Rochester council approves community-based initiatives after split vote on Milwaukee ‘forest’ pilot

Rochester City Council on a May 2025 meeting approved an appropriations measure to fund multiple community-based initiatives but rejected an amendment that would have struck a proposed Milwaukee-style urban forest pilot from the package.

The amendment to remove “section 11” — the item councilmembers described as a pilot to plant a small urban forest on a vacant city lot — failed in a roll call vote, and the overall appropriations measure (introductory number 1-60) then passed as amended in committee.

The contested exchange focused on community input, program timing and legal protections for city-owned lots. Councilmember Mary Lupien moved to send the item back to committee early in the discussion, saying she wanted “a little bit more time to see if we can either, have that be its own introductory or to learn a little bit more about, how the community feels about this.” The motion to return the measure to committee was seconded and discussed but ultimately withdrawn in favor of a written…