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<br /> <br />Commissioner Maestas <br />asked Commissioner Strander if there was a recommendation she would <br />make in order to meet it and support the tree regulations? <br /> <br />Commissioner Strander <br />said she thinks it would take some more time but she is not really sure. <br /> <br />Staff said that the next few years will allow them to see how we measure up with the tree canopy <br />assessment once they have some more data. When there is more data, this will show if the City is <br />falling short and how best to address this if the City is falling short. <br /> <br />Commissioner Nguyen <br />said that he agrees with Commissioner Strander with the need for data, but he <br />does feel comfortable moving forward, with the amendments so far, striking a balance. He said we <br />could keep in mind to revisit this issue in the future. <br /> <br />Commissioner Hansen <br /> said there are two different issues for him, a new policy and the Growth <br />Management Act Policy, and he does not see the intersection clearly on those. He said they do not <br />have current data, but from a policy stand point he’s ok with the policy they worked on. He asked if <br />there was an urgency to get this done before the next data is obtained, at which time they would have <br />something clear to work off. He asked if 2012 was the first year the City had canopy data. He said he <br />accepts the policy but shares the concern about how it ties into the Growth Management Act. <br /> <br />Staff said 2012 is the beginning point for canopy assessment data. <br /> <br />Commissioner Martinez <br />said one of the ways they could look at it as a Planning Commission is that <br />they have a lot of development that is going to happen in the next several years. He said that the <br />Commission as well as staff are going to have to look at not foregoing or allowing some of the <br />development to get a variance on the canopy growth. It’s one way to help protect the future with the <br />development. He is concerned but he said they must start somewhere and they will make sure that <br /> <br />future development has the proper amount of canopy coverage as required with no variance. <br /> <br />Commissioner Maestas <br />said this is a policy that would support the goal of Comprehensive Plan <br />canopy the goal being achieved. He said there is no guarantee that it will be accomplished but he sees <br />it as something that is going to increase and maintain canopy. Without this policy having much more <br />restrictive elements related to cutting down trees or related to housing and business development, he <br />doesn’t see those restrictions being part of this policy. He said he thinks this policy focuses on the City <br />doing everything they can to maintain existing trees. He asked that when they are looking at the data <br />to give some thought as to how the City can promote the addition of trees by offering incentives for <br />homeowners to make an assessment on their property of where they can add trees to their property. He <br />suggested encouraging homeowners to add trees to their property and take a positive role in increasing <br /> <br />the overall canopy of the City.He asked if there is something they could add to the policy to increase <br />new trees in the City. <br /> <br />Staff said that the draft regulations do allow using the tree replacement fund for single-family property <br />owners to have a free street tree with the concurrence of the Public Works Department. Staff can look <br />at other ways for trees to be planted and encouraged. <br />Page 8 of 9 <br /> <br /> <br />