Tacoma committee advances urban forestry package after broad public comment and legal questions

The Infrastructure, Planning & Sustainability Committee on March 11 voted to advance a council consideration request to expand Tacoma—s urban forestry program and further implement the city—s 2019 Urban Forest Management Plan, sending the item for a March 25 study session at the full City Council.

Public commentators pressed the committee to move quickly to protect large trees and increase planting rates while staff and the city attorney warned that any new regulations affecting private property will require careful legal analysis and planning commission review.

The action matters because Tacoma has a stated goal of reaching a 30% tree canopy by 2030, public speakers said, while current canopy cover stands near 20% and the city is planting fewer than 2,000 trees a year toward an identified target of roughly 10,000 trees annually. Committee discussion focused on five categories of possible action in the memo before members: citywide tree preservation rules for development sites, a permit structure for removing trees on nondevelopment sites, canopy requirements or incentives for parking lots, canopy rules or incentives in commercial/manufacturing zones and very low equity areas, and expanded city services and funding options for trees in the public right of way.

Public comment and staff briefing Georgette Reuter, introduced as a longtime District 2 resident and member of the Tacoma Urban Forest Friends, urged the committee to follow the city—s own planning documents and act quickly to meet the canopy goal. "We believe that it is urgent for everyone to make a greater effort…