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City requires replanting for horticulture building project; school explores options or payment alternative
Summary
City officials told school representatives they must replant a total of 75 inches in tree diameter as part of the horticulture building project’s permitting; the school may plant on campus in view of the public or pay $100 per inch into the city’s tree fund, administrators said.
City planning staff told Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School representatives on May 29 that the horticulture building project will require a replanting obligation equal to 75 inches of tree diameter, the superintendent said at Tuesday’s trustees meeting.
Administrators said the city clarified the trees do not have to be planted within the construction footprint, but they must be located on school property that is publicly visible. That rule, administrators said, responds to the city’s mitigation standards but creates a potential long‑term conflict if the school later seeks solar arrays: mature trees planted in visible places could shade future rooftop panels.
Superintendent Dr. Lincoln Hoeger said the city will allow the school to pay into a municipal tree fund at $100 per inch if the planting cannot meet the city’s requirement; the school also asked the city for a phased planting timeline so horticulture students can plant during appropriate growing windows (fall and spring) and still meet occupancy permitting timelines.
Administrators said they are developing a planting plan across three campus areas (construction site, Route 9 corner and the storage-barn deck) and will submit a plan to the city this week. They noted the horticulture project’s contingency funds are in the tuition revolving account and flagged that those funds are not an unrestricted cash balance but were budgeted for the project.
Trustees asked administrators to return with a planting plan, timeline and budget or, if necessary, a payment plan to meet the city offset requirement.
The board also heard that a ribbon-cutting for the new horticulture building is tentatively planned for Friday, Aug. 22, concurrent with new‑student orientation; staff said timing is being finalized so the project is complete and guests can attend orientation events.
