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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday,November 17, 2014 <br /> Page 29 <br /> not gotten that impression, but instead had found heartfelt discussions and con- <br /> cerns from neighbors who were trying to pull people back and hopefully could ig- <br /> nore that insinuation and aspect and concentrate only on the positive elements re- <br /> sulting from that initial meeting. <br /> Councilmember Willmus opined that, had that individual known the ethnic <br /> makeup of some of the surrounding households, they would have had a different <br /> perception versus prejudging individuals who happened to show up versus that <br /> overall makeup of the neighborhood. <br /> Mayor Roe thanked staff and neighbors for their persistence and diligence; and <br /> expressed his personal better understanding of the entire picture than he'd had <br /> several months ago. Mayor Roe opined that this process will help the City Coun- <br /> cil do their jobs better in the future. <br /> a. Request by Community Development Department Staff to Discuss Potential <br /> Amendments to City Code, Section 1011.04 (Tree Preservation) <br /> Community Development Director Bilotta introduced this issue, as detailed in the <br /> RCA and attachments dated November 17, 2014; and provided before and after <br /> pictorial examples of several developments in Roseville and dramatic changes on <br /> those sites under the City's current tree preservation ordinance. Mr. Bilotta noted <br /> perceptions of aerial views and interior and exterior parcel observations, without <br /> benefit of new plantings; opining that better and more informed material needed <br /> to be provided for the City Council and public as development plans came before <br /> the City. Two examples used by Mr. Bilotta were that of the Owasso intersection <br /> and the old Countryside Restaurant location on Snelling Avenue between County <br /> Road C-2 and C. Mr. Bilotta admitted that there were challenges in both residen- <br /> tial and residential uses and how a lot was designed and could realize its maxi- <br /> mum use, some not as acceptable as others. Mr. Bilotta noted, with commercial <br /> development, the current code often was not realistic when other considerations <br /> were taken into account, such as stormwater management and replacement trees. <br /> If the City adopted the City Manager-recommended 2015 budget and inclusion of <br /> a full-time forester position, Mr. Bilotta asked for City Council direction on when <br /> to codify the current ordinance, now or later. Mr. Bilotta also requested general <br /> direction for staff to consider going forward in revising that ordinance. <br /> Councilmember McGehee asked for several items, including a chart showing cir- <br /> cumference rather than diameter; avoiding the use of"undesirable" for Cotton- <br /> wood and/or Boxelder trees, since she considered them perfectly fine trees with <br /> good specimens already in Roseville; and asked that trees be planned as part of <br /> any future landscaping plans, paying attention to how they are planted and how <br /> maintained beyond considering a urban tree having only a five-year lifespan. <br /> Councilmember McGehee further requested that if larger or heritage trees were <br /> cut down, they not be replaced with trees having a short lifespan, but that empha- <br />