3-17-05

THE VILLAGE OF HAWTHOR= N WOODS

ENVIROMENT= AL COMMITTEE MEETING

March 17, 2005

7:30 P.M.<= /p>

The meeting was called to order by Trustee Riess at 7= :35 p.m.

Present: &= nbsp; Mr. Pearlman

&nb= sp; = ; Mr. Bickley

&nb= sp; = ; Mr. Dixon

&nb= sp; = ; Ms. Felice

Absent: Mr. He= raty

&nb= sp; = ; Mr. Lee

&nb= sp; = ; Mr. Schweitzer

Also Present: &n= bsp; Trustee Riess, Liaison

&nb= sp; = ; Dave Lindquist, Chairperson, Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals

I.= = ; = OPPORTUNITY FOR= THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE

None t= his month.

Trustee Riess stated that the Committee would discuss= the Arbor Day activities first.

III. DISCUSSION OF ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION AT SPENCER LOOMIS SCHOOL IN APRIL

Trustee Riess stated that = he and Mr. Schweitzer met with Grant Seholm, Principal of Spencer Loomis School, = to discuss an Arbor Day celebration. The intention is to provide the 3^rd, 4^th, and= 5^th graders with seedlings to plant at home.&= nbsp; Mr. Seholm suggested the seedlings be distributed to families and n= ot individuals. Mr. Seholm will= send home a publication to the parents asking permission to send a seedling home. If the parents do not = want the seedling, it will be planted at the school. It’s anticipated that 350 seedlings will be needed.

Ms. Felice recommended pur= chasing white pines, which are native and easy to grow. She also suggested red oaks. Mr. Dixon suggested pine trees, b= ecause they are fast growing and hardier. Trustee Riess would like to also select red buds.

The Committee settled on w= hite pines – 100, red oaks – 100, red bud – 100, blue spruce – 50.

Trustee Riess said they wo= uld like to continue with this program every year.= Mr. Dixon asked if the budget includes a tree planting ceremony at = Spencer Loomis School. Trustee Riess said yes and the tr= ee will be 3” – 4” in diameter and include a plaque from the Village of Hawthorn Woods. The school will have the hole dug= for the tree.

The ceremony at the school= will be held the Wednesday or Thursday prior to Arbor Day.

The seedlings will be obta= ined through the Arbor Day Foundation. Mr. Dixon volunteered to talk to some of the classes at the school.=

Trustee Riess asked if the Environmental Committee would like to make a contribution towards a tree i= n the new Heritage Oaks Park. This tree would be planted adjace= nt to Legend Knolls Subdivision. An additional tree would be planted there every Arbor Day. A tree costs about $225, therefor= e, each Environmental Committee would contribute about $32.00. Trustee Riess said the hope is th= at the Village would pick up the expense in future years. He further stated that this progr= am could qualify the Village as a Tree City USA community. Mr. Bickley gave = Trustee Riess $40 towards the first tree.

IV. PRESENTATION TO PLANNING AND ZONING CO= MMITTEE – DICK DIXON

Mr. Dixon explained to Mr. Lindquist, Chairperson of the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals, that the Environmental Committee would like = to see better cooperation, and possibly a liaison between the Environmental Commi= ttee, Plan Commission and ZBA. Mr.= Dixon commented that the Environmental Committee promotes a better quality of li= fe for all.

Mr. Dixon asked that future developments be environmentally sensitive. Mr. Lindquist stated he was very familiar of environmentally sensit= ive developments, but commented that he believed the Plan Commission would not= be receptive to this type of planning.

Ted Schweitzer arrived at 8:10 p.m.

Trustee Riess commented th= at the Village Board is working on developing the Midlothian Road corridor and that = some of the property that backs up to the train tracks will probably not be develo= ped with single-family residential homes.&nbs= p; Conservation Subdivision Planning has been discussed with the development of this area.

Mr. Dixon commented that e= ach development should be required to set aside a certain percentage of land f= or open space. Mr. Lindquist sa= id the Comprehensive Plan calls for preservation for open spa= ce, however, the Village continues to approve single-family homes on one-acre lots. Mr. Lindquist commente= d that the single-family home on an acre lot came from a requirement for septic fields. He further commented= that the Health Department now will work with people who are looking to utilize= a more contemporary means of sewage disposal.

Mr. Dixon would like to se= e the Village adopt a policy of no paved parking lots in t= he Village, no curbs and sidewalks, promotion of native trees and shrubs, and preserve as many mature trees during development. Mr. Lindquist commented that the concrete ribbons being used as a part of the Special Service Area project = as opposed to curb and gutter is helpful.&nb= sp;

Mr. Dixon suggested that a= member of the Environmental Committee attend the Plan Commission and ZBA meeting whenever there’s a development issue on the agenda.

V. NEW BUSINESS

A. = ; Presentation in April on Native Landscaping= and Wildflowers by Tony Hafner, Hafner Landscaping

Mr. Hafner will = be invited to attend the April Environmental Meeting to discuss native landscaping.

VI. OLD BUSINESS

The Committee discussed an ordinance to allow the Village to enter private property to remove diseased trees. Trustee Riess said the Village Attorney has been asked to draft such ordinance and present it to = the Village Board in April. Trus= tee Riess said a property owner would be notified that a diseased tree exists = on their property and a certain amount of time would be given for them to rem= ove the tree. If the property ow= ner does not remove the tree by the specified date, the Village would have the right to enter the property to remove the diseased tree at the property owner’s expense. Trust= ee Riess anticipated the ordinance would be passed in either April or May.

On a motion by Mr. Pearlman and a second by Mr. Schwe= itzer, the Environmental Committee adjourned at 8:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

_____________________________ = ; &= nbsp; _____________________________

John Bickley, Chairperson &nbs= p; = &n= bsp; Donna Lobaito, Recording Secretary

&nb= sp; = ; &= nbsp; &nb= sp; = ; &= nbsp; &nb= sp;