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Lakewood staff outlines multi-year urban forestry and climate work plan; commissioners press for data on 40% canopy target
Summary
Staff presented a proposed 15–20 year urban forestry implementation plan and a 3-year work plan to implement energy and climate elements required by HB 1181. Inventory work (11,800 tree records) and heat-island mapping will inform priority planting; staff noted $25,000 in state funding and a pending federal grant application.
Planning staff briefed the commission on a multi-year urban forestry and climate implementation effort tied to Lakewood’s updated comprehensive plan and new state requirements under HB 1181. The briefing outlined a long-term urban forestry program, a detailed three-year work plan for staffing and budgets, and two items not yet started: a five-year greenhouse-gas reduction plan and a regional electric-vehicle (EV) infrastructure strategy.
“We received $25,000… to do the first piece of what is ultimately going to be a six-year work plan,” staff told commissioners, and said additional state biennial funds are anticipated in 2025 and 2027. Staff also said the city applied for a federal energy-efficiency community block grant to support an energy plan and EV-infrastructure work; the federal award was described as noncompetitive if administrative requirements are satisfied.
Staff described work completed in 2024: a consultant (Facet Northwest) conducted a citywide inventory of public and large institutional trees; volunteers collected afternoon, morning and evening temperature readings for an urban heat-island map; and the Evans School of Governance provided a guidance report on starting an urban forestry program. Staff said about 11,800 tree records were collected and that maps identifying priority near-term planting areas will be used to target equity and heat-resilience goals.
Several commissioners pressed staff to clarify the meaning and monitoring of the council-adopted 40% tree canopy goal by 2050. Commissioner Larson said the 40% target “troubles me continually” and asked how monitoring will ensure the target is meaningful alongside housing and densification goals. Staff said the inventory report (expected in early December) will show baseline conditions and that the city would likely provide periodic reports to the council to reassess whether the 40% target remains appropriate.
Other points raised included: preserving existing mature canopy near a planned 3,000-unit development, exploring tax-credit or conservation approaches to preserve privately held canopy, green-roof incentives for industrial parcels, and including building and utility inventories as required under the new statute.
Staff said the urban forestry plan will be fiscally constrained and prioritized to match available staff and funding, and that public engagement and volunteer programs would be part of implementation. The commission will review draft plan materials in spring and staff expects to bring a draft 20-year plan and a three-year work plan to the commission next spring before transmitting to council.
