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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> Monday,June 15,2020 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> according to climate, etc. He noted the whole regulation begins with the word"may" so it is not a <br /> requirement,but he would be willing to go either way on it. <br /> Ressler asked Erickson if it would be prudent, instead of listing the species,to clean it up and allow it to <br /> point towards the Minnesota DNR acceptable species;therefore, if there was some reason that it was <br /> amended,the City would not have to change the language. <br /> Erickson stated however the Commission wanted to do it. <br /> Kirchner said he is not an arborist and the City should defer to a professional source,being the DNR, in <br /> his opinion. <br /> Libby asked Barnhart if the City of Orono has a credentialed arborist. <br /> Barnhart stated he is sure there is one that resides in town, but not on Staff. <br /> Libby clarified that he should have said municipality of Orono. He asked,referencing the other <br /> Commissioners' recommendations, where the language came from. He noted the language was from <br /> someone who felt there might have been a level of expertise at the City and that perhaps now the <br /> language needs to be more general with authoritative expert opinions getting involved. <br /> Barnhart said that part of the code is in place currently. The only change is removing"ash" from the list. <br /> Libby asked if it was old code that has probably been around for a long time. <br /> Barnhart said that is probably the case. He stated he would find a resource for appropriate street trees and <br /> will work that into the next draft, because there may be trees that are appropriate in the Central Minnesota <br /> region that are not appropriate in a street/right-of-way environment. For example,you don't want <br /> evergreens right next to the street to create vision issues. <br /> Libby stated the DNR's credentialed arborists are quite astute at making those recommendations. <br /> Barnhart said he would find the reference and include it in the next draft. <br /> Bollis commented that they should refer to the soil conditions on the site; for instance, an oak thrives in <br /> sandy soil but is not going to work well in clay or black dirt. He has seen where they will put in 200 oaks <br /> on a hillside in Orono and they die within the first year. <br /> Libby noted a credentialed arborist would understand the soil combination. <br /> Ressler stated,as far as having specific trees,if somebody plants a honey locust and it develops a disease, <br /> then the City has to amend the text. If the City's code is simplified to have it redirected to someone that is <br /> an expert that is going to be keeping up with the different species that can be added or subtracted,that is <br /> something the Planning Commission can be mindful of. <br /> Libby noted it can cost$4,000 to take down a cottonwood tree that has lived out its life expectancy to 90 <br /> feet tall and is ready to come across the community's power lines. <br /> Page 15 of 19 <br />