20210419 - P&R Committee Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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o City Forester would contact each affected property owner with a letter explaining the work that is going to occur and an estimated cost. o City Forester will monitor removals and replacements and routinely inspect replacement trees, offering guidance where necessary. Protection: There are 90+ boulevard ash trees that can be saved through insecticide protection if that is completed this season. Protecting ash trees is the focus here, however other tree species may also require protection or treatment for disease. • City Forester will mark each tree needing protection with green spray paint. Voluntary Compliance: o City Forester will provide an informational letter that details that property owners must protect the boulevard ash tree(s) abutting their property no later than July 1St, 2021 through insecticide injection. o City Forester will provide Rainbow TreeCare information for negotiated protection pricing. o Property owner must provide proof of treatment to City Forester, and must continue to provide protection for the tree(s). Non-Compliance: o Authorize City Forester to hire Rainbow TreeCare to treat boulevard ash trees to protect them from EAB. o City will pay the contractor bill and individually bill each property owner for services provided. If the bill is not paid, assess the cost to property taxes. Ongoing City Operations: • City Forester to continue with boulevard tree inventory and identification of boulevard trees needing to be removed/replaced, protected, or treated. • City Forester to work with P&R Director and tree removal contractor(s) to identify manageable numbers of removals annually, and communicate the plan to City Council and affected property owners. • Continue removals/replacement, protection and treatment annually in the same manner outlined above. • Please note that future boulevard tree removals/replacement will include species other than ash. Ash trees total 22%-25% of the boulevard tree population in Hastings, other tree species will also succumb to damage, poor health, age, and diseases, and will need to be removed. Attachments: ■ Inventory Map: Removals ■ The following can be found on the City website at: www.hastinqsmn.gov/residents/forestry/emerald-ash-borer o Council Committee Packet Materials 4.4.17 o Council Packet Materials 5.1.17 3