HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Min 2010-01-19Seal Beach California
January 19, 2010
The City Council of the City of Seal Beach met in a study session with the City
Tree Advisory Board at 5:00 p.m. with Mayor Sloan calling the meeting to order.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Sloan; Council Members: Antos, Levitt, Miller
Absent: Shanks
City Tree Advisory Board (CTAB): Ron Bennett, Jim Caviola, Brian Kyle,
David Rosenman, Mario Voce
Absent: Jan Stillwell & Jane McCloud
Staff: David Carmany, City Manager
Terrence Belanger, Interim Director of Public Works
Michael Ho, City Engineer
Jeff Watson, Maintenance Services Manager
Ernest Area, Maintenance Services Supervisor
Linda Devine, City Clerk
The Interim Director of Public Works gave a staff report on the timeline of events
and an overview:
• Staff is in the process of making changes, recommended by the public and
directed by the City Council, to the draft Street Tree Management Plan.
Among the changes are the following:
1. Add the new mission statement provided by the CTAB.
2. Review tree vacancies on Lampson Avenue near College Park East.
3. Add recommended species, on Lampson Avenue (CPE) to the
Management Plan.
4. Remove references to West Coast Arborists from the Street Tree
Management Plan.
5. Replace the draft Management Plan's street tree planting
recommendations, with the CTAB street tree planting recommendations.
• Based upon the comments made at the City Council meeting, the staff had
placed the following items on the Study Session agenda for discussion and
direction:
Item 1 — Tr ee Species - Damage to Public and private propertv: The issue
here was to what extent, if any, should the Street Tree Management Plan
take into account the potential damage a street tree may cause to public
and /or private property?
Item 2 — Ocean Bulb Outs: The issue here was what species of street tree, if
any, is to be planted in the parkway and bulb outs on the north side of Ocean
Avenue, between 1 st Street to 8th Street?
Item 3 — Tree Removal Policy: The issue here was the nature and extent of
the City's tree removal policy; and, the level of risk (liability) is the City willing
to accept?
Item 4 — Trimming FreguencLr: The issue here was the reasonable frequency
of tree trimming city -wide?
Item 5 — City Tree Advisory Board Status: The issue here was to re- define
the duties and responsibilities of the City Tree Advisory Board, through the
adoption of a new establishment resolution.
l9
Page 2 - City Council 01111'r10
Council members and members of CTAB reviewed and deliberated the proposed
plan and the issues associated with it. Members of CTAB stated what the past
practices have been and expressed they have differences of opinions from that
of the City staff on many areas of the tree issue. At the end of the discussions,
the City Council decided to restart the process from the beginning, with a request
for proposals that will solicit the disciplines of a landscape architecture.
Consequently, staff was directed to prepare a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the
preparation of a Citywide Street Tree Master Plan, inviting landscape architects
to submit proposals.
The issue of the bulb -outs was discussed. There were residents present that
expressed their opinion whether trees should or should not be planted in the
bulb -outs and who should be responsible for maintaining the bulb -outs. This
decision will be addressed in the new Citywide Street Tree Master Plan. Jim
Watson, resident on Ocean Avenue, stated that if his neighbors would agree he
would concede to have the City replace the trees planted in the bulb -outs in front
of his house with a different type of tree (palm) - there was no opposition.
It was the consensus of the Council that the members approved (Res. No. 4500)
to the CTAB would be ratified on the annual list of Boards, Committees, and
Commission and any Council member may appoint a representative from their
district - the Citywide Street Tree Master Plan will address the purpose of the
advisory board and qualification of membership.
With no objections the Mayor directed the City Manager to place an item on a
Council agenda to go out for a Request For Proposal (RFP) inviting landscape
architects to prepare a Citywide Street Tree Master Plan that would address the
issues raised as well as the 5 items presented on the study session agenda.
Staff was directed to invite members of the City Tree Advisory Board to
participate in the process.
ADJOURN
With no objection the Mayor adjourned the study session at 6:45 p.m. to the City
Council to Monday, January 25, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. to meet in closed session, if
deemed necessary.
Cit§ Clerk
City of Seal Beach
Approved:
Attest:
City Clerk