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Advisory board approves Seagate Drive street-tree change to shady lady black olive
Summary
The Community Services Advisory Board voted to recommend changing the designated street-tree species on Seagate Drive from Cuban laurel to the 'shady lady' black olive and to correct a homeowners association name to Sun Terrace; the recommendation will be forwarded to city council.
The City of Naples Community Services Advisory Board voted March 17 to recommend changing the designated street-tree species on Seagate Drive from Cuban laurels to the 'shady lady' black olive and to revise a homeowners association name in the recommendation to Sun Terrace Association.
Chad Merritt, community services director, introduced the item and turned it over to Heather Shields, the city's urban forest manager, who said Seagate Drive had been planted with Cuban laurels and that the species suffered heavy damage in past hurricanes. Shields noted Cuban laurels are a class 1 invasive and are no longer planted citywide; working with the Seagate Homeowners Association, residents selected the shady lady black olive as an alternative. "They ended up selecting the shady lady black olive to be the new species along that street," Shields said.
Board members asked whether the shady lady black olive is invasive and whether it represents a cost difference from live oaks. Shields said the shady lady is not an invasive exotic and that the two species are generally within a few hundred dollars of one another depending on nursery sizes. Staff said the project is out for competitive pricing, that about half a dozen planting spots remain to be filled, and that planting is scheduled for June if pricing and inspections are completed.
Vice Chair Barone moved to approve the changes as presented by Shields and to change the neighborhood name from "Eagle Oak" to "Sun Terrace." The motion was seconded, the board voted in favor and the motion passed. Merritt said the advisory board's recommendation, including the neighborhood-name revision, will be forwarded to city council for its consideration.
The decision amends the city's designated street-tree program for Seagate Drive to fill vacant locations with shady lady black olives going forward; staff emphasized the change does not require removing healthy, existing trees but will guide future replacements.
