TO: CRA Board of Commissioners
FROM: Ivan J. Cabrera, AICP, Redevelopment Manager
THROUGH: Renée A. Jadusingh Esq., Executive Director
DATE: December 8, 2022
Title
TREE PLANTING PROGRAM WITH THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Approve Tree Planting through the City of Delray Beach for the City’s Tree Planting Program.
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Background:
The City of Delray Beach has maintained the designation of a Tree City USA since 1989. In the summer of 2018, the City contracted a consultant to conduct a Citywide assessment to identify priority areas for expanding the City’s urban forest. The Tree Canopy Assessment concluded that Delray Beach’s overall tree canopy coverage was approximately 23% and recommended that the City plant 10,000 trees in five (5) years to increase the tree canopy to 28% by year 2035.
To achieve that goal, the City engaged Community Greening Corp. to implement a Tree Planting Program to perform the additional 10,000 tree plantings. The Tree Planting Program provides the City with a comprehensive Citywide planting plan that covers City property, parks, and right-of-ways, as well as calling for working with community partners to identify planting locations on non-City property and providing tree giveaways for City residents. As such, the City’s Sustainability Officer, Mr. Kent Edwards, reached out to CRA staff to discuss possible tree planting opportunities on CRA-owned property.
Initial conversations have identified two (2) CRA-owned properties located at 182 and 186 NW 5th Avenue to plant a total of five (5) trees on both properties. By participating in the Tree Planting Program, the CRA is not only able to enhance and beautify the landscape areas of CRA-owned properties, but the CRA is also able to support the City in its initiative to grow the tree canopy coverage and maintain its designation as a Tree City USA.
At this time, CRA staff is bringing this item before the CRA Board for approval.
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