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Environmental Commission reviews consultant draft on biodiversity and urban forest, discusses RFP and funding
Summary
Commissioners reviewed a consultant draft (released 09/26) mapping habitat loss and identifying priority areas, discussed native-tree recommendations and a proposed tree-selection web tool, debated wildfire risk analysis and costs, and considered modifying the RFP to prioritize an early analysis; a fiscal-year allocation of about $200,000 was mentioned.
Commissioners received a presentation on a draft biodiversity and urban-forest analysis released on 09/26. The presenter highlighted maps identifying priority areas for connectivity, notes on habitat loss relative to historical conditions, and recommendations to increase California-native tree species and diversify plantings. The draft also proposes tools such as a public web tool to recommend tree species for specific addresses and recommends creating a green team and community engagement programs.
During Q&A, commissioners asked whether the draft addressed wildfire risk (the presenter said wildfire risk was not analyzed in depth), requested cost estimates for implementing recommendations and asked about who would be responsible for long-term maintenance (city vs. private property owners). Commissioners discussed staging the work in two phases and whether to reframe the RFP to prioritize an initial analytical phase that could inform updates to the general plan.
Budget and timing were part of the discussion: staff referred to a fiscal-year allocation of about $200,000 for the project and suggested rolling funds or adjusting the scope so initial analysis could be delivered earlier to influence the general plan. Commissioners also discussed outreach ideas—speaker series, educational tools and incentives—and raised concerns about staffing capacity to implement new programs without additional resources.
Next steps recorded in the meeting included refining the RFP scope to focus on an analysis-first approach, coordinating with planning staff where code changes may be implicated, and continuing outreach to community stakeholders. The commission did not finalize a contract award at this meeting; procurement and RFP processes were to follow the city’s normal procedures.
