| | | | | | | |  | Committee Assignments - C4 P
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM |
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| | | | | | | | | TO: | Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission | | | FROM: | Commissioner David Suarez | | | DATE: | April 3, 2024 | | | |
| | SUBJECT: | REFERRAL TO PUBLIC SAFETY NEIGHBORHOODS AND QUALITY OF LIFE, DISCUSS BROADER EXPANSION OF TREE CANOPY IN NORTH BEACH. |
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| | | | | | | | BACKGROUND/HISTORY
| Was this Agenda Item initially requested by a lobbyist which, as defined in Code Sec. 2-481, includes a principal engaged in lobbying? No
If so, specify name of lobbyist(s) and principal(s): N/A |
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| | | | | | | | ANALYSIS
| Please place an item on the April 3, 2024 agenda a referral to Public Safety Neighborhoods and Quality of Life ("PSNQLC") to discuss the expansion of the tree canopy in North Beach.
Last year, Commissioner Rosen Gonzalez sponsored an initiative to plant 70 trees in 100 days in North Beach. The program was successfully completed. Despite these efforts, the issue of insufficient tree coverage in North Beach persists, exacerbated by lack of space on rights-of-way and insufficient irrigation infrastructure.
At the March 20, 2024 Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (the “PSNQLC”) meeting, Staff presented options for expanding the tree canopy in North Beach. One proposed solution involved the development of a pilot program to plant trees in concrete planters, addressing concerns about limited space on rights-of-way and inadequate irrigation infrastructure.
The PSNQLC unanimously agreed to direct Staff to further develop this pilot program, identifying contractors and additional locations for tree planting. Staff was tasked with presenting a revised cost estimate at the June 2024 PSNQLC meeting, incorporating visual aids and exploring potential collaborations, such as Public Private Partnerships (“PPPs”).
Trees produce oxygen and intercept airborne particulates, enhancing a community’s respiratory health. In addition, tree canopy in urban areas reduces urban heat island effects, offering shade and promoting greater physical activity. Trees also contribute to a community’s quality of life by absorbing and blocking sound and creating more visually appealing streetscapes.
Given the many beneficial effects associated with tree canopy and the positive preliminary discussions held at the Committee level, I believe it is essential to continue this conversation with all of my colleagues on the City Commission for the benefit of North Beach. While the discussions to date have been productive, I am proposing a much broader vision for the expansion of the tree canopy in North Beach, possibly to start with a project on Byron Avenue.
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| | | | | | | | SUPPORTING SURVEY DATA
| | N/A |
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| | | | | | | | FINANCIAL INFORMATION
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| | | | | | | | | Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-14? | | Does this item utilize G.O. Bond Funds? | | | Yes | | Yes | |
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| | | | | | | | Legislative Tracking
Commissioner David Suarez |
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| | | | | | | | Sponsor
Co-sponsored by Commissioner Joseph Magazine |
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