It was tree night at the Planning Commission’s first meeting of the year Jan. 9 as commissioners convened as the Board of Zoning and Adjustment to consider a tree cut request at 10 Pine. Dan Bennett, representing the request, said the tree in question leans as much as ten percent off vertical, but his primary concerns were voids at the base and in the hillside nearby. He claimed if a gust of wind were to blow the tree over, it would take out power lines. Bennett added the tree would probably be considered an antique tree.
Commissioner Susan Harman asked why the matter was before them, and Bennett replied Building Inspector Bobby Ray had approved a tree cut request more than a year ago, but the permit had expired. When he re-applied, Ray told Bennett members of the public had made such a hue and cry about a recent tree cut that Mayor Butch Berry had directed him to use his discretion according to guidelines stipulated in City Code section 7.56.03 “Application for Tree Removal Permit” if he deemed a tree cut request should be passed along to BOZA.
Harman was still not convinced it made sense for the decision to come to their table. Nevertheless, commissioner Doug Breitling made the motion to approve the request and the vote was unanimous to approve.
As a result of a recent tree cut kerfuffle, commissioners added to their agenda a discussion of reviewing sections of City Code regarding Tree Preservation. City Economic Development Officer Glenna Booth had given commissioners a tree preservation document created by Planning years ago, but said nothing happened with it. Vice-chair Ann Sallee said she had read it and considered it was more for new construction.
Commissioner Woodie Acord asked what the commission was being asked to do, and Booth replied commissioners could simply review the existing ordinance and see if it needed any updates. She also suggested they peruse sections in Code regarding landscaping and parking lots.
Sallee suggested they postpone discussion until after the Feb. 15 joint workshop with the Parks Commission Springs Committee on Low Impact Development. Breitling emphasized the importance of LID, but pointed out some of the concepts are difficult to implement in the mountainous terrain of Eureka Springs.
“It’s a good idea, but how do you do it?” he asked.
Commissioners also wanted time to review a lengthy ordinance from Hot Springs on tree preservation.
LID workshop
Jim Helwig, co-chair of the Springs Committee, reminded commissioners of the LID workshop scheduled for Feb. 15, 5 – 6:30 p.m., probably at the Library Annex. Primary speaker will be Becky Roark of the Beaver Watershed Alliance, and goal of the workshop will be “to provide information on low impact/green infrastructure tools and techniques that help to make it an effective tool for addressing storm water management in an urban setting.”
Public comment
Linda McBride made her case again for striping the upper section of Spring Street because parking there has become so difficult residents cannot find a place to park. Harman explained commissioners had walked the area last summer after McBride’s first presentation to council and made their recommendation that striping off parking places from the library to Grotto Spring would help because it would give police something to enforce. Council sent the recommendation on to Mayor Butch Berry, who coordinated with Public Works. Berry mentioned at Monday evening’s council meeting Public Works was scheduled to begin the project in March.
Commission elections
Commissioners elected the following slate of officers for 2018: chair – Ann Sallee; vice-chair -– Doug Breitling; secretary – Susan Harman.
Next meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 6 p.m.