Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Urban Forest topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council weighs tree‑fund strategy: inventory and canopy study or plant now?
Summary
Parks Director Kimberly Garrett proposed an urban forest master plan focused on canopy assessment, a public engagement process and heritage‑tree preservation; council debated prioritizing an expensive inventory versus using tree‑fund dollars directly for planting and maintenance and asked staff for cost alternates in the RFP.
Kimberly Garrett, Georgetown Parks and Recreation director, presented a proposed scope for an urban forest master plan that would guide how the city uses tree‑fund dollars for preservation, planting and maintenance.
Garrett said the plan would begin with data collection — a tree canopy assessment using LiDAR and aerial imagery and a targeted inventory of public trees — followed by a public engagement process and recommendations for preservation, planting priorities and wildfire mitigation. "This plan would really be focused on the best strategy to use the resources that we have in the tree fund," Garrett said, adding that scope and cost depend on how detailed the inventory is (heritage trees only versus trees over 6 inches) and whether volunteers or paid contractors are used.
Council members split on priorities. Some urged using tree‑fund dollars to plant and preserve trees now rather than invest heavily in a citywide inventory; one council member said developers "called our bluff and said no, we'd rather pay you than have to keep the trees," arguing for direct planting and conservation projects. Others stressed the value of canopy data to prioritize plantings in areas with low canopy cover and to target wildfire‑risk mitigation.
Council asked staff to include alternates in the RFP so respondents provide menu‑priced options (e.g., with and without a complete inventory) and to return with ballpark costs and examples from peer cities. Garrett said she would include those alternates and aim to issue the RFP in spring and have a contract in May, estimating about six months to complete the work depending on scope.
Why it matters: The master plan will determine priorities for limited tree‑fund dollars, shape preservation of heritage trees and guide planting efforts that affect canopy, stormwater uptake and neighborhood shading over years.
Next steps: Staff will refine the RFP to include cost alternates, gather public‑sector examples for council reference, and return with more detailed budget estimates and a recommended scope based on council feedback.
