HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CC-2011-11-16COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK
Special Meeting 6:45 p.m. November 16, 2011
PRESENT:
Mayor Peterson
Alderpersons (10) McGonigal, Dotson, Rosario, Clairborne, McCollister, Zumoff,
Rooker, Myrick, Mohlenhoff, Cogan
OTHERS PRESENT:
City Clerk – Conley Holcomb
City Attorney – Hoffman
Superintendent of Public Works – Gray
Forestry Technician – Grace
ADDITIONS TO OR DELETIONS FROM THE AGENDA:
Mayor Peterson requested the addition of Item 2.1 Appointment to the Tompkins
Consolidated Area Transit Board – Resolution.
No Council member objected.
SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS:
1.1 Approval of Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program Round 10
Application for Stewart Park Diversification of the Urban Forest Planting Program
- Resolution
By Alderperson Cogan: Seconded by Alderperson McCollister
WHEREAS, Stewart Park is one of the largest and most notable parks in the City of
Ithaca, and hosts many city events and festivals as well as City sponsored youth day
camps, and
WHEREAS, the size and facilities of this park mean that it can serve citizens of Ithaca
and the surrounding townships, and that it has ample parking, pavilions, picnic sites,
tennis courts, playgrounds, children’s sprinkler park, bird sanctuary, access to fishing
and, most importantly, lakefront access, and
WHEREAS, there is no entrance or parking fee for this park, and it is heavily utilized,
including by low income residents of Ithaca and the surrounding neighborhoods, and
WHEREAS, the park has many large ash trees, most of which date back to the creation
of the park in 1921, and the City’s tree inventory reveals that the average Diameter
Breast Height (DBH) of the 61 ash trees in the park is approx 30”, and that many of the
trees need to be removed because they are in poor condition, and
WHEREAS, nearly all the trees surrounding the playground area are ash trees, and
WHEREAS, it is anticipated that impending spread of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) will
result in the eventual death and removal of all the ash trees in the park, which will be
devastating for the park, especially if the loss and removal of most or all of the trees
occurs at the same time, and
WHEREAS, City staff, in conjunction with the City’s Shade Tree Advisory Committee
and EAB specialist, Mark Whitmore from Cornell University, has devised a management
plan – the Stewart Park Tree Diversity Planting Project - to prepare for the impact of the
inevitable EAB infestation, and
WHEREAS, part of the plan is to begin removing and replacing some of the ash trees
that are in poor condition, ahead of the EAB infestation, and
WHEREAS, the City has removed several trees from Stewart Park, but lacks the funds
to replace them all with new trees, and, in addition the City would like to remove up to
10 more trees over the next two years and replant 15-20 large caliper (2.5-3” caliper)
native/noninvasive trees, and
WHEREAS, Stewart Park is a great place to increase diversity in the urban forest by
planting large-maturing, native tree species which do not survive when planted on
narrow tree lawns as street trees, such as American Larch (Larix laracina), Sweetgum
November 16, 2011
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(Liquidambar styraciflua), Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera), Black Gum (Nyssa
sylvatica), Bur Oak (Quercus marcrocarpa), American Linden (Tillia Americana) and
White pine (Pinus strobus), and
WHEREAS, under this plan, all work will be performed by City of Ithaca staff in
accordance with the City’s established Tree planting and Maintenance specifications,
and
WHEREAS, the City’s Urban Forestry management goals for Stewart Park are to
diversify tree species in specific areas of the park (which are now heavily planted with
ash), and to begin to replace the aging, over-mature and unsafe trees in the park, and
WHEREAS, funding is available under New York State’s Urban and Community
Forestry Grant Program (Round 10) to support tree replacement in situations such as
these, and
WHEREAS, funding from the Urban and Community Forestry Grant program would help
the City of Ithaca fulfill the afore-mentioned goals by allowing the replacement of older,
unsafe trees with large caliper trees of various species, thus improving the diversity of
species and age of trees in the park, which, it is hoped, will minimize the devastating
impact of EAB when it does reach this area, and
WHEREAS, City of Ithaca staff plan to raise awareness about the impact EAB
infestation will have on the City’s urban forest, with an awareness and education
campaign, with the hope that the awareness this brings will translate into support for
City funding to help combat the impending EAB infestation, possible pesticide treatment
on high value City trees, and additional City funding to replace infested ash trees, now
therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Mayor, in consultation with the Forestry Technician for the City of
Ithaca, is hereby authorized and directed to file for a 50% Matching Funds Urban and
Community Forestry Grant, in an amount not to exceed $5,600.00, and be it further
RESOLVED, that upon approval of said grant, the Mayor, or his or her designee, is
hereby authorized to enter into and execute a project agreement with the New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation for such financial assistance to the
City of Ithaca for the Stewart Park Tree Diversity Planting Project.
Carried Unanimously
NEW BUSINESS:
2.1 Appointment to Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit Board - Resolution
By Alderperson Dotson: Seconded by Alderperson Clairborne
RESOLVED, That Common Council recommends to TCAT that Joseph Murtagh be
appointed to the Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit Board with a term to expire
December 31, 2014.
Carried Unanimously
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion the meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
______________________________ _______________________________
Julie Conley Holcomb, CMC Carolyn K. Peterson,
City Clerk Mayor