Committee hears Elm Street planting plan and Greening the Gateway Cities progress

The Everett City Committee on Legislative Affairs heard an update on neighborhood and street tree planting programs and a progress report on the city’s involvement in the Greening the Gateway Cities (GCI) program.

Tom Fieldman, the city’s tree warden and conservation agent, summarized recent planting activity and grants. He said the city received a GCI implementation grant of $100,000 and last year the program planted about 80 trees on private property and a smaller number on public land. Fieldman advised that utilities under the northern Elm Street sidewalk prevent tree pit installation there, but that consultants found room for roughly 10–12 trees on the south side that will be planted in the fall.

Fieldman and conservation staff also noted larger conservation-land efforts over recent years, reporting thousands of plantings at Gateway Park and Rivergreen projects. The committee asked for maps of underground utilities and an assessor’s list for targeted outreach so residents could be invited to take advantage of private-property plantings and depaving programs. Councilors expressed support for expanding canopy coverage to address urban-heat-island effects and to improve neighborhood streetscapes.