2026-09-23 - Tree Commission

00:02Well, good morning everyone. Uh, welcome

00:04to the Wilmington Tree Commission on

00:06this Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026.

00:10Members of the Wilmington Tree

00:12Commission are appointed by and serve at

00:14the pleasure of the city council. Our

00:17charge is to promote and endorse

00:19programs and policies to support,

00:21maintain, and grow our urban schools,

00:24increase public education, and establish

00:26incentives to encourage a healthy, safe,

00:30and attractive natural environment for

00:32the city of Wilmington.

00:35At this moment, I'd like to introduce

00:37staff,

00:39um, asset and property management staff,

00:42uh, Sally Pin.

00:45Uh, Ben.

00:51>> Okay. Aaron Reese.

00:54Uh,

00:56Bina Ricardo

01:01here.

01:02>> Sorry.

01:04Um, planning and development staff Linda

01:06Painter,

01:09Brian Chambers,

01:12Travis Henley,

01:14and Haley Hopkins.

01:18And I would like to have each

01:19commissioner introduce themselves. So,

01:21we'll start in the room and then we'll u

01:24go around and uh um

01:28have all the commissioners um introduce

01:30themselves. So, I'll start. Uh Tom

01:32Bolan,

01:33>> I am the chair of the Wilmington Trade

01:36Commission and uh again, welcome

01:38everyone here.

01:40Singleton,

01:45>> Ben Rigby.

01:47>> Thank

01:49Bridget Callahan.

01:51>> Thank you, Bridget.

01:58>> Luna,

02:00>> Kathy, thank you. Thank you, Rhonda.

02:05Robin

02:09>> Robin Morgan.

02:11>> Thank you. And

02:14>> if you could

02:18and uh

02:21so yes. So thank you uh all for joining

02:23us. Um

02:25and [clears throat] I um and then if we

02:28have any other from the public I will

02:31introduce ourselves and see there's one

02:34person here on or

02:37two people who have just joined us. So

02:40um

02:41Joshua you want to introduce yourself?

02:44>> Hey good morning everybody. Joshua

02:46Shields here. Thank you, Joshua, for

02:49joining. And Ben, I see you. Uh,

02:55Ben, I see you're here, too.

02:58>> Yeah, good morning. I'm just here to

03:00listen.

03:01>> Thanks, Ben.

03:04All right. Uh, next steps. [snorts] Uh,

03:07we'd like to have [clears throat]

03:09approval of the minutes from the regular

03:12meeting on August 26.

03:15Um, do I have a motion to approve the

03:17minutes? I would like to um

03:20>> Well, let's let's have a

03:21>> Okay. Can we have a motion first and

03:22then we can have questions or

03:25>> Okay.

03:25>> Yeah.

03:26>> I have a motion to approve the minutes.

03:28>> I put a motion through to approve the

03:30minutes from last meeting.

03:32>> All right. Susie made the motion. You

03:33want to second it, Bridget?

03:35>> Yes, I'll second it.

03:36>> Okay. Now, do you have discussion?

03:39>> Yes. I would like to see the change from

03:42commission from special meeting to

03:44regular meeting.

03:50Got it. Got it. Thank you.

03:54>> Yes. And what Terry is talking about is

03:58up top says Wington Tree Commission

04:00special meeting. Should say Wington Tree

04:02Commission meeting.

04:04So, thank you.

04:08All right.

04:11So, we have a um

04:15a motion to change that. Uh do I have a

04:20anybody who wants to second that motion?

04:24>> Second.

04:25>> Second it.

04:26>> Okay.

04:28All right. We'll have uh Kathy second

04:30it. Uh any discussion?

04:34Any other changes that you'd like to

04:37see?

04:40All right.

04:42All in favor with the change

04:44[clears throat]

04:46I

04:48>> I

04:49>> I

04:50>> I

04:52>> Okay,

04:53motion passes. Well, anybody opposed?

04:57Sorry about that.

04:58>> Uh, look, Ben has a question.

05:00>> Okay, Ben, you have a question?

05:04>> No question.

05:05>> Okay.

05:07All right. He's [clears throat] saying I

05:08>> I gotcha.

05:11All right. Well, thank you all. Uh

05:13motion passes um with with that change.

05:19So the next item on the agenda is uh

05:22heritage tree awards. Um heritage tree

05:25awards were presented at city council on

05:28se September 1st. I want to thank all

05:30who were able to attend and all who

05:33weren't able to attend. Um, you know,

05:36we understand that other things can get

05:38in the way of of meeting. So, um,

05:43Sally, do you want to just recap the

05:45presentation?

05:47>> Uh, I c I can.

05:49>> Okay.

05:51>> Um, I don't have the presentation up

05:54here.

05:56Um but basically you went over the four

05:58trees that were nominated and

06:00>> city council and the um participants

06:03were there to be presented their

06:05certificates.

06:06>> Correct. Yeah.

06:09So yeah, I think three out of the four

06:12were there in attendance. So uh yeah, so

06:15we did have a good attendance. uh was

06:17well received by city council and

06:19[clears throat] um also um I did put out

06:24a request for the public to come and

06:29Heritage Street. So yes, we'd like to

06:32see uh that that out there and uh and

06:36seeing if we can move forward. We also

06:38have a we had one or two that

06:41[clears throat] came in since then.

06:44We've got one um the this one on um at

06:496716 Finineian Drive. Um I'll just give

06:53you some context. So here is Mason Brew

06:56Loop Road,

06:58Mason Sound Road. This is the property

07:01here.

07:02>> Okay.

07:03>> Um

07:05>> Oh yeah, we got that one.

07:06>> There's the tree. Have you measured it

07:08yet?

07:08>> Yes, we measured.

07:09>> Okay.

07:10>> There is another one. Aaron just sent

07:12sent another one in to me um just

07:15recently like a couple days ago.

07:16>> Yeah. Okay. We have not.

07:18>> Yeah.

07:19>> We'll have to schedule that one.

07:20>> So, we'll have to schedule there's

07:21another one that um

07:28so this is the the Finian drive tree.

07:30It's a laurel oak. Um there's some

07:33description here about it. And then I've

07:36got a couple of pictures.

07:39[snorts]

07:40somewhere.

07:42Excuse me.

07:48Okay, there. I was right there.

08:10So Tom, I don't know if you want to do

08:12any more discussion about or description

08:14on this tree and then the commission can

08:16consider

08:18voting on this.

08:19>> So yeah, I mean this tree uh I went and

08:22measured it with Robin and

08:24[clears throat]

08:25Rhonda.

08:27Yeah, I think I don't know what anybody

08:29else is there, but um in talking with

08:32the homeowner, they said that that uh

08:35tree there is um uh everybody in the

08:38community remarked on how beautiful the

08:40tree is. Uh

08:45they do light it up for Christmas. So

08:47it's, you know, I would say a tree

08:50that's not um looked upon u

08:55that they um really treasure the tree

08:58and really uh want to honor the tree and

09:01and that's why they uh came forward

09:04nominated as a heritage tree.

09:08[clears throat] Now we did take

09:10measurements,

09:12[laughter]

09:14>> but uh I didn't think I would say

09:22spreadsheet.

09:25>> Is it in here?

09:36Here

09:42it is. It's um Brentard

09:45in China.

09:53So it's 61 in

10:00>> circumference [laughter]

10:02>> circumference was 108 round spread was

10:0631

10:07uh point calculation was um

10:131369

10:15um and then minimum champion free was

10:19270.

10:22So yeah,

10:25so

10:29based upon the point calculation and

10:31tree points, it looks like it does

10:34qualify as a heritage heritage tree uh

10:37in that perspective, but it also qualify

10:40as a tree for community engagement that

10:44sort of thing. So with that that

10:51with saying that does anybody have any

10:52questions any comments?

11:03So all right. So anybody have a motion

11:05to approve this tree as a heritage tree?

11:16Susie, thank you.

11:19I move we should approve it.

11:22Second. Yeah.

11:26>> All right. Any other discussion?

11:29[clears throat]

11:30Any concern about it being Laura?

11:34>> Well, um, yeah. I mean, the Laurel Oaks

11:37do tend to, um,

11:40>> I'm so sorry. I don't care that it was a

11:42Laura. I'm so sorry.

11:44>> No problem. It is a laurel oak and made

11:46it through Florence. Made it through

11:47Florence. Uh they maintain the tree.

11:50They they maintain the tree. They have a

11:52tree service come out and maintain it on

11:54a regular basis. They do monitor it.

11:56That sort of thing. Um you know, I would

12:00say that yeah, uh more oaks tend to be

12:02shortlived versus live oaks. So, um, but

12:07yet at the same time, um, you know, it

12:10is a beautiful tree and, [clears throat]

12:12um,

12:14you know, I would say that

12:16>> they're having it reinvest.

12:18That's like a, you know, they're going

12:19to prevent a lot of the short.

12:22>> Yeah. They they have it trimmed and they

12:25they've trimmed it and they've taken it.

12:28>> Yeah. So my perspective is is um any

12:32tree we can get into the heritage tree

12:34that looks like something like this I

12:36would say yes. Um but yet you that's a

12:40good point but yet at the same time I

12:43think they're doing things to mitigate

12:45you know the potential but again

12:48[clears throat] mother nature is mother

12:49nature.

12:53Any other discussions? [clears throat]

13:00Any other comments?

13:02>> I I would guess that that that tree is

13:04caucus hemispherica, not caucus

13:06laoropolia.

13:08>> Thanks, Josh. [laughter]

13:13All right.

13:15I I didn't I didn't do a analysis of of

13:18the species, but thanks for for that

13:20information.

13:24So, and Josh, just just to uh

13:29thanks for the input there. Can you just

13:30uh add a little bit more detail about

13:32the difference?

13:34>> Yeah, they're two separate species.

13:36Caucus Laurifoglia would be the swamp

13:38laurel oak. Uh another common name would

13:41be a diamond oak. They have kind of a

13:43broader wider leaf that's in the shape

13:46of a diamond. Um the sand corkus

13:50hemispherica is a sand laurel oak. So

13:53the majority of the trees that folks are

13:55calling uh caucus laurafoglia like in

13:58Wilmington are actually caucus

14:00hemispherica.

14:03Now, do they have the same lifespans or

14:07>> uh Corgus hemispherica would be a little

14:09bit more shorter lived uh than

14:12laoropolia?

14:15>> So, are you saying this would be shorter

14:16lived than if it was a laurel?

14:19>> Yeah, but there's also specimens of

14:21hemispherica that are 200 years old. So,

14:25>> it's not just because they don't, you

14:27know, it's common for them to not live

14:29long in an urban environment. uh uh it

14:33doesn't mean that it it's not possible

14:34for them to be long lived uh you know

14:38not 500 years like a corkus uh you know

14:41Virginia live oak but uh it is possible

14:44for them to live hundreds of years

14:47>> okay thanks for that information

14:50>> is it from um like the Himalayas

14:55[clears throat]

14:56>> is it native to the Himalayas or native

14:59to here

15:01No, it it's native. It's native to here.

15:03They're both native to here. Uh they

15:05were both identified in the early 1800s

15:08as species uh as separate species. I

15:11believe Laurafogia was identified in

15:141800 and hemispherical was identified in

15:161805.

15:19>> Rhonda [cough and clears throat] has a

15:20question.

15:21>> Yes, Rhonda.

15:31Can you hear me?

15:33>> Yeah. Yes.

15:36>> Can you hear me now?

15:38>> Yes.

15:44Uh, she said that Bartlett called it a

15:46Laurel hook, but

15:51could be either. I mean, I haven't I

15:55don't have a leor close to that. not

15:58that good at my dendrology as uh some of

16:02the other experts.

16:04>> I have something just to add. I have a

16:07tree in my front yard that's

16:11up until months ago looked like that and

16:15in a month's time I kid you not has

16:19died.

16:20>> It started with one one limb and it's

16:24completely

16:25poultry is dead now. [clears throat]

16:28One month

16:30and I mentioned to Aaron that Bartlett

16:33told me it's um ambrosia beetles.

16:36>> Yeah, it's very bad. It'll take a treat

16:39that

16:40>> a month.

16:40>> Yeah,

16:41>> that big.

16:42>> The um I had a client that had a sweet

16:46magnolia that was probably 20 ft tall.

16:50I

16:53once once every month and a half she

16:56called I'd gone there with looked great.

16:59Yeah.

17:00>> She called me a few weeks later and was

17:02like I mean it was so

17:06but what about this? So I already

17:09motioned it. Did we get a second?

17:11>> Yes, we got a second. Yes. So, so all in

17:14favor of approving this as a heritage

17:16street.

17:18>> I

17:21>> I

17:21>> I

17:26All right. Anybody opposed?

17:29Don't be afraid to oppose. Everybody has

17:31their own opinions.

17:34So, all right.

17:36So, motion passes and we'll submit this

17:39to the Heritage Dream for uh recognition

17:44uh next time

17:46uh next September. So, yes. Well, thank

17:49you all for for helping out here and I

17:52appreciate the conversation. Definitely

17:54uh I thought it was very

17:59very informative.

18:02All right.

18:03Um we did get another application in um

18:07from uh for another heritage tree. So

18:10we'll set up a meeting to go and um

18:14measure it. Uh the heritage located on

18:21Henry H. Waters Drive in

18:26>> Pine Valley

18:28>> Henry H Wine

18:31Valley.

18:32>> Okay. Thank you.

18:35All right.

18:38And it's a southern Florida

18:44that it's

18:46I've been told the tree is 280 to 300

18:49years old. The cut up the spread covers

18:52most of the backyard.

18:54So

18:56Oh, yes. So we'll go ahead and schedule

18:58a time where uh people can go and help

19:01nurture the tree.

19:03Um and um would love to have people

19:06there. [clears throat]

19:08We'll take it from there.

19:10Other than that, um anything else on

19:13Heritage Tree?

19:18We'll go to staff updates. No, not staff

19:20updates. Sorry, strategic planations.

19:24I got ahead of myself. Um

19:29so the first one is community education

19:31to the public. I would say that um

19:35you know some of the things we're trying

19:37to do is uh be visible um you know one

19:41for one was Bridget is how is the nature

19:45of festival presentation?

19:48Yeah, that was good. Um, it was very

19:51quick. You know, it was just a room full

19:53of people trying to be like, "Hey,

19:55here's the tree commission here. It

19:56exists." Uh, and really encouraging

19:59people to listen to the meetings and to

20:02participate and be aware of it. Um, and

20:05you know, it brought up a good point,

20:07which is that we haven't, you know, on

20:10your the presentation, the Ali

20:11presentation you gave me, we talk about

20:13the heritage awards, but we also talk

20:14about those business awards. Do we still

20:16give those out because we haven't done

20:17one of those in a really long time,

20:19right?

20:20>> Correct. Correct. Yeah.

20:21>> Yeah. So,

20:23>> but they're still available, right?

20:24Because I was encouraging the room to

20:26like I really think that we need to

20:27maybe try and find a candidate for that

20:29if we want to

20:31get a little bit more out in the

20:33community. It's nice that we're getting

20:35Heritage Tree CL, you know, Heritage

20:37Tree nominations. I'm h very happy about

20:39that. But um but also yeah I think we

20:42should kind of focus [clears throat]

20:43this next year on like who are there

20:45businesses that we could nominate for

20:47that. So but otherwise a great event.

20:51>> Oh good good.

20:53>> Yeah I mean we haven't done the uh

20:55business awards in a while. So we

20:57probably should take a look at the uh

21:00the process again on that and or the

21:02qualifications on that again so that we

21:05can just make sure that

21:07>> you know as some of the changes that

21:09have occurred over the years we might

21:12want to incorporate some of those

21:13changes. So

21:14>> I just I also think like with all the

21:16focus on sledge forest and other things

21:18like that like I think it would be a

21:20good

21:21>> chance to

21:23um identify businesses and developers

21:25that are doing the right work right like

21:27this is a actually a really good time in

21:29the discourse to be coming forward

21:31saying look at these guys who are doing

21:32it right so yeah

21:36>> uh yes so Rhonda your question about

21:38right beach brewery yes I think we have

21:41honored their tree I think it's on

21:45the uh heritage tree list. I'll double

21:48check, but

21:50>> I think it would be a really good thing

21:52because what I see in commercial

21:55landscaping,

21:58you know, it's a pretty big impact and

22:00if we could somehow encourage commercial

22:04landscapers to not put an open

22:07and maybe do something a little bit more

22:10interesting.

22:11Um, I think that that would, you know,

22:14because I think we have a huge

22:17kind of opportunity there with

22:19commercial property that we're not

22:22really addressing.

22:23>> Yeah.

22:24Yeah. No, I I agree with you.

22:27>> Developers that are doing things,

22:30>> right?

22:33>> Correctly.

22:34>> There's not much.

22:35>> Yes. [clears throat]

22:36>> I mean,

22:38>> I mean, any any type of honor is a good

22:40honor. and u you know recognition and

22:42that sort of thing if we could you know

22:44publicize it it's free publicity for

22:46them so

22:47>> it's free publicity for them and help do

22:49they look

22:50>> that's right yep so yeah so I I I agree

22:54I think any anything we can do

22:57>> one other thing that

23:01>> one other thing that came up is uh

23:02somebody I can't remember who it was but

23:05um somebody mentioned that one of the

23:06heritage trees had on on the previous

23:10list had been taken down and so it sort

23:12of reiterated our need to do an audit um

23:16again because they you know we really

23:17need to get that updated if they if they

23:19have been come down or they've been

23:20damaged or anything. So

23:23>> yeah. Oh definitely. And I'm sorry I

23:26[clears throat] I've had a lot going on,

23:28but I did download the list and uh the

23:32list is

23:34[clears throat] like I mentioned in the

23:35last meeting, the list is um you know,

23:37for example,

23:39the one was 38 trees within the uh

23:44campus of UNCW.

23:46>> Yeah. And that was one

23:49>> that was one.

23:51And uh so then

23:53>> Oh, I know. But the thing is they didn't

23:56identify which trees.

23:58>> Oh, yeah.

23:58>> Oh, yeah. [laughter]

24:03on her point about one of the trees

24:05being taken down. I think that is there

24:08anything that we can kind of

24:11encourage or work with because I use I

24:14use I recommend Bartlett treating most

24:16of my clients because they're just

24:18they're into tree preservation. They

24:20don't really they're not just into well

24:22it's got a little something that's

24:24cutting it down. Is there any kind of a

24:27some type of a partnership that we could

24:31somehow recommend these heritage trees

24:35have like an annual or bianual

24:39inspection by Bartlett tree to

24:44do some preventative you know I'm not

24:48I'm not saying

24:50we're going to pay Bartlett tree I'm

24:52saying it would be a great opportunity

24:55for Bartlett if we could, you know,

25:00recommend them or something. I I don't

25:02know. I'm just trying to like I think

25:05the thing about trees and big trees is

25:08it's

25:10if they're not properly maintained,

25:12they're, you know, they can get a fungus

25:14that you can fix. You could, you know, a

25:16lot of preventative care to kind of

25:19save.

25:22[clears throat]

25:22>> Very good point. I mean, we like we only

25:26have on heritage trees. We just

25:29recognize we don't have a plan to try to

25:32um maintain them or well we let's put it

25:37this way we we don't we can't maintain

25:39them because they're either on private

25:41property [clears throat]

25:42>> but if they're on public property then

25:44we could work with um Aaron

25:47[clears throat]

25:48and his team to make sure that they

25:51understand it's a heritage tree which

25:52they already know and [clears throat]

25:54see

25:59I think [laughter] you are already right

26:02over

26:03>> Yeah. I mean any tree that's on public

26:06city own property gets maintained same

26:08as the rest of the group. Yeah.

26:11>> Yeah.

26:11>> Yeah. So

26:12>> I just know that you're kind of it's

26:14it's a lot for

26:16I know your department is

26:18>> Yeah. The other thing is is that's just

26:20within the city of Ling County doesn't

26:23have a tree.

26:26So Um yeah, the building would just need

26:30to and then the ones on private

26:32property, it's up to the owner to

26:34actually

26:35>> Yeah.

26:35>> But if we could uh provide um say

26:38guidance to say hey maintenance is very

26:41important, you know, if you're

26:43recognized from this tree, but if they

26:45sell a property, then they don't know

26:49what you know, the new owner might not

26:51know be aware that's their street,

26:53>> right? But that's a selling point.

26:55>> Yeah. Yes, it is a but no Susie to your

26:59point yeah maybe that's something

27:02you know providing a little more support

27:06>> and I was thinking just private property

27:08I wasn't talking about

27:10>> yep

27:11>> recommending

27:12cityulation

27:15about city staff we are not allowed to

27:17recommend any one company over another

27:20commission as well so you can recommend

27:22maintenance practices properly practice

27:25be able to recommend he covered.

27:27>> Okay.

27:32>> But we could but you know we could say

27:35there's we don't have a list of

27:38>> if we got a if if we have a list of

27:42companies. We're not recommending one.

27:45[clears throat]

27:46>> Oh, you are?

27:47>> Yeah.

27:47>> Okay.

27:48>> Yeah, we can have a list.

27:49>> Well, I don't know how we're going to do

27:50that now.

27:51>> Yeah.

27:53to promote proper maintenance.

27:55>> Yeah,

27:58>> contact your favorite local arborist.

28:01[laughter]

28:01>> Okay,

28:02>> that's what we could say or or go to the

28:07uh um you know the arburitum and have

28:12have the uh people at the arburitum

28:14provide guidance on how to maintain.

28:17>> That's also a great option. Yeah.

28:20>> Maybe that's something that we can

28:21include on the award heritage tree and

28:24make it happen.

28:25>> Yeah. Yep.

28:28>> All right.

28:29>> So, I'd like to mention going back to

28:31the list of heritage trees.

28:33>> Yep.

28:33>> Because I had looked without lists I

28:35think a month or so ago and there's

28:38several in my neighborhood

28:40um and actually

28:43very convenient to me. Mhm.

28:46>> So, one thing we could do is we could

28:48all look at that list and maybe make our

28:51own list

28:52>> and submit what we are able to go and

28:56move it along. You don't have the whole

29:00>> we could upload it into a Google

29:02spreadsheet.

29:03>> So,

29:04>> and so yeah,

29:05>> just

29:08like the ones they can

29:09>> So, what I'll do is I'll send out the

29:11spreadsheet to everybody. So, and

29:13everybody can then choose which ones

29:15they want to measure or if they don't

29:17have the time to measure it, just we

29:20understand that. But yeah,

29:22>> but are we measuring them or are we just

29:24putting eyes on them to make sure that

29:26they're still there? And

29:28>> good point. We're not measuring them.

29:30We're putting eyes on them to make sure

29:32that they're still there. So, [laughter]

29:36>> my list got really small.

29:39No, we're just trying to put eyes.

29:41>> I don't live in that neighborhood.

29:44>> Yes,

29:49>> there's a note here.

29:50>> All right, Ben, thank you for that.

29:52Trees are good.com. Right. Thank you.

30:00No, good discussion on um on heritage

30:03trees and then community education

30:05because yeah, heritage trees, community

30:07education, I think that also goes hand

30:09in hand. So, I have two comments. Number

30:11one, the city of the heritage trees are

30:14in a document in the shared drive if

30:17that could be converted to a spreadsheet

30:19or whatever, there could be a column

30:20added with which commission member is

30:23taking that on as a steward or are just

30:27to to verify. I think that would be an

30:30efficient way

30:31>> so we can just get it done.

30:33>> Yeah, I I have it as a spreadsheet. I

30:35have it as a spreadsheet right now. So,

30:38I'll downloaded it. So, I'll work on I

30:40like having things in the one

30:43>> shared drive. That's very efficient.

30:45>> So, it's already in the shared drive

30:47>> as a document. It's not a spreadsheet

30:50>> under heritage trees file. And then

30:53second comment is there is a group

30:55called Wilmington Newcomers Club that

30:57has a meeting monthly. It's the second

31:00Thursday of every month. And to me that

31:03would be the ideal way to check one box

31:06off on our community education.

31:08>> May I reach out to them and suggest that

31:10we get on their program to be a speaker?

31:12>> Yes, please.

31:18>> And by the way, Bridget did a wonderful

31:20job.

31:21Oh, great. Yeah, she had to leave. So,

31:25>> good. Good.

31:28Yeah. Sorry, I couldn't make it.

31:30Um, all right. So, that's strategic plan

31:34update A B tree ordinance and

31:37enforcement.

31:38Um

31:41so here is um the one that we have

31:44developed a

31:46uh committee and um so

31:54do you want to Robin do you want to uh

31:57have a report here?

32:02Um so as far as the last meeting went,

32:07we established

32:10[clears throat]

32:11uh chair and a

32:15approved a schedule. I think we even

32:18talked about adjusting the schedule for

32:21a different timeline.

32:24Um

32:26>> and

32:29that's it so far.

32:34All right. [clears throat]

32:35So, yeah, we also had a

32:38uh meeting um on

32:42the 9th of September where we just had a

32:45few of the committee members. We didn't

32:48have a forum. So, um yeah. So,

32:51therefore, we weren't able to conduct

32:54the whole meeting. Um and the city had a

32:57a presentation that they were going to

32:59do, but uh the presentation will be done

33:02um at the committee meeting uh later

33:05today. So

33:06>> that's right.

33:07>> Yep. All right.

33:10Um

33:12>> I have one can I add one more thing if

33:14you don't mind? Um so I just wanted to

33:17let you know that um we're going to be

33:20discussing in the committee meeting the

33:22size of the committee the number of

33:24members um in order to assist with us

33:27getting to quarum. So I just wanted to

33:29make the commission aware of that. Um

33:32and then the other thing that we

33:33suggested um to aid the committee in

33:36their work is to

33:40move the committee meeting

33:43to before this meeting. So the committee

33:46could meet and then make a

33:48recommendation on the same day to the

33:50tree commission. So the proposal

33:54from staff is for the committee to meet

33:57before the regular commission meeting

33:59starting in October to allow any

34:01recommendations to be brought

34:02immediately to the full commission for

34:04consideration and any change to the

34:07commission schedule needs to be voted

34:09on. So the proposed schedule would be

34:11for the committee to meet from 9:30 to

34:1410:30 and then for the commission to

34:16meet from 10:30 until 12. So basically

34:20swi switching the regular meeting and

34:22the committee meeting times.

34:24>> Okay.

34:26Um

34:28>> uh the committee side I think the

34:29commission actually has to vote to

34:31reduce the committee size because they

34:32established the committee. I don't think

34:35the committee votes to reduce itself if

34:37that makes sense.

34:38>> It does.

34:40[laughter]

34:41>> Maybe that's why I had it on the agenda.

34:43>> It was on the agenda. I was

34:44[clears throat] like me.

34:47>> Yes. So,

34:50um, do I have a motion to,

34:53uh, reduce the committee size from the

34:56current size to, you said three to five

35:00members?

35:00>> Yes, sir.

35:01>> Three to five members.

35:04>> Perry makes the motion. Lloyd second the

35:07motion.

35:09Uh,

35:09>> second the motion.

35:11>> Oh, thank you, Kathy.

35:14I feel like I missed something

35:15important. What's the committee?

35:18[clears throat]

35:19>> Yes. So, the committee is um looking at

35:25um is reviewing the tree ordinances

35:28within the city of Wilmington. So, as as

35:31the uh so the Wilmington Tree Commission

35:34set up a committee to work with the city

35:38on uh reviewing the tree ordinances and

35:41providing

35:42um recommendations on um changes to the

35:47um ordinances around trees and to um

35:53engage the public, engage um

35:56stakeholders um and then also um seeing

36:01if we could

36:04look at best practices out outside the

36:08other cities and that sort of thing and

36:11um and then see what we can do to bring

36:13that in to live in the city of

36:15Wilmington to uh make potentially make

36:18changes to the tree ordinances to um uh

36:22look at what the current day um

36:25opportunities are. Is that correct?

36:29Thank you.

36:31Um, so all right, Rhonda. Um,

36:40so the other thing that I I agree with

36:43Rhonda is that if if we do change the um

36:48commission meeting

36:51um we might lose people because of

36:55they've already planned as a commission

36:57meeting at this time. and that committee

36:59meeting is a less number of people. So,

37:04um I know that right now, you know, we

37:07do have people who are working and have

37:11a variety of things going on and I think

37:14they've planned, you know,

37:16[clears throat] couple hours in the

37:18morning and then that was it. So, that's

37:21the only problem with changing around

37:24the time. So all we're doing is

37:26switching the committee from after this

37:30meeting to before this meeting.

37:33>> Correct.

37:33>> So if you're on the committee, you would

37:36have already blocked off that time.

37:39>> Correct. But

37:40>> oh, but if you're on the

37:42>> if you're not on a committee, you

37:44haven't blocked off that time. And so

37:47you know, like we have here

37:50we've had a few people who had to drop

37:52off because of commitments. So yeah.

37:56>> So when you're on the commission, uh

37:59you're not required to attend the full

38:01meeting or

38:02>> you are required to attend the meeting.

38:05As far as a full meeting, I'm not sure

38:07about that. Maybe

38:10uh we haven't put that in our Bibles.

38:14>> Well, I mean because we're supposed to

38:15vote on this, right?

38:18>> So as long as you have quorum.

38:20>> As long as we have a quorum. Yeah. And

38:22we did. We still have a quorum. right

38:24now. So, yeah,

38:27>> it makes more sense for the committee to

38:29meet early so you can keep it moving

38:31along. Really?

38:33>> I agree.

38:35>> We've already missed one meeting.

38:37>> Yes, we already missed one meeting.

38:40>> What alternative would be to have the

38:41committee start to keep your meetings at

38:439:30 and have the committee start

38:45earlier?

38:49at 8:30.

38:50>> 8 or 8:30.

39:03>> Yeah. I mean, that's the other thing.

39:10>> So, what's the solution?

39:13Well, at the moment you have a motion on

39:16the table with a second to reduce the

39:18committee me committee size from three

39:20to five.

39:21>> Yeah. All right. Well, let's vote on

39:24that motion

39:26from five to three.

39:27>> No, we're reducing it from e three to

39:30five members from our current membership

39:32which is a

39:34>> so yeah. So yeah. So, um, is there any

39:38discussion about changing the u

39:45the committee meeting size?

39:47>> Is there any any discussion about that?

39:52>> I think it's a good idea.

39:53>> Yeah.

39:53>> Okay. Thank you, too.

39:55>> Okay.

39:56>> We've already had a few people

39:57volunteer.

39:58>> Yes. No. And I've already agreed to step

40:00down.

40:02>> Okay. All right.

40:05Okay. Thanks, Ben.

40:07Um all right. So with that um

40:14all in favor

40:17>> I

40:18>> I

40:19>> Anybody opposed?

40:22Okay. So moved.

40:25All right. So the question then becomes

40:28when do we decide who the three to five

40:29members

40:31[clears throat] at the other meeting or

40:33>> so there were eight members and three

40:34have stepped down according to emails

40:36that I saw.

40:37>> Okay.

40:38>> So we're at five.

40:39>> Gotcha. Okay. [snorts]

40:42All right. So um so that's so we've

40:46reduced it to five.

40:48Uh now now let's go forward with whether

40:52or not we should change the timing of

40:54the meeting. [clears throat]

40:58Now, do we have to have a motion to do

40:59that?

41:00>> Yes, sir.

41:04>> Well, I move that the committee meeting

41:08be changed to prior to this Wilmington

41:12Tree Commission meeting regardless of

41:15the time. I mean, to me, if we need to

41:17meet at 8:30

41:19>> and keep your tree commission meeting at

41:219:30, that's okay. But I think the idea

41:23that any decision from this subcommittee

41:27be voted on

41:29would be very efficient

41:31>> per month. It's like we're going to be

41:34you know

41:35>> correct. So uh so the five people who

41:40are part of the

41:44ongoing committee

41:47who are they

41:50>> um

41:51>> Susie

41:52>> Susie

41:54>> you

41:55>> Robin

41:55>> Robin and I think that's it because I

41:58think Jean is going to step down as

42:00well.

42:02>> Good. Can I just mention this like it

42:05could even be on another day, you know,

42:08if we if we just

42:11it just needs to happen before. So if if

42:15if people say like I can't get here at

42:188:30. I mean like me.

42:20>> Um but I'm just saying like it could be

42:22another day. It could be in the evening.

42:24It could be anytime. We could agree upon

42:28you know what's a what's a good time

42:30just as long as we're meeting. And since

42:32we have less people, it's less.

42:35>> Couldn't you all meet by Zoom?

42:39>> I mean, yeah.

42:42>> Would Or does everybody have to be

42:44involved?

42:48>> I mean, major corporations need to make

42:51huge decisions over Zoom. So maybe the

42:53one that is

42:55>> in maybe the one that is not the day of

42:58you know the you know how we're having

43:00an extra meeting.

43:02>> Yeah.

43:03>> But that will just be like dedicated

43:05like a Zoom meeting.

43:07>> Mhm.

43:08>> And then

43:11the other meeting just be the you know

43:14this is on Wednesday.

43:17It could be the week prior on the

43:19Thursday and our Friday. It could be on

43:22Monday or Tuesday.

43:24It doesn't have to be the same day.

43:27>> Correct.

43:28>> I think we're just trying to make it

43:29more convenient for members that are

43:31already here to attend the commission

43:34meeting. Um, so if you want to keep

43:38things as they are or continue to meet

43:40after that, that's also an option. Then

43:42I think adding another day might

43:44>> I would recommend we let the five people

43:46that are remaining on the committee help

43:47decide that.

43:48>> Correct.

43:49>> Yeah.

43:50>> So the committee is

43:54Susie

43:56>> Robin.

43:57>> Robin

44:00now Bridget isn't part of it. Rhonda

44:04Rhonda you did you want to join the

44:06committee?

44:08>> We have five people.

44:10>> Who's the fifth one? It was Jean.

44:13>> I had Boyd, Robin, Terry, and Susie.

44:17>> I'm out. I dropped.

44:19>> Oh, you did?

44:29>> No, we have room for one more. Um, but

44:33we're within the 3 to five.

44:34>> But we're within the 3 to five. But the

44:37problem is if we have a tie vote, who

44:40breaks the tie? He's pretty much

44:43[laughter]

44:53Josh. Josh, um,

44:57see

44:58you're not on a commission, so you can't

45:00can't be a part of the um

45:03>> you can you can be a uh

45:07>> you can be a subject matter expert when

45:10we reach out to you when we reach out.

45:12>> Sounds good. Let me know.

45:14>> Y

45:16said

45:19>> I can do it if I need a if you need a

45:21person. So Rhonda, do you I mean you

45:24don't have to do it. I'm just saying

45:26that if you want to do it, yes. If you

45:28don't, that's fine

45:31since you didn't since you weren't here

45:34on the last meeting. [laughter]

45:36>> Sure. Sure. What? Sure that you don't or

45:39sure you do?

45:40>> Sure. [laughter]

45:43>> All right. So we have fun. So we have

45:48All right.

45:49Boom.

45:51Okay.

45:53So, here's what we'll do.

45:54>> So, we don't have to decide on meeting

45:56time because we're going to do that in

45:58our committee meetings. The five of us

46:00that are there will things out.

46:01>> That's right. But then it still needs to

46:02come back to the commission for the

46:04commission to vote to change their

46:06meeting times if it affects their

46:07meeting time.

46:11>> Do we have the five committee members

46:14here?

46:15>> Yes. Yes.

46:16>> Okay.

46:24I move that we change the three

46:27commission meeting time to start an hour

46:30after the

46:34committee. You have the committee 9:30

46:36and the commission meeting at 10:30.

46:41a second. Is that

46:46>> all right? Um

46:53discussion.

46:54We have discussion.

46:59It would be before

47:04the committee meeting would be the hour

47:079:30 to 10:30 and then the commission

47:09meeting starts at 10:30. All

47:17right, [clears throat]

47:23>> Ben, do you have any comment on that?

47:29>> Um, well, I know there was some

47:30discussion earlier. Um, I believe Rhonda

47:33had expressed some concern with the um

47:37with changing the commission meeting

47:39time. So, I just want to make sure that

47:40that it it works for everyone, but um

47:45you know, I'm flexible. I can be

47:48flexible either way. Okay. No, I since

47:51you're not part of the committee, I just

47:53wanted to get your input because Yeah.

47:56Um,

47:57so

48:01>> yeah, I think the only concern would be

48:03just making sure we didn't, you know, um

48:09somehow exclude uh commission members

48:11who who can't be that late.

48:14>> Right. Right.

48:16>> So,

48:18well, here here's what we'll do. We

48:20we'll vote on it today.

48:23And if it passes,

48:25great. If it doesn't pass, that's also

48:27great. But the obviously we if people

48:32are here available for the next meeting,

48:34then we can discuss it again. I mean,

48:36let's let's move forward with this and

48:38uh we'll go. So,

48:41um, the motion is that the committee

48:45meeting starts at 9:30 on the fourth

48:49Wednesday of the month,

48:52um,

48:54prior to the commission meeting and

48:58which will change to starting at 10:30.

49:02So, all in favor of that,

49:06I would like to have a vote.

49:08I I

49:11um Ben

49:16I'll abstain

49:17>> abstain. Okay. Um Robin

49:23>> hi.

49:24>> Hi. Okay. Rhonda nay.

49:28So Rhonda's name. So

49:32we have four

49:35five. We have five yeses and one nay and

49:39one abstension.

49:42So with that

49:50>> pass.

49:55Okay.

49:59All right.

50:03Okay.

50:05Next region.

50:14>> So Tom, at the bottom of the page, um

50:18there's just a note here that the

50:20committee will be discussing the subject

50:23matter expert session that's proposed

50:26for October 14th.

50:28>> Yep.

50:29>> From 10 to 12 at the Skyline Center.

50:32>> Okay. So, we wanted to make the

50:35commission aware.

50:37>> 14.

50:39>> All right, Josh. On uh we're planning to

50:42propose to have subject matter expert uh

50:46session on uh October 14th. So, just to

50:50let you know,

50:54>> but we're not discussing

50:56we're not discussing the people with the

50:58people that I sent to now the committee.

51:01Correct. Yeah. Yeah.

51:04>> Did you say that was from 10 to 12 on

51:06the 14th?

51:07>> Correct. Yes.

51:09>> To help.

51:10>> That's when our proposal,

51:12>> right? But I think Senator,

51:16>> right,

51:16>> we'll discuss we'll discuss who in the

51:19committee. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, you'll

51:20have definitely want your input on that.

51:22>> You have to vote on this or not?

51:23>> No, sir.

51:24>> Okay. All right. We discuss it at the um

51:28at the committee meeting that after this

51:30meeting.

51:32All right. Next on

51:36>> just a quick question. Would it be

51:38appropriate for non-committee members uh

51:41to attend that just to just to learn?

51:45>> It's open to the public. Yes.

51:47>> Okay.

51:48>> So, yeah, non-committee members, we're

51:50be more than happy to have you. uh you

51:53know I think it'd be a very beneficial

51:55andformational

51:58>> great

52:00okay

52:03so um also on the agenda here it says

52:08discussion on subject matter expert

52:10meeting attendee you we're going to do

52:12that in the commission

52:13>> in the committee meeting

52:14>> committee all right um so partnership

52:18and collaboration

52:20it says uh I we create a spreadsheet and

52:23scorecard with statistics regarding

52:25number. I know Rhonda had been uh

52:27managing this and it's on the Google

52:29drive. So what we what we're uh

52:32encouraging all of the um commission

52:37members is to log uh whenever they're

52:42volunteering or participating in any

52:44events that are Wilmington tree related

52:48or tree related as as an example uh

52:52supporting the alliance gave fair trees

52:54on any tree plantings or um or tree

52:58giveaways or whatever So yeah, we'd like

53:01to just um be able to um chart that and

53:06just maintain a list so that uh we can

53:10show that we're engaged with the

53:12community.

53:13>> What's the date from when to when

53:16>> it's ongoing?

53:17>> I mean, but we did it before, right? So

53:20when when was the start date for this

53:22year?

53:24>> Um January 1st.

53:26>> It is. Okay. So it goes Okay.

53:28>> Yeah. Well, actually, we I mean,

53:31technically, [clears throat] it would go

53:33it would go the uh um

53:37the city calendar year, so to speak,

53:40because because we report that in our

53:43report to

53:44>> and that's June.

53:46>> Yeah,

53:47>> that's correct. And so, this is your

53:48work plan that the commission adopted,

53:51which we was adopted in 2025. So, you're

53:54kind of a year in now. Um,

53:56>> so June to June,

53:58>> but it was adopted for two fiscal years.

54:01FY25 to FY27.

54:03>> Okay.

54:04>> Say that one more time. I'm sorry.

54:06>> Your last strategic plan that you guys

54:07adopted was for two fiscal years. So you

54:10have another year. You're one year in.

54:12>> Okay.

54:14>> Yep.

54:17Right. Um, any other questions about

54:20partnership and collaboration?

54:24Um, now we're on to staff reports.

54:28Turn it over to Sally.

54:30>> Thank you. Just a quick reminder that um

54:34any significant tree work, tree uh

54:36routine tree maintenance that's

54:38occurring is being posted on the

54:40website. So if you look up tree

54:42maintenance on our website, anything

54:44that involves um traffic control or will

54:48impact roadway um is being posted there.

54:52So, it's just a great resource for the

54:55commission to have at their fingertips

54:57if they're wondering what's coming up

54:59for our um in-house crews. That's all

55:02I've got.

55:03>> Now, is there any publicity sent out

55:05about this on, you know, I know how the

55:09city sends out

55:11um sort of saying here's what we're

55:13doing. But, I mean, maybe once a month

55:16we can just say, "Hey, here's a reminder

55:17that you know any tree work is done is

55:20here's maintenance schedule." that sort

55:22of thing.

55:22>> Um, so we just we we meet with

55:24communications regularly and they're

55:26using all of their channels. So, um, I

55:29think that there's multiple ways people

55:30are going to be getting it. And then if

55:32it's impacting your specific street or

55:35your neighborhood, they use Next Door.

55:37We're posting physical signs um, in the

55:41rightway where trees are going to be

55:42worked on.

55:43>> Um, so we're we're trying all of the

55:46avenues to notify the public when that

55:48sort of work is happening. Yeah, I saw a

55:50tree removal just right out here in the

55:51parking lot.

55:54[laughter]

55:58>> You know, nature changes.

55:59>> Oh, I know. I know. I know. What I'm

56:01just saying is that Yeah, we we have a

56:04we have a place where we need to plant a

56:05tree.

56:06>> Oh, [laughter]

56:10[clears throat]

56:10>> yeah.

56:10>> I don't see the link you're talking

56:12about.

56:14>> We're the street tree maintenance

56:16>> services.

56:18It says it

56:21>> there's only urban forestry master plan

56:24and urban greenhouse.

56:31>> Should be able to just pop street

56:33maintenance in here.

56:34>> And then if you look down on the side

56:37here,

56:38um

56:41there's a nice plug for the alliance

56:43volunteer to help plant trees. And then

56:46a schedule of upcoming work. So we have

56:49some work going on near MP Park.

56:56>> It's it's just on the side.

56:58>> Take me to it again from

56:59>> about halfwaync.gov.

57:04I want to follow what you did.

57:12That's

57:13>> I just I just typed it in.

57:15>> Okay, we go this services.

57:17>> Okay,

57:18>> you'll see it's not there.

57:25>> Where am I looking?

57:28>> Oh, here.

57:29>> Yeah.

57:30>> Services.

57:37Oh, right here.

57:40>> Now, go back to services. That's weird.

57:42Let's go back to services and highlight

57:44your pointer on it.

57:45>> Okay,

57:46>> I'll highlight pointer on it.

57:49See, doesn't say tree maintenance until

57:53they get [clears throat]

57:55>> right. But

57:57there we go. There.

57:59>> Oh, okay. I see what you're saying.

58:04That's just the web thing.

58:06>> Okay. We'll fix it. Thank you. That's

58:08Yeah, we want it to be easy for you.

58:11for the public.

58:16[clears throat]

58:18>> So, it's not that difficult. Once you

58:21get there where you were, you can you

58:23can get them to move that square up just

58:26so that it's

58:28if they're trying to

58:31Gotcha.

58:33>> Okay, that's it for my report. Okay.

58:41>> Yeah.

58:43Communication stuffed communication

58:46protocols been going very well. Um

58:50road big project coming up starting next

58:53week.

58:55um in Sunset Park along Northern

58:57Boulevard.

59:02Um and then a lot of work down street.

59:06Um so we do have a community meeting

59:09tomorrow

59:11I believe.

59:13um their concerns so far just to cover

59:15and that's ask you know for anybody that

59:17has questions about our project

59:22the uh mulch give and mulch giveaway is

59:25not happening this month we had to put

59:27that up all the month we have a big

59:29in-house mulch project that we need all

59:31available mulch for it um hopefully get

59:34back started on that in October that'll

59:38be announced later but not do that so no

59:41mulch this

59:45Are you fully staffed? Is it now?

59:47>> Um

59:49staff. We are fully staffed and we are

59:51in the process of uh hiring the city.

1:00:04Okay.

1:00:06Sorry.

1:00:08Um,

1:00:10as far as equipment and that sort of

1:00:12thing, they

1:00:15put in budget for new equipment

1:00:18and stuff

1:00:20>> replacement.

1:00:25Anybody else have any questions over

1:00:27there?

1:00:33Right.

1:00:35[clears throat]

1:00:37Next time

1:00:40reports Haley.

1:00:42>> Oh,

1:00:44>> yeah. We've been trying to routinely

1:00:45update you all on board of adjustment

1:00:47cases that involve specimen trees.

1:00:49That's what you guys have requested. We

1:00:50don't currently have any applications

1:00:52for the October meeting.

1:00:55Okay.

1:00:57Now, as far as um I know

1:01:00um

1:01:02I know there was one about critical

1:01:04reasons recently. Was that or was that

1:01:07>> that was I believe in September.

1:01:10>> It wasn't.

1:01:12>> Okay. And is there any for October

1:01:18>> current agenda for October?

1:01:21>> Okay.

1:01:24So

1:01:29[clears throat] now to keep her

1:01:31landscape for trees.

1:01:34>> Um not a ton since the last our um uh

1:01:38events calendar for the coming planting

1:01:41season was kind of has been mostly set

1:01:44which is really exciting. Um, so I just

1:01:47encourage folks to check out our website

1:01:49um for plantings, for distributions. Um,

1:01:53Sally we're having that on the website

1:01:55today. Um, it looks like we've gotten

1:01:58big volunteers for all of our events.

1:02:01We're looking really good there. Um,

1:02:05uh, only I do have a small question

1:02:07which is when the grant funds will come

1:02:10through, but um, I am patient.

1:02:15We have to have a fresh new agreement.

1:02:18>> New agreement. Oh my god.

1:02:19>> To meet federal requirements.

1:02:22>> So, we've been working on that.

1:02:24>> Okay.

1:02:25>> Yes.

1:02:25>> Okay.

1:02:26>> It's a It's a good reminder.

1:02:29>> Me, too.

1:02:30>> Um Okay. So, anyway, that um we're

1:02:33waiting on that. Our big push is this

1:02:36Murrayville uh distribution, which is

1:02:38outside of the limits, I realize. Um,

1:02:41but in any case, uh, and I'm trying to

1:02:44think if there's anything else. We had a

1:02:45great stewardship day. Um, this past

1:02:48Saturday we had 33 volunteers come out

1:02:51to care for the trees that we planted in

1:02:53January. Um, so that was great. The

1:02:56trees got weeded. Um, we spread a little

1:02:59compost for extra juing. Uh, they got

1:03:03mulch from the city of mulch pile. Thank

1:03:06you so much. Um and um I will say beyond

1:03:10that I think uh we

1:03:13we came up with a sort of an idea that

1:03:16maybe um we'd be joining these

1:03:18stewardship days um led by our new tree

1:03:22stewardship technician. Um so trying to

1:03:25um provide even extra care to the trees

1:03:28that we planted in the last two or three

1:03:30years. So um just really cool that our

1:03:32capacity is growing. Evergreen Evening

1:03:35is on November 17th. The tickets are

1:03:37available now. So, I would love to see

1:03:39some of y'all there for our large

1:03:40fundraising event. Tree stewards, we

1:03:43have um it about 50 Tree Stewarts

1:03:46currently signed up for the course. Um

1:03:48so, we I think we're going to be packed

1:03:50at 60. Um which is really exciting news.

1:03:54So, and then we're also looking at

1:03:56putting together um more walking tours.

1:03:59So, I will keep y'all breast of those if

1:04:02they come available.

1:04:04But that's my very great report.

1:04:07>> Thank you, Isel.

1:04:10>> All right. Um,

1:04:14upcoming events.

1:04:16So, we did talk about

1:04:21uh the Native Plant Festival, which

1:04:23Bridget discussed, which is great. Uh,

1:04:26the Great North Carolina Tree

1:04:27Conference, uh, which is October 8th

1:04:30through 9th. I know that both Robin and

1:04:33Susie had interest in it and so did uh

1:04:38Rhonda

1:04:39u and what we've decided was to give

1:04:42Rhonda the chance because she's been on

1:04:44the committee on commission longer and

1:04:48that will uh in the future will give

1:04:50Susie and Robin the opportunity to go uh

1:04:53down the road. So

1:04:56yeah, so that's that's where we are

1:04:58right now. But Robin and Susia, thank

1:05:00you for your interest and I think it

1:05:02would be a great opportunity to see what

1:05:04the North Carolina Urban Forest Council

1:05:06is doing and how they can potentially

1:05:09provide help and support in this area.

1:05:12So,

1:05:12>> is is Rhonda on the um on the

1:05:18committee?

1:05:19>> Yes. her.

1:05:21>> Yeah, she's on the committee and she's

1:05:23on

1:05:23>> Yeah, that's great.

1:05:24>> She'll have

1:05:25>> Y,

1:05:27>> but you know, she'll have more

1:05:29information by the October, right?

1:05:31Meeting to

1:05:32>> Correct. Yep.

1:05:35>> for that committee. [clears throat]

1:05:36>> Mhm.

1:05:38All right. Uh, fire on the pines. So, we

1:05:40do have a table at Fire and Pines.

1:05:44Uh the thing is is we need we need

1:05:47someone to man the table

1:05:50or [snorts] to be at the table because

1:05:52I'm not going to be there have a

1:05:54wedding. So not my wedding night.

1:05:58[laughter]

1:06:00So [clears throat]

1:06:02but yeah

1:06:05>> the time is uh noon today

1:06:09>> 10 to 4

1:06:09>> 10 to 4 sometime.

1:06:12So, and what we've done in the past is

1:06:15um we've [clears throat]

1:06:18what we've done in the past is since

1:06:19there's a lot of children involved in

1:06:21farming pines is uh we've traced leaves.

1:06:25So, we've gotten leaves in the backyard

1:06:27and brought them to the uh brought them

1:06:31to Fire Pines and then we've had crayons

1:06:35and paper and then have the kids trace

1:06:38the leaves on the paper. I don't know if

1:06:40you've ever done that, but it's

1:06:42something that the kids really enjoy.

1:06:44So, because they see as you're tracing

1:06:46it the outline of the leaf along with

1:06:48the veins and the leaf and everything

1:06:50like that. Kids kids enjoyed it. So,

1:06:53that's what we had done in the past. Um,

1:06:56and then we've also talked to the public

1:06:58about the Wington Tree Commission and

1:07:02engaged in the public good, you know,

1:07:04whatever feedback they had. We had

1:07:06pamphlets about the Wilmington Tree

1:07:07Commission. Um and um so yeah, that was

1:07:12primarily what what was involved. And

1:07:16again, we can do it in shifts.

1:07:19Um the

1:07:22uh city has a canopy. Is that correct?

1:07:26We still have it.

1:07:29>> We know.

1:07:31>> Yeah. 10 to three. 10. 10 to three.

1:07:36>> Yes.

1:07:37and it's in Hallebert Park

1:07:41and you park off site and then they

1:07:43bring you

1:07:45bring you by van to the site.

1:07:51So

1:07:51>> that sounds great.

1:07:54>> Excuse me, Robin.

1:07:57>> I said that sounds great. I look forward

1:07:59to it.

1:08:00>> Oh, great. Good. All right.

1:08:03>> I won't be available this year for that.

1:08:05>> No problem. We appreciate that.

1:08:08>> But um but whoever goes early, you know,

1:08:12you can drive there and drop everything

1:08:14off.

1:08:15>> Correct. Yeah.

1:08:16>> So,

1:08:16>> yeah, you drive in, drop it off, and

1:08:19then you park at the at the church

1:08:22around the corner and then they take you

1:08:25by van.

1:08:28So, and then if people come in later,

1:08:31you park at the church and they'll van

1:08:33you back and forth

1:08:34>> at food line.

1:08:37Food Lion over there

1:08:40point Church where Food Lion is and

1:08:43>> Zach.

1:08:44>> Yep. So that area. So yeah. Um,

1:08:49so I'll I'll send out all the

1:08:50information,

1:08:52send out what we've done in the past and

1:08:54then uh would like to have if I could

1:08:57have someone lead this that would be

1:08:59fantastic and that way they can

1:09:01coordinate who who can be there and

1:09:05coordinate um interactions with the

1:09:07public and that sort of thing. So if

1:09:10anybody could stand up and take take the

1:09:13reigns on this, I'd greatly appreciate

1:09:15it. And uh yeah,

1:09:19anybody who volunteered?

1:09:21>> I'm already committed with another

1:09:23organization.

1:09:25>> Robin, you you can do that. Okay.

1:09:29Thank you.

1:09:31>> They'll be there.

1:09:35>> Okay. Rhonda will be there, but she

1:09:37can't be in charge. Yeah. Rhonda was

1:09:38there last year, so she pretty well

1:09:40knows what what's going on. So,

1:09:44and again, Robin, if you uh just I

1:09:48appreciate the help on Thanks, Ben.

1:09:54So, I'll send out all the information

1:09:55that I have and uh

1:10:00and they will

1:10:02fire in the pines will assign a location

1:10:05for our uh table. So, and we do have a

1:10:09table.

1:10:11>> Yeah. I'll just have to confirm that we

1:10:12won't be using it, but I would expect

1:10:14>> Okay.

1:10:15>> Are you going to be at fire in the pl

1:10:18>> uh we won't

1:10:19>> Okay, gotcha. Does anybody from the city

1:10:22be there besides

1:10:24I mean presenting

1:10:26>> as far as I know? Um we won't, but

1:10:29they'll be um

1:10:30>> Yeah, just

1:10:31>> folks on site. Yeah,

1:10:33>> local parks people make sure that you

1:10:34have what you need.

1:10:35>> Yeah. Okay. And last year, I believe it

1:10:38was um Tree Alliance, didn't you donate

1:10:42a banner for the Wington Tree

1:10:45Commission?

1:10:45>> No, no, we have No, they they had it.

1:10:47They had it.

1:10:48>> Oh, they had it.

1:10:51Seems like they were involved somehow.

1:10:53>> Yeah, we we had left um at the Earth Day

1:10:58and that Okay. that uh

1:11:01Longleaf Park. We had left left the

1:11:03banner there and that's when they gave

1:11:05it to us. So,

1:11:08>> do we have like

1:11:10>> words that we can put on the table that

1:11:14are like what is the Wilmington

1:11:16Commission?

1:11:18uh we don't we don't

1:11:19>> instead of you know if there's one or

1:11:22two people there and if there's a lot

1:11:23you know just like some type of a

1:11:27>> what what we've done in the past is

1:11:28we've had um we've had our our brochures

1:11:34um about Tree Commission so that they

1:11:37could and then we would engage people

1:11:39and talk to them with the brochure. We

1:11:42also had um our uh native tree lists um

1:11:46where we gave out handed out what our

1:11:49native tree lists are which were

1:11:50developed by the Wington Tree Commission

1:11:52in support from uh the um [snorts]

1:11:56extension and the arboritum. So uh and

1:12:00then we've also engaged the children

1:12:02with an activity of tracing tracing

1:12:05leaves. Um so yeah so that's that's what

1:12:08we've done in the past.

1:12:10If [clears throat] there's any changes

1:12:11you want to make, let us know and we can

1:12:15we can see what we can do to help to

1:12:17pull this together as far as if you

1:12:19wanted any, you know, poster boards or

1:12:21anything like that. So,

1:12:24>> I have to do it right.

1:12:27>> Okay. All right.

1:12:30So, yeah. So, that's Fire in the Pines

1:12:32Treefest

1:12:36that's coming in January. Um, so I know

1:12:40that there'll be more information later

1:12:42this month or next month or uh I know

1:12:46they're planning to have a meeting

1:12:50soon.

1:12:51>> So we'll be getting about 5,000 free

1:12:54signals to give away.

1:12:55>> Oh, great. So they were able to find

1:12:57them, huh?

1:12:59>> Lots of different places. [laughter]

1:13:02Yeah,

1:13:02>> because the forest service didn't have

1:13:04many. 5,000. Good.

1:13:08All right. Uh, next item on the agenda

1:13:10is um any additional um events of

1:13:14interest that we want to participate in.

1:13:18Um, please let us know and we can be

1:13:21part of that.

1:13:25I can um

1:13:28you said sometimes you set up tables at

1:13:30the alliance for

1:13:33or something at the uh alliance for

1:13:36clear tree giveaways.

1:13:38We we haven't we haven't really done

1:13:40that yet, but again, I know that the

1:13:44alliance works with other

1:13:46>> other people, but we can set up uh I

1:13:49mean, we'll have to ask

1:13:50>> if you if you have interest in setting

1:13:52up at our giveaway events. Um at least

1:13:55the ones that are in Wilmington. I would

1:13:57say maybe not the Murrayville one,

1:13:59certainly not Regalwood, um but uh we do

1:14:02have at least two giveaways planned for

1:14:05Wilmington this coming season. One of

1:14:07them will be on um February 13th. So, if

1:14:11you would like to come and uh celebrate

1:14:13Valentine's Day with us a little bit

1:14:15early, you are welcome. Um we like to

1:14:17dub that our soil mate giveaway. Uh and

1:14:20then um we're planning another one. Uh

1:14:23the date for that one is currently up in

1:14:25the air. We originally thought February

1:14:2620th, but it looks like our sponsor

1:14:29wants to do it within this calendar

1:14:30year. So those are both held at TC

1:14:33Berggo Preparatory Academy and there's

1:14:35plenty of room for a table there. if it

1:14:38was something like where someone from

1:14:41the commission commit sorry the from the

1:14:45commission could be there to maybe help

1:14:47people pick out what type of tree they

1:14:49want so that if they're in a you know

1:14:52they have a small you know just kind of

1:14:54sharing you know

1:14:56>> does that

1:14:57>> I know but I mean just to help them even

1:14:59more you know and share what we do

1:15:03>> tree commission we just

1:15:04>> I'll be there representing the alliance

1:15:06and tree commission

1:15:08Yeah. So others are welcome.

1:15:10>> Yeah. I I I volunteered to represent the

1:15:12alliance and so

1:15:15>> I mean it's something that you can also

1:15:17go and represent the tree commission is

1:15:21sign up to volunteer. Yep.

1:15:22>> Okay.

1:15:26>> I didn't really know that you guys did

1:15:27that.

1:15:28>> Yep.

1:15:29>> Yeah. I also help with tree planting. on

1:15:32the street.

1:15:36I have haven't been active lately

1:15:39because of all my other things going

1:15:41>> grandpa

1:15:43duties primarily.

1:15:44>> Yes, it's grandpa duties.

1:15:46>> Eventually they'll be old enough where

1:15:47you can bring them out.

1:15:50[laughter]

1:15:51>> Put them to work a little bit.

1:15:52>> Yeah. Yeah. [clears throat]

1:15:54Yeah.

1:15:56All right. Um,

1:15:58see, uh, we talked about old old

1:16:02business. Uh, review proposed bylaw

1:16:04updates. Is there anything there or not?

1:16:08>> Um, at the moment the city attorney's

1:16:10office is still reviewing it, so I would

1:16:12ask the commission to defer it at this

1:16:14point.

1:16:14>> Yes, we'll defer it.

1:16:15>> Okay. Thank you. And then uh new

1:16:17business um

1:16:21schedule

1:16:22on chair request change October 28th

1:16:26meeting to October 21st.

1:16:29So yeah, I won't be available for the

1:16:31October 20th meeting. So I'd like to see

1:16:34if we can't change the meeting to the

1:16:3621st of October, which is uh the

1:16:39Wednesday before the 28th.

1:16:42Anybody have any problems? Well, do I

1:16:45have to have a motion?

1:16:50I make a motion. [laughter]

1:16:53>> I'll make a motion. Change.

1:16:55>> Thank you. Oh, yeah. We'll do the next

1:16:59one.

1:17:01So, do I hear a second?

1:17:04>> Second.

1:17:05>> Second. Okay. Discussion. Anybody have

1:17:09concerns with changing the meeting by a

1:17:11week for October?

1:17:17All right. Um, how about a vote? All in

1:17:21favor? I

1:17:24>> Anybody?

1:17:26Anybody opposed?

1:17:31All right, it passes.

1:17:34So, we'll change it October to instead

1:17:36of the 28th, 21st.

1:17:40And then the next one is for November.

1:17:43So the 25th of November is the day

1:17:45before Thanksgiving. So

1:17:48>> So um it's already on your current

1:17:50schedule that it has been moved up a

1:17:52week.

1:17:52>> Oh, it has.

1:17:53>> Okay. I wasn't worried.

1:17:55>> Haley reminded me.

1:17:56>> Yes, Susie. So, I had a question because

1:18:00I'm new to this committee and I don't

1:18:01really know how everything works, but in

1:18:05the last committee mission commission

1:18:08meeting, we had someone from

1:18:13the construction

1:18:15department [clears throat]

1:18:17>> present a drainage

1:18:20>> right

1:18:21>> propos.

1:18:23>> So, I just had some questions about

1:18:25that. Okay.

1:18:28um

1:18:33with with like some of the tree options

1:18:36that they had.

1:18:38One of the things that I was curious

1:18:40about is um they had an asht tree

1:18:46available like that they wanted, you

1:18:48know, and I have not seen an asht tree

1:18:51on a availability list from any nursery

1:18:57ever since I moved here 10 years ago.

1:19:01So the concern that I have and maybe

1:19:04this is more and you can tell me maybe

1:19:05this is more of a

1:19:07commission committee

1:19:10question, but I guess the what I see

1:19:13from a landscape designer point of view

1:19:16and from working with landscaping

1:19:19companies that are given a plan,

1:19:24>> they submit that plan. The way it kind

1:19:26of works is they submit that plan to a

1:19:29local nursery and they say, "This is

1:19:32what we need." And if that local nursery

1:19:34can't get something, they're just

1:19:36subbing something in.

1:19:38So

1:19:40there's no real concern to what they're

1:19:43subbing in to be honest.

1:19:48And so

1:19:53how is that like how how are these

1:19:56developers like how you know how did

1:19:58that if that's a city a Wilmington city

1:20:02design

1:20:05why are we putting an asht tree in there

1:20:08like that you know like if we're um

1:20:12trying to make developers or who you

1:20:16know follow a guideline, but we're

1:20:21putting an asht tree into a drainage

1:20:24design. It just there's I don't I'm not

1:20:28quite sure like what am I missing there?

1:20:31>> I might be able to help here, Tom, if

1:20:33you'd like.

1:20:34>> Yes, go ahead. I I'll defer to to the uh

1:20:38people who are closer to it. Yes.

1:20:41>> Typically, species are reviewed

1:20:43internally. Um that particular project

1:20:46is

1:20:47has a very very long runway. [laughter]

1:20:49It started a very very long time ago. So

1:20:52I'm not surprised that that species

1:20:54review was not updated. Um typically

1:20:58we'll catch things like that and make

1:21:00those substitutions for appropriate

1:21:02species. I think where the commission

1:21:04and the committee is going to be really

1:21:06helpful is the current lists that we

1:21:08have out in our specifications and

1:21:10details are very very broad and don't

1:21:13limit the types of species that we know

1:21:15have disease issues and insect issues

1:21:18like emerald ashbor ash. So obviously

1:21:20that's not a tree we would want to

1:21:21recommend to be planted um in the

1:21:24ecosystem here in Wilmington. So, um I

1:21:27think there's both a yes, that was a

1:21:30miss and uh this is an opportunity for

1:21:33us to have u more specific lists that

1:21:36developers can choose from. So, you're

1:21:37absolutely on the right track.

1:21:43>> Oh, thank you. Thank you for catching

1:21:45it.

1:21:47>> All right. Um [clears throat]

1:21:49Joshua, since you since you're here from

1:21:52the public, uh like to see if you have

1:21:55any thoughts or comments that you wanted

1:21:57to uh present to us.

1:22:00>> Sure. Yeah. I went out to Hillrest with

1:22:02the uh with the tree survey data and I

1:22:05found a live oak uh that was completely

1:22:08missing from the survey. Um it's a

1:22:12co-ominant tree, so it splits into two

1:22:15stems at about breast height.

1:22:18The city standpoint is that this is a

1:22:20multi- stem tree. So that it's going to

1:22:22be measured above the bifurcation

1:22:26uh above the union and the two stems. So

1:22:28they're only going to count uh one of

1:22:31the two stems uh meaning that this tree

1:22:35will not be a specimen uh uh tree will

1:22:39not meet that requirement and will not

1:22:42need a variant. So [clears throat] I

1:22:45can't find a definition

1:22:47uh of a multi- stem tree in the land

1:22:49development code. Sally, is that

1:22:52something that you could uh help me

1:22:54with?

1:22:56>> Sure. So, we do have a definition for

1:22:59how trees are measured.

1:23:01>> And um it may not be the best

1:23:07in uh definition for that purpose. So,

1:23:11this may be something that the committee

1:23:13would like to consider in their work uh

1:23:15when they're looking at the land

1:23:17development code and the tree

1:23:18ordinances. Some of these definitions um

1:23:22potentially being updated to capture a

1:23:24situation like this.

1:23:28>> Sure. So, what is the definition of the

1:23:31multi- stem tree at this point in the

1:23:32land development code?

1:23:36I don't have it right in front of me,

1:23:38but right now the definition

1:23:41requires that if the split occurs below

1:23:45diameter of breast height, 4.5 ft above

1:23:48grade,

1:23:50then the largest stem is measured and

1:23:53that is the measurement of the tree.

1:23:57>> So I guess what I'm getting at is really

1:23:59uh it I believe this tree should be a

1:24:01specimen tree. um it was completely

1:24:05emitted from the from the the tree

1:24:07survey. Um uh and so you know I would

1:24:12hope that it would require another

1:24:14variance to be removed but that seems

1:24:16like it won't be won't be the case. So I

1:24:20guess I would go to uh you know does the

1:24:23city go and check the the data given to

1:24:27them by developers uh as far as the the

1:24:30tree mitigation and tree survey goes

1:24:38>> we do not review every single time

1:24:41>> and and I'll also share for the

1:24:43commission that

1:24:46this is why we require an ISA certified

1:24:48arborist is to provide a report and it's

1:24:51the credibility of those credentials

1:24:53that city staff depends on for the

1:24:56accuracy of the tree inventory.

1:25:01So in this circumstance on this phase

1:25:03one uh development of Hillrest there's

1:25:06only 32 trees 33 if you count the one

1:25:09that I found and three were mis

1:25:12identified and one was uh just

1:25:14completely missed off of the survey.

1:25:17Will there be any consequences for the

1:25:20arborist who signed off on the tree

1:25:23data?

1:25:28[clears throat]

1:25:28>> It doesn't contemplate a consequence for

1:25:32a mistake. It's just we catch it, we ask

1:25:34them to correct it.

1:25:37>> So, so pretty much if a mistake is made

1:25:39by the arborist or the forester uh in

1:25:42the data that's submitted to the city

1:25:44that there's no consequences for making

1:25:46mistakes. So what I'm getting at is

1:25:48we're taking the developer's word for it

1:25:50or their arborist or their forester and

1:25:52if a mistake is found there's no

1:25:54consequences for that. Correct.

1:25:58>> That's what I understand.

1:26:01>> They're certifi Yeah. They're certifying

1:26:02the information. If there's mistake they

1:26:04have to correct it. Um if there's a

1:26:07violation based on that mistake then we

1:26:09would we would follow through on that

1:26:11violation. Catch it. Yes.

1:26:13>> I mean what's it what's it so missing a

1:26:16whole tree? I mean, the way that, you

1:26:18know, when I was doing these type types

1:26:21of uh with this type of work, you know,

1:26:23a surveyor would go out, they would

1:26:25pretty much map out the the trees on

1:26:28GIS. They would give you a DBH

1:26:30measurement and they would give you, you

1:26:33know, it would just say oak or pine or

1:26:35something like that. And uh it was up to

1:26:38the the arborist or the forester to go

1:26:40out and and give these trees a common

1:26:44name because a scientific name uh isn't

1:26:47required, which I think is is a problem

1:26:50as well. Um but in this case, it looks

1:26:53like the the arborist uh went out and

1:26:56just signed off on the tree data given

1:26:58by the surveyor and didn't check any of

1:27:02the information is the only way that I

1:27:04can figure that this many mistakes were

1:27:06made uh with only 30 trees. And this is

1:27:09five acres with only 30 trees and

1:27:12they're cutting down seven of the eight

1:27:15specimen live oaks. I'd like to, you

1:27:17know, say that out loud as well. Um, and

1:27:20there's going to be no consequences for

1:27:22these mistakes. So, I bet this goes on

1:27:25with pretty much every development

1:27:27because I would imagine in most cases

1:27:29there's far more trees than 30 on five

1:27:31acres and nobody's checking to see if

1:27:34the if the developer is telling the

1:27:37truth.

1:27:42Thank you for saying that.

1:27:44>> Yeah, I mean that we we we amended the

1:27:47code back in 21 to require a

1:27:49professional to certify these surveys.

1:27:52We have to rely on those professionals

1:27:54and their credentials. Um we will catch

1:27:57them as as we can but we have to rely on

1:28:00the professional surveys that we are

1:28:02requiring sub these projects.

1:28:06>> Yeah. I mean, I I think that's a

1:28:08mistake. I I think that I think that

1:28:10there's probably uh lots of errors uh uh

1:28:15in this information that's given to the

1:28:17city and uh there's no consequences for

1:28:21lying or not telling the truth or

1:28:24whatnot. So, I mean, it just seems like

1:28:26the whole the whole system uh is flawed

1:28:30in that the there's not clear

1:28:32definitions

1:28:34uh uh of the trees or how to measure

1:28:37them. The city doesn't follow up and

1:28:40make sure that the information that's

1:28:41given to them is true and correct and

1:28:43that there's no consequences

1:28:46uh for errors or you know omissions in

1:28:50the data given to the city. there is if

1:28:54if it is caught, what is the

1:28:55consequence?

1:28:57There's not an ordinance. We will follow

1:28:59through with that violation.

1:29:01>> Yeah. I mean, me as a citizen, I went

1:29:02out there and I found a whole tree

1:29:04missing from the data and what from what

1:29:07you're saying that there's no not going

1:29:08to be a consequence in this situation.

1:29:12>> I think we did go out and look at that

1:29:13and verify the the information and

1:29:16require them to make corrections as

1:29:17needed.

1:29:20>> Yeah. I mean after I go ahead

1:29:23>> c can I ask so

1:29:27if a developer say they buy a plot of

1:29:30land they say they want they submit a

1:29:32plan to the planning commission they

1:29:35have to follow the land use

1:29:38developmental code which is what the

1:29:40committee

1:29:42committee is working on updating right

1:29:46>> so if they had so they have a surveyor

1:29:48come out and They say there's pine,

1:29:51there's oak.

1:29:53Then the arborist comes down. Does

1:29:56anyone from the city ever go out?

1:30:02>> I'm just ask

1:30:04questions if something doesn't seem

1:30:05something seems off at the survey desk,

1:30:07but we have to rely on the

1:30:09professionals. We don't have the

1:30:10facility to survey every single project

1:30:13that comes through. That's why we rely

1:30:14on the professionals and certified

1:30:16professionals provide that information

1:30:18to us. So there's

1:30:24so if a developer submits a survey and a

1:30:28certified arous report which you have to

1:30:31really go through something to get a

1:30:32certified arous to be a certified

1:30:36if they're submitting a a survey and a

1:30:38certified arbor

1:30:43you we really kind of don't know if

1:30:45that's correct or not because we don't

1:30:49have the staff to go out and check.

1:30:51>> We would have to perform the same

1:30:52function that we're asking them to

1:30:54perform,

1:30:54>> right? So, we have to kind of rely on

1:31:00that they're telling us the truth,

1:31:02right?

1:31:03>> Well, I plan with you agenda, we got to

1:31:05rely on professionals as to what they're

1:31:07providing us,

1:31:08>> right? Whether it be an arborist or an

1:31:10engineer or whatever it mean

1:31:12professional to put your seal on it, we

1:31:14have to allow that seal

1:31:16>> because that um arborist seal says

1:31:18something. It means that you have you

1:31:20know it's like if you're a civil

1:31:22engineer and you have a stamp, you know

1:31:25that for an architect and you're putting

1:31:26a an architect's putting a stamp on a

1:31:28drawing that means that that building is

1:31:30architecturally sound. If you're a civil

1:31:33engineer, that's that bridge that you

1:31:35designed is, you know, you you have to

1:31:39rely on that. And it's the same way with

1:31:41an archist, right? They're basically

1:31:43putting their certifications.

1:31:45>> That's why that's why we chase because

1:31:47you require that.

1:31:48>> Yeah. So,

1:31:50>> Oh, yeah. I mean,

1:31:51>> that didn't happen. [clears throat]

1:31:56I guess what they're saying is what

1:31:58what's the penalty to that arborist

1:32:02>> or the surveyor

1:32:05>> I don't know what

1:32:06>> so and

1:32:09the tree does not meet as the code is

1:32:11written today the tree is does not meet

1:32:13the criteria so the fact that it didn't

1:32:16make it onto the survey doesn't actually

1:32:18make any difference

1:32:19>> okay

1:32:21>> well it does make a difference on the

1:32:22tree mitigation data. I mean, they're

1:32:25going to have to mitigate that tree.

1:32:28So, I mean, it it does it does make it

1:32:30does make a difference um uh in the tree

1:32:33mitigation data. I mean, it seems like

1:32:36you guys are finding a loophole uh to

1:32:39keep this tree from being um uh you

1:32:43know, uh classified as a specimen tree

1:32:46because like I said, there's no real

1:32:48definition of a multi- stem tree in the

1:32:51land development code. So, you would I

1:32:54think you would refer to the ANZY

1:32:56standards and it clearly does not meet

1:32:58the ANSY standard for a multi- stem

1:33:00tree. The ANSY standard states that it's

1:33:02three or more stems originating from a

1:33:05common root mound and this tree splits

1:33:08into co-ominant stems at breast height.

1:33:10So it I mean it's just it's not a multi-

1:33:13stem tree. Uh and the land development

1:33:16code has no definition that I can find.

1:33:20Uh so yeah I I'm not sure how how you

1:33:25would classify this tree as a as a

1:33:28multi- stem tree. So yeah, Joshua, thank

1:33:31you for bringing this to our attention.

1:33:33I really appreciate it. And you know,

1:33:35part of the the committee that we have

1:33:39started to de to work to form here is to

1:33:44look at the uh development code and try

1:33:47to find some of these types of um uh

1:33:51situations that we're looking to

1:33:53potentially change and try to improve

1:33:56upon. Now, uh I know that with with what

1:34:00we have here, it's it's a shame that,

1:34:02you know, it we haven't been able to

1:34:04make that change previously. So, you

1:34:07know, with that, I I think as we move

1:34:10forward, we're we are going to try to

1:34:12make some of these changes that um you

1:34:15know, people like you have brought up so

1:34:18that we can make sure that we enforce um

1:34:21the things that are necessary to you

1:34:25know, maintain and uh whether it's a

1:34:27specimen tree or look at maintaining the

1:34:30canopy within the city of Wilmington.

1:34:33And that's something is it is

1:34:36observation is valid.

1:34:38>> Correct.

1:34:39>> And that's part of what you know we can

1:34:41definitely I think it'd be good to talk

1:34:43about that in the

1:34:45>> committee. Yeah. And and Joshua, thank

1:34:47you. And you know the thing is is

1:34:49>> Sure. I uh we'll see if there's any way

1:34:52that we could potentially

1:34:55save this type of tree, but uh yeah,

1:34:57we'll we'll see what we can do to work

1:34:59with the city and seeing what if there's

1:35:01anything we can do to um you know, maybe

1:35:04change this.

1:35:07>> So,

1:35:08>> thanks.

1:35:10>> No, thank you for bringing extension.

1:35:12[clears throat]

1:35:13All right. Um next meeting is scheduled

1:35:16for October 28th. that no October 20

1:35:20pers at 9:30

1:35:23uh in this room. So uh thank you all for

1:35:26attending and um I appreciate all of

1:35:29your help and support and anybody who's

1:35:32going to be part of the

1:35:34um committee. Um Rhonda, you can stay on

1:35:37if you want um and Robin stay on and

1:35:40then we'll we'll take it from there. So

1:35:43Josh,

1:35:44>> quick clarification. Tom, um, you said

1:35:47the meeting time is 9:30 on the 21st.

1:35:51>> Oh, sorry. 10:30 on the 21st.

1:35:53>> Okay. Just making sure. Okay. Thank you.

1:35:56>> Sorry. 10:30 on the 21st. You're right.

1:35:59Yep. So,

1:36:00>> thanks.

1:36:01>> Thank you.

1:36:03All right.

1:36:06>> Are you going to adjourn the meeting?

1:36:08>> Uh, oh, I've joined the meeting and uh

1:36:10it's at 11:10. 111.

1:36:18>> All right, let's take a break.