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7-16-25 ESC Adopted MinutesMINUTES A. 02911h, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) Meeting Wednesday, July 16, 2025 - 6:00 PM City Hall, Commission Chamber 800 Seminole Road, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233 Present: Anastasia Houston, ESC Member Amy Palmer, ESC Member Todd Miner, ESC Member Jeannie Gracy, ESC Member Bruce Andrews, ESC Member Daniele Giovannucci, ESC Member Christina Kelcourse, ESC Member Amy Franqui, ESC Member Absent: Sarah Boren, ESC Chair Also Present: Amanda Askew, Neighborhoods Department Dir. (NDD) 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by Amy Palmer who chaired the meeting in Sarah Boren's absence. 2. COURTESY OF THE FLOOR / GUEST PRESENTATION / DISCUSSION Commissioner Grant introduced himself and said he wanted to work with ESC on the protection of the tree canopy. Grant said we need to incentivize protection of trees. Commissioner Grant attended the meeting to discuss ideas for incentivizing tree protection. He acknowledged the recent incident with Mr. Cosgrove but clarified that his visit was not prompted by that event. The commissioner had been meeting with various ESC members since his election to get a feel for their perspectives and share his own viewpoints on balancing tree protection with property owners' rights. Commissioner Grant shared an example of a homeowner he knew who was building a new home and simply asked to have all trees measured, cut down, and then pay whatever was owed for mitigation. He expressed concern about this approach becoming more common and emphasized the importance of the tree canopy in Atlantic Beach, particularly for its role in mitigating storm risks. The commissioner proposed several ideas to incentivize homeowners and developers to protect trees: • Creating a process where new homeowners meet with ESC members before any development to discuss tree preservation. • Offering discounts on mitigation fees for those who participate in these meetings. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) July 16, 2025 • Encouraging a consultative approach from the ESC to suggest alternatives to tree removal. • Focusing on protecting large, significant trees rather than trying to save every tree. • Being more flexible with homeowners who already have multiple trees on their property and need to remove one or two for renovations. Commissioner Grant also suggested holding a workshop with developers and contractors to understand their challenges with building in Atlantic Beach and find ways to collaborate on tree preservation. The ESC members engaged in a discussion with the commissioner, sharing their thoughts and experiences: • Dan highlighted the economic benefits of trees, including increased property values and energy savings. • Christina shared her experience as a new homebuyer, emphasizing how the tree canopy was a significant factor in choosing Atlantic Beach over other areas. • Anastasia suggested considering changes to setback requirements to allow more space for trees. • Amy Franqui proposed focusing on developers as the primary point of contact for tree preservation efforts. • Bruce cautioned about the complexity of implementing some suggestions and emphasized the need to protect the largest, most significant trees. The committee agreed that incentives, education, and collaboration with developers would be key strategies moving forward. They also discussed the possibility of updating the tree ordinance to reflect these new approaches. 3. REPORTS AND/OR REQUESTS FROM ESC MEMBERS AND STAFF Christina, as a new member, requested clarification on her role in the committee, particularly regarding the review of tree permits. The chair acknowledged the need for better onboarding and suggested that Sarah and Director Askew work together to present a tutorial on how to respond to tree permits. Dan proposed inviting Kevin to attend a future meeting to explain the categories of tree permits and the expectations for committee members' responses. Jeannie reported on her conversation with Heather regarding the Edible Orchard project. She mentioned that she would be measuring the tennis area at Jack Russell and writing up a summary for the next meeting. The chair brought up two administrative matters: • The possibility of changing meeting dates to the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. • Concerns about the workload for the chair position with the new meeting structure, suggesting the possibility of having co-chairs. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) July 16, 2025 4. OLD BUSINESS A. Chapter 23 Email and Homework 06.17.2025 (Chapter 23 Email and Homework 06.17.2025) The committee spent a significant portion of the meeting reviewing and discussing changes to Chapter 23 of the tree ordinance. Key points of discussion included: • Definition of improper pruning: The committee agreed on a new definition that includes the substantial alteration of a tree, except when deemed critical by an arborist, resulting in irreversible damage or removal of more than 25% of the existing tree form. • Heritage tree definition: The committee discussed whether to keep the term "maritime" in the definition and ultimately decided to keep it as "any designated noninvasive tree." • Tree Trust Fund: The committee reviewed changes to the fund's name and usage, including the addition of relocated trees under the definition of mitigation. • Tree protection during construction: The committee noted that the current reference to a Florida Division of Forestry guide was outdated and agreed to find a more current reference, possibly from ISA or ANSI standards. • Mitigation rates: The committee discussed potentially simplifying the mitigation table and considering higher rates for eligible heritage trees, not just designated ones. The committee did not complete the review of Chapter 23 and agreed to continue the discussion in the next meeting, including Amy Franqui's suggestions and a review of the mitigation table. B. Request for 2025-2026 Funding for Awards and Film Series This item was not discussed during the meeting. C. COJ Urban Forestry Management Plan Update https://www.jacksonville. og v/departments/planning-and-development/tree-plan This item was not discussed during the meeting. D. Proposed City "Opt Out" Right -of -Way" (ROW) Planned Planting Locations The committee briefly mentioned this item but did not have time to discuss it in detail. Bruce noted that there were four suggestions from staff for locations where they would send out letters to residents about planting trees in the right-of-way, with an opt -out option. The locations mentioned were Sailfish East, Tide Views, Beach Avenue Club, and Seminole between 18th and 19th streets. The committee agreed to carry this item over to the next meeting for further discussion. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) July 16, 2025 E. National Foundation Climate Collaborative such as community lighthouses & resiliency hub Press Release: https://nola.gov/next/mayors-office/news/articles/june-2024/2024-06- 10-together-new-orleans-community-li thouse/ Short Video: https://www.ksla.com/video/2025/06/26/new-community-li thouse- Sens-northwest-louisiana/ This item was not discussed during the meeting. F. Tree Mitigation Fund Action & Spending Plan Discussion/Motion(s) from 7/9/25 ESC meeting The chair noted that this item had been mistakenly carried over from the previous meeting's agenda. The committee confirmed that they had already passed a motion on this item in the last meeting. G. Quarterly Master Arborist Day This item was not discussed during the meeting. H. Elders Tree Campaign This item was not discussed during the meeting. I. Edible Orchard Update Jeannie provided a brief update on the Edible Orchard project. She mentioned that she had spoken with Heather, who provided about five points on why the proposed area was suitable for the orchard. Jeannie planned to include this information in a summary for the next meeting, along with a drawing of the proposed layout. Bruce suggested including information on how to address concerns about fruit dropping on sidewalks, such as positioning trees closer to fences or selecting less messy varieties. The committee agreed that presenting a well -thought-out plan to the city manager would be crucial for moving the project forward. I Tree Permits Discussion/Q&A This item was briefly touched upon during the discussion about committee roles but was not discussed in detail. K. OF IFAS Training for Tree Pruners and Planters Larry Figart Tree Pruning Training Presentation This item was not discussed during the meeting. L. Next steps and deadline for ESC member "two block walk" to discern ROW locations for 5-10 group tree plantings Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) July 16, 2025 5. 6. 7. 8. Attest: NEW BUSINESS A. Steps to Determine 2026-2027 Marsh Pilot This item was not discussed during the meeting. MEMBERS AND STAFF CLOSING COMMENTS Due to time constraints, the committee did not have an opportunity for closing comments. RECAP OF DECISIONS, ACTION ITEMS AND NEXT STEPS The chair summarized the main points from the meeting: • The committee will continue reviewing Chapter 23 in the next meeting, including Amy Franqui's suggestions and a review of the mitigation table. • Dan will look into updating the tree protection guidelines during construction. • The committee will revisit the proposed right-of-way planting locations at the next meeting. • Jeannie will prepare a summary and drawing for the Edible Orchard project. • The committee will consider the suggestion of changing meeting dates and the possibility of having co-chairs. • A tutorial on reviewing tree permits will be prepared for new members. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m. &L& ZI Amanda Askew Sarah Boren, ESC Chair Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) July 16, 2025