Council reviews roadway landscaping policy; asks staff for earlier site‑plan visibility and plant palettes

Brian O'Connor, the director presenting the policy, told council the proposed roadway landscaping and tree planting policy would minimize right‑of‑way acquisition, limit vegetation removal when possible, and identify opportunities to restore landscape buffers during project development. He said that implementing landscaping improvements will modestly increase transportation project costs but emphasized the city will present conceptual landscape plans during design and finalize plantings during construction.

Several council members said the memo read to them as prioritizing minimal right‑of‑way acquisition and asked for greater early‑stage visibility. Council asked staff to provide concept‑level site plans and a plant palette for different corridor types so council can balance resident impacts against restoration goals. O'Connor agreed and said staff will refine the language and return with the clarified materials in a future meeting.