August 16, 2023: Ambler EAC Meeting Minutes
Welcome to members and guests (7:00pm)
Attendance and Approval of Minutes
Members: Hannah Lloyd, Wes Pipitone, Nancy Roecker-Coates, William Nassau, Matt Walker
Guests: Mark Settman, Judy Baigis, Jill Sanchez
Absent: Kirstin Puskar
Quorum Met
All motioned to approve July’s Minutes
Presentations (none)
Old Business/Committee Reports
Education and Outreach Committee (needs a chair)
Litter clean up July 24, 2023 Ambler Summer Camp
Great turnout, thank you to all of our volunteers!
Public Comment: none
Treasurer’s Report (Wes Pipitone)
Website payment moved to Wes’ card from Hannah's who is leaving the EAC end of year.
Nancy would like to use some budget to buy clean up supplies.
approved
Budget request due by end of this month
All: please send Wes via email any budget requests that you have by one week from tonight.
Budget requests are compartmentalized into buckets, but not bound by this.
Budget increase requests should be paired with coming to the meeting and being prepared to discuss your reasoning.
Public Comment: When to start discussing and planning for budget increases for the EAC. Advice is two months ahead, discussed at committee meetings and voted on at council meetings.
Keep Ambler Beautiful (Chair: Nancy Roecker Coates)
World Clean Up Day Saturday, September 16, 2023, 9am
Ambler Borough Hall
9am - 12
Need volunteers
People to help direct clean up volunteers, etc.
b)“Ambler Borough CleanUp-Unity Through Community”
Cell phone recycling
c) no updates yet
d) Social media posts boosted to reach more donors
Public Comment on this section: none
Shade Tree Committee
Make Ambler a Shade Better tree planting (Kirsten Puskar/Mark Setman)
Exploring the future of this program and it’s possibilities
Mark Settman attended a meeting with Upper Dublin Tree planting leaders
Upper Dublin will be planting at places in need again due to hurricane damage
They would like help from Ambler Tree Tenders to meet their required amount of Tree Tenders present at plantings
Adopt a Tree program could be resurrected if a volunteer was interested
There are more tags
A Google map
Inactive Web Page could be reactivated
To plant trees on borough street sides, businesses and public property you need to seek permission first from the owner
There is the ability to cut tree pits and lift cinder blocks etc. with the borough given permission and coordination
Ambler Community Garden / Tree Planting updates
Matt Walker's Wife would be willing to help volunteers plan paw paw trees by Ambler Community Garden
Jill spoke with Holly Days about sourcing trees
Also spoke to Backyard Eats, who designed the Garden
Also spoke to Amy SIlls and Jennifer Henderson about Food Forest planning
This could be a community planting day between EAC, Community Garden and any other local businesses or communities.
This would need to be approved by EAC first and then presented to the Ambler Community Garden Board.
Pawpaw’s have deep taproots and need time to establish
They need to have at least two in one space to cross pollinate
They are not messy trees that spill fruit on the ground around them - public concern addressment
Rotary Club is also planning to put a Pavilion nearby, these trees could compliment the space well
Street Trees (Kirsten Puskar)
Absent - will cover at September meeting
Discuss/plan tree protection ordinance
Matt Walker requested that ordinance research / drafts are shared. Nancy.
Any assessments done of borough property for additional tree planting?
Public Tree Inventory done in 2020
Hannah will share this with Matt Walker
Will motions to set aside $1,000 of EAC budget for tree plantings in Knights Park around Ambler Community Garden
All motion to approve
Wes, see above for financial planning
Public Comment:
We could submit a discount or benefit sheet to landlords to entice planting trees on their rental properties?
Make sure to plant the right tree right place for front yard plantings, especially with slopes and power lines.
Pocket Park: EAC would like to plant more trees in and around the pocket park, previous permissions were given for this area in some places.
Jill planted a tree in front of Decks in 2017. After ill treatment of this tree by utility company employees it died and was removed. It is recommended that there is a standard of procedure in place to help prevent this with Ambler EAC being consulted and gathering arborist opinions etc. prior to action.
Climate Action Committee
(Chair: Wes Pipitone, Members: Matt Walker)
CCA for PA update
Presentation was given to EAC and guests during a previous monthly meeting
Moving to a CCA for PA could make huge waves in terms of combating climate change within the power of a small town.
Cost savings included
Opt out: Anybody can opt out at any time (or also opt back in).
You can keep your current energy plan if you have one and are happy with it.
CCA for PA includes advising for grants and implementation
Sample proposals available
Surrounding townships can share their documents and plans as they find success
The more towns that sign on for CCA for PA, the higher this item can be on the agenda to create movement for PA’s energy plan
Wes recommended Q1 2024: assessment with hard numbers and surrounding township data to compare against.
Afterwards, we can have a presentation using this data and communications.
Petition writing with residents (Matt)?
Could be part of education and gathering interest.
Gather contact info to invite them to relevant meetings.
Focus on education first
Energy Efficient Building Codes update/discussion
Energy Audit Idea not received
New buildings and renovations
Opt in municipality in following with PA
This info would need to be readily available online.
Future buildings currently in planning or early stages could benefit from
Matt Walker researching and talking with local code about this idea and possible hurdles.
Ambler adopting 2021 code
Township would be able to opt in to points most wanted
Would need to have a public hearing
Would need to pass in council
Approve with dept. Of labor and inspection
Public Comment:
Why not sooner (CCA for PA)? A: Wes: Better preparation with data and survey results to present.
Solar tour / walk? To educate people from the perspectives of people who already have it. Would the EAC be interested? Tabled.
Can we find neighboring municipalities that are ahead of the curve and can share their data / wins with us to help out?
Social Media (Nancy Roecker-Coates)
Nancy could use help with social media
Even if you want to just create content and send it to Nancy for posting
Public Comment : none
Park Signage (Nancy Roecker-Coates and Hannah Lloyd)
Sign size options - Low Rise with basic T base
36x24 (most common) $295-$320 Base $575
24x18: $250 for the sign and base $520
this is the size of signs on the Green Ribbon Trail
EAC in favor
Aluminum base favored by borough
Flood plain map would be consulted for placement of signs
Shipping charge of $200
Do this in a set of two or have one of this size and one of the 36 x 24
42x24
48x24
Content will drive the sizing of this sign as well.
Wes motioned that the EAC purchase two signs, with the option of upgrading the second sign to a larger sign with a cost increase of only $100 for the second sign.
All motion to approve
Possible content
Tree Identification
Understanding Trees
Riparian EcoSystems
Riparian Buffer System in general has been talked about often as content
Could combine this subject with tree facts
Invasive Species
Anatomy of a Stream
Steam & Riparian Restoration
History (would require source)
Could also tack this on to another sign content
Carbon sequestration
Wildlife education
Which animals are pests and which are beneficial to your neighborhood
Good feedback on this topic
Base options
Public Comment:
Have cost comparisons been made: yes.
Cost: can possibly cut cost outsourcing the base?
I. Borough Council Update (Nancy Roecker-Coates)
Bird Town PA
Voted down
Public Comment: Can watch a recording of this meeting online. Not enough interest and residents involved.
New Business
Tabled for next meeting: Procedural discussion: what needs to be voted on by the EAC
Tabled for next meeting: Community Engagement Survey Discussion
ARTICLE VIII: Responsibilities
The EAC is a component of local elected government, therefore is charged with being responsible and responsive to the residents of Ambler. It is therefore empowered to educate and inform the public of
issues of environmental and ecological importance, ensure that EAC members understand the concerns and opinions of local residents on natural resource issues, and assist local officials in making
policy decisions that relate to natural resource conservation.
Ambler EAC Ambler EAC By Laws
Tabled for next meeting: Discussion: EAC Policy “Asks” for Borough Council
Tabled for next meeting: Budget request to Borough Council
Public comments
Public comment/Open Forum
Wes feels like there is too much to discuss at each monthly meeting. What kind of outside discussions can be had outside of meetings?
Committee meetings
Discussions that do not end in a vote
Upcoming EAC Events
September 16, 2023 World Clean Up Day 9am Ambler Borough Hall
Fall 2023 Tree Tenders training registration
Simulcast- in Person & Virtual attendance welcome
September 20th, 27th, and October 4th
https://phsonline.org/events/tree-tenders-2023-fallEAC Network Fall Gathering Oct 21, 2023 9am-4pm
Next meeting: Wednesday September 20, 2023 at 7:00pm
Adjournment