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Park board debates how to notify residents about boulevard tree trimming
Summary
The Ken Park Board reviewed the Boulevard Tree program and spent the meeting weighing several notification methods for winter trimming — door tags, mailed notices, billing inserts, text alerts and social media — and agreed to test a multi-channel outreach approach next season.
Ken Park Board members discussed the Boulevard Tree program and how best to notify residents before the city conducts winter street-side trimming.
Parks staff said the boulevard planting initiative began slowly but is now over 20 trees, primarily in newer developments, and clarified the city’s maintenance limit: the city trims street-side branches where they interfere with equipment and utilities, and it will not maintain trees inside private HOAs. "We trim street side only," the staff member said, adding that the program is provided at no cost to homeowners.
The long discussion focused on outreach. One board member urged a mailed letter or billing insert because "everybody gets their mail," which would allow staff to explain the program, list trimming parameters and give a contact for questions. Other members recommended a mixed approach that pairs municipal billing inserts and Facebook posts with targeted texts when the city database includes phone numbers. Several raised concerns that door-hung tags can fall off and that winter scheduling is weather-dependent; staff noted a tag might notify a homeowner but crews could still reach the property weeks later because trimming windows depend on conditions.
Practical suggestions included laminated or weatherproof tags and short seasonal notices sent two to four weeks in advance with a reminder that trimming is weather-dependent. The board discussed using a simple instruction in outreach copy: if residents want a full, uniform trim they must request it by a stated date; otherwise the crew will trim only the street-facing portion so equipment can pass.
Members also discussed the program’s limits: the city honors boulevard requests in developments that lack typical sidewalks (for example, Common Acres) but will not do trimming or removals for privately maintained streets or mobile-home park roadways unless the city formally assumes responsibility.
The board did not adopt a formal policy at the meeting but agreed to pilot several notification methods next season and reassess what reaches the largest share of residents with the least confusion.
