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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-12-06 Arborist Advisory Committee minutes ARBORIST ADVISORY COMMITTEE c/o Office of the Mayor, 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 ARBORIST ADVISORY COMMITTEE DECEMBER 6, 2019 MEETING MINUTES HAWAI‘I COUNTY BUILDING, PUNA CONFERENCE ROOM – HILO 25 AUPUNI STREET, SUITE 1501, HILO, HAWAI‘I ATTENDANCE Committee Members Present: Leonard Bisel, Chairperson James Boyd Friday Jonathan Sudler, Vice-Chairperson Bobby Camara Roy Takemoto Carol Wyban GUEST Mary Marvin Porter CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 10:04 a.m. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Mary Marvin Porter wanted to know the job description for an Arborist. She also suggested that they need an Ecologist position. The Committee informed her to reach out to someone from the Human Resources department. APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 COMMITTEE MINUTES th Vice Chair Sudler moved to approve the September 6 minutes. Committee member Wyban seconded the motion. The Committee voted 6-0 to approve the minutes. DISCUSSION ON DRAFT FOR STATE LEGISLATION RELATING TO CLIMATE CHANGE, TREE PLANTING PROGRAM Chair Bisel, who also serves on the Kaulunani Urban and Community Forest advisory committee, informed the Committee that a bill will be submitted next legislative session proposing to increase state funding for the urban and community tree planting program to help fund projects and Arbor Day activities. Federal funding to the State for the program is used for administrative and educational purposes. During discussion considered:  Climate change vs. Climate crisis from the Smithsonian paper articles.  Climate change mitigation impacts to the Communities Arborist Advisory Committee December 6, 2019 meeting minutes CORRESPONDENCES RECEIVED FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC No Correspondences received. DISCUSSION OF DRAFT RECOMMENDATION FOR LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE OF COUNTY PROPERTIES Committee member Takemoto mentioned that at a previous meeting, the organizational chart and County Code was looked at for both Public Works and Parks and Rec to understand the responsibilities of the landscape maintenance. He mentioned that there are six types of County properties that have some landscape maintenance requirements.  County Parks  County Building grounds  County Street right of ways  County-owned (?) Public open spaces and natural resource areas  Lands acquired under the Public access, Open space, and Natural Resources preservation Commission (PONC) program  Trails to shoreline and mountain access, and exceptional trees. Recommendations were:  To advise the Planning department and the Mayor’s Office to pursue administrative and legislative changes to establish a tree maintenance crew through a reorganization with the department of Parks and Rec. He informed the Committee that P&R is the only department with a tree maintenance crew but not supervised by Arborists. Public works has heavy equipment operators but no tree maintenance crew.  Recommendation number two, is that these tree maintenance crew be supervised by Arborists.  Recommendation number three is that the scope of responsibility for this crew to be expanded to include the County Parks, PONC properties, trails acquired under the County Code, (chapter 24) and street trees. Committee member Takemoto made the motion to advise the Planning Department and Mayor’s Office to pursue this. Vice Chair Sudler seconded the motion. Some suggestions for that position  Education training and certification.  A day long workshop for training on specific trees and pruning A motion was introduced to get the Plan of Action as amended completed by the first quarter of 2020. All were in favor, motion passed 6-0 2 Arborist Advisory Committee December 6, 2019 meeting minutes DEMONSTRATION OF APPLICATION TO BE USED FOR ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING EXCEPTIONAL TREES Committee Member Friday opened the discussion about the app from Survey123. He mentioned that the app works best for park trees in an open space, not in a forest. Friday feels that the app is workable and can be used to inventory trees if you can find them. Suggested assignment:  A spreadsheet of when a specific tree was last seen Committee Member Sudler suggested that he would be able to update the Spreadsheet with Outdoor Circle once the tree is verified. REVIEW OF EXISTING EXCEPTIONAL TREE ORDINANCES AND APPLICATIONS Committee Member Takemoto informed the group that the Mayor’s Office will go ahead and retrieve the tree ordinances and place them into digital folders that will be accessible to the Committee. ANNOUNCEMENTS Committee Member Sudler had a few announcements:  The Reeds Bay clearing project by Public Works is underway.  Situation with the residents in Honomu planting trees in the public park.  The banyan tree that was removed behind the State Building due to blocking solar panels. Chair Bisel suggested that the Committee nominate a tree by the first quarter of next year. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:21 a.m. 3