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Home My WebLink About2014-05-14 - Agendas CITY OF 'raye evi le AGENDA ARKANSAS Urban Forestry Advisory Board May 14, 2014 4:00 p.m . City Administration Building 1 113 W. Mountain I Room 111 Members: Amy Jones; Sarah King ; Alma Laney ; Kathy Launder; Malcolm LeVois ; Sue Madison , Vice Chair; Don Steinkraus, Chair City Staff: Ken Eastin , Urban Forester; Derek Linn , Urban Forester; Alison Jumper, Park Planning Superintendent 1 . Call to Order Don Steinkraus, Chair 2. Approval of Minutes Don Steinkraus, Chair 3. Native or Invasive Plant Presentation Alma Laney 4. SWEPCO Utility Maintenance Preston Smith , SWEPCO 5. Sustainable Landscape Award Update Ken Eastin 6. Other Business or Announcements 7. Adjourn Mailing Address: 113 W. Mountain Street www.fayetteville-ar.gov Fayetteville, AR 72701 CITY OF ayevi le MINUTES Y ARKANSAS Urban Forestry Advisory Board April 09, 2014 4:OOP M City Administration Building 1 113 W. Mountain I Room 111 Members: Amy Jones; Sarah King ; Alma Laney ; Kathy Launder; Malcolm LeVois; Sue Madison , Vice Chair; Don Steinkraus, Chair City Staff: Ken Eastin , Urban Forester; Derek Linn , Urban Forester; Alison Jumper, Park Planning Superintendent 1 . Call to Order: 4:02pm I Don Steinkraus, Chair 2. In Attendance : Amy Jones, Sarah King , Alma Laney , Kathy Launder, Malcolm LeVois , Sue Madison , Don Steinkraus Absent: Alma Laney Staff: Ken Eastin , Derek Linn, Alison Jumper Guests: Jeremy Williams 3. Approval of Minutes: Madison made a motion to approve the minutes as written, and Jones seconded it. The motion passed with a 7-0-0 voice vote. 4. Native or Invasive Plant Presentation — Sarah King Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) King said any bright green shrub out right now is likely an invasive plant. The invasives foliate earlier than natives , which leads to their crowding out the native plants. She said that Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association should be noted for their local work with invasive plant removal. King shared the following on the subject species: Deciduous tree, one of the first native trees to bloom in the Ozarks Tree form or as multi-stem shrub form Dark red, maroon berries (Autumn Brilliance cultivar produces many berries) - Shade or full sun - Historically pronounced 'Sarvisberry' in northern Arkansas - Birds and other wildlife; host plant to several moth species - Human food — berries are tart-cherry flavored and can make incredible pies Sources: Local nurseries and affordable seeds and starts from Missouri Department of Conservation King said they are found near stream banks and near bluff lines as well. Mailing Address: 113 W. Mountain Street www.fayetteville-ar.gov Fayetteville, AR 72701 Steinkraus said another common name is Shadbush, named for the Shad fish which run in the streams from the lakes during the blooming of the tree. Eastin said the Arkansas Forestry Commission offers some trees for sale also. Laney volunteered to do next month's presentation. Madison said the Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Arkansas has been updated and published. She said one of the authors has offered to come speak at a future UFAB meeting . The board decided the July meeting would be a good time to schedule the author's visit. 5. Sustainable Landscape Award — Ken Eastin Eastin said media releases will be worked on soon and that the judges list needs to be finalized. He said the rubric has been updated to reflect the Board's comments from the previous meeting. Linn said minutes were reviewed and the rubric was updated , and that staff is looking for final confirmation of the rubric draft. He said an extra category was created for judges to recognize any item that is not reflected in the other listed criteria. A few criteria were added, a couple deleted, and some items were combined . Eastin read through the remaining criteria, and the board provided a variety of suggestions and edits. Madison made a motion to approve the rubric and Laney seconded it. The motion passed with a 7-0-0 voice vote. The final evaluation rubric reflecting the comments is attached at the end of the minutes packet. Steinkraus suggested noting the revision date on the updated version. Linn asked board members to forward staff the contact info of any judges they suggest. Eastin asked how the board wanted to move forward with awards for competition winners. He said it would be ideal if winners could receive some type of gift or item they could keep indefinitely. Steinkraus asked how much money could be spent. Eastin said it would need to be budgeted. Jumper confirmed it hasn't been budgeted for this year. ' 2 Steinkraus suggested a photograph of the winner in their garden or a certificate would also be nice keepsake awards. King suggested connecting with a local potter to see if a locally designed pottery plaque could be made. Eastin said a shepherd's hook could be used to hang the sign in the yard . Madison said she thinks that past winners should be given the keepsake signs/awards too. The board noted that both a certificate and a pottery sign would be ideal. Eastin said staff would work on media release and a website post regarding the competition announcement. 6. Utility Tree Trimming per Chapter 167 — Ken Eastin Eastin said that staff and the board have discussed this subject with local utility representatives before. He said that regarding the Tree Preservation Ordinance, loc al utilities are effectively exempt from following any local tree protection rules through their maintenance or addition of utility lines (UDC Chapter 167.06(J) . Steinkraus asked where their rules are codified. Linn said that Ken was reading from the local unified development code regarding Fayetteville's ordinances. Madison said she thinks the board should look at the state laws. Jumper said they follow federal guidelines. Madison said it looks like they are clearing and pruning beyond what is needed for the lines. Williams, guest, said that the clearance standards depend on voltage of the line. He said the companies often maintain anywhere from a 10' to 30' wide swath along either side of the lines. Madison said the board needs to see clearly exactly what the guidelines are so that they can reply back to Councilman Matthew Petty's comments noted at the UFAB Annual Report presentation. Steinkraus said it would be good to know who the person is at the utility companies that calls the field staff out to do the work. He said if you could contact such a person and r eason with them, there might could be some positive change. Jumper said they have done that. Steinkraus asked what the name is of the person . 3 Eastin said while Ozarks Electric is local, SWEPCO is more of a regional operation. Launder said it is curious how some areas get pruned while others don't. Linn said that as a reminder, staff can check in with both Ozarks Electric and S WEPCO to come speak with the board regarding their regulations. Williams, guest, said that he could bring the ANSI standards regarding utility tree trimming to the next meeting . Steinkraus asked if other cities are having these issues. Eastin confirmed and said that the amount of pruning budget often dictates how often companies are able to schedule pruning visits. He said the less they can visit, the more we are seeing them prune or remove. Williams, guest, said that when trees are significantly pruned down one side, sun scald often sets in which usually sends trees into decline. Madison said with a phonecall she was able to recently opt out of SWEPCO's herbicide spraying program adjacent to her properties. 7. Other Business or Announcements Linn said that Urban Forestry staff recently held an all-City employee tree pruning workshop. He said last month the Arkansas Forestry Commission's partnership coordinator gave the workshop, which focused both on root and structural pruning. LeVois asked if the video would be online. Linn said he could check in with the Arkansas Forestry Commission about making it available outside of City Staff. Linn said that FNHA and Parks Horticulture staff have a few upcoming dates scheduled for invasive plant removal on public park properties. He said he could send out m ore information for any board members who are interested in participating in the hands-on removal . Steinkraus said he found a Colorado invasiv a plants brochure stating that homeowners are responsible for the removal of any invasive plants on their properties. He said it looked like it is a state law , and that a local program offered incentives for participation. He said that a certain number of invasive plants removed would yield rewards such as gift certificates to purchase native plants. Steinkraus said Colorado is successfully banning the sale of certain plants from nurseries. Madison mentioned it might be beneficial to contact the Arkansas Forestry Commission regarding invasive plants. She said surely the state timber industry would be concerned about invasive plants taking over timber areas. Madison asked if the Arkansas Native Plant Society is active here. 4 King noted that an NWACC faculty member is leader of the northwest Arkansas society group. 8. Adjournment Time: 5: 14pm 9. Submitted by: Derek Linn 5 Rubric for the Fayetteville Sustainable Landscape Competition 2014 09 April 2014 Revision Project Name: Judge: 4 3 2 1 0 Score 1.0 Design and Aesthetics Outstanding functional design (circulation, transitions, scale, Successbl design Somewhat Less successbl 1.1 hierarchy) successful design Design successblly Some location Design poorly addresses location challenges addresses Outstanding handling of unique location challenges (soils, challenges addressed location 1,2 water conservation, diff icult topography) challenges Education and/or Outreach. Through signage, Somewhat Not website/blogging, tours, or other means, the homeowner or Well exhbited accomplished accomplished property representative regularly shares or makes available 1 .3 information related to the landscape. Site successfuly Some Disregard for incorporates incorporation of naaural t architecture or architecture or topography topography opogadjacent acemt d 1.4 Design complements architecture or topog raphy of the site architecture Somewhat Lacking Use of texture, color, and creativity in plant selection and Well exhbited exhibited 1 .5 landscape design 1.0 Total 2,0 Preservation of Natural Environment Score Trees properly Some attempts at Poorlyrestored and Vee restoration represented 2.1 Outstanding tree restoration (rehabilitation of older trees) maintained Outstanding tree/shrubmaintenance and preservation Extra effonSome treeputforthin preservationPPoorly . p 2.2 (preventive health practices) preserving trees evident represented Mostly native trees Some native trees Very few or no 2.3 lOutstanding use of native trees and shrubs in the landscape native trees Implementation and diversity of native shrubs, grasses, All native species some native No native 2,4 forbs, vines species species Very few if any :plant me invasive Invasive plant invasive plant species species species very 2.5 Lack of invasive plant species prevalent 2,0 Total 4 1 3 1 2 1 0 Score 3.0 Environmental Best Management Practices Low Impact Design (LID) Design works with nature to best manage stormwater onsite. Impervious surfaces are Great example of LID Some LID Minimal minimized and beneficial landscape elements are design incorporated evidence of LID 3,1 maintained or introduced. Efficient water use and management (might include No metered fesh Metered fesh Metered fesh implementation of drought tolerant plants, rain barrels, or water used for water used only in water used 3,2 other techniques) irrigation extreme drought regularly Only limited, Responsble and Unknown or Responsible and appropriate use of fertilizer and/or pest responsible limited application innappmprlate Control (organic methods, limited nitrate loading, non- application of organic with minor useof 3.3 Inemoval of grass clippings, use of compost) and natural methods exceptions chemicals Good example of Expansive lawn Excellent example of limited lawn space; limited lawn surface; surface; no chemcals used Limited and appropriate implementation of lawn vs other no chemicals used chemicals used to to green fie 3.4 landscape and habitat green fie lawn lawn Well implemented, Some prunhg Excessive only as needed needed pruningor 3.5 Appropriately implemented pruning, as needed I I I I I extreme neglect 3.0 Total 4.0 Attraction to Wildlife Score Non-metered, year- Adequale water Inadequate Site provides sustainable water source for birds and other round water source source mast of water source 4,1 wildlife year Severalspecies Few species No plant species providefood for birds providefood to provide food 4.2 Plant species chosen provide food for birds (berries) ecies Sow Notconsidered Plant species chosen that provide nectar for bees and Severals P p or evident 4.3 butterflies, and other native pollinators Several species that Few species that No plant species Plant species chosen provide shelter for birds and beneficial provide shelter provide shelter that provide 4,4 insects shelter Overall landscape provides habitat and other be nefts for Well represented Somewhat Poorly 4.5 variety of wildlife _ available represented 4.4 ITotal 5.0 Other (Bonus points possible) Score Does the properly exhibit well any other qualities not represented 5,f in this rubric? 4 71 F 2 I t I 0 Grand Total