Maitland City Talk

Driving through the northeast section of Maitland, there are newly planted trees on every block. One hundred and three shade trees were planted on 20 streets to fill the voids in the street tree canopy in the Dommerich Hills area. The city of Maitland was awarded $19,026 from the U.S. Forestry Service through the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to help pay for tree planting.

Through community meetings and numerous site visits, more than 46 residents were involved in tree selection and placement decisions. Two hundred and forty planting sites were identified for the 103 street trees the grant would provide. Priority was given to the right of ways with the least amount of overall canopy. Conflicts with overhead wires, water mains, septic fields, underground phone lines and surrounding trees disqualified other planting sites.

A local contractor and Chamber of Commerce member, A&S Horticulture, was retained to perform the installation.

Longtime residents were excited to see and be a part of the project. They remembered the mature canopy the neighborhood had and how it had slowly eroded away through the years. The new trees are a sign of neighborhood renewal and a continued commitment to the future.

Several property owners valued the trees for their presentation of the neighborhood and their properties from the perspective of the increased property values the trees represented.

Planting the trees is not the end of the project; we still need to get the trees established. The city will provide a pruning program that will help ensure the trees will be structured properly. The Dommerich Hills neighborhood needed this project to restore a balance of age diversity. It is through age diversity that the over mature trees are replaced with minimal effect on the overall canopy coverage. Besides cooling the environment and providing protection from ultraviolet light, storm water control, etc.; the trees tie the neighborhood together. Instead of individual houses, it looks more like a prideful community.

Thank you, Dommerich Hills, for your participation in this grant and keeping the trees watered.

Funding for this project was provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is working to implement provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) to put Americans back to work and rejuvenate the nation’s economy. The Recovery Act provided the USDA with nearly $28 billion in funding. Of that, $1.15 billion has been allocated to the Forest Service for project work in forest restoration, hazardous fuels reduction, construction and maintenance of facilities, trails and roads, green energy projects, and grants to states, tribes, and private landowners.

—Brian Dierks,

City Arborist

June 13 Council Meeting

The Maitland City Council met on June 13, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. Below is a synopsis of that meeting. The next regular scheduled Council meeting will be June 27.

Public Hearing:

Adopted on second reading an ordinance creating an independent Ad Hoc Charter Review Commission.

Decisions:

Appointments:

• Frank Turner and Larry Schnaper were appointed to the Board of Zoning Adjustment.

• Council appointed Ms. Patricia Williamson to serve as the City Ambassador.

• Seven members were appointed to the Charter Review Commission.

• Received the annual audit report for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30

• Passed a resolution terminating participation in the Memorandum of Agreement for developing the Alternative Water Supply (AWS) Project.

• Moved for introduction on first reading an ordinance to approve the FY12-2016 Capital Improvements Program.

• Moved for introduction on first reading an ordinance to amend the Future Land Use Element of the 2030 CDP.

• Moved for introduction on first reading an ordinance to approve the amendment adopting a “Mobility Plan”

• Moved for introduction on first reading an Ordinance of the city of Maitland, amending City Code Sec. 11-4.6 delegating to the city manager the authority to approve or disapprove permit applications for special events that request the possession or sale of alcoholic beverages.

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