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- Dr. David Dorranee, 1216 Femside, submitted pictures of his street, before and after the loss of some beautiful old sycamore trees, and asked Council to have staff preserve, not - destroy trees. Bob O'Brien, 2130 McGarvey, described the loss of6 out of the 14 trees along his street, and said he and his neighbors were very resentful over the loss of these beautiful trees. Vice Mayor Ruskin said he was also outraged. He said the City's current policy does not safeguard old trees, and does not include enough options to achieve the Council's goals of fixing sidewalks while safeguarding trees. He again expressed the Council's concerns that a broader view must be taken to ensure that more options are employed to save trees. Vice Mayor Ruskin said the staff needed to have better communication with residents regarding any action involving trees, and must have as its goal, close to 100% participation in taking care of newly replaced trees. He said few things are more important to the look of a City than its trees - there was a City's architecture and its trees. He suggested that staff create a list of options and present it to a Project Team consisting of staff, up to two Council Members, and others. Couneil Member Buehan asked City staff to review its notification process to see how it could be improved and how the community could be made part of the process. Couneil Member Hartnett agreed that Council should work with staff and the public to address this issue, and urged everyone to be creative in their approach to the goals of having safe sidewalks and tree preservation. He said the City should have as its goal a - global tree replacement policy "that goes beyond individual property rights." He said that although the City replaces far more trees than it removes, and the City does have an aggressive tree planting policy, the policy could stand improvement. Council Member Hartnett expressed support for a Task Force, and agreed with Director Ingram that "we ought to defer, for a reasonable amount of time, further taking down of trees... until we can sort out a better way of doing things." MIS: LEIPZIGIRUSKIN to form a Task Force, with Vice Mayor Ruskin and Council Member Hartnett, and approve a 45-day moratorium on cutting down street trees (under the City's street tree maintenance contracts) in Redwood City to look at all the issues discussed tonight. (Mayor Howard added that additional members could be added by the Task Force.) In response to Couneilman Claire's questions, Direetor Ingram advised there were enough other projects to fulfill the current street and sidewalk maintenance contracts without having to work on any street trees, at this time. He added that if there were any trees creating hazardous situations staff would advise the Council before anything was done. Councilman Claire described the City's sidewalk Program which splits the cost of sidewalk repairs with property owners (who are liable for sidewalks in front of their house.) Director Ingram agreed to contact larger areas, not just one home owner, when a course of action had to be established for a given tree or trees. - MEMO 12/1/97 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 56 DECEMBER 1,1997 MINUTES Page No. 077 PAGE 5