Transportation staff updated council on the right-of-way landscape restoration plan at the Nov. 25 workshop, describing the plan's catch-up and keep-up funding tables, drought-tolerant planting standards and a timeline covering FY2024 through FY2030. Staff said the original plan identified 35 miles of right-of-way restoration but that additional segments increased the plan to 45 miles.

Budget and grants: Staff identified a supplemental operating figure of $473,000 over seven years as part of the FY2023 baseline and said the city accepted a $3,000,000 grant from the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) via Resolution R24-04 in January 2024 to support restoration work. Staff said the WIFA-related procurement required reissuing contracts to incorporate federal language, which affected FY2025 program delivery.

Implementation results and lessons learned: Staff reported more than 6,000 shrubs and about 561 trees planted in FY2024-25, replacement/restoration of irrigation roughly measured in hundreds of thousands of linear feet, and installation of 14 smart irrigation controllers that reduce water usage and detect leaks. Lessons include the need for cross-agency coordination with utilities and the decision to extend plant-material warranty periods to one year to ensure establishment.

Next steps: Staff said projects scheduled for FY2026 are on track, that Union Hills projects will be completed this year, and that FY2027-30 work will emphasize planting trees where gaps exist. Council thanked staff for visible median improvements and asked staff to revisit spacing standards where shrubs appear cramped in some installations; staff said funding for planned catch-up activity is programmed in the CIP and that supplemental budget items will appear in upcoming fiscal-year requests.