2008-06-11 (meeting minutes) v SA
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City of Atlantic Beach Tree Conservation Board
Regular Meeting Minutes
June 11, 2008
A regular meeting of the City of At/antic Tree Conservation Board was convened at 7:04 pm on Wednesday June
11, 2008 at the Adele Grage Cultural Center, located at 716 Ocean Boulevard in At/antic Beach. In attendance
were Board members Stephanie Catania, Brea Paul, Carole Varney, Chair Maureen Shaughnessy, and Staff
Planner/TPO Administrator Erika Hall. Board member Jim McCue was absent from the meeting. The position of
Recording Secretary was vacant.
1. CALL TO ORDER
• Chair Maureen Shaughnessy called the meeting to order at 7:04 pm.
2. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS
• There were no visitors in attendance.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Chair Shaughnessy called for a motion to approve the minutes from the May 28th
regular meeting. [Agenda incorrectly identified the minutes up for consideration as
those from the May 14th regular meeting].
MOTION: Stephanie Catania moved to adopt the minutes of the May 28, 2008
regular meeting, as written.
SECOND: Carole Varney seconded the motion.
DISCUSSION: There was no further discussion.
VOTE: Unanimous, 4-0
4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
• There was no unfinished business on the agenda for consideration.
Page 1 of 4
Minutes of the June 11, 2008 Regular Meeting of the Tree Conservation Board
5. NEW BUSINESS
a. TREE 08-001000019
482 Stewart Street
(BBT Investors, LLC)
Tree Removal:application review
Landscape architect Brian Burke was present as representative of the application.
Chairperson Maureen Shaughnessy explained that she had inspected the site earlier
in the afternoon. At that time, she also met with the owner of the East Coast
Greenery, located on the parcel to the south of the subject property, who expressed
concern over the potential construction of the stormwater facility and removal of the
trees adjacent to her property. Ms. Shaughnessy said the adjacent property owner
asked why she had not been notified of the plans, and complained of frequent
stormwater runoff problems, aggravated by the poor condition of the existing
drainage facility that was also blocked by the presence of a semi trailer (both
located on private property owned by 1880 Atlantic Beach LLC). Ms. Shaughnessy
said the woman was concerned that the removal of trees would further aggravate
the problem. Mr. Burke replied that actually removal of the trees and installation of
the stormwater facility would solve the problems described. Board member Brea
Paul agreed, and noted that installation of the stormwater facility was not an option,
but rather a requirement of both the St Johns River Water Management District
(SJRWMD) and the City of Atlantic Beach (COAB). Ms. Hall confirmed this, stating
that the applicant's desire to expand the existing parking area triggered the
necessity to accommodate all runoff onsite.
Ms. Shaughnessy reiterated that the adjacent property owner was upset because
she had not been noticed, and that she had a number of questions that Ms.
Shaughnessy could not answer. Ms. Hall noted that there is no provision requiring
adjacent property owners receive individual notice for tree board meetings and/or
standard review of tree removal permit applications. Additionally, Ms. Hall said that
she had checked the city's application tracking system earlier in the afternoon and
found that no application or plans related to the proposed project had been
submitted to the city for review. Likewise, she found nothing on the SJRWMD
database. Ms. Paul noted that she too had checked the SJRWMD database and
found nothing. Ms. Shaughnessy noted that the applicant had affirmed on page 1 of
the application that the site had been reviewed by the Public Works Director for
onsite retention. Stephanie Catania asked Mr. Burke where he had gotten the
specifications for the stormwater facility as shown on his drawings, and he
responded that it was supplied to him by the applicant's engineer. He stated that he
was merely representing the tree removal and landscaping portion of the project.
Page 2 of 4
Minutes of the June 11, 2008 Regular Meeting of the Tree Conservation Board
Board members reviewed the trees proposed for removal, with Ms. Shaughnessy
noting a 3" unknown was actually a cherry and verifying that it could be used for
mitigation credit, while a 4" unknown was actually a huge weed that could not be
used for mitigation credit. Ms. Hall noted that the calculations were off and instead
of 18 trees to be removed for a total of 199", she found an 11" pine, bring the totals
to 19 trees and 210". Thus, proposed removal increased by 11" while the proposed
preservation credit decreased by 4". After verifying the proposed location of three
new oaks in parking lot islands, Ms. Shaughnessy noted that there were numerous
other small trees that could probably be used to make up the difference.
MOTION: Stephanie Catania moved that the board approve the application for tree
removal for the property located at 482 Stewart Street, to include removal of 19
trees for a total of 210" [3-6"pine, 2-7"pine, 2-8"pine, 1-9"pine, 3-10"pine, 1-11"
pine, 2-12"pine, 1-14"pine, 2-15"pine, 1-17"pine and 1-27"pine], with mitigation
assessed for 105", contingent upon the final approval of the plans for the expanded
parking area and the stormwater management facility by both the City of Atlantic
Beach and the St Johns Water Management District. Revisions to those plans
affecting the trees proposed for removal, preservation or planting shall require
revision to the permit application and the tree preservation plan so that the permit
may be amended accordingly. Otherwise, mitigation would be met as demonstrated
on the submitted plan, by the planting of 3-5.5" oaks and the onsite preservation of
88.5" existing trees [1-3"cherry, 1-3"oak, 2-4"oak, 1-5"oak, 1-6"oak, 3-7"oak, 1-
9" oak, 1-4" pine, 2-5" pine, 2-5" cedar, and an additional 9.5" yet to be
determined].
SECOND: Carole Varney seconded the motion.
DISCUSSION: There was no further discussion.
VOTE: Unanimous, 4-0.
6. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
a. 1680 Jordan Street
(Doctor-Brock)
Mitigation Compliance:status
Ms. Hall reported to the board that Ms. Cynthia Brock had recently been in touch to
discuss her mitigation requirements. Ms. Hall reminded the board that Ms. Brock
had appealed the TB assessment of 46" oak (100%, due to removal from city right-
of-way, without a permit) last May, and that the commission had reduced Ms.
Brock's mitigation to 4-4" oaks, for a total of 16" to be planted onsite by November
of this year, lest she pay the full equivalent value of the original 46" ($5,382.00) into
the Tree Fund. Ms. Hall said that Ms. Brock still felt that she should not have to
replant the trees, and at most, should have to pay no more than the value of the
reduced assessment ($1,872.00). Ms. Hall told Ms. Brock that neither she nor the
tree board had the authority to overturn the decision of the commission, but that
she would assist Ms. Brock in searching for a good price on the replacement trees.
Page 3 of 4
Minutes of the June 11, 2008 Regular Meeting of the Tree Conservation Board
Ms. Brock replied that she really did not want to plant the trees but wanted to pay
for them instead. Ms. Hall said that Ms. Brock came in and paid the full amount on
the afternoon of May 29th. Ms. Varney expressed concern that the board had not
given due consideration to Ms. Brock's circumstances, and had therefore rashly
applied the standard mitigation assessment. However, she commended Ms. Brock
for taking responsibility for her assessment, even if it meant paying the higher
amount to maintain the lawn that she had wanted.
7. ADJOURNMENT
• Chair Maureen Shaughnessy adjourned the meeting at 7:38pm.
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SIGNED: reen Shau•hnessy, Chai e
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ATTEST: Erika Hall, Staff Planner/ TPO Administrator
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