Landcare Management Advisory Committee — Portland, ME
Date: 2024-04-02
Time: 18:30

City of Portland
Landcare Management Advisory
Committee

Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 6:30 PM Via Zoom



To submit written public comment on an agenda item, email landcare@portlandmaine.gov. Submissions must
be received by 12:00 pm the day before the Landcare Management Advisory Committee meeting to guarantee
their inclusion in the agenda packet. All submissions must include the commenter's name and legal address. To
help ensure your comment is submitted for the correct item, please include the name of the agenda item (see
below).

REMOTE ACCESS INFORMATION:
For public comment via Zoom, you will need to use the "raise your hand" feature. To raise your hand via the
telephone, please hit *9. You will be unmuted by the host when it is time for public comment.

https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/j/87817241199?pwd=QVZSMm9TZjd2OFRmQmN0WVQ4b3ArUT09

1. Review and Approve March 5 Minutes
 a. March 5 Minutes
2. Elect Chair
3. Updates
4. Review reporting requirements and Process to propose ordinance amendments
5. Set next meeting date
6. Adjournment




 1

City of Portland
Landcare Management Advisory
Committee

Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 6:30 PM Via Zoom



To submit written public comment on an agenda item, email landcare@portlandmaine.gov. Submissions must
be received by 12:00 pm the day before the Landcare Management Advisory Committee meeting to guarantee
their inclusion in the agenda packet. All submissions must include the commenter's name and legal address. To
help ensure your comment is submitted for the correct item, please include the name of the agenda item (see
below).

REMOTE ACCESS INFORMATION:
For public comment via Zoom, you will need to use the "raise your hand" feature. To raise your hand via the
telephone, please hit *9. You will be unmuted by the host when it is time for public comment.

https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/j/87817241199?pwd=QVZSMm9TZjd2OFRmQmN0WVQ4b3ArUT09

1. Review and Approve March 5 Minutes
 a. March 5 Minutes
2. Elect Chair
3. Updates
4. Review reporting requirements and Process to propose ordinance amendments
5. Set next meeting date
6. Adjournment




 1

 Page 1
 CITY OF PORTLAND, MAINE
 Landcare Management Advisory Committee
 March 5, 2024
 Start time: 6:30 PM

DRAFT Minutes March 5, 2024
Attendance: Jesse O’Brien, Melissa Runstrom, Carol Laboissonniere, Avery Kamila, Troy Moon,
Erin Ferrell, Priscilla Skerry, Noah Tucker, Kayley Weeks


Review and Approve February 6 Minutes
February 6 minutes unanimously approved.
Review the LMAC Annual Report and Reported Data
The committee reviewed the report and approved it to go forward to the Sustainability and
Transportation Committee with the LMAC approved ordinance amendments.
The LMAC reviewed data quality of reports submitted by commercial applicators. Reports are
required to include the same information as is required by the State of Maine Board of Pesticide
Control. Members noted that the requested information does not allow staff to identify ordinance
violations. Over the next year, the LMAC is going to review reporting requirements and will
propose amendments in the 2024 LMAC report.

Proposed Ordinance Amendments
The LMAC proposes the following ordinance amendments in 2024:
 1. Changing the required soil test to a “standard soil test” offered by the University
 of Maine Cooperative Extension.
 2. Required soil tests may be done every three years rather than yearly.
 3. Application of organic fertilizer to gardens is permitted with a soil test highly
 recommended.
 4. Fertilization of woody plants and shrubs is permitted so long as fertilizer is
 injected to the root or applied within the drip edge of the plant and incorporated
 into the soil.
 5. Removal of the term “penetrometer” because it is not referenced in the ordinance
 language.

Set Next Meeting Date
First Tuesday of the month. April 2nd.


Adjourned at 8 PM




 Page 2

CITY OF PORTLAND, MAINE
 Landcare Management Advisory Committee
 April 2, 2024
 Start time: 6:30 PM

DRAFT Minutes April 2, 2024
Attendance: Jesse O’Brien, Melissa Runstrom, Carol Laboissonniere, Avery Kamila, Troy Moon,
Erin Ferrell, Priscilla Skerry, Noah Tucker, Kayley Weeks


Review and Approve March 5 Minutes
March 5 minutes unanimously approved.


Elect Chair
Jesse O’Brien and Avery Kamila were both nominated as chair.

The Committee voted to approve Jesse O’Brien as the Chair 4-3.

Voting for Waiver Committee Chair: Members of the Committee nominated Avery Kamila as
Chair of the Waiver Committee. Avery accepted the nomination.

The Committee voted unanimously to approve Avery Kamila as Chair of the Waiver Committee.

Updates
The first Landcare Lunch Break was held last week with the topic being Soil Tests. The guest
speaker was able to give in depth explanations to how to properly take a soil sample and how to
interpret results. The UMaine Cooperative Extension Is happy to help answer any further
questions.

Future Landcare Lunch Breaks are going to cover the following topics: Urban Run-Off, Healthy
Lawncare Made Easy, Preparing Your Lawn for Winter.

Review reporting requirements and Process to propose ordinance amendments
Troy reviewed the process moving forward to advance the amendments to the Landcare
Ordinance. The amendments will go to the Sustainability and Transportation Committee soon
for review.

The Committee plans to continue to look into reporting requirements and data requested
usefulness over the next year to propose any necessary changes next year.

Set Next Meeting Date
Next meeting is going to be in the first week of September.


Adjourned at 8 PM