City Street Tree Proposal Revised, Revived

Spokane’s proposed street tree ordinance, nearly given up for dead a month ago, has been revived.

The ordinance was abruptly withdrawn in July from a City Council agenda after criticism from neighborhood groups and concerns from council members.

Since then, Parks and Recreation Department officials have met with neighborhood representatives to iron out differences.

Bonnie Zahara, a member of the Urban Forestry Committee that drew up the proposed rules, said agreements have been reached on most points. “The ordinance is still OK,” she said.

The proposed ordinance is a step toward revitalizing the city’s fading urban forest. It also is a requirement for Spokane to earn Tree City USA status, making it easier to get state and federal grants for tree programs.

The city’s legal department is fine-tuning the proposed ordinance, which will be sent to the Assembly of Neighborhood Councils and the Park Board for review, then to the City Council for final approval.

The proposal helps clarify the question of who actually owns and cares for trees in city rights of way.

Property owners have the right to plant trees on that land, but if the city needs the property - for example, to widen a street - the trees can be taken out.

The Parks and Recreation Department supervises the care and management of all trees in public places, including city rights of way. But property owners are responsible for actually caring for those trees.

Some key changes in the latest draft of the proposed ordinance:

A permit fee, required in the original ordinance, has been dropped. However, a city permit is required for major pruning, removal or planting of a street tree.

The permits will help the city keep track of the types, ages and locations of trees in the urban forest.

Another sticking point was the makeup of the 12-member Tree Advisory Committee, which will help develop the city’s long-term vegetation management plan.

Neighborhood representatives originally had asked that four committee members be selected by the Assembly of Neighborhood Councils, with one person from each corner of the city. That has been reduced to two neighborhood representatives.

Other committee members will be chosen from City Hall, utilities, the Downtown Business Improvement District, historic preservation, Spokane County Conservation District and the tree-care industry. Four atlarge members also will be chosen.

The last issue to be ironed out is the definition of “major pruning.” The proposed ordinance requires that major pruning be performed by a licensed arborist.

The original proposal said that removing branches larger than 2 inches in diameter constitutes major pruning. Neighbors suggested 6 inches in diameter. They compromised at 3 inches - 1 inch thicker than the industry standard.

More discussion on the pruning issue is expected.

The revised ordinance is expected to return to the City Council for consideration this fall.