Titusville TEC backs urban‑forest plan, asks council to create Landscape Trust Fund line item to hire forester
May 14, 2026 | Titusville, Brevard County, Florida
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The Titusville Tree Commission voted unanimously to ask City Council to establish a budget line item funded from the Landscape Trust Fund to kickstart the city’s new Urban Forest Management Plan and to support hiring an urban forester.
At a May meeting, staff member Lily presented a revised draft of the plan and said the consultant would finish by mid‑June. Commissioners debated timing, whether the consultant should present to council June 9 and whether the TEC should review one more draft. Lily said the draft in the packet was a “snapshot” and had been edited up to the meeting.
Commissioners pressed for implementation details, including a tree inventory, a coordinator, grant monitoring and a timeline. Several members argued the city needs a dedicated urban forester rather than relying on existing planning staff. “We need a dedicated urban forester to take a hold of the program and help us get it started,” one member said.
On funding, the commission discussed options including a $100,000 general‑fund placeholder, the Tree City USA 2% per capita guideline and the city’s Landscape Trust Fund (which members said currently holds about $800,000 derived from developer mitigation). Commissioners said creating a named line item—even a $0 placeholder—would ensure the program appears in the annual budget process and give it visibility.
The TEC’s formal motion asked City Council to create a line item in the budget, initially funded from the Landscape Trust Fund, to implement the Urban Forest Management Plan. Member S11 made the motion and the chair seconded. The roll‑call vote in favor was unanimous.
After that vote, the commission moved and unanimously recommended that City Council adopt and implement the Urban Forest Management Plan, with the TEC to provide a list of suggested edits and clarifications to be relayed to the consultant before the council presentation.
Commissioners also discussed operational questions the plan will need to resolve: whether to require an approved plant list for developers, how to define ‘‘appropriate’’ non‑native species (several members favored tying that to the city’s technical manual), species‑diversity targets and a tree‑removal enforcement strategy that would direct mitigation funds into the Landscape Trust Fund.
The TEC agreed to forward its formal recommendations to City Council and to encourage members of the TEC to attend the June 9 council meeting to support the plan and the funding request.
The commission said staff will continue to share revised drafts and incorporate TEC comments ahead of the council presentation.
At a May meeting, staff member Lily presented a revised draft of the plan and said the consultant would finish by mid‑June. Commissioners debated timing, whether the consultant should present to council June 9 and whether the TEC should review one more draft. Lily said the draft in the packet was a “snapshot” and had been edited up to the meeting.
Commissioners pressed for implementation details, including a tree inventory, a coordinator, grant monitoring and a timeline. Several members argued the city needs a dedicated urban forester rather than relying on existing planning staff. “We need a dedicated urban forester to take a hold of the program and help us get it started,” one member said.
On funding, the commission discussed options including a $100,000 general‑fund placeholder, the Tree City USA 2% per capita guideline and the city’s Landscape Trust Fund (which members said currently holds about $800,000 derived from developer mitigation). Commissioners said creating a named line item—even a $0 placeholder—would ensure the program appears in the annual budget process and give it visibility.
The TEC’s formal motion asked City Council to create a line item in the budget, initially funded from the Landscape Trust Fund, to implement the Urban Forest Management Plan. Member S11 made the motion and the chair seconded. The roll‑call vote in favor was unanimous.
After that vote, the commission moved and unanimously recommended that City Council adopt and implement the Urban Forest Management Plan, with the TEC to provide a list of suggested edits and clarifications to be relayed to the consultant before the council presentation.
Commissioners also discussed operational questions the plan will need to resolve: whether to require an approved plant list for developers, how to define ‘‘appropriate’’ non‑native species (several members favored tying that to the city’s technical manual), species‑diversity targets and a tree‑removal enforcement strategy that would direct mitigation funds into the Landscape Trust Fund.
The TEC agreed to forward its formal recommendations to City Council and to encourage members of the TEC to attend the June 9 council meeting to support the plan and the funding request.
The commission said staff will continue to share revised drafts and incorporate TEC comments ahead of the council presentation.
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