MOSCOW TREE COMMISSION. -Minutes- cow.id.us/co.mmi sions/pages/tree.aspx 5:00PM

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1 Nils Peterson Commission Chair MOSCOW TREE COMMISSION -Minutes- David Schott Staff Liaison scow.id.us Tuesday May 2, cow.id.us/co.mmi sions/pages/tree.aspx 5:00PM Mayors Conference Room 206 E 3rd Street The meeting was called to order at 5:00 PM MEMBERS PRESENT: Amanda Argona (arrived at 5:04 PM); Patrick Fekety, Vice Chair; Clark J. Filip; David Griffith; Mary Jo Hamilton, Secretary; Nils Peterson, Chair. MEMBERS ABSENT: DavidRauk ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Art Bettge, Council Liaison; Donna Howard, Deputy City Clerk; David Schott, Assistant Parks and Recreation Director, Staff Liaison. 1. Announcements Fekety announced he will be leaving Moscow for Fairbanks, AK and June will be his last meeting. 2. Approval of Minutes from April 4, 2017 Filip asked to add to: 4. Reports e. that he would be contacting Paul Kimmel of Avista Utilities about help with replacing trees in declining neighborhoods. Hamilton said that it was incorrect that she would bring the J. Sterling Morton poster and the tri-fold to Arbor Day; instead, she brings the tri-fold to the Farmers Market and someone else brings the poster. ACTION: Approve minutes with amendments. RESULT: APPROVED AYES: Fekety, Filip, Hamilton, Peterson ABSTAINED: Griffith ABSENT: Ar~ona, Rauk 3. Public comment period - There were none. 4. Report: 2017 Arbor Day The Arbor Day Celebration was held at the Eggan Youth Center and Moscow Middle School on April 28. All who attended said it went well; Peterson appreciated the large art project displayed at MMS. Hamilton took photographs and shared them with MMS art teacher Shanti Norman. Peterson will send a thank you card to the school. ACTION: Accept the report. RESULT: REPORT ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Fekety

2 5. Report: Tree Planting Workshop and Tree Insect and Disease Workshops - Peterson Both workshops were cancelled due to lack of enrollment for the courses. Peterson asked how to increase awareness of the classes and improve enrollment. Commission members will work with City Administrators to promote future classes via social media and sharing with other organizations. SECONDER: Filip 6. Consideration of Tree Classes for the Parks and Recreation Brochure - Schott Currently, one class has been confirmed, "Landscaping Your Yard to Attract Birds"; Schott commended Hamilton on her submission for this class which included all of the necessary details. Additional submissions for classes are due to Schott by June 5 1 for publication in the August brochure and should include dates, times, location and instructor. Argona suggested a course on fruit tree varieties complete with samples for tasting, to inform citizens about which varieties grow well locally and are best for storage, cooking, eating, etc. Argona offered to write up a course description and contact Tim Steury about logistics. Griffith suggested contacting the master gardeners about a course on backyard food forest planting. ACTION: A rove the landsca in course and ex lore a fall fruit tastin course. 7. Report: New Tree Plantings in Existing Subdivisions with Tree Planting Dedication Fund- Schott The City of Moscow and the Moscow Tree Commission are in the process of utilizing existing funds set aside through Resolution for the planting of street trees in the public right-of-way (ROW) in qualifying subdivisions. Schott mailed letters to homeowners who have not taken advantage of the TPDF in Christopher's Crossing, Reisch, Park View Estates, Rolling Hills 5th, 6t1i & 7 1 \ Orchard Meadows and Southgate 1st and 2nd subdivisions. The first mailing was thirty letters sent with 88 tree vouchers offered, the second mailing was 28 letters offering 50 tree vouchers. A final mailing will include the remaining subdivisions. As of this meeting no responses were received but Schott has issued $1000 worth of trees from previous mailings. The 2017 forestry summer intern will follow up by leaving door hangers at houses entitled to tree vouchers. Fekety asked about what criteria qualified homeowners to receive vouchers; Schott replied that the 2016 forestry intern, Marie Wagner, canvassed the neighborhoods and assessed which homes had open planting spaces. All of the homeowners contacted were in TPDF subdivisions ten years old or older. ACTION: Approve the report and/or provide staff further direction. MOVER: Griffith Moscow Tree Commission Agenda May 2, 2017 Page2 o/5

3 8. Report: Planning a Program to Replace Declining Trees in Older Neighborhoods - Fekety The Moscow Tree Commission is beginning to create a framework and a plan to address declining trees in older neighborhoods throughout the City of Moscow. Fekety and Schott met to discuss using the Treeworks software program for this project; Fekety suggested focusing on planting trees in vacant spaces so they will be established when older trees are lost. Schott is working on updating the Treeworks inventory. Clark asked if Schott had heard about how this could work with the City's Wisescape program; Schott has not been able to discuss this Nichole Baker. Clark contacted Paul Kimmel and Larry Lee of Avista Utilities about their company's ability to assist in this project. They do have a program that can help homeowners remove and replace declining trees planted under power lines and near buried utilities as long as the existing tree qualifies as inappropriate for the location. Clark then mentioned that the City of Spokane's Approved Street Tree List has a special heart icon for trees well suited to planting below power lines. Peterson asked Argona to consider incorporating something similar in Moscow's revised guide. There was a discussion on the merits of a tree lined street, resistance from the public and different options for replacements. Clark asked to speak with staff at the City of Spokane about their collaboration with A vista's program. ACTION: Approve the report and continue to gather more information. 9. Report: Research the Establishment of a Heritage Tree Program - Hamilton The Moscow Tree Commission is seeking to create a Heritage Tree Program or Legacy Tree Program. Hamilton will work on this for the June meeting. Fekety shared an April 29 Moscow-Pullman Daily News article about historic trees on the University of Idaho's Campus. A discussion followed about including UI's trees in this program, collaborating with the Latah County Historical Society and the logistics of a walking tour and database. At the Arbor Day event Peterson talked to Jennifer Russell from the Idaho Department of Lands regarding a similar city's program; she suggested using QRS codes on plaques near the trees. Fekety suggested including previous years' Arbor Day plantings. ACTION: Aoorove the report and/or provide staff/commission further direction. MOVER: Filip 10. Report: Research the Establishment of a Food Forest - Griffith The Moscow Tree Commission is determining the feasibility of a food forest within the City of Moscow. Griffith sees three distinct tasks to this project: cresting an inventory of existing food producing trees; the city providing an area to plant and maintain a demonstration food forest; promoting to the public itree's suitability tool to help choose food bearing trees on private property. Schott suggested incorporating this into an Arbor Day event. Ideas for funding and supporting this were discussed as well as areas where the City might be able to establish the demonstration site. Clark will forward contact information to Griffith for someone who could assist with this. Griffith will continue to work on this and report back at a future meeting. Moscow Tree Commission Agenda May 2, 2017 Page3 of5

4 SECONDER: Clark 11. Report: Development of a Community Forestry Diversification Plan - Argona/Schott The City of Moscow and the Moscow Tree Commission are working towards a plan to aid in the diversification of the urban forest. Argona will work with Schott using the Treeworks database; she will report back at a future meeting on the current species diversity. MOVER: Fekety 12. Report: Planning for Downtown Tree Replacements Survey Questions- Filip The Moscow Tree Commission is creating a Downtown Tree Replacement Plan in a proactive approach to aging Downtown trees. Draft survey questions have been developed for the Moscow Tree Commission booth at the July Farmers Market. Filip opened a discussion on the existing questions and asked for contributions for additional questions. Also discussed was URA's role in replacing sidewalks and tree wells. Clark will make revisions to the questions as suggested in this discussion, circulate draft questions by and bring the proposed final questions to the June meeting. ACTION: Approve the report and continue revision of survey questions via . MOVER: Griffith 13. Consideration of the Revised Street Tree Planting Guide - Argona The Moscow Tree Commission is in the process of revising the Street Tree Planting Guide to assist the public in making the best choices when planting trees in the public right of way. Argona asked for input on the draft sent to the commissioners by . The next step is for Rauk to provide suggested tree species; before listing species in the guide it was suggested to check availability at local nurseries and to add similar wording to the guide. It was also recommended to add that homeowners should get planting approval before purchasing a tree. The guide includes contact information for the City's Community Forester and which tree species to avoid for ROW plantings. ACTION: Approve the revised Street Tree Planting Guide to date and continue development. MOVER: Filip 14. Finalize a Plan for the Farmers Market Booth - Peterson Moscow Tree Commission Agenda May 2, 2017 Page4 of5

5 Review and finalize personnel and programming for the Farmers Market (FM) booth on May 6, Argona will bring the display stand and items from the City Hall basement. Hamilton will bring the seedlings and the tri-fold display with Arbor Day photos. Argona and Hamilton will set up, stay until 9:30 AM; Griffith will be there 9:30 to 10:30; Fekety will be there 10:30 to noon; Peterson will take over at noon and pack up the display when the market closes at 1 PM. Peterson will consult with FM volunteer coordinator Jessica Brierly about the preferred location. ACTION: Approve the plan. SECONDER: Clark 15. Consideration of the Request by HawkWatch International for Access and Installation of Nest Boxes on City Property - Schott The City of Moscow received a request for access and installation of nest boxes on City property to study the ecology of raptors that nest in tree cavities, primarily the American Kestrel and small owls such as the Western Screech Owl. Schott was contacted by Dr. Oleyar, requesting to expand his research from the Ul campus. The discussion brought up concerns about raptors preying on local songbirds and domesticated fowl, where the nesting boxes would be located and how many. Schott was asked to request more information from Dr. Oleyar for the June meeting. ACTION: Obtain more information before deciding on the request from HawkWatch International. MOVER: Clark Open Discussion Schott reminded all about the Commission Fair on May 8 from 6 PM to 8 PM in Council Chambers. Next meetings: Peterson said at the June 6th meeting the Commission will address the July 4th meeting date and holiday conflict. The meeting was adjourned at 6:34 PM. NOTICE: Moscow City Council Commission meetings can be televised, videotaped and/or recorded. Individuals attending the meeting who require special assistance to accommodate physical, hearing, or other impairments, please contact the City Clerk, at (208) or TDD , as soon as possible so that arrangements may be made. Patrick Fekety, Chair (or stamped by Deputy City Clerk) Moscow Tree Commission Agenda May 2, 2017 Page5 of5