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City of Atlantic Beach Tree Conservation Board
Regular Meeting Minutes
March 12, 2008
A regular meeting of the City of Atlantic Tree Conservation Board was convened at 7:04 pm on
Wednesday March 12, 2008 at the Adele Grage Cultural Center, West Meeting Room, located at 716
Ocean Boulevard in Atlantic Beach. In attendance were Board Members Stephanie Catania, Jim
McCue, Brea Paul, Maureen Shaughnessy, and Staff Planner/TPO Administrator Erika Hall. Carole
Varney was absent from the meeting. The position of Recording Secretary was vacant.
I. CALL TO ORDER
• Chair Maureen Shaughnessy called the meeting to order at 7:04 pm.
II. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS
• There were no visitors present in the audience.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
✓ MOTION: Stephanie Catania moved to adopt the minutes of the
February 26, 2008 regular meeting, as written. Maureen
Shaughnessy offered a second, and with no further discussion,
the vote was unanimous.
IV. OLD BUSINESS
• There was no old business up for consideration.
V. NEW BUSINESS
a. TREE 08-00100008
West Plaza Extension at Lily Street
Durante / residential development
Mr. Joseph Durante, 1380 West Plaza, appeared before the board as
applicant. Ms. Hall reminded the Board that Mr. Durante is one of
several property owners in the vicinity of West Plaza & Lily in the
process of obtaining residential building permits. As a result of that
development, those property owners are responsible for the extension
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Minutes of the March 12,2008 Regular Meeting of the Tree Conservation Board
of West Plaza to the Lily Street Right-of-Way, which has been
abandoned by the City and will be a private drive to serve those
homeowners. Mr. Durante added that the West Plaza extension would
be built to Atlantic Beach specifications, at his expense, and then
would be dedicated to the City as a public road. Mr. McCue asked why
this application was coming to the Tree Board, and why this matter
was not settled with Public Works? Ms. Hall directed Board Members
to Section 23-17(d)(1), which states:
"Permits for site clearing and the removal or relocation of a protected tree,
including any public protected tree in a right-of-way or easement by a
property owner, shall be obtained by filing an application. Approval of the
application by the tree conservation board and issuance of a permit by the
director shall be required prior to any land clearing or grubbing, prior to any
disturbance of the root system or site development, or prior to the
occurrence of any changes to an existing developed site. The site shall be
inspected to insure compliance with the approved site plan prior to any
additional permits being issued."
She added that the purpose of this requirement is to guarantee
mitigation is assessed for the removal of public trees. Mr. Durante
said there are many trees not to be removed from the right-of-way
that can be used for mitigation. Ms. Hall said that she had discussed
this matter with Public Works Director Rick Carper, and explained that
those remaining trees in the right-of-way are public trees owned by
the City of Atlantic Beach, and therefore, Mr. Durante cannot designate
them as protected in lieu of mitigation for his project. Mr. Durante
expressed frustration that he was burdened not only with the cost of
his residential development, but also the road improvements including
tree removal, and was now being told that he would have to replace
the trees removed for a public road improvement. Mr. McCue asked
Mr. Durante who all would benefit from the road, to which Mr. Durante
replied no one. Again, Mr. McCue asked would Mr. Durante and his
future neighbors not benefit from the road improvements, to which Mr.
Durante said that he would not benefit...that the City of Atlantic Beach
was benefitting because they were getting the road built for nothing.
Mr. McCue asked Mr. Durante how many other residences would be
served by the West Plaza extension — that is, how many people would
regularly use it? Mr. Durante said that there were a couple of other
existing houses and two or three planned. Ms. Shaughnessy asked if
those other property owners that would be using extension were
helping to pay for the improvements. Mr. Durante said no. Ms. Hall
stated that it is typical, whenever infrastructure such as sewers or
roads are extended, for all parties "benefitting" from the improvements
to share in the cost; however, she said that she did not know the
details of the Development Agreement reached between the City's
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Minutes of the March 12,2008 Regular Meeting of the Tree Conservation Board
Public Works Department and the property owners, but Chapter 23
explicitly requires mitigation for the removal of public trees from the
right-of-way by private property owners, for private development
projects. Board Members reviewed the tree removal worksheet, and
Ms. Shaughnessy asked if the required mitigation would be one inch
for each inch removed, since the trees were all in the right-of-way.
Ms. Hall said that it had been her understanding that in the past it was
customary to assess 1:1 for trees removed from the right-of-way.
However, she had confirmed with Public Works Director Rick Carper,
and Neptune Beach Building Official Don Ford, both of whom formerly
served as TPO Administrator, that this is nowhere in writing, though
they both highly recommend it be considered along with impending
administrative revisions. Thus, Ms. Hall suggested that the Board
abide by the rate specified in Section 23-17(e)(2), or one inch for each
two inches removed. By departing from customary ROW mitigation,
the hardship expressed by Mr. Durante should be significantly
lessened.
■ MOTION: Jim McCue moved to approve the TREE 08-
00100008 for the removal of 2-6" Oaks, 1-7" Oak, 2-9" Oaks,
1-11" Oak, and 1-11" Pine, for a total of 59", from the West
Plaza ROW for the extension of Plaza to the Lily Street ROW.
The applicant shall mitigate with 29.5" of hardwoods, per
specifications of Chapter 23 of the municipal code, and
installation shall be complete at the time of completion and
conveyance of the West Plaza Extension to the City of Atlantic
Beach. Stephanie Catania seconded the motion, and with no
further discussion, the vote was unanimous. Ms. Shaughnessy
suggested that perhaps Mr. Durante could obtain some of the
replacement trees through the City's Adopt-a-Tree program,
or other local tree sales or giveaways. Additionally, Brea Paul
recommended that Mr. Durante plant the replacement trees as
close to the property line as possible, to accommodate future
utility installations.
VI. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Jim McCue:
Jacksonville Herb Society Annual Herb Sale & Festival
Saturday, March 15, 2008, 10:00 am — 4:00 pm
Glynlea Grace United Methodist Church
6429 Atlantic Boulevard
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Minutes of the March 12,2008 Regular Meeting of the Tree Conservation Board
VII. ADJOURNMENT
✓ MOTION: Jim McCue moved to adjourn, Brea Paul offered a
second and the meeting was adjourned by Chair Maureen
Shaughnessy at 7:55 pm.
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4NE7,0‘kaez-LI-7a. gD: Maureen Shaughnessy, Chair ; at,
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ATTEST: Erilza Hall, Staff Planner/TPO Administrator
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