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Albany council adopts street tree management plan, sets planting and maintenance goals
Summary
The Albany City Council voted unanimously Sept. 15 to adopt a Street Tree Management Plan that sets planting goals, recommends proactive maintenance and calls for protections of large, high-value trees; consultants cited roughly 19% canopy cover citywide and about $53,000/year in air-quality benefits from street trees.
The Albany City Council on Sept. 15 adopted a final-draft Street Tree Management Plan aimed at growing and protecting the city’s street-tree canopy while clarifying roles for planting, maintenance and removal.
Consultants from HortScience/Bartlett presented the plan and the city’s 2023 street-tree inventory before the vote. Ryan Suttle, one of the consultants, said, “Citywide, our estimation was roughly 19% canopy cover,” and that street trees alone account for about one-fifth of that canopy. He also cited an annualized air-pollution benefit of roughly $53,000 and estimated the value of carbon already stored in trees at about $1,300,000.
The plan recommends proactive, cyclical maintenance in place of reactive repairs, an annual planting target (the document cites approximately 170 street trees per year as a planning target), efforts to increase species diversity and a goal to expand native-tree plantings in appropriate locations. Consultants told the council the draft was developed with outreach that included an April–June 2024 online survey that received 188 responses and review by the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commission and the Climate Action Committee, both of which recommended approval.
Council members questioned staff and consultants about implementation details. Vice Mayor Peggy McQuade pressed staff on tripping hazards from tree wells on Solano Avenue; consultants and Public Works Director Mark Hurley said the city will coordinate tree work with the sidewalk repair program, remove faulty grates and use mulch or compost to bring low tree wells up to grade to mitigate hazards. The consultants also recommended planting appropriately sized trees for narrow parkways and investigating protections for private trees where the majority of canopy currently exists off the public right-of-way.
Council member Jordan moved to adopt Resolution 2025-55 with only editorial or formatting changes to be resolved before publication; Mayor Robin D. Lopez seconded. The clerk recorded unanimous approval from Council members Hansa Romero, Jordan, Mickey, Vice Mayor Peggy McQuade and Mayor Lopez.
The council’s action directs staff to incorporate public feedback, finalize formatting and move to implementation steps identified in the plan, including continued use of the street-tree inventory as a data repository and targeted planting strategies tied to the city’s General Plan and Climate Action goals.
