HomeMy WebLinkAbout1-18-2020 Public Comment - A. Murga - Urban ForestryFrom:Chris Mehl
To:Agenda
Subject:Fw: City Manager Responsibility with the Urban Forestry Department
Date:Saturday, January 18, 2020 5:02:59 PM
From: Aida Murga <aidamurga@msn.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2020 4:14 PM
To: Cynthia Andrus <candrus@bozeman.net>; tcunningham@bozeman.net
<tcunningham@bozeman.net>; Jeff Krauss <jkrauss@bozeman.net>; Chris Mehl
<mehlchris@hotmail.com>; Michael Wallner <wallnerforbozeman@gmail.com>
Cc: Aida Murga <aidamurga@msn.com>
Subject: Fw: City Manager Responsibility with the Urban Forestry Department
Dear City Commissioners,
For the new city manager, please consider ensuring that the manager has a role
in incorporating the Forestry Department into all decisions affecting the city's
infrastructure as called for in the 2016 Urban Forest Management Plan.
Trees and Climate Change
Last October the city was asking people for opinions on addressing climate
change. I wrote to you asking you to consider planting of trees on a large scale
to combat climate change. Some of you forwarded me the 2016 Urban Forestry
Management Plan. I wanted to follow-up by pointing out that on page 27 of the
2016 Urban Forestry Management Plan, it calls for including, "the Forestry
Department into any decision that is made affecting the city's infrastructure. This
includes decisions in planning, utilities, architecture, and development from the
beginning of planning processes."
Also, the 2016 Forestry Management Plan does not include planting of trees on a
large scale to address climate change and I urge the city to consider this as an
additional mandate to the Forestry Management Plan. Our Forestry Departmentdoes a fabulous job but their support is limited. I would like to see the ForestryDepartment funded better and given direction and inclusion within the city climate
action plan to allow trees to be a stronger part of the solution to climate change.
Trees and Affordable Housing
As an example of this inclusion, the 2016 Forestry Management Plan also calls
for the Forestry Department to be involved in projects such as affordable
housing, as "it has been the case that park space and urban trees are often not
incorporated or the requirements are less stringent in these developments."
(page 46 of the Urban Forestry Management Plan.
It is clear the Forestry Department wants to be involved. Therefore, you must
allow the Forestry Department to be engaged with any type of city
infrastructure, growth, new projects, new roads, and new developments. Please
incorporate this as a responsibility for the new city manager to implement. It's
a great time to reconsider this role for the city manager and I wish you luck in
the hiring process.
Thank you for your past consideration to my comments.
Sincerely,
Aida Murga
433 Clifden Drive
Bozmean, MT 59718
406-585-8125