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Advisory Board Meeting

Town of Cary · Environmental Advisory Board
Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 6:00 pm · Conference Room 11130, 316 N. Academy Street, Cary Town Hall, Cary, NC 27513

Advisory board meeting Environment and sustainabilityAppointments and personnelElections and districtsParks and recreation

Agenda document Full packet Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

Cary's Environmental Advisory Board welcomed three new members, elected Dustin Cote as vice chair, and recognized outgoing Council liaison Jack Smith. Staff briefed the board on leaf-season preparations, the now-operational Urban Forestry Master Plan, and ongoing outreach to homeowners associations on topics like solar panel approvals.

The rest of the agenda was routine: minutes approval, chair announcements about upcoming events, and members sharing their own HOA experiences.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The board unanimously appointed Dustin Cote as vice chair on a motion by Madl, seconded by Porter. New members Rachel Porter, Terri McLeod and Emily Neuhauser introduced themselves. Staff reported that the Urban Forestry Master Plan is now operational, with tree trimming underway at Cary Tennis Park, structural pruning planned at Downtown Park, and a train-the-trainer program on pruning and tree identification starting at Hemlock Bluffs. Staff also said all leaves collected this season will be composted or reused, and that it plans to interview board members about their HOA experiences to help develop the town's HOA engagement work.

Members discussed leaving leaves for wildlife habitat and one member's experience with a solar panel approval on their HOA's architecture review board. The chair announced a Farm to Fork dinner benefiting Good Hope Farm, the My Tree, Our Tree program, and plans to organize a group tour of a Cary wastewater treatment plant in 2026. The meeting adjourned at 7:14 p.m.

How the votes went

The agenda and the September 9 minutes were both approved without objection. Dustin Cote was appointed vice chair unanimously on a motion by Madl, seconded by Porter.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Sign up for Public Speaks Out by calling the town before noon on the day of the meeting; each speaker gets three minutes. Comments that arrive after noon are passed to the council as correspondence instead.

Town of Cary's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (10)

Other · 4Staff or committee report · 2Proclamation or recognition · 1Procedural · 1Discussion item · 1Appointment · 1
  1. For any public interested in listening to the meeting, please call 1-650-479-3207 and enter access code (2551 403 2108) and password (76898342), followed by # when prompted.
    Other
  2. 1. Recognition of Councilmember Jack Smith
    Proclamation or recognition
    The board recognized outgoing Councilmember Jack Smith for his service as Council liaison to the board.
  3. 1. Councilmember Smith's comments
    Other
  4. 1. Instructions for submitting public comments
    Procedural
  5. 1. Board Member Profile
    Other
  6. 2. Member HOA Share
    Discussion item Environment and sustainability
    Members shared personal HOA experiences, including one member's role approving a solar panel installation on their HOA's architecture review board, and discussed leaving leaves for wildlife habitat.
  7. 1. Welcome New Members
    Other
    Speaker: Mia South, Chair
  8. 2. Selection of Vice Chair
    Appointment Appointments and personnelElections and districts
    Speaker: Mia South, Chair
  9. 1. Update on Happenings
    Staff or committee report Environment and sustainabilityParks and recreation
    Speaker: Dan Ault, Assistant Town Ma nager Ault will provide an update to the board on urban forestry and lea f season.
  10. 2. HOA Engagement Updates
    Staff or committee report
    Speaker: Dan Ault, Assistant Town Man ager

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