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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-06-11 - Agendas CITY OF a e evl jq AGENDA Y ARKANS Urban Forestry Advisory Board June 11, 2014 4:00 p.m. Adventure Subaru 12269 N. Henbest Drive I Main Entrance Members: Amy Jones; Sarah King; 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. UFAB Sustainable Landscape Tour: Location A Adventure Subaru, 2269 N. Henbest Drive 4. UFAB Sustainable Landscape Tour: Location B Karen Ann Freeman and Bill Elder Residence, 1794 W. Berry Street 5. Other Business or Announcements 6. Adjourn Mailing Address: 113 W. Mountain Street www.fayetteville-ar.gov Fayetteville,AR 72701 CITY OF a e evl Iq MINUTES Y ARKANS Urban Forestry Advisory Board May 14, 2014 4:OOPM 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 1. Call to Order: 4:02pm I Don Steinkraus, Chair 2. In Attendance: Amy Jones, Alma Laney, Kathy Launder, Malcolm LeVois, Sue Madison, Don Steinkraus Absent: Sarah King Staff: Ken Eastin, Derek Linn Guests: Rex Archer, Ozarks Electric; Preston Smith, SWEPCO; Glenda Patterson; Jeremy Williams 3. Approval of Minutes: Madison made a motion to approve the minutes as written. Laney said he was present last month, but that the minutes show he was both present and absent. Linn said staff would correct it. Launder seconded it. The motion passed with a 6-0-0 voice vote. 4. Native or Invasive Plant Presentation —Alma Laney Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) Laney said it is a member of the Pea family and that it grows really well in poor soils. Laney shared the following on the subject species: - Drought and pollution tolerant - Sensitive to ice storms - Fixes nitrogen - Few diseases: o Viral o Heart rot - Develops extensive root system that spreads and reproduces through suckers - Considered invasive in some areas (California; South Africa; Australia) - Second most cultivated tree after eucalyptus - Often planted as street tree in Europe Mailing Address: 113 W. Mountain Street www.fayetteville-ar.gov Fayetteville,AR 72701 Native range: Appalachia, Ozarks, and Ouachitas Beetles and locust borer are serious pests that reduce wood quality Leaf and bark toxic to some wildlife Grown for use of its wood in many areas o Highest heat index of any firewood (comparable to heat of coal) o Often used for fencing due to rot resistance (can last over 100 years in the soil) o Used for exterior decking due to durability Eastin said it is often used in trail construction. Steinkraus asked how the wood is rot resistant while the living trees are susceptible to heart rot. Laney said it hadn't been researched but he guessed that the responsible pathogens have developed a mechanism to allow them to live in the living tree, as opposed to the wood or lumber. 5. SWEPCO Utility Maintenance— Preston Smith Eastin said he invited Preston based on past concerns and requests from the Board regarding utility line maintenance. Smith said SWEPCO does not have any in house tree pruning or foresters; he said they contract out all the work. He said one contractor/work planner notifies the residents of upcoming work via door to door. The planner then hands over work plan to tree contractor/foremen (such as Asplundh). Clearance standards are determined by species of tree and size of lines and conductors. Smith said the guidelines are minimums. He said a 20' clearance would mean their goal is to clear to where no high vegetation or tree branches are within 20 feet of the line. When this becomes more than 30% of the crown of a tree, he said they ask for removal of the tree. If the customer says they don't want removal, Smith says SWEPCO will get the clearance instead. In cases where they need to remove 50% or more of the canopy, he said residents are given ample time to come to terms with the situation and make a decision on removal. Smith said most of the time, they decide they are okay with the removal. Eastin asked if SWEPCO keeps any records on tree health and condition after their pruning and line clearing. Smith said they do not currently have a database, but they are working on creating one for Fayetteville. Madison asked Smith if SWEPCO contacts residents regarding pruning before work begins. 2 Smith said they do, and that has always been the policy. Madison asked if he understands that the property owner is not always the customer. She said she recently had a tree removed on one of her rental properties without being contacted. Smith said they make every effort to connect with the owner, but if someone presents themselves as resident/owner, then that is who is notified. He said they do not conduct background checks or search court house records to verify ownership. Madison said she recently contacted the Arkansas Public Service Commission to see if there were any state statutes regarding SWEPCO's line maintenance. She said she was told there are none. Smith confirmed. Madison asked if there are any federal statutes or guidelines regarding their line clearance work. Smith said no. Madison said so therefore SWEPCO has no legal authorization for what they do. Smith confirmed. Madison asked what happens when an owner disagrees. Smith said if they disagree with a tree removal, they will not remove it unless it is in a dedicated easement or right-of-way. If it is a disagreement regarding tree trimming, he said they will eventually do it anyway—even if the tree/branches are outside the right-of- way or easement. Madison said she was still unclear on what their legal right was to do this. Smith said it's not a right, but rather an obligation to keep the vegetation cleared from powerlines. Madison asked if there have been conflicts where customers brought SWEPCO to court. Smith said maybe one went to court, but it was before his time and he doesn't know the result. Madison asked what residents can do to better understand maintenance plans before works begin on their street. She said this concern comes from a City alderman. Smith said SWEPCO will make their best effort to contact the property owner and inform them. He said the documentation used for tree removals asks for a signature from the property owner. He said the notification process for tree trimming is to knock on the door and inform the resident or to leave a yellow info card on the door knob in the event that no one comes to the door. 3 Madison asked how long they wait after leaving the yellow door hangers. Smith said at a minimum, they wait for a week before doing the work. Steinkraus said why even notify people if the work is going to occur regardless and if property owners have no power to reject the work. Smith said some people have questions, requests, or just like being informed about the work in advance. Steinkraus said therefore the door hangers are simply informational and residents' not wanting the works to happen doesn't hold any ground. Madison said that Arkansas Public Service Commission's Rule 4.03: Tree Trimming says the electric utility should consider the health of the tree involved, the goodwill of the property owner, and the safety, etc. of the situation. She said it sounds like it's just a gesture. Smith said if SWEPCO removes 50% of a tree, they will make every effort to inform the property owner it needs to be removed, because they are going to end up with a stressed, unhealthy tree. Eastin said he has been receiving several questions regarding timing of the pruning—he said recent pruning has been during time of trees coming out of dormancy. Smith said they trim year-round. Eastin said he is hearing comments that works going on right now are driven by budgetary constraints and asked if there is a maximum clearance standard. Smith confirmed that the standards are minimums and that they do not have maximum clearance guidelines. He said typically they will prune to reach the minimum, and then prune back to the next lateral—of course sometimes the next lateral is the main trunk. He said if there is a nice Pin Oak (15' minimum clearance) that is 14' from the line, they are not going to cut the whole tree out. He said they are guidelines. Williams, guest, said he discussed utility clearing requirements needed at his client Alex Smith's property with client and the SWEPCO contracted trimming crew. He said they initially trimmed as they discussed and then came back and cut the trees off at 20'. He said this was done to 30" diameter pines and an elm. Smith said he was sure there was a reason. Williams said he was hired by the client to discuss limb by limb what would be pruned with the utility arborist. He said they pruned as discussed while Williams and the client were there, then came back 2 or 3 weeks later and chopped off the trees. Smith said he is not familiar with that situation, but he is sure there is a good reason. Williams said another major concern is the amount of flush cuts he is noticing. He said he is seeing a lot of flush cuts occurring with no relation to branch collar. 4 Smith said to let him know if he sees any flush cuts, because SWEPCO does audit contractors on quality, and flush cuts are an item of concern that they assess. Eastin said another concern he hears is that wood from trimmed or removed trees is left on site. He said this is viewed by some residents as adding insult to injury. Smith said it is SWEPCO standard to leave the wood on site. Eastin asked what we can do to make a good will effort with the citizens. He said he appreciates the communication SWEPCO offers to residents, but that he feels a lot more is needed—especially education on why such works are necessary. He said he is a representative of the city and gets many calls from the public and ends up making a lot of apologies for SWEPCO. He wondered if there was some way we could come together and improve the situation. Smith said in this business people are not going to be happy. He said the customer is given plenty of time to consider the situation. And they have every opportunity-- Eastin said: for it to sink in. Smith said you just can't have large species trees next to or under power lines. When vegetation is in conductor zone, he said it is more dangerous for persons to be in there doing maintenance. He said line clearance hurts feelings, but that SWEPCO gives people ample time to consider the situation. He said that sometimes, negotiation can lead to compromise. He said, for example: if SWEPCO can take out Tree A, maybe they would only prune 13' rather than 14' from the line on Tree B. He said that often the people complaining are not the people who own the trees, but rather, others who drive by. Eastin said he still hears often from people who are the property owner. Linn asked if there is any opportunity to consider or negotiate increasing pruning budgets to allow more frequent visits in some areas versus others. Smith said that he has strived for his entire time with SWEPCO to treat each customer the same and each community equally. He said some of the small towns are just as vocal as Fayetteville. Steinkraus asked if a rep of SWEPCO makes the line clearing plans or if it is contracted out. Smith said with their current budget, they are in a reactive stance. He said they ideally like to clear an entire circuit or line at a time, and they consider that maintenance pruning. He said they are far from achieving that at this time. He said they have two (2) subcontracted crews in NWA: 5 persons who are climbers and 2 on bucket trucks. He said they cover all SWEPCO lines from Eureka Springs to Centerton to Lincoln to Fayetteville. He said at this time, they target and prioritize the worst performing circuits with highest levels of vegetation. Priority is to keep breaker zone open, which is the zone between a substation and the first device that can protect a substation. He said they try to keep those areas clear so they can keep electricity on for more people. Smith said the vegetation on 5 Mission right now is pretty bad. He said they need to change out some transformers, switches, and poles—which requires a lot of work. Smith said that 80-90% of the work they are doing right now is because the tree is on fire or there is an outage. Steinkraus asked who makes the aesthetics decisions on how much to trim on a specific tree. Smith said the contracted planners give directions to the foremen, and the foremen do the actual trimming per the specifications given. He said the planners are arborists, but the foremen are not. Madison asked if SWEPCO finds themselves pruning more than necessary because they know they won't be back for 8 or 9 years. Smith said no. Madison asked if more often than not, do they adhere to the minimum guidelines, rather than exceeding them. Smith said yes. Smith said the voltage in Fayetteville is either 12,500 (3 phase lines) or 7,200 volts. However, he said the trimming clearances don't differ that much unless you are talking about the secondary line that directly connects the power to the house. He said on those lines, they only clear for 5' clearance. Transmission lines are 34 kV, 69kV, 138kV, and up. Smith said those are a whole different ball game where federal regulations to come into play. He said there is a Transmission line along 151h Street in Fayetteville. Eastin said he saw some flush cuts on the trees trimmed on North Street. Madison asked if she could give him a list of her properties so that SWEPCO would contact her when they notify of approaching line work. Smith said she should tell her tenants to contact her instead. Steinkraus asked if crews are still spraying and injecting herbicides onto vegetation. Smith said they will sometimes apply tree growth regulator to special trees, but that their budget doesn't allow for much of that right now. He said they do still do some herbicide spraying, especially on vines around utility poles. Madison asked if SWEPCO notifies property owners of herbicide use. Smith said typically their spraying is not done near residences, but rather in industrial areas, such as south of town. He said they will notify the resident if they consider using tree growth regulator. Rex Archer, guest, asked if the TGR is applied even after they get their 20' clearance, or if it is done in lieu of the trimming due to special considerations. 6 Smith said right now they are only applying it in special situations, but ideally, they would achieve the minimum clearance and then apply the TGR. He said it is either injected or applied to a shallow trench around the roots. Steinkraus asked if SWEPCO has considered burying any of their lines as he hears is done in other countries. Smith said aside from the higher upfront cost, he estimates that ongoing maintenance of underground lines is 3 to 4x that of maintaining above ground lines. Ken asked if SWEPCO has considered using TreeLine—a thicker, more durable line that was recommended by one of the aldermen. Smith said even if they had TreeLine on any of their routes, they would still get the same clearance. Linn asked if they would still need the same clearance, or if they would just get the same clearance. Smith said they would still get the same clearance. Madison asked if SWEPCO's policies and practices parallel with Ozarks [Electric]. Smith said: I do not know that. He said he goes to ISA and other conferences. He hears these same concerns from all over the country. Smith said his goal someday is to co-op with the UA and City to have a tree farm—where every tree removed could be replaced for a small [monetary] expense to the property owner. Eastin said the City may talk to Smith someday about the tree farm. Smith said because 99% of the forestry budget at SWEPCO is contracted labor, they can be easily laid off and brought back. Therefore, forestry is the first pool of money to get reduced whenever SWEPCO is low on operating funds. He said the current administration's regulations regarding coal fired power plant pollution is also hurting their business. Smith said he'd love to have a real management plan rather than reactive work. LeVois asked how coal regulations play a role. Smith said it would cost billions to retro-fit their current facilities to meet the new and proposed standards. He said they've had to shut down several coal-Fred power plants. He said the Turk plant produces with only half the fuel and is an example of a more efficient coal fired power plant. Smith said his job is to supervise but also to educate and provide outreach. He said in some cases, they do have the right to cut down or trim trees immediately—especially in 7 times of emergency, but in general, it is their goal to give customers ample time to consider the situation. Eastin asked what Smith would do if the powerline had to move into an existing line of trees. Smith said he thinks the customer should be compensated for the loss of the trees. Madison asked what geographic area Smith covered. Smith said Hatfield to Greenwood; West Fork to Eureka, Lincoln, Hiawassee, Centerton. Smith said call anytime. Madison motioned to ask staff to summarize the presentation and send summary to Alderman Petty. Launder seconded it, and the motion passed with a 6-0-0 vote. 6. UFAB Sustainable Landscape Competition — Ken Eastin Eastin said the deadline is approaching, and that a good team of judges is lined up and ready. Launder said she is hearing the rubric is too strict. She said some people don't apply because they selectively use herbicide. She said she is still encouraging people to apply for the experience. Eastin said the judges have given good suggestions as well and that the rubric can be adjusted in the future. He said the judges also suggested adding a theoretical / unbuilt category. He said that could generate applications from students and homeowners who have designs in the works. Linn said another benefit mentioned from the judges is that the unbuilt category could recognize students who are producing sustainable designs and also to recognize local firms who are practicing eco-friendly landscape design. Madison said she agrees with Kathy that the rubric is overwhelming and that there is too much to consider. Jones said maybe the rubric represents the ideal, but maybe we are not there yet. Madison said the board was not notified of the deadline extension. Eastin apologized and said it was a staff decision based on the low number of applications. He said it was extended last year as well. 7. Other Business or Announcements Laney said he has really enjoyed being on the board, but he has accepted a position at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. 8 Steinkraus said the board appreciates his service. Madison said she would like for staff to write a letter to Econo Lodge and to First Federal on College regarding recent tree topping they had on their properties. Madison motioned for staff to write the letters; Laney seconded it, and the measure passed with a 6-0-0 vote. Williams, guest, added that he thinks the White Spyder should receive a letter as well. He said they are located adjacent to First Federal. Steinkraus recommended Sue's pictures be included in the letters. Steinkraus said he'd like the Board to work towards a goal of getting Fayetteville more effectively involved with invasive plant management. He said it would be helpful if the City would officially recommend property owners eradicate certain species. Madison asked if urban foresters' landscape plan review can nudge applicants on species selection. Eastin said yes. He said he'd like to address this further in the Landscape Manual and a future management plan. Madison asked if it would make a difference for the Board to write a letter to Kum & Go regarding species. Jones said she knows the landscaper who does the Kum & Go's. She said it would be good if there were a list of 10 or so plants to absolutely not plant. LeVois said because of the enormous task of removal of widespread invasives, lawmakers are sometimes hesitant to add plants to the official invasive or noxious lists. Archer, guest, said the tree farm is a good idea. He said through Ozarks Electric they have had a tree farm in place for years. He said the owners are responsible for planting, but that the trees are given by Ozarks Electric for no extra charge. He asked if review of plans includes consideration of right tree, right place. Eastin said yes. He said staff considers and requires appropriate species in relation to utility lines. Linn asked if Archer would like to come back and speak on behalf of Ozarks Electric's approach to line management. Archer said yes. LeVois said he could do the next plant presentation in July. Launder said she will not be available to attend the June meeting. 8. Adjournment Time: 5:24pm 9. Submitted by: Derek Linn 9