PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING PACKET - FEBRUARY 13, 2025

Page 2 of 5 website (www.ptowntrees.com); advertised two surveys (the first with over 600 respondents and the second, which targeted the youth, received over 50 responses from residents under the age of 18); held public outreach events; met with commissions; completed an inventory of City-maintained trees; created a Tree Preservation Ordinance Ad Hoc Subcommittee; and on December 17, 2024, the City Council adopted a new tree preservation ordinance. The draft UFMP was presented to the Energy and Environment Commission (EEC) on January 15, 2025. The EEC supported the plan, highlighted the need for community awareness and education regarding the importance of the urban forest and suggested that the City reach out to residents on social media and also provide a tree planting rebate program similar to the lawn conversion program. DISCUSSION The plan was developed within the context of the City’s overarching goals identified in the One Pleasanton Strategic Plan. Inventory updates, canopy cover analyses, public outreach, and ordinances are crucial components of the UFMP. The inventory and canopy cover analysis are the primary tools used to define our urban forest assets and serve as the baseline for financial and management strategies and projections, claims against the City, as well as whether the strategies and projections are realistic and attainable. The public outreach gauged the public support for the urban forest, which is critical as the majority of the urban forest is made up of private property, and the ordinance helps guide and enforce management strategies to ensure that the City meets its goals. All these components combine to increase our urban forest's benefits and ensure that the community and environment are prioritized. The UFMP developed the vision, goals, and objectives for Pleasanton’s tree canopy over the next 25-year period and provides a roadmap on how to manage our trees to sustain a healthy urban forest that helps to address climate challenges while also meeting the challenges of an aging city with an expanding population. The plan directly affects how Pleasanton residents, the development community, and City staff interact with, protect, and manage trees. The vision of the Urban Forest Master Plan is that Pleasanton’s urban forest is a well- managed, vital resource providing social, economic, and environmental benefits that contribute to the community’s quality of life, value, character and beauty. The plan is broken into three components to address different audiences and concerns: Part 1- The Urban Forest Master Plan This section is meant for the public, based on the outreach process, and summarizes the history of Pleasanton’s urban forest and its current state. It also identifies the guiding principles for managing the urban forest and defines the key findings of the plan along with implementation and monitoring strategies. Guiding principles for our urban forest include: 1. Create a resilient community 2. Support a community that is invested in growing and preserving the urban forest 3. Fund and manage City trees to maximize public benefit Page 9 of 27