Carbondale Tree Board presses for full‑scale plans, utility protections on aquatic center landscape

Carbondale — The Carbondale Tree Board on March 20 reviewed an arborist memo on the proposed aquatic center landscape plan and asked town staff to provide full‑scale drawings, irrigation and as‑built utility information before the board completes its advisory recommendations.

The board’s town arborist, Carl (town arborist), summarized his memo and recommended several changes to the plan, including replacing two medium‑sized linden trees in a northeast bed with smaller species to meet spacing requirements and reducing a proposed chinkapin oak planting from a 7‑ to a 2½–3‑inch caliper. “Planting a tree in a 2 and a half to 3 inch caliper range will establish more rapidly and adapt better to the site than a larger transplanted tree,” Carl said.

Board members flagged several other concerns the memo identified: an electrical pad and equipment sited close to a preserved oak, the location of two Siberian elms near the ditch and sidewalk, unclear rooting volume for replacement trees, lack of winter‑interest plantings, and the absence of a visible irrigation or maintenance plan on the materials provided. The board requested an as‑built utility plan to confirm pipe locations before final tree placement.

Why it matters: board members said the current printed plans the group received are not to scale and lack sufficient detail for tree‑placement decisions. Board members argued that improperly sited trees could suffer long‑term root and infrastructure conflicts, or require expensive maintenance or removal. Carl told the board he had spoken with a contractor who said conduit for the electrical box could be directionally bored and the box shifted north to reduce impacts on the preserved oak.

Key technical points and recommendations made during the meeting include: - Species and spacing changes: Two lindens in a Northeast bed should be swapped for two small trees (memo recommends spring snow crab and Ivory Silk Japanese tree lilac) to meet spacing specifications. - Tree size: Carl recommended smaller caliper sizes for planted trees at the site (2½–3‑inch caliper) rather than larger transplanted specimens, citing better establishment. - Rooting volume: The memo notes an estimate of about 2,700 cubic feet of rooting volume (example given as roughly 30 ft by 3 ft deep) as a minimum for large tree species; the board asked staff to investigate using subsurface root‑cell systems under hardscapes where feasible. - Planting strip: Board members reiterated Carbondale’s minimum 6‑foot planting strip requirement and said trees proposed where that minimum cannot be met should be relocated. - Utilities and as‑builts: The board asked for an as‑built showing recent utility relocations and for the irrigation plan; they emphasized the need to know the location of ditch pipes and other underground infrastructure before approving tree locations. - Maintenance and funding: Carl reported that 80 Miller "has agreed to cover the cost of a 7 inch caliber ... oak tree and its planting." The board discussed deducting the cost of a smaller, practical replacement tree and using remaining funds for additional plantings or site improvements. Board members also recommended contracting initial maintenance for the first three years to ensure establishment rather than relying on town staff alone.

Discussion and next steps: Members asked the project team and the town to supply a full‑size, to‑scale landscape plan and separate irrigation drawings for the board’s next review. Board members said the owner’s representative or landscape architect should provide large printed plans at the next meeting so the board can perform accurate takeoffs and finalize advisory comments to Public Works and the Board of Trustees. Carl said he would compile board comments and follow up with Eric (town staff) and the landscape team; the board requested that the resulting advisory memo be circulated to Kevin (Public Works) and trustees.

The board did not make any final approvals of the plan at the March 20 meeting; members framed their comments as advisory and contingent on receiving full‑scale plans, irrigation details and as‑built utility information.