C

Repurpose, some of the wood uh we have milled up some of the wood that resource provided to.

A

Us we're gonna be doing some more milling, uh we'll put the logs down pretty far so.

A

Go to my family and everybody haven't covered that I can call. We couldn't finish filling we're going.

A

To be doing some more milling of that wood down there, that's going to be used around the creek.

A

A

Is there a way that I think that chuck just told us.

A

Across the factories of state florida state street on our schedule.

A

And all this involved, I mean I'm always amazed when I hear there's some things like that and I.

A

Try to be somewhat attuned to that in the city council and generally, knowing all that stuff.

E

So this is something deb had talked about uh messaging and, and you know the challenge for.

E

Public works is we're implementers, we're not self promoters, we're not. You know out there. You know.

E

Ginning up, you know, press releases, you know we're doing it we're busy doing stuff and.

E

So it becomes an extracurricular activity for us to be able to spit in more outreach had suggested.

E

Well, there's a way that her group or this committee could do a better job uh leveraging.

E

You know our resources to get that word out. There is, you know the importance of this committee and.

E

The fact that we're maintaining you know this, the trees of the city and the benefits to the.

E

Residents as a result of that and that's that is you know if anything, I've learned over my years.

E

You know I've always been an advocate for peace, but I've never understood.

E

How important it is for a community- and it's it's- you know everything from water, storm, water, heat.

E

Retention, you know cooling and all the different things here, yeah just the basic quality of life.

E

It is just oxygen yeah, so you know having a you know. Working with the city's website is.

E

This opportunity to add content to that website, uh working with stephanie who's on. What's on the line.

E

To get press releases out and things like that, we you know we would love to, and stephanie is.

E

More than willing to help us out as well, um but I think it's a it's a really good point- that people.

E

Don't you know just invited by the season when they're saying well, why do they need? You know.

E

Fifty thousand dollars for agreement, you know it's like well, you know we don't have enough staff to.

E

Do all this stuff and we need you know somebody else to want to take care of the gateway parks.

E

So it's so we have to contract that work or you know, there's a specific equipment, that's necessary.

E

And it gets worn out, you know when you, when you use it, there's there's. You know the expertise.

E

That we've been, we are we're incredibly fortunate to have chuck horn max um steve.

E

You know these folks are trained experts and they're, not just going out and having trees down.

E

So it's it's a it's a huge benefit and your point's a good one, peter that the general.

E

Public doesn't understand the value uh per se and if I could interject that even worse than.

B

Not understanding it or is that maybe a byproduct of not understanding it is that social media has.

B

Just worked against us, uh the posts that have gone on to the facebook page um page, not city,.

B

um Very negative when they, when people started, noticing the crimes gone on pierce island.

B

I mean conspiracy theories and it's just like well: why did they do it in the winter? You know.

B

Ruin the ground and then it takes on a life force yeah. It's very negative.

B

So so um we do have a city councillor, who is very much in favor of uh promoting our committee.

B

And um just happens to be related, but um he he was one who actually said. You know.

B

We really need to get some information out there, so people understand you're, not just.

B

There to cut trees down you're, actually doing the opposite, you're trying to preserve things.

B

So I don't know, I think it's probably an effort that we could take on doesn't have to be gigantic.

E

So one one thing I don't know if you've seen some of the videos we've done for stormwater. um I I.

E

You know I'm in a volunteer truck, you know to work with dan uh one of our new employees, uh he's kind.

E

Of spearheading those things, I think that would be a great opportunity to do a little. You know.

E

It's a tick tock or a little tiny. Snippet of you know the day in the life of three. You know the.

E

City's arborists right and just show the types of things that we do. Everything from watering.

E

The trees to trimming to climbing- and you know you know what are the benefits you know, safety.

E

Quality life, environmental, all the different things just do a very quick synopsis um and.

E

I think we could do something really quickly I'd like that, um so I'm gonna, I'm gonna reach to dan.

E

And I think we can, I think we can do it as part of our storm water.

E

um See the the big impetus was a regulation to do outreach associated with stormwater.

E

And so that was kind of the you know we were doing traditional paper stuff and.

E

We have again it's like well, nobody consumes information that way anyway,.

E

So so I I think this would be a great opportunity.

B

Well, and also you know, phs now has a garden club yeah. It's only been going on for a couple of years.

B

And you know, I, I see the work done through the high school through the sustainability.

B

Committee very powerful, very powerful on all city councils, have listened to what ph students.

B

Are working on so you know, I mean that's part of my my whole garden club, a project just to.

B

Loop them in and try to raise visibility about. What's going on, that's that's been sort of our.

B

Charge given by particles of america, that's great, I think it's I'm working also about and also.

B

Neighborhoods of diversity, we really want to plug into different kinds of neighborhoods of people.

B

Living I know like in manchester, they have gardens from people from different countries and they're.

B

Growing their vegetables- and um I I see a lot of potential here in portsmouth- to loot that oh.

B

Should we go next week, budgets have been finalized and submitted to finance.

E

They'll be going uh there'll, be council workshops coming up soon, they're supposed.

E

To be submitted to uh council, the 29th of april um and so it'll be fast and furious uh after that,.

E

um But it's it's always appropriate to reach out to your elected officials and.

E

You know express your support for the types of things that we do, so you have a.

A

Today um it the fact that we're having a meeting.

A

To discuss and that an expert hire to plant trees as opposed to building the road building, the.

A

Parking lot et cetera and then saying: oh, maybe we can fit some trees, someplace, and that is part of.

A

The project, it's just so far beyond anything that happened not that many years ago, that.

B

And I always encourage citizens to come and look at our meeting. It's archived they can. They can.

B

Look it up. It's easy, that's an easy way to do it since the truth, yeah. Well, we have on.

A

The tree planning for the 400th and it's 9 30, I'm not sure I have to go and fly out this afternoon.

E

Yeah, I feel like I've already kind of given a synopsis of that.

E

Well, any any urgent gold or new business.

B

Are you sure you want to start recording yes,.