Board weighs LG&E matching-grant application to add trees on Prospect frontage

A board member urged the city Forestation/Tree Board to pursue an LG&E matching-grant opportunity to plant trees along a newly city-owned frontage in Prospect near the proposed roundabout and Kroger. Speaker 6 described the program as matching up to $5,000 with three eligibility criteria: the project must be within LG&E service territory, be a local government program, and demonstrate a history of successful tree-planting efforts.

Speaker 6 proposed targeting a portion of the Prospect frontage (the area along Route 42 near the car wash and the proposed roundabout) for a streetscape planting and offered to prepare application drawings and documentation. Speaker 3 and other members cautioned that the city has conceptual landscape/boardwalk plans for the site and that any planting must be compatible with those plans; Speaker 5 said the city may already have conceptual drawings and suggested the group pick a specific site and number of trees before proceeding.

Members noted the grant cycle opens in October and that applications are due Oct. 31 (Speaker 6). Speaker 6 offered to lead the application if another board member will assist with documentation; Speaker 4 indicated willingness to help. Board members agreed not to abandon the idea but acknowledged the need to quantify maintenance costs and multi-year commitments in the application.

The board did not make a formal vote on submitting the grant application during the meeting and left next steps as a planning task between Speaker 6 and volunteers to prepare site maps and application materials.