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Board debates whether to raise the city’s minimum shrubs‑per‑tree requirement
Summary
Board member Mariano Corral urged reconsidering the city’s minimum of 10 shrubs per tree and suggested raising the requirement to 20 or 30; members discussed the practical and legal limits of the board’s authority and whether to ask staff and the planning board to study a change. No motion was made; Corral said he would pursue the idea further with staff.
During general business after agenda items, Board member Mariano Corral raised a policy question about the city’s landscape standard requiring a minimum number of shrubs per tree, calling the current 10‑shrubs‑per‑tree rule insufficient for achieving the front‑yard appearance the board seeks.
Corral described recent conversations with landscape architects and proposed considering an increase to 20 or 30 shrubs per tree. He said, "30 shrubs doesn't go far," and urged the board and architects to think about an appropriate increase. Other members noted the code sets minimums and that the board typically requests more on a project‑by‑project basis; one member observed the board lacks the authority to impose a blanket higher minimum without a code change. Corral said he would follow up with staff (Marcus) and explore bringing a proposal to the planning board and, if appropriate, a commissioner.
The exchange was framed as a policy‑level discussion rather than a formal referral; no motion was made. Staff acknowledged the suggestion and indicated they would assist if the board wanted a formal proposal drafted for the planning board.
