CITY OF
PICKERINGTON
TREE COMMISSION
CITY HALL, 100
LOCKVILLE ROAD
WEDNESDAY,
NOVEMBER 8, 2006
REGULAR MEETING
5:30 P.M.
A. Street Tree Report
Mr. Goodrich asked about calls about acorn problems. Mr. Drobina stated there were just a few calls and that has been it. Mr. Drobina stated that he contacted Dublin and Upper Arlington to see what they do about the acorns and they stated that they don’t do anything. Mr. Malone stated if it becomes more of a problem in the future we can look at it. Ms. Shelts asked if someone would respond back to the complainant. Mr. Drobina stated that he has talked with her a couple times and believes someone at City Hall has also spoken with her.
5. SCHEDULED MATTERS.
A. Tree Preservation Update
Ms. Carter asked about development at the condos. Mr. Malone stated that after lots of delays they got city approval and the developer started in there last week. Mr. Malone stated they had cleared most of the trees and had put an access road down and were busy cutting and mulching. Mr. Malone stated that we may need to go back and revisit our Ordinance, not just to see if large trees of that sort are properly compensated when they come down, but also to see if we need more detail in the Ordinance about developers avoiding these areas.
Mr. Goodrich asked if there was any more development coming in. Mr. Malone stated there are a few areas but doesn’t know of anything big within the city limits. Mr. Malone stated he was keeping an eye on Sycamore and Preston Trails. Mr. Malone continued that something was going on south of town on the east side of Hill Rd. Mr. Drobina stated one man bought that property and is going to build one house in the middle of it.
B. Arboretum.
Mr. Goodrich asked if the Arboretum was involved in any of the problems that the City is having with the skate park. Mr. Drobina stated that the problems were just at the skate park. Mr. Malone stated that most of the vandalism that has occurred at the Arboretum is mainly because kids are drawn to the covered bridge and because the Arboretum is right there it becomes a target.
Ms. Shelts stated that residents aren’t aware that the Aboretum is there. She continued that it would be nice to put signage up on Lockville Rd. saying Arboretum with an arrow so people will be more aware that it is located within the park.
6. COMMUNICATION
Mr. Goodrich stated that he was going to combine Communication with Other Business. Mr. Goodrich stated Mr. Malone, Ms. Shelts and himself attended the Central Ohio Forestry Workshop at Dawes Arboretum and learned some important information. Mr. Goodrich stated they learned how some communities were dealing with the Emerald Ash Borer. Mr. Malone stated that three more counties were added to the list: Mercer, Hardin, and Logan County. Mr. Goodrich stated we should start pinpointing where the Ash trees are within the city and as a committee we need to draw up a list of priorities in order to determine what trees have to go when. Mr. Goodrich stated the Tree Commission need to start building into our budget a replacement of those trees. Ms. Carter stated that there are only 98 Ash trees within the city unless people have them planted in their back yards. Mr. Goodrich stated when Gregg comes back from vacation they need to get together and find out if he knows where the Ash trees are planted. Mr. Drobina stated that he would get Gregg started on listing of location and possible size. Mr. Goodrich stated that eventually we would have put together some type of Ordinance about going into people’s yard because of dead trees they won’t cut down.
Mr. Goodrich stated that priority areas where you need to be careful are the highways because people are carrying firewood and that is how it is coming into the counties. Mr. Goodrich stated the City need to put together an Ordinance to have dead trees removed promptly. Mr. Malone stated we need to put warnings on the website and in the newspaper about ordering firewood and where it comes from. Mr. Goodrich asked Mr. Malone if he wanted to write up something to put in the newspaper. Mr. Malone stated we could get the correct wording from ODNR’s Division of Forestry. Mr. Goodrich stated that we could also put the links on the website.
Mr. Drobina asked how the Emerald Ash Borer is ever going to go away. Mr. Malone stated that it is not. Mr. Malone stated that at this point it is just going to kill all the Ash Trees in the United States. Mr. Malone stated there is research going on regarding life cycles, preventative measures and ways to attack the problem by either trying to inoculate the trees, trying to treat them systemically, trying to catch the insects when they’re vulnerable, but so far they haven’t found an answer. Mr. Malone stated they have talked of hybrid Ash trees that are resistant to the Emerald Ash borer. Ms. Carter stated sometimes the hybrid tree ends up more as a disaster than an answer.
7. OTHER BUSINESS
8. ADJOURNMENT
Their being nothing further, Mr. Malone moved to adjourn, Ms. Carter seconded the motion. Mr. Goodrich, Mr. Malone, Ms. Carter and Ms. Shelts voted “Aye.” Motion carried, 4-0. The Tree Commission adjourned at 6:22 P.M. on November 8, 2006.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
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Diana Fuller, Administrative Assistant
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Ed Drobina, Service Manager