Staff told the Northampton Urban Forestry Commission on Nov. 5 that the final fall planting day is scheduled for the coming Saturday and that about 10 trees will be planted across the city. The city’s nursery has been largely cleared, though some ball-and-burlap stock remains and a small number of sites were postponed because of construction or utilities work.

Commissioners emphasized the role of setback plantings — public trees planted on private property within 20 feet of the right-of-way under a formal agreement with the property owner — and cited Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 87, Section 5 as the statutory basis permitting the use of public funds for such plantings. A commissioner summarized setbacks as a way to plant trees on private land when it provides a public benefit and to give trees more root space than narrow tree belts along streets.

Staff and commissioners discussed several site-specific possibilities for future plantings, including space behind JFK School and near new basketball and tennis courts to help mitigate urban heat. Ryan Road stakes will remain in place over the winter with an anticipated spring planting unless construction (gas-line work or sidewalk replacement) intervenes; DigSafe notices limit the window for planting around those sites.

Commissioners and volunteers also discussed practical matters for volunteers working on setbacks: volunteers must sign a release form to take part in setback work, and the DPW mulch at Locust Street is seasonally available (roughly April–November), meaning volunteers working off hours may need a designated drop-off/pick-up location. The commission asked staff to circulate pending neighborhood-planting applications (including a proposed Sherman Avenue planting) and to confirm calendars for outreach and volunteer coordination.

Next steps: staff will circulate detailed fall-planting notes to commissioners before the next meeting and follow up on neighborhood planting applications and potential school-site plantings.