Tree Committee
AGENDA

Monday, February 12, 2024 at 5:30 P.m. - 6:30 P.m.

Council Hearing Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo

TREE COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING

The Tree Committee holds in-person meetings. Zoom participation will not be supported at this time.

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:

 

Public Comment prior to the meeting (must be received 3 hours in advance of the meeting):

Mail - Delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Address letters to the City Clerk's Office at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, 93401.

Email - Submit Public Comments via email to . In the body of your email, please include the date of the meeting and the item number (if applicable). Emails will not be read aloud during the meeting.

Voicemail - Call [phone] and leave a voicemail. Please state and spell your name, the agenda item number you are calling about, and leave your comment. Verbal comments must be limited to 3 minutes. Voicemails will not be played during the meeting.

*All correspondence will be archived and distributed to members, however, submissions received after the deadline ma not be processed until the following day.

Public Comment during the meeting:

Meetings are held in-person. To provide public comment during the meeting, you must be present at the meeting location.

Electronic Visual Aid Presentation. To conform with the City's Network Access and Use Policy, Chapter 1.3.8 of the Council Policies & Procedures Manual, members of the public who desire to utilize electronic visual aids to supplement their oral presentation are encouraged to provide display-ready material to the City Clerk by 12:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Contact the City Clerk's Office at or [phone].

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Elizabeth Lucas will call the Special Meeting of the Tree Committee to order.

2.

PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA

The public is encouraged to submit comments on any subject within the jurisdiction of the Tree Committee that does not appear on this agenda. Although the Committee will not take action on items presented during the Public Comment Period, the Chair may direct staff to place an item on a future agenda for discussion.

3.

CONSENT

Matters appearing on the Consent Calendar are expected to be non-controversial and will be acted upon at one time. A member of the public may request the Tree Committee to pull an item for discussion. The public may comment on any and all items on the Consent Agenda within the three-minute time limit.

3.a

CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES - JANUARY 22, 2024 TREE COMMITTEE MINUTES

• Recommendation:

  To approve the Tree Committee Minutes of January 22, 2024.

4.

NEW BUSINESS

4.a

ISSUE DECISION ON 163 SERRANO HEIGHTS DRIVE ADMINISTRATIVE CITATION 

On January 22, 2024, the Tree Committee, upon a 5-0 vote (one member absent, one vacant seat), upheld the Administrative Citation and fine issued to John Rourke, property owner of 163 Serrano Heights Drive, for improper pruning of three (3) Coastal Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) trees, in violation of the City's Tree Regulations (SLOMC 12.24.150).

Pursuant to San Luis Obispo Municipal Code Section 1.24.130, the Tree Committee shall formally issue their decision regarding the Administrative Citation in the form of voting to approve a written statement, prepared by Deputy City Attorney Sadie Symens; this action is to approve or modify the statement only, not to re-vote on whether to uphold the citation and fine.

• Recommendation:

  The Tree Committee will review and approve a written statement, prepared by Deputy City Attorney Sadie Symens, to formally issue their decision made on January 22, 2024, pursuant to San Luis Obispo Municipal Code Section 1.24.130, regarding an Administrative Citation for improper pruning of three (3) Coastal Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) trees located at 163 Serrano Heights Drive.

5.

TREE REMOVAL APPEALS

Any person aggrieved by an act or determination of the authorized approving authority exercising the authority herein granted shall have the right to appeal the decision of the authorized approving authority as set forth in Section 12.24.180 of the City of San Luis Obispo Municipal Code. Appeals received by the City Clerk within ten calendar days from the date of determination or act shall cause the director to withhold tree removal permits and any permits for construction or demolition actively relying on the subject tree removal until the appeal is heard and a decision is reached.

5.a

1120 MARSH STREET TREE REMOVAL APPEAL

• Recommendation:

  Review a Tree Removal Appeal of the City Arborist's decision to allow removal of one (1) Indian Laurel Fig (Ficus macrocarpa) tree located at 1120 Marsh Street.

6.

COMMENT AND DISCUSSION

6.a

ARBORIST REPORT

Receive a brief update from Acting City Arborist Anthony Whipple.

7.

ADJOURNMENT

The next Regular Meeting of the Tree Committee meeting is scheduled for March 25, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. The Regular Meeting on February 26, 2024 will be cancelled.

 

LISTENING ASSISTIVE DEVICES are available -- see the Clerk

The City of San Luis Obispo wishes to make all of its public meetings accessible to the public. Upon request, this agenda will be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with disabilities. Any person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in a meeting should direct such request to the City Clerk’s Office at [phone] at least 48 hours before the meeting, if possible. Telecommunications Device for the Deaf [phone].

Agenda related writings or documents provided to the Tree Committee are available for public inspection on the City’s website: https://www.slocity.org/government/mayor-and-city-council/agendas-and-minutes. Meeting video recordings can be found on the City’s website: http://opengov.slocity.org/WebLink/Browse.aspx?id=61087&dbid=0&repo=CityClerk