Planning 2013-06-27 Item 4 H - Public Hearing: Advisory Committee Meeting Memos and Minutes

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Tukwila Tree and Environment Advisory Committee Meeting Notes 4. Powerpoint presentation by Ian Scott, Davey Resource Group, on the preliminary results of the Urban Tree Canopy Assessment prepared by Davey Resource Group for the City of Tukwila. Mr. Scott explained how the data was gathered, analyzed, and evaluated for accuracy for the City's Canopy Assessment. He also discussed the results of the study for Tukwila overall and for different land use areas of the City and presented a preliminary assessment of potential canopy cover (taking into account non - impervious surfaces potentially available for planting trees). For comparison purposes Mr. Scott provided information on the amount of tree canopy in other local jurisdictions, recognizing that other cities have very different characteristics than Tukwila. Mr. Scott noted that, based on the results of running a software program called I -Tree VUE, the City's current tree canopy of 25% provides $423,000 in value to the City in terms of carbon dioxide sequestration, ozone removal, etc. Staff pointed out that a revised report will include additional information for tasks that were added to the contract later and are not in the current draft version of the report. The Committee had comments and questions as follows: • Whether the economic benefits assessment analyzed the negatives of trees (such as leaf drop) — the I -tree Vue software only looks at the benefits provided by trees; • How to translate the benefits trees provide in a language that makes sense to private property owners; • Incentives versus regulations to encourage more trees; • Determining what canopy goals would have the greatest effect on overall canopy cover in the City (for example evaluating the actual acreage of different land uses and focusing increasing tree canopy on areas that will have the largest impact). 5. Housekeeping items: a. The meeting notes for 9/26/12 were approved by the Committee. b. Staff clarified that the Parks Commission does not serve as the Tree Board for the City — rather an ad hoc group of City staff from Parks and Public Works deals with tree issues throughout the City. c. A roster with contact information of Committee members was handed out to the Committee. d. Staff pointed out the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning map and the Sensitive Areas Map that were provided in the meeting room, as well as informing the committee that links to these maps had been provided on the City's website. e. Next meeting will begin review of current natural environment goals and policies in the Natural Environment Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan — the Committee will be asked to provide guidance on revisions to these goals and policies. Action Items 1. Staff will provide the Committee with proposed revisions to Natural Environment goals and policies for their review prior to next meeting. 2. Committee members will provide to staff a list of issues they wish to discuss and /or questions or information they feel they need to carry out their work. The meeting closed at 8:15 pm. CL Page 2 of 2 11/13/2012 4:58 PM W:\ \Long Range Projects \Urban Forestry\Advisory Committee Materials \Meeting Notes 11 -1 -12 100