Bothell planning commission backs 46% canopy target in draft urban forest plan; staff to return with data and cost options

The Bothell Planning Commission spent its Nov. 19 meeting reviewing a draft Urban Forest Management Plan that would set a new citywide canopy target and lay out strategies for retention, planting and municipal programs.

Staff told commissioners the city’s most recent canopy assessment shows Bothell at about 44% tree canopy cover and proposed a 2-percentage-point increase — a citywide target of 46% by 2045. A staff presenter said the plan models assume about 7.5 acres of canopy loss occurred between 2015 and 2023 and that meeting the target would require a mix of developer mitigation, city planting programs and partner efforts.

Commissioners focused discussion on how a citywide percentage goal would work alongside equity-based priorities. “Seventy‑four percent of survey respondents wanted an increase in overall trees,” the staff presenter summarized, and commissioners asked for overlays showing canopy, potential planting areas and locations of planned housing growth so the city can prioritize low‑canopy, high‑need neighborhoods without undermining housing objectives.

Commissioner Sills, one of several commissioners urging both ambition and realism, said the approaches need not be mutually exclusive: “I think we can plant more trees and have more housing,” she said, arguing for clear implementation levers that ladder back to the canopy target. Commissioners asked staff to return with tract-level canopy numbers, an estimate of how many trees would be needed to reach subarea targets, and cost-band estimates (low/medium/high) to help City Council weigh funding decisions.

The draft also recommends changes to retention thresholds used in development review. Under current code the city treats ‘‘significant trees’’ as those with trunks greater than 8 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH); staff proposed lowering that threshold to 6 inches to broaden the pool of trees that count toward retention calculations. Supporters said the change would increase the number of trees counted on development sites and help preserve future canopy through succession, while others warned that small‑tree retention raises practical trade‑offs on compact infill sites.

Matt Bacone, a member of the public in the room, spoke in favor of the 6‑inch standard, saying it is common in neighboring cities and “it’s not saying you have to keep those 6 inch trees... it’s bringing those into the conversation” to inform retention and mitigation calculations.

Beyond goals and retention thresholds, staff outlined actions to expand the city’s street‑tree inventory, strengthen cross‑department coordination among community development, public works and parks, pursue grant funding and maintain Tree City USA reporting. Commissioners also endorsed more robust public education and suggested user‑friendly branding for municipal services (one commissioner floated the informal name “Bothell Tree Doctors”) to increase private‑owner engagement and maintenance.

Staff confirmed next steps: the plan will return to the commission on Dec. 17 with additional detail, then be presented to the City Council in a Jan. 13 study session and could come back for potential Council adoption on Feb. 10. The staff presenter said the Dec. 17 package will include requested overlays, more granular canopy figures and an initial set of cost estimates for key actions.

The session did not include formal action on the draft; commissioners provided direction and requested additional data and cost information to inform code amendments and future implementation choices.