All right, we're live. >> Okay, let's take some uh roll call. Chairperson Colton is here. Member Kronheim is here. >> Louder. >> Eric Gordon. Member Karns is here. >> Here.
>> Lutz is here and Armstrong is here. Councilman is not. But I was coming. >> Anyway, the notice requirements of the open public meeting law for this meeting have been satisfied. Copy of the annual
notice was sent to the Ed Press and the coaster posted in town hall not the township clerk on June 30, 23rd, 2025. This meeting will available on Ocean Township YouTube channel. >> Okay, so we we have the minutes. We
we're still getting the minutes out. Uh and uh actually in the agenda it says September 4th minutes, but we know it's October 9 minutes. >> Um I didn't even get to look and see if
they did everyone get a chance to look at these minutes yet. >> Moments. >> Thank you. One of the things that now we see the minute the minutes become have become more extensive because there's this is actually a transcript that's
that she Donna gets based on how they're recording you know and uh I think I'm I'm going to try and glean through through them a little bit better you know book says has said a lot of things it's useful information but you know
might be able to summarize it a little better in the future I didn't have much time on my this week. And that being said, have you everyone had a chance to review them yet? >> Take a few more minutes. I don't think we >> I just have one small change. Donna.
>> Yeah. >> Uh section two of >> the agenda of the minutes. Section two, which section FMP special? Okay, that's what I need to know the topic. >> Okay, very long. >> Section. Let me see if I can get it to
you discussion on next steps. >> Wait, I'm sorry. Where >> there's next steps? Yes, >> the fifth paragraph after that >> once removed. >> Yeah, exactly. >> Go ahead. And it says member >> Proheim recommend
>> recommended. It's me member Cronheim said Sterling Consultants recommends. >> Oh, >> okay. It's a It was not just me recommending. It's a It's you know >> I'm just a messenger. Thank you.
So you so it's not that you recommended it's that you you stated that Sterling sub. >> Yes. In order to follow the procedure recommended by the GDP for the you know Yeah. >> Okay. So I'll reward that as member
Kronheim relay Sterling consultant's recommendation to hold another special meeting to discuss stakeholder meeting stakeholder meeting. >> Okay. Very good. Any comments? >> I'll further this corrective.
>> Okay. Second. >> All in favor? >> I in favor of the minutes. >> Jack, >> I don't know if you can hear me, please. whatever. Okay. All right. So, we'll move on from that. We'll go through the
agenda. >> So, the first one we have the report from Bill Brooks on tree removal applications etc etc etc. I not have an opportunity to speak with him and he won't be in attendance tonight. So, we'll have to table that unless anyone
else has anything that they've heard about that. Did you say anything about the trees on Logan Road just uh south of Sunset? They were part of the >> parking lot. >> No, the parking I do know for a fact
that >> there's there was plans came in for their parking lot modifications. It was a whole business. I reviewed them and so on and so forth and they were going to take down certain things blah blah and they're going to there's other things supposed to go in and so on and so forth. I don't know if I still have a set of plants, but uh
>> you know what's going to replace them? Do you remember? >> I don't I don't know. >> I think I'm not sure they were going to put a lot of trees in. You know, it was really good when those pine trees in the beginning. Three rows of pines that blocked the whole building, but then as they grew >> massive and they didn't block anything,
>> but they wanted to expand the parking lot and they made the exit >> open room. So instead of having what was it maybe 30 plus you could probably but was a uh a board >> yes >> type of a
before we move on Bill Brooks question because I don't see it in the agenda to talk about colonial terrorist but Bill was going to um was going to work out a plan that we actually submit for bid and you talked to the volunt here from Colonial Terrorists who is going to help
him with that. Have you heard anything about that? >> No. >> So, we need to we need to follow follow up with Bill on that. That's I can't get that. >> Okay, good point.
Okay, next is the uh update. So what what's the latest on the >> Okay, so the CFFP community forestry management plan uh they said they would have it they had originally said told us that they were going to have it by the 27th and I followed up with them and I followed up with them with a consultant
and uh I think because of uh storm we had or whatever else they got they got behind and they promised us they we will have it tomorrow is what they have said. If I do not hear anything from them by noon tomorrow, I will contact them
again. In the meantime, I informed all of you that we were planning on doing, you know, a stakeholder meeting two weeks after we received it. Um, and so we had I had cleared with everybody at town hall to get the big space downstairs for next week. But from Ken,
I've heard from you other and all of us now. It's too close a time period. We need to look in I think the I think we need to discuss we look at another date and if so what what date do you all want to have the next stakeholder meeting? We want time to review it first. >> Well, we want to look at it. >> Yeah.
>> All right. We want and have a meeting. Okay. But coming up on Thanksgiving also, right? Cuz next week would have only been >> five days >> 12th or something like that. >> Yeah. Like five days. Now, the next one will be the the 19th or somewhere in
that week would probably be a reasonable week because the next week >> is going to be Thanksgiving. >> Sounds like we're doing it the first or second week of December. >> Well, we're trying to get this this >> whole plan is supposed to be we're supposed to be I I didn't I told myself
to call the state, but I wasn't near the phone at the time and confirm exactly how they want to see what when. Yeah, I'm sure that we can brief delay if we had to say working it out and stuff. They're not they're they're on our side, you know, make it work. Okay. So, but I
haven't had a chance to call them. Okay. So, I'm going to call this >> I I what I would like to say is for us to plan something the week of the 17th. Now, the 18th and the 19th, we've got it's full of municipalities. So, that those two days are shot. I mean, I'm
going to be gone. Everybody's a lot of people are going to be gone from the town down in uh you know down in Atlantic City for the league. >> Yeah. >> 1819. Yes. So that leaves the 20th and the 21st uh Thursday Friday of next
week. But maybe uh I find out from Tracy the week after >> the week after next. two weeks, two weeks from today, which gives us time to put it in the paper, to notice it, to put it on social media, uh, so the public knows and, uh, and, you know, for
us to read it. >> Thursday would be a better day for me historically and it gives us more time to >> I just got to see when the room's finished. >> So, whatever it could come up, >> I'll show up tomorrow and talk to Tracy and Jesse if you're all good with that.
And then we can um, look at it. I think at the stakeholder meeting we you all um we all could read this on our own. We can certainly discuss it at the next meeting with Sterling and there are plenty of opportunities for us to reach
out you know with any questions any time sterling and have a conversation with them as well. So we could set up Zoom call with them. We could do all kinds of things to discuss with them. So but I think we need to move forward this. said, "I don't want to get into December trying to schedule stakeholder
meetings around the holidays. Show up. It's crazy. Let's get this knocked out." >> And I'll stay on and like make sure we get this tomorrow. Because I already told them we were hoping to have it by tonight so we could look up today so we could have read it,
reviewed it, and continue our plans. >> All right. So, I will try to schedule something. >> Something else going on. I think it's next week. >> I'll I'll let everybody know and uh just, you know, we'll all arrange our schedule. So, >> there'll be
a >> Excuse us for a moment. Are we supposed to be at this meeting? Is it >> in the public? >> There'll be public comment at the end. >> And that's fine. A lot of it I'm not even tracking just yet.
Coming. Well, we just wanted to make sure the >> show tree. >> Yes. >> Walked in on the lights and then >> no wrong. It's all good. >> Okay. So, so that's the latest on that.
Now also I would just point out I somewhere along the line I distributed all the previous plans I think somewhere and you might just take a peek at some of those to see what we did say and didn't say for example I there was some
good stuff in one of them just about the town what it's like and so on and so forth that may or may not be in what they can provide but that might be worth pointing out so we just reviewing them a little bit Yeah. >> And they have all of those. Sterling has all the previous
>> correct. So they they've had those. And as you all know, the requirements for the new CFMFP have drastically changed since the last time they required. They really redid the whole thing. But we've got we're in a good place. So >> Okay.
>> So what about the um planning committee in general? >> Have you? No, we haven't had the the stakeholder meeting was the last time. Now it's just a matter of looking at what comes in the draft because that was really getting us to the point where we could get here and uh so that that
committee has not met because there's no as soon as there's something to look at, you know, I'll make sure every member of it has it because they've all been involved so they can all look and have feedback and hopefully come to the stakeholder meeting or share their views with us. What's what's what's kind of plan do we
have if we're talking about stakeholders, you know, us Sterling and so on and so forth. What what what's the plan to promulgate things? Because there's not a lot of time to the township in general. >> What do you mean to promulgate things?
>> Well, I mean, we're going to wait. It's going to be approved and then we'll put it on our website or >> Yeah. We're going to look at the draft. >> We've talked about people that live in town positively commenting, which I'm not sure that too many cooks can't slow the process down. So, I don't >> Well, that's what they did at the last
stakeholder meeting. We got input from people and and that helps inform Sterling to write this. >> So, we'll stakeholder meeting is the same thing. We'll have it. General public have the chance to look at it and get input. And then, you know, we advise
and meet with Sterling and help. They they get take all this input and they obviously want to know what shade commission has to say about it. We're the the you know the biggest authority on this that they're listening to. Know after the stakeholder meeting if you
want we can have another meeting with them and we'll see what they recommend at that point. I mean I can question. It's a good question, but I assume that we'll do the stakeholder meeting and then there'll be a small meeting where we we talk and you know >> correct
>> about that and then they write it >> and then we're done. >> I don't think we're done. I think once we have >> Okay, we're done. >> I think once we have it then we have to figure out how to implement it. >> Well, that I mean done with the writing of it. Okay. I'm meaning to know we'll
have five years to implement it. >> Yeah. The real work starts in the first year, >> you know, in the original plans, which not not sure what how much they're going to go into that, but the original plans and the report that I file every year
list what that year's budget was and what did you spend related to that whatever for various things, right? So if the new plan is going to have those kind of things, those numbers have to be worked and then putting things that we would like to see
if they're not realistic because the council and whoever's budgeting is not going to budget those things. That is a conflict. >> Yeah. And that is the next step. Obviously the next they write the final draft and then we submit it and the council should be involved. They should
have someone at the big next stakeholder meeting as Jack has been there up to this point. So hopefully someone will be there to also you know oversee this and experience on the council and then the council's got to you know sign off on
final draft. My understanding is they have to sign off on it. So, and there will be budgetary like we should spend x percentage x percentage of shade tree fund should go to planting trees or whatever the budgetary
you know uh guidelines are those recommendations trying to work the other issues I think we can I think theoretically we can have a large much without >> I think though there's a there will be a sense of urgency to port the first
year's budget first to make sure it it gets into the township's budget before we miss the >> deadline. >> And it may be it may be a you know because we don't know what each year brings in. We know on average what each
brings into the shade tree fund, but we could say x percentage goes to planting, x percentage goes to m, you know, goes to maintenance and we could say in this in this plan and removal needs to be budgeted by the town and then let the
council and you know figure out how to do that because that's not our >> well actually I I would say the removal has to be presented by the town. a portion of maintenance should be budgeted by the town because we already kicked up to give them the equipment so
they could do the maintenance. >> Yeah, I think that's that that'll be staffing for that. Yeah, I agree. I >> staffing or whether however it works, but it all shouldn't come out of the shade fund because we've already contributed >> the fact that yeah, I agree. These are
going to be these are going to be issues that I'm sure are going to be discussed by council when we have >> it's going to get fun. >> Okay, so I see Mosha Gordon has joined us. Mosha, welcome.
>> MOSA is muted. >> Okay, >> he's eventually. >> Okay, that's all I got. >> Hi, Norm. Okay. Okay. So, um All right. So, the next thing is responsibility for right of way
trees. Okay. So one of the things that we want to try and do especially as it relates to all of this stuff get worked on and so on and so forth is we need to come up with some process you know and I think that one of the things I was trying to do was at least to bolster
theoretically any arguments when I want to go to council trying to convince them what I think we might be able to do to speak to um increasing uh pre you know our our budget for sha tree you know type work
not for the commission necessarily but in general okay so so what I have here is the magic list of all of normy's municipalities okay with their addresses and and a phone number to get to okay and what I
would like to do is send this to everybody you know and I would ask now this almost almost over 40 less than 50 municipalities Okay. So, if everyone were to take some number of them, you know, we call them
up and just find out. The question is what happens to trees in the right way in their town? Who's responsible for maintaining them, planting them, and who's paying for that? Okay. Like in in our town, if you read the ordinance, the township is responsible.
>> I'm saying that >> it's not they're not doing that though, right? It's >> Well, right now, >> it's the homeowners. Well, homeowners, it's the homeowner's responsibility to pay for it. But if you read the ordinance, the township's supposed to be doing it or having it done and then billing.
>> Well, the homeowner goes get their own. >> Well, that seems to be what's happening. And it's and it's not that it's not working, but that's not what it says. Okay. >> Okay. I what I think it should say is that it's a little town responsible >> and they should pay. >> Yes.
>> No, just for my clarity because there's just so many things. Yeah. on my plate. My brain's a little fuzzy. So, um the just to refresh my memory, the trees that homeowners are responsible now paying for the removal of are ones that
are technically in the right away, but on their side of the sidewalk or on their side, it's in front of their property, >> right? >> Between their property and
in the middle of the street theoretically. Okay. And if there's a tree in the middle in between the curb in the middle of the street, we all got major problems. But but those that's a responsibility. It also says that we can plant a tree there and build
in there too. >> I thought we weren't allowed to plant. >> No, that's a whole separate issue. >> Sorry, not the fact that the fact that the way the right of way is now, okay, you know, it's not it's not big enough. There are some properties actually where there is space because they don't have sidewalks and everything, but anybody
who's got a sidewalk, >> the right way is there's just not enough space. >> And and the ordinance says every development is supposed to have sidewalks, >> right? >> Yeah. I'm not arguing. >> What I'm saying is I'm saying someone is
someone sent us a letter saying why can't we have you know why is it we can't put trees there? The real answer is because they're not going to survive to As a matter of fact, I did notice just driving the other day and I noticed this. They planted trees. Um because I was going to the library.
So I cut turned, you know, came across 35, turned left at the light and went into the right there, right there between right near the within a space this wide is the trees that were planted where those tunnel houses are. >> So as those things mature, they're going to be a nightmare anymore.
>> Okay. So, >> and I'm not sure what to do about those because those things actually could still be salvaged in something done with any but I don't know. >> I have a recommendation. Um, I think I love your idea. I know pulling towns and finding out what other towns are doing.
I would add another question to this because I think the two issues are related and I think we should present them as as both issues and that would be two questions. I think one should find out what other towns do in terms of pays for planning and removing the trees in
the right way. Okay. The other question is, do you allow and plant uh do you allow um uh township uh support in any way or incentivize the planting of trees just on private property to um just off
the right way and do you support that? So, why don't we ask two questions and we'll present that as kind of a package. >> Because I know for a fact that Freehold Township >> Yeah. >> Okay. will plant a tree on someone's property. They actually they actually go there
with the tree, plant the tree, stake the tree, and then tell the homeowner to your tree. Now, mostly it's people have asked for it. They're not just coming arbitrarily doing that. Okay? People requesting trees and they're getting trees. >> And that's something that we have to figure out how.
>> So, let's ask the two questions and then we don't have to do this twice, >> right? Okay. So, anyway, so I've got so I've got this as a file. >> Anyway, just saying I've got this as a file. Okay, which I'll share with, you know, with Don and we'll pass it out to everybody, you know, write up something,
you know, and say blah blah blah blah. And everyone could at the very least if everyone would take five or six of these and make a quote uh >> as soon as we can get that information. >> I haven't used it in a while, but I thought M County Library has a has a
legal section. They know the answers to some of these perhaps librarian. I I could call him but I'd be surprised because I even went to one of the town's website trying to look for the ordinances which look
>> and it was like sort of any ordinance there isn't any ordinances it's like in ours for example someone looks up someone goes to our ordinance and they look up anything about trees trees trees trees none of the stuff I told you was in there it's in the part that talks about the establishment of >> and it's who would you even talk to in
town who knows >> I mean I on occasion do go on and it's like it can't be problematic, you know, figuring out what it's real to say, >> right? Like, you know, so that it does complicate life. >> It's hard to know who to talk to in a town who has that information.
>> Well, I would I personally would suggest starting with the public person. >> Yeah, that's >> is the most likely people to have some idea. >> If nothing else, who to talk to >> because they use it. >> So, so anyway, so that's what I would like to do. How do you define the right
of way now as far as the where the tree is? >> No, no. The township every on every street the township has a defined right. >> Okay. And look, for example, I take my street. Okay. My street is has a 50ft right ofway. >> Okay. >> And which is always true on every
street. The center of the rightway is the center of the street. >> Okay. But there are streets where the the the street you know one side of the uh street you know that those houses on that side street are not in the right of way they have nothing and it goes across the so you get streets okay
>> and streets have anywhere from 25 to to 75 ft right of ways >> and so on and so forth where here's what happens at my house okay >> um we start by going to the curb
Okay. >> Okay. >> The curb it's the street is about 35 ft. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> So, it's 17 and 12 ft. >> Okay. That's the curb. Then the curb is 6 in. No, but 18 ft. >> Okay. >> And I've got to get to 25, right? That's
18 ft. Then I have about 15 in. Let's say it's 18 in to get to the sidewalk. >> Okay. >> Okay. I've already forgot where I was with the high school map. >> Yeah. Then comes No. Then comes 4T. Then comes a 4ft sidewalk. Okay. >> And then so that means I've got about a foot and a half gone.
>> That's that's the foot I have a foot and a half. That's the >> Okay. >> You know, that's an example. That's an example of what Donna said about talking while somebody else is talking. >> Go ahead.
>> Okay. So anyway, so that's an example. That's an example. Okay. >> So if I wanted to put a tree in between a curb and sidewalk, I have about 18 inches. Okay. Let's let's forget about it. >> I mean, even the trees I I called I called someone from the uh county one
time. He asked Tim. Okay. And the county said that they said because we're like we've been using as a thing of where the who owns the tree. >> Yeah. >> Is it in the right way? We're not using the center of the tree. >> But the county if you call and say you've got a tree and it's on the county road like one of the county roads is
West Park Avenue. >> Yeah. >> Okay. say, and you say you've got a tree. If one inch of the tree trunk is on county property, >> they'll say, "We'll take it. We'll remove it bed. We'll do this. We'll do that." That's what they do. And I said,
"Well, how wide an area would you plant it?" And I think he said it was either six or seven feet. They consider that a wide enough area to safely plant tree. Okay. Whereas most of what we've got is 2 feet, 3 feet. and the sidewalks are some of the sidewalks are literally
almost raised two feet. >> Yeah. >> From where they were >> in some of these places in town and so on and so forth. So, it's it's it's a bad. So, for us to really have tree streets, the trees are going to have to be on protocol, >> right? >> But that doesn't mean we can't
eventually have a program, you know, to do it. We actually had a big planting of our own, okay, that we planted between the curb and the sidewalk. If you know near Mammoth College is up front burn and pine and those streets over there we planted in there sugar mills. Okay. And
the trees have done pretty good which is why they're hazard to navigation. Okay. The trucks can't get by. The buses can't get by. Okay. Because they were too close and we didn't do what we should have done which would have made it safer. I saw uh they have to get some continuing education units. So I saw a
program one time >> and they had a picture of a tree. The tree was maybe 15 16 feet high. Right. And they said at maturity, every branch you see in that tree will be gone. As the trees grow, got to cut off those lower branches at some point. You don't
cut off right away because the long you leave them on, the more they build caliber, but still within reason, they should go. So that as the tree goes up, you know, and on my block, I know there's a lot of trees that also trees don't necessarily have a good leader. So now you see a tree, >> a good block, a leader,
>> a good leader. So now you see a tree, it's got five or six trunks going all over and they're all going sideways and the tree is 20 ft wide and it's not even 20 ft tall. They kind of how you going to blend that way. Okay. So it's it's a nightmare. Jean, I'm sure can speak to this.
>> Of course, in the development you were talking about, there was never any trimming after they were planted. Nothing to this day has ever been >> I I'll confess it's it's we blew it. Okay. The sidewalks are all pushed up again already. We
we we had a good idea and unfortunately we acted on it and we didn't we have the disaster of our own creation. >> Okay, >> I confess. Okay, we even went down those streets house to house to house to ask who wanted to treat. You know, some
people said no. Okay, maybe they're the lucky ones. >> But yeah, I mean we had the good intentions. So now we're trying to have good intentions and and good implementation. >> And where is this? You said Alurn >> Alurn and Ryan before the streets.
>> No, I would by the college. >> Okay. Over there. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So So Norm will be sending his list. I think I love Kevin's idea of seeing if there's a librarian that can help us knows their way around
county research. That would be amazing. Otherwise, I'm happy to take five or six times. >> But but so sorry. But some of these things are so subtle and the towns may not even have anything actually in writing and they have an implementation that they they're doing something a certain way and it may not even be
documented. Yes, sometimes. But uh but that's that's the coolest thing. But ideally um once we find out who and what because I think that uh based on how many variables that we retained and
everything else without getting hitting properties up much in taxes, but it there's a lot of properties. It adds up to a lot of money that could be used on a tree. And I think we should be I think we should be careful to stay in
our lane a little bit and say what we think would be good policy and what other towns do with policy. We could find out how they fund it if that's third question and then we leave it to the council to figure out how they can budget. We could say this is what some people do. I think uh
but then figure it out. >> Well, that's being exhausted. >> Okay. Any anything uh Okay. So, we don't have uh we don't have anything else on the agenda. Okay. And uh it's early but
little early to party. So we need to party but we have guests here. So either they guest or it was too cold out there and they saw the lights were on shelter. >> But uh you want to tell us who you were and how foolish you were to come here?
>> Well Janet Fitness I lived in town for a long time probably close to 40 years now. I love Rosland Drive. have a lot of trees and on my street alone I just watching the trees come down and it's just upsetting my daughter who lives with me
said mom why don't we go to the tree what's it called meeting so I said all right looking for new members and unfortunately we have a lot of trees in now that are are dangerous treason.
>> That's true. No, I I accept that. >> And and they're not what we're talking about. We we have a every five years you have a what they call a community forestry management plan. You're supposed to update. >> Okay. And we're due to update ours now. Updating it now. Okay.
>> And uh and but the people who were working on that, we hired a consultant. And Bill Brooks, who's our town guy, they've driven around. Just driving around. Yeah, >> they counted a lot of trees >> that are in the right of way. Okay, now you got remember we resp the town the
shade commission is only responsible for trees that are on township property. Okay, I mean it could be the parks, you know, like >> Jo player park and so on, the whole park and so but otherwise it's only in the right of way on any given street whatever the dimensions would be.
which is the town's property and which isn't >> and uh all of that stuff is our responsibility and there are a lot of trees that are dangerous and should come down. >> Okay. Bill Brooks who's in here now. >> I've met them before. Yeah.
>> But he talked about he talked about some trees that went down not that long ago that came this close to >> Yeah. That is scary. So the trees that you're seeing come down on private property on people's >> Yeah. like I'm thinking across the street. So those two gorgeous trees. >> So those trees go under the tree
ordinance. Anyone who takes a tree down has to has to get permits. >> Yeah, they did. >> They have to do all and there's a certain number they're allowed to take down. >> Um >> what is the number? >> More than three or three every trees that are perfectly healthy.
>> The healthy ones. If a tree is dead, >> dying, hazardous, that does not account, you got 50 of those in in addition to the three in the three years. >> So, so what is what is the current ordinance that can
>> very healthy every three years? >> Three healthy trees every three years. >> I I think >> you need to get permits. >> I think where a lot of people get upset is on construction. >> Yes. Then it's falling under a whole
different thing. >> I mean, I know a lot of these >> people that are coming down now. >> Yeah. You put the pool in. >> Yes. >> Doesn't the But if it's construction, >> they're paying they're going to be
assessed an amount for every tree depending on the diameter when it comes to that, >> right? for construction like without you know they want to bring your house >> problem with some construction though is what happens is they they say they're putting a house and pool >> y
>> okay those trees come down right but then these other trees are on the perimeter or >> don't come down >> but when they're doing the construction they've now cut off all the who knows how many roots that suddenly relate to those trees and something happens to those trees
>> okay and they become dangerous >> the ripple effect >> and so Okay. But that's that's just the nature of the nature of the situation. >> Lot and they won't be allowed to do something on it. >> So it becomes that becomes a problem. But um >> you know but it's but that's it's
unfortunate but that's that's the way it is. Okay. So we're trying to come up and and I think the ordinance that we have now is we've had many ordinances. >> Okay. um that that sort of ignored the situation for a while and other ones
that were you know very strict but this one at least we're trying and even then >> you find situations that are like uh for example some people have trees but they're not regular trees they're evergreens >> that you know arbories and so on and so forth >> I see what happens but but those become
big trees too >> so there's all those kind of aspects to what's >> the D the state you so that every town had to redo their their tree ordinances to be stricter and we had already worked
on and done one that was in compliance with that before it was was mandated. So I mean we're ahead of the game there >> but I mean when you have so many people I think a big piece of this that we need to address and try to try to address and what's part of the thing we're trying to
do with this forest management plan and trying to get stakeholder meetings is to educate people that trees are important. That's one of the things pieces of this plan will be how do we do education so people value the trees that they have and recognize how important they are and
that's something we can do because we don't have if you're within the if you're within the you know the tree ordinance you're within the tree or we don't have we can't we can't do it >> but we can hopefully inspire people to not want to cut down a tree or they cut something down to put something else in
that might be more appropriate that's still a tree. >> Yeah. you know, so that's part of that and we are always looking for folks. We'll be looking for folks to help us with that and who care about that. Uh because we will be trying to create some programs going forward that public can participate. We do arbitrary things over
the year, but we're going to try and do more more education >> and if they get permission to take down more than three trees, they have to pay into the tree fund. >> Okay. >> So that we could use that tree fund and plant trees somewhere else. >> Yeah. Going forward. And that's part of
the plan creating. >> We have two things. They can they can either put money in based on the size of the tree, they can put money into the tree fund or >> Okay. >> They can plant additional different trees on their property. >> Yeah. I think that's what our neighbors did. They took down some beautiful beautiful trees. But I sense put in
sometimes you you take down a big enough tree you have to plant three trees per what. >> I I I've been working other towns and some of these bigger ones they pay $12,000 for the permit. >> No kidding. Oh yeah, >> big money.
>> It's a money grab really. >> Yeah. >> I mean, there's some people will just take them down and pay the fine. >> Yeah. >> Million dollar house. Yeah. They have money to do it. >> It's interesting. >> Yeah. I mean,
>> you can't, you know, sometimes it's worth a million dollars for them to not have any names in there. >> Yeah. Exactly. They're filthy. >> Exactly. That's what I've been told by. >> So part of part of what we want to do
is, you know, if money goes through the state tree fund, how do we use that fund best? >> Yeah. >> To put trees where they're needed, where the canopy is thin in town. And we've been looking at the canopy maps and all the entire town where where do where's
the worst flooding? Where we're putting trees help a mediated flooding. Okay. where we're putting trees create uh more shade so that we don't have heat islands. >> Yeah. >> And as you can imagine, there are areas in town where that's worse than others. So that's part of the process we're going through now. So please, I'm
encouraging you when we schedule the sh the stakeholder meeting hopefully will be the 20th. Please come. Did you want to say I didn't say? Yeah, I went to the previous shade tree commission and I've been calling and learning all about this and that's mostly why I'm here is to
learn more about how to just like get involved and I know that we don't really have a hand in or a say in what people do with their private property, but also like education. >> If you see somebody cutting in your neighborhood, their permit should be displayed. It's a green permit. So if
they don't Yeah, sure. No, I've been on the phone. You can call if they do they have to see some of the nice ones come in. >> You can call town hall. >> Yeah. >> And if town hall is not closed it's closed or whatever. I think you can call >> you can call the police.
>> They didn't use the police. >> Okay. My neighbors know I'm on the sh mission now. So they're mess around. They're like, they know I'm going to be like, where's the permit? >> Like the whole series that came down on
Logan Sunset, >> I'm sure there were there were a bunch of inquiries made. It was part of a development plan. So that whole road >> Yeah. And when zoning is involved, think some things go in front of a zoning board and that's a different >> that was loaded in sunset. Was that
>> office building when they just took all the pine trees? >> I see. Okay. >> Expand. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And that's a different >> lesson because I thought it's great. >> And the other thing with that because that goes through the building department like Bill doesn't even know what's going on on something like that.
>> Well, when they get the calls, >> no. Yes and no. Because Bill's part of that I believe >> the way I when I talked to him about it, he said no. He didn't know >> anything about that. And I'm curious why it wouldn't be tied in a little bit
somehow. It was all done legit. I >> Yeah. Well, it's hard to keep up with some of these things. >> Yeah. >> But he has been involved with some of them because I know I know that there's a property on you go up
what's called Rose now turn on to Bel. >> Okay. And there's a property they're working on a property right now in the corner of Bel and Sunset Fisherman is expanding that property. Well, the property just to the north of that is
all wooden. It's not great stuff. >> The the rest of the lot goes up. Yeah. >> No, no, no, no. The the lot next north of that lot >> north of that is is part of that is part of that. >> No, it's a separate. >> It's like a little Is it a separate? But yeah, but it's it was sold all together,
I think. But yeah, it's just a little came in with a whole separate set of there's another project on the other side of the water tower. No. The next property, there's a property that's all wooded >> that's actually a separate property >> that already came in with plants. It's going to be a warehouse.
>> It's going to be a luxury kind of luxury warehouse. >> Some kind of real thing. Okay. But that's what But I've seen the plans. >> Okay. But but what Jean said about Bill not finding
out about these things, I think there's a there that's a lack of good process in the in the town that maybe needs to be fixed. >> And to and to, you know, it's also that Bill is part-time and it points to the need to have more staff
>> available to do this. I know public works is talking about people who can use all this equipment that we've got now. Brave well is inundated with stuff. >> Yeah, I think they're looking I think that it speaks to the need to have more hours uh you know of folks who actually
do this on board but uh >> I know that the township is very aware of that. >> Right. Right. >> Okay. Would you give Donnie your name so we can put you in the minutes and everything? >> Oh, sure. Janet Picus. F I Ces.
And then Georgia. G E O R G I A S. Yes. Thank you. >> Nice. >> Nice. Please do do come follow us by >> I talked to Bill today
any expertise that show >> permits a week >> still. >> What did you say? How many >> they're getting about seven to 10 a week >> permits? >> I kind of thought that
>> down anywhere from >> Yeah, it's busy. It's busy right now. >> Yeah. No, I'm just saying but I I can't speak can't speak to that. So, anything anything else? Uh anyone
have any other thoughts? It's a record for a German. >> A move for a German. Okay. By Ken. And who seconds? >> I'll second it. >> See, there you go. It's a record, people. >> Yes.
>> Good.