03-16-1994 RACC MINUTES - Laserfiche WebLink

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RECREATION AND CULTURAL COMMITTEE Wednesday, March 16, 1994 10:00 a.m. City Council Board Room NOTES 1. STREET TREE POLICY REVIEW Attending: Ameal Moore, Maureen Kane, Terri Thompson, Deen Teer, Terry Nielsen, Dave Roger, Bruce Camenga, Peter Kallinger Dave Roger discussed the need for a tree management program comprising various elements: 1) Inventory 2) Master planting program 3) Maintenance plan 4) Putting in place appropriate ordinances, etc. No Urban Forestry Program is in place for the future at present, but a long-term program is in development. By identifying their useful life expectancy, criteria can be set for a design program. The Street Tree portion of the issue is before the Committee today. Later on, we must address liability regarding trees in parks. Terry Nielsen provided statistics on the 13 -year trim cycle; ideally, it would be a 3 -year cycle. Marjorie von Pohle provided a historical view. Bruce Camenga gave an overview. Staff reported that we have received, 1600 trees of 11 different varieties through a grant. These trees will be planted in medians, school grounds, and along street parkways. They are not allowed to be planted in parks. The Committee was concerned about how flexible the City can be when citizens feel that they are being dictated to. Staff reviewed proposed species removal list. The purpose is to bring in more diverse varieties of trees to alleviate the possibility of a disease epidemic destroying an entire species planted along a whole street. Age diversity as well as species diversification contributes to healthy tree stock. A gradual removal program is needed; cost is a real issue. A utility tax is a viable funding source for removal of trees for line clearance reasons. Other avenues of funding can be explored. Cost for removal, replacement, and maintenance program is $6.2 million for a two-year program; alternatively, it could be done over 20 years at $307,000 per year, in rough