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TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
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JULY 24, 2007
ATTENDANCE: Don Nelson, Chairman
Rich Whitehead
David Tracy
ABSENT: Peter Viteretto
Maribeth Becker
STAFF: Hal Alvord, Tree Warden
Paul Sotnik, Deputy Tree Warden
Dilene Byrd, Secretary
NEIGHBORHOOD TREE LIAISONS: Diane Witkowsky, Spring Hill/Hospital
Nicholas Overall, East Norwalk Neighborhood Association
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Nelson called the meeting to order at 6:05 P.M.
2. APPROVE MINUTES OF TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF JUNE 26, 2007
Mr. Alvord suggested including the minutes along with the agenda.
**MR. TRACY MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM AS AMENDED
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
3. WELCOME NEW COMMITTEE MEMBER
Chairman Nelson welcomed Mr. Tracy as a member of the Tree Advisory Committee. He said Mr. Tracy would be replacing Laurel Lindstrom whose term expired on July 01, 2007. Chairman Nelson said Dick Aime would like to get involved as a new liaison between the Norwalk Tree Alliance and the Tree Advisory Committee now that Mr. Tracy has been appointed to the TAC. Chairman Nelson stated that he would like to meet with Mr. Aimee to let him know what the suggested approach and requirements are and would like to schedule that meeting for Thursday, July 26, 2007.
4. REPORT-INCIDENTS OF ILLEGAL CUTTING
Mr. Sotnik had no illegal cuttings to report.
5. TREE PLANTING PROGRAM
c. Guidebook for volunteers
Mr. Alvord circulated the guidebook for the committee to review. He said that there are 61 of roughly 71 pages that are complete and there are ten more shrubs that need to be added. He said that everything on the planting list is included and hopes to have a final draft by September’s meeting. Chairman Nelson said because the committee is not as interested in putting up shrubs as restoring the canopy that a couple of suggestions had been made, one being not to include the shrubs in the guidebook and the other was to have restrictive language with respect to placing shrubs around a house and asked Mr. Alvord for his input. Mr. Alvord said he thinks there are more species listed in the contract than are needed and suggested limiting the list of shrubs and to some degree also limiting the trees. Mr. Alvord also said he is not concerned about not including the shrubs or including any more restrictive language because of the site visits that are performed to see where the stakes are located and to see what residents are requesting. Mr. Alvord said he did suggest that in the front of the guidebook there should be some language to provide guidance for the volunteers. Chairman Nelson suggested including a step-by-step outline of what the process is. Mr. Alvord said he already has the language, but that it needs some editing. Mr. Whitehead suggested this be used as a master list for the City but create a condensed version for the liaisons. Mr. Alvord said that there are trees and shrubs that are listed in the contract that are not being used at all. Mr. Sotnik agreed and said that no more that fifteen types of trees have been used. Chairman Nelson asked Mr. Sotnik to review the past work orders to see what types of trees have actually been used and give that report at next months meeting.
a. Brainstorming- re-energizing interest in planting programs
Mr. Alvord said there were approximately twenty people that expressed interest in becoming a liaison at the tree festival. He said that there should be some sort of an orientation program for those people and outline the program. Chairman Nelson said there is an event scheduled for September, 2007, to welcome all new members and thought that may be a good time to incorporate the orientation. Chairman Nelson said that Ms. Becker should put out the map at the next CNNA meeting.
b. Harbor Shores fall planting
Mr. Sotnik said that the stakes are in place. Mr. Alvord said that a Purchase order needs to be generated for Almstead Tree. Mr. Sotnik said he had spoken to Bob Bociek of Almstead Tree and that their contract states that they are responsible for maintaining a planting for one year and that he would not be able to get some of the trees in good quality condition because of the time of the year and suggested waiting until September to do the planting. Chairman Nelson asked Mr. Sotnik to notify Corrinne with an update. Mr. Alvord said that is the only planting that is ready to go at this time. Chairman Nelson said the next one that is coming up would be Broad Street. Mr. Whitehead said he would stake that. Mr. Alvord said he would meet with the business owner but told Mr. Whitehead to go ahead and stake it.
6. INFORMATION COPIES
a. Letter to Rick’s Main Roofing
Mr. Alvord said that Chairman Nelson had hand delivered the letter to Rick’s
Main Roofing and is expecting a letter from their attorney. He said that if
he does not come in with a landscape plan that has been approved and implemented
by the end of the month that on August 1, 2007, DPW staff would go out and
remove the signs and plastic flowers and have them delivered to his place
of business. Mr. Alvord said there are plenty of people who are interested
in adopting that spot and who will do what the goals of the program were intended
to do.
b. Mr. Alvord said that the way the contract was structured
that all the City had to do was write a letter to Almstead Tree prior to the
expiration date of June 07, 2007, to extend the Tree Planting contract. Mr.
Alvord said he had spoke with Bob Bociek prior to sending the letter and asked
if he had any concerns and if he was interested in extending the contract.
Mr. Bociek said that they were interested in extending the contact. Mr. Alvord
said that a legal letter has gone out and the contract has been extended for
one year. Mr. Alvord also said there are no more option years on that contract
and by April, 2008, a new request for proposals should be put out.
Mr. Overall arrived at 6:25 P.M.
7. REPORT
Mr. Alvord said that two Grant applications have been submitted to the Urban Forestry division of the State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection for locations near the Bikeway Project. He said that one is for Matthews Park and the other is behind the Y.M.C.A.
8. UPDATE- TREE REPLACEMENTS ON CALF PASTURE BEACH ROAD
Mr. Whitehead said that Mr. Viteretto would be specifying the trees and asked staff how the implementation would go as far as the balance of trees that should come out or be maintained. Mr. Alvord said not to do them all at one time and that there is approximately $75,000 for the project which is not enough and suggesting doing the plantings in three to four affordable sections. He said that he would also be meeting with the Charles Cove Condo. Association regarding adopting some of the islands on Calf Pasture Beach Road and about the potential replacement of the black pines on their property. Mr. Overall said he would like to participate in that meeting. Mr. Overall asked if the City would be removing the asphalt from the islands once they have been adopted. Mr. Alvord said that when an agreement has been made with a sponsor that DPW would remove the asphalt and add topsoil.
9. DISCUSSION- TREES AT EXIT FROM CRANBURY PARK
Mr. Alvord said that Mr. Mocciae of the Parks and Recreation Department has changed the traffic pattern at Cranbury Park. He said that at the new exit there are two trees that are causing sightline issues. He said the one on the northern most side is a white oak, which appears to be heathy, and the one on the southern most side believes is a sycamore and has some structural issues. He said from a safety prospective both trees would need to be posted for removal. Chairman Nelson asked if there was any chance of switching the location of the exit to the other driveway. Mr. Alvord said he did not think that this would be possible. Mr. Whitehead asked if there was any possibility of replanting something else. Mr. Alvord said not in that spot but to replant somewhere else in the park would be an option.
10. REPORT-CL&P TRIMMING IN SILVERMINE AREA
He said once trimming started some accusations were made pertaining to the work being performed. He said he had met with Mr. Viteretto, Mr. Sotnik, the arborist from CL&P, the Foreman from Lewis Tree, and Leigh Grant and had them demonstrate the work. Mr. Alvord said it would be valuable for the tree liaisons that have time to talk with CL&P when they are in the area. Ms. Witkowsky said she had noticed in some areas that they are extending the 15’ and 8’ direction by far. Mr. Alvord said when they go to trim a tree that their goal is not to return for seven years for cost reasons. Ms. Witkowsky said she realizes it is cost effective for CL&P but it is damaging the trees and feels a compromise needs to be met. Mr. Alvord said CL&P has an arborist who is in charge of the program. Ms. Witkowsky said that the arborist is not out on the jobs on a daily basis. Mr. Tracy said that the utility workers are exempt from having an arborist correct them on their work and said there should be some sort of cutting plan that they should abide by. Chairman Nelson asked if it would take legislation to change that. Mr. Tracy said that it would. Chairman Nelson suggested getting the local legislature involved.
11. DISCUSSION-NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVITIES
No Discussion due to Ms. Becker’s absence.
12. DISCUSSION-NTA ACTIVITIES
Mr. Tracy said he had received approximately ten responses to the Tree Festival
survey and that he would be e-mailing the list of responses to the members
of the Committee. Mr. Alvord said it is not too early to start planning for
the next festival. Chairman Nelson suggested Shady Beach or Cranbury Park
but that his preference would be Shady Beach and asked what the opinion of
the Board was. All were in favor of having the next festival at Shady Beach.
Mr. Alvord said he would speak to Mr. Mocciae of the Parks & Recreation
Department regarding that. Mr. Tracey said that there had been some discussion
about submitting a grant application for the arborist pamphlet and that the
NTA has decided not to apply for the grant partly because of lack of manpower
and also did not want to compete with the grants Norwalk was already submitting
for.
13. NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Alvord will investigate with APWA the potential of conducting a webinar
on Urban Forestry in Norwalk on August 9, 2007.
14. ADJOURNMENT
** CHAIRMAN NELSON MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING
** MOTION PASSED UNANONYMOUSLY
The meeting adjourned at 7:25 P.M.
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