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Home My WebLink About01-26-24 Public Comment - A. Kociolek - Public Comment for Urban Parks and Forestry Board (Jan 25, 2024 meeting)From:Angela Kociolek To:Agenda Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public Comment for Urban Parks and Forestry Board (Jan 25, 2024 meeting) Date:Tuesday, January 23, 2024 1:09:45 PM Attachments:Kociolek UPF 8.24.23.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Urban Parks and Forestry (UPF) Board, Congratulations on your appointments and thank you for your willingness to serve. On Friday, January 26, 2024 - the day after your first UPF Board meeting - the Bozeman CityCommission is scheduled to have a special meeting/work session to discuss its strategic priorities/work plan for the next two years: https://www.bozeman.net/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/31754/104. It is understood that citizens and advisory boards can suggest priorities for their consideration. While I understand that 50% of the UPF Board is brand new, I encourage you to take timeduring your January 25th meeting to discuss the topic of City Commission priorities. I make a point of suggesting this for several reasons: 1. Back in August 2023, while I was serving as UPF Chair, the UPF Board began discussionsabout the possibility of making a recommendation to the City Commission. The recommendation we were starting to consider had to do with prioritizing the codification ofprotections for existing trees and native plants - a change that is in the best interest of the City, and the region, and future generations. However, at that time, the UPF staff liaison relayedthat the City Manager’s office did not have a process to deal with unsolicited recommendations. Additionally, we were unable to make quorum for the months ofSeptember, October and November. Therefore, UPF Board discussions about whether to make a priority recommendation to the City Commission were stalled. See attached pdf and the August 24, 2023 UPF meeting to learn more: (For useful context,begin at ~1:47 through adjournment at 2:04). 2. It appears, again, that the UPF may not have a chance to weigh in given that your January 2024 agenda as currently written may not include an opportunity to discuss priorityrecommendations to the City Commission. This, despite the fact that during the Community Development Advisory Board meeting on Monday, January 22, 2024, Commissioner JenniferMadgic mentioned that the City Commission will go through all the priority recommendations from all the (advisory) boards at its special meeting/work session on Friday, January 26. 3. As I understand it, City Commission priorities shape what can be worked on for the nexttwo years. In order for history to not repeat itself, for example, the removal of all trees, including approximately 140 cottonwoods that were leveled at the Canyon Gate site, theprotection of standing trees must become a priority for this City as soon as possible. 4. The Urban Parks and Forestry Board is one of, if not the, City’s main advisory boards dealing with trees and urban forest - although there are obvious connections with the Historic Preservation Board, the Sustainability Board and hopefully, in the future, the CommunityDevelopment Board. Aligning with the UPF Board’s purview, I made a presentation to the UPF and led a discussion on the value of trees in June 2023. That presentation is not available for publicviewing due to an uploading error so I presented it again in August 2023. Attached is a complete version of my video presentation since the version linked in the UPF’s August 24,2023 agenda is missing multiple pieces of useful information. Thank you again, UPF Board, for your willingness to serve and for considering to join the conversation about City Commission priorities. I look forward to the positive ways the UPF will impact the City of Bozeman. Sincerely,Angie Kociolek 620 N Tracy Avenue Bozeman, MT 59715 The Value of Trees & Native Plants on Public and Private Property Urban Parks and Forestry Advisory Board Discussion Facilitated by Chair Angie Kociolek Originally presented on Thursday, June 22, 2023 - Note: malfunction; no upload to Laserfiche This updated version presented on Thursday, August 24, 2023 Why have this discussion about trees? •Bozeman’s record growth rate threatens existing plants/wildlife habitat/the food web •Help us build climate resiliency •Provide ecosystem services for our collective health •Many voices for saving trees and native plants •Strong relation to Parks, Recreation & Active Transportation Plan and Sensitive Lands Protection Plan plan, both UPF work plan items •Current UDC language about tree preservation not being enforced/not strong enough to be enforced •Advisory Boards exist to serve the City’s best interest National Wildlife Federation photo Framework A.Brief revisit of Community Plan 2020 – Resilient City concept & Code B.Vegetation – Trees are the Big Picture C.Review of Advisory Boards as a whole D.Tree -focused Advisory Boards E.Making an advisory recommendation to the City Commission A. Bozeman, MT Community Plan 2020 "And while Bozeman residents value and enjoy many forms of outdoor recreation, community members also understand and appreciate the need for maintaining and protecting the natural resources that support a healthy ecosystem…Protecting our immediate and regional ecosystem requires diligence and careful planning as Bozeman and Gallatin County continue to grow.” – page 35 •See also Themes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 Excerpts from City plan and code •Community Plan 2020 p. 70 “Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat… Smaller species, especially birds, are compatible within urban density development and should be preserved, including the encouragement of suitable habitats.” •“UDC 38.410.010: The design and development of all land uses must be properly related to topography, and must, to the extent possible, preserve the natural terrain, natural drainage, existing topsoil, trees and other existing vegetation.” How can we help make sure this happens on the ground? Photo by Lou Ann Harris B. Vegetation – Trees are the Big Picture •Existing trees* •Existing shrubs* •Forbs/Flowers/Herbaceous vegetation* •Lichens •Moss •Standing dead trees •Downed and decaying vegetation •Fungi •The soil that holds it all together * Natives, cultivars or others recognized as appropriate and waterwise Photo by Angie Kociolek C. A Brief Review of Citizen Advisory Boards The City of Bozeman has set out to “broaden and deepen engagement of the community in city government, innovating methods for inviting input from the community and stakeholders by restricting or combining city boards and committees to more effectively advise the City and engage the public” (Strategic Plan Section 1.2 Community Engagement). Excerpted from Citizen Advisory Board Onboarding Manual 2021 referencing the 2018 Bozeman Strategic Plan High Performing Boards The members of Citizen Advisory Boards are afforded a unique opportunity to assist in the crafting of policy for the City of Bozeman. The Board should communicate with the Commission only through approved minutes, work plans, progress reports, or formal recommendations/resolutions voted on by the Board… Board Members shall adhere to the “One Body, One Voice” principle in communications to the City Commission on matters under the Board’s purview, or may become under the purview of the Board. Excerpted from Resolution 5323 which reference Strategic Plan Section 7 Establishing Urban Parks and Forestry Board 12/1/21 SECTION 4: POWERS/DUTIES The UPF Board: •Is authorized to… Advise the City Commission •The actions… are advisory only, do not constitute policy of the City, and are not binding upon the City Commission or the City Manager. •The City Commission or City Manager may adopt all or any part of any recommendation of the Board. Excerpted from Resolution 5328 D. Tree-focused Advisory Boards •Sustainability = build climate resilience with trees •Historic Preservation = preserve historical buildings and heritage trees •Urban Parks and Forestry = promote enhancement, preservation and acquisition of greenspaces, public lands, and forest – i.e., trees Photo by Jerry Taylor E. Why make an advisory recommendation now? •To codify the protection of existing trees and native plants, including those on planned developments such as Gran Cielo II, pictured here •Seize this opportunity to advise on a change that is in the best interest of the City and the region and future generations •City Commission will soon be considering items for their 2024-25 work plan •1.5 year mark for our board, most of our terms are ending in Dec 2023 •Why not? Consider Action Item for Sept UPF Agenda Photo by Chris McQueary