again now that we're on Mike
we'll start again I'm going to call the
Bexley Korean Public Gardens commission
to order and call the roll thank you
Larry Hellman
Sheila Straub here Dave Wakeman
Celeste Williams here
Jim Wilson here Linda zubnick
Susan quintens we have a quorum and also
in attendance mayor Kessler
hello
it's my pleasure to be here city
councilman Lori and fiebel here
Grant Archer City Forester here Jordan
cavalero Administrative Assistant here
Elena Andrews staff consultant here and
Mary McMunn
commission member in training
so we have a court
um I did go to Mary's uh first
nominating and reading up her name uh
meeting last week and was what city
council was very actually wonderful and
conversational and they shared different
kind of information with different kinds
of people and it was it was good wasn't
it yeah
it's always good
yes I I you know that they were gracious
two weeks in a row okay well we're gonna
get to that we're gonna get to that so
um
we have approval of the minutes of
October 19th 2022 that were emailed to
you a little tardy but um at least maybe
uh 20 hours ahead of time
so I'll take a motion for approval no
move is there a second second is there
any discussion emotions made and
seconded that we approved the October
19th 2022 minutes as sent all those in
favor say aye aye aye all those opposed
same sign motion carries
um additions to the agenda
um I was in conversation email
conversation with Jordan today and we've
added two items under Mr Wilson's report
in Old business that have to do with
rules and regulations
and then also
um questions for applicants so we'll
we'll get to those in a bit
and under announcements and small
victories I think Ellen do you have your
update for us on our the fundraising by
the Community Foundation for many of our
projects yes I do
professionally for 2022 uh as of today
we have 69 donors for a total of 26 430
dollars
and uh the week after Thanksgiving uh we
plan on sending a second life a
follow-up letter to uh uh donors who
have not yet given this year and then uh
for Barbara I'm reporting Pennsylvania
loon for 2022 130 donors for 17
216 which is the top here Corp
experience ever ever
so I think mayor I think that's a
testimonial to the plantings and to the
environment of the city
so I think you should take you can pat
yourself on the back Grant you can pack
yourself on the back because yes okay I
like it I like it
um any questions for Ellen if not then
we'll move along to the ODNR Grant uh
Jordan we didn't get any fireworks in
our email box so I'm assuming the news
was not good
no we did not get awarded anything did
you get any feedback about the
liabilities or you know the downside of
the granted application nope it was very
straightforward email thank you for your
application we went with other
applicants that was it okay
well I think I think since we have sort
of a relationship what did you get Mayor
what did did you get something else oh I
also got regenerated by odinar for Grand
recently so well then I think you know
they're a public body we're a public
body I would be interested and I'm happy
to take this on in writing to them and
ask them Jordan about the grant you
submitted wrong yeah you know what what
they found to be you know less than
fulfilling on our application so they
didn't like Elena's exhibit on the one
that I I yeah
okay
okay thank you Elena well Jordan again
thank you very much for writing the
grant
really appreciate it I hope it's not the
last Grant you write for us because it's
like selling encyclopedias you know you
got to make 10 sales calls to make one
sale so next time will be better okay
and then we'll give you more Cheetos how
about that
okay all right uh Mary I would you like
to just step to the microphone real
quickly and remember to push the button
and just give us a quick wrap up on the
bloomers and then the rehab at the North
Community Garden well I don't know how
quick it'll be but well I have a lot
just
quicker's better than a guy quick
um so for the 2022 season our highlights
include
753.25 hours
um thanks to the 33 volunteers we had
five new recruits this summer uh we had
great weather we only canceled one
Thursday session in August we had lots
of varied opportunity opportunities for
everyone to help out
um we got some great publicity this year
uh we had an article in Bexley living we
were on the city and Parks Facebook
pages and the mayor recognized Us in his
Bexley blast of October 28th we also
received a proclamation from the parks
and rec board and
um some other highlights of the
gardening year included several
transplants of native plants that I uh
secured up the road from Heritage Garden
uh and we had taxes planted on the
middle tier that look lovely we had
three new trees and six new shrubs
planted and we received a grant from the
Community Foundation to repair the
stairs and we've got pumpkins courtesy
of Franklin Park and last but not least
amazing support from Mike Ron and his
crew yes thank you thank you do you want
to talk at all about the rehab of the
North Community Garden do you want to
wait on that until next month
um well why don't you wait till next
month that'd be good good Mary thank you
for your leadership on the Bloomers it's
truly a stunning addition and I would
just you know ask the mayor and Elena as
the installations begin at the
Commonwealth's Park
uh if there is anything there that is
going to need tending by the Bloomers
next year so that we can work that into
our plans as we think about next season
okay
um anything else under announcements or
small victories
are there any requests from residents
if not let's go on to review of
landscape applications
um Jim is going to oversee this from the
commission side and then pivot to Elena
for the staff report okay so are you are
you on I am on okay uh just a reminder
to everyone as to our process for
reviewing these
a reminder to everyone our meetings are
videotaped and available on bexley.org
website within a few days
um the website can be accessed by anyone
anywhere as commission members we do not
comment or discuss findings of other
commissions nor do we comment on
subjects under review from other City
commissions as a commission we will not
be a party to negative or despairing
machine comments about City staff
elected officials appointed officials or
city Consultants or other commission
members
comments today should be germane to the
subject at hand so please stay on topic
if in our chairs view any presentation
is trending towards being inflammatory
or confrontational we'll recess for 10
minutes for everyone to catch their
breath
um so today's application comes to us
because the board of zoning and planning
approved the resident's request to Grant
an area of variance from the bixi city
code
and a two foot variance from the Bexley
city code to allow six foot fence on the
North property line with the following
condition that the applicants submit a
landscape plan to the tree and public
garden commission that accomplishes the
goal of breaking up the appearance of a
solid wall effect of the fence for
review and approval that was granted at
their May 27 2021 meeting so our purpose
today is to review the Landscaping plan
and determine whether it is appropriate
and meets the conditions set by the
board of zoning and planning
I wanna thank you Jim
alrighty I'm actually going to start
with the photographs
um do you set the lights on uh no maybe
the lights off would be you might be
able to see it a little bit better
so this is the um existing fence
um that uh was removed it was an old
wooden fence with a large bed and just
overgrowth with Ivy kind of moving all
along
this is again another view so this is
along Caroline Street Drexel is where
you see the stop sign here so you can
see the fence was old falling apart
deteriorating
another view straight on
and then now this is what the new fence
is so it's a new six foot a tall wood
fence the posts are approximately eight
feet on Center
um and the length of the fence primarily
that we're concerned about is running 92
linear feet or crossing through this way
and so these are just some views of the
area
and then looking at it from a different
way just so everyone can have a little
bit of context with that
and then this is a um a southern
magnolia or a Magnolia bracken's Brown
beauty that is planted on the inside of
the fence that you'll see on the plan
um but the idea I wanted to just have
everyone be able to note that location
where you see kind of the two small
little posts because when we're looking
at the plan the idea is that we're going
to be the applicant is going to be
adding additional of these of these
magnolia trees on the opposite side and
so that's why it doesn't extend all the
way to the end because this guy is in
that corner location
in terms of looking at the staff review
with the comments
um for those of you who might have not
had a chance to review this so basically
again it's just saying that it's 92 92
linear feet of the fence and um five
Magnolia brightens Brown and three
climbing hydrange are to be proposed now
one of the things that has come up in
past conversations
um as you know is with fencing we're
supposed to screen the fence but there's
not necessarily specific you know
requirements to how we necessarily
screen that in terms of percentages and
things like that so I just wanted to
give everyone a little bit of a
background in terms of what these trees
potentially will grow into so we'll have
five of the brackens brown and three of
the climbing hydrangeas the the Magnolia
will go to be about 15 feet spread it
can get wider but um in general if you
assume it's going to be about 15 feet
and they're looking to be planted about
15 feet on Center so basically they're
going to be touching and eventually kind
of grow into each other and then that
will cover about 75 linear feet of the
92 feet
then the hydrangeas are located between
the posts on either end and can be
expected to cover a total of 15 linear
feet so if you assume about a five foot
spread per tree they can or per shrub
they can go a little bit bigger
depending on how you limit but just in
terms of averages so in general
um there will be if you're standing
directly in front of the fence there's
going to be about 98 percent coverage
but granted that is going to be in about
you know five to ten years when these
actually mature so when it goes in
they're going to obviously look a lot
smaller there's just a small discrepancy
on the plan between the existing
conditions and the plan in terms of 10
panels versus 11 full panels panels in a
bit but I believe that the the length
overall is correct it's just it happens
to be missing an actual post just wanted
to call attention to that there's not a
continuous bed that is proposed along
the fence I think one of the issues and
Angela can speak to this a little bit
more when she comes in but I know that
there was a concern about Ivy and
everything kind of growing on the fence
and deteriorating the fence and so
they're trying to keep the fence a
little bit cleaner
um but my recommendation is that mulch
Rings actually be provided at the base
of the trees and the shrubs just so weed
whackers come in and for mowing that it
maintains the health of the shrub I'm
not 100 sure if the area is going to be
irrigated or not
um so that would be a question for
Angela when she comes up
and then when we're looking at the plan
so basically to orient you
um here's Caroline Avenue along the top
here's the 92 linear feet of the fence
um here's that double post the smaller
thing and then the interior Magnolia
that I had a picture of directly
opposite that is a Climbing Hydrangea
then we have the row of the five
brackets Brown and at the opposite end
closer to them when it then returns
there is a um there are two of the
hydrangeas there the installation size
is five to six feet for the bracken's
brown Beauty And The Climbing Hydrangea
is a five gallon
um both of those are are are fine in
terms of you know availability and um
and the size everything obviously will
grow with that so with that
can we bring up Angela or do we have
discussion now oh we bring up Evangel
okay Angela could you come to the podium
go ahead I just want to make sure that
you're the microphone is on yeah okay we
turn the main lights back on sure of
course I just push the button no it's on
it's on the green lights on already
so Angela if you could introduce
yourself
um and where you live and if you have
anything else to add on the landscape
um I'm Angela nirm I live at 481 North
Drexel on the corner of Caroline and
Drexel
and I do have they are um irrigation
already in place so we're not adding any
more or unless they need to move heads
or whatever
um I did have this picture of
sort of what I'm hoping they'll look
like but without the bottom hedge so I
can pass that around
can we move on okay is that it that's it
okay
you want me to ask her review okay all
right so uh we will now ask Angela
questions from from the group that's
here today so does anybody want to start
if there are any questions okay go ahead
so I'm curious why
um not extend the Magnolias further up
towards the east end of the fence it by
my account it looks like there's about I
don't know 18 feet of defense that just
the hydrangeas you'll be about 16 feet
of fence because each each section A
little over 15 each section is about
eight feet
um I just thought I sort of mixed up a
little bit
um when you go around the corner I'm
hoping that will spread out and sort of
make a softer corner and not have it so
Stark eventually
um
but I haven't made it around the corner
yet it is landscaped already where it
says the existing tree that doesn't have
any color
um that's kind of dying and I have to
tell you everything we've just spent a
lot of landscape on the inside of that
and it's all dying
so I just want to make sure that the
soils good enough and
and that it was it we went through
Oakland that it's not their plants and
so I just really want to make sure the
soils the grass seems to be doing just
fine
um other questions
um
it's at some point I mean it's going to
be difficult
in to do any kind of cleanup between
those Rings it will probably become up
almost a bid at that point
so would you just propose a bit or
um I I would say when they first go in
and they're smaller
um not necessarily I think the Rings
would be fine but I think understanding
that as the trees grow
um the grass is not going to grow as
effectively underneath underneath it and
so you went out you might need to
eventually extend that into a bed
um but oftentimes when a tree goes in
and it's a little bit younger sometimes
people elect not to do that bed because
then it's it's weeding it's additional
mulch sometimes having the the lawn
yeah sometimes having the lawn is more
so a lot of that is just a personal
preference other other questions for
Angela I did just a quick comment you
know you're doing southern magnolias now
the climate change shouldn't be
happening coming warmer this way but
it's a little well that's why I picked
that one in the corner and it's been
there for almost it's been there a year
so I think it's done well
um I'm hoping that the winds aren't
going to be too temperature right
Caroline wins yeah
um
but yeah that was anything else
beautiful I hope you know yeah but I did
wait a year that one's been there for a
year okay other questions
for the um from the landscaper about the
Magnolia's design will they have to read
well I have a year okay
if it dies I can take it back and start
over yeah Sheila Angela with the
irrigation that is in place will any of
it reach the new plantings yes okay yes
it's all
great
if there aren't any more questions for
Angela we'll ask her to sit and then
we'll have a discussion among ourselves
and then if we have more questions for
her so
um are there thoughts or questions about
the landscape plan as presented
I I guess it's my question is if they
don't make it well you know is it I mean
they are southern magnolias it's a tough
plant so well then they need then um
Angela would need to come back to the
tree commission with a new plan
um
right okay all right
so Mrs Williams you had something I want
to express appreciation for your wanting
to soften the the harsh fence and even
though you won't see the trees very
often when you're not probably not
driving by that side I we appreciate
your uh embracing the canopy idea and
developing that in Bexley
Mr Wilson
well as my question suggested my biggest
concern is that there's a reasonably
large section of the fence up on the
Eastern end that just has the Climbing
Hydrangea and if you've ever been to my
house you know I'm no opponent of
Climbing Hydrangea but
by February they're not awe-inspiring
they're rather Bleak in the winter
um and I just wonder whether there's any
potential to put if you want the
Climbing Hydrangea at least to plant
something that's Evergreen below it
rather than just have sort of 16 feet
that in Columbus for five or months or
so is going to be
kind of Bleak
um my comment would be that there are no
horizontal elements in this landscape
um and that to Jim's point about the
hydrangea we don't have any winter color
um I was driving down Cassidy I drive
down Cassidy every day but you know the
plan that was for there was the
Hawthorns which more or less the same
size as the Magnolias and then you know
the the taxes underneath or Juniper
underneath which I think would give you
both the horizontal element as well as
the vertical element and I think that
would
you know soften the entire area and then
be inclusive of you know the concern you
have I I want to just make a note the uh
this particular Magnolia is Evergreen
and it will stay the leaves will stay on
year round so it it drops its leaves
continuously kind of throughout the year
but in general that Center section will
be green it'll just be the two ends
right where the hydrangeas just I would
just want to make that clear right okay
so other other comments discussion items
yes no
okay
are you ready for um I am one way or the
other I'll make my motion we'll see if
all right all right I would um move to
approve the plan with the following
conditions that um that the homeowner
had some lower Evergreens at the East
End of the fence under the hydrangea
subject to staff approval and
um just so there's Clarity
um that the plan to be approved on with
the understanding that if the Magnolias
failed the homeowner would either
replace them or bring a new plan back to
the commission for their replacement
okay is there a second
okay is there any discussion
okay motion has been made that the
pre-commission approved the plan as
presented with the following conditions
that
um some type of Evergreen uh be on the
Eastern side of the landscape plan I
guess
and that if the trees die that they're
replaced or that the homeowner comes
back with a new or revised plan
okay all those in favor say aye aye aye
all those suppose same sign
motion carries all right thank you very
much Angela
okay now I'll be in touch then Angela
regarding about what additional shrubs
to potentially add
in front of the hydrangea there
okay
so now
Jim do you want to go on to I would hope
that the agenda could come back up so I
could see what I'm supposed to go on to
it is hold on
oh
um yeah I I think that our next item is
um a sort of
I it's not a application so our more
stringent rules will not apply here but
this is really sort of for our
information and to begin our
consideration and um I think we have a
guest Ben Heckman from the Bexley Public
Library I know Ben's always reluctant to
approach a microphones but um
I guess I'm not clear do we want to hear
from Elena or from Ben or from the mayor
first or from everybody all at once so
before we start though can I just say
that I spoke to city council last night
and did not wear a sports coat but I
want to show the proper reference
why are you even here that's what I'm
trying to do because
even though the rules don't wanna don't
apply we're still of course it's going
to be cordial and conversational and
Charming so
so that's it so who wants to go first
Elena the mayor
director keckman
um what I would propose is um Ben why
don't you kind of set the stage I can
briefly go through the options but if
you want to kind of describe what the
intent is what the conver the past
conversations have been with the
synagogue as well as your board
um and just kind of bring us up to date
and then I'm happy to just go through
what the options are and then explain
what the next steps will be yeah perfect
happy to share uh when I came to
director job in 2017 there was a a plan
on the wall taped on the wall for a
envisioned front of the library and a
park in between the synagogue and the
library
the origins of that plan I still am not
sure I think mksk did it whatever that
time frame was I don't know
um and so that has always kind of been
on the radar of something that would
enhance the library and I think
potentially Main Street if it was done
right and so then I'd had a few
conversations with Rabbi Zach next door
and uh the mayor came and said this
would be a great kind of uh you're the
park component and so we have met with
uh Eleanor and we we took that plan as
kind of a template and she developed a
few options that would allow for much
better interaction
of all the businesses and and community
members the library patrons just
everybody on Main Street
um we're working at the library there's
not a great place to have lunch outside
on a beautiful day so we're hoping to
have the front Courtyard have Cafe
tables and chairs and have it be a
really welcoming place from the street
we also have built in some different
aspects to it that we'll we'll look at
for programming opportunities so we can
have library programs outside
um and we these two options we have
taken to the library board uh We've also
taken it to the leadership team at the
synagogue both which is very warmly
received
um as I'm sure you guys are familiar
what we currently have is
not beautiful
and so
um I think this will be a great
enhancement not just for the library and
the synagogue but also the community in
this corner on Main Street
I do want to say that Vice chair Jim
Wilson has dual citizenship on both the
library board and tree commission just
so we make that clear so I'm allowed to
talk today but never again
oh I hope that's not the case I hope
that's not the case and I think the only
thing I would say is that we've had
already in the very beginning stage
there's some really great partnership
with the city Elena and the synagogue
this is a I think an exciting project
that everyone has been you know happy to
contribute on
it's great it's great thank you and this
is an officially licensed project of the
year of the parks
as well get a t-shirt yep okay I like it
working on the t-shirts good
so Elena now do you want to lead us
through the plans all right so I will uh
we'll go briefly through the plans
so um one of the things for those of you
who have recently been to the library
um recognize that a lot of the plant
material is mature to mature overgrown
you can't see the fencing
um the paving the concrete pavers
probably done sometime in the 70s or 80s
are starting to kind of wave and kind of
move around and it's not 100 accessible
nor necessarily very inviting and so one
of the thoughts is how can we create a
welcoming environment that not only
Library patrons can do but you know Ben
is always talking about can someone grab
a sandwich and then come and sit outside
have a cup of coffee run across the
street to Starbucks come over here if
all the tables are being used and have a
conversation
um same thing then for the outdoor
reading room
um that between the synagogue and the
library how can that actually be used by
the library for story times as well as
on Saturday mornings for various events
with the synagogue so in looking at the
actual plan there's certain elements
that we would like to maintain for
instance the four columns in the front
there are old historical photographs
that show that that is still there
potentially the stone walls along the
streetscape those might need to be
rebuilt and Tuck pointed and kind of you
know brought up a little bit more but
when we start to reconfigure this
can we use elements architecturally that
actually speak more to the library as
well as the synagogue rather than right
now it's the the pavers don't match the
break don't match the line I mean
everything is just a hodgepodge of
everything so can we unify the space and
make it a little bit more cohesive
for the front entry I think one thing to
note is that one of the biggest change
in both of these options is that if you
assume the sidewalk is at a certain
level then all of this area all of these
kind of outdoor rooms and then this
outdoor pocket park over here is all
going to also be at the sidewalk level
so rather than having ramps coming up
we're going to try to lower all of that
down that will entail a reworking of the
front kind of Landing of the library
adding a couple more steps and
rebuilding the um the ramp that comes up
to it but that will allow a little bit
easier kind of accessible grades things
at proper slopes so we can make sure
that we don't have ponding and ice
buildup and all of that
in this particular option we're looking
at actually breaking through rather than
just having an entry through the center
we would have an entry through all three
of those zones be able to kind of really
allow people to come in as much as
possible a wider entry over by the
auditorium as well and just some outdoor
small reading rooms this is the statue
that is currently right there kind of
relocated off to the side so kids can
still kind of walk around it and see it
and play on it and a variety of benches
and Bistro tables and through here a
ramp that then comes up that is a little
bit wider and more generous this is a
huge pinch point right now for the
library of strollers of people kind of
coming in and out and so how can we
solve a couple of kind of just
structural problems that are there right
now where this gives us an opportunity
to do that
um the bike racks that are located here
whether or not we can actually locate
them off this reach so we can have a
stronger Street presence along that line
so right now it's really a little bit
kind of disruptive you don't really have
that firm base of kind of like a lower
base and then the foreground and then
the library sits on top of that so
exploring that as an option
then with this area the outdoor reading
room there's some significant grade
changes that we will have to address as
well as some drainage but we think that
we can accomplish that
um one of the great ideas that Ben had
is whether or not we can add a small
kind of a stage or a platform area here
that will allow us it's a lot higher at
the library side than it is at the
synagogue side so if this is lower we
need to raise things up on the library
side so whether or not we if we have a
small stage that that can be for story
time they have a great idea about that
there's a little I call the Romeo and
Juliet window here the balcony can they
actually put you know a curtain up and
have puppet shows and actually create
like a backstage area
um Can jazz bands come and play here in
the evening we're looking at adding a
shade tree in this location having you
know softening it on the edges with
plants and then at some point well it's
not shown on this drawing it's important
for security with the synagogue is
whether or not we're going to actually
have some kind of fence along here that
can actually kind of close off the back
area because they do use and they're
looking at kind of expanding and maybe
having like a small playground area in
their rear area so security and safety
is also been brought up as part of this
discussion so this is the first option
the second option really A variation on
a theme we don't have a lot more a lot
of space to work with
um this one basically where as we're
we're keeping a little bit more of the
front entry as is rather than kind of
breaking through we're keeping the bike
cracks and kind of this this entry and
then this entry
um just whether or not something to
consider
where we have the sidewalk here we're
basically creating
um rather than a center you know kind of
ensuite shotgun approach of rooms for
rooms this is more of a side loaded
Corridor where you would have a pathway
that might have some little out spaces
for benches and then seating closer to
the library side
a tighter ramp area in through here and
then just a slightly different
configuration of this outdoor room where
as we might have two trees rather than
one
um looking at having
um either a lawn or artificial turf in
that Center to soften that space up a
somewhat smaller stage both of the areas
we're talking about having a water
feature just to have that that sound of
water just to soften the noise of the
traffic a little bit if you are sitting
back in through there
um and the the landscape right now is
really just suggestive I mean we're
really trying to get the The Hardscape
down and then understand how can we
layer in the landscape keeping in mind
that we want to both
somewhat screen the street traffic and
the noise but we also want to make sure
that it is not dangerous and people
aren't back there you know kind of
hiding so it's that that balance that
you have to deal with then in all Urban
spaces
um
there the property line that you can see
this dashed line in through here just to
note this is the library side this is
the synagogue side and they are really
you know committed to working together
in terms of understanding does one offer
an easement to another but you know
who's doing what space
um and so some of the more logistic
things have been talked about as well as
um who's going to maintain this right
who's going to take care of all this
space because I know that that's
something that has come up a lot what
we've done in the city we're doing all
these great new projects and if we can't
keep them clean and maintained why are
we actually doing that
um so you know to that end I don't know
Ben if you want to not to put you on the
spot but if you want to say anything
about you know any of the conversations
that we've had about kind of maintaining
it
uh yeah happy to I think
um we have the systems in place to
maintain this uh currently uh we've been
already in our budget adjusting for more
Landscaping dollars that hopefully will
be approved approved on Thursday
yeah and uh so yeah that's right I guess
that's tomorrow
um so I think from uh from a
a litter situation when we have a
maintenance staff there all day during
business hours and even well until 10
o'clock at night so adding that as part
of the rounds and then uh our current
landscaper again we're going to increase
their their budget because we know we
need to do a little more work on what we
have now
um
If This Were to come into fruition I
think we'd need to shop landscapers with
this plan of the can you get into this
someone that just trims shrubs and most
grasses we may need a little more
expertise uh not knocking our current
landscapers but we may have a little bit
more of that expertise on there so
um I think this is in our wheelhouse to
to work with the city
um and and come up with the memorandum
of understanding of how this would be
maintained
um and then again you know how it gets
funded section of it I think is where we
can have that conversation of
maybe we can maintain it indefinitely if
we can have some help on the front end
of getting it built
mayor would you like to add anything in
the you know please add all of it first
off I do want to let you guys know that
um Ben Heckman and I are going to be
launching a Baxley podcast called uh Bex
the bands actually we don't know that we
don't know the title exactly but at
first I wanted to plug our podcast
it was going to be between two bends but
we've decided to change that title
yes I love between two birds anyway
um uh no I mean it's uh We've started
talking about so I guess like
um as it pertains to the Genesis of this
and getting constructed and ongoing
start talking about this part of the
parks it's been in the back burner like
you said for many years kind of dreamed
of and it seemed as we were looking at
the the trail of parks along main
streets this is super logical very
exciting Park
um presented it as a concept in more
detail last night a council didn't let
them look at any drawings because we
said you guys had to look at it first
which is a true story I didn't let you
look at Giants I also didn't have them
on my computer that's also true
um but we're uh you know I think of of
the projects that we're looking at for
the other products is certainly going to
be one of the like you know significant
projects yeah and um I love the
partnership between not just us but in
the library but the synagogue as well I
think the Tiff the streetscape Tiff was
designed specifically for this sort of
thing you know building up community
space along Main Street beautifying Main
Street creating uh Gathering additive
uses I love the idea that there's also
an ongoing maintenance piece that would
come from a third party well in this
case you know it's it is legitimately a
library synagogue Park so um we're
excited to be a funding partner to be a
logistics partner management partner of
the of the construction and the punch
lists and then um you know obviously be
around to advise and consult as the
years go on with the park installed
I think I have to admit I was also
preparing for my other updates for this
meeting but we probably talked a little
bit about the public Workshop coming up
December 1st not yet okay there is a
workshop on December 1st the idea being
that we've talked to the rec board we've
talked not the record we've talked to
the library board the synagogue board
and you all and um are hoping to take
any of the preliminary feedback that
we've received from those groups
have a kind of conceptual
uh inspirational rendering to bring to
the public to talk about the idea of
this draft concept and then get more
feedback
so I think it's I think public process
with this similarly to you know
Commonwealth and some other places is
really key uh getting the buy-in so
that's exciting so Molly I thought I
would call on you since you did a lot of
parks for city of Columbus and you have
great insights and just ask your
opinions on any particular aspect of it
to that you you know give compliments or
plaudits or some that might be of
concern
oh no I like them both I guess I I like
your first option better
um
I mean that's where I would push I just
think that's a nicer opening that up but
um and then you have to look at how
you're going to Stage because you're
gonna have to get your customers in and
out of the library so you probably
auditoring them for a while in the front
door until you work that out but I think
it's great I mean I I love the library
and I go there a lot like it definitely
needs work it does and I if I'm if I'm
allowed I think one of our main goals
with this would be
at the library we strive to be really
welcoming so we want that to start at
your car on Main Street that you could
come and sit with friends and family and
that that's a welcoming space whether
you're inside the Library so that's one
of the goals that we want to kind of
extend outside
no I I do I really like that idea
because typically I just kind of walk
through the space real quickly that's
ugly that's it and I don't see a few
kids sitting out and looking at a couple
but that's it it would be nice to have
that Plaza
of other
discussion yes I have a question for you
please what kind of lighting will you
have for safety
uh yeah I think that it will all be an
improvement over what we have now right
that's the answer to everything I think
we're going to have low lighting all
throughout I'm gonna I'm looking at you
because we talked about beautiful low
lighting uh we have a beautiful building
who will uh the building will be
celebrating or the library will be
celebrating its 100th anniversary in
2024 so I think we are going to light
that beautiful building in a much more
warm way and so I think we're hoping to
have electrical throughout and some new
lighting to address the lighting in the
evening because I figure it's going to
have more action in the evening of
people being out there thanks and then
the other question I have the loading
zone that comes off of Main Street will
that be gone is this is basically what
this is going to be taking at that space
the you mean the executive driveway
yeah but it's late it's labeled on Main
Street as a loading zone yeah
okay I don't know if I knew that now the
cat's out of there oh no those are
loading zone may be up a little more
yeah there's a there is the labeled
loading zone which that is where the the
regional truck parks to unload and load
right I see it there the Columbus
Metropolitan Library track oh yeah
probably early in the morning yeah yeah
which
it's a long story are you sure anyone
can bark through there's nothing says
you can't park there by the way it's
totally it got something in a driveway
because of a few executive directors ago
they could park their car there and go
up the side door if not you can see
everybody
any other comments
any other comments I'm just curious as
to the funding sources
um so in conversations that we've had
with the mayor uh their Tif funds
um the I think the last Tiff project
mayor are you ready for this I think I
can give your speech I thought you guys
were painful was the medians and uh the
beautification of Main Street and so
those end in 2023 and so there's some
Tiff funds available for some of this uh
the library has some also in reserve for
this project uh once we get further down
the track to see what it's going to cost
uh so we can bring a little bit to open
this we'll bring a little bit more
um I would imagine there's potential
tasteful ways to fundraise with
Hardscape if need be
yeah
so Dennis while the synagogue is
cooperating with you then this is a
library project it's not a synagogue
project uh so we have had conversations
they are interested in using uh the park
in the center on Saturday mornings I
think we would probably program that
space many other days of the week and
the different day Parts uh so working
with them closely to make sure that
we're respectful of their hours that
when they're uh and worship and so and
whatnot
um and so the conversation right now
with the synagogue is a potential
permanent easement to the library of the
land that it's on and working out some
of those other pieces still have to get
kind of nailed down into the writing
and with the Metropolitan system
contribute to this at all
the library library the Columbus okay
this is our own it's analogous to um
the the Denise blank pocket park
kindness Park
in that that Park is located on land
that is controlled
by kind of by Giant Eagle kind of by The
Drexel it's a long story it's actually I
don't want to get into ownership but
it's it's a layered ownership structure
where
currently the city doesn't actually
control that parcel next to Drexel but
it's being it's given to the community
for use by the community if that makes
sense the difference being obviously
that the library is a political entity
um it's a political jurisdiction and so
it would be a joint project where
library and the synagogue are
contributing
land is available to the public and then
the city is helping through public
financing sources specifically targeted
for Street scrape by Main Street so the
Tiff was built into design for that
streetscape it was built for this sort
of project
Mr Wilson
yes
Allen naming rights are available
I think that as a library this is a very
exciting project but I also think that
if you're shopping in this side of Main
Street it's very exciting you can have
lunch here I mean I saw at kitties they
put those two tables out and there's
people sitting out there all of the time
so you know we're talking about bringing
that across the street and I think that
would be a welcome thing and the only
other little tidbit I would add is my
dream would be to have this complete for
our 100th birthday which would be say
the spring of 2024. we have programs
that we want to do all year to celebrate
the anniversary and being able to do it
in this new space I think would be a
really great way to celebrate our
birthday you know our stream would be to
have it complete by this time next year
yeah so it's an accelerated construction
Pace decision making Pace too but you
can get it done I well between the bands
that's right between us
yeah any other comments design so weird
Mary yes do you want to come up up and
stand just so that the mic can record
your comments I learned about another
library that did something similar and I
just wanted to share that with you right
right State Library I think it is or the
white library near Dayton yeah so I
brought you some information about what
they did um they turned it into more of
an educational space they planted
Natives and pollinators so you know just
something to consider
um I know the director very well because
it's like the Bexley of Dayton a full
Library
walk-in Community uh many many
similarities but more it does have more
space around it that being the library
when I grew up going to oh excellent as
you know a Wright brother was on the
founding board yes very cool
thank you Ben for coming really
appreciate you taking time to share this
with us you know we feel we feel honored
to be in on the ground floor it's a
pleasure to come and talk to the tree
commission my favorite I hope so yeah we
like to think that's true yes thank you
very much and we'll look forward to
hearing what option the library board
chooses to run a
next next okay
um moving from one essential libraries
to another bathrooms
um I think Elena has some preliminary
information on the Follies that
Commonwealth I do I do I do I do
um so yeah
did I do that right
yeah hold on lights on or off probably
off okay
because we're talking about bathrooms
it's probably going to be a
so
if you all recall a number of years ago
we did a master plan for Commonwealth
Park
um and these are just a few excerpts
just to kind of remind you of um what we
were kind of talking about this is the
view along Columbia Avenue
um in between the two parks and um so
Jeffrey is off to your right
um Drexel is off to your left I guess
part View and
um one of the ideas behind this master
plan was to actually increase the
connectivity between these two sides and
to actually then create a medium down
the center have a raised Plaza area that
is going through that kind of can be
potentially corned off at certain times
for special events but also allow ease
of kids going from one side and people
going from one side to the other
um and then to actually notify that hey
you're actually arriving into
Commonwealth Park
um there was discussion about whether or
not this area should be closed off and
that was a resounding no
um but can we do something where when
you drive through that you actually feel
like you're in a different environment
rather than just on the regular Street
part of that was to create these little
Follies as kind of entry points on
either end
um and that is something that somewhat
had been accelerated because
um one of them will include the booster
pump and irrigation controls for the
athletic fields that have been recently
renovated and improved and the other as
a public restroom to get rid of the
porta potty that just has a wooded fence
around it that is maybe not the most
beautiful restroom to have and such you
know kind of our Landmark open space
um just as a little bit of FYI the um
the city is going to be going out for um
requests for proposals for landscape
companies to actually help with the
design of this in terms of the median
um the traffic the parking and all that
different stuff so that is going to be
coming that's going to also be a part of
the year of the parks
um the idea of these Follies keeping
with our similar Topography of um kind
of the stone and the Limestone caps and
making things you know kind of pretty
and a little bit more kind of subtle and
then looking at that this is the area
that we're kind of focused on now so
Elena is are there um two other Follies
on the North End on the North side what
the master plan
indicated is that on the North side it
would just be more like walls and
columns okay and not two two more
buildings okay we didn't necessarily we
don't need more restrooms and and so we
would still have something that okay I
couldn't quite tell Echoes it but isn't
necessarily A built environment okay so
um this drawing and I apologize it's
it's this isn't the right one that I
wanted to send but you could kind of see
in terms of where the site is so this is
these are the plans that are basically
kind of overlaid onto
um where we're looking and in general if
you imagine we are keeping the curb cuts
here where the sidewalks are the same
right as you come into the park and The
Brick Street right and then it'll be and
then it'll transition as you pass
through by the Follies it's almost like
a threshold then the median will be
introduced the street is going to be
wide and the sidewalks are going to move
back and then it's going to pinch back
on the other side and part of that is
also to um for traffic as a way to slow
down the traffic by introducing a median
parking on both sides you know just so
people you know aren't going to ZIP down
there as much as possible and also by um
raising that Center portion it's going
to almost be like an exaggerated you
know speed bump a little bit but that's
something that we need to work out with
the city engineer how do we do that what
are what is the appropriate material and
all of that so this is just kind of a
crappy site plan so I apologize for that
but just a position and then these are
the um these are the the architectural
plans for the pump house themselves so
on the West Side
um that is where booster pump and
irrigation controls are currently
located if you go by there now they've
actually been installed they're covered
with kind of a fence right now but
that's they're kind of located and
they're located basically on this
concrete pad and then opposite that side
will be a restroom that is accessible
um with a sink in a toilet and a door
and the idea is that we actually come in
through the the back door
um
here are the elevations of what that
would look like the intent is that it
would be stone with the slate roof and a
pretty little copper finial with a
pedestrian column on the one side and so
this is where the sidewalk actually
lines up on both sides and then it would
widen out behind it where the actual
bump out for the restroom in those areas
here the intent is that they would have
just like a dark slate covered wood
siding just to make it kind of go away
as much as possible and allow the the
stone and this is a kind of a Folly to
read as much as possible and then a
section of what that looks like in
through here now one thing I personally
want to do is I want to talk to the
architect and say that can we actually
raise that so you know rather than just
drop ceiling all the way across it'd be
fun to be able to come into the bathroom
be like oh my God it's a double height
toilet
it's a handicap assessment yes so and
the other thing if we want to turn the
lights on I want to bring um there's a
rendering
[Music]
so this is basically what
um so the Jones Studio at both Ryan from
larger Architects they've been you know
kind of working in terms of just doing a
somewhat of a render interview sense of
what a prescription look like now this
will need to go to the air we try to get
it as an informational item on last
week's agenda their meeting went to 10
10 30 and so they've decided not to
review it so it will be going before ARB
in um in January and the there is going
to be landscape beds around this
obviously
um but the landscape design most likely
is going to be included in the design of
that entire median park right so when
the RFP goes out for hey you know
Landscape Architects we would like to
get your information on helping us
design this this road and the Follies
and all of that I mean not the Follies
but the landscape around the fall is to
make sure that it's all cohesive so when
that happens then that landscape is
going to need to come before us for our
review and then obviously this is going
to have to go before
um food Rec board as well but the intent
is that we wanted to go the record has
already approved the master plan and the
idea and the locations of this and so
it's basically just you know going
through and going the necessary point so
we wanted to bring bring it to you guys
just as informational if you have any
kind of thoughts or considerations we
can just make a note of it
um but we just wanted to share it with
everyone so to Ellen's Point thoughts or
considerations
well like uh is it it's the restroom
like just two then two-seater mixed
gender uh yeah it's it's unisex yeah
it's just it's it's one toilet yeah one
it's just one it's just one toilet and a
sink yep
yeah just one toilet so and this thing
locks on the outside
Celeste is there's uh season where it's
turned off you know that's that's
something that we've been talking about
um that is still under discussion that
is still under discussion as to whether
or not we would turn it off in the
winter
um there's been talk about you know
whether or not we can we can heat it and
have kind of like small split units in
there just to kind of help it but I
would have to that I'm not 100 sure what
the final decision is but I can follow
up and figure out
okay any other questions any comments
Dave no I'm just like to say I think
it's beautiful and very well done
thank you it looks like it belongs in
the neighborhood yeah yeah and that's
really important yeah
um I will say one thing because I just
mentioned Alan because I remember when I
worked with Columbus record
the question of having
a solid door this could be locked from
the inside
and the danger to children in case I I
don't know what the answer is on that
okay one time we left
um across a space so it didn't shut all
the way so I I don't know because that
that's something you know in a perk
situation you don't want something
untoward to have to a child okay okay
yeah good good point Molly yeah yeah I
mean it's so small things that it's
something you learn it the hard way
sometimes happens but if you do have a
situation you can lock the inside and
yeah yeah okay schools have had that
challenge too right right any other
comments on Follies
well we'll wait for you to come back
Elena
awesome with the landscape plan
I will pass that on okay very little
time one other question are there's like
a electrical outlet in case you want to
be able to use that for any kind of
venue oh there will be in the um in the
plaza up in through here so in the plaza
in case they want to put lighting up
holiday lighting or I don't think around
the I don't think around the Follies um
I would say around in this Center area
yes we would definitely have electrical
there so bands can hook up and you know
potentially have all of that
um but I think right now
um there's not a desire necessarily to
have just a a convenience Outlet there
just for okay not so so people just
don't come up and sit and kind of plug
in their phone and plug in their hair
dryer one more thing I was thinking
based on our experience with people
coming out of the park uh Wolf Park
and running over medium time after time
again is there something that we can do
that's a little bit more expressive to
keep people from driving right into the
medium tack strips
just just like the car rental you will
do it once I'd like the record to
reflect but when I suggested metal
spikes on Broad Street I was told that
was inappropriate so you have a change
of texture don't you from there's yeah
so there so and I so I think there's
it's kind of twofold one is whether or
not when we have this coming in through
here right that if someone's driving
they don't just go straight through and
kind of barrel over it there will also
then be a but there'll be a change of
texture from asphalt to Brick at this
point so that will eventually that'll
get someone to somewhat pay attention a
lot of it has to do with lighting right
if we can have enough lighting and
proper Lighting in that area and then
when this area is raised we were talking
about actually having this be a
cobblestone and so when you're driving
over it it's going to be right it's not
going to be something that you're going
to want to you know fly over
um so you know but there's only so much
that we can do with
um lighting and visibility
if someone's had too much to drink and
they're not paying attention there's
there's there's only so much that we can
do but I think that those are excellent
points to kind of bring up in terms of
how can we make sure that that front
median isn't dinged right all the time
okay so so thank you Elena so uh mayor
has asked to um uh be on the agenda a
little bit later because he went to
Capitol University's tree lighting
ceremony but he'll be back it's the
beauty of living in a walking community
um and Elena and for your staff report I
don't know if you want if there's any
updates on the installation plastic
installation chart and this was really
my um
my conversation about the Huntington
house landscape plan hydrothermal so if
you don't have anything I'll just
mention that there's not on that the one
thing that I do want to share with
everyone is
um so after
let's see I'm not stealing
uh am I stealing anyone's Thunder I
don't think so
um so we did have a oh yeah no that's
that we did have a um executive meeting
with the ARB the B zap and the tree
commission meeting as well as staff in
terms of how can we coordinate better
and talk with people better
um reviewing the landscape installation
chart with something that you know kind
of came up in terms of how if we're not
reviewing in a timely fashion what we're
said that needs to happen then it's
almost like people will come here and
they'll review it they'll say hey I'm
going to do this and you know
it's easier to ask for you know
forgiveness than you know permission
right so that's something that's come up
um Kathy Karen and I so Kathy Rose as
you all know the building director and
then Karen Boker who is basically the
Architectural Review Board staff
consultant
um so kind of you know I'm her ying and
yang
um the three of us have decided that we
need to have a standing meeting monthly
standing meeting where we're looking at
all the different projects and um we are
going to start talking about what are if
there are some structural changes that
we can start to do behind the scenes
we're not ready to share those yet but
just to let you know that you know as a
staff we're trying to look at what can
you do that when a project comes in like
a big renovation project that
potentially is not necessarily flag for
or review by the tree commission should
it be and so I think that what our hopes
are is if we can as a staff kind of talk
about
um these are things that that we're
seeing that we can then come back to the
commissions get your guys's input and
then understand you know are there
things that we need to recommend the
council to actually potentially change
things right so right now additions are
not required to have any kind of review
by the tree commission no matter what
size they are and so one of the things
that came up is like should there be a
threshold now if there's an addition of
someone's doing a second story Edition
on an existing footprint nothing's
changing nothing's changing but if
they're adding 2500 square feet into
their backyard and taking down five
trees
maybe that's something that that we
should review so as Bexley continues to
develop and change I think that we're
trying to get you know from a
professional standpoint how can we work
and I have actually reached out to
um a couple of different um both at
Dublin as well as Westerville to talk to
them about
um and we've been playing phone tag but
their tree review process and how they
do some of these things just to kind of
get a little bit of background and
hopefully when I finally can speak with
them I can share that with everyone just
to kind of say hey what are some of the
other cities doing okay great great
um I just I wrote this in because I
drove past the Huntington house a couple
weeks ago and I said to Kathy Rose are
they starting the pool that was approved
because I see these big green PVC pipes
out there and she said no that was her
understanding that they're putting in a
hydrothermal project to heat the house
and so whatever you do to make that
happen whereas granted with the
installation
that's not the question the question is
is that installation coming close to the
roots of mature trees and we haven't
reviewed a landscape plan and we haven't
reviewed a hydrothermal plan
so again as we try to anticipate the
future
you know if you're going to put in a
hydrothermal system is it a lot is it
something we need to review before we
even see the landscape plan or before
they start work on it so it's kind of
like a future FYI
do we need to you know do we need to
tell Eleanor she has to review plans for
that
so so just you know say you learned
something every day
all right grant can you believe it it's
your turn I know so early it's so early
I know do you have a microphone down
there I do okay good and it's on right
it is on okay so do you want to talk
about your monthly executive summary
uh so yeah I was uh told about this
a few weeks ago and um
I will work on that it'll might not be
monthly but maybe every couple months or
something like that we'll have uh
something that you guys can
have in writing about what the urban
Forest is doing
you want to tell us what the urban
Foresters are doing right now
currently they're decorating a Christmas
tree a Drexel Circle
I mean that's the good news the bad news
is they're not in the trees right
correct they're not pruning any trees or
grinding any stumps right now
um and remind me you have four Urban
Foresters for people in your department
or are you the fourth I forget I would
be the fourth yeah so we have three
Urban Foresters and two ground
maintenance
uh one is strictly parks
which is Spencer I know you guys have
been in contact with him right
uh planned Healthcare is his specialty
so
um and he but he's in your department
right he is taking care of Jeffrey
Mansion and other areas I mean other
Parks yeah mainly Jeffrey Mansion
Commonwealth and havenswood
uh Snyder Park
so that kind of thing
um
he is yes
so what would you like to tell us today
about what's happening with the urban
Forest well so right now we're doing our
fall tree planting
we are planting uh over a little over 88
trees
um there were 10 Replacements from last
year's tree planting which is pretty
high compared to what we normally have
which is maybe one or two
um they do Mulch and typically they come
around at the end of planting all the
trees and then they mulch them all
uh you know it just it just seems like
last year and this year I mean I
remember when the you know the trees
used to come in being beat and they were
you know I'm going to say the tree ring
was three feet and now it feels like you
know it's like this is there a
difference in the size of the ball
that's being planted with these trees no
not necessarily so um last year was a
different company
um that did the planting
um they were using a lot of different
equipment
um yard Barbers is doing it this year
they're very familiar with the uh what
we have underground a lot of street
light uh cable and stuff if you want to
click on the street tree planting
contract I've attached this is our
contract that I send out to every
when I do any planting whatsoever
it sucks it sideways
so basically yeah so uh
we do require Malden burlap but as as
time goes on the container Planet things
are getting a lot better
um and I know down Francis and Montrose
especially in the South Bend container
plantings are better than Baltimore app
because you end up cutting a large
portion of the bald and burlap off to
get it between the curb and sidewalk
um so but this is attached to the agenda
you are more than welcome to download it
and read it
um
on your own time
and in our own Direction yes
um directional information
so yeah so basically it's based on the
size of the
ball uh which is considered in the ANSI
uh standard of the American standard for
nursery stock which is referenced quite
a bit in this contract
so yeah they do follow the rules and
um they're doing what they're supposed
to be doing so a question for you would
be are there different species of trees
that do better in containers versus in
the field
I mean and I mean that's that's a hard
Club not in the nursery so I couldn't
really answer that question I don't have
a problem when I the difference between
uh bald and burlap and container as long
as it's planted properly
um I don't see an issue when they're
doing so you don't see more girdling of
roots from trees that have been grown in
containers uh again if you're planting
it properly you should remedy that prior
to putting it in the hole okay now I
don't know what the nursery is losing on
girdling roots in a given year so I you
know that's
if uh if I feel like the tree is not
a viable species and will reject it
kind of thing
so I guess that so you don't see any um
new or current problems with any of the
trees that are being planted not from
the our contract no I they're so we I
require them to remove a third of a
the basket and the burlap prior to
planting I don't uh want to see burlap
on top of this tree
um so yeah I mean I I do things a little
differently than some landscape projects
are done
um so but yeah I make sure that BJ which
is from yard Barber's knows and they've
done our tree planting quite some time
for a while so
um uh the sick Awards on Caroline or
Clinton right
um there weren't any uh the only two
that were removed or were on uh
uh St Charles property
well I I guess I was thinking about I
don't know three or four years ago after
we had so many electrical outages and
the AP came in and took down like 29
trees and a lot of them were along
Clifton in front of lion's gate there
yeah those were on line the stumps are
still there uh those were on Lionsgate
property
uh not on city property but the larger
sycamores that were they were talking
about removing but they didn't Okay so
so do you think that the city has any
obligation to replace those trees Grant
I mean I because it was you know it's a
city I guess that was the impetus for
their demise
uh I I don't think there's room there's
a lot of mature uh hackberries in there
so I don't know that
it would work
yeah I was thinking not in the driveway
on the west side not on that on the east
side they have a lot of hydrangeas and
hackberries and a couple sycamores from
there on the west side yeah I mean I
think there there is a room for some
sort of plan there I don't know that
sycamores would be the answer right
um I'm sure
development with
you know I I guess the only reason I ask
is at one time when AP was taking it
down I'd heard well the city's going to
come back and replace those I mean
that's kind of the sav for the wound of
losing all those so it it finally after
three years occurred to me that I should
ask about it gotcha I know there was a
lot more on Parkview that was removed
which was you know we will be replaced
here with that plan here but uh it's
actually beautiful maybe I'll just write
it write it on you know goals for next
year at least an investigation next year
so how about that and Susan I'll ask
Kathy what the right-of-way is along
Clifton in front of Lionsgate and to see
yeah I don't think there's much if any
yeah is there well we spent some time
years ago we're approving that
Landscaping plan on the outside of
Lionsgate right do you remember that oh
yeah yeah so I I don't think there's any
but again maybe she's found some
great all right grant please I'm sorry
for interrupting go ahead oh no worries
um so that we did install new irrigation
at Drexel Circle just in the bed area so
we have a heads on the back side of the
bed and on the front side they're larger
in size because the flowers are doing
well and they get big and the smaller
irrigation isn't working
so we put in some larger heads to
accommodate larger flowers
um and I guess my other question is
um you know people always ask me because
I'm visible I guess maybe because I'm
walking around with my coffee cup who's
supposed to be taking care of like the
city hall property here and the gateways
and the medians and I'm always you know
get a little bit flummoxed because I
don't know if that's yard bar versus
that's a city crew if the um cic
corporation uh has a contract for doing
this area so I thought as long as we
have you captive we would ask you if you
could help to find that for us yeah
absolutely so um
the city Crews take care of City Hall
and we do build back a portion of the
work that's done to the cic
so snow removal or weeding on uh not the
city hall side but the other side
out front the main entryway bed
um we also
mode Drexel Circle we mow havenswood
Jeffrey Mansion and commonwealths
um and we do Main Street Islands Broad
Street islands and entryways and then
yard Barbers is in charge of mowing
Bexley Park bride and fair
uh Wolf Park
Hill
havenswood not havenswood uh
Snyder Papa
um so yeah they're just there and
Roosevelt Islands they're in the North
End and ped okay so kind of half and
half a little you're someplace and
they're half the place and part of that
do they do a preventative uh maintenance
for chemical on those properties or not
yard Barbers uh the grad so we do have a
fertilized we do for for three times a
year two in the spring one in the fall
it's not a uh
oh no not really they're just there to
cut grass
so questions for Grant you know this is
a whole Panorama of issues that we've
and I-70 they do also do Mo I-70 yard
Barbers test yes
so do they like let's say the Stanberry
median so would they be taking care of
that or is that City that's City okay
so any questions about any specific area
or the Broad Street medians now is City
or yarper that's the city okay
but it's your what is your opinion of
the Broad Street mediums I think they
are looking better every year I mean the
I The Ivy has definitely been an issue
um but we replaced the irrigation a year
ago I believe
um the trees I mean there's nothing I
can do that keep getting ran over
um so which then is affecting the
irrigation boxes
so there's just a lot going on there I
mean it's not like Main Street where
nothing gets hit
so yeah
I still have some concern about some of
the medians close to the Gould and Broad
I think maybe in the springtime we ought
to look at that looks like they need
additional dirt just to bring up the
level and the grade a little bit yeah
yeah uh new the new entryways
now the median's close to the new
entryway oh the medians and then and
then the other thing is at some point
I'd like to walk
Broad and Gould
we're thinking maybe we need another
Tree on the North side for as much time
and effort that's gone into planning and
the money I don't know it's still it's
not hitting me like I I think we
expected and I think there there just
needs to be some more density maybe on
the north side of that remember we we
moved a tree yeah yeah I think there was
two yeah and I'm not so sure that we
don't need an additional tree put there
to kind of balance the both sides so
it's more of an entryway feeling
yeah we can look into that yeah sure any
questions for Grant I I have a question
Grant please uh remember last year we
had some difficulties with the resident
who didn't like the placement of tree
and came back to the city here to treat
commission to have it replanted and now
we have a new company who's planting for
us has there been a Avenue for which uh
the
the resident can be informed Upon A
planting and where it would be and how
that's discussed and decided upon yeah
so we I we I showed you last year that
we came up the flags the green flags
that said climb a tree and
I'm here to uh
make a cleaner place for you something
or is there a notice different kind of
notice I mean that seemed to do the
trick we didn't really have too many
complaints and if we did they came in
before the tree was planted great so
that was helpful but yes thank you for
that okay good idea Grant good execution
so
um I I have a little question
um with our pots
um the fall plantings this year
um I think that once they were planted
that we no longer had the people
watering because of a cut
um perhaps next year we might consider
something that would be a little
heartier
um and a little bit more
um aesthetically pleasing because these
poor little that was the uh the
Halloween theme I was going for but um
yeah you succeeded yeah yeah right good
job yeah so yeah we don't have seasonals
with water so it's funny because
so the winter stuff is coming in here in
the next couple weeks which is hardier
so before the summer stuff comes in we
have a spring
style planting which we don't have
anybody to water for and it's only in
for a couple weeks the same with the
fall in between the summer and the
winter stuff so the summer was awesome I
mean they really looked beautiful they
were able to be cared for and um really
appreciated so then when we
went to our fall plantings they just had
more of the theme that you were looking
for for Halloween yeah they look like
they were Natives and were they I you
know I don't I didn't pick them I just
order them from Acorn and
they show up okay well maybe maybe it's
something we'll have to tend a little
bit
better next year I mean yeah I mean
typically we don't do it they just go
bare until uh we get to winter stuff but
the mayor had requested something so I
got something in short notice and that's
what we got and that's what we got well
now we know why right now we know why
well thanks Grant um we will download
that when we get home and then we'll lay
down on the floor and see if we can
figure out the spec plan okay we're
going to go into Old business
um but Jim Wilson do you want to talk
about uh the Strategic plan for bexley's
urban Forest the free protection
ordinance and move on down the list
sure
um so um we continue to move forward
um on the Strategic plan
um I think last month we reported that
the mayor and Grant uh were going to be
part of a webinar about the tree plotter
and mayor I think that's on the mayor's
report so if he comes back I won't
preempt his Thunder but I think we're
moving forward on that
um I attended a webinar on tree
ordinances
um which was um full of content I I'm
given the time I won't go through
everything but I think there were some
really useful ideas on tree ordinances
that we haven't discussed previously
there were presenters from
um Renton Virginia from uh Willamette
Illinois and from Austin Texas and so
there are lots of possibilities in fact
it was so chock-filled that um they
didn't get to time for questions or
discussions so there's going to be a
second webinar with panel discussion and
opportunity for for questions but um
lots of good language about potential
um replacement of trees for new builds
or potentially even additions
classifications of trees
alternatives for replacing lost trees
lost of stuff that could fit its way
into a plan well and and maybe good
information to share with lnn the other
two staff with Kathy and Karen how other
communities have dealt with this already
right so much easier to adopt theirs and
to start writing your own yeah I can put
some stuff to paper and share that
um you know like I guess the the what
was the sort of most useful observation
was that um for the tree protection to
work
um you sort of have folks have to get
away from the mindset of tree management
and to into the mindset of regulating
development and so I think that's one of
the things we need to clarify because
you know we expect Grant to do
pre-management
um and I think Elena Works to some
extent with Kathy
um and Karen on regulating development
but I'm not sure we've been totally
clear about what our objectives are
they're fine
would you rather do management or
regulation Grant
[Laughter]
you notice I didn't ask Grant I know I
know I know
um so I think that covers it unless you
want me to say no I didn't make any
questions
the other commissions
um well that's on the mayor's report too
so okay let's have him say that mostly
if he's missing something we'll jump in
okay okay but you can talk about the
naming rights policy yes last night the
city council unanimously adopted the
naming rights policy so it is
actually code and thanks to our
representative for kind words and
support and um so just a reminder
um uh it gives us the ability if we
would want to create naming rights for
trees or other features
um probably I say 500 is kind of a
benchmark within uh the right-of-ways or
the parks that we manage we do have that
ability
and otherwise we sort of have to wait
for things to come to us where there's a
desire for naming rights but
um but you see in all these um you know
potential installations from the library
to this to you know things that Jeffrey
Mansion it's it's a great way to get
funds to further the city's Mission and
many times now I think we have a a
timetable for how long that naming
rights would last so that as it wears
out
your name goes away of course you could
put more money in and then there's a
chance for someone else to you know take
on
the honor of giving money and having
something named for them so Jim thank
you for your work Molly again thank you
for sharing Columbus's policy it made
our work so much better
I didn't do the work well well you know
it's it's easier to be an editor than a
draftsman so thank you
um and Molly do you want to update
people on the Arboretum website and how
we're trying to partner with the
Heritage Gardens and yada yada
yeah well um last yes last meeting um we
agreed we start looking the Arboretum
and Grant you had been on vacation so we
kind of jump started we'd like to meet
with you but um we did have three
meetings so I think that's a pretty
thanks to Susan Susan three meetings
between this commission that was quite a
few but um we had a kickoff meeting just
trying to look at what we have
um today on our website and the
Arboretum and a lot of it just it was a
great start but a lot of it's unfinished
and then it's been a long time so
I I'm you know I did get um we met with
Sam and he's been great
um he provided some information and then
we also met with hope Taft who has a
Heritage Garden
um she works that on the governor's
residence and um they are working on a
full list of their trees and it turns
out
correct me if I'm wrong the and I wasn't
aware the Arboretum pexy Arboretum
includes the Heritage Garden is that
true do you know
it's they're going to be separated
it's very hard to find the list and we
haven't been able to find the original
application we got a copy that same gave
us of your renewal but we don't have a
good list of what trees we have in the
Arboretum other than a number of
131 133 133 species and I'm not sure
what trees they are and and I looked at
the street trees on the street
recommendations
um and some of those have to fall off
because Green Ash is on it and you're
not going to be you know Green Ash is
gone now and uh calorie pear you're not
going to plant that anymore I assume I
mean they might be out there but you
know recommended we have to look at
Street trees and what's gone and what we
want to work yeah I think a couple years
ago we changed those out Grant I
remember yeah we have but it also it
didn't just include trees I mean it
includes
too anything I mean Jeffrey Mansion the
woods uh
we thought we might actually call the
Morton Arboretum and ask them if they
have a copy of the original application
I think I should I have a copy of that
so it's up for Renewal this year so we
have to renew it again this year so
maybe we can meet and go through all the
yeah and two questions we have and you
know I and I know we talked about maybe
going from level two to level three I
think we're really better stick with
trying to update level two maybe level
three in the future because when I
looked at level three there's quite a
bit of extra things and I think we might
be biting off more than we can choose to
go through level three let's get this
stabilized if we can get level two down
pat and figure out where we're at but we
did talk about the possibility of better
social media um which was Mario's like
this is how we just need to get people
really engaged in trees and and shrubs
the whole Arboretum thing and possibly
you know looking at educational
opportunities that we can partner with
um even the library different things
that add those things to our application
and you're going to be working on that
and so if we can get together maybe we
could help you yeah it's done and maybe
figure out how to make the website um
up to date I guess up to date it's not
you know do you have the tree walks but
we don't even have the north walk
addresses on it yeah it's not there
um and then uh Jack did walk and there's
a couple trees that are gone so when we
take a tree down we ought to take them
off the list that's on the internet on
our website so things like that we
should just so we're gonna figure out
where we're going to be your army there
we go isn't that exciting yeah yeah and
just you know to Molly's point just
clean it up a little bit yeah it's it's
really clean up it's a great start and
what can we add to make it but but as
Mary said maybe the website's kind of
stagnant it's more the social media that
you know hits people in their face all
the time the Bexley Buzz or the city of
you know the city's web so anyway
just have to figure out how to make this
yeah more in your face kind of thing and
to Molly's point about meeting with hope
she was very
interested
um about partnering with the city to
have whatever they have on the
governor's res and the Heritage Garden
listed
um and we talked about the fact that the
Heritage Garden is not always open to
the public because it depends on who's
living in the residence and what's going
on but we did talk about maybe on Arbor
Day the Heritage Garden would be open to
Bexley residents or to some defined
population yeah that is a key I mean it
has to be open to the public so like the
Schottenstein residence technically
couldn't be considered because they
can't just go walk through
so that's I'm not sure you know if
you're open one day out of the year or
does it have to be open you know yeah I
don't know I'll have to look at that but
if it's just included in Bex so you've
actually they can walk into Bexley
is that considered an arboretum you know
what I mean so I don't know that it's
defined
no but we're encouraged by her openness
and of course she's been passionate for
some decades about
the environmental planting so I I think
there's an opportunity for us to to
leverage her interests and Mary was a
great facilitator between
uh hopes
participation in the Heritage Garden
then getting to meet with Molly and Dick
and
myself so we're off and running
and
um Jim now we're back to you really
quickly for questions for applicants and
rules and regulations so I know that
Jordan got those attached
um he briefed that a bit last month and
one of the things I said I would do was
just put together some questions that at
least I wish I'd asked
and so to make sense to share those
um
while I'm around I plan to ask them so I
don't know if there's any need for the
greatest government my hope would be
that would pump everyone to think also
about questions that you wish you'd ask
so that we do the next job possible
um in a situation like that
you know we learned something every time
we do these just like talked about the
hydrothermals so they're
or you know one of the one of the
questions that came out after one of the
reviews was are we seeing your complete
landscape and installation plan or will
there be additions within the year that
we don't know about I mean for the one
plan that then we learned we're going to
do a swimming pool so
I think you know
complete understanding we have of the
project the better art decision making
can be
so any okay you want to go into rules
and regulations then sure so I know that
mayor's going to report to the Joint
meeting and we have with other
commissions for one of the things that
came out of that meeting was the
suggestion that each of the commissions
or board tests are consistent schools a
procedure and so uh I've taken what was
presented at that meeting I think it's
about the only change I made were
changed forward or appropriate for
permission and change uh the name the
identity of the staff member
but
these are rules that I believe both
these app and ARB follow for their
hearings I think it's probably less
likely that we have opponents and
supporters but from time to time we've
had the clients and supporters
um so I don't think that we would need
to approve those this time but you can
roll at least over and then perhaps at
our next meeting we can vote on whether
you're comfortable adopting these
procedures and then I've already noted
that an app I've ever got to change for
information so already it needs to be
Advanced but uh
I think there is benefit to applicants
sort of basing a consistent procedure I
don't think this is very different than
what we already do but it does bring us
to set a time limit of 10 minutes on the
applicants presentation I'm confident
that we really have a complicated
application we can allow the person to
explain more with our questions but this
gives us some control over the time
right as well right
so any questions for Jim or the mayor
about that okay then we'll vote on this
next time
nice to have this all kind of follow the
same path for every commission than
people know but to expect if there's
nothing else under old business we're
going to go back to the mayor's report
and
see if he's um All Bright now that he's
been to the Capitol University lighting
was it fun it was good did they have a
fire out there you probably can't tell
but it's been snowing so like oh my gosh
I was there the snow was falling
did they have a critical mass what's
that music there's some music yeah it
was great the hot chocolate although the
line was too long
and I managed to Wrangle Ben Hackman to
join me and spur the moment it's
response oh that's great that's great
um so yeah I uh we'll try to mostly
follow the order I have some notes here
um so Jim alluded to we had a we
convened that
um the suggestion of your Fearless chair
I believe a meeting of the board chairs
of ARB bizap and tree Commission
and then City staff to talk through just
coordination on a number of topics
um one of those was uh hearing processes
and just making sure that they were
unified that document you just looked at
was actually based upon a document that
was created for city council when it
came to appeal hearings for Council so
it's kind of now percolated through to
boards and we found it really helpful
when we have contentious hearings and
you can follow it in non-contentious
hearings and it worked quite well as
well
um we talked about lot coverage ratios
and storm water abatement um I am
planning on a revision to our code to
require more rigorous on-site treatment
of storm water when we're doing
additions to property new builds uh
expansion of Hardscape in general
so we're working on that
um most like we do have standards for
sites above an acre as most communities
do but most of our sites are not above
an acre therefore uh we you know think
it's important for us to address that
when we think about our infrastructure
and we're doing a lot of work in our
sewer infrastructure
in the face of uh changing hydrological
conditions in Ohio I mean we've had the
top nine rain events have occurred in
the past 16 years or something in the
history of recorded history of of rain
in central Ohio
um
we think about the sewers that were you
know built out mostly in the 20s
and um what's happened since then you
know our root the number the the hard
surface in Bexley has expanded greatly
since we constructed those sewers and we
haven't done anything different so it's
not that much of a surprise that
um not only do we have crumbling
infrastructure not only are we tying
into a a regional infrastructure that's
overloaded but our own infrastructure
isn't capacitated to handle what we have
so
um we are doing some capacity changes
within our systems but I think we also
need to start being much more rigorous
about on-site treatment of storm water
what does that mean that means
um rain Gardens whales
and it could be rain barrels although
rain barrels have a lot of issues with
management construction mosquitoes all
sorts of stuff so
um it could mean a lot of things I'm not
the expert so we're going to try to put
together some standards and and bring
them back to our boards and commissions
and council could it be lot coverage
um yeah so the lock coverage ratio in
general could can be addressed
um how we Define
you know how we calculate that maybe we
have
greater allowances for permeable
surfaces or
um Services where there is treatment so
yeah that all that all plays into it
um
construction we talked about
construction and post construction
inspections you guys are not alone and
being frustrated with approving a plan
and then seeing the plan get installed
not to plan and then
you know follow through inspections uh
we're dealing with similar issues at
Architectural Review as well
so actually last night we were talking
about this a council in our budget
there's some additional allowance to pay
for uh inspectors that would inspect
architecture and inspect Landscaping
during the construction process at Key
moments and then be authorized to as
appropriate you know issue stock work
orders
work on
communication back to staff and our
boards and commissions if there are
changes in the field and then with
Landscaping
to post-construction inspections that
you know
whatever appropriate interval may be one
year out or something to make sure the
landscape material is still uh thriving
hopefully
so that's in the budget and then from
that we will be working I'm going to
start with working with our building
inspector
um to try to integrate that with our
inspection process
um before we go into like trying to
manage that on our own so working on
that
Frontline we talked about front lawn and
side yard standards which is also a
corner lots and front yards update spoke
with our staff a little bit about that
this morning
um
some more we have had one meeting I
think with the working group two
meetings maybe I'm looking at Dave
because you were at least at one of them
I think we had one or two meetings and
there are some diverse interests in
terms of what we should be or should not
be doing differently in our front yards
or Corner lots and what I think I'd like
to do and is expand the net a little bit
and instead of just having a small
working group send out a questionnaire
to our board members and just say hey
what are you seeing as problems where
where do you think the issues are and
catalog those issues
formulate a response internally with
staff and then come back to the working
group and the other boards and
commissions to discuss it because we've
kind of struggled to really Define what
is the issue
quite frankly there does not seem to be
consensus even within a small working
group as to what exactly the issue is
and I think Corner Lots zoning is
specifically coronalized Zone and it's
incredibly complicated and inadequate
currently and frankly I have been
crawling through other zoning codes and
haven't found anything really that
inspiring to answer the problem so
there's got to be a solution but we need
to keep digging deep into that one
um
we also spoke about tree preservation
in general and projects I had to enhance
uh inspections and tree preservation
and future workshops for our boards and
commissions that we could coordinate on
so whether that has to do with review
processes or ethics or
Sunshine laws those are the exciting
ones
um or any you know any any Mac any
number of zoning concerns I think this
this group of chairs is going to start
meeting more regularly to start to help
hopefully coordinate some of that so I
want to compliment the mayor of getting
everybody together because you know once
it was brought to his attention within
moments and everybody all the chairs and
vice chairs are there plus all the city
staff plus of course the mayor and Troy
Markham president city council so it was
really a great meeting because a lot was
discussed some action steps taken and it
it felt positive and hopeful and you
can't say that about all the meetings
you attend so all of them yeah so good
for you good for us
um
I'm going to come back to quarterbacking
okay so I thought I I didn't put that on
there to nag you the real the real
outcome that that should be have we
learned anything to continue to improve
our process and our review and our
requirements from our end so I agree
let's put come back yeah and I'm not
sure I even know enough about those two
to tell you if we've learned anything
yet other than to say that we still have
the right lovers to pull on the item
number one there
um and you know as we we deal with
non-compliant Property Owners all the
time we have become better for sure in
the past I'd say a year in
um going into a true enforcement phase
with some of these projects
um you guys have seen some evidence of
that I believe tonight
yep so the uh
so yeah that's that's something that's
clearly on her our our radar I'm I'm
less familiar with the clear property
but that's it's okay that's more a tree
commission yeah tree plotter
um we had a great demonstration of tree
plotter Grant wants it so badly that you
know
um I think we have uh some interesting
ideas about how that could be useful for
us internally
um actually it's kind of a niche thing
but we have a standard if you guys will
remember remember the small cells
everyone was very really worried about
you should still be worried about them
it's just that they've kind of been on
pause
um and we're hoping that as they've
taken more time that the technology will
mature to the point where like an alley
is a more appropriate location because
as we spoke with the
um service providers they were saying
alleys were not feasible so we're hoping
we get to that place in the meantime
we've defined tree canopy at maturity as
a a valid occupant of the right-of-way
but it should not be interfered with
with a small cell tower
and so tree plotter software will allow
us to easily and elegantly create a
report it looks like uh that would
define that and in doing so
um get more better information to the
providers and also be a component of our
right-of-way program so that coupled
with maybe some grant funding I think
we're going to try to look for some
grant funding and and try out the
service and and see if it is all that it
claims that it could be yeah so are we
going to have a field trip Grant like
Grandview to see how they do it and go
out in the field with them or not
um
okay well if you want if you want to do
it I think it'd be you know
a great trip
not too far away we don't have to pack
an overnight bag so
okay mayor
um
alley of the future uh I think I've
spoken about a little bit with you guys
I don't think it's on this list but um
we did have two applicants for our alley
of the future contest
um we have not officially awarded
it yet you need to do that
I think we did I think the judges picked
were you there that day I think we were
back okay
we exited we exited the coveted mobile
with no covet and with uh I think uh
some smoke coming out of the chimney a
decision so
um I'm not going to tell you what the
alley is because it's going to be we
don't want to spoil the surprise for the
winning alley but uh it's exciting we
hope that this is going to be a spring
of 23 projects
um and the application includes you know
native plantings queer and out invasives
within the alleyway a mosaic tile within
the alleyway some permeable surfaces and
in places
um artwork
so freeze
so we don't not no I don't think
additive trees and again there's not
really space within that within the
right of way for treatment okay well
that was that was a consideration I love
it it's good maybe some like
climbing hydrangeas I hear those are
quite popular
um we've had their moment today they
have because
um so yeah I think uh that's gonna be
fun so I can't see keep your eye out for
that I'll tell you where it is in the
future
um I don't I I was going to give you a
year of the parks presentation I just
gave to council last night but we have
seven minutes left so I will skip that
and you'll get that in the future well
we have kind of a today because we had
tastes of the Follies and we had tastes
at the library and synagogue project
sure I think there's a really beautiful
keynote now though that has all the
money all the planning all the dates it
does pictures we don't have that just
wait for that for next month oh my gosh
that's what everybody even more drawings
next week our holiday present right yeah
did you see that lorianne last night
were you overwhelmed overwhelmed okay
yeah it was it was uh it was about 9 30
by the time so overwhelmed might not be
the right word but they were something
okay well thank you for doing that mayor
because that's what people have been
asking for so also in the budget uh Main
Street design guidelines uh Technical
Services so we're hoping to make it a
lightly assisted effort what I mean by
that we're doing the same thing with
land use strategy next year which will
also be so our you know when we
our strategic plan has become a like a
Canon of plans and it's like how do we
plan these out so next year we're
looking at Landing strategy Main Street
design guidelines
also potentially launching the Jeffrey
Park plan
So within the ministry design guidelines
we're going to assemble a team to work
on that of Resident experts and we will
utilize outside support for
um sourcing of you know different ideas
materials rendering sketches but it will
not be like a 100 000 mksk plan it will
be a native plan supported by outside
Technical Services the same with Landing
strategy
as as currently conceived
um so we'll look to that look for that
to launch after the new year
um I have nothing specific in mind for
it other than it's been 20 years it's
time to Upstate update our Main Street
design guidelines
um
and it would be good for us I think to
also address Cassidy in Livingston
um Cassidy and what Livingston right in
doing that and Livingston we have a
temple already we have some design
guidelines to join have a new plan at
least
sort of reaffirming those
um do you want to talk about utility
polls yeah utility polls I will tell you
as much as I know I hope Grant might
know more because it I was a little
unsure of this as well so it turns out
uh we are replacing many of our EP polls
along Drexel as part of our Drexel
Avenue project
some of that has to do with
um
the location of the existing poles to
the curb
and how they represent in general just
un unfavorable condition while we are
moving the curbs in places and other
places we aren't
my understanding is that also they are
getting taller
in order to better clear the trees along
Direction this is what I understand
that's to be true that is true that is
true is there anything else that's
behind that no I you know I I'm assuming
they're moving them back from the curb a
lot of them are like right on the curb
um and they are getting taller but
that's really all I know about it as
well but did you know asplundh was here
yesterday
yeah they have to prune some of the
trees to get them get the poles up okay
I splint or the S blend it's the AP
transport
are the new telephone poles made of wood
are they Pine are they now a different
material since they have to go taller
they are a carbon fiber and Kevlar
composite
no I adjust actually I've been thinking
a lot about like how much more slightly
that chili Falls would be if they were
made out of like a black fiberglass
right yes
I know that's a weird thing to think a
lot about but I know but I yeah because
black Fades away you know really exactly
exactly
yeah oh here here
there's a can of worm well the question
I was going to ask America was when
Drexel's redone could the cable line sit
stretch from one side to the other be
buried not we're not talking about the
electrical wires but the cable lines
because they've create kind of a spider
web above the tree canopy let's go did
you go across the street yeah yeah
because
and I I would think that's possible that
I know I know nothing about
it's kind of wires I don't know that
sounds
more complicated than you might say yeah
I think you'd have to add more polls on
the uh west side of the street or when
they come up to connect do they come up
I thought they just went across they do
but if they go underneath the street
they have to come up somewhere and then
connect to the house
well so you can put flagpoles in
everybody's house yeah
5G cell towers there we go well we'll
let's think about this let us think on
it I think another thing this is
accomplishing I don't know if you've
ever noticed it it's
really never occurs to me unless someone
complains about it is that there are
Telecom lines that obscure the traffic
signal at Drexel on main for eastbound
traffic and I think this will bring the
Telecom out of that viewership I believe
so is there any uh are there opinions do
people like the taller polls do they not
win better
well you know
they have a choice they're not only that
great
yeah okay fair on we go I think the
theory and I've
I've heard knowledge of people more
knowledgeable than I about design and
utilities is that it actually apparently
they disappear more because they're just
a little bit further out of your view a
bit
I don't think it's a huge change and
it's not like the polls on Livingston
Avenue or James sorry oh my gosh no this
is not analogous to that yeah
um that's is uh that's kind of it
loss of brick curb I mean uh I would I
was only going to ask who's in charge
who's in charge of that we just need to
know who to call
uh our assistant service director Archer
who's in charge of the loss of brick
curb okay he's that's a new job for him
congratulations is that a uh Kyle
thing Kyle okay that's all we need to
know
Kyle he's the right away coordinator
we'll we'll send you his email address
so mayor what is the one thing that's um
happened since we had our last Street
commission that you've had the most
compliments on it can be activities it
can be events it can be you don't know
are you do you ever get compliments yeah
we got compliments we've just there's so
much going on that like you know it's
hard to pick one Whirlwind okay of
compliments okay well that's a happy
thought let me think about that first
the Whirlwind of compliments
that's my day I just go around
lots of compliments a long time well
that's what we've been told oh I do want
to say also that our
um
so our 2023 budget every draft version
has an image on the front and Susan will
appreciate this this is last night's
draft version but the Grove of birch
trees because the conversation of tree
types came up while Mary McMahon was
being drilled
grilled rather for her uh
um for her confirmation it was like a
senate hearing
for a supreme court uh candidate um and
Sam Marcelino as council member
mentioned his love of bricks trees which
I share with him so
Richard's made the cover and under the
guise of the Bexley Arboretum in the
year of the parks that's great I thought
you guys would appreciate it so grant
our job is to tell Sam who are some of
these first trees are so I mentioned the
multi-stem clumps at the pool and down
at Schneider Park but
there's another one on Boston there
there's one on like Bellwood
Elwood or Columbus
oh yeah Lauren has beautiful birch trees
um and and I have lot long one wanted to
do this I would love to have a Birch
Walk where we have the Robert Frost
versus poem written on can we do that
for Arbor Day can we do that for Arbor
Day 23 yes please okay where do you guys
want that
it's gonna be a long walk it's a long
walk well
a lot of Birches by the way
he did the River Birch at the pool and
then walked down to Schneider Park
that'd be about perfect
oh like a long like oh like a as opposed
to a Grove it's more of a birch tree
Trail yeah maybe that's all I could come
up that's interesting well I'll have to
get from Grant for the other birch trees
are there's one street tree on I think
it was fine there was one at um
Columbus rule rule rule is that it
there used to be a stunned rule at
Cassidy right okay okay
there used to be birch trees they might
not be there anymore
no I'm making that up okay yeah
one that was going to be our straight
tree and then we got so much grief about
it that I think could see when we ever
planted that was awesome
does okay
okay
so mayor thank you very much and I'm
glad that you've had a whirlwind of
compliments in the last month really
quickly I'm just going to put these
items on the table and then we'll um
we'll adjourn is that we've had uh-huh
who did I miss Madam I'm sorry what
Madam chair one more thing that I you
should all have received an email
invited you to the management solicitors
party on December 8th if you didn't I
have your wrong email address or
something so let me know Mary you're
also welcome to join
December 8th
mayor's solicitors our holiday party
I'll forward the invitation if you
didn't get in there
real quickly I I just want you all to
know very much I learned
being a part of this so thank you so
much for sharing the wealth of knowledge
that we all have and I don't often speak
more helpful but I think I'm very
comfortable and saying to all of you
that we wish you a very Happy
Thanksgiving to know that we are so
grateful for all the amazing work our
volunteers do in our community and it is
what makes everything really special so
thank you so much thank you I am
grateful and I know of the rest of town
works and we are so excited about your
first week
well you're a volunteer too and we're
thankful for you so
um so these these couple things just
Francis Avenue in multiple canals we
continue to have some feedback about the
desire of uh our residents on Francis
Avenue to revisit the street and see how
we can improve the tree selection or the
tree installation or the tree canopy and
so instead of of uh arguing with people
about what's done and what's been done
we just talked about in the spring we'll
have a pre-walk we'll invite all the
Francis Avenue people we'll have coffee
and donuts and if they want to come
great and we'll just check it out and
see see what they
what they want to tell us and then we
will be able to share with them what the
right of way with this what trees would
grow here what trees won't grow and we
can schedule it on a Saturday so Grant
doesn't have to come or we can schedule
it during the week or schedule a couple
of them so instead of um what should I
say letting the complaints Fester we can
just be open to hearing what they have
to say and seeing if if we can
um come to some either uh type of
decision about change or accept what the
plan is that we have going forward and
then that's kind of the same attitude
for the mulch volcanoes you know as I
said I've used the word quebech now
three times today uh it's a great word
because it kind of sounds like it's like
it means
um but
we have Moss volcanoes and we haven't
been able to do anything about them so
let's come up with some thoughtful ways
to handle multiple canos in a creative
way or brainstorm for instance as I said
maybe we take one block three commission
members all come out with a shovel we
take off the Moss volcanoes we put it on
the Bexley Buzz or the city's website
and say this is what we can do with
multiple candles this is why we should
do it this street is now beautiful will
grow
maybe we have a new city code maybe we
do this maybe we have a coffee for the
City Contractor the contractor work from
the city
so I'm asking you to think about
creative ways that we can be helpful in
coming up with a solution that doesn't
take too much time it costs too much but
will make a big difference in the life
of the street trees
and the other thing is to have the
right-of-way coordinator take you know
three blocks a week and go and see if
they have multiple candles and then put
a little hanger on their door and say
you have a mulch volcano you have a week
to you know
unmounted
or you get to come to tree commission
and we'll show you how to you know make
it more appropriate
no penalty just you know appearance here
and the mayor's also noodling about some
ideas
so the last thing is
um grantford or Jordan forwarded the
Arboretum application and
I had never seen this before so it's
interesting to note what the different
topics areas are to move to that next
upgrade as Molly said they're things
like the number of educational events
you have
um the lack of a collections policy do
we have a collection of our providing do
we have a collection of birch do we have
a collection of Oak lack of agenda for
Science and conservation you know
um lack of support for management or
governing body to pursue a higher level
lack of capacity or staff time to
complete the application so there are
all sorts of things under which you're
graded and what you need to do to move
forward so Molly's idea that let's just
get
our information cleaned up this year and
then maybe in five years there yeah yeah
we can move towards a higher
accreditation and that's all we have for
the day
it's a lot does anybody have anything
else that's good for the order
um I just would like to make a comment
that we're all looking forward to the
beautiful Lighting on Main Street again
I've had many people ask me if we were
going to do it again this year I know we
are so we thank you for your support and
um we're excited about it so well the
other thing since we viewed um Sheila's
underwritten drone photos last time Sam
put him on the website and they got an
enormous amount of social media play
like 255 likes or something which is
what the drum the drones that I hired
for underwear and Trapper and then Sam
put on the website
is he talking right now
yes
is that right you mean is there a
ceremony with their songs okay
yes you can turn off though uh Jordan
we're done we're adjourned for the day