On August 24, 2021, members of the DSCA Greenspace Committee and interested residents held discussions with FDOT and City experts; which included Mark Miller, Sr. Arborist & Dan Ohrenstein, Assistant City Engineer; City of Sarasota; Darryl Richard, District 1 Landscape Architect, FL Dept of Transportation (FDOT).
The committee and guests discussed the following agenda items:
- Miller reviewed status of Tree Protection ZTA with Tree Advisory Committee Recommendations. The Tree Protection ZTA is scheduled to come before the City Commission on Sep 8 for further direction from the commissioners. Staff is preparing the recommended changes arranged according to original 8 issues sent to the Tree Advisory Committee. The tree mitigation process with the proposed ordinance changes was discussed. The committee members are urged to contact commissioners to support approval of the proposed Tree Protection ZTA.
Here are links to referenced information:
-
- Backup Material for Tree Advisory Committee Recommendations:
https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/1036506/Back-up_for_TAC_Recommendations-Final2.pdf
-
- Fast Facts on Ad hoc Tree Advisory Committee Recommendations:
tree committee fast fact rob Patten.pdf
- Miller also discussed the Urban Forest project and Street Tree Inventory Plans. The CC approved $25,000 from Tree Fund towards the Tree Inventory project, along with other state grant. The City has issued their RFP for the inventory project with a focus on downtown core and hurricane evacuation routes. We discussed the suggestion for staff to consider using Tree Equity scores to determine where more trees need to be planted. https://www.americanforests.org/our-work/tree-equity-score/
- Richard discussed the Landscape Plan for the Gulfstream Roundabout. Gannon and others raised concerns as to why Royal Palms were being designed to be planted adjacent to the sidewalks along Tamiami Trail and Gulfstream Ave. Richard explained that while FDOT had contracted with Kimley-Horn for the landscape design, they were open to feedback from the public and would consider planting appropriate shade trees along the sidewalks. Suggested changes to the landscape plan will be sent from from DSCA members.
FDOT-Gulfstream-LandscapePlan.pdf
- Ohrenstein discussed status of the newly drafted Landscape Chapter in the EDCM. The Table 5-3 Downtown Street Tree Plans showing primary, secondary and tertiary tree species by street block for the downtown area will be considered provisional during the CC review of the EDCM changes, when that is brought forward to the CC later this year.
EDCM Landscaping Chapter – Draft 2020-11-03.pdf
Download Meeting Notes: DSCA Greenspace Committee Notes 2021-08-24.pdf
Anyone wishing to work with the DSCA Greenspace Committee on these and other related issues on street trees and Urban Forest, please contact DSCA: downtown.sarasota.condo.assoc@gmail.com
September 18th, 2021
