Approved Meeting Minutes from May 20, 2015 — original pdf

Approved Minutes

+ URBAN FORESTRY BOARD REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, May 20, 2015 - 5:30 p.m. Northwest Recreation Center 2913 Northland Austin, Texas Board Members in Attendance: Board Chair Chris Kite, Board Vice-Chair Peggy Maceo, Board Members Patrick Brewer, Nick Classen, Ryan Fleming, Len Newsom, Keith Brown. Staff in Attendance: Parks and Recreation Department Lara Schuman, Urban Forestry Program Manager Development Services Department Michael Embesi, City Arborist Emily King, Environmental Program Coordinator, Urban Forestry Lynn Tozser, Program Specialist, UFB Liaison Public Works Department Rob Grotty, Urban Forestry Program Manager Austin Energy Ray Henning, Line Clearance Supervisor MEETING MINUTES MAY 20, 2015 A. CALL TO ORDER Board Chair Kite called the meeting to order at 5:42 pm. B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approve the minutes of the Urban Forestry Board meeting of April 15, 2015. Motion made by Board Member Newsom, Seconded by Board Member Brewer to approve the meeting minutes of April 15, 2015. Approved by Board Chair Kite, Board Vice-Chair Maceo, and Board Members Brewer, Classen, Newsom and Brown. Board Member Fleming abstained. C. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION The first 4 (four) speakers signed up prior to the calling of the meeting to order are allowed a three-minute allotment each to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. Sharon Blythe F2-G2: Approve cemetery plan with conditions as explained by Nick Classen. Sharon Blythe F4: Comments on PARD 2016 budget.  D. ANNOUNCEMENTS  Urban Forestry Work Day program for mulching and pruning is planned for Thursday, May 28th at Butler Park.  Forester position available in PARD.  Several staff members will be attending a Certified Arborist Prep Course which is being offered by PARD Urban Forestry, Tree Folks, and the Texas A&M Forest Service.  Development Services Urban Forestry employee, Alan Halter, has submitted a Public Land Classification project proposal to the ATX Hack 4 Change Hackathon event for June 5-7.  The State legislative bill filing deadline has passed with no specific anti-tree bills coming out of committee. E. URBAN FORESTER EXECUTIVE LIAISON REPORT – Emily King, Interim Urban Forester, Development Services Department, including:  Austin Urban Forest Plan Implementation Monthly Update. Presentation given. F. ACTION ITEM BRIEFINGS 1. Urban Forestry Board 2014 Annual Internal Review. Presenter: Chris Kite, Urban Forestry Board Chair. Presentation given. 2. Draft Cemetery Master Plan - Presenter: Kim McKnight, Project Coordinator, Park Planning and Design Unit, Parks and Recreation Department (PARD). Additional information provided by Lara Schuman, Urban Forestry Program Manager, Parks and Recreation Department. Presentations given. 3. Briefing on possible recommendations for transition of Urban Forestry Board functions to the Environmental Commission. Presenter: Board Chair Chris Kite. Presentation given. 4. Briefing on PARD 2016 Fiscal Year Financial Forecast. Presenter: Angela Means, PARD Financial Services Division Manager. Presentation given. G. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 1. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation regarding the Urban Forestry Board 2014 Annual Internal Review. Presenter: Chris Kite, Urban Forestry Board Chair. Presentation given. Motion made by Board Member Brewer, Seconded by Board Member Maceo to vote to approve Urban Forestry Board 2014 Annual Internal Review. Unanimous approval by Board Chair, Chris Kite, Board Vice-Chair, Peggy Maceo, Board Members Patrick Brewer, Keith Brown, Nick Classen, Ryan Fleming and Len Newsom. 2. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to the City Council on the Draft Cemetery Master Plan. Presenter: Urban Forestry Board Member Nicholas Classen. Presentation given. Motion made by Board Member Patrick Brewer, seconded by Board Member Ryan Fleming to vote to approve amended copy of Urban Forestry Board Recommendations to City Council for the Cemetery Master Plan. Approval by Board Chair, Chris Kite, Board Vice Chair, Peggy Maceo, Board Members Patrick Brewer, Keith Brown, Ryan Fleming and Len Newsom. Board Member Nick Classen abstained.  3. Discussion and possible action on recommendations for transition of Urban Forestry Board functions to the Environmental Commission. Presenter: Board Chair Chris Kite. Presentation given. Motion made by Board Member Ryan Fleming, seconded by Board Member Patrick Brewer to vote to approve recommendations for transition of Urban Forestry Board functions to the Environmental Commission. Approval unanimous by Board Chair, Chris Kite, Board Vice-Chair, Peggy Maceo, Board Members Patrick Brewer, Keith Brown, Nick Classen, Ryan Fleming and Len Newsom. 4. Discussion and possible action on PARD 2016 Fiscal Year Financial Forecast. Presenter: Angela Means, PARD Financial Services Division Manager. Motion made by Board Member, Keith Brown, Seconded by Board Member Nick Classen to vote to endorse the recommendation of the budget presented for forestry within the PARD 2016 Fiscal Year Financial Forecast. Approval by Board Chair, Chris Kite, Board Vice-Chair, Peggy Maceo, Board Members Keith Brown, Nick Classen, Ryan Fleming and Len Newsom. Board member Patrick Brewer abstained. H. BRIEFINGS – 10 Minute Limit For Each Briefing 1. Austin Energy Line Clearance Monthly Update – April 2015. Ray Henning, Line Clearance Superintendent, Austin Energy. Presentation given. 2. City Arborist Program Tree Preservation and Replenishment Monthly Update April 2015. Presenter: Michael Embesi, City Arborist, Development Services Department. Presentation given. 3. City Arborist Program Heritage Tree Report – April 2015. Presenter: Michael Embesi, City Arborist, Development Services Department. Presentation given. 4. Update from Treaty Oak Task Force Working Group. Presenter: Patrick Brewer, UFB Board Member. No new updates given from Board Member Brewer. 5. Public Works Department Urban Forestry Program Monthly Update. Presenter: Rob Grotty, Urban Forestry Program Manager, Public Works. Presentation given. 6. Parks and Recreation Department Urban Forestry Program Monthly Update. Lara Schuman, Urban Forestry Program Manager, Parks and Recreation Department. A. Removal of Protected Size Trees on Parkland. Presentation given. B. Update on Cyclo-Cross Race Remediation Work at Zilker Park. Presentation given. I. FUTURE ITEMS FROM BOARD MEMBERS  Recommendation to Council for Urban Forestry resources  Action item for Lara Shuman update on costs for the Cemetery Master plan. J. ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications are provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at  least 4 (four) days before the meeting date. Please call Lynn Tozser at the Planning and Development Review Department, at 512-974-2698, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Urban Forestry Board, please contact Emily King at emily.king@austintexas.gov or by phone at 512-974-9548.