e
e e
Mary mcmun here Susan quintens here
Sheila strob here Celeste Williams here
Jim Wilson here Linda znick has
so I I see now we have room for two
alternates so I'll be pointing Barb
Giller alternate as a voting member
Audrey young as an alternate you'll be a
voting member here so we have a
quorum alternates are here uh ex officio
Larry Helman not here Ellen Bowen here
okay staff mayor Kessler on his way Matt
Kingler is
here here oh where is he oh there he is
Karen Boker and Spencer Martin here okay
we are ready to go so um let's have
approval of the minutes of August 21st
2024 as emailed I move approval of the
minutes of August 21st 2024 is there a
second second is there any discussion I
would note it's the shortest meeting of
the tree commission ever well you know
it's not quantity it's quality yeah I
know yeah yeah yeah okay motions made
and seconded that we approve the minutes
of August 21st 2024 as emailed all those
in favor say I
all those willos same sign okay any
additions to the
agenda I was going to um suggest that we
talk about in maybe new business the
type of tree protection elements we use
around trees uh Karen and I have briefly
talked about that and I think maybe we
should uh have a more robust discussion
on it so now I'll turn it over to Jim
Wilson who's Vice chair for review of
the landscape application hey um just to
remind everyone of our of our rules of
conduct and our rules regarding
presentations everyone's reminded that
our meetings are videotaped and
available on becky. org website within a
few days and the website can be accessed
by anyone anywhere um as commission
members we do not comment or discuss the
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
disparaging comments about City staff
elected officials appointed officials or
city Consultants or other commission
members comments presented today should
be germine to the subject matter at hand
so please stay on topic and lastly uh if
the in the chair's view any presentation
is trending to be inflammatory or
confrontational we will recess for 10
minutes um and compose ourselves so that
we can
proceed um our Rules of Order sta um the
staff uh Karen today uh will uh present
um a report on the application then the
applicant will have up to 10 minutes to
present their case including any
Witnesses or offers of evidence then we
will hear a testimony from any opponents
uh any per person um opposing the
application before the commission um who
Direct ly and adversely affected by such
application she'll have up to three
minutes to present their case in
opposition to the request again
including any Witnesses or offers of
evidence if multiple opponents wish to
present uh they will do so in
alphabetical order of last name then
here any presentations by
supporters um um same rules would apply
up to three minutes we'll proceed
alphabetically if there are mult
multiple
supporters then we will give the
applicant um five minutes uh to conclude
their case uh including again any offers
of evidence to Reet evidence from
opponents and any closing or summary
remarks commission members listen
carefully we'll then proceed to
questions of the applicant and staff
when we finished all of our questions we
will have a discussion limited to
commission Members Only
it's everyone clear so care okay um let
me make sure I put that on um as all of
you know I'm not a landscape architect I
just want to make sure that clear I'm
sitting in place um of a architectural I
have a landscape architect consultant
until the city engages one so I'm not
going to be very good at responding to
any questions specific about species and
plant sizes and that kind of thing but
um I will um put
um we asked Ellena Andrews to do a a
review and she gave it a a a very
complete review um I just wanted to
point out that the two things that she
and I talked about I didn't have any
calls back from any commission members
with any additional questions um on top
of her report that you all should have
received last week at the end of last
week I think Thursday or Friday and it's
been posted to the website since since
we got it in so the public should have
had time too to look at it um all of the
veget it's it's a pretty intense plan
looks great um the questions that we
just want to clarify and talk to the
applicants about and hear about are the
irrigation and maintenance plans as well
as protective fencing around any
existing Street City street trees and
large trees on the property that are in
with the intention of of keeping um I
don't really have I can't really offer
any specific critique to the plants in
general but it does adhere to everything
we saw at the architecture review board
um with and the approval of the pool um
and has added anything that came out of
those decisions such as the stucco wall
for sound protection
Etc I might just note just for
everyone's benefit we got lots and lots
and lots of plans we're focused in
around the pool and not on other areas
of the property that's all we've been
assigned to do just so you can frame it
that way I did does everyone have access
to ellena's
report and I'll tell you that there's a
lot you can see here there are a lot of
documents um just like U Mr Wilson has
said so if you could be patient with me
as I pull up what you're looking for to
comment on both the applicant audience
and board members or commission members
as you I will try hard to focus in on
what you want to see but they're all
separate documents so it's a little bit
more difficult so Mr Vice chair could
you just ask our um consultant to pull
up the information that Elena sent in
case someone hasn't seen it or I think
it was up there a minute ago was it no I
meant the comments yeah it's just need
to okay right there okay in case someone
hasn't seen it okay all right I think
we're ready to proceed with the
applicant um Katherine Herman is
presenting okay Herman welcome if you
can make sure that the mic is on there
so that we can hear what you say for the
preparation of
minutes yeah bring it down a little
closer mic
working yeah can you tap it Katherine
and see if it's working the green light
on why don't you switch with if you
don't mind getting this
one new yours
can you guys hear me oh yeah much better
okay
excellent okay well good afternoon
ladies and gentlemen of the commission
um my name is Katherine Herman and I am
the uh principal of Katherine Herman
design we were hired by the clients at
81 North drexal uh to develop a
landscape plan so um which is what you
have in your in your
possession um I think maybe one thing
that I would want to say is that you
know we've tried very hard it's
obviously a historic piece of property
there's been a lot of care and concern
to make sure that all the existing trees
that are on property are to remain
especially the big existing um Oaks
there there are Oaks there there's some
very large hackberries there there's
some cus
Magnolias um
what else do we have petura so um all of
those we worked very hard to make sure
that that that they remain and then
anything that we're adding to it is
really meant to be respectful of the
um mix of plant material um so I know
we're here today to talk about the
screening that is on the west side as
well as along Clifton um we've made sure
I think it I don't know how much you
want me to reiterate kind of like what's
already in the comments um we have used
a lot of large scale and robust sized
Evergreens including the American holly
Norway spruce the Green Giant Arbor VY
um you know and done a mix so that we're
not creating a monoculture so that it's
very interesting looking and then along
the road we've got the uh taxes hedging
that is going to the pool Cod fence um I
think probably people everybody's
probably driven by it there is obviously
a metal fence out there right now that's
pretty obvious so we're trying to make
that disappear and then we just added in
the layering of um Shrubbery and you
know to make it to make it
interesting um
so if there's something specific you'd
like me to address can you P up the
plan thank you um really anything you
want to address at this point we'll
we'll hear from you or hear from any
opponents or supporters and then the
commission members at that point will
have an opportunity to ask you questions
yeah I mean I you know maybe just I'll
just reiterate it if you look at the
perimeter of the property you can see
it's just very densely planted and you
know to I I was on site today uh you
know just to look at it again it's I
think there's a desire you know from the
the owners to make sure that there's
privacy you know they as much don't want
you know people looking into the
property is um you know as as uh you
know I'm sure people want to see you
know this this is an application about
the pool house and we want to make sure
that that's very well screened and you
can see the the multiple layers of
screening that are going in there with
majority of it being Evergreen so um
maybe to address just the two comments
that we did get uh you know of course
yes we would be more than happy to make
sure that the street trees that are that
are along North Drexel are protected um
I was out there today it does say in the
notes there are four but indeed there
are only three there are three Maples
there so something happened to one of
them and I'm happy to point out which
one is missing I don't it was just kind
of filled in with a hole um and um yes I
would definitely tell you that with an
with this kind of investment in plant
material there definitely will be
irrigation on this plant material to
ensure that it looks good um I was very
surprised to land here and see how dry
it is so it's it's uh important to have
the water especially to get all this
material established and the only way to
do that with that much material is to do
an irrigation system and um with regard
to maintenance most of the Evergreen
most of the trees and shrubs you know
really will just need the oversight of
an arborist you know should there be
anything that comes up but these are
very hearty selections uh not really
known for
diseases um and then the taxes had
should get a sharing once a year so
yeah thank you we'll we'll hear from you
again if after we hear from anyone that
wants to speak in opposition or supp for
you is there anyone here that would like
to speak in opposition the
plan um if you could please come up to
the podium and introduce
yourself do you each get three minutes
but if you could just introduce
yourselves as immediately before you
speak and just indicate your
address okay um I'm Tom Hadley 90 North
Columbia we are the neighbors to the
West so when you're looking at
the west elevation this is where this is
our backyard right here um
pool the pool Hardscape comes to within
five feet of our lot line at the
narrowest
point and um nothing that the landscape
people could do about that they they
weren't given where to put the pool so I
can't point the finger at the landscape
people but what we're disappointed in
obviously is all the consideration of
screening on Clifton rows and rows and
row
along Clifton and we got
5et um one plant because that's all
there's room for in 5 feet so that's
what we're upset about that's what we
were upset about when it was in front of
zoning and we're still disappointed that
there's no way to provide proper
screening in five feet um everything
else is screen Drexel screen with rows
and rows even their own
yard um east of the pool is
screened but ours is inadequately
screened I won't say it's not screened
it's inadequately
screened um I think my three minutes are
up I'm gonna let my wife speak um you
actually probably had another one
but he's good I'm Leanne Hadley and I
live with him um yeah my concern is I
you know was actually thrilled to see
the green Giants along you know because
we all know that they grow fast they get
huge uh I'm a little concerned because I
was reading about them and they get to
be about 14 feet in
width and they're putting it in that
five feet you know from our fence to The
Hardscape that I don't know how that
works but I don't
know that's a concern that I love I love
the fact that they're there I just want
how they're going to survive I also know
from living there for 20 years you
wouldn't know it now but anytime it
rains if we get a hard rain that whole
front is a lake so I am concerned about
drainage and hardscaping the pool and
all that what that immediately does to
all our landscape the water has to go
somewhere so I'm hoping they'll do frch
drains or they'll do something um
because I know the green Giants are
Hardy but I also know um a lot of
landscape does not do well with Lakes so
I guess that's that's all thank you
thank you are there any anyone wants to
speak in support of the plan if not U
does the applicant want to offer any
response or further
comments um yeah maybe just to address
the the green Giants um we did include I
think in the packet this image of green
Giants uh one of the reasons that we
love Arbor is because they will take a
Shear you can Shear them control them
both at the top and the sides so a good
arist would be able to kind of come in
and make sure that they're um kept in
check um with regard to the the comment
about five feet um there is one spot but
that there actually is a wall um at the
you want to call it the
head of the pool um and that was meant
sort of yeah right in that area that
that wall is meant to help with like
screening and offering some privacy for
for both parties um there's just that
one section like where it does get to be
kind of just a little tight but
everywhere else wherever we could
maximize uh the plantings we've
certainly looked to do so with the
thought also to make sure that you know
all the plant material has a a great um
ability or or opportunity to fulfill its
um size on planting
so yeah and with regard to the drainage
yes uh it's very typical that we work
with civil engineers to ensure that any
sight water is dealt with and kept on
site and handled so yeah you might want
to stand by in in case there are any
questions I I actually have a question
for Karen or matt just about the scope
of our review my understanding but I
want to confirm this is city council has
determined that the pool and The
Hardscape around it are approved and we
don't have any ability to move the pool
or anything like that what we have the
ability to discuss is the landscaping
around The Hardscape is that correct
correct and I believe it's been a while
but I believe that the stco wall was
part of an addition that came out of the
discussion
ST
which poter but here's
cursor yes you are correct
okay um always trying to keep us on task
um are there questions from members of
the
commission what I ask is
correct so back to that drainage issue I
know um there's been a lot of
construction on that property and
there's been a lot of of movement on the
ground itself with heavy equipment so I
I would assume there's quite a bit of
compaction especially on Clifton is that
going to impact the drainage and is
there a specific plan for the drainage
because um obviously with the sprinkler
system you know you get too much water
you're going to kill all your plants and
you don't get enough water it is very
typical that at the end of construction
on the house itself you know obviously
with heavy equipment going around you do
get compaction but as you know as a
matter of course the landscape
contractor whoever gets hired to do this
would be required to um overturn the
soil to alleviate that
compaction it works are you familiar
with our soil here yes oh okay I was
just curious because I noticed you're
from Connecticut yes we have done
projects here at that clay clay yes um
and the other question that I had for
you um oh FY uh come back to me anybody
else Celeste
yes yes um start with questions
questions yes and according to this plan
here that I have copied the stucko wall
doesn't go it's the photograph shows
that the Stucker wall goes farther what
is that please on on the most distant
part of this
photograph you could go back to the it's
longer plan it's it might just be a
little tough to read That's fairly
accurate
um if you look it goes at the I'm going
to call it the head of the pool but then
runs back towards the
house there okay you can see that
exactly I couldn't see that detail
before yeah it's I know there's a lot of
information
there thank you
Sheila
Audra did you note the um possibility
for water retention and standing water
during the side analysis phase I mean I
don't know that we've had enough water
to see that but you know whatever their
concern was again so you know we we are
not civil engineers so there we are
definitely going to engage a civil
engineer to ensure you know because
likewise you know that we don't want
standing water right yeah on this site
okay so we'll have a civil engineer do a
plan a
Barb Susan yes so um the compaction of
the soil does bother me um you know like
it like does anybody and so I'm curious
as to what you're going to use for your
entrance uh area to go in to do the pool
and where where that will be so it won't
impact the current trees that are both
on private property and he might might
be on Street property I don't think
there is a I don't think the city has a
right of way on the north of Clifton
okay at least Matt at least that's what
I read in that RightWay information you
sent me might slightly be out of my pay
grade um so would love to have you maybe
okay so Nate would you introduce
yourself please Nate Samson with Beal
Samson Deeds um just to help a little
bit fill in uh the Gap here time has
pass and also just uh you know the house
permit versus this you know the uh
construction access drive that was put
in so we put in a gravel drive during
construction to access through the line
of existing trees that are on the south
side of the property uh that went up
sort of basically very close to where
the edge of the hedges are between the
pool and the uh open yard um that was a
spot where you know following City
guidelines for tree protection the
street but also onsite tree protection
just within the drip line or at the drip
line so I would imagine that for the
compaction at least getting from the
street into the yard that we would
follow that same path that we used
before um knowing that that would need
to be addressed but uh it's it would not
certainly be a free-for-all we' have a
very dedicated uh construction access
path that uh was used previously for the
construction project then we' return
that to or deal with that soil
compaction and you know the uh right
away as well uh to return that to its
condition I have a few more questions
and in our plan as well I think we put
in four uh AA well drains across the
yard um and of course you know we are uh
Bound by building code as well to handle
um catch and control any water runoff uh
so that does not you know mitigate into
the neighbor's yard um and so you know
those two things um are guidelines that
we need to follow anyway but just wanted
to mention those
here so miss Herman these questions
might be for you or they might be for Mr
Samson but um there are some beautiful
trees on the property so L lucky you so
have you called out the trees that
you're going to be protecting and how
you'll be protecting those it it we have
not uh done that specifically but you
know due to this comment we will
certainly issue a tree protection plan
um so it would be probably snow fencing
around all all of the trees that are
meant to remain which are kind of all
definitely called out on the plan is
there um a fencing that you've used be
uh other than snow fencing that is a
little bit sturdier and is less likely
to be moved by contractors who are
hurrying to finish it's a you know
whether I I don't know if there is you
know some sort of standard that you guys
have um you know certainly I've seen
people do hay bales with the black you
know the black mesh I'm going to call it
mesh fence there's that as well that
generally is to keep runoff but you know
snow fencing is usually um kind of
pretty standard but if there was
something that well I'd like chain link
fencing myself but you know it might be
the bridge too far only in that
circumstance would you like jam yeah
exactly ex exactly um I know that your
business is in Connecticut correct um
and so the question would be who will
oversee the the fencing and continually
keep it however far away from the trees
that you will note for us that might be
a
Nathan answer yeah um for the protection
I mean certainly uh outlined um by City
guidelines also any uh additional
measures you know we went through and
protected these trees during
construction uh based on city guidelines
of course but you know for the
overseeing of the day-to-day
construction that'll be a combination uh
probably of us be Samson deeds and the
subcontractor um that's doing The
Hardscape and swimming pool and
Landscaping um you know the way this
would sort of proceed you know certainly
somebody is on site as a project manager
they're taking care of these items if
gets bumped or if it you know keeping
people on you know the access road
itself and lining that so that that's
the only place you can drive so um
certainly oversight on this on the daily
basis for the guidelines set up in the
subcontracts themselves for maintaining
those uh boundaries and protection
measures
it okay and then I have one more
statement and kind of a question for
Miss Herman so we're pretty proud of the
fact that Bexley was the first Municipal
Arboretum in the United States and um
one of our goals is always to create
more variety of trees here and this is a
beautiful piece of property you know
with very very large yard and so my only
question would be is there any room for
some unusual variety that you could put
in here that's not as I don't want to
say as typical because certainly the you
have a lot of splend
things in there but there's nothing
that's um that would add to our Arbor
redom so it's not a condition it's just
a good challenge for a landscape
architect yeah it's um I think thank you
I appreciate that because obviously we
love trees and um you have to really
appreciate the the huge three huge Oaks
that are there that are looking really
good despite how dry it is hackberries
you know not they they look like they're
struggling a little but um yeah there
are some really nice variety of trees so
I think if we could find a way to work
in something you know respecting the
other trees I think we certainly can
make that suggestion and then I
unfortunately we lost a majestic
beautiful oak tree at the corner of
Clifton and Drexel this year and we will
not put blame on anyone or anything or
any climate but it might be wonderful if
that was
replaced my my understanding of it it uh
was that that was taken away for a line
of sight issue on that corner of the
road but I
okay maybe
that's okay I did get a call from the
owners because this was sort of during a
dormant period of the project um asking
for a site survey to determine where
that tree actually fell and they had
gotten a request from the city to remove
that tree and they were trying to decide
uh who's responsible for removing it
whether it's on the property on the
RightWay
um so they were responding to that
request okay familiar you're familiar
with this mayor I'm familiar with the
dead tree yes there was a tree that was
failing and
unfortunately I believe I made sure that
it was expedited and it's because I
noticed that it was declining quickly
and I made that call the gr but it it
was it was it was because it was dead
not because it was in the line of sight
correct that is correct right so I think
if we're talking it's in the corner at
the corner
that could have been I I do remember
that yeah and I remember it was
deteriorating so that may have been my
fault for not understanding the context
I think the directive I was GI
determining its location but yeah right
right so um again I I would request that
uh you consider putting a tree back in
there it's I mean that had to be 100 125
year old tree it really set up direct SL
Avenue going north so I would I would
like to propose that to for your
consideration
okay anything else Susan I think that's
it oh good sorry no I'm done thank you
Mary you have another question I just
have a couple more questions
um ah so I was curious when um actual
installation of the Landscaping is
projected when when you when you're
projecting to install the landscape plan
um it definitely depends on construction
next year not until next year probably
next year yeah they' need to get through
building doing the sort of the heavy
lift and then obviously the landscape
follows okay and um also um I'm not sure
your thoughts on this but um a lot of
trees get installed and they still have
the metal cages and the burlaps you know
a lot of burlap ball and research has
shown that you know that's a good way to
kill a tree absolutely it's I think
actually I I want to say I I haven't
seen metal cages on trees in a very long
time I do think the nursery industry is
understanding that that's not a good
thing yeah because they don't Decay
unfortunately we're still seeing it
around here but and that in the burlap
ball as well yeah we wouldn't want that
I mean this is obviously going to be a
pretty significant um investment so we
want the highest quality with the best
chance of doing really well with
material then the other thing just a
comment too as far as the Norway spruce
given how hot and dry our weather has
become I'm just wondering how well that
might thrive in our community you know
it's really interesting because there
actually is a Norway spruce on site
right now and it actually looks pretty
good it's at the base of another
existing tree that's there um it's you
know it's probably the best looking
Evergreen that's on site so um you know
they can definitely tolerate it but
again everything's going to have the
irrigation
and then you know since Susan asked you
know for a
favor if you happen to get a chance to
remove the uh I think it's a wing janous
it's on the oh yeah absolutely did you
see we would be forever indebted yeah
there's not just on that that far not
much of it I I think it's fair to say
there's also Barberry out there that's
that's going yes but overall I really
like your plan you're moving away from
questions Mary
Matt had Matt I just wanted to address
the right of way question that you had
sorry I wasn't ignoring you I was trying
to do my research quickly uh the sheet
that I sent you just needs updated
there's a 60 foot right of way and it
looks like it extends 16 feet north of
the curb line on Drax Clifton I'm sorry
Clifton so no answer your question we'll
get the sheet up from the curve line but
not from the sidewalk from curve line
curve line okay it doesn't yep okay all
right I have a question any other
question I still have a question
yes I'm new here speaking of being new
here um so I had a question regarding
the tree mature tree protection have you
and this might actually be a question
for the council as well but um have you
ever had where an arborist is actually
on retainer just to check on that
because having gone through a major
construction project I mean absolutely
no disparity everyone has their
priorities and so construction is
construction and then you know an
arborist has a very different set of
eyes that can be on and like you know
retaining that like citing of any
protective fencing and what the tree is
looking like through absolutely I we
would we will be recommending because
some of the construction will occur
pretty close to I think what what is one
of the hackberries there so we would
probably want somebody to go out take a
look at it see if there's any anything
that they can do prior to construction
happening and then you know keep an eye
on everything as well it's it is really
important if they're cutting any Roots
they've got to make sure those was a
really clean cut we'd love to have an
ARB exactly you know on there for sure
yeah any other questions okay now we
proceed to our discussion
uh
um since I didn't ask any questions I
have some discussion um to me I think
our normal requirement is pretty lenient
in terms of planning and that we give
folks if as I remember sort of a year
after completion of the project to plant
and that seems inappropriate here it
seems to me that that this needs to be
planted in the next appropriate season
for planting given um the concerns of
the neighbors I realize that doesn't
address nearly all of their concerns but
I do think we need to put a requirement
into our approval that planting occur
you know as as soon as reasonably
possible so um if this is going to be
finished next summer then I would say it
needs to be planted in the fall at the
latest
um um beyond that I the plan itself
doesn't call for irrigation I would but
the applicant said it's going to be
included but I would make that a
condition of the plan and also you know
there's lots of irrigation in Bexley
that's not kept trees alive this summer
so I do think that we need sort of a
replacement requirement for a reasonable
period of time if any of the planning's
fa
I'm open to other discussion having you
know laid out all my
ideas um just as a maybe point of
reference up the road on park viw at the
Ohio Governor's residence they have
installed some very good fencing around
their street trees as they're going they
going a major um installation of
security fencing there if if you might
want to drive by and see it just to give
you an
idea other
comments Susan I think I used the word
robust before and I think it's really a
a dense plan if we can think of that as
a compliment um I think the you have met
the requirements for screening uh to a t
or to an S I guess and I you know plant
material the The Evergreens especially
should provide a lot of screening for
both the residents and for Neighbors on
all sides um I would say that I
that a motion should from my standpoint
should include um a tree protection plan
with actual visuals and a call out of
what trees are going to be protected and
I think that would uh keep everybody
safe and not and take any kind of
indiscretion away any last minute
decisions
away I guess I I have a question for
staff and that is can we put in any
requirements related to drainage
not I'm not typically at tree Commission
meeting so I what your
hisory but well it's not I mean at ARB
and at zoning we defer that to the
building department to to handle that um
through the building
department okay I think that's just the
normal course of of permits and
installation so even if we don't make it
a condition the building department when
it's reviewing the permitting we'll
ensure that there's drainage that does
so that the doesn't affect the neighbors
adversely that I don't think that's a
typical
um a typical item that our plans
examiner reviews um I don't know it's
always been you have more historical
knowledge a little bit okay so we would
we would be reviewing grading and that
there is appropriate treatment of water
so it's not um sheet it onto adjacent
property and if um during installation
that's installed improperly we do work
with
property under to ensure that any issues
with that are remedied I can't cite you
where we do that in the code I just know
that it happens because I can cite
specific examples of where it's where
it's happened I think it's very
reasonable to put it in as a condition
just to clarify and to remind you know
the building department when this
project is under um the installation of
the landscape plan that grading and
drainage be worked in coordination with
the city okay I'm ready to make a motion
unless there's other discussion I have
some comments and it's mostly toward
Miss Herman this is a discussion among
tree commission members now we are not
engaged in the discussion unless it's a
compliments I suppose ah I have
concerns well you can express your
concerns to the commission but we're the
ones all right thank you my concerns are
even though the pool is set and I
appreciate that the um barrier was
increased which I couldn't see on the
other plans I think that the five foot
draw back 5T is really
insufficient and they they the The View
it's not really blocking the view enough
but that's not that's not something that
we're permitted to change the city
council has already proved yes I
understand that that that's that's
staying but the the tree that's planted
uh supposedly back for there I'm not
sure it's going to get enough treatment
and it's they also want to plant a large
tree and large trees are hard to
adjust um I I think that's a area that's
going to have to be monitored so that
the
neighbors um don't get I'm concerned
about the holly tree to if someone put a
holly tree on my property I wouldn't or
close to it so that I would have to trim
things from there if that would that
would not be something I would enjoy
doing I love Holly trees but they're
painful to to to
handle um and then the other part that
I'm concerned about is if this is such
if this is and it's a beautiful plan
beautiful plan um but it is robust is
there a water well on on the
site no you don't plan to you want to
use you'll be using City water then and
no water
well
okay he
are you done Celeste okay Mr Wilson I
call for a motion would I move that we
approve the plan with the following
conditions uh one that the city trees
along Drex will be protected per the
city of Bexley standards or better uh
secondly during the construction of the
pool and pool house the existing trees
adjacent to the pool house be protected
by fencing that runs from the property
line to the pool fence line parallel to
pool house and meet steady ofx standards
so far I've been reading from the
Consultants report uh third that um that
um a um irrigation and drainage plan be
presented to the building department as
part of the permitting process
[Music]
um um well I'll leave it at that and if
I've missed something someone can move
to amend my motion I have a few
additions just on what I heard just just
just a second let's get a second first
is there a second second okay is there
some discussion Karen just the notes
I've taken is that um a grading and
drainage be worked through with the city
that always happens but to make sure
that you're comfortable with that um and
I also have that the the replacement
requirement um you talked about putting
a timeline on any replacement
requirements uh and they're also you
talked about a planting timeline
requirement as soon as reasonably
possible it's loose but I think it's
probably a good idea to put it in there
I agree so can I amend my own motion
Madam chair you also said something
about iding the trees that were going to
be protected right I think I included
that you that okay I'm
sorry uh let's see can you am amend your
own motion I think we have to vote
to um veto this motion and start again
or would you'd rather amend your motion
I think it's cleaner just to amend the
motion to add the additional conditions
all
right I move to amend my motion
previously made to include the further
conditions that um the planting occur um
in the within the next um viable
planting season after completion of
construction of the pool um and that um
that the property owners agree that any
uh
plantings plantings of trees or
Shrubbery that fail will be
replaced okay and you feel you called
out the fact that they will indicate on
a plan which trees are being protected
yeah I thought that was in the the
original motion based on the staff
Consultants okayed within the next
season yes season is there a second
second is there any further discussion
is there any concern about the fact that
a lot of times s trees don't fail within
the first year I didn't put that limit a
Time limitation on the failing of trees
or shrubs that's indefinite oh okay the
pl the time requirement was that it get
planted okay I thought I heard something
about replacing anything that didn't
make it within I didn't limit it to one
year
sorry any other discussion okay a
motion's been made and
seconded and amended and made and
seconded and now calling for a vote and
um Jim I do you want to reread the
motion or does
it no uh well if any member of the
commission doesn't understand what we're
voting on I'm happy to repeat it okay
any anybody want further explanation
okay all those in favor say I I all
those opposed same sign motion carries
thank
you so miss miss Herman on your way out
maybe Spencer Martin could just uh
introduce himself he's an arborist of
the city of Bexley and loves
unusual varieties and species and
everything else so Spencer maybe you
could just pop down and say
hi and I think it should be noted for
the record that the Magnolia is a Jim
Wilson Magnolia I I was concerned about
a conflict of interest but okay and now
and now for the most fun part of the day
we are honoring the Bexley faery Village
ambassadors so let's see are are they
here they couldn't handle the Brilliance
of the public process they had
to
okay
so Celeste maybe you could just set this
up a little bit for us and tell us a
little bit
about about these girls may maybe they
may may or they might have taken over
your office oh here they come here they
come
a yeah go
over and you can use that use the yeah
we'll use this microphone
umel and I have rehearsed exactly what
we're gonna say so um we are super
excited to be honoring two young ladies
here and Celeste you want me to read the
proclamation or do you wanna I give a
little bit forward information please do
yes these young ladies who came by for
Arbor Day where we where we decided
decided that we that uh honoring Arbor
Day in our Municipal arbored was a very
special thing to do and these gals were
enjoying what was going on the fairy
Village and in immediately engaged with
the with helping set up and also help
helping other children learn how to play
with the elements that were in there and
you both wanted to be a very Village
Ambassador so that makes you a part of
our city and we really appreciate your
help in your consistency to be able to
give joy to other kids and the mayor is
here to thank you for this yes so I have
a proclamation to read I do want to say
so we're working and doing things on the
city as Celeste has done helping set up
his fair Village every now
moments we get to take a step back see
magic sounds like you guys lashed on the
magic the fair Village I'm sure Celesta
one was moments where she got to
see The Wonder of what you were doing
all the cool things you were doing all
the fun ways you were interact see this
project this take off because you guys
made it extra special so we're so happy
to be able to honor you guys this
evening and I have a proclamation I a
copy for each of you it's one of the
best coolest looking proclamations I've
ever had
so where at MD Shanker but I your name
pronunciation correct Maddie and Eva
perfect attended a story time at
bexley's Fair Village of Schneider Park
and we're immediately fans of this
Whimsical addition to our city and where
as MD and Eva quickly started to share
bexley's fairy magic with young visitors
adding New pieces and play ideas that
inspired wonderful stories and
interactions and whereas over the course
of the last several months Maddie and
Eva have volunteered many hours their
time to support the very Village and to
encourage creative play bey's very and
whereas the city of Bexley the Bexley
tree and public gardens commission and
all of beex faes gnomes and Sprites are
deeply grateful to Maddie and Eva for
their time and dedication to beex
smallest and mosted neighborhood now
therefore I van Castor mayor of the city
of Bexley invite all citizens to join me
honoring M Shanker Eva per magical
the best
vow you but I think looks like you have
far more interesting
treat I can hold on for
you okay we need some pictures too oh
okay move our little lightweight Podium
here
over here and weon come on in
say
anything well I want also want to thank
the parents who probably help make the
Ambassador
yeah thank you parents
does it make you guys wish you were
fairy Village Ambassador
yeah okay thank you all very much and
for staying through the commission
application we really appreciate your
tolerance and
patience yeah
thank you thank you maybe this is a
start maybe they can teach new
ambassadors next year soest an
Ambassador Academy an Ambassador Academy
that's right thank you mayor thanks to
Natalie as well yes you guys okay all
right so now we're going to go on to
some quick announcements and then uh
Spencer and the mayor's reports so Mary
what's new with the Bloomers we have
gone East uh we moved over to
Commonwealth Park and worked and it was
fun because the soil has been uh watered
so it was actually a little easier to
work in it and everything looks great
there there are a few um dead trees over
there hopefully they're part of the
replacement
plan and uh then do you want to go on to
the Community Gardens fundraiser uh yeah
on October the 16th at 6:30 we're
hosting um a fundraiser at David hogra's
home on ashborne um the the event is to
raise money for the community garden so
that we can establish our own fund with
the Bexley community foundation so we
hope that all of you can join us there
we'd love to have you um other than that
the gardens are kind of dry like
everything like everything else that's
right and I do want to make a note that
or let everybody be aware in case you
aren't that the spotted L spotted
Lantern fly is in Bexley and we found a
bunch of them this morning at the
governor's residence so if you see them
yeah if you see any you're supposed to
kill them and report
them okay so anybody yeah today at
Governor's residence yeah do we call the
police chief or what well maybe spener
do you want to keep
track no okay no Mary did you report it
to ODNR yes nice okay oh yeah okay um do
you want to talk about the golf cart
tour absolutely so on um mark your
calendars October 11th we're going to
have our
second annual golf cart tour this year
in 2024 we featured the sycamore trees
um in honor of our mayor who we all love
our sycamore trees um this year in
October they're you know we'll do the
best we can with our tour I mean the
trees have uh they're they're holding
their own the best they can but um I'm
hoping that we have 15 golf carts and
fil them um we I think October 11th it's
a Friday um we'll gather at the senior
center again at
12:45 and create our parade around 1
o'clock um then we're going to come back
at 2:30 and have some treats so um you
know we'd love to have all of you join
us if possible thank
you okay thank you putting it together
and I was going to remind everybody next
next um uh month for a regular tree
Commission meeting we're going to start
at 3:00 so um Jim can lead us through
some of the um items in the tree
commission um planting and maintenance
guide for the city of ay and
particularly tree selection first item
so yeah first we'll circulate some
homework for you in advance right not
today and I'd like to ask too if Spencer
would be able to identify some of the
trees that were male or female so that
we don't have all male type of species
on some trees or vice
versa is that a question for Spencer
yeah it is okay uh yeah uh that's only
some species of trees um are like
specifically male or female mini trees
um boths okay so yeah they have those
organs all right so if there are some
that we identified and you realize that
they do they have that characteristic
one of the two you'll let us know sure
that'll be great thank you yep okay well
Spencer you're already on the on the
podium so why don't you keep going and
give us the Bexley urban forestry
arborist
update
sure uh so you want the urban forestry
or the Arbor Day tree giveaway project
ah you could if you want to talk about
that these are just some things that
were I'll talk in order yeah that's fine
so yeah the uh Arbor tree giveaway was
uh pretty successful we I think we were
able to plant uh somewhere around 30
trees with that program which will
translate to thousands of square feet of
canopy for Beckley which is awesome of
course some residents refuse their trees
um upon delivery so you know we made the
best of what we could with
that um The Mulch volcanoes uh um I
think that is something uh we it's
definitely had some good dialogue with
residents us arborus about that but I
think that will be definitely a slow
burn there's no difference yet um
there's still plenty of mulch volcanoes
out throughout Bexley but um the
pamphlets are making their way they're
radiating throughout the city which is
good and it's just something that will
take you know repeated effort and energy
into uh spreading awareness that we're
wondering if they'd really been passed
out the brochures or the pamphlets that
were done yeah so the biggest uh uh the
biggest effort of that was at the mulch
sale right they were passed out and then
um from that point to my knowledge uh
the other pamphlets that are passed out
is just dispersed with us our breast as
we see them occasionally um when we're
working on work orders and we see an
offending tree will um give uh the note
to the residents and sometimes they come
out to us and talk and we'll
share that information as well we
typically kind of you
know have a a dynamic conversation about
their trees in the tree lawn and in
their yard as well typically if we have
time so uh we're always kind of
educating uh but yeah I think the multi
volcano elimination program it will
probably be over the course of a number
of years but you know the balls is
rolling so that's good yeah Jim you know
whether we got many registrations from
landscapers that um I'm not familiar I
know that we um we sent out the
information that the ordinance had um
been started but I'm not sure how many
uh landscape companies have
registered
thank dat the urban Forest is very very
dry uh many of the trees have started to
defoliate which doesn't cause immediate
concern um but we'll it will be very
interesting to to see the true damage of
the drought in the spring because that's
really what we'll know do you think
you'll see it that soon or it'll be
three to five years uh well you know it
may I think for a lot of the trees it
will be either it will show that they're
they have significant dieback or
mortality in
Spring it's possible that there's you
know lasting effects from this drought
for many years as a just a added
stressor to the trees but overall um you
know besides the newly planted trees uh
you know mature trees are they've
evolved to deal with drought this isn't
the first drought that they've endured
but um you know any trees that had
existing stress already um you know they
this could have been the final STW it's
a pretty severe
drought and it's been a struggle keeping
things watered for
sure um
lastly the 2024 planting I talked
briefly with Ellen just before today's
meeting
about
um some potential concerns about
planting 100 trees and uh drought
stressed
soil um I have not read um I haven't
looked either for uh P reviewed articles
about planting in drought soil but um
just my knee-jerk reaction is slight
concern just um I'm not familiar with it
but it see it makes sense how that could
be an added stress to nearly
transplanted trees so we talked briefly
about maybe postponing that project or
something otherwise but that was just
like
conversation um you know I don't really
know what will come from that but yeah
so Spencer I was just thinking um I'm
disappointed Charlie's not able to be
here because he might have some
information from the US Forest Service
so happy to email him ask him copy you
on it like I said this was just yeah
this was just you
know just a conversation there's nothing
in stone it's nothing there's no sure
science behind it yet it was just you
know slight concern
about I agree I I maybe I misunderstood
grant grant last month I thought that
the trees had already been
ordered I'm not familiar with that yeah
that's a question that would be useful
information absolutely yeah definitely
um Grant did have me drive Park View and
uh broad to see potential tree sites and
so I have approximate numbers for that
planting um I didn't like metal detect
every site for utilities um so these
numbers are subject to change but on uh
Park View I found 28 potential tree
sites for new plantings and then and and
that includes the East Side um between
delmare and Broad as well and then uh on
Broad I found 35 potential sites for new
trees for that um program good yep which
is great
yeah just get us some rain just need
some rain yeah a little bit at first not
too much or we'll all run run off so any
questions for spenc I just I just wanted
to add that that totals 63 trees so we
have the potential of planning an
additional 37 trees um on other streets
in Beckley and I think Grant and the
mayor they have done a golf cart tour
and I think they have some streets
that they're aware that need some it's
coming up in my report I'm gonna talk
about my okay I don't want to steal your
thunder exactly Don't Spill the be
anything for
Spencer okay Spencer one question is any
species of trees been
more broadly hit by the drought than any
other we noticed like I said it's hard
to it's hard to determine the effects of
the drought but um naturally you know
the the sycamores and the London Plains
those are kind of one of the more
sensitive to Drought so they'll
defoliate sooner you can see and if you
walk through Jeffrey Woods the the uh
forest floor is already covered with
their leaves Maples are turning colors
um as we speak now so I know maybe a
doll fall for color we'll see
yeah well I'm sure the mayor's report
will be fireworks for us so mayor on to
you you better believe it I knew
it some of uh some of what's on my
report I'm not sure exactly what you
want me to talk about so you could
clarify some of these um but the Gant
chart of our city and tree commission
design I assume we're kind of an update
on where we are with design processes
right um we have been on a Hiatus for
the past uh month while Elena recovers
from having hip surgery okay uh so don't
have a huge update for you other than to
say that we're due to start kicking off
soon design processes for the Roosevelt
medians and the College Avenue Gateway
enhancement and then a probably a little
later on I haven't talked to Ellen about
timing the Fair Avenue median refresh
um we have met um
with uh with Brian Kent Jones and our
team here about the Commonwealth
unification designs so that's that's
started but that's sort of a that'll be
a I think a little bit of a longer
design uh charet process Dave wakan has
been representing as a ex officio well
what I'm not sure what he is former
board member of the tree commission uh
has been has been at part of which is
great um you'll note at the Commonwealth
fols that they are those buildings are
done the keys were turned over to us
just recently um and now we have some
grading work left to do and the
unification of the park will be
two-phased it'll start with removing the
street and raising the
grade um and then the second phase will
be uh any sort of additional
improvements which there will definitely
be additional improvements um at the
bare minimum some sort of a um
installation at the entry points uh you
know where Columbia used to be I would
think um we do need to look at the beach
trees just to determine how to handle
those as the grade changes so that's
something we need to be doing on site
here in the coming weeks um as we look
at how that's going to impact them um
and what if anything we need to do for
those
uh do have the hold on the agenda I have
the agenda here
um as
uh as Ellen pointed out so I I I just
asked Grant to I wanted to do actually a
full on every Street in the city um tour
with Grant just just I wanted to take a
look at our replacement planting plan
and against what looked like might be
maybe gaps in the in the streets and the
four hours that we had originally
scheduled Got whittel Away by my
calendar down to an hour and 15 minutes
but we made good progress uh we made our
way from Schneider Park uh East to I
think Remington and South Bexley and in
the process you know it was really
educational for me I I've never done
this exercise with Grant before where
actually visually looked at where we
were replacing trees and are there other
opportunities and we took note um and we
found 66 other opportunities for
planting trees in that section of what's
probably about maybe like what a fifth
of our city um and it didn't take that
long and Grant you know if it's if it
it's me walking down the street I have
to pause and look at the fire hydrant
and try to figure out where the water
line is and look for the down spots but
Grant's like a like a genius at this
right away he's like no can't do that
but you can do that and here's why and
and and he was spoton every time we
talked about it so it was super
informative um and I highly recommend it
as an exercise for tree commission
members um we're trying to determine if
we have budget even for that section of
additive plantings and the only reason
we started there was just because it was
closest to City Hall was there's no Arts
to that um and I was going to continue
to do that with him over the coming
weeks but I thought that it might be a
good educational opportunity for tree
commission members so I wanted to open
that up um Grant graciously thinks that
sounds great too um and I think it would
just be really helpful to kind of have a
glimpse into what our plan what our
plans are and how how we schedule those
Replacements and what does and doesn't
work and and why so if anyone wants to
to sign on up for that I think um I
would say contact me but that's not a
great way to do it so well I think I
think I will contact Grant and see if
there's if he can give us some dates and
times and I honestly think like you'd be
amazed how quick well I think how
quickly you get through that partially
maybe
because I was driving and I was kind of
fast I'm used to looking at
infrastructure so maybe that was part of
it but yeah what is your record keep how
did you keep records uh Grant has a list
by by by Street okay of where the
addresses of where additional trees are
being planted we took note of other
opportunities um he schedules
Replacements based upon where trees have
been taken down so it's a little bit not
factoring in where there might be some
additional opportunities from years past
or
whatever um then near the end of our
golf cart small tour we started to take
note of Resident private home private
properties that could really benefit
from additional trees and maybe we could
nudge Property Owners um and support
getting a tree to them if if need be
so um yeah wanted to offer that Grants
open to it um again we would have to
figure out how to
a budget it for this this fall and B I
want to hear more from from you guys and
from our experts about the wisdom of how
we go about planting and keeping an eye
on like what's happening with hydrology
over the coming or two um nonetheless
that that's good data to have and it's
it's data that we can use for the next
planting season
too um we had a Landry strategy public
meeting um this week here at City Hall
uh it was a pretty consistent theme from
the different study areas the people
love beautification and trees so I I
know that that warmed Susan's heart to
no end uh it's a no- Briner well I'm
surprised but yeah and I you know this
is my kids make fun of me because I I I
Rave about the value of shade in the
public experience and of course there's
value to your home for sure but there's
a huge benefit in our infrastructure to
having a shaded sidewalk it's just night
night and day ter it's just amazing what
a difference that makes you guys know
that and so one of my you know weird aha
moments I talked to you about this Susan
recently is like I love trees for lots
of reasons but like to me now I have
this this like thing in my head I can't
get out that like we should really
strive to have shaded sidewalks in every
always in every section of the city that
should be a real goal it's not always
physically possible with some of the
narrow tree Lain but that should really
be what we're striving towards um not
you know
there's so many other benefits but
that's one that I think is incredibly
important to the quality of life of
residents and that that came through in
the comments at our landu strategy
meeting um another thing that came out
I'm skipping around a little bit that
came out from our golf cart tour I uh I
keep notes um when I'm driving around I
have a like Siri connected Reminders app
and so I have like a thousand notes from
the service department and so I went
through them and over the past two years
I just picked all the notes I'd made
about tree related things so that when
Grant and I were driving around I had
those with my fingertips I noted that I
had reminded myself four different times
to talk to Grant about the plantings at
Montrose Elementary specifically the
tree lawn where uh trees have died away
and we've sort of gone away I think from
planting in that treeon because it's
fairly narrow maybe a 4 foot tree laon
and I really like to see us find a tree
that could be harmonious with that space
it's the trees that are specified for
Remington and mantras don't fit well
within that narrow treeon so I'd love
for us to have a type B that we could
use there and get a really nice alley of
trees down uh both sides of that campus
um so it's the east and west side of the
building not north and south east and
west east and west I think South
probably as well
okay yeah then maybe
not oh but they're up right but I think
there's
opportunity I believe uh there's some
power Lin I don't remember anyway
crab apples yeah so Audra do you because
you live in that area right sort of do
you and Mary want to walk that and come
back with some suggestions not
sure anybody else can join them but
that's there their neighborhood so I I'd
love to get more on the campus itself
too I just feel like that that field is
too unshaded I agree there's more
opportunity so in the front or the back
the in the well in the back and so one
of the interesting Concepts in the land
use strategy is is to work with the
school district if they would be open to
it to create a really beautiful public
space in the front of mattress because
there's just great land there it's it
gets used a little bit by the school but
mostly not and so could it be complim to
the school use and and what could we see
kind of activate that front
space
um dubing or not tree commission
priorities with the beex beautification
fund what we for that yeah we did we're
good yeah I mean I think we worked
through that this morning great cting
fifth updates focusing on the delmare
intersection Columbus is moving forward
with the Cassidy project right and we
need to start thinking through the
delmare intersection well Mary had told
me this well kind of I mean you know
it's now it feels like maybe a little
bit larger discussion I you know I don't
I know nothing except what Mary told me
is that the school has the opportunity
or potential to buy acreage north of
Fifth Avenue for a sports complex up
near Luther senior City and so it makes
me it makes me think that maybe we
should relook at the plan that we had
originally yeah kind on the same page I
actually spoke this morning with the
broker for that um and I'm due to talk
to Dr Dr V have spoken already about the
site but specifically I wanted to
discuss with
them as if they start as an if they
start to firm up on
that we are no I was missing zooming in
a button here can you see it do you out
the
lights okay so we are this is Calon
that's the that's the facility that has
just north of the Catholic Church on
Cassidy right C Calgon carbon and then
the site the school's looking at includ
includes these this open Green Space
here as well
as this building in the back and the
building in the back is a
Medicare uh assisted living facility
that because of changes in federal
funding is no longer a viable facility
and apparently this is a big issue
throughout the country and so literally
I guess has like no contributory value
in terms of the the site the actual
improvements here um so so they're
interested in um putting athletic fields
here I don't want to talk too much about
what their interests are because I think
that's their story not ours but what is
true is that the Columbus project will
be bringing a multi-use path on the west
side of Cassidy Avenue I believe it
extends up to sth it definitely comes up
to fifth um it stops at seventh um and
so there's a very small additional space
to get up to Cassidy um it's it's a
issue with rideway uh Columbus's rideway
acquisition is part of the project and
it was a you know it's one of the
reasons the project has taken as long as
it has but for sure like we are already
talking about um if this continues to
move forward how can we advocate for
extension of that further north to meet
the site because it would be a really
meaningful difference um and I think the
good news is that you have a only two
Property Owners between seventh and the
potential School site
and it's a different equation if there
may be a company that would be friendly
to the concept of of having that extend
North on that side um almost like
voluntarily you know so may be something
that's on our
radar anything else you want to talk
about about that no I just as I said I
just I was just thinking it's going to
take more work to look at that um bike
path and the walking path and the
mediums and yes could you know could
double your traffic there pretty easily
so I think I think the schools had uh
people that have worked on this for a
couple years um they've had meetings
almost every month for the last two
years about um just about the schools in
general and if they have to replace some
or add to some where can everything go
you know this is this is just the very
first step of that um which would
because the football stadium would stay
where is but a lot of the other things
would move which would enable them to
then use that space for educational
purposes they looked into cap and work
the Jewish Center you know all those a
lot of other options but this proved to
be the best so
far okay questions for the
mayor we should congratulate the mayor
because tonight he's going to be honored
by the Drexel Theater
for for I guess making for for
for being a legend for for being the
what Clark Gable of Bexley or what hey
yeah hardly I appreciate thank you Susan
um I'm excited for you know was I was I
was thinking back to the Drexel project
in Friends of the Drexel and meeting
with Richard staf at the
Claremont uh and then and then uh Rick
you know Bill Connor who was a part of
that and how we had a we had a pretty
you know we had a part early on in
making sure that the restrooms could
expand into what was the city hall
parking lot and then later on the the
Marquee that became a a tiff project so
it was been exciting to be a part of
that story obviously the Drexel is a
huge a huge piece of what is bexley's
Main Street and so um I look forward to
that that's fun um I also want to one
last thing remind everybody if you
haven't if you don't know about it
tomorrow night at Johnson's is meet the
artists for our mural Festival from 700
to 9 and sadly the Bexley jam band
hasn't been playing this summer at
Johnson's for health reasons so I've
assembled a rag tag crew of B Lev
replacements for the Bexley jam band
that will be there and then for the
mural Fest itself that's an event on
Saturday afternoon and evening from 3:00
to 10 we're gonna have artists of tents
and um live music and food and beer and
a chance to see the kind of be around
the murals we have uh snow plows are
going to be painted each one we have
four snow plows that are going to be
painted to represent the four murals uh
with little components of each and if
you haven't seen it like the the work
that's gone on is pretty stunning uh
check the grandon one the one next to
Johnson's and the one
on yeah gron is that guy is like I can't
believe what he's doing right now it's
it's it's incredibly intricate and then
rabinos is up
um at in the evening you might not be a
night owl but in the evening there's
something called mural remix which is
this artist group that comes in and they
they design moving imagery with
projectors that integrates with the
murals and makes them like come alive at
night so that's happening up till 10th
so I know it's not trees but I can tell
you there are lots of trees around the
mural and granon because I tried to do a
drone shot of it and I kept on getting
threatened by I think it was a locust
tree we talked about showing movies on
the wall at the pocket park by the
Drexel that would be cool yeah that's
right we did
the um it starts I mean it's Sunset is
when you they're going to be starting to
set up around 6:30 and sunset will
probably be around eight so right
so it's Saturday Saturday Okay so any
questions all right mayor good job
you're free to go now
yeah well I thought thought that could
be the case so we can go on to Old
business and Spencer's favorite topic
infilling all the tree vacancies in
Bexley within 3 to five years sounds
like the golf cart tours might be a good
key to
that and one of the things we haven't
figured out or at least the mayor said
is that how we take the vacancies that
they've determined and put it on tree
plotter Spencer so I don't know if you
could do that if Grant could do
that do you have any thoughts about that
Jim there's actually uh
a quote species of tree that says new
tree that you can use in tree plotter to
identify where you want to plant a tree
um as Grant sort of discovered we
probably ignored some water lines and
that sort of stuff when we did it but I
say the other thing that I got that I'm
happy to share that Matt sort of
referenced is that um there's a
spreadsheet that tells us where um the
ride of way extends beyond the sidewalk
so you don't have to just try to figure
that out Frome plotter I can circulate
that and you can identify the streets
where we have opportunities behind the
sidewalk so that was kind of a
interesting document that he sent uh Jim
and I met with Matt last week and it's
only view available for us for one week
that's what I read oh I downloaded
it wait to go jff you might need a
lawyer okay and now and now Matt said
that it need that he need updated
because it did say north of like Clifton
there was seral right away so there
might be some other errors on that well
we can get it updated but it for me it
was sort of I mean you can go around
with tree plotter and see it but it's
sort of nice to maybe identify the
streets where we can plant behind the
sidewalk and just send people there
without have trying to figure out
whether that we can do it or not right
right and Spencer will you be putting
the tree vacancies that you found on
Parkview and Broad today on tree plotter
I have not done that but I can enter
those um locations on the tree plotter
okay yeah actually may have to like
instead of adding them remove the ones
don't belong yeah I can do that no um so
Jim do you have anything else on you
know infilling the tree vacancies it
sounds like we've got a good start with
Broad and Park View and then perhaps the
68 trees in the southwest corridor or
Southwest we could just get some rain I
mean that's I think the big challenge is
we don't want to plant trees that aren't
going to survive but boy I'd hate to
wait another year to get started on it
um so that's you know the nurses are
have to start offering a two-year
viability right guarantee right to
whomever you pray ask for rain could we
start in like late November dece early
December to
plant I don't know I mean it's not in
stone that the project is delayed but
it's definitely a concern that we wanted
to express um you know people do plant
in Winter sometimes uh like be root is
common in the winter um be root variety
but uh yeah fall is generally the best
season for sure for sure but Fall's not
starting until December these well
that's real yeah okay so Jim um the
planting and tree maintenance study
group group um so we continue to develop
the plan um we met a couple times I
think since our last meeting and we need
to schedule another one big gap as you
all know is the section on species
selection
monocultures you know environmental
change what we want to do and that's
going to be the subject for our
pre-meeting meeting or our special
meeting uh in October I would encourage
you to think about what information
would be used useful to you in advance
of that I think I've circulated a couple
things before one is that
Cornell um website that identifies
species I think I sent around a document
that Charlie gave us about uh species
that um may not do so well and those
that may do well with anticipated
environmental change but I'm happy to
circulate anything because I you know
while we we're having a special meeting
an hour will go quickly um and I think
it would be really useful to our little
subgroup to have sort of IM input on you
know what do we want to do with this do
we want to plant multiple species do we
want it under story and some
streets um I think that you also I think
I circulated but if I didn't um I think
I circulated the existing list of tree
species so I would encourage everyone to
look at that and ask yourself whether
there are species that aren't
appropriate I'll try in my abundant
spare time to go through and correlate
that with the you know the stuff Charlie
provided and hopefully Charlie can be
here because I think he's a good
resource and I don't know Spencer if you
can convince Grant to let you be here
for that um I have to ask
permission if you if you need a note
from the commission we can provide one
so but but it would be good to have as
much input as possible for that meeting
I agree I'd like to be there yeah I was
going to say you know we don't have to
decide in the moment but the more
comments we have the better off we
are um okay so goals for the arborium
additional species in education I'd also
encourage you Spencer if you've seen
some species in other communities that
look like they're doing well that we
don't have pled or planted very heavily
here you know that'd be good information
for us to have
okay I keep coming back to my creep
Myrtle yeah which is the only unusual
thing that I've planted and it's doing
gr Gang Busters I think it's funny
because I think really U man these darn
sweet gums I think they have really good
potential to uh to grow well in this um
in this drought in this warming climate
well not the drought necessarily but
just as as our Zone shifts you know it
is a southern native tree so it's just
funny that yeah excited about that well
I guess I I mean I haven't taken mine
down and I will note that we do have a
policy that lets up what I think two
residents per year ask for Theirs to be
removed and we haven't gotten a request
in years or have we Spencer we just
don't know I don't know if we've gotten
new requests but there's a pile of
requests um I don't know when they were
originated but we do have Grant selects
to each year that's for sure um and
whether they apply officially or not
there's certainly
frequent emails about them about sweet
gums yeah but I'm an advocate I love the
sweet gum it's one of my favorite trees
and I really think it has a lot of
answers for the warming climate and it
has limited pests and great fall color
and good uh structure it's a great tree
but that's my two cents well folks may
want to look at the prohibited species
and see if we want to remove any of
those so they want to pull them because
of the strob biles right yeah yeah we
act yeah not only not plant them but we
remove healthy sweet gums regularly
because well only two a year only two a
year some have been extraordinary
specimens it was heartbreaking I just
put three in yeah they're great trees
they're awesome every tree has a seed
you know there's no denying that Oaks
which we love they drop acorns so I have
a monument to this week I'm in my newly
Port sidewalk
yeah it's funny
okay uh okay um so anything else under
old business than a new business Ellen
do you want to talk about the trees for
vex 24 25 fundraising F 26 depending on
yeah and there your microphone on I
can't tell okay it is okay uh so what
I'm proposing for um our solicitation
fall 24 for um future planning is Fair
Avenue median and Grant paage Crane and
I drove it and overall we would say four
trees need to be um removed dead or
maybe are almost there so anyway four
tree where trees need to be removed
replaced um other trees have been
removed along the way so additional
trees need to be
planted and um both the end caps on Fair
Avenue need to be
refreshed and um see and uh some some
trimming needs to be done so it's a
multi-stepped project uh which will
really will be pretty significant so we
are
suggesting it being kind of a twep
program uh at least two step if not
three-year program um and so anyway I'm
proposing that that's our solicitation
for fall 24 from trees for Bexley for
initial implementation
being uh in
2025 and I might also add information
that Ellen told me that we have a design
for it it would not just be planting
another tree it might be multiple trees
and then a space something a little bit
more naturalized yeah I heard a little
bit about that it sounds great yeah it
does sound greatting in groups is
awesome yeah right and uh Elena has uh
sent a proposal to the mayor I so do we
need to endorse it we do we do I move
that we endorse it with
enthusiasm thank you is there a second
is there an enthusiastic
second okay great is there any
discussion okay a motions been made and
seconded that we enthus enthusiastically
endorse the
2425 focus of the trees for Bexley
fundraising project as um a multi-year
rehab of Fair Avenue all those in favor
say I I post same sign okay motion
carries great okay so I was talking to
Karen and I did I should have introduced
Karen today as uh she is the staff
consultant to both ARB and Bap and has
kindly um stepped in here to help us
through the breach between Ellen and
whoever might be coming next about you
know what is an adequate tree protection
um when I drive around the city and I
see those snow fences and then they keep
creeping creeping towards a tree and
then the snow fence f es down into
ground level thinking why bother why
bother and so I was only sort of tongue
and cheap talking about the chain link
fence
um many years ago when I was an aspen I
did see what they did around their
street trees and they had chain link
about six feet tall you didn't mess with
that tree you didn't have to worry about
it and I think that's one of the things
so much of our time is spent going back
saying well this wasn't protected code
enforcement you guys disappointment
we've lost a tree we lost money we've
lost canopy we've lost shade so Karen I
think was also in the same court that uh
we could maybe think of Alternatives
yeah I mean I think it's it's a good
it's a it's a great um privilege for me
to be doing this for you guys right now
I'm sure it won't be permanent but there
is a disconn I I run the other two
boards and this is where that comes up
but we don't know anything about tree
protection
so this is a great opportunity for us to
kind of bridge that to make sure these
conditions of a good kind of tree
protection and maybe you grant can help
kind of help Define and and help with
the process as well but um it it's a
problem because the snow fences don't do
anything no they're often manipulated
for sure well I mean I've seen it I've
seen it on North Drexel I mean the
contractor went by and he said oh you
have to talk to the other contractor
yeah I'm just looking so and it is
important for tree Health you know it's
it's vital yeah I mean it's not it's the
compaction you know compaction is
horrible and it's such a delayed uh
consequence too so it's hard to really
Point although research shows that you
know the damage was done even 10 years
ago is common but you know the house has
been sold four times since so right so
Karen I know that you're also consultant
to some other communities yes what I for
um so I also do this um architecture
review and help run their architecture
review boards and committees at New
Albany Country Clubs new ALB links
Tartan Fields Tartan West and old Dublin
so I'll look into what they do what they
do that'd be great maybe along with your
help we could rewrite the tree
protection plan uh whatever in the code
or if it's in the guidelines um has
anybody Audra well I was goingon to say
one thing that I've seen that I think
has better luck and we just went through
a major construction we have two very
mature Pines that we string a um hammock
between so we for obvious reasons did
not want to lose those um but we also
saw that fence creep and creep and creep
and it there was no other entry into our
lot so we did end up with a lot of soil
compaction and you know who knows yeah
we had um some remediation and whatnot
with our contractor eventually our
Landscaping contractor but um but one
thing I've seen that might be helpful
since you
know you see the snow fences and you
have the iron posts or whatever they are
but I've seen like actual you know
temporary fences built around and it it
should be around like the drip line it
shouldn't just be you know a few feet
out from the trunk so I mean if I think
if we get if we can get closer to like
drip line you know where it's placed and
then also like just actually building
you know 2 by force in making a fence
that's temporary obviously but you know
those aren't going to be
moved well how about if I do some
research for October right sure I'll be
calling on you guys for some advice and
but I'll look at the other communities I
work in and also I have you know lots
of communities in in the greater Ohio
and and outside of that that we B back
and forth a lot of design guidelines
suggestion so so uh so um this up
because it always comes up with tree
commission but I thought Karen maybe you
could talk quickly about
Matt's I don't know if it's an ordinance
about the fencing around new
builds that they're safety fencing
around new builds oh safety fening right
yes yeah so why don't you just mention
that because that's new to the yeah he
um we we have you know an issue when we
have a demolition in a new build or or a
empty lot in a new build which doesn't
happen very much around here but it has
um how do we put up safety fencing
around the entire lot because you know
for a new build you're digging a pretty
deep hole especially on some of these
houses like you saw the new one on on um
Colombia and we will have a new one now
on North Colombia um so it's it's
important so he's working on an
ordinance I don't know any of the
details yet but but that's new fory we
never we never had a fence we never had
that the fence the one that's being
built on um Roosevelt Roosevelt right
right yeah they've done a nice job with
it yeah right and that that kind of um
impromptu fence build came out of some
very big concerns of the neighbor on
Colombia where we had the the lot with
the pool house that has the new house in
front of it um the neighbor was
extremely concerned so we had to work
through kind of as we went um how to how
to protect the perimeter um so Matt
Matt's awesome I hope he listens to this
but been amazing to work with he's just
checking him checking adding him to the
list then checking him off as we go um
just one one more thing um Troy Markham
was at the land strategy on Monday night
and we had a quick talk Karen and some
others have a study group on historical
preservation
Concepts say and I some of you been
around and know that Troy had introduced
uh ordinance at the city council Le
level about protecting historical trees
this was maybe I don't know Jim three
years ago yeah last time he was early
last time yeah so maybe three or four
years ago and so I had mentioned that
you were doing that and I said you know
I'm still I'm as Karen knows because
I've already told her this that I feel
the historical preservation could
Encompass more than new builds
demolition of of commercial and
residential that could include
historical trees historical streets
streets historical Hardscape and I know
they'll get to it eventually but you
know why wait so um so I know that I put
a little bug in Grant's ear and I'm just
mentioning this we don't have a role in
this now because they're working through
some other things but again if someone
has some time to look into historical
preservations of of trees I think it'd
be good to have some
information um we felt that the Bei
Landmark trees would be is already in
place as an alternative to creating
another category of historical trees but
I think that they're different and I
think that you know having something
declared
historical would be um an added bonus to
our Arboretum inventory so just yeah I I
think you're right I mean I think it all
meshes together this historical
preservation um work group has made a
lot of progress uh our biggest problem
is that it's easy to figure out a way to
celebrate and identify properties but
it's hard to figure out a way to have
teeth to keep them um but the more we
keep the more we keep trees that are
part of the property right um so it's
you know it's a Nate part of it yeah um
but these are these are things that are
happening if anybody ever wants any more
information you're certainly welcome to
come sit in on it it's very interesting
because we're working on getting um a a
local designation that's really the
thing that has teeth the National
Historic preservation is great but it
doesn't have any teeth to it legally do
you have a regular meeting date in case
people want to go well funny that you
said that because I was gonna take the
opportunity while I was here to invite
you all it's not exactly the historic
work group but I will feel I'll gladly
pass along that date too but at our next
um ARB Workshop we have workshops for
architecture review board quarterly in
addition to our meetings to discuss
issues
because a lot of issues come up just
like with you guys um and we don't have
one item on the agenda so we don't have
time to discuss anything in our meetings
um but we I'm doing a meeting on October
23rd at
4M and we're having a slate specialist
come in and he's going to talk about
show us all the different kinds of slate
show us what really is a bad slate
what's really a good slate show us how
slate you know this may not be of
interest to you but I'm my suspect that
for people who are really interested in
preserving trees old trees and that you
might be interested in our issue with
slate roofs too so I think it should be
really interesting especially if you
have a slate roof he's gonna which I
happen to have one in ger I live in
German Village and I'm on um one of
these programs but they are maintenance
programs that people we we're trying to
get the word out if you maintain your
slate roof it'll last
forever how many people have slate roofs
I do you do Jim yeah Daren yeah so
you're all welcome to join us it it
should be interesting if if you like
that kind of stuff it is here in this in
this room yeah so so I mean I I always
look at um you know like Karen's sort of
uh serendipitous involvement with the
tree commission is what a benefit to now
have a chance to do dialogue and some of
the things that she's in charge of for f
other communities so it's we're at an
advantageous position Karen oh it's it's
a pleasure you know beckley's been was
my first and Still Remains my priority
client um but it is fun to see what
other communities are doing right yeah
good anything
else no well the little fairy Village
ambassadors it was a big H it's a
darling
moment yeah you know 10 years old
volunteering on the Civic level at 10
years old that's wonderful commission
members yeah future Tre commission
members we'll see you at 3 o' on
Wednesday October 16th meeting a j
turned