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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4-22-26 ESC Adopted MinutesMINUTES Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) Meeting Wednesday, April 22, 2026 - 6:00 PM City Hall, Commission Chamber 800 Seminole Road, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233 Present: Anastasia Houston, ESC Member 1 Amy Palmer, ESC Member 2 Todd Miner, ESC Member 3 Sarah Boren, ESC Member 4 Matthew Mattila, ESC Member Bruce Andrews, ESC Member 6 Daniele Giovannucci, ESC Member 7 Christina Kelcourse, ESC Member 8 Amy Franqui, ESC Member 9 Also Present: Chris Delk, City Arborist Payton Jamieson, Principal Planner (PP) 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. COURTESY OF THE FLOOR Chair Palmer announced that there might be a special guest, John November, who could potentially speak during the courtesy of the floor period. She explained that he was working on business that began approximately five years ago related to the Selva Preserve Trail north of 11 th Street. November was meeting with the Selva Linkside HOA that afternoon, and if that meeting concluded with his desired outcome, he planned to attend the ESC meeting to seek a potential motion. Chair Palmer noted that she had not received a copy of any potential motion as of that afternoon. With no other members of the public present, the committee proceeded with the agenda. Chair Palmer requested to adjust the evening's agenda to address old business first, specifically the budget discussions that had been ongoing for several meetings, to ensure these important items were covered before moving to staff reports. 3. REPORTS AND/OR REQUESTS FROM ESC MEMBERS AND STAFF Chair Palmer welcomed newest member Matt Mattila and thanked Sarah Boren for compiling the ESC applications and distributing them in advance, allowing Mattila to familiarize himself with the committee members' backgrounds. Chair Palmer initiated an icebreaker exercise, asking each member to share when they first knew they were an environmentalist or what drew them to environmental stewardship. She began by sharing her own story about a childhood experience with a large tree behind a park that served as her safe passage to the playground. When the city cut down the tree, she experienced both Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) April 22, 2026 outrage and sadness, which she identified as the moment something awakened in her environmentally. Matt Mattila shared his early love for National Geographic and adventure magazines, explaining how he always dreamed of being an explorer in natural environments. His work with Rocky Mountain Institute analyzing natural capital and economic impacts of environmental collapse further solidified his environmental commitment. Chris Delk reflected on childhood memories of climbing cherry trees and the realization that nature provided everything he needed, leading to his understanding that he needed to give back to nature. Amy Palmer described her lifelong obsession with the ocean as her happy place, which led her into conservation work and eventually to the policy side of environmental change. Sarah Boren, acknowledging her family's deep environmental roots, shared a pivotal experience at age seven during a backpacking trip in the Sierras when their food was taken by a bear. This incident made her realize how everything in nature is interconnected and the need for holistic environmental care. She noted that her father was president of The Nature Conservancy, her mother started the first Earth Day under President Bush, and her oldest sister ran a $30 million water nonprofit in California. Bruce Andrews recalled weekends spent on small boats exploring Florida's spring -fed rivers like Weeki Wachee and Chassahowitzka. Witnessing the destruction of these beautiful areas motivated his desire to preserve such natural treasures. He also mentioned a childhood "octopus tree" - a cedar tree that served as a climbing tree for neighborhood children until an elderly neighbor painted tar on the limbs and eventually had it removed. Amy Franqui shared a more recent environmental awakening, crediting Doug Tallamy's book "Bringing Nature Home" as the moment that truly opened her eyes to environmental action. Despite having outdoor experiences through Girl Scouts and visiting grandparents, reading this book in fall 2021 created the compulsion that led her to join the committee. Todd Miner described growing up with his home backing to a reservation, spending time in the woods, and working on his grandparents' farms with integrated farming systems. While he always felt connected to nature, the translation to active environmental stewardship developed over the course of his life. Daniele Giovannucci shared memories of growing up on a small four -acre farm where they grew everything they ate. As a young child, he would disappear into blackberry patches and briar thickets, often found completely scratched up but grinning, especially during blackberry season when he would be stained blue from eating berries. A. Commission Meeting Attendance Sign-ups Chair Palmer distributed the commission meeting attendance sign-up sheet, explaining to new members that the committee maintains a practice of having an ESC member attend each commission meeting and town hall to stay informed about city -level Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) April 22, 2026 activities and provide updates to the commission about ESC activities. She noted that commissioners appreciate these regular updates. Members would sign up for public comment time, typically having 3-5 minutes to share current ESC happenings. B. Howell Park Native Plantings Chair Palmer reported disappointing news about the Howell Park native plantings, noting that some mowing had occurred despite efforts to prevent it. She explained that subcontractors were shown the plantings, but day laborers were occasionally used and the message about protecting the plantings did not reach them. The city plans to put up signs and replant to mitigate the damage. Amy Franqui provided additional updates, mentioning she had purchased "No Mow Please" signs and sent a link to the city for additional purchases. She characterized this as a good lesson learned for future planting projects, suggesting the need for more defined designated areas, possibly roped off until plants are established. Franqui noted that five plants survived, and there might be viable root balls that could regenerate where plants were mowed down. Sarah Boren inquired whether park maintenance was contracted out rather than handled by internal staff. Bruce Andrews confirmed that most park mowing is done by contractors, specifically BrightView, which also handles the Atlantic Boulevard and Mayport Road medians, while city facilities and rights-of-way are maintained by public works. 4. ONGOING -OLD BUSINESS A. Tree Fund Budget Update Discussion Chair Palmer modified the agenda order to prioritize budget discussions. Bruce Andrews clarified that he had updated Sarah Boren's original version with some changes based on time passage and additional thoughts, emphasizing that Boren had done the original work. The discussion revealed confusion about which version of the budget document was being reviewed. Multiple versions existed, including one with $575,000 and another with different totals. After some technical difficulties accessing the correct version via email, the committee attempted to work from hard copies. Bruce Andrews explained his approach of using $500,000 as a round number for the fund balance rather than implying false accuracy with specific numbers. The committee had established a 25-30 percent reserve policy. He emphasized the importance of actually getting trees in the ground, particularly for street plantings and front yard tree plantings where people can see and enjoy them. City Street Tree Plantings: Chris Delk reported applying to Jacksonville for trees through their tree planting program for two locations: Saratoga Circle North and Forest Hill Circle South. These locations had previously been attempted but shut down by uninterested residents. Delk indicated a more assertive approach, planning to plant in Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) April 22, 2026 public rights-of-way regardless of resident objections, noting that if trees are removed, code enforcement would become involved. The Jacksonville program provides large trees with watering guarantees and contractor maintenance. If Jacksonville denied their request, the committee could use tree fund dollars. Bruce Andrews noted that Jacksonville had previously said they had recently planted many trees in Atlantic Beach and to return in a couple of years, but enough time had now passed. Sarah Boren raised timing concerns, noting that tree planting should occur from October to March. She suggested using summer months for research and sourcing, then executing plantings during the appropriate season. The committee discussed the challenge of identifying suitable planting locations without utility conflicts, line -of -sight issues, or being too scattered for effective watering. They noted previous success with plantings at Johansson Park and other locations under former planning director Shane. Park Replacement Plantings: Bruce Andrews highlighted that many park trees have died and the city probably isn't maintaining one-to-one replacement. He noted that Chris Delk would be leaving at year's end, requiring the committee to determine how to continue this work. Front Yard Tree Planting: Chris Delk reported spending $15,095 on the spring planting of 40 trees (2 -inch caliper) with gator bags. Trees cost approximately $300 each, with $55 gator bags, and installation was included. The contractor handled all installation and provided replacements when residents were dissatisfied with specific trees. Delk mentioned citizen demand for backyard plantings but cited liability concerns including potential dog bites and contractor safety issues. He requested ESC support for advocating backyard programs to the commission, asking what forms citizens might sign to enable backyard access. The committee discussed expanding to 60 more trees for their centennial goal. Sarah Boren suggested increasing the fall budget to $25,000 given the spring costs for 40 trees. Heritage Tree Preservation: The committee discussed a previously passed motion about automatic replacement offerings for diseased or dead trees to combat arborist letters. Chris Delk suggested potentially offering tree pruning services to reduce risk ratings rather than complete removal, noting that pruning costs versus removal costs often drive property owners toward removal. Bruce Andrews expressed skepticism about property owners' motivations, suggesting most people use arborist letters to circumvent mitigation requirements for trees they want removed for reasons other than safety, such as installing pools or eliminating leaf maintenance. Environmental Ste %ardship Committee (ESC) April 22, 2026 Mayport Road Landscaping: Sarah Boren inquired about using tree fund money for landscaping the upcoming Mayport Road project, noting the ordinance allows some landscaping funds. However, the project has significant constraints with only three feet of space and no room for trees due to line -of -sight issues and lack of irrigation budget. Daniele Giovannucci suggested seeking partners to help green the road diet project. Sarah Boren requested committee consensus to pursue greening the Mayport Road project, which she received, though the specific budget allocation was removed pending further investigation. Dutton Island and Tides View Plantings: The committee discussed addressing tree mortality at Dutton Island, where approximately 260 trees have been lost in the main park over two years, with additional losses at Tides View. Daniele Giovannucci suggested this was likely due to salt intrusion from sea level rise rather than bore damage. Chris Delk proposed conducting soil testing followed by planting diverse small saplings (2 -year-olds) to determine what species survive, describing this as true reforestation. He suggested working with extension services and universities for research support and estimated needing $15,000 for the planting portion, with assessment costs potentially covered through partnerships. Front Yard Tree Program Expansion: The committee discussed expanding front yard tree offerings and continuing the successful trick -or -treat tree giveaway program. Sarah Boren suggested focusing on one major tree program per season - applications in spring and giveaways in fall for optimal planting timing. Beach Access Beautification: Sarah Boren proposed adding budget for 16th Street Beach Access beautification, noting this was a commission priority. She suggested $7,000 for tree planting around the planned reconstruction project, though Bruce Andrews expressed skepticism about available space given the tight intersection. Private Tree Inventory: Sarah Boren proposed a significant $100,000 budget item for private tree inventory, explaining this addresses commission requests to understand how many trees on private lands might be removed. This would complement Chris Delk's public tree inventory work. The committee extensively debated the cost, scope, and methodology. Suggestions included using newer drone technology, citizen participation, and representative sampling. Todd Miner raised consent issues for private property access, while others discussed potential workarounds through nonprofit entities conducting the inventory. Chris Delk noted the capacity constraints for data input and maintenance, mentioning his pending grant application that might provide relevant resources. Tree Plotting Software: Sarah Boren included $3,200 for tree plotting software subscription to track and visualize mitigated trees, heritage trees, planted trees, and giveaway trees. She noted Jacksonville's TreePlotter software already includes Atlantic Beach trees they've planted but won't share access due to customization. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) April 22, 2026 The committee discussed whether staff has capacity for data input and maintenance, with Chris Delk noting uncertainty about current ArcGIS capabilities and his pending grant application potentially affecting software needs. Heritage Tree Preservation Pilot Grant: Daniele Giovannucci proposed increasing this budget from $10,000 to $20,000 to enable work on more than four or five trees, given increased budget availability and greater commission appetite for the program. Elder Tree Campaign: The committee referenced their previously passed motion requesting $25,000 for the elder tree campaign, with details to be provided by the lead member. Master Arborist Day: Sarah Boren proposed quarterly master arborist days, suggesting payment for private arborists to avoid residents feeling uncomfortable with city staff. Bruce Andrews disagreed, arguing taxpayers already pay for a city arborist and residents shouldn't feel intimidated. Chris Delk supported offering the service using city resources while potentially bringing in other master arborists or trainees for educational opportunities. The committee settled on continuing the program with specific details to be determined. The committee concluded the budget discussion by agreeing to bring back a clean copy with the discussed changes for formal approval at the next meeting. MOTION. To APPROVE the tree fund budget changes as discussed. Motion: Bruce Andrews Second. Daniele Giovanuucci Motion passed 9 to 0. B. General Fund Budget Discussion Sarah Boren led discussion of the general fund budget priorities for fiscal year 2026-27 (October 2026 through September 2027). She emphasized the challenge of securing budget items during the budget process, noting too many projects competing for limited resources. Marsh Pilot Project: Staff planned to include approximately $200,000 as a placeholder for the marsh pilot project, with hopes of securing grant funding. Parks Master Plan: Boren noted the current parks master plan focuses heavily on facilities and programming rather than ecological health. She questioned whether Amanda would expand the scope to include ecological assessments or whether the upcoming tree inventory would be sufficient. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) April 22, 2026 C. Florida Friendly Public Landscapes: The committee discussed multiple approaches including Bee City designation ($200 annually after initial application fee), updating the plant palette, and offering free yard reviews for city properties. Amy Franqui proposed having the city obtain a free commercial yard review from trained master gardener volunteers, with a goal of achieving gold status recognition. This would require removing invasive plants and allow installation of Florida Friendly Landscaping signage at city hall. Bruce Andrews emphasized the need to actually follow existing plant palette policies, noting that public works regularly ignores the commission -approved palette. He suggested amending the palette to be more native plant focused and ensuring compliance going forward. Dan Giovannucci proposed assigning committee members to work on palette updates, with Amy Franqui and Bruce Andrews agreeing to collaborate on revisions. Environmental Stewardship and Water Conservation: The committee debated water conservation campaigns, with Bruce Andrews identifying lawn watering as the biggest discretionary water use. He noted current water management district restrictions limiting watering to Sundays only during drought conditions. Daniele Giovannucci argued against ESC funding for water conservation campaigns since other agencies were already spending significantly more on these efforts. The committee agreed to focus on the Florida Friendly landscaping approach for water conservation benefits. Coordinating and Motivating Efforts: Chair Palmer proposed $2,500 as a baseline for outreach budget, while Boren's breakdown suggested $7,500 for various activities including film series continuation, Friends of the Parks support, and potential Minecraft updates. The committee discussed whether to continue the film series, which had been difficult to secure funding for previously. Amy Franqui noted the Minecraft project as an example that could have benefited from designated funds rather than self -sponsorship. Sarah Boren suggested the upcoming Mayport Road project could provide opportunities for community engagement and education, though timing remained uncertain. Chair Palmer concluded that she would discuss these priorities with Amanda and return with refined recommendations for the next meeting. ESC Committee Member Leads/Support Discussion Chair Palmer assigned homework for committee members to review the lead assignments document in the agenda packet. She specifically noted that Chris Delk, Todd Miner, and Matt Mattila needed to confirm their assigned roles, and highlighted an Environmental Stewardship Committee(ESQ April 22, 2026 unclaimed ESC governance and organizational excellence item that would be important for Matt Mattila to consider. Chair Palmer explained the difference between "lead" (primary responsibility and liaison with staff) and "support" (willing to assist but not primary responsibility). She emphasized the goal of building out timelines, activities, delegation, promotional plans, and success metrics once leads were finalized. She requested confirmation of assignments by close of business the following Tuesday to finalize the committee structure. D. Minecraft The committee briefly acknowledged the successful Minecraft event, with Sarah Boren giving significant praise to Amy Palmer, Chris Kelcourse, and Amanda Askew for their work. Sarah Boren noted plans to send out videos showing the impressive work by elementary school students. E. BMRC This item was not discussed. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Stormwater Management Plan This item was not discussed. 6. RECAP OF DECISIONS, ACTION ITEMS AND NEXT STEPS Bruce Andrews shared information from Commissioner Grant regarding a potential change to tree mitigation requirements. Grant suggested that property owners with multiple trees (well - canopied yards with 15+ trees) should face reduced or eliminated mitigation when removing one tree, compared to property owners with only one tree. Andrews distributed a document outlining Grant's rationale and considerations for implementing such a policy change. He noted that Grant planned to discuss this with the city manager and that the committee would need to address this before the May 2nd workshop, as they had no intervening meeting scheduled. Chris Delk mentioned ongoing work on corner lot requirements, proposing that corner lots require front yard trees facing both streets rather than using width -based calculations. Sarah Boren noted that Commissioner Grant had shared similar ideas with her, and she had forgotten to ask if he was aware that property owners already receive credit for preserving trees on their property, though only for new construction with caps on preservation credits. The committee also received an alert about tennis court resurfacing at Jack Russell Park, where contractors discovered extensive root damage from oak trees. The concern was raised to ensure proper protection of the root systems during the concrete curing process. Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) April 22, 2026 7. Attest: Chair Palmer acknowledged the successful Minecraft event and noted interest in taking a group photo since the full committee was assembled. A. 20260422 CM Grant and B Andrews Discussion ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m. Amanda Askew, Neighborhoods Director '-D Amy Palmer, ESC Chair Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) April 22, 2026