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Staff recommends adopting Texas SmartScape as Bedford's approved plant list
Summary
Planning staff recommended adopting Texas SmartScape as the city's reference plant list to ensure species suitability and automatic updates; commissioners asked for the full list, water-use data and separate small-tree listings before adoption.
Staff presented a comparison between the draft plant list and Texas SmartScape and recommended adopting Texas SmartScape (as amended) as Bedford's reference list so the list stays current and vetted by regional arborists.
Wes Morrison told the commission, "Why don't we just adopt the Texas Smartscape and be done with it? We know it's been vetted by professionals." Commissioners asked staff to provide a full list with separate large/small classifications and information on water requirements and mature size; staff agreed to provide the more detailed list before the next meeting.
Commissioners expressed concern about local climate and nursery availability for some species (examples discussed include live oaks, bald cypress and pecan). Staff said Texas SmartScape includes water-use classifications and growth information and that the ordinance will continue to require irrigation and maintenance obligations.
The commission asked staff to pair the Texas SmartScape species list with size/caliper guidance so the plant list ties clearly to mitigation and replacement calculations in the tree preservation ordinance.
