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Troutdale unveils draft Urban Forest Master Plan; public comment open through June 30
Summary
City planners presented a draft Troutdale Urban Forest Master Plan funded by an Oregon green‑infrastructure grant, documenting a 3,000‑tree public inventory and a current canopy of 24.7%; the plan recommends increasing species diversity, adopting maintenance strategies and seeks council adoption July 14.
Erica Palmer, Troutdale's community development director, presented the draft Troutdale Urban Forest Master Plan to the Citizens Advisory Committee on June 3, describing the plan's origins, findings and next steps. "This project came about from the parks master plan that was adopted in 2023," Palmer said, and noted the work was 100 percent funded by a grant from the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development's green infrastructure program.
Palmer summarized the plan's technical findings: the city inventory documented more than 3,000 public trees and estimated the city's canopy covers roughly 24.7 percent (about 952 acres). The top street species include maples, pears, plums and cherries; 93 percent of the inventoried trees are in fair or good condition, but the city's species mix is uneven and vulnerable to pests such as emerald ash borer.
The draft plan sets a canopy target range of 25 to 30 percent and estimates the city would need roughly 1,000 additional plantings in parks and natural areas (and more private‑strip plantings) to reach that goal. Recommended actions include increasing species diversity, instituting planned maintenance cycles rather than reactive responses to storms, improving data collection and staffing (including certified‑arborist support), and producing an accessible street‑tree planting and care guide for residents.
Palmer said the municipal code (Title 13) was audited alongside the plan; proposed code clarifications include clearer permit triggers, enforcement frameworks and professional standards for certified arborists. The draft plan and supporting materials are on the city project page for public review; Palmer asked for suggested edits by June 30 and said the plan would be scheduled for council consideration for adoption on July 14, with municipal code changes planned for August and September.
During Q&A residents and committee members asked whether the plan covers trees outside planting strips (Palmer said it covers street trees and trees on parks and public natural areas but not private yards), whether native species are included (they are), how the city will help residents identify hazardous trees and how Friends of Trees and other partners can support plantings. Staff said they will clarify outreach materials with guidance on how residents can spot potentially dangerous trees and when to call a certified arborist.
Palmer closed by asking committee members to review the public‑review draft and the street tree list online; staff plan outreach and potential planting events in partnership with community groups to move toward the canopy goal.
