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Festival lease approved, but council signals desire to phase out bifenthrin and protect Cedar Street cottonwoods
Summary
Council approved the festival lease and farmers market agreement but councilmembers asked staff to work with organizers to avoid the pesticide bifenthrin at Memorial Field and to protect a mature cottonwood grove on Cedar Street; the Urban Forestry Commission’s heritage tree criteria were also forwarded to staff for code review.
The council approved the festival lease and a farmers market agreement on April 15 but members used the discussion to press for changes to pesticide use and to protect a stand of cottonwood trees slated to be impacted by the Cedar Street sidewalk project.
Councilwoman Pam Dukat raised scientific and ecological concerns about bifenthrin, the synthetic pyrethroid used historically for insect control at outdoor venues, and urged the festival to test non‑toxic alternatives. "The insecticide they use... is lethal to bees, both honeybees, all the little bees, the mason bees and bumblebees and butterflies," Dukat said during the…
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