$11 a tad ahead and uh so I just keep
just so we keep getting a little more
than we did the year before that'd be
great yeah that is great well thank you
for your leadership appreciate it uh
Mary you had some uh conversations and
discussion items about the North
Community Gardens um and wonderful North
and South yeah um so with regard to the
north um we're having our annual
groundhog problems and um I want to
thank the city again for you know
stepping up to help us out with this um
problem and I I don't necessarily want
to get into any kind of a discussion but
I just want to um ask if there's
something we could do permanently to um
work you know so that we don't have to
keep trapping these animals and again
you know a conversation maybe for
another time because of everything
that's already been done at the gardens
this year for which we're very grateful
um but I I would like to know if that
could be a possible um option at some
point that we come up with a more
permanent fencing you know probably
something that's buried because I don't
think they're ever gonna go so Mary one
would think that other community gardens
also have this kind of problem I
wondered if You' talk to anybody else
with an issue like this no I have not
okay well i' certainly be willing to
work with you to do some research okay
good okay so do you want to just um
bring this back to the table in June to
see if people have talked with other
folks throughout the community uh yeah I
can do that okay okay Sean McKay might
be a good resource so and speaking of
Sean he was the one that uh contacted me
about doing a um sort of a u produce
Pantry at each Garden um and again um I
don't know if I necessarily want to
pursue it at this point um but it was
something to um they do down at Franklin
Park Conservatory they've got a pretty
fancy produce shelter down there um for
people just to walk up and help
themselves so maybe by doing it that way
we could prevent people from just
helping themselves in the garden plots
make it a little easier for them but
because unfortunately that does happen
but it's all part of the gardening um I
don't know if we would be allowed to use
the um food pantries that exist
currently at the gardens but if that's
an option for now we could do that too
but would there be some reason you
couldn't um just that I don't know who
owns or operates those but are
they they don't belong to anybody in
particular I don't know there there was
one that that just appeared next to the
little Free Library down at South
community garden and it's pretty good
size so I don't know how that got there
but yeah it various Civic groups
approach us for permission to put one in
and then um to to maintain
them mindfulness group that
little the the the pantry that was
installed uh at the South Garden was
from a high school student doing a
Capstone project oh wow okay so we love
conversations with our audience but we
need to yeah I'm just gonna say we we
need to keep the discussion moving so we
have an avid south or South garden
garden and we love that we do love that
well Garder yeah okay all right well I
didn't like I said I just wanted to
mention that so well I mean one would
think that the produce Pantry would be
good for fresh and canned foods and also
to to piggyback off of that we received
a grant from the Community Foundation
for a a
fridge so it's a free it's a free Pantry
fridge oh so I think that something
Elizabeth almonds overseen so put some
pieces together maybe we can check with
you know how to spell that
mayor like Frid yeah okay spell I was
gonna
say uh Mary yes a lot of that you know
like Franklinton and Highland and all
they all have produce stands okay yeah
so you may want to check with them and
they're pretty simple and they're um
well stocked and well used and they they
just actually they establish days you
say it's Tuesdays and Thursdays
the produce will be out and available
for people and I think that and then
other than that it's pretty restricted
and I think they've found some you know
fair amount of success with that okay
thank you you may one check with
definitely so uh let them uh let the
minutes note that um Ellen Bowen ex
official member is now present so
anything else Mary nope that's all I had
thank you all right Professor Markham
the the plight of the blight you want to
hear about chestnut tree we do we've
just been waiting 2023 was the most
exciting year for Chestnut trees in the
last 100 years you I bet you're going to
tell us why yeah it's a lot of
controversy too uh you know I grew up uh
my grandparents house had uh four
Chestnut trees in the front yard and we
used to climb in and we used to eat the
chestnuts all the time so I was
surprised later on in life when people
told me chestnuts had become extinct
pretty much in the United States and
then I learned that the trees we were in
were Asian Chestnut trees and those are
about the only ones that can survive to
maturity in the United States um because
the American chestnut trees which are
big Majestic beautiful uh specimens had
all been killed by Chestnut light uh
around 100 years ago 1900s or so uh
fungus was brought in from Asia and uh
spread from tree to tree it's kind of an
odd fungus it it it blows around in the
air uh gets on the chestnut trees and
then it it gets in and the fungus grows
in and it girdles them has these like
red pules that come out it's really kind
of gross looking and then the tree dies
it will not kill the root system so the
tree will kind of continue to kind of
try and Sprout and Sprout or whatever
it's also since it's transmitted by air
there are pockets of the United States
and forests or whatever where there are
still some Chestnut trees or were for a
long time that were unaffected because
they would be isolated uh from there or
whatever anyway it's like one of the
great tragedies like Dutch elm disease
and things like that in the United
States when I was a young plant
pathologist I was warned that working on
Chestnut flight and things like that was
career suicide because the way that you
uh tried to uh work on Chestnut blight
research was by creating hybrids and uh
breeding resistant like Chestnut trees
with each other or whatever and that
takes like decades and so it's not a
great way to like publish a paper and
get your PhD and become you know
whatever unless you've got about 40 50
years to do that or whatever but um the
exciting interesting thing was crisper
technology happened uh a few years ago
where now uh we have the means to insert
specific genes into specific spots and
they can be transgenic they can come
from different plants and so now it
became much more exciting to create
transgenic Chestnut trees that might
have resistance to the chestnut blight
and a lot of people were super super
interested in doing that SUNY was the uh
leader and they uh um partnered with a
nonprofit organization for chestnut tree
uh research and they took a gene from a
wheat plant that has an enzyme that
breaks down the fungus and inserted it
into a chromosome on the chestnut tree
and they had a lot of success so they
were growing uh chestnut tree uh trees
that were uh seeming to have uh a great
deal of resistance to Chestnut BL so you
go and all of a sudden you could go to
Su and y's uh uh their research area and
you could see Chestnut trees growing you
know and so at
about this time in last year and in the
summer people thought well we might
really start to see Chestnut trees grow
all over the place again and then uh the
uh organization
um the uh whatever the foundation that
that funded that research uh did some
digging and they went and they looked at
the trees and they said we're still not
happy completely happy with the height
there's not a lot of regularity they did
some digging and they said now you're
actually not working with the specific
uh variety uh the gene variety that you
said you were working with and they
pulled their funding from from Su and Y
from that that research project and they
effectively just withdrew from the joint
venture or whatever so it's kind of
interesting I suspect there's probably
more to that story than we really know
and it may be personalities it may be um
politics it maybe something like that
but Su is still continuing to partner
with a for-profit uh organization to try
and produce uh these transgenic Chestnut
trees and so there is still hope that
they will uh that there will be Chestnut
trees growing again in the United
States so
um is it possible to plant the original
Chestnut trees at this point yes and the
that's the the odd thing like I don't
know if you're a fan of zombie movies or
anything like that but the chestnut tree
is like a zombie it will grow and it
will look beautiful and you will get a
chestnut tree and then the fungus will
kill it and then it will drop down and
then Sprouts will come out of the the
the chestnut tree and then they will
they will go down again and it's like
this crazy battle between the tree and
the fungus that the fungus will keep
killing the tree but you can you can
grow a chestnut tree for sure you just
can't enjoy
it so um mayor there were two photos
attached to the agenda if you fresh them
that might show the um kind of zombie
like bark on these trees and it's kind
of a gross looking yeah it's it's where
you the fungus creates this red pstu you
know yeah see those that's the fungus
coming off it's girdling the tree with
the fungus like that and it's not spread
by insects or anything like that it's
just uh and the wind or whatever so all
the chestnut trees we see in United
States are mostly Asian Chestnut trees
and they uh survive because they have
through hundreds of thousands of years
more more grown with the chestnut blight
fungus in Asia so they are resistant uh
whereas our little uh isolated American
chestnut trees had not been exposed to
it until 1900 and they were no match for
it are they a valid substitute for the
American chestnut I don't I most people
you know that's a great question I
wouldn't be one to ask I don't know we
we can ask our tree people and people
who know a lot about American chestnuts
but you know that was one of those
things where the the uh like the Dutch
Elm and and some of these you know trees
where they say that's really a very
magnificent tree that does not compare
to the Asian Chestnut the Asian
chestnut's much you know it's kind of
brancher and hunched over and everything
like that I think the American
chestnut's a little more exciting and
there's just the uh the live cycle of it
you can see if you get into uh if you
really enjoy fungi like I do you uh see
these sexual structures and the asexual
structures that are released and that's
what's that's what's going
on so maybe another conversation that
you could bring to us is um the genetic
the crisper genetic engineering of other
species yeah yeah and how prevalent is
that going to be going forward super
prevalent and and a lot of the
limitations on crisper technology are
moral and uh the and cautious being
being cautious about the possible uh
what what may be you know the effects of
it one of the things that we have to be
very careful about when we create like a
transgenic chestnut tree is um you're
aware of some trouble problem trees that
we already have right in our environment
like the pear trees and things like that
you don't want to create a tree that has
some sort of but becomes a biological
nuisance out competes other trees or
causes problems with pollination or
causes problems with pollinators or
causes problems that maybe you don't
even foresee and so that's why the
caution and and all the the testing and
everything when we get into transgenic
organisms uh we are talking about taking
genes from a completely different
species and putting them into another
species and so uh it's kind of it's for
me I think a very fun thing to see that
DNA works just like that you know uh it
doesn't matter what species or organism
you are you can be made to do something
that another species organism does but
there are a lot of probably unknown
ramifications and effects that come with
that as well fascina thank you very much
I appreciate it good information good
thought provoking information so
anything else under announcements small
victories or
comments all right then Jim do you want
to uh transition over to conversations
with residents and
visitors sure good uh this is the time
in our agenda where folks from the
community are welcome to make comments
um not specific to an item of business
but of information or concerns that you
want the tree commission to hear is
there anyone that would like to speak to
that just come just come forward to the
podium and announce your name and your
address I don't know whether I fit the
requirements now
my name is Nancy marzella I'm at 500
South Park View and I live in condo
407 and my comments
concern the uh the new building that's
going to be that property over there and
we and as residents of at the Alexander
we do have a couple concerns and I
wanted just to bring those forward so
does this fit within the limitations of
what we can talk about well um sir
you're welcome to make any comments that
you would like um we are going to have I
think a very brief report from the
developer for 2200 East Main Street
which as I understand it primarily
concerns extending the time for them to
come back and present a plan for the
corner of the unit which intersects with
the city's parking lot um you if you
think uh your concerns uh I I mean
that's the only action we're going to
take today and that would be where
comments related to that specific item
business would be Germain uh you can
make any other comments that you like um
remembering that you know the tree
commission has very limited jurisdiction
here um so
correct I only not well my friends
neighbors behind me we only bring these
forward because we're not really sure
who we should bring our ideas forward
where do we fit uh when we have some
concerns and we began to have concerns
about the uh care of the property when
we had to um three or four times ask for
the grass to be cut because it was some
parts of it were three feet high and it
concerns us we thought you know are the
new owners of this property going to
actually maintain the property and take
care of it so that it doesn't become an
isore which was close to being an isore
secondly I do want to thank the tree
commission all of you because I know
you've worked very hard on making
suggestions and um helping to decide
what kind of trees and plants need to be
planted there that are going to have a
great survival so we do hope that they
survive but the long term what our
biggest concern is short-term and
longterm is the care of the property and
uh the other and because of short- term
and long term we know that probably when
not so distant future after this is
completed that the owner of that
property will probably want to sell it
uh to make profit and because he
frequently does sell properties that he
has uh designed and so we're a little
concerned about that so what we're
wondering short
term we're wondering that it doesn't
that all of the workers and people who
are working on that property don't leave
their trash everywhere so that it blows
and makes Ms and they will keep the
weeds at Bay while they're working on
the property so that's a concern and
then we're concerned that
um long term that if the property is
sold and there we have a list of
concerns but if the property is
sold we're concerned that if Continental
or Mr Cass doesn't own the property will
the same plants be taken care of as
we've asked for the plants to be taken
care of the trees water
the flowers watered and everything kept
neat and orderly is there a way of
carrying over the care of those plants
with a new owner is there any kind of
ctisle or something can be attached to
the paperwork if the property is
sold and that's really our biggest
concern thank you I don't I don't want
to create a dialogue but I do have a
couple reactions that may be helpful to
you first of all while the tree
commission sometimes wish as it had
enforcement Authority we don't okay I
would encourage you if you have any
concerns about the condition of property
to report that to code enforcement
within the city which is I believe the
entity that has that responsibility um
if your concern is about the um upkeep
of the plantings that we've previously
approved
um Monette um who who is one of our
staff members does inspect um
installations after they're completed um
and periodically then to the extent we
have resources we all go back and
inspect um plant plant plantings in
commercial areas because the beex code
requires that they be maintained
according to the approved plan and if
they're not then code enforcement again
can come in and correct that and since
Monet has particular expertise in that
area it's it's her role to advise
whether plantings haven't been
maintained as expected so um that
obviously is all down the road but
that's uh an issue that we frequently
discuss here in the tree commission and
I you know I know that the mayor is
committed additional resources to code
enforcement in this year and in coming
years and so I think you that would be
the best Avenue for you to pursue do you
know that is at this time is there any
documentation that the owner of the
property has committed to or signed that
says that they are going to take on a
regular basis they are going to take
care of that property once it's
completed or while it's under
construction well so the the process was
kind of complicated as you experienced
yes but our recommendations I believe
were largely than accepted by BAP as the
conditions for approval I can't off the
top of my head say whether what
Exceptions there might have been and
then as I said those then become the
approved Landscaping plan and um so the
city has the documentation of what was
approved and I think if you ever have
questions about that you can contact UM
Elena or the city to get um reference
back to what was approved and then if
you don't believe that it satisfies the
approval process in its current
condition I think that's something that
you can take to to code enforcement um
and we welcome you to call our attention
or code enforcement's attention to
anything in the commercial District of
Beckley that doesn't meet the approved
plans okay thank you thank you
Nancy any other resident
comments if not Susan do you want to go
back for for the staff report or you
want me to do that oh you can go ahead
uh we do not have Grant Archer but we do
have spe Martin to report um for the uh
urban forestry
Department yep uh so for the Bellwood
islands that we have that were already
existing we're going to be uh installing
some uh wine nine bark shrubs and Wild
Ginger which is a native ground cover in
those um Islands there's two there and
then on uh Pleasant Ridge we're going to
be installing 11 Oaks these are uh new
islands by the way
11 kindered Spirit Oaks and the ground
cover will be Stone
crop um oh yeah also in Bellwood we're
going to do some soil remediation
because we've had trouble with
vegetation in those two islands for a
couple years getting stuff established
um it was mostly just um kind of fill
soil not great quality so we're going to
uh improve that before we do the
installations and hope that helps with
establishment um um so that covers the
islands additionally um I've been in
communication with Planet Geo uh Tech
Support to get the property boundaries
shape file onto tree plotter for you
guys um it's been kind of an annoying
process honestly getting communication
with them um but nevertheless that's in
the works I'm working with them directly
um to get some help from their tech
support um because the shape file was we
were having trouble getting that
downloaded onto the app
Warrior guys's um Tree
location um yeah and that's pretty much
the staff report okay so um uh Spencer
if we go back to the um suggestions for
the Bellwood median first yeah so we can
talk about those a little bit and then
go back to the Pleasant Ridge and then
we'll look for a motion from tree
commission to approve those
installations y so do you want to talk
to us a little bit about why the nine
bik was Chosen and why the ground cover
was chosen so we have a little bit
better sure for Bellwood um The Wild
Ginger was selected because of um
because it's a native ground cover in
Ohio um and also it's shade tolerant and
there's Maples there's large sugar
Maples on either side of the street so
they should do well um without full
sun um I can't say exactly why the nine
bark shrub was selected other than it's
pretty um it's just a shrub that grows
about about 6 feet tall so it's not
going to affect visibility or anything
as well um it's probably has a lot to do
with white was selected and what do both
the ginger and the nine bark have for
season
interest um I think that the nine bark
does more than Wild Ginger um probably
but um yeah there's flowers on the nine
bark shrub it's nice and good
color I'm just also to jump in um the
the nine bark also has an exfoliating
kind of Gray Bark and so it's
interesting in the winter in terms of
winter interest it is also a native and
so we were looking to really use this as
an opportunity to not do the uous and
look at the ground cover that is native
and so we were looking at the Wild
Ginger which was the aserum canadense
which is native to Ohio and then the
Sedum Tatum which is a particular type
of um succulent that is actually also
native to Ohio the Sedum or wild
stormcraft is more of a um semi
Evergreen and so it'll stay actually
green during those areas and we had had
some initial discussions of saying well
at Bellwood if we kept it with the Wild
Ginger and at Pleasant Ridge do we have
the uh the stone crop but wanted to get
input from the tree commission members
is whether or not they we use this
almost like a test lab there are two
medians at Bellwood and should there be
one that has the Wild Ginger one that
has the stone prop so you can kind of do
a side by side comparison in terms of
that environment and then at Pleasant
Ridge they're three medians they're two
that are together that I think make
sense to potentially match just
aesthetically it's a little closer to
campus it looks a little you know just
to have a little bit more formality to
have that be the stone crop but the one
that as it turns up and then it dead
ends into I was Francis Francis um to
actually put the ginger there so that we
have you know a couple of different
areas where we're trying this out um we
are it is somewhat of an experiment in
terms of trying to see what potentially
will work for future medians and so if
it doesn't work we'll have to give it a
couple seasons and then come back but we
are looking at you know availability of
the material as well as trying to find
something that is native and are all the
species salt salt tolerant they say they
say okay they say and and and within
those areas there's not as much salt
obviously and those you know in terms of
what happens with with Broad Street the
issue that we're having is not only the
amount of salt that's there but the
speeds that happen and it kicks up a lot
more of the salt into the beds than in
some of the residential streets where
the you know people are going a little
bit slower okay so let's um ask tree
commission members about nine bark if
you're familiar with it it's down by the
kogo bike station on Clifton at Jeffrey
if you is it the straight species or is
it a cavar um it is it's the straight
species it's well it's summer wine so
it's the by so carpus opulus Summer Wine
so is that the burgundy colored it's the
burgundy color so it's kind of the the
purple color that one isn't known to be
as attractive to
pollinators as straight species okay do
you know how big the straight species
gets um I don't I have actually have it
in my yard but I only just put it in a
couple years ago so it's still
relatively small but it can be pruned
and we have the
Bloomers so other other questions about
the ginger or the
bark I like the idea of you know trying
something other than the usual yeah I
agree I'd like to ask is the stone crop
is uh more invasive than the ginger
ginger seems so much more
gentle that they more invasive yes I
mean will it be more become more
Airborne because the succulents are they
grow so quickly so neither of these
neither of these are considered invasive
in terms of invasive as a
negative like um that honeysuckle is
invasive in terms of its spreading um
Ginger spread Stone crop spreads right
so if you had it in your yard it might
be something that you would have to
continuously kind of pull up but since
these are going to be in concrete curved
containers they don't necessarily
they're not going to jump the street and
go into the the neighbor's yard and you
know kind of invade that like hens and
chickens yeah they're native to the
state so yeah and you do want this
spreading habit with ground cover
naturally they over the curb and it'll
be really wh
be okay so let's go on to the Pleasant
Ridge ones for a little more definition
on the Kindred Oak in the ground cover
so the Kinder Oak that's kind of a
colmer tree so it's going to be growing
um it's a cultivar which is um you know
genetically modified to grow like a
pillar kind of um which is good for
uh reducing traffic damage from passing
vehicles um and Oaks of course they have
many benefits for um
wildlife and then yeah Stone crop the
ground cover is kind of the same but the
Oaks are different there will be 11
trees installed um to those three
islands so I I think one of the
interesting things about the Kinder Oak
as a hybrid is that it's still is home
to um little animals little insects not
up that's not always true with hybrids
so I think I think that's a plus and it
still has acorns right yeah it should
still have acorns I don't think it's
sterile and colorful
leaves Oak as far as Oak goes they're
not it's not known for its um colorful
Leaf than the fall um what is
interesting about this one is that it
only at maturity is going to be about 5
to six feet in diameter and so it stays
pretty tight in terms of um as Spencer
mentioned in terms cars going by it's
not going to knock it and we also have
in the areas at Pleasant Ridge we have
um electrical lines as well as some
larger shade trees and so we want to
make sure that we have a tree that is
not going to interrupt either of the
electrical lines and or kind of bump up
with the the other
canopies any questions about the oak
ground cover how wide are the medians
pardon me how wide are the medians the
clear dimension in that is about five
feet clear so they're actually wider
than the ones that we put in on
FR they're not that wide on Bellwood
though are they are they 5et they're
very they similar okay
okay all right any other
questions I'd like to take a motion for
approval of the suggested plant
material vote on approval of the pl
material that was suest
I think we should call out what the
plant material is yes the plant
material it would be the Wild Ginger the
stone crop the nine bark and am I
missing the Kinder
Oak there we go is there a second I
second is there any discussion I'm just
curious whether Mary's satisfied with
the the species of the nark or the
variety that's being planted because you
raised the question
about it um well like I said you know my
preference is always the straight
species um and especially with the nine
bark um the cmer colar oak is um I
believe a a version of the English Oak
yes so um obviously that's not a native
Oak but um I don't I don't know enough
about those Oaks to tell you the truth
to um if they support the lepidoptera
like the uh the other Oaks but I I think
it's they're stunning I've seen them
grow in other areas they have several
down at Franklin Park um but they get to
be about 15 feet wide so I assume that
that works on Pleasant Ridge so the the
kindred
spirit probably will not get to be I
mean it it is engineered to be closer to
six feet wide there is a Regal Prince
Oak that is a Plummer Oak that gets
fatter that is more of that is closer to
the 15 to 20 fet wide the kindred spirit
stays more n or I mean so the so the
literature says right and then also keep
in mind given the fact that it is going
to be contained
that's that those estimated sizes are
based on ideal conditions and the fact
that it's going to be rootbound in a
concrete box you know it will live it
the finest soil with wonderful digging
out all the stuff but so we don't
anticipate that it's going to you know
get fatter than those islands and then
interrupt okay I think they'll look
interesting so all five all five medians
will have new soil Tiffany soil okay
right okay Tiff and any the irrigation
yeah so speak to that real quickly so we
had found irrigation and medians um each
medium needs like a own infrastructure
box which you know it's become a fun
Target on Broad Street apparently Main
Street has done well and they they've
been okay but Main Street has wider meds
so the narrow Med is
really
experience as long as they get
watered other questions okay okay a
motion made and seconded that we approve
the suggested plant material for the
meetings at Bellwood and Pleasant Ridge
all those in favor say I I all those
oppose same sign any abstentions motion
carries okay now back to me back to you
Jim Elena your report
already so um I don't have a lot today
um but what we would like to do is
invite um Jason fox has agreed to come
and give us a brief update in terms of
where things are with the design of the
V closa so we're just kind of calling
that right now which is the area that is
in between we're sitting now and the new
development as part of um one of our
conditions of approval was going to be
to review the landscape plan with that
and so there have been some you know
work that has been done that they
haven't got to that yet but there're
still finalizing some detail building
that let Jason explain but just to let
you know that um the best of cic Staff
as well as Jason and Brian Pearson the
landscape architect are all planning on
getting together talking about you know
what we can do to create that as a nice
little pocket park because the approval
of that um used to happen before the um
the construction of the road so that was
so that I inv Jason come while he's
coming up with Jason if you can indicate
when realistically you think you can
come back with a proposal that'll be
useful because I think we Tech we need
to act to extend the time okay do I
swear in or that nope we we don't we're
not allowed to swear people
apparently just a custom do
I right um so I'll probably what I try
to do is just maybe give you an overall
project update uh because I've been
wanting to do that anyway it's been a
few months since we've been here and
just keep everybody informed uh you know
it where we are at this point is still
in the project development stage um we
were at ARB last week uh reviewing the
materials and and colors of the the
overall structure um I think I recognize
a few of you from that meeting and we do
need to go back for that meeting uh um
to to kind of finalize things and get
the final blessing on it but our our our
development team uh consultants and all
Architects Landscape Architects the ones
you're particularly concerned with as
Ryan Pearson have been actively working
on the overall construction Pro or
construction plans and documents to
share with with this group um from from
uh a pocket park perspective
specifically um you know that that's
something that has to be integrated into
uh and kind of um work with the building
adjacent to it so what I think best way
I can describe it is as we work through
the new updated building code that's
occurring right now that's been released
in the last couple months it's causing
doors to shift things like that details
that would be important to this group as
far as how grading occurs and how the
pocket park actually is oriented and
configured so you know there's a lot of
work and detail that goes into that
um so to come back to your first
question is I think
realistically um we would be here no
later in September um in the event that
we can move that up I think it'd be our
preference to get here earlier but you
know as the project develops I think
it's realistic to say no later than
September so we would request an
extension for that September meeting um
and to go through that but just to give
a few more details um
make sure I got everything so so far
what we've done is we have submitted
some plans to the administration for the
utility work that would occur on site um
you know we we've also been working with
private utilities I mean we've at this
point I think we've invested about a
quarter of a million dollars with them
there's that much work to be done on
site relocating the the gas and uh I
think there's a fiber line that goes
through the property that they're
starting to develop their documents for
so we're making our our big investments
in there um we're still working on the
programming of the building as I
mentioned that the um you know the
building code has changed in the last
few months so which is requiring some
some evaluation of the unit mix and how
those walls are configured again all
plays out as that develops it impacts
how the outside and exterior Hardscape
landscape plays out but the they're
Minor Details so just want to make sure
that's
um ironed out for you guys the the last
thing or the next thing I would like to
bring
up is the uh next week we're hosting a
site Logistics meeting here at City Hall
uh we'd offer to everyone I think it
would answer some of the questions that
had been raised by the community earlier
this afternoon uh that I believe is on
Tuesday at 2m in this in this room uh we
will have the construction team here to
talk through some of the site
Logistics uh and how that's planned out
for the coming months um and then you
know I I I understand
earlier uh you know we dropped the ball
admit it that we were not on top of the
mowing for the site uh we have
implemented a mowing program I think
it's the last two weeks things the
property has been mowed um and it will
continue to move forward until we move
into the construction stage of the
project so you know we do understand
that we want to a part of the community
and be a good neighbor so we're not
looking to uh cause a problem but
obviously some things fall through the
cracks and that was one of them this
past week um and then just to address
kind of the last point that was raised
as far as the long-term uh maintenance
of the property I I I will tell you uh
as the one who had received the notice
from the staff um we did get a nuisance
notice because of the lack of mowing I
would antici ipate that if we were not
taking care of the plants we would rece
we would receive that in the post
ownership um you know phase after the
developments open so I I fully would
expect to work with manette and on and
dealing with those issues in the event
that we're deficient uh but I you know
we also have to remember that we want a
successful project and that you know
Landscaping in that first presentation
for any development is important and
we're going to want it to look good so
uh we'll have an Owner's Association set
up for the property and that will be
responsible for the overall maintenance
of the landscape and and the appearance
of it so um as far as details relative
to the the pocket park and um you know
where that status is we are scheduling a
meeting with the cic and Elena and Ryan
Pearson to kind of work through those
plans it'll be active work session and I
would assume there'll be a of back and
forth ultimately to to a point where we
can bring it back to you guys to have
something that's satisfactory for the
group so thank you um so I think at this
point we'll recognizing the only request
for action of us is to extend the the
deadline to bring a plan for the pocket
park to September will'll accept any
Resident comments that might be gerain
to that um again that's the only action
we're taking today um so I'd encourage
folks um if you are more concerned about
the plan itself to Hold Your Fire we
will as you've experienced before have a
full Hearing in September or before on
whatever plan is is brought but if there
are any comments on the request for
extension the only thing I would mention
is um this commission doesn't typically
meet in July and we don't plan to meet
this July so it's really just three
meetings away that we'll be hearing that
plan are there any comments from
residents so um are there any questions
from the commission uh for uh Ryan um J
I'm sorry Jason um um if not is there uh
I'm ready toare propose a motion um but
you have a question yeah I have a
question um so you're talking about the
pocket park it would be the elimination
of the right turn lane from out of this
parking garage parking lot and also the
reconfiguration of parking spaces is
that all tied together I mean yeah
that's that's what we're talking about
which we when back in November I think
it was November that they came to us one
of the conditions for the access road on
the other side of the building was
coming back with a plan for that pocket
park um and um when we actually see that
plan we can obviously go back and review
review the concerns we had about
preservation of parking here
preservation of trees that sort of stuff
but um that's what we're talking about
okay and preservation of city property
basically yeah I I believe the part of
the process here is um for the developer
to be working with the cic so that um
whoever presents the plan has the right
to present a plan for modifications on
the property
so I have a question for Mr heck
hi uh I wanted to ask you what you've
said that because of the new regulations
that have come in about the codes for
the new pocket park are you anticipating
that there is going to be more change to
the previously landscape position no or
is it going to be mostly
traffic no it has more to do with the
Mechanicals of the building so um
specifically I mean I I shouldn't have
probably brought up just because it's
minutia but the the and the mayor will
scho me I'm sure about that but the the
specifics are is
it there are higher standards for hbac
and that hbac requires impacts to the
interal functions of the of the building
itself not the exterior so what you'll
see you won't see it but in the plans
itself there's moving around the walls
adjustments and widths and things of
that nature but in the scale of the
building itself the appearance of the
building where generally where doors are
hardscapes none of that's changing so
it's everything will be consistent with
what was previously approved it's just
you know once you had that you need to
work backwards to what we've already got
approved right and just so the
Landscaping here won't change not from
here but from your proposed plan correct
correct thank you just follow I have had
aan about saying that there are
substantial changes from plan that they
will need to come back to the Tre if the
bed goes from 5et to 46 that it's still
the same PL material that is something
that is not necessarily for us to come
back but if an entire grow of trees
needs to go or something like that so
they understand that you know is we need
to make sure that the plan is approved
as we look at it change and it's not
just the entire row of trees it's a
substant if there's a substantial amount
yes
okay thank you you will have more
opportunities um so I think um if it's
all right with the chair I would move
that we approve an extension uh for the
developer from uh to
September meeting in 2024 to present a
plan for the pocket park um and any
other contingencies identified in our
action approving the access road on the
west side of the development there
second second so any discussion okay
motion has been made and seconded that
we approve the extension of the review
the Landscaping of the pocket park and
any other contingencies that were part
of our initial um motion from November
uh to September 2024 all those in favor
say I I all those oppose same sign any
exstension motion carries Jason I have
one question for you you know I'm
looking looking out at this building and
from here you know it's camouflaged by a
lot of beautiful canopy cover but I keep
wondering to myself is there any unique
architectural feature like a Cornerstone
or something that would be worth saving
and from the existing structure right um
I don't know I'm not an architect but I
don't I don't know that they would think
that way uh I'm that's a little out of
my Lane yeah well so on College Avenue
where the mixed media building is that
Capal put in probably I don't know six
years ago now they used um some historic
uh cornerstones just as as sort of uh
points of interest they didn't put the
Cornerstone in the building they just
did so I'll bring that up to I have a
project meeting with the team tomorrow
I'll talk to them about that and see
what we can I know uh we have engaged
the group to try to salvage as much as
possible so recycle the material at a
minimum um and that's part of our our
process so I'll I'll figure out what we
can and and hopefully say there may
there may be nothing that's
architecturally of Interest or historic
but if there is it might just be a
thought to set it aside and see if it
could be I noticed that there were some
interesting um like trellises um on the
doorways on some of those that I thought
might be kind of fun to save so I'm
happy to point them out to you if you
can I just remind the members of the
commissioner this is way outside of the
I know so but isn't it fun is it fun
okay that's it that's it then Jason
we're done all right thank okay yeah we
are we always need a good principal here
so on we go uh Elena did you want to
move on to update on Monet's role yes so
so with that just in general in terms of
just a larger kind of um discussion so
one of the reason we had kind of coming
in us she was awesome helping us with a
residential of the inst um and wrapping
that up moving into the commercial and
we're saying that we want to start with
the newest installs and kind of work our
way backwards from that Mak sure that we
have commercial installations we want to
try to get them on it basically annual
or biannual kind of every two years we
them to make sure the things are good um
but one of the reasons why we've been
talking with is for basically what my
role will be with the tree commission
and with the city of Bexley and we're
looking at actually for me to more to a
landscape um design role rather than a
tree commission staff support role and
so we were talking to about potentially
helping us out with that staff support
role in terms of reviewing the projects
coming to the commissioning the reports
and all of that Monette because of time
constraints with racing two kids and
work fulltime is not able to do that but
she's GNA still help us with the
landscape installation reviews and I've
been talking with Ben um in terms of
trying to find you know we're going to
try to find someone that b takes over my
role here as the staff consultant the
tree commission so that I'm able to
focus a little bit more on design
projects for the city also thinking that
there might be somewhat of a little bit
of a conflict if find designing projects
through the city and then I'm reviewing
them and saying that these are awesome
and best ever and so just in terms of
looking at that so I will know at some
point in the next few months kind ofing
out we're looking to try to
find support that Ro so we just wanted
to give you guys update on where we
are so um we talked when Ellena and Jim
and I met for the agenda planning
meeting we talked a little bit about the
fact that you know Ellena doesn't really
have bbal report she needs to give to us
because her work really goes through
code enforcement so it's not me Monette
Monette who did I say you okay the
Monette Ellena teams but it's really
talking about Bonet so um so just just
so you know that she wouldn't be
presenting a report to us all the all
the time every time monthly she could
give you know updates on what she sees
maybe as Trends throughout the city some
plant materials not doing well some
plant material that's doing great or you
know there seems to be a problem with X
Y and Z I think that would really be
helpful knowledge as we look at
reviewing other plans but not specific
uh reviews of specific
Landscapes so anything else you wanted
to add
Monette no I can't think of anything
okay do you agree with what we say
you're
doing I do I do okay good good all right
um anything else Elena no okay mayor
Kesler well thank you I'm excited to be
talking about what I'm talking about
here design process for unification of
Columbia um so City Council
um pass resol that we
did to confirm
the support the concept of unifying
Commonwealth East and West so there will
in the future we probably will still
have have it ref
to Future
one you know there are a variety of past
plans um 2018
uh sorry 2018 Commonwealth
Park
uh study or master plan looked at some
options to unify the park but they were
sort they're just high level actual um
but the original platting of the park
presents kind of interesting unique
options and I should have been prepared
up of
course but I'll do it as talking and um
I think that that uh we we not I don't
think that as we talked about those
neighbors we had Brian Jones sort of
mature some different options to talk
about those I think be found
that overall there
were
some some desirable Concepts some less
desirable Concepts and so what we're
we're doing now is we need to come up
with what is this features basically um
in order to do that
sorry um so we uh in the
process uh I'm sorry okay okay coming
back we um would like to put together a
working group sorry getting there um to
to start to look at it asking Brian to
be
involved asking El to be involved and
um one would like to see if the tree
commission member also like tool I think
ask Tov a small working group to come up
with a concept bring back to our various
stakeholders including
commission
Council big decision how we end up kind
of unifying it at the Baseline we're
doing Simple bringing the curves
together filling with high quality soil
and grass to do so that's
phase two would be what does this what
we do in that
Center like that space par we know that
there's no desire for an Amphitheater
nor was it ever actually
presented but we know that no one wants
Le their lights we're talking about
passive space um and you know original
kind of Plaza concept there peras that
sort of provides shade and a big way
view you know kids soccer practices or
games at the distance so maybe it's a
set of very simple Timeless structures
that also hold climbing plants and you
know provide some shade places to say um
maybe it's a very quiet Serene Fountain
but I think that's the sort of
thinged I don't want to one of those
great what's that still I mean we call a
Le we call it a
punchless yes we we call it predictable
and we can get it taken care of right so
I think week the contractor coming in
to that it's
a we also had some meetings um on site
because the bond itself got larger or
sort of infilling additional material to
more scale
but this is going to be focused on that
c c area so I guess I'm calling for
volunteers so probably shouldn't have
one well we we talked a little bit with
Ellen about that in our agenda planning
meeting about um if it's coming back to
us would it be um a better solution to
have someone that's affiliated with the
tree commission maybe a former member
than someone that actually sits on the
tree Commission
yeah I mean right so I guess you would
have to R yourself feels like a Ian that
that's true we're in a situation where
it's split vote got a problem like
that's what I to say so I think um it's
up to you guys like if there's a member
here that's like oh I would love to be
involved dang it at the end of the day
all I want to do is vote on this thing
that's fine I respect that if if you are
comfortable knowing that you might well
you should refuse yourself you're part
of that work to to create it but at the
end of the day if we're bring something
back to
it's contentious that will be a sign
that we should PR that back and revisit
that so whatever pleases the commission
I just want to make sure you know we we
talk about how sometimes things arrive
on your door step
devel my suggestion would be that anyone
that on the commission that feels called
to do that work should let Susan know
and if no one lets her know we do have
some strong candidates from former
members of the commission who could do
well there that that you all know that
been on the commission before so you
know Jim's point you know send me an
email if you want to do it and if I
don't get any emails then we'll look to
option
b does that sound good eror like good
plan
okay okay um we do have a landing
strategy Workshop provisionally
scheduled for the morning June 21st for
all of our boards and commissions it's
going to be a chance to hear some early
Concepts coming out of our land use
strategy commission but most crucially
to provide ideas that haven't elemented
yet as a part of the process um there is
going to be like a formal invite coming
out later this week to all the boards
commission members I just wanted to give
the opportunity to put that on your
calendar if you could um think we hold
I think
je no we can't I'm tired myself right
we'll let you know um landscape design
projects so so I just want to go back so
everybody everybody's going to be
invited to that so just FYI so put on
your calendar now okay yeah to that to
the workshop sorry mayor but just want
to make sure they don't think it's just
the commission for the chair and the
vice chair
right going to share my screen over here
um
so as part of
our non-stop effort to incude
process coordinate
strates and make sure that we're meeting
the various Community um I put together
a sort of a it's a g is not sort of it
is a g chart I'm showing the design
projects that we're currently working on
um and where we fall in terms of
installation versus design work um I
know that there
are long running uh sort of desires to
see some of these projects move forward
so I wanted to call out where we are in
process and also to add projects of the
tree commission members you know public
area projects tree commission members um
deal
our work on heard from Susan and Jim on
us so
um as we look at this obviously the ARB
and Walkers referred to Schneider dter
has gone
through this is the UR col right here
actually we
are terms sit this process so um
Schneider refresh has been
installed up on that Al the future uh is
under ation right now um the
Commonwealth
FES landscape is in the design process
to be so one thing with the Commonwealth
f is um the landscape that was
associated with with it had been what
were actually do obedience and then um
you know so the landscap with that so
the
design floating with no landscape around
them we've held off then on obviously
the landscape design until we can
understand what we're doing to unify the
par so that we're not installing
something that we're going to
necessarily R out
so so in the front end of that um
Commonwealth unification SP about back
pool parking lot and all interface
actually is not a this year project
anymore okay so I think we're
gonna we're g to hunt that a little bit
probably but out of the Jeffrey man out
of the Jeffrey Park master plan there's
some really interesting compelling
Concepts pool parking lot um and we have
some funding for that this year s a
pavement portion of it or R next year
and allow some more time um the beex
skate park landscape is we're starting
that process you will be seeing that in
the coming months state park is destined
for section of sh Park fields south of
the Gazo south of the Robert Frost
bridgew um and landscape is really
important part of that such a you know
on a lot of concrete there and so we're
going want Define that
clearly outdoor reading room
is I need to make sure that I think the
library to upate this one but uh we
continue to do some design refinement
going
back back Department parking lot
perimeter we have created the case that
needs to be
some scous
tring yeah they're about to come back so
we'll be that is slated to be design but
it's not currently being worked
on bwood medians we are way ahead of the
Cur on that good work thanks for your
commission uh Schnider Park Snider bike
Bridge gave Landes that's a guess and
we're not ready
yet that try Main Street Trail that's on
my bucket list I would like to see that
trail head get some additional
Landscaping it feels sparse to me and I
want that
guard then we have the roselt medium um
that have has been raised here in two
commission before north north of um Main
Street or sorry Street the existing
medians
uh they
are under
under fantastic place to get candy dur
pray but 're struggling so I know
Susan's been a passion seen refreshed
colge Gateway enhancement is supposed to
be kind of in the process that or soon
after gold so we're behind the curve on
that as Susan and I were picking up
trash right around we were noting the uh
the need for that to get back
up and then the rest of these have
been added a little bit more Rec
so so those I speak to yeah so those
were based on a conversation that I had
had with Jim and Susan of things that
we've been discussing um over the you
know last number of years and so um I
wanted to just make sure that we kind of
identify them and have them in the spot
so that they're not you know in my
notebook and you know I don't see it
again ever um and so the one that we
talking about I apologize that number 22
that
highlighted um so we were talking about
the rooseville medians and then I think
essentially talking about we just kind
of in general start talking about the
gateways right and so there are number
of gateways obviously looking at College
Avenue and Livingston Nelson and clion
Main Street pool
um and Livingston and college I guess
that's
probably get
in right I think that's we' talked about
living yes so um looking at those then
other ones that can come up in addition
to them talking about the police station
is actually talking about delar in
general right and so if you look at the
dmar landscape of north and south of the
street going per then all the way to the
station there had been a mark cheaper
plan many many years ago with Red Buds
Stone insulation by burum a lot of that
has been overgrown um I know that some
of the red buts died some of them are
falling down still everything is very
shaded and things have grown
successfully but I think it's a point to
look at a nice refresh of that landscape
um in terms of then also along those
same lines the downar city Gateway as
well as The Fifth Avenue improvements if
you remember way back when when we were
talking about fth Avenue and all of the
improvements that Columbus is doing
Columbus is looking at having that multi
bik come across the railroad track and
then come into ble and what is the best
way for us to actually interface with
that have the the bikers transition from
the 10 foot wide B path into the
sidewalks that are having on inex L
there's also the stone wall that was
generously funded by owners with some
landscape that that is going to need to
be modified in a certain way and so we
need to look at that so part of that is
really trying to see where what the
final design is of Columbus we had had a
couple of kind of hey we could do this
we could do this I don't have a copy of
what the final plans are from Columbus
so we need to get that and see how we
can best interact with them um the DRX
soal stone walls they are um they're
kind of somewhat fall apart and so we
are currently working right now on
getting um fids to you know of rebuild
them and or fix them in different ways
and same with the standberry pillars so
the Stanberry pillars that are just more
on a Broad Street are actually in the
city right away they're the city's
property and um feel that they're a
little
bit unloved and that they could be
exposed a little bit more and had a
little bit more kind of plan to it so we
want to look at that and understand how
do we work with the homeowners since it
is in the city right away the columns
are actually leaning and so we're going
to need to kind of look and see what we
can do to actually make sure that fix
them
and so um this is great to have it all
on one page all all visible all PRACK so
thank you mayor I I know that you you
started this I was going to add uh
kindness park because um I think in the
last six months we met with Barry blank
and he suggested that he'd be interested
in chest tables there something to make
it a little bit more interactive uh with
the space and maybe some Landscaping so
if that's of Interest stick that
question yeah would would anything on
fif and Cassidy deal with the railroad
tracks themselves because they're pretty
bad I mean I don't know that's not our
perview but who do we talk to you mean
the actual the rumbling oh yeah so the
street project itself that Columbus is
doing our C going to South of the
railroad tracks Just a Touch because the
corporate limit is
that's hopefully it
makes but it's up to the the City versus
the
railroad
Columbus I thought last time that that
whatever railroad company they were
there fixing the crossing for
some 10 15 years ago is there i' have to
understand yeah I think what I've heard
about it oh yeah like that washer
board exper but that is actually Street
that's Street and
it
how um so mayor did you have any updates
on capacity in fifth or are we just in a
holding patter on that for a little bit
um they're still in the acquisition
phase okay my
understanding okay Jim I wouldn't count
this
year um one thing I I would encourage
tree commission members to come uh if
you weren't coming already to the the um
the workshop on the 21st of June because
one of the working group in the um land
use strategy is North Cassidy which
would intersect with you know delmare
the Cassie Gateway and to listen to what
has occurred what they've been thinking
about and then to give some of the input
since we've been thinking about that
area for as long as I've been on the
tree commission might be a you useful
area I mean there's lots of useful
things but that's particularly one folks
might want to focus on at that Workshop
Helm's goal is always to live long
enough to see the Cassidy improvements
finished his energy around it has moved
to East Main Street I think so is that
right okay so I
mean so we do need
to
westest so that's G be kind of high
priority future design projects um in
order to meet Time Project it would be
helpful if there's mechm to prioritize
these we
prioritize yeah that's a great
suggestion so I'll send you an email and
mayor if you could forward this list to
tree commission members and then we'll
just kind of do like you
know yeah wow W
yeah
emergency okay so um I I think the ones
that the mayor already has in process
are probably ones we don't need to worry
about but and I would suggest that we
group the gateways together like Nelson
and Clifton in um Pleasant or uh college
and Maine and gou unless you feel
otherwise I mean personally having
watched the G and Broad thing go down
like I feel
like down I the amount
of that one yeah
their own time and Sun okay
okay okay that'd be great so and then I
I would feel that if there are other
areas of the city that come to mind that
you have a particular interest in that
they could add it add at least suggested
for the list I'll add that to the Sur
okay
well one of when John Brennan was mayor
we spent some considerable time looking
at Livingston and Chelsea is it Chelsea
Livingston I mean because there's no
Gateway there there's no Gateway and I
don't know if there is any in the new
plan for that area but
um right
so yeah but he was he was looking for
something that was like a pillar
something uh Hardscape identification
marker so I just throw that out for a
you know potential there something else
to get hit well the traffic is a slower
so mayor anything
else oh that's a great
question well not on not on the agenda
great damage for now okay all right
Ellen I have a question for the May what
is the impact of the rapid rapid transit
going to be on Main Street Bexley when
they show everything going down from
downtown to east of uh
Reynoldsburg yeah
and they're doing parking studies and
traffic studies um in current planes
yourex being mixed traffic along the
street so um having said that like
there's a lot of unknowns um
yeah I was curious because that you know
going straight down Main Street from
downtown east of Reynoldsburg they're
showing you know stations and all that
with in infrastructure works starting in
25
26 the yeah I mean think
that are the medians medians in danger
um so they are they are
currently embarcation and I literally
was on a call this week with the link
designers their engineers and I this
project is very like they're doing a lot
of work still ter what makes sense sense
um what they have drafted is that there
would be a a station at alen Creek in
Main
Street and that there would be one the
only one V jurisdiction would
beers at Main and Drex they are calling
for
medium they also want more medium
as part of the project in general all on
Main Street but if they as currently
planned they were looking at our
infrastructure um say all that to say
there's a lot of a lot of
details
and access businesses
avability
is not
just
not we know may will all of Franklin
County be voting on
that the money goes
Dakota okay
okay if the nothing else for the mayor
let's go on to Old business and just one
more thing all right there be more
discussion
thaty
worksh you had another reason to
come okay hard I like that okay so um
our Arbor Day activities have concluded
so I thought it might be helpful if we
did a little review and um mentioned
what was what was good and what could be
done better um so I just kind of put
these in uh order of the way they
happened beginning with April 10th and
the wise trees presentation by
photographers Len jensel and Diane cook
and Mary I thought maybe you could uh
mention what was great about it and what
could have been even better what was
great about it was that it was Len and
Dian because they were fabulous so they
were really a lot of fun and I thought
they did a wonderful program and the um
one thing that I thought that we should
have done was we should have had some of
their work displayed in the library
which I thought would have been very you
know very fun for our guests to see so
we had a good turnout and um once again
our library you know came through for us
and was a great venue
so and looking at the numbers we had
twice as many people or you know 150%
more than last year and
um let's see to I have to do my math
three times more people have streamed it
than this streamed last year's aror day
so know that's that's really
great um you know what would have been
great I guess if maybe the book was less
expensive um but are there any other
other thoughts discussion points good
bad or what we could do
better I'm glad to know that there's a
copy of the book right at the front desk
here people to come and look I have to
thank the mayor for that and Natalie who
came back to have it signed right that's
right it's a sign yeah yeah um Jim did
you have any takeaways from the
presentation uh I wish I could visit all
of the trees that they photographed it's
um amazing and and a reminder as much as
we appreciate our trees that there is
infinite diversity out there that will
will never fully capture even as we seek
to expand our own arbm and so right now
they're in Hawaii starting on their
mission to photograph American Forest so
three or four years we hope to have them
back we'd like their job
yeah okay Arbor Day tree planting at
Jeffrey Mansion with the preschoolers
and mayor Kessler mayor maybe you're the
best one to mention whether it was a
great idea or something that has run its
course because we've done it two or
three years in a row I mean it doesn't
stop being cute stop being
cute Misty yeah
yeah yeah I think while the kids seem to
have a ton of fun yeah the kids actually
know a whole lot more than You' think I
mean they're three to five years old and
you say you know what what do trees do
they give us oxygen I mean that's pretty
impressive yeah I feel like it's the
knowledge is building so as each year
they're kind of like gaining for watch
out yeah and I I think that there's a
way maybe that we could work with the pr
School teachers and actually have a
little bit of an arbor day um Workshop
that week or education thing so um multi
volcano oh uh mul volcano roll out
Spencer I'm gonna have to turn to you on
that yeah we uh finished
the pamphlet I guess you would call it
that educates the public about M
volcanoes yeah the door hanger I
suppose yes that went out with the uh
mulch Riser which made a lot of sense
because that's when people would be
applying mulch to their
trees um I haven't heard much um
response to that but it successfully
went out into the
community how did it go out uh we handed
it out uh with the mulch fundraiser that
they do at the pool parking lot so as
people were receiving mulch they also
received the door hanger which educates
them about proper mulching so will this
go to of people who currently have a
street tree volcano mulch yeah so us
arborus uh we intend on keeping numerous
door hangers in our trucks and as we see
offending uh most volcanoes we'll hang
them on the door but this was kind of
just a
mass um push to get that um information
out into the public in a a time where
they were applying mulch so you know it
just made sense would it be POS possible
to put a letter together that could go
to all residents um advising them of our
change in um the law I guess you could
say the ordinance that was enacted just
saying you know in case you aren't aware
you're no longer allowed to volcano
mulch City trees I don't know if we've
done anything for um the general
residents as far as reaching everybody
but we have also uh I wrote up a letter
for the contractors the well-known
contractors and that we know work in the
city and they've all been notified and
um of the updated ordinance so I think
um in Bexley I think that the
contractors being aware will have a big
impact I agree I just wondered if it was
possible though just to make everyone
aware like send something out with the
water bill if that was an option just
yeah we talked about doing that and that
was one of the reasons why we went with
the size of the door hanger cuz it would
fit within that trifold
bill but it doesn't really say you know
that you know it's no longer allowed if
you will is that by Design or do we I
mean are we trying to enforce or well uh
there's it was just there's two
different kind of modes of communication
this was the door hanger is more just
kind of for General friendly reminders
of how to proper Mulch and then there
was different language used for the
contractors which was more kind of stern
and enforcing
um you know the new ordinance and
letting know about punishment and and
stuff like that
yeah okay Jim I wonder if we could put
something in the Friday Bexley blast um
if if we were willing to write it would
for sure and we can also we're just
talking about the newsletter was about
to go back
and the Bexley times the Bexley times
right additionally we'll have a have a
probably at least a blog post on the our
Bren website um where I can go more into
depth because obviously there was
restrictions with space on the um door
hanger but I can put something on the
website which is more wordy on how to um
properly mulch because you could talk a
lot about it Buzz
too there was there was a good article
in the Washington Post this last week on
how to properly mulch trees which not
only talked about the evil of mulch
volcanoes but the good side of mulching
your trees I don't know if it's possible
to put a link to that on on the site but
I found it a pretty useful article you
sent that to us didn't you I sent it to
you Spencer right I saw it yeah yeah
that's possible for sure um it's
definitely a a current topic for sure
mulch volcanoes and proper mulching it's
getting a lot of recognition as being in
important issue to
address um I was out at Easton today and
I've noticed that they've done away with
all their mul volcanoes now they've
really been focused on that because you
see that the grade is much different
than what it was before so they got the
memo yes okay um Bexley Landmark tree
program ask one other question can
manette can you help us with this when
you are out inspecting you have that a
pile of them with you yeah I can get a
get a stack of tree hangers from Spencer
I'll hook you up sure yep thanks well in
addition to that maybe you could note in
your landscape review if um the trees
are being mulched properly yeah okay um
Sheila you were head of the stately
Sycamore Ben Bley Landmark tree program
this year so what's the good news and
what could we do better well the good
news is we had a lot of good
participation um through our website and
there were 16 trees that were
chosen um which is great I know that the
um maybe Spencer you can speak to us
when the tree tags will be going on I
just put some up today they're not all
up yeah thank you so much meeting
tomorrow so much um you know I tried to
embark on this in February so that we
would have a jump on everything and that
was the goal so everything was done by
the third week in March and it would be
my greatest desire next year for the um
confirmation of the people that were
chosen to have a landmark tree um with
their names A lot of people were um
wanting very much to have that great
cheer on the Bexley blast link and um
I'm on certain as to
who that didn't get communicated to but
that was a miss and so I'd like to see
whose responsibility that is so that
that can be improved upon and solidified
next year for all the people that really
need that tap on the shoulder um so 2025
we are featuring the beach trees so you
can um all of you can uh be admiring
your favorite beach trees we have a lot
of beautiful beach trees and it would be
my goal Again by the end of February
that I would be able to give um all that
information and we could get it on the
website so that people have the
opportunity to nominate their favorite
sycamore tree and um I think that would
be a great
win so um we still haven't there still
hasn't been any notification on the
Bally blast of the 16 winners of The
Landmark trees so if we could figure out
how we could do that or so
Emily okay okay sure we'll figure it
outd in the fall in the fall fall tour
yes we're gonna have a golf tour again
um in October and um so that will be
another enhancement for us to
admire all these chosen Landmark zmore
trees so I think it's a mark of success
that I've had a couple emails asking if
the trees they nominated won the
landmark tree status it's pretty good
pretty good they didn't pay me anything
but you know it was good stuff okay
Earth and Arbor Day uh Festival Mary and
I and Celeste were there the mayor as
well came it was you know it was a fun
day um Celeste I've never seen so many
kids in the fairy Village I you and the
baby farm animals were the big head a
yeah thank you and Mary do you want to
talk about your display oh well I was
showing um what happens to trees when
they aren't planted properly and when
their volcano mulched and actually had
several people stop by and were very
interested so my only criticism of that
day was there was no
food well that's something we can take
care of so um and I know that the
libraries had some programs at the story
times at the fairy Village yes yes I
would like to add about the fairy
Village one of the one of the unique
pieces to the uh the fairy Village is
that the adults aren't the ones who are
using it it's mostly the children and so
the children don't write to city and
whatever but they to um share their
enthusiasm but their enthusiasm is very
evident when they're there and they are
playing with the materials and the play
the play uh elements that the um
Community Foundation purchases for us
you they'll grab handfuls and go to one
spot and they'll go to the other and
then they start talking to themselves
and it's just so beautiful because you
know it's getting into their into their
heads and their psyche and this year
instead of getting a brand new structure
I took a big empty tree trunk they had
five different arm that used to come out
of it and I drilled holes in them so it
was more it was probably a silver maple
I think that's what you had told me and
uh so it was Hollow so these little
children who first didn't know what to
of course most people wouldn't know how
to address a big chunky big fat empty
tree and once they realized that they
could put these different colored balls
in it and and get them to go down
different directions that so important
also at that age to understand what
predictability is and um they were just
I couldn't pull some kids away from it
so but that's you know they're shy
they're shy they don't know what it is
and then they engage in it just a and by
the way um I have two new ambassadors to
look after the fairy Village and so yes
so these older kids were playing with it
too so yeah yeah so it was a great thing
it's a great thing and then we had a
Governor's residence and Heritage
Gardens Tour on May 1st um that was
filled uh there was some comment that it
was only advertised really through the
senior center and there were many people
that asked you know why it wasn't more
well known that they could sign up for
it so I think maybe next year we need to
make it uh you know a higher profile
yeah yeah so but people loved it and the
Heritage gardeners were wonderful so all
good anything else about the AR
activities it was great and I I should
publicly thank Elizabeth Elman for her
help on the earth and AR Day Festival
because she did you know 95% of the work
and we got to enjoy fabulous day down
there so going on to kind of two other
items of old business um you know we've
made a goal to um to work towards
infilling all tree vacancies in
basically within three to five years so
my question is how are we going to do
that
how are we going to do that how are we
going to work with the urban forestry
Department um volunteers you know is is
this a program that we're going to be
able to do ourselves to identify those
areas or is it something we need to
apply for money for from y Department of
Forestry for interns so Spencer do you
have any thoughts about
that uh it just boils down to available
Manpower we certainly you know within
our ability
to um identify those
sites additionally it could be cool to
have maybe a intern from the US or
service um or tree commission it's
equally capable but just something that
would take time um whether it's walks or
on bikes or even in a car it's a little
quicker but um I think we're capable of
doing that as far as
identifying is there does tree plotter
help with that or is it really like how
would like if I walked up and down the
street would help potentially like in
the um in the kind of the final stages
but there's a lot that can be done
currently without tree plotter
identifying the spaces in between you
know just the standard curb and the
sidewalk there are numerous locations
that can be identified first while I'm
uh in communication with tree plotter
now to get that shape file on to um
our system the polygons of the um
property boundaries are on there but for
the most part it's straightforward and
it's unnecessary I mean tree plotter is
new and we've been filling spaces on
trees for many years so it's not
necessary but it would be
helpful Spencer do you have any idea how
many vacant spots we have in the city I
don't have any clue but it's hundreds
for sure I mean potential sites it's
hundreds hundreds yeah do we ever um
like I I know on my my yard I've got a
maple and then my neighbor has an oak
and there's a great space in between
there that I'm sure another tree could
go in um do we ever do under stories or
is it always going to be I think it's
something we could work towards right
now the current design is kind of same
tree per Street and that is has a lot of
limitations but if we got more creative
with the species then we could fill
those gaps and increase our density of
the canopy is that something we could do
that's something that we've talked about
a lot and I think it would be great to
have you know it on specifically on an
agenda to sort of because right now we
have a recommended Street tree right but
sometimes you might take down a large
Oak and you're not going to put anything
back in that Oak for a number of years
because of the root system that's there
but then there might be a water line and
a gas line that it's not appropriate to
then have an oak tree there but is in
appropriate to have a red bud or a crab
apple or something and so we had been
talking about a lot of like chestn or
Chestnut you
know um so we we've talked a lot about
who we have like the second tier options
for streets or at least in terms of
things that you know are kind of
approved by the tree commission that the
you know Foresters could go and say hey
this one is appropriate for this spot I
can use it here and I think that that
might be I mean that would be a good
discussion for the commission I think
you've anticipated next month's agenda
because um under next item under the
municipal care and planning plan last
month we brought to you the discussion
about sort of tree planning standards
and our plan is for next month to be a
discussion about should we stick with
our current one tree per Street should
we adjust that in one way or another so
I think we've decided to set aside time
on the agenda next month to to have that
conversation so that we can then
incorporate that into the plan that we
present to you so well and I and when we
do that
um aside from whether we have the same
tree maybe the one tree that we have
selected for that has turned out to be
not appropriate for that space you know
when you walk down and you see ones that
are you know higher than the wires you
know the wires are going to be there as
much as I'd like to have them be buried
I don't think I'm going to live long
enough but uh you know the reality is is
that's that they're there so we should
plant a tree that is you know not going
to be have to be whacked off by a or
something and look you know look
terrible
ex we are reming a College Avenue soon
it's dead a couple on the east side
where they have really suffered you know
from the a trimming program
the west side is just going game buster
the east side it's almost like hard I
think fortunately most people don't that
but I do so I'm like it would be so
wonderful to have alternate story wire
Tre so um one of the pieces of
information that um Jim will be sharing
is that Luke mclen who's on our um
Municipal care and planting plan program
um had uh offered us a a a little
glimpse into a survey that Cornell did
where they show trees that have more or
less the same profile but are different
species so you could have you know three
trees selected for a street two five
seven that more more or less would all
work
together even even though that they're
different species so yeah I can share a
link in advance of next month meeting so
you can play with that um here but you
know sort of going back to the infill
right I mean I think the reason we got
tree plotter originally was to have a
tool amongst other things we there were
other reasons for it but to have a tool
where when the tree commission went out
and identified the spots there was a way
to mark them because I don't know it's
was pre-co we went out and we filled it
in on a spreadsheet but
then that never seem to
work um and so I think I mean I'm happy
to walk as many spe streets as possible
but what I'd like is to be sure that
when I identify where trees can be
planted that gets set into something
that's usable and so that you know the
the for street department can then I
mean that you may not agree that a tree
can be planted there but you'll at least
know where someone said it could be done
so I mean I think it'd be helpful to
maybe in the short-term identify which
streets you know we don't even have an
issue of the property line being behind
the sidewalk so that we can start with
those streets and um again we trained
some people last fall on how to use tree
plotter but happy to go back train
anyone that's willing and it doesn't
have to be tree commission members it
could be other community be City Council
Members Troy seven of those yeah um but
I think that that's a good first step
because I think that's biggest asset is
the communication factor between tree
commission and the Forestry Department
more so than the boundary outlines just
because there are a lot like Jim said
that can be identified without that but
to have access to communicate directly
with Grant and the rest of the forcer
Department that is where the real value
of tree plotter is so is there a
specific um uh distance between trees it
just depends on species you depends on
the spread of the um of the tree and the
density that we desire too there was
also when we did it um a couple issues
one was people had differing opinions
about the health of a tree you know
somebody might say this looks dead and
maybe not the other is that you also
have sewer lines and electrical things
that that you can't have that perfect
you know that perfect so it was a little
more complicated than we least than I
thought it was going to be sure
old new idea I think in the past we had
maybe the city into kind of
manageable sections
SE every 10 years you know you put the
street like that would be great way to
focus the tree Department in the
commission I don't know if it's well see
that's that's how we started probably
three years ago now we divided it up and
then everybody took one right and then
all the information that came back was
unique to the person that did did it you
know some addresses some at spreadsheet
some of this so wasn't it the whole city
though yeah we did theity and I guess my
point is like sorry I guess my point is
that if we broke it into a more man
range of geography it would be a lot
easier for our tree GRS to say okay this
year we're going to focus on this space
it's it's it's achievable it doesn't go
overwhelming you know we're g you guys
share some input you will get a cross
check and I think if we get it down to
that you know that's 100% better than
doing nothing and it's probably
realistic that you know you're not going
to look the whole city over year no
se well and I also wonder in terms of I
mean I know that the city takes down
anywhere from like what 50 to 60 trees
every year right and
so I don't know if we'll ever have 100%
No Vacancy right because trees are
coming down every year and so it would
be almost interesting at what point can
you sort of say hey here's our Baseline
right we know that we have this many but
we know that it's going to be a
continuous process right I mean there's
no way that you know you're going to be
able to say oh this tree comes down and
instantaneously you know one goes right
back up but it would be interesting to
kind of see what is the vacancy now and
what we could get it to that is kind of
like an ideal number like an ideal
percentage does that make sense I don't
know if I no I I think I think that's at
least in the conversations we've been
having in the the the planning and
maintenance that certainly I mean the
goal is to get caught up if you want to
use that word but to to get as much
giving us a moving Target like our Gant
chart um to get as caught up as we can
and then to look for ways where we
shorten the time between taking a tree
down and putting a new one in but until
we get caught up that's far from that
yeah there's a lot that can be planted
before we're worried about you know stum
grinding before we plant a tree the next
day ask how how you know I know we can't
plant where a root ball was how long
does it take for that area to become
comforable what's the well I don't know
you know
honestly the stump grinders we have now
are pretty good and Roots they grow more
out than deep
so I mean when I was at the city of
Dublin we would plant pretty much
directly right where the stump was
previously because at least there you
know that you know there's nothing there
cuz when we when you grind a stump you
know you know there is nothing pretty
much in the direct space we because we
go deeper than the root system is and we
get to soil typically you know if we cut
down a tree that's on cassingham like
one of those Oaks it's curbed to
sidewalk like we've done okay then yeah
there's some serious wood under the soil
but if it's like a sugar maple that died
from girdling root that was maybe only
30 years old you know and only 12 in
around we can plant pretty soon after
that especially um if we're removing
those wood chips instead of and
replacing with new soil yeah that's what
we've heard um particularly from Luke in
the in the Arboretum do Arboretum where
he works is that that they replace the
soil they don't just grind the the stump
and leave the residue there pretty much
immediately thereafter if you replace
the soil what we haven't done is any
kind of assessment of what's the cost of
that what's the what's the labor force
needed to do that but that's all part of
the conversation in the the the planning
and M it takes much longer to remove all
the wood chips um so it's just a balance
you can do more stumps in a day if you
don't do that or you have to uh be more
tolerant with stumps and then you know
you remove all that and replace it with
soil do the jet back track help at all
with that I don't know it's not a
practice it may help but yeah I want to
back up what what Spencer was saying in
the tree commission Academy that the US
Department of Forestry teaches is that
they do now
recommend that I would say it's an
ultimate recommendation but yes if you
take out a tree and you take you grind
out the stump as much as you can you you
can plant that tree that is now their
current you can plant back in the same
spot yep yeah we' heard that a little a
little bit today I mean you know one
aspect of of any kind of maintenance is
mobilization so if you have to go to a
site you know four different times to
mobilize would would you save human
resource cost by doing everything at
once take down the tree grind out the
stump replant if you can all within a 36
48 hour cycle then then you're done so
yeah we're just we're talking about all
those things yeah it's just all
different equipment you know like when
you're cutting it down we're out there
with the bucket truck and the chipper
and then uh we to cut the tree down in
totality to F it then we have to go get
different equipment like a back ho and a
huge dump truck and then to stum grind
it we have to go get a stum grinder so
it's each process is requires all an
entire different Fleet of vehicles and
tools so that's what that's kind of why
we do it in different times could you be
like an army though I mean could it be
sequential that you're all on the street
ready to do years and all three of us
there's not that many people you know
just I don't know I thought there were
six or whatever but you know just asking
I think it's a question that you know
Bear's asking if true there's not an
answer I think in the short term what we
can work on is identifying the streets
where we are confined to planning
between the the street and the sidewalk
and maybe divy up amongst commission
members those streets and other
volunteers if you know anyone that wants
to volunteer we can do a training
session try to get that done I mean we
do I do think that tree plotter Remains
the place to identify we do have to
distinguish between new plants and trees
that we think are ready to be taken down
because we didn't do that the first time
we went important but yeah um I think
that can get us started and then we can
continue to work on F figuring out the
issue of planning behind the sidewalk
and where those opportunities exist
right and and Spencer you know we did do
Broad and park so it would be good if
the urban forestry Department could look
at those recommendations let us know if
you know how many of those that we
suggested were appropriate because you
know we could get going on that right
and if we're doing it wrong yeah yeah I
think that's the those are the streets
where they were all just labeled as uh
new tree so that's it takes time then to
go back and decide for okay is it is it
just a tree and decline or is it an open
sight completely so kind of we had to
redo it all that progress that was made
um but I mean you know tree plotters
gray is just online and it's Limitless
on what you can say in the notes so
always more detail is best um for
communicating with the forcer department
so we don't have to make another visit
out there so you use that as a tool on a
regular basis then uh yeah we
do it seems to me that if we're really
um serious about this and we're going to
get organized we just need to plot out
the city let's say in instead of
quarters that's still a lot of area
eight let's say eight quadrants and you
attack those eight quadrants and we find
out how many trees what it's going to
cost how much they can do and then you
ask for a grant through somebody and
then you could get additional people to
do it it's impossible to do everything
we want to do with the staff that has so
many other things to do uh we know how
much they uh how many trees they replace
each year and what that cost
so that gives you a little bit of
feeling for it but um it just seems like
you have to narrow it down and focus and
say okay this is it this is it this is
it whether it's six areas or whatever I
don't know and I think a thought would
be too as we're focusing in and walking
is to have a focus for South Beckley
2024 Central Beckley 2025 and 2026 North
or whatever combination
so that we could be I think a little bit
more productive with our walking and a
little bit more
focused I would suggest we go back to
Grant to and find out like if we did
parse it into sectors like what would be
is it eight is it six is it three is a
10 like what's the what's
realistic nothing take care and then if
we can get a commitment we could try for
a year in this this def geography how
that work one concern I have was
splitting up the like that and
prioritizing specific areas is just the
Regeneration cost of that is on so for
example we just did the first year the
North End and then anticipating in three
years planning in the South End trees
take a three years just to establish so
if you're not doing any plantings in the
Southside that's sixe delay of
regeneration before you know the canopy
is growing in the South so I think that
all areas should be a little bit
represented when we divide it up I think
that that doesn't stop us from doing our
normal program right right you guys have
the native intelligence you find trees
it's more of like a microscopic study
and look carefully at these sections and
um they don't have to be invited north
south and South Central they could just
right yeah whatever it is par around
invited north and south and then you're
gonna have you know
people so many ways and then we'll draw
we'll draw so every you know so so that
we are no favores may we just need to
plant smaller trees too yeah that would
okay so lots of good conversation about
those things and then our new business
what are the goals for bexley's
Arboretum you know the arborium stands
on the shoulders of the urban Forest I
wish I could say that's my quote but
that was grants but I do think that um
we should decide whether you know one of
our goals is to expand the species we
plant or what are the species that are
available now to be planted spens what
is different now than it was 20 years
ago um you know we have more species
available now because we have warmer
climate and as we talk about near native
species so yeah and some species are
becoming less available because of our
climate as well so a lot is always
changing so um do you think that the
urban forestry Department would be
interested in putting together a list of
a dozen trees that you know are
underrepresented or non-represented in
the Arboretum for us to
consider yeah I'll pass I'll talk with
Grant I think we would be
interested and I don't know you know I
mean Mary's taking tree Academy course
now Celeste did as well and we've got
you know Luke and Charlie and Adra who
finished did you finish and aliser did
you finish your course Yay good for you
um so I think it'd be great to have a
working
document you know that our read is about
two things expansion of species and
education
right and you know the education part is
also something that we should be
focusing on a little bit more I
agree all right so what
else I have a question when we um
allowed the or we voted down the ma Mis
planting of the at at Boston and um
Drexel did we give them a time frame to
plant to replant them because it looks
like they're going ahead and not
planting them do you know about that
that's
something
okay I think in the future we ought to
give them a time frame well you I mean
usually decisions are a year are they
not or well here here the problem is
that they've planted something that the
long longer it stays there the less
transplantable I think it is that's true
that's abely true but in some ways I
think given that we denied the request
it's it's it's sort of an Enforcement
issue if I understand the way the world
works so it's you know did we did we
deny their request or was it made after
they had done it because they didn't
know that they couldn't do it
there um well they they may they they
expressed some confusion as to what they
were allowed to do but we then
subsequent to them doing it denied their
request to vary from um what they were
permitted to do okay well I just have I
think we're not going to revisit that
topic I'm sorry we're not going to
revisit that topic unless we do it in a
much more formal way sorry oh
mayor guys we
wondering okay all right um so if
there's nothing else bring forward
well let's see Mr Wilson is our our
guard you can ask a question where
there's no guarantee that we'll answer
it why don't you adjourn and you could
talk to Susan and I and we can help you
figure out the right way or talk to
whever you want about it is that okay
sounds good Kathy so uh we are
adjourning our meeting of the back SEC
Public Gardens commission for May all
adjourned and have travel to your
mom's yeah