Renton staff report canopy rise to about 31% and propose bringing watering contract in‑house

John Rub, an agency official who presented Renton’s urban forestry update, told the Community Services Committee that a 2023 canopy assessment shows the city’s tree canopy is now about 31 percent, up roughly 2.5 percentage points from the prior assessment period.

“The guiding light is the urban forestry management plan,” Rub said, pointing to the 2022 management plan that frames the program’s goals. He said the 31 percent figure represents about 4,800 acres of canopy across the city and that the assessment identified approximately 17 percent of land as available for additional planting.

Rub also reported service‑delivery metrics: “In 2025, we addressed a total of 165 tickets and all of those were closed out,” and, as of the last week’s data, the program had received about 70 tickets so far in 2026 and closed 62 of them. He said staff expect fewer open tickets this year than last.

Why it matters: city officials said the updated canopy numbers show progress toward the 2022 plan’s targets but stressed choices remain about where and how to add trees amid redevelopment and housing‑growth pressures. Council members pressed staff on tradeoffs between preserving mature canopy and accommodating new housing or density.

Rub described operational priorities for the near term. With the urban forestry and natural resources manager starting the next day, he said one of that person’s first tasks will be benchmarking progress against the plan’s midterm goals. He also said the department aims to work more closely with developers to preserve established trees when parcels redevelop and to pursue targeted planting in neighborhoods with high heat index.

On contracting, Rub told councilors the department plans to bring the watering contract in‑house. “We want to make sure that we bring that watering contract in house mostly focused on quality control,” he said, explaining that young, newly planted trees are most vulnerable in early years and better watering oversight improves survival rates.

Several council members raised timing and maintenance questions. One councilor recommended moving volunteer planting events from spring to autumn to improve establishment and reduce summer watering demands; staff said they will consider the timing and that the new manager may bring further recommendations. Councilors also asked whether the 17 percent planting potential includes private property and how the city coordinates across departments and with projects such as Legacy Square/Plaza Park; staff said the 17 percent was citywide and that consultation occurred for past projects though records would need to be reviewed.

Rub highlighted volunteer and partnership programs that support canopy goals: the city’s Arbor Day plantings (about 50 volunteers planting ~20 trees annually), the Green Cities Partnership volunteer stewards, ongoing collaboration with park maintenance, and awards recognizing the city’s work (Tree City USA for 18 years and a multi‑year Growth Award from the Arbor Day Foundation). He said staff will continue pruning programs in spring and fall and pursue selective non‑invasive removals in natural areas.

What’s next: staff will introduce the newly hired urban forestry manager to council and carry out the benchmarking task; councilors encouraged continued emphasis on preservation of mature trees, clearer internal coordination on project consultations and consideration of shifting planting timing to improve survival.