Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Urban Forest topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning commission adopts findings on Bothell's urban forest plan, endorses 46% canopy goal
Summary
The commission adopted findings, conclusions and recommendations for the Urban Forest Management Plan, endorsing staff's recommended citywide canopy goal of 46% (a 2% increase by 2045), an implementation matrix with lead roles and cost ranges, and a monitoring cadence that includes canopy assessment updates every five years.
On Dec. 17 the Bothell Planning Commission adopted findings, conclusions and recommendations for the city’s updated Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP), advancing the plan toward City Council review and (anticipated) adoption.
Planner Cameron Colvin and consultant Matt Picone (Greenworks) walked commissioners through substantive revisions to the plan: streamlined organization, a new implementation matrix that lists each recommendation with anticipated lead departments, partner roles and cost‑range estimates, and a consolidated “resources and considerations” section addressing funding, staff capacity and coordination with private property owners.
Staff recommended a citywide tree canopy goal of 46%—an approximate 2% increase by 2045—and told commissioners that roughly 15% of the city’s land area could accommodate new trees. Colvin said the prioritization model used for the equity analysis and the tree canopy assessment informed the proposed goal and that the plan will be monitored over time, with updated canopy assessment data proposed on a five‑year cycle.
Commissioners asked staff to emphasize that trees are infrastructure and to keep an explicit equity lens in monitoring and implementation; Commissioner Gustafson asked how biennial auditing and prioritization would be used to ensure tree equity areas receive needed resources. Staff agreed the plan will be monitored and reported to the commission and council; implementation tasks (including code updates) will follow next year.
The commission moved and seconded adoption of the draft findings, conclusions and recommendations with a small editorial edit linking the UFMP goals to the city’s broader infrastructure framing. The adoption vote carried on a roll call and staff said the plan and findings will be included in upcoming council materials for consideration in early 2026.
