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TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
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JUNE 27, 2006
ATTENDANCE: Don Nelson, Chairman; Rich Whitehead, Laurel Lindstrom;
Maribeth Becker (6:10 p.m.)
STAFF: Hal Alvord, Tree Warden; Paul Sotnik, Deputy Tree Warden
OTHERS: Dave Tracy, Norwalk Tree Alliance, Dianne Witkowsky,
Spring
Hill/Hospital Area Association
ABSENT: Peter Viteretto
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Nelson called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
2. APPROVE MINUTES
a. Tree Advisory Committee meeting of April 25, 2006
Please note the following corrections:
Page 1, paragraph 1, under ATTENDANCE: please remove “Nick Overall (6:08 p.m.)
Page 1, paragraph 1, under OTHER: please add “Nick Overall, Eastern Norwalk Neighborhood Association (6:08 p.m.)
Page 2, subheading b: please change the title from “DEP Coordinator” to “DEP Coordination”.
Page 2, subheading c: please change the title from “Housing
Authority Coordinator” to
“Housing Authority Coordination”
Page 2, paragraph 1 under subhead c, line six: please remove the sentence “He said the came up with the pole approach”.
Page 3, paragraph 1, line 1: please change: “The final grade ofthe asphalt” to “The final elevation of the asphalt”
Page 3, subheading f, line 1: please change “Mr. Alvord said he has a meeting” to “Mr. Alvord said he and Mr. Nelson have a meeting”
Page 4, paragraph 2, line 10: please change “There will be a zero gradient on the platform so that a handicapped person” to “There will be a zero gradient on the platform surrounding the large sign and the path so that a handicapped person”
Page 7, paragraph 6, line 1: please change “They are partnering
again with the Doubletree”
to “They are partnering with the Doubletree”
** MR. WHITEHEAD MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS CORRECTED.
** MS. LINDSTROM SECONDED.
** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
b. Tree Advisory Committee meeting of May 23, 2006
MARKED MINUTES FROM MAY MEETING WERE PROVIDED AND THOSE MINUTES WERE APPROVED AS REVISED.
3. REPORT – STATUS OF INNER CITY URBAN FORESTRY GRANT
a. Columbus Arboretum construction
Mr. Alvord and Mr. Sotnik reported that the arboretum is almost completed. The walkway and sign posts have been installed. Almstead has replaced the distressed trees and has located an American Beech for planting soon. Chris Donnelly from the State Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Forestry, has been contacted to schedule an inspection of the project. Mr. Alvord stated that he intended to have the signs installed before the inspection.
b. Brochure development
Mr. Tracy reported that he had completed a tri-fold brochure and was working on the larger brochure.
c. Report development, DEP inspection
Mr. Alvord stated that he had a bullet point report ready and would be working on the final report over the next few days. The State Department of Environmental Protection has been notified regarding the status of the project.
4. REPORT – INCIDENTS OF ILLEGAL CUTTING
Mr. Sotnik reported that the owners of 66 Cedar Street had come into the office and paid the fine for their illegal cutting of the City’s tree. Another call resulted in a visit to 243 Strawberry Hill Avenue. That tree had been completely removed, and Mr. Sotnik is in the process of contacting the owner. A third report of illegal cutting turned out to be an emergency take down at 15 Elmwood Avenue.
5. REPORT – 2006 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE – HOME DEPOT FOUNDATION
Mr. Alvord stated that he and Mr. Tracy had attended the conference in Las Vegas, NV and been given awards, one of which was for the Norwalk Tree Alliance.
Mr. Alvord reported that their contact at the Home Depot Foundation is currently out of town. Following her return, Mr. Alvord hopes to schedule a local Home Depot Foundation ceremony that would allow the Home Depot Foundation representatives to fly into Westchester Airport and be able to make a return trip to Atlanta, Georgia the same day. There was a brief discussion regarding the location of the ceremony.
6. DISCUSSION – STATUS OF TREE PLANTING PROGRAM
a. Harbor Shores plan.
b. South Norwalk
Pam Garrett was not present to give her report regarding the Harbor Shores and South Norwalk plans. Mr. Nelson and Mr. Alvord will be meeting with her on June 30th for an update.
c. Tree planting lists
Mr. Nelson stated that there are still 120 people on the list waiting for trees. He said that he hoped to have groups out staking in order to have a significant planting in the fall.
d. Summer activities
The focus has been on getting the arboretum established and ready for inspection.
e. Watering instructions
A number of trees that were planted from the tree program have died because of watering issues. Mr. Sotnik displayed a brown plastic collar that can be filled with water and placed at the base of a newly planted tree to insure correct watering. Mr. Bociek is willing to purchase a number of these Tree Gators to install at the future sites for the tree planting program. The bags must be filled twice a week. Once the newly planted tree is established, Mr. Bociek will return to the site and remove the Tree Gator.
f. Guidebook for volunteers
This issue will be tabled until the next meeting as Mr. Alvord had to leave to attend another meeting.
7. DISCUSSION – NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVITIES
Ms. Becker reported that there were now some 22 Neighborhood Associations established. At the last CNNA meeting, no decision was reached as to who would speak or what the topic would be at the next meeting.
8. DISCUSSION – NTA ACTIVITIES
Mr. Nelson reported that the meeting with the Rowayton Civic Association had gone well. The RCA was disappointed that the Free Tree Planting program would not be able to provide trees for Bailey Beach, Pinkney Park or the new parking lot at the corner of Wilson and Rowayton Avenues. Mr. Alvord and Mr. Nelson explained to them that the Sixth Taxing District should have its own fund for Parks, which is where the funds for the trees at Bailey Beach and Pinkney Park should be allocated. The new parking lot is the site of a historic house, which was moved. A number of trees were removed to facilitate the moving of the historic home. In order to get the permit to remove these trees, the Sixth Taxing District was required put up a bond to replace the trees. Mr. Sotnik confirmed that developers doing work within the City are not allowed to use the Free Tree program to replace City trees that are removed during construction.
Mr. Nelson also commented that he was working with David Shockley on a database for the Neighborhood Association information.
Mr. Tracy distributed the tree identification signs for the members of the Committee to inspect. Mr. Nelson commented that the finished product looked very nice.
9. NEW BUSINESS
Ms. Becker asked if anyone knew where the hanging baskets on Wall Street were from, and who was responsible for watering them. Mr. Sotnik said that he would look into it.
Ms. Lindstrom commented on the article in The Advocate about the Adopt-A-Spot at the beginning of the northbound Exit 14 ramp. After the State had completed some work in that area, they had left behind piles of dirt and rock and other debris. By making it an Adopt-A-Spot, the area has been cleaned up and sown with wildflowers. Ms. Lindstrom suggested that perhaps the area near the northbound Exit 15 ramp be considered.
Mr. Whitehead asked if there were more assignments for site visits available. Mr. Sotnik replied that he and Mr. Alvord will develop a list.
11. ADJOURNMENT
** MS. LINDSTROM MOVED TO ADJOURN.
** MR. WHITEHEAD SECONDED.
** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted
Sharon L. Soltes
Telesco Secretarial Services
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