GENTRY — Planting shade trees and ornamental trees and shrubs would be required in new housing and commercial development within the city if the provisions of a preliminary study ordinance are incorporated into the city’s new tree ordinance.

Though the city is not required to include regulations for theplanting of trees and the establishment of buffers in its tree ordinance in order to become a Tree City USA, members of the Parks Advisory Committee said it would be the right time to establish some minimum requirements in the city’s code so that future development includes trees and green space.

“The question is, ‘Do we want a residential requirement at all and should it be mandatory or suggestive?’” asked committee chairman and councilman Michael Crawford, adding that he thought itshould be suggestive when it deals with residential zones.

“I think we need to have something residential,” said committee member Mike Parks, indicating that some requirements should be included.

“Those who would do it anyway don’t need a suggestion,” said Mayor Wes Hogue, “but those who wouldn’t do it (on their own) probably need more than a suggestion.”

The committee looked at Bentonville’s “ Landscaping, Screening and Buffering” ordinance, which includes provision for buffer strips and tree plantings in commercial development and also sets minimum requirements for landscaping in new residential lots, as a model.

“A minimum of one shade tree or two ornamental trees ... shall be planted in the front yard of each new residential lot in the RE, R1 and R2 residential districts,” the ordinance states. “Trees existing in the front will be credited. Thetree or trees shall be installed at the time of Certificate of Occupancy.”

The Bentonville ordinance, if adopted in Gentry, would require developers to plant the required trees before a certificate of occupancy is issued, ensuring trees are planted before people move into a new dwelling.

The committee is recommending that the minimum tree sizes in the ordinance be reduced to 1 inch in trunk diameter for ornamental trees and 1 1/2 inches for shade trees. Minimum sizes for evergreens was reduced from 6 feet to 2 feet. Shrubs would have to be 12 inches in height.

“Are there trees we want to prohibit?” asked Mike Parks.

It was suggested that a list of trees regarded as invasive be added to any proposed ordinance as prohibited. The Bentonville ordinance already includes a list of recommended trees.

The Parks Advisory Committee is forwarding the Bentonville ordinance with changes in minimum required sizes for tree and shrub plantings to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review before a draft ordinance is prepared for future city council consideration.

The full Bentonville ordinance is available at the Bentonvillear Web site: www.bentonvillear.com/docs/planning/tree_ and.../1400_landscaping. pdf.

According to the Arbor Day Foundation Web site, to qualify to become a Tree City USA, a town or city must meet four standards established by The Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters. A city or town must have or establish: 1. A tree board or department; 2. A treecare ordinance; 3. A community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita; and 4. An Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

“The standards were established,” the Web site says, “to ensure that every qualifying community would have a viable tree management plan and program. It is important to note that they were also designed so that no community would be excluded because of size.”

The $2-per-capita tree budget does not have to be new money budgeted; It can be money already being spent on tree-related items, such as leaf pickup and tree trimming in parks and right-ofways. The money used for tree-related expenses would just have to be documented as such.

Gentry has named its Parks Advisory Committee as its tree board and additional members are being sought to fill seats on the eight-member committee. Arbor Day was observed with a proclamation and tree planting on March 11. Volunteer time and service, as well as city and utility work, involving trees is being recorded to help meet the $2 per person budget item. Work on a tree ordinance continues.

News, Pages 1 on 05/12/2010