Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Urban Forestry topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
South Salt Lake staff recommend higher standards for urban trees, including soil cells and larger soil volumes
Summary
The Department of Neighborhoods proposed ordinance and engineering-standard changes to improve urban tree survival in downtown and TOD zones, recommending soil cells, minimum soil volumes, underground irrigation and higher-quality species lists; staff estimated a soil-cell system could cost about $15,000 per tree.
The South Salt Lake Department of Neighborhoods presented proposed standards for urban trees at the council’s March 12, 2025, work meeting, recommending changes to engineering standards and the landscape handbook to increase tree survival, canopy size and stormwater benefits in downtown and transit-oriented development (TOD) areas.
Sharon Hari, who led the presentation, told the council current ordinances and typical sidewalk construction yield short-lived trees that rarely reach mature canopy size. She recommended higher minimum soil quantities, the use of engineered soil-cell systems where pavement covers trees, and underground drip irrigation to water the entire root zone.
Why it matters: Staff said a healthier urban forest reduces urban heat island effects, improves air quality, extends pavement life and provides long-term utility savings. Council members said they did not want to see new street trees die prematurely and asked about species selection, cost and developer requirements.
Details of the proposal - Soil quantity and soil cells: Staff would require larger soil volumes per tree and use of soil-cell systems (modular underground voids that hold soil beneath pavement) where pavement or sidewalks would otherwise compact root zones. Hari said soil-cell systems provide continuity of soil beneath sidewalks so roots can grow into a larger volume.
- Species and irrigation: The city would refine its street-tree list to reflect regional, drought-tolerant species and require underground drip irrigation for the installed root zones.
- Where it would apply: Staff recommended the new standards for downtown and possibly the TOD zone, where developers typically build to the property line and existing standards do not provide adequate soil for mature trees.
- Cost and funding: Hari said the soil-cell approach is more expensive than conventional tree planting; her estimate was about $15,000 per tree for the soil-system installation. She said developers would pay for required improvements, though the city could consider funding mechanisms or credits; staff referenced a paused federal grant that previously supported design work.
Council discussion and staff responses Councilmembers asked whether the systems are manufactured and available; Hari said soil cells are manufactured and used elsewhere but have not been widely installed in Utah. Members asked whether the city would force new developers to use the systems; Hari said the requirement could be imposed by ordinance in the downtown or TOD zones. Clarissa and others asked about a regional tree list and drought-tolerant species; Hari said the city’s landscape handbook currently includes a tree list informed by Utah State Extension and local conservation partners.
Next steps Staff said they will return with draft ordinance language, engineering details and cost estimates. No regulatory changes were adopted at the work meeting.
