Peoria Standard

The city of Peoria Urban Forestry Advisory Board met Aug. 2.

Here are the meeting minutes as provided by the city of Peoria:

A Regular Meeting of the City of Peoria’s Urban Forestry Advisory Board convened at 12:011 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, at the Lester D. Bergsten Operations & Maintenance Facility at 3505 N. Dries Lane, Peoria.

CALL TO ORDER

Call to Order showed the following Urban Forestry Advisory Board Members in attendance:

Members Present: Board Member Jason Haupt, Board Member Ella Maxwell, Board Member Michael Wilkins, and Board Member Michael Price. (4)

Members Absent: Chairman Sie Maroon, Board Member Amy McLaren, Board Member Mike Miller. (3)

Others in attendance included Public Works Administrative Specialist Rebecca Alexander and Anthony Corso from the City of Peoria Innovation Team. (2)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PUBLIC COMMENT Joseph Keck came forward to address the Board from the public.

MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting of June 7, 2016, were distributed prior to the meeting. The minutes were approved by Administrative Specialist Rebecca Alexander, and seconded by Board Member Jason Haupt.

ITEM NO. 1 Street Tree Program

Tree ordinances are among the tools used by communities striving to attain a healthy, vigorous, and well-managed community forest. Street tree ordinances primarily cover the planting and removal of trees within public rights-of-way. They often contain provisions governing maintenance or removal of private trees which pose a hazard to the traveling public.

Tree protection ordinances are primarily directed at providing protection for native trees or trees with historical significance. They usually require that a permit be obtained before protected trees can be removed, encroached upon, or in some cases, pruned.

Anthony Corso presented a copy of the November 16, 2015, draft of the Environmental Services Tree Program from Portland, Oregon.

Negotiations are ongoing with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Combined Sewer Overflow issues. Maximizing tree survival and effective storm water management provides multiple benefits. Trees reduce human health risks, storm water runoff, localize flooding, and the amount of pollutants flowing into the combined sewers systems. Overall, this contributes significantly to environmental quality.

Trees intercept precipitation and are an impervious area reduction technique on both private property and public right of way. Preservation of the city streets makes the streets safer for all motorists and pedestrians. When urban parks are designed and maintained as an interconnected system, their ability to support biodiversity, manage storm water, provide recreation and expand available transportation options through trail networks increases.

Urban forests, trees and green space are critical in contemporary planning and development of the city. Creating a community tree program that can be sustained is a major challenge.

Urban areas are growing in size and density throughout the United States. This growth brings opportunities for economic and cultural prosperity. Community involvement is strongly encouraged. Understanding the quantity, quality, and distribution of the resource across the landscape are critical components to planning and maintaining urban forests.

Updates to the City of Peoria Tree Inventory is an ongoing process with GIS Management.

NEW BUSINESS

Update of Boards and Commissions Information Directory

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Next Meeting

The next regularly scheduled meeting for the Urban Forestry Advisory Board will be held

Sept. 6, 2016.

Adjournment

There being no further discussion, Board Member Jason Haupt moved to adjourn the Regular Meeting of the Urban Forestry Advisory Board; seconded by Administrative Specialist Rebecca Alexander.

Approved by via voice vote.

The Board meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.