Minutes of a meeting of
The Old Lyme Tree Commission
October 15, 2015
ATTENDANCE
Members present: Joanne DiCamillo (regular), Gerry Foster (regular), Emily Griswold (regular), Joan Flynn (alternate)
Members absent: Anne Bing (regular)
Ex-officio members present: Tom Degnan, Tree Warden
Guests: Don Bugbee, Paul Gianquinto, John Flower
Mrs. DiCamillo authorized Joan Flynn to vote in place of Anne Bing.
A quorum being present, Chairman Joanne DiCamillo called the meeting to order at 4:02 pm.
The commission has openings for two members.
REPORTS
Clerk’s Report: The minutes of the 8/20/2015 meeting were reviewed.
Motion: Gerry Foster made a motion, seconded by Joan Flynn, to approve the minutes as presented. All present voted in favor, motion passed.
BUDGET REPORT
Balance & summary of expenditures YTD: Mrs. DiCamillo reported that as of 9/4/2015 the balance in the Tree Commission budget was $ 15,970. The total budget for FY2015-2016 is $16,050.
NEW BUSINESS
Town Hall – Japanese knotweed removal – The knotweed, growing behind the parking lot, has been removed by Burnett’s Landscaping at a cost of $1,400. The knotweed was cut, removed, and the rhizomes treated by hand with herbicide. The cost will be paid from the First Selectwoman’s budget.
Communication - Rose Lane resident – Mary Waldron, 2 Rose Lane, wrote a letter to the Tree Commission and a number of state and utility company officials. She stated that the vegetation growing along Route 1 provided screening and privacy for her property before it was cut down by Lucas Tree Service, working for Eversource. As a result of the work, she is experiencing increased visibility of the traffic and is exposed to more noise from it.
DRGC request for suggestions for planting oak tree – The Duck River Garden Club will receive $200 from The Federated Garden Clubs of CT to plant a native oak tree in Old Lyme. President Barbara Rayel contacted Mrs. DiCamillo to ask for suggestions on where to plant the tree. Mrs. DiCamillo suggested partnering with the Lyme-Old Lyme Junior Women’s Club who are planning to plant two trees at Town Woods Park this fall. Mrs. DiCamillo contacted Emily Griswold, a member of the commission, who is on the committee. See Member’s Reports, below.
OLD BUSINESS
Wilcox Tree Service – trim 30 young trees – The trees were trimmed at a cost of $1,800.
Academy Lane – PW request to trim Kousa dogwoods – While Wilcox Tree Service was in the area Ed Adanti stopped by and asked them to trim the 4 Kousa dogwoods in front of 2 Academy Lane. The charge of $100 was added to the tree commission invoice bringing the total to $1900.
Mrs. DiCamillo drove by and inspected each of the 30 trees that are on the list after the pruning was completed. She commented on the noticeable improvement in the structure and form. She asked Mr. Wilcox to revisit the memorial tree at the Police Station and prune several branches away from the building and to raise the canopy higher above the sidewalk.
Young trees – weed, edge, mulch – Mrs. DiCamillo requested a quote from Hortus Landscape in Deep River to weed, edge and mulch some of the young trees planted on town property in various areas of town.
Town Hall foundation plantings update – Burnett’s Landscaping returned on September 15 to do a second weeding and cleaning up around the foundation plantings at a cost of $824. The work was authorized by the First Selectwoman.
Welcome guests Don Bugbee – Director of Parks & Recreation, Paul Gianquinto, Co-Chairman of the Boat House/Hains’ Park Improvement Committee, and John Flower, Building Official.
Letter request from Chairman, Parks & Recreation Commission – tree removal at Hains’ Park
Schedule A, which includes a one story expansion of the boat house, has been authorized by the BHHPIC and is going out to bid. The basketball court next to the boat house will need to be moved closer to the road, and the area will be regraded, which will impact a large maple tree and may require its removal. Park n’ Rec prefers the court to remain the same size as it is presently. The court cannot be moved to another location on the property. The edge of the proposed court will be about 15 feet from the center of the tree. The existing court will be dug up and reinstalled. The impact into the ground will be 2 feet (24”).
This plan has the smallest impact on the whole park. The committee would like to plant new trees and is open to suggestions for types of trees to plant in the area.
Mrs. DiCamillo asked if there is any way to mitigate the impact to the tree in order to save it, since it is a very large, beautiful and healthy tree.
Tom Degnan stated that there will be a significant disturbance to the root system which may cause problems later on. He also stated that the tree cannot be removed until it is marked and posted by the tree warden, so it will not be removed until absolutely necessary. Paul Gianquinto stated that the construction contract can be written to include some exploratory digging to check the tree roots and see if root and crown pruning might be used to save the tree. Mr. Gianquinto stated that he would be happy to mark the new court area with paint so that Tree Commission members can look at the area. It is possible that construction could start in the spring.
Mrs. DiCamillo stated that the commission will discuss the proposal and asked Mr. Gianquinto to email her copies of the documents that were presented today in pdf form. She will forward them to Mr. Degnan and the members. Mr. Gianquinto agreed to email them to her. Mrs. DiCamillo and Mr. Degnan asked the committee members to keep them updated about the project as it progresses.
MEMBERS’ REPORTS
Town Woods Park tree planting update – LOLJWC: Emily Griswold reported that the Inland Wetlands Commission approved planting some trees at Town Woods Park behind the playground next to the field house. There were new trees included in the original plan for the park but they were never planted. The new plan is to plant two trees, perhaps red maples, behind the playground to provide shade. The red maples (4.5” caliper) are about $750 each, plus $1,000 for moving and planting. They should be planted this fall, and members of the LOLJWC will keep them watered this fall and next year. Tree Commission member, Emily Griswold will coordinate and oversee the watering schedule.
The Duck River Garden Club would like to partner with the LOLJWC to plant the native oak tree in Town Woods Park.
Tom Degnan will look at the area and set stakes in the ground for the trees.
Motion: Gerry Foster made a motion, seconded by Joan Flynn, to approve the planting of trees at Town Woods Park by the LOLJWC and the Duck River Garden Club. All present voted in favor, motion passed.
Mrs. DiCamillo asked for a motion to add new letters to the agenda under Any Other Business.
Motion: Gerry Foster made a motion, seconded by Joan Flynn, to add new letters to the agenda under Any Other Business. All present voted in favor, motion passed.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Deputy Tree Warden – update on position: Tom Degnan and Joanne DiCamillo met with the candidate, who is an arborist, and Tom interviewed him. Mrs. DiCamillo will consult with Bonnie Reemsnyder to ask about the next steps in the process.
31 Lyme Street – permit application to plant ferns under maple tree: Landscape Specialties applied for a permit to plant ferns under the maple tree. The tree warden checked the maple tree, a town tree, and decided that the soil, walkway stones, and plantings installed over the roots would not damage the tree.
Communication – Letters: Karen Warlitz, 2 Foggy Meadow Lane, reported a dead tree near the Heflon Farms Road entrance, and one near the fire pond.
Ilse Minkenberg, 1 Epsilon Avenue, reported an oak tree with a rotted base on Rogers Lake Trail across from Osceola Trail. She is concerned that the tree could fall in a storm.
Tom Degnan will visit the sites to check the trees.
Tree planting: Barbara Traskos, 46 Lyme Street, would like a shade tree planted to replace the tree that was removed last month. She is willing to water the tree. Suitable trees for the location were discussed, the members felt that a tall, narrow variety of red maple would be nice. Mrs. DiCamillo will talk with the homeowner.
Tom Degnan will stake the location.
Police Station – shrub trimming: Several Pieris japonica were removed. The rhododendrons should be pruned and the foundation bed should be weeded, edged and mulched next spring.
It appears that an ailanthus tree seedling has rooted next to the chamaecyparis and should be removed.
REMINDER
The next scheduled meeting is Thursday, November 19, 2015, 4:00 p.m. in the Town Hall conference room.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion: Gerry Foster made a motion, seconded by Emily Griswold, to adjourn the meeting at 5:42 p.m. All present voted in favor. Motion passed.
Respectfully Submitted,
Martha Hansen, Clerk
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