RAMSEY SHADE TREE COMMISSION MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING, THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2017 The regular meeting of the Ramsey Shade Tree Commission was called to order by Mr. McMahon at 8:00 p.m., Thursday, August 17, 2017. Also present were Mr. Beltramini, Mr. Englishman, Ms. Geist, Mr. Gubala, Mr. Martone, Mr. Melso, Mr. Schumacher, Commission members, Mr. Geist, Board Attorney (arrived at 8:08 p.m.), Mr. Smith, Coordinator, and Mrs. Dey, Secretary. Mr. Rutkowski and Mr. Kilman, Council Liaison, were absent. Mr. McMahon announced that this meeting is being held in accordance with the Sunshine Laws of the State of New Jersey. Public notice of this meeting was published in the legal ads section of the BERGEN RECORD and the RIDGEWOOD NEWS on Friday, December 30, 2016. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Upon motion by Mr. Melso, seconded by Mr. Martone, the minutes of the July 20, 2017 meeting were unanimously accepted as received. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS Communications had been received from Jennifer Sauer regarding the sugar maple tree on her property at 14 Blauvelt Avenue, at the corner of Cherry Lane. She had been told that the dying evergreens and the maple tree are not borough trees. Mr. Forbes will be asked to measure to ascertain that the trees are definitely not borough trees. There was an article in The Record regarding the Edgewater Shade Tree Commission and their latest ordinance. COMMUNICATIONS Minutes Board of Adjustment-July 19, 2017 Environmental Commission-June 13, 2017 Planning Board-July 18, 2017 Also received and filed were: 1. Board of Adjustment memorializing resolutions and variance relief resolutions, from the July 19, 2017 meeting 2. Planning Board memorializing resolutions, from the August 1, 2017 meeting TREE REMOVAL PERMIT HEARING-None
SHADE TREE COMMISSION -2- AUGUST 17, 2017 SITE PLAN REVIEW-None TREE REMOVAL PERMIT VIOLATIONS 495 North Franklin Turnpike, Block 3802, Lot 4 Nine pine trees were removed without a permit. A letter of violation was sent on Monday, June 26 th. The contractor who removed the trees should be asked to attend a Shade Tree Commission meeting so that he can be educated with regard to the borough s ordinances. Replacement trees will be planted in the fall, at least nine trees. 348 South Central Avenue, Block 3401, Lot 1 Glen Bross, the property owner, had been present at the July meeting to discuss the letter of violation which had been sent on Wednesday, July 5 th. Two borough trees which were removed without a permit were assessed at $8,760. The borough s Zoning Officer, Mr. Forbes, contacted Perfect Cut regarding attendance at the August Shade Tree Commission meeting. Since there was no representation from Perfect Cut, Mr. Bross left the August meeting. However, a representative from Perfect Cut did arrive shortly after Mr. Bross left. He will come back in September. No summons has been issued yet. LANDSCAPING PLAN REVIEW-None PLANNING BOARD APPLICATION STATUS 1. The Screaming Eagle Club LLC, 69 Spring Street (Liberty Travel building), Block 3607, Lot 13, Lot 3608, Lots 5.01 & 13 Their presentation has been continued to the Tuesday, October 3 rd meeting. 2. Porven Realty, Inc. (Porcelanosa), 600 Route 17 North, Block 5102, Lot 1 Their presentation has been put on hold until the Upper Saddle River Planning Board makes its decision. Mr. Beltramini noted that the plant varieties on the plan need to be changed. The list also needs to be reviewed for deer resistance. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT APPLICATION STATUS-None RESIDENTIAL SITE INSPECTIONS All trees must be marked and there must be a decision conveyed to Mr. Smith about what to do with the stumps.
SHADE TREE COMMISSION -3- AUGUST 17, 2017 Trees on the following properties were put on work order #3: End of Fabio Drive 108 Nottingham Road Tulip Street and Woods Road 85 Alder Drive 62 Lake Street on Dixon Street side 45 Mayfair Drive 227 Momar Drive 51 New Street 280 West Oak Street Police Station 336 Elbert Street 127 Orchard Street 105 Park Street New Street (seven trees) 109 Pine Street 337 Elbert Street 3 Elbert Court 21 Biscayne Drive 227 East Crescent Avenue 38 West Cedar Place-The resident agreed to remove the hazardous oak tree before the start of school. 102 Prospect Street-A notice of violation was sent regarding the removal of a hazardous tree. 108 Myrtle Avenue-The tree in question needs to be removed. Orange & Rockland will be contacted. 32 Indian Valley Road-The dead maple tree will be removed. 24 Jean Street-A sixty-day violation has been issued for clear-out of all brush and downed tree trunks. 144 South Central Avenue at Prince Street-The resident thinks that she has a dying tree. 133 Summit Avenue-The resident would like his diseased crabapple tree removed. 146 Myrtle Avenue-The DPW will be asked to remove the dead tree.
SHADE TREE COMMISSION -4- AUGUST 17, 2017 19 Bedford Place-Since all of the ash trees, approximately twenty-five of them, on Bedford Place are shedding leaves, Mr. Hasbrouck was asked to evaluate the trees. 10 White Terrace-A thirty-day notice was issued for removal of a hazardous tree. Finch Park by the gazebo-finch Park will be put on the winter list. All of the trees will be elevated. 1 Clearwater Road-One of the trees will be trimmed; the other tree in question is okay. 108 East Oak Street-Mr. Forbes determined that the trees in question are borough trees. The resident would like the trees trimmed. 6 Amanda Court-The resident would like a tree taken down. 251 South Central Avenue-The county will remove the tree. Across from 83 Refy Avenue-Mr. Forbes will issue a sixty-day notice for a hazardous tree. The resident has contracted to have the tree removed. 128 Elbert Street-The resident thinks a tree should come down because of its lack of stability. Ms. Geist would like a second opinion; Mr. Englishman will evaluate the tree. 246 North Franklin Turnpike-Going back to October, 2016, both trees in question have been removed and will be replaced. Mr. Forbes is following up since there was no replacement of the trees. He is dealing with the son. The property may be for sale. 77 Church Street-Orange & Rockland needs to be contacted since there are branches in the wires. COMMERCIAL SITE INSPECTIONS All commercial sites should continue to be looked at. It is expected that a landscape award will be given out in the fall and recommendations will be discussed at the September meeting. Mr. McMahon noted that McDonald s on Route 17N is looking good. There is a dead pear tree in front of Varka. Mr. Forbes will be asked to look at the two dead red oak trees by Chase Bank. Four or five arborvitae are missing at 22 Church Street. There also is no dumpster enclosure. OLD BUSINESS Mr. Beltramini asked about Konica Minolta. There has been no legal action nor a release of the bond. To act on the bond, there needs to be formal notification. A representative from Konica Minolta will be asked to come to the September meeting. Mr. Geist will
SHADE TREE COMMISSION -5- AUGUST 17, 2017 contact their lawyer. Mr. Beltramini will put together a plan which could go out to bid right after the September meeting. Upon motion by Mr. Beltramini, seconded by Mr. Gubala, activity on the Konica Minolta bond was unanimously approved. Mr. Beltramini asked about other outstanding bonds; he would like an inventory of those outstanding bonds. Mr. Beltramini Mr. Englishman Ms. Geist Mr. Gubala Mr. Martone Mr. Melso Mr. Rutkowski Mr. Schumacher Mr. McMahon Yes No Abstain Absent At the July meeting, Mr. Martone had asked about people who have agreed to replacement trees and then change their minds. He wanted to know the protocol for the replacement tree planting. Mr. Smith sends out a letter with information about the upcoming planting. Mr. Geist is reviewing and revising that letter. In that letter, reference needs to be made to the location of any sprinkler lines. There has been a change to the location of the sewer line at 150 Shadyside Road. Mr. McMahon will follow up with the Planning Board engineer, David Hals. There was discussion about how the removal of trees would be impacted by the sewer line through the wetlands and would they need to return to the Shade Tree Commission because of that change. There also was a question about who decides what trees come down in the wetlands. NEW BUSINESS It was suggested that Thornhill Drive be elevated during the winter. PUBLIC COMMENT Mr. McMahon announced that the Public Comment portion of the meeting would last approximately ten minutes per person. James Fitzpatrick, 26 Birchwood Lane, was present to discuss the trees on his property. There are eleven trees he would like to remove, five of which he indicated are dead. Mr. Gubala will visit the property to evaluate the trees.
SHADE TREE COMMISSION -6- AUGUST 17, 2017 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 9:07 p.m. upon motion by Mr. Martone, seconded by Mr. Schumacher, and carried unanimously.