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Parks commission votes to serve as Victoria Tree Board, pursue Tree City USA designation
Summary
The Victoria City Parks and Recreation Commission voted Nov. 12 to serve as the city's Tree Board and begin the Tree City USA application process; staff said the designation requires a tree advisory board, a tree-care ordinance and at least $2 per capita in annual tree spending.
The Victoria City Parks and Recreation Commission voted Nov. 12 to have the commission also serve as the Victoria Tree Board and to begin the application process for Tree City USA, the national urban-forestry program administered by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Parks and Recreation Director Lisa Wube presented the program and said it offers grant opportunities, public-education benefits and heightened community recognition. "Now I will note the last time that our city was designated was back in 2014," Wube said, while also describing the application steps the city must follow.
The Tree City USA designation requires meeting four standards, Wube said: establishing a tree advisory board (the commission will be asked to serve in a dual capacity), adopting a tree-care ordinance (she emphasized this does not apply to private property), operating a community-forestry program and issuing an annual Arbor Day proclamation. Wube told commissioners that one specific benchmark the Arbor Day Foundation expects is approximately $2 in tree-related spending per resident annually.
After discussion about past efforts and draft bylaws, an unidentified commissioner moved "that we move forward with the process of forming the Parks and Rec Commission as a dual commission to also serve as the Victoria Tree Board." A second was given; the chair called a voice vote and the motion carried (all in favor, none opposed). The motion directs staff to draft ordinance language and prepare the formal city-council agenda items for first and second readings prior to adding any ordinance to the municipal code and submitting the Tree City USA application.
Commissioners agreed staff should check earlier minutes and draft materials, and Wube said staff will consult with legal on ordinance language and prepare the application packet. Wube also noted that staff-level research showed inconsistent past dates for the city's prior designation (both 2014 and 2017 were referenced during the discussion), and she said staff would confirm the accurate record before proceeding.
The next procedural step is for staff to present the draft ordinance and the Tree City USA application recommendation to the Victoria City Council for consideration of the required readings and final adoption.
