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Committee outlines downtown tree plan, links to transportation grants and maintenance costs
Summary
Members reviewed tree-installation strategies for downtown — root-control baskets, brick-and-sand tree wells, and first-year watering needs — and discussed coordinating planting with the transportation plan and grant programs such as Safe Routes and TGM/TSP.
The Economic Development Committee spent substantial time on downtown streetscape planning, focusing on which trees to plant, how to install them to protect sidewalks, and how to pay for installation and maintenance.
A committee member relayed advice from a local nursery contact about root-directing woven baskets that force roots downward and brick-and-sand tree wells that preserve ADA-compliant sidewalks while reducing root heave. Members noted that newly planted street trees typically require roughly 10 gallons of water per day for the first year and that watering systems or weekly fillable watering bags can reduce staff time. The group discussed staggered replacement as an alternative to mass replacement to avoid large simultaneous sidewalk repairs.
Funding and permitting were central to the discussion. Members cited Safe Routes to School and TGM/TSP grant programs as potential funding sources and said Walt has been working on the transportation plan, which could strengthen grant applications and speed ODOT review. Grant mechanics — some grants reimburse costs and some require local matching funds — led members to ask staff to confirm whether the city can front expenses and how reimbursement schedules would work.
Committee members agreed to include a tree list, vendor input and transportation-plan status in the packet for the Dec. 2 meeting and to invite a local nursery representative to present practical choices for species, spacing, and planting details.
