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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - BC - 1998.04.02BURLINGAME BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION APRIL 2. 1998 The regularly scheduled meeting of the Beautification Commission was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by Chairman McGowan. ROLL CALL Present: Chairman McGowan, Commissioners, Lauder, Root, Schinagl, and Ward Absent: Commissioners Gilmore -Friend and Locke Staff. Park Superintendent Richmond, Parks & Recreation Director Williams, City Arborist Porter, and Administrative Secretary Harvey Guests: Con Brosnan (601 Ansel Road), Mr. and Mrs. Thomson (1709 Easton Drive), and John Root MINUTES - Superintendent Richmond stated that the motion under Request to Remove Private Willow Tree @ 111 Anza Boulevard should be corrected to read:... moved the request to remove the Willow tree be denied ... The minutes were approved as corrected. CORRESPONDENCE Letter to Riser Organization stating that the Commission unanimously voted to deny the request for removal of a private Willow tree at 111 Anza Boulevard. Letter to Con Brosnan informing him that the Commission will take action on his request to remove and replace four City Ash trees at 601 Ansel Road at the April 2 meeting. Letter to Herb Lewis informing him that the Commission unanimously voted to extend the private tree removal permit to August 5th and to allow six - 15 gallon size trees be planted instead of the required two - 24" box size trees at 1324 Vancouver Avenue. Letter(s) to Wacek Dennaoui, TCI Cablevision, and Dave Wachtel, California Department of Forestry, thanking them for their cooperation in the Arbor Day Ceremonies on March 6th at Bayside Park. Letter to William McGowan thanking him for his presentation Gardening Tales and Tips at the Spring Garden Seminar on March 21st. Request from Tim Brosnan to extend his private tree removal permit at 1405 Oak Grove in order to meet conditions of the permit to plant two - 24" box size trees. Request from Janet McDonald, 1005 Larkspur Drive, to extend her private tree removal permit in order to meet conditions of the permit to plant 1 - 24" box size tree. Memo from Commissioner Locke regarding her comments on the request for the removal and replacement of four City Ash trees at 601 Ansel Road. Superintendent Richmond stated the request to extend the private tree removal permit at 1005 Larkspur Drive would need to be added to the agenda if the Commission wanted to take action at this meeting, "1 otherwise, it would be placed on next month's agenda. Commissioner Ward moved to include the request from 1005 Larkspur Drive be placed on the agenda under New Business - Item B; seconded Motion carried 5 - 2 (absent). OLD BUSINESS Request to Remove & Replace 4 City Ash Trees k 601 Ansel Road - City Arborist Porter reported that the four Ash trees are in decline. The structural form of the trees has been destroyed P.G. & E.'s topping. The topping has also caused the growth of heavy laterals that are susceptible to failure in heavy winds and would be candidates for removal within the next five years. Arborist Porter added that since the contractor has agreed to pay for the cost of removal and replacement, now would be a good time to replace the trees with a suitable variety and begin to beautify the area. In her absence, Chairman McGowan read Commissioner Locke's memo stating that in her opinion the four mature Ash trees have been poorly pruned but only one seems to be a candidate for removal. She stated that, careful pruning could correct the remaining three. Additionally, her memo stated that aesthetics would seem to require that replacement be of the same species as the remaining three. Commissioner Locke also noted that the utility wires droop to a low level of 15' above the sidewalk and should be addressed. Arborist Porter stated that the limbs have decay near the old cuts where the new branches are growing. If the request is denied, the Parks Division would need to severely prune the trees in order to eliminate the liabilities. If the request is permitted, any replacements would be chosen from the Official Street Tree list. .� Arborist Porter commented that the lines 15' above the sidewalk are telephone and cable lines. The lines above the tops of the existing trees are the primary utility lines. Commissioner Root asked if the contractor has agreed to pay for the removal and the replacement. Arborist Porter responded, "Yes Chairman McGowan stated that the telephone poles are an eyesore and that, tree removal would cause the telephone poles to show more. He added, that projects in the area have placed the utilities underground. Commissioner Lauder commented that she would like to see the City continue undergrounding the utilities in the area. Chairman McGowan recognized the applicant, Con Brosnan. Mr. Brosnan submitted plans for the Commission to review and stated that the pruning of these trees has made them unsightly and he believes beyond repair. He stated that the plans call for trees to be planted on the private property and if the removal is approved, on the City property as well. He noted that he would also be in favor of the utilities being placed underground. Chairman McGowan asked when the landscaping would take place. Mr. Brosnan responded that landscaping would occur in the next three weeks. ^ Following the discussion, Commissioner Ward moved that the Commission approve the removal and replacement of four City Ash trees at the contractor's expense, seconded Motion carried 3 - 2 (opposed/McGowan & Lauder) - 2 (absent). 2 OLD BUSINESS - (Cond.� Request to Remove & Replace 4 City Ash Trees &a 601 Ansel Road - Commissioner Ward also moved that in view of the difficulty maintaining the trees under the utilities, the Commission urges the Council to continue the ungergrounding of the utilities in that area; seconded Motion carried S - 0 - 2 (absent). Reforestation Ordinance Revisions - Chairman McGowan stated that the Committee will reconvene within the next two weeks and will report back to the Commission at the May meeting. Request for Extension to Meet Planting Requirements for Private Tree Removal & 1405 Oak Grove Avenue - The contractor is requesting an extension to complete the planting requirements of two - 24" box size trees. Commissioner Root moved the extension be granted; seconded Motion carried S - 0 - 2 (absent). Request for Extension to Meet Planting_ Requirements for Private Tree Removal k 1005 Larkspur Avenue - The resident is requesting an extension to complete the planting requirements of one - 24" box size tree. Commissioner Lauder moved the extension be granted; seconded Motion carried S - 0 - 2 (absent). REPORTS Richmond - Superintendent Richmond reported on the following items: 1) Thanked Chairman McGowan for his interesting presentation at the Spring Garden Seminar. 2) The debris has been cleaned up in the Park Road parking lot and after irrigation is available some landscaping will take place. 3) According to the City Planner, the American Flags used at Rector Cadillac for advertising are included in the permit and are legal. 4) Approximately 120 trees have been delivered for the Spring street tree planting. 5) The City's tree contractor is working on the 25' band of Eucalyptus trees north of Oak Grove on California Drive. The "pathway" that was spoken of by Don Cory at the March 5th meeting has been created by the chips from the tree trimming by the City's contractor. Superintendent Richmond added that about one half dozen plum trees on the Carolan Avenue side adjacent to Morrell have reached their lifespan and will be replaced in the Fall. Some of the Oleanders planted in the same area must be kept to a height of no more than three feet due to the crosswalk access while others have been hard to maintain and establish. 6) The removal of four Chinese Elms was required by the Public Works Department in order to extend the sidewalk in the 700 block of Rollins Road. Replacement trees will be planted when the project in that area is completed. 7) The Official Street Tree list is in need of revision. Superintendent Richmond stated that he will ask `-- the Commission to form a Committee for this task after the Commission's work on the Reforestation Ordinance has been completed. REPORTS - Richmond (Cond.) 8) The Park Office has received a call from the manager of the Crosby Commons regarding the empty concrete planters. Staff is currently reviewing plants that will thrive on the shady side of Burlingame Avenue. 9) The Parks Division recently sprayed several trees with Florel as an experiment to reduce the fruiting bodies on liquidambars. Superintendent Richmond stated that the timing on this application is extremely difficult and would be impossible to do on a large scale. If the treatment is effective, residents could be permitted to have their City tree sprayed at their expense. McGowan - Chairman McGowan stated he was glad that the empty planters on Burlingame Avenue were getting some attention and thanked Secretary Harvey for the Arbor Day and Garden Seminar arrangements. Lauder - Commissioner Lauder stated that Arbor Day was a nice celebration and thanked Superintendent Richmond for his nice presentation. FROM THE FLOOR Mrs. Thomson, 1709 Easton Drive, stated that the sidewalk repair contract has gone out and the Council should be approving it within the next two weeks. She added, that she and her husband have been waiting for the work to be done on their sidewalk and driveway for a year now and wonders how much longer they will need to wait. Mr. Thomson added that the tree is still growing. There being no more business and no further comments FROM THE FLOOR, Chairman McGowan adjourned the meeting at 6:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted, i Karlene Harvey Recording Secretary a]