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Council advances first reading for South Island PSD waterline easements amid tree-mitigation concerns
Summary
Council advanced on first reading an ordinance granting easements to South Island Public Service District for a waterline project that will affect four town-owned parcels. Councilmembers pressed staff for a detailed mitigation plan for 23 trees (including three live oaks) in one impact area before second reading; the first reading was moved forward 6–1.
Town staff presented a first reading on Jan. 14 for an ordinance that would grant easements to the South Island Public Service District (PSD) to install a waterline on the south end of the island.
Staff said directional boring will avoid surface disruption for two of the impacted multiuse pathways, but one section (Area 4) requires open-trench work across an existing drainage channel. "The total number of trees that will be impacted has been reduced down to 23, made up of 11 pine trees, 9 gum, and 3 live oaks," staff told council, noting the largest live oak was about 20 inches in diameter.
Councilmembers, led by Councilwoman Bryson, pressed for specifics about how and where replacement trees would be planted, how mitigation would be distributed across the four areas, and whether staging choices might preserve the three live oaks in Area 4. Bryson said she would prefer to see the project's tree-mitigation plan before approving final reading for the ordinance.
Staff responded that the development-review team has noted mitigation requirements (replanting with oak trees, understory replanting to avoid vegetation "tunnels") and that a detailed mitigation plan for Area 4 could be provided at second reading. Staff also said construction width at the most sensitive location was reduced during review from an initial 40 feet to 20 feet.
Councilmember Desmond asked whether open trenching was necessary and whether alternative staging could preserve the oaks; staff agreed to seek more detail from the PSD between first and second reading. Council advanced the ordinance on first reading (to return for second and final reading on Feb. 4) by a roll-call vote to move the first reading forward, 6–1.
If approved at second reading, staff said the easement conditions will require a detour plan, a construction schedule for public notice, and tree-mitigation measures on the impacted properties.
The council did not adopt final easement terms at this meeting; it advanced the ordinance while directing staff to develop a site-specific mitigation plan for the impacted live oaks and to provide more detailed construction-method information for Area 4.
