Minutes of a meeting of
The Old Lyme Tree Commission
March 20, 2008
Attendance:
Regular members present: Joanne DiCamillo, Pat Moll, Anne Bing, Emily Griswold, Adela Wilmerding
Alternate member: Gerry Foster
Members absent: Joan Flynn (alternate), Tom Degnan (ex-officio)
Guests: none
A quorum being present, Chairman Joanne DiCamillo called the meeting to order at 4:12 PM, after moving the meeting to Town Hall because the Senior Center was locked.
Emily Griswold left the meeting at 5:00, Adela Wilmerding left at 5:30.
Due to the absence of a quorum for the vote to adjourn, Gerry Foster was authorized to vote.
REPORTS
Clerk’s Report
The minutes of the 02/21/08 meeting were reviewed. Adela Wilmerding moved to accept the minutes as presented. Emily Griswold seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Treasurer’s Report
Joanne DiCamillo reported that the balance remaining in the General Fund was $18,932.43 as of 2/29/2008. Clerk’s payroll expenses were $75. A payment of $1,560 was authorized by the Public Works Dept. to Tennett Tree Service for tree removals on Old Shore Road and Griswold Avenue.
OLD BUSINESS
Old Lyme Shopping Center – willow tree
Joanne DiCamillo reported that the owners of the shopping center on 3/18/08 removed the willow tree that was discussed at several of our past meetings.
High Hopes – sightline problem decision
Joanne DiCamillo and Gerry Foster met with Kitty Stalsburg and Jeff Ridgway of High Hopes to discuss the sightline problem. The Tree Commission would like to have the brush cut down and the sign moved back before a decision is made to remove the tree. The suggestion will be presented to the High Hopes board. At Joanne’s request, the Tree Warden, Tom Degnan, looked at the tree. He said that because it is a healthy tree, and not hazardous, the town would not pay to have it taken down and agreed that High Hopes should clear the brush and move the sign first. He also stated that if this solution is not satisfactory and the problem has not been resolved, High Hopes should consult with the Tree Commission for alternatives. If there are none, they may apply for a permit to take the tree down at their own
expense.
Old Shore & Buttonball Roads– removals
Tennett Tree Service removed the trees in February. The stumps will be ground and new trees planted.
NEW BUSINESS
Griswold Avenue – tree removal
A large leader of a maple tree located at the corner of Sill Lane and Griswold Avenue fell. As a result, Tennett Tree Service removed the entire tree. They were in town removing the trees on addressStreetOld Shore Road at the time.
Bids
1. Ferry Road & Route 156
Bids were sent to Lomas Tree Service, Tennett Tree Service, and Wilcox Tree Service. Joanne DiCamillo scheduled a site walk for the bidders at 9:30 AM on March 12. Tennett was the only one to attend the site walk. After an explanation of the work, Tennett declined to bid, because the work was too selective for his crew. Joanne received a call from Jason Wilcox the following morning. He realized he had arrived on the wrong date for the site walk. She explained the job in detail to him over the phone as he walked on the site. The tree work includes crown trimming and dead limb removal. All invasives should be removed including the multiflora rose, bittersweet and honeysuckle vines around the trees. Where the euonymus forms a hedge, it will remain and be trimmed. In other areas it needs removal. All debris
should be removed, and any logs must be left stacked on town property.
Tom Lomas called Joanne on March 19 in late afternoon to ask about the bid for Ferry Road. She was not at home at the time. Her husband suggested that Lomas call again later that evening. Joanne did not hear from him and he did not submit a quote. The bid specifically stated that all contractors, who could not attend the walk, should talk with Joanne before submitting a bid because of the selective nature of the requested work.
The bank along the north side of Ferry Road & Route 156 contains several trees, 1 dead hornbeam tree, and lots of vines. Native junipers could be planted to help with privacy screening in the area.
Wilcox Tree Service bid $1,400 for the job, which needs to be completed by May 1. Adela Wilmerding moved to approve the Wilcox bid for $1,400 on the condition that no other bids were received before the noon deadline the following day. Pat Moll seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
2. Tree stump removals
Bids were sent to Bombaci Tree Experts, Lomas Tree Service, Tennett Tree Service, and Wilcox Tree Service for the removal of nine stumps (three on the Wenck property on Mile Creek Road, one on the corner of Ferry Road and Lieutenant River Lane, one in front of the Village Shops on Lyme Street, three on the Old Shore Road/Buttonball Road triangle, and one on the north green on Lyme Street (just past the Bee & Thistle Inn). Wilcox Tree Service’s bid for $1,350 was the only bid received. The stumps are to be ground to below the soil line and all debris removed. The work should be started after April 1, and invoiced by May 1. Adela Wilmerding moved to approve the Wilcox Tree Service bid. Pat Moll seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Tantummaheag Landing
Joanne DiCamillo and Gerry Foster met with Diana Atwood Johnson, who is the adjacent property owner to the town landing property on Tantummaheag Road. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the removal of the vines growing around the trees. The commission discussed removal of the vines after visiting the site back in the fall. It would be impractical to remove all of the invasives growing in the area. The health of the trees is a priority. There is a large dead maple tree close to Tantummaheag Road and the Johnson driveway, possibly on town property, which is extremely decayed. Joanne will ask Ed Adanti to check the town maps to be certain of the location. Diana Atwood Johnson does not want the tree taken down. Joanne explained that a hazardous tree is a safety issue. Joanne will wait to contact the Tree
Warden for a further evaluation after talking with Ed Adanti.
Tree planting – members’ recommendations of species
The members discussed various species for replanting. Red maple (Acer rubrum) was favored because it is salt and drought tolerant, and is a native species. The red maples, planted in the past few years around town, are doing well. Other species mentioned were native junipers, shadblow, swamp white oak, sugar maple, ash, bayberry, viburnum trilobum, chokeberry, inkberry, American highbush cranberry, summersweet, leucothoe, spicebush, deciduous azaleas, placerosa rugosa, ferns, joe pye weed, blue flag, cardinal flower, and cinquefoil.
1. Ferry Road & Lieutenant River Lane
Joanne DiCamillo recommended planting a red maple (Acer rubrum) east of the corner, and across the driveway, to replace the maple tree that was taken down recently in the same area. The members concurred.
2. Ferry Road & Rte. 156
The members felt that the area should appear natural looking after the new landscape is installed. The riverbank needs protection from erosion while the work is being done. Joanne contacted Ann Brown, the town’s Wetlands Enforcement officer asking for guidelines on how to proceed with the project. Ann stated we do not need to contact the DEP for a permit. She recommended a silt fence and/or hay bales be installed to prevent run-off. Native grasses that tolerate salt and wet areas were suggested for planting. (Acer rubrum) red maple is also a suitable choice.
3. Buttonball & Old Shore Road
Three maples were removed last month from the triangle. One old maple is left there, surrounded by laurel. The area needs structure, and the sightline needs to be kept clear. A sugar maple was recommended, but red maple (Acer rubrum) was suggested as a better alternative because it is salt and drought tolerant. A Zelkova was added to the list as a possible choice. It was also recommended that three shadblow could be planted surrounding the red maple.
4. Wenck Property – Mile Creek Road
A red maple (Acer rubrum) was recommended.
Joanne DiCamillo asked for volunteers to create a new design plan for Ferry Road and Route 156 and Old Shore Road/Buttonball Roads triangle. Adela Wilmerding volunteered and will contact Emily Griswold about working on a design with her. Joanne asked that the plans be finished and presented at the April meeting.
Quote Proposals
1. Dutch Elm disease treatment – six elms
Wilcox Tree Service sent a proposal to the chairman to treat all of the identified town elms. He has treated them in the past. The cost this year is $900. Anne Bing moved to approve the Wilcox bid of $900. Adela Wilmerding seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
2. Fertilize Town Hall elms
A proposal was sent to the chairman to fertilize the (2) elms in the front of Town Hall at a cost of $106 by The Care of Trees. Pat Moll moved to approve the treatment of the 2 town hall elms for $106 by Care of Trees. Adela Wilmerding seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
MEMBER REPORTS
Old Shore Road maple - removal
Adela Wilmerding spoke with the owner of the property on Buttonball & Old Shore Roads where a decayed the maple is located. She stated the owner wants the town to contact him formally by letter requesting removal of the tree. He also stated that the Tree Warden did not mark his tree when he posted several trees in the area for removal. Joanne explained that the Tree Warden posts town trees for removal. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to identify and remove trees on his property, especially if they pose a hazard to vehicles or pedestrians.
OTHER BUSINESS5
Congregational church – tree removal- memorial garden
Emily Fisher Griswold contacted Joanne about the Congregational Church plan to remove the Arborvitae hedge inside the Parish House fence. The Arborvitae will be replaced with Ilex. The hedge is not within the Tree Commission’s regulated area. It is located on private property, so the Church is free to remove and replant without applying for a permit. Joanne thanked Emily Fisher for notifying the commission.
Town Hall – nursery plants
Bob Sullivan contacted Joanne DiCamillo on March 6 to meet with him to talk about moving the nursery plants as soon as possible. The plants will be interfering with the paving of the parking lot. When the location for the nursery was selected last fall, the commission was assured that they would be out of harm’s way so this was a new development. He suggested that the plants be dug, balled and burlapped and moved to a new location to await re-planting in the fall. Joanne explained that the plants would not survive the summer if they were left unplanted and it would too much work for the commission members to water and maintain them.
She suggested two options: 1.) Contact Stephen Wing, landscape architect, and ask him to incorporate designated plants into the new design plan for the south side of the Town Hall property, next to Barbara Traskos’ property. Barbara has requested that the area be screened with plants this spring before the town hall staff moves back in May. 2.) Designated plants could be added to the design plan in the northwest area, adjacent to the nursery. Joanne explained that it was too early to move the plants. Ideally, all transplanting should wait until mid-April when the soil is warmer and drier.
MESKWAKA Tree Project – contact
Joanne DiCamillo announced that the MESKWAKA Tree Project is scheduled this year for the second or third weekend in June, for anyone who is interested.
REMINDER
Next scheduled meeting is on Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 4 PM at the Lymes’ Senior Center.
ADJOURNMENT
Gerry Foster moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:51 PM. Anne Bing seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
Submitted by:
Martha Hansen, Clerk
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