Lakewood staff outlines consolidated natural environment and climate change program and plans for urban forestry launch

A city staff member identified in the meeting as Miss Spear told the Planning Commission the city is consolidating existing climate, tree canopy and resiliency efforts into a unified Natural Environment and Climate Change (NECC) program and plans to create a Climate Policy Advisory Team and an urban forestry program.

Why it matters: The consolidated program is intended to coordinate multiple legally required and council‑directed climate and tree initiatives — including compliance with Washington state House Bill 1181 — and to guide how the city spends near‑term funds and prepares for state grant cycles later in the decade.

Miss Spear said the NECC program is not new policy but a way to bring together adopted goals and actions from several sources into an implementation process. She noted Lakewood adopted an energy and climate chapter in the comprehensive plan…