Meeting #3 and #4 Community Advisory Group Recap

The Tree Code Update Community Advisory Group (CAG) held its Third and Fourth meetings, on February 24 and March 24th 2026. The focus of these meetings was to review options for setting an new Tree Density requirement

At the third Meeting in February, staff and consultants presented the Meeting#3 Advisory Group Presentation, which provided a brief review of engagement activity in December 2025 and January 2026 and initial results from the Code Recommendations Survey. The presentation also provided a review of the two different Tree Density method options and introduced case studies to test this approach on a few residential development sites. A full summary of the group discussion can be found in the Meeting #3 Summary.

At the fourth meeting in March, staff and consultants presented the Meeting #4 Advisory Group Presentation, which provided a review of the proposed Tree Code Density Method, and an overview of what the City is considering for retention of exceptional trees. The CAG then reviewed a series of case studies as a large group, with short discussion breaks built into the presentation.

The pilot code presented in meeting #4 is modeled after the lower credit requirement approach presented in the previous CAG meeting (CAG 3). This decision was in response to feedback from the CAG, as well as City staff, both of which identified the need to reduce the number of trees required for replanting. The pilot code also explores requirements for tree retention in lower density zones. This reflects earlier feedback from both the CAG and survey respondents who wanted the new tree code to promote preservation of preserve large, mature trees (i.e., Exceptional Trees), while still allowing for development flexibility. In the pilot code, Exceptional Trees are defined as those with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 24 inches or greater, excluding alder, cottonwood, and invasive species.

The pilot code is generally supported and seen as moving in the right direction by CAG members. High level discussion points are included below, a full summary of the discussion can be found in the Meeting #4 Summary.

• Participants prefer a flexible, incentive-based approach over strict requirements.
• Some expressed concern about significant tree loss and declining canopy, with participants wanting to see more trees through retention or replacement, but not at the expense of housing.
• Others felt the current code suggests redesign but lacks enforceability (“no teeth”).
• There was general agreement that scaling tree retention requirements by zone made sense (i.e., some requirements in lower intensity zones, and more flexibility in higher-intensity zones.)

The project team is continuing to adjust the tree density requirements in response to the feedback of CAG and the community engagement heard in January.

The Advisory Group will next convene on Tuesday April 28, 2026, where they will continue to discuss the Tree Density method and how it applies to commercial and mixed used properties.