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Commission coalesces on City Hall Park tree plan; staff to verify nursery availability
Summary
After reviewing species illustrations and constraints from stumps and parking, commissioners reached a working consensus for a balanced species mix for five trees at City Hall Park and asked staff to check nursery availability and sizes before finalizing.
Normandy Park's Parks Commission discussed species and layout options for five replacement trees at City Hall Park and agreed on a provisional 2-2-1 mix, with staff returning next month with availability and size options.
Staff presented several design mockups for the site, noting ginkgo trees would attain the greatest height while saucer magnolias and Kousa dogwoods would provide seasonal color. "This is an AI generated image," staff said when presenting the mockups, noting the illustrations are approximations of scale and setting.
Commissioners raised practical concerns: remaining stumps may constrain planting locations, the ginkgo can reach 50 to 80 feet while magnolias top out around 20 to 30 feet, and different species flower at different times. After discussing alternatives (all-ginkgo, uniform magnolia plantings, mixed arrangements), the group agreed on a plan described in the meeting as a 2-2-1 arrangement to balance canopy and aesthetics and preserve sightlines and root space.
Chair and commissioners asked staff to call local nurseries to determine whether the preferred species and larger container sizes are available and to return with a shrub list for under-planting. Staff said dogwoods and saucer magnolias should be readily available; larger ginkgos may require specialized nurseries. The commission did not take a formal vote but confirmed consensus to proceed with staff follow-up.
Next steps: staff will check nursery stock and sizes, prepare a final planting recommendation and provide a shrub list at a future meeting; installation timing will depend on procurement and site preparation.
