10-09-19 ESC MinutesPresent:
Absent:
Also Present:
MINUTES
Environmental Stewardship Committee Meeting
Wednesday, October 9, 2019 - 6:00 PM
Commission Chamber
Bruce Andrews, Chair, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Amy Palmer, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Sarah Andrews Dark, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Tony Pooley, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Bonnie Hansen, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Dawn Scott, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Boren Sarah, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Jennifer Johnston, Operations Manager
Linda Chipperfield, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Judith Leroux, Member, Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC)
Shane Corbin, City Manager
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Commissioner Kelly was also in attendance.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Approve minutes of the September 25, 2019 regular Environmental Stewardship
Committee meeting.
The minutes of the September 25, 2019 meeting were approved unanimously.
3. COURTESY OF THE FLOOR (5 MINS.)
No one was present for courtesy of the floor.
4. REPORTS
A. Tree planting update.
A. Askew gave an update on the tree planting project. B. Hansen asked what would be
expected for volunteers to water trees, and A. Askew said two volunteers would need to
pick up a water truck from Public Works and water trees three times a week. B. Andrews
said a City employee would be needed to drive the truck, so only one volunteer would
be needed, and the watering takes about an hour. S. Dark asked if a call for volunteers
could be advertised on social media with a schedule, and A. Askew said she would
provide the information. She said that volunteers can email her. S. Boren asked if a
survey could be set up to collect availability and create a pool of volunteers. A. Askew
said the next planting is not planned until after the holidays. A. Askew said she could
set up a survey online. S. Dark said the call for volunteers information can be forwarded
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to A. Palmer to be advertised on social media. The Committee discussed the next phase
of tree plantings.
A. Askew said staff had begun a grant application for a tree study, and the Committee
discussed canopy studies.
A. Palmer said that diversity in tree planting areas should be in mind for future plantings.
MOTION: To explore tree planting at Sailfish Drive and Atlantic Boulevard.
Motion: Sarah Andrews Dark
Second: Tony Pooley
Motion passed unanimously.
MOTION: To direct staff to explore other species of trees to be planted along North Seminole
Road.
Motion: Sarah Andrews Dark
Second: Bonnie Hansen
D. Scott discussed tree planting near Rose Park in Marsh View.
Motion passed unanimously.
MOTION: To explore tree planting at Rose Park.
Motion: Dawn Scott
Second: Bonnie Hansen
Motion passed unanimously.
B. Bat houses discussion.
A. Askew discussed the bat houses presentation. She said the City is looking for grant
opportunities to build bat houses. She said staff forsees the bat houses being installed in
the intracoastal area. B. Hansen asked how much the bats poop, and A. Askew said the
larger bat houses need to be installed in an area away from the general population, but it
is not an issue with smaller bat houses. S. Dark asked about potential locations, and A.
Askew said staff had discussed the intracoastal areas but had not made any decisions yet.
D. Scott said she had researched, and the City needed a bat house large enough for 1500
bats in an open area. She said the house in the presentation housed 3,000 bats, which is
larger than what is needed for Atlantic Beach, and costs less than $2,000. B. Andrews
asked where bats live normally, T. Pooley said they live in the woods. T. Pooley asked
if the Outreach Subcommittee could involve the public in making smaller bat houses. D.
Scott said October 24-31 is National Bat Week, and the Subcommittee could plan
something for next October, and made a logo and a t -shirt to show the Committee. T.
Pooley said the Outreach Subcommittee could plan an event for next year, and A. Palmer
said the larger bat house could come online by that time. A. Palmer asked if individual
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donations could be made, and A. Askew said there are the means in place to accept
money and in-kind donations. A. Palmer said a design competition could be planned. S.
Boren said organizations could adopt a bat house, and donations may not be an issue.
The Committee discussed bat house locations, including Selva Preserve. S. Boren asked
if there is any information the Outreach Subcommittee could release to start the
campaign. A. Palmer asked if the logo that was created could be used to educate the
public this year. A. Askew said that S. Corbin has reached out to the Mayor for support
from the Commission for Bat Week.
MOTION: to recognize Bat Week October 24-31 and have the ESC promote it via social
media
Motion: Tony Pooley
Second: Boren Sarah
Motion passed unanimously.
MOTION: to support the Bat Week proclamation by Commission and to establish a bat house
Motion: Amy Palmer
Second: Tony Pooley
Commissioner Kelly said the next meeting is October 28th, after Bat Week. S. Dark said she
wasn't sure if a motion would be needed, S. Boren said she feels like the City Manager is looking
for support from the ESC for bats.
Motion passed unanimously.
MOTION: To support staff in pursuing bat house research.
Motion: Amy Palmer
Second: Tony Pooley
The Committee discussed potential locations for a bat house. T. Pooley discussed the permitting
process that would be required. S. Dark said she would like a bat house to look natural if it is
located in the marsh area. D. Scott said the North Florida Land Trust would have to be consulted.
Motion passed unanimously.
C. Arbor Day Event - January 17th, 2020.
A. Palmer said the Outreach Subcommittee did not meet yet to report on the Arbor Day
event. She said the Committee could discuss ideas for the event. B. Andrews discussed
planting trees in each of the Commissioner's districts. A. Palmer said a call for heritage
trees to be designated could be put out to residents. S. Dark said a marketing plan and
plaque would need to be created for private owner heritage trees. She said that other
trees than live oaks and other areas than Johansen Park need to be considered.
Commissioner Kelly said she would be in support of a tree planted in her Commission
district. The Committee discussed planting a tree or designating a hertiage tree at
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Atlantic Beach Elementary, and the issues surrounding dealing with the School Board.
S. Dark said that a sticker giveaway is just as impactful as a tree giveaway, but an
Environmental Club at the school could plan a field trip to an Arbor Day event. B.
Hansen discussed a memory tree designation, and S. Dark discussed the cost and who
would pay for the designation. The Committee discussed funding for Arbor Day.
D. Outreach Subcommittee Report.
The next Outreach Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for October 16, 2019 at 6:30 PM.
A. Palmer asked the Committee if they would pose for a picture at an upcoming meeting.
The Committee discussed taking a group photo at the Board Member Appreciation
Dinner on October 24, 2019. B. Andrews said the Board Member Review Committee
has recommended two candidates to fill the Committee's vacancies and would be decided
at an upcoming Commission meeting. S. Dark asked ifthe Outreach Subcommittee will
handle the Arbor Day event or would an Arbor Day Subcommittee be formed to handle
the event. B. Andrews said he would handle tree planting, and the marketing could be
handled by the Outreach Subcommittee.
E. Parks Master Planning Event - October 29-30, 2019.
A. Askew discussed the Parks Master Planning event that had been rescheduled to
October 29-30 in the Commission Chamber at 6:00 PM. S. Dark asked about the tour
with the National Park Service staff, A. Askew said it would occur on the 29th, and she
would let the Committee know the time. A. Askew said other parks will be discussed,
but four parks will be prioritized at the charrette. She said landscape palettes will be a
priority. A. Palmer asked if staff would like the Outreach Subcommittee to promote the
charrette, and A. Askew said yes.
5. OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business to discuss.
6. NEW BUSINESS
B. Andrews said the Committee has been receptive to all areas of the City, and the Committee
should try to recruit members from the west side of Mayport Road for future Committee
openings.
S. Dark said she has noticed invasive vines growing in public spaces, including potato vines
along Sherry Drive near Howell Park, and asked if Public Works or volunteers could remove
the vines. She said she noticed grape vines near the 18th Street beach access. A. Askew said
she would follow up with Public Works, and S. Dark asked that Public Works takes care not to
damage the trees underneath the vines.
MOTION: To direct staff to ask Public Works to clear invasive vines with proper techniques.
Motion: Sarah Andrews Dark
Second: Bonnie Hansen
Motion passed unanimously.
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7. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further discussion, B. Andrews declared the meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
Attest:
Bruce Andrews Amanda Askew
Environmental Stewardship Committee
October 9, 2019
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