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HomeMy WebLinkAboutInformation Update 052725AGENDA INFORMATION UPDATE May 27, 2025 5:00 PM, I.Information Update I.A State of the Forest Memo I.B Summer Project Updates from Aspen Public Art State_of_the_Forest_Memo_2025_05192025.docx Attachment 1 - Ordinance 11, 2024 Memo.pdf Info Only Memo_Summer Project Updates from Aspen Public Art.pdf 1 1 MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM:Shelly Braudis, Natural Resource Manager John Spiess, Open Space and Natural Resource Manager THROUGH:Matt Kuhn, Parks & Open Space Director MEETING DATE:July 23, 2024 RE:Ordinance #11 - Updates to Tree Code (Chapter 13.20) to address wildfire mitigation ______________________________________________________________________ REQUEST OF COUNCIL: The Parks and Open Space Department is seeking Council approval to update Chapter 13.20 Tree Removal Permits. Updates to the code will provide homeowners and residents the opportunity to conduct wildfire mitigation on their properties while complying with City Municipal code. A supporting Wildfire Mitigation Policy functions to support the code and defines certain variables that may change or need adaptation in the future. While staff has aimed to consider many variables and circumstances in the drafting of the policy, it is anticipated that revisions and updates will be needed from time to time, and future updates will be made in the Policy and adopted through Council Resolution. By approving Ordinance #11, the Wildfire Mitigation Policy will also be approved. BACKGROUND: Recent wildfires in Hawaii, California, on the front range of Colorado and locally demonstrate the increasingly catastrophic nature of wildfire events. City staff have been working on a plan to reconcile current city code in order to allow homeowners and residents to mitigate wildfire risks in the Aspen area. For many decades, the City has prioritized the value of trees and a healthy urban forest through a robust set of codes governing tree removal. With increasing risks to wildfire, homeowners have begun approaching the Parks and Open Space Department to permit the removal of trees specifically for hazard reduction on a given property. Given the current Municipal Code, removals specifically for wildfire hazard mitigation are not clearly defined or allowed. Nonetheless, in the last year staff have issued less than ten stand-alone tree removal permits for wildfire purposes. Recognizing an 2 increasing need to manage and allow for wildfire related tree removals, staff have developed revisions to the code and have written a policy to support these efforts. DISCUSSION: Beginning in 2023, staff evaluated best practices and methods for balancing wildfire mitigation, with the need to preserve and care for the City’s urban forest. The City of Aspen Parks and Open Space department and the Aspen Fire Protection District (AFPD) met on many occasions in 2023 and 2024 to develop a unified approach to wildfire mitigation strategies within city limits. In order to memorialize this collaborative effort, the City and AFPD have drafted an IGA, which will be presented to City Council for adoption via resolution on August 13th, 2024. A draft of the IGA is attached to this agenda item for reference. At the foundation of these changes is the vision that certain trees will be allowed to be removed, but in order to balance the values of the City’s urban forest, incentives will be made to replant fire-resistant trees and shrubs in their place. The loss of available habitat caused by development has already limited the City’s ability to maintain the urban forest, and without carefully balancing tree removals for wildfire, the City runs the risk that tree removals may cumulatively affect the urban forest in a negative way. The Wildfire Mitigation Policy consider guidance from the national Firewise program and staff have developed a matrix that contemplates different tree removal allowances based on a properties identified risk, and a trees proximity to a structure. This policy and matrix will guide homeowners, the AFPD and the City Forester when determining what vegetation is to be removed on a property to address wildfire risk. At the root of the policy and agreement with AFPD is the Home Assessment. When requested by a resident, home assessments will be completed by the AFPD to determine mitigation efforts that the homeowner can implement to address wildfire risk. The home assessment may advise homeowners on possible structural and material changes to a building, although the City’s codes related to materials and buildings are beyond the scope of this agreement and policy. (See informational memo provided July 23, 2024 for more information on City-wide wildfire topics.) Following a Home Assessment, a property owner may submit a tree removal permit depending on the findings of the assessment, and the City Forester will use that assessment in conjunction with the policy and matrix in determining the final removal permit. At this point, there are no changes to permits for the removal of trees for development purposes; the proposed wildfire mitigation policy and code changes are for standalone tree permits only. 3 The following graphic shows the matrix that is the framework for wildfire-related tree removal permits, and further information can be found in the attached Policy: The matrix has been tested on several past permits and staff find that it meets the goals to balance fuel reduction with the urban forest. Staff also evaluated how these code changes would impact city-owned trees (ROW); the studies show that impacts to City trees will be minor to moderate. Impacts to privately owned trees will be largely dependent on individual resident’s pursuit of tree removals for wildfire mitigation purposes. As elaborated further in the Policy, certain fees related to tree removals will be reduced when the homeowner elects to replace the removed trees with wildfire-resistant species. It is the hope that by incentivizing replanting, the City will shift to a more resilient forest, and maintain the benefits of Aspen’s urban forest over the course of the next 10 to 20 years. It should be noted that there are minor code clarifications included in Ordinance 11 that clean-up several minor language and clarity issues. Notably, revision of references to Parks and Recreation Manager are shifted to ‘Director”, as well as more clarity about how to measure the Critical Root Zone, as well as removal of trees for public safety. AREA RISK ZONE 1 / 0 - 5 ft ZONE 2 / 5 - 30 ft. ZONE 3 / 30 ft. and beyond Very High • All removals allowed •Planting trees not allowed • All removals considered • Planting fire-resistant trees encouraged • Removal of evergreen trees considered • Planting fire-resistant trees encouraged High • All removals allowed • Planting trees not allowed • Removal of evergreen trees considered • Planting fire-resistant trees encouraged • Removals considered for fire mitigation reasons • Planting of all trees allowed, fire- resistant trees encouraged Moderate • All removals allowed • Planting trees not allowed • Removals considered for fire mitigation reasons • Planting of all trees allowed, fire- resistant trees encouraged • Planting of all trees allowed, fire- resistant trees encouraged Low • All removals allowed • Planting trees considered per Firewise guidance • Removals considered for fire mitgation reasons • Planting of all trees allowed, fire- resistant trees encouraged • Planting of all trees allowed, fire- resistant trees encouraged NOTES: * A tree's location is determined by half or more of the trunk at the base existing within a given zone. * Pruning and/or retention groups of trees may be suggested by City Forester as an alternative to removal where practical. *Please refer to CSU list of fire-resistant and non-fire resistant trees. * Trees considered "landmark trees" will be reviewed and considered for removal by the City Forester. *Effectiveness of tree-related mitigation efforts will depend on reduction of other fuels in the landscape and structure hardening. * Vegetation and terrain considerations on specific properties may allow for greater removals WILDFIRE TREE MITIGATION 4 FINANCIAL IMPACTS: Fees assessed for tree removal within the home ignition zone have been established in the Wildfire Mitigation Policy document. It is unknown how the changes to this code will impact tree-related revenues for the department, but the current revenue is a minor source of funds for the 100 Fund. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: Adoption of the proposed tree removal allowances for fire mitigation could have a significant impact on Aspen’s Urban Forest. It is well known that trees have many positive effects, particularly in the urban environment. Those benefits include erosion control, improved air quality, increased property values, reduction in the urban heat island affect, and providing habitat. Creating further allowances for tree removal will likely cause a reduction in the number of trees that make up our urban canopy and reduce the ecosystem services that it provides. Incentives for replanting may help offset these losses. ALTERNATIVES: City Council can direct staff to change the proposed codes or policy, or to amend or delete certain conditions. RECOMMENDATIONS:. Staff recommends adoption of the proposed codes into the City’s Municipal Code by Ordinance #11, Series of 2024. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS: ATTACHMENTS: A. Ordinance 11 – Updates to Chapter 13.20 Tree Removal Permits B. Wildfire Mitigation Policy C. Draft IGA with Aspen Fire Protection District 5 INFORMATION ONLY MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Lara Whitley, Public Art Program Lead THROUGH: Sarah Roy, Red Brick Center for the Arts Executive Director Austin Weiss, Parks and Recreation Director MEMO DATE: May 19, 2025 RE: Summer Public Art Projects Update PURPOSE: This memorandum is for informational purposes only and is to provide an update on the city’s new Public Art Program, and an update on this summer’s projects. No action is requested of Council. SUMMARY: (Clockwise from top left) Installation Day for City Hall Exhibition 2025; Muralist and community organizer Anthony Garcia Sr. of Birdseed Collective will lead the Galena Asphalt Art project; Sanford Biggers’ “Unsui (Mirror)” debuting at Desert X 2025 in March ; “Charm Harbour” by Chiaozza; Cannupa Hanska Luger . Aspen Public Art, the city’s new public art program which operates within the Red Brick Center for the Arts department, – officially kicks off this summer with a series of art experiences in public spaces that are designed for the entire community to enjoy and interact with for free. Collaborating with various City departments and community arts 6 organizations, Aspen Public Art will debut temporary artworks in local parks and the downtown core from May through September. The summer lineup features a diverse array of public art: from installations and sculptural interventions to asphalt art and public gallery exhibitions. Accompanying each of the artworks will be a robust program of free community events that invite the public for gathering, engaging and connecting. As the community programming is confirmed, it will be announced on the Red Brick’s website. SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS City Hall Exhibition 2025-2027 •Biennial exhibition at City Hall, featuring the extraordinary talents of 11 contemporary Colorado artists, plus a collection of political posters by the late Tom Benton on loan from the Aspen Collective Gallery •Location: Aspen City Hall •Dates: Open now through spring 2027 •presented by Aspen Public Art Galena Asphalt Art •Street mural and pedestrian safety project by artist Anthony Garcia Sr. of Birdseed Collective, with an original design on curb extensions at three busy downtown intersections •Location: at intersections along the South Galena Street Corridor, between Hopkins and Cooper Avenues •Mural painting: May 28 to June 6 (pedestrian and traffic impacts during this time) •Artist talk and demo: date TBD •a collaboration between Aspen Public Art and the Engineering Department "Unsui (Mirror)" by Sanford Biggers •Coming straight from its debut at Desert X, this art installation features two sequined, pole-mounted clouds floating at Aspen's front door •Location: Paepcke Park •June 4 to late September •co-commissioned by Desert X and Buckhorn Public Arts, presented locally in partnership with Aspen Public Art and the Parks and Open Space Department 7 "Charm Valley" by Chiaozza •Created by artists Adam Frezza & Terri Chiao (Chiaozza), this seven -piece sculptural installation at a park in the heart of downtown invites physical and mental play •Location: Francis Whitaker Park, Hopkins Avenue and Monarch Street •Mid-July to late September •a collaboration between Aspen Ideas Festival and Aspen Public Art “VOLUME” by Cannupa Hanska Luger •Audio and sculpture installation by the multidisciplinary artist known for monumental works that communicate urgent stories of 21st Century Indigeneity •Location: the exterior stairwell of the Aspen Art Museum •July 29 to August 1 (during the Aspen Art Museum AIR Festival) •a collaboration between Aspen Art Museum and Aspen Public Art GENESIS OF ASPEN PUBLIC ART The idea of the Aspen Public Art program was born as a response to two parallel sources that began to surface in 2023: a community call for more art in Aspen’s public spaces, as well as city staff’s wish to better manage those public art pieces already in the municipality’s existing inventory. The Red Brick responded by convening an Aspen Public Art Plan Visioning Committee and hiring consultants ThereSquared and Stilwell Cultural Consulting to lead a robust, bilingual community engagement effort around public art. The effort included surveys, interviews, focus groups, local events and community conversations. The community feedback affirmed that Aspen is a place that embraces and celebrates creative expression, innovation and interdisciplinary engagement. It also revealed that the community would like the city to partner with arts organizations to discover synergies and create collaborative, joyful, stimulating and engaging works of art of all types for the entire community of Aspen. The Red Brick followed this lead by continuing the Aspen City Hall Exhibition program, creating a demonstration “pavement art” project by artist Chris Erickson in 2023 and in partnership with Aspen Ideas Festival, and installing a pilot project at Rubey Park and Sister Cities Plaza by artist Ana Maria Hernando in 2024. During last year’s annual budget process, Council approved ongoing budget authority to establish a new public art program and hire a full-time employee. I (Lara Whitley) was appointed to lead the program in March of this year. The mission of Aspen Public Art is to create community by connecting people to each other and to place through art experiences that build upon Aspen’s legacy of innovation, 8 creativity and spirited independence. Aspen Public Art is part of the City’s portfolio of cultural vibrancy funding which, in addition to commissioning public art experiences and maintaining the City’s public art collection, also provides arts and culture grants to nonprofits, Cultural Vibrancy Fellowships for artists, community arts programming at the Red Brick Center for the Arts and performing arts at the Wheeler Opera House . NEXT STEPS: No action is requested of Council. ATTACHMENTS: None. CITY MANAGER: Please contact the City Manager if there are questions or follow up needed regarding the information provided. 9