Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Urban Tree Canopy Assessment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Poulsbo tree board reviews urban tree canopy assessment, sets quick deadline to finish DNR grant deliverables
Summary
The Poulsbo Tree Board reviewed Western Washington University's urban tree canopy assessment, discussed prioritizing plantings with I‑Tree, and asked staff to finish grant deliverables and invoicing before the end of the month.
The Poulsbo Tree Board spent its meeting reviewing Western Washington University's urban tree canopy assessment and identifying immediate next steps to meet DNR grant requirements.
Kevin, who the board said will be the main author of the city's final report, told members he will incorporate the board's input into the city's document. Members stressed the grant deadline: "I will say that whatever we do needs to be done, like, in the next week," said Marian Allen, a resident who spoke during the meeting. The group agreed to complete deliverables and show invoicing activity so the grant can be closed on time.
Board members discussed key findings from the report: a large loss of canopy tied to retail and residential development between 1994 and 2004 and some canopy recovery in later years that appears linked to replanting. Several members flagged a sentence in the report that said "no significant difference in canopy cover by census tract," noting that tract percentages ranged from about 57.6% to 26.3% and asking for clarification of whether the authors meant no significant change over time rather than no inter-tract difference.
The board also discussed translating academic recommendations into local guidance and regulatory changes. Kevin and members agreed the report should recommend updates to Poulsbo's public tree management manual and private-tree regulations rather than immediately rewriting ordinances; the board will return proposed changes to the city planning department for consideration.
