Commission members reviewed a developer-led plan for the Arista Villas subdivision’s wooded area after meeting with the developers and conducting a site walk.

Tanner Salyers said he had met with the project principals, Clint and Dave, and with public-works staff to review the wooded tract and tree-removal impacts. He told the commission he asked the developers for a preliminary tree inventory and that the developers agreed to return with a plan. "They're gonna take what I've given them, come back to us, and say, what do you think of this?" Salyers said; staff will then set up a Zoom review with engineering and other departments before the developers submit a final plan to council.

Salyers said he asked the developers to aim for at least 40% canopy coverage at maturity across the development and to include three to five replacement trees per lot where feasible. Because roads and lots will occupy much of the removed canopy, the developers proposed a forest bank: the developer would deposit funds into a city-managed account that the city could use later on community tree projects. Salyers said he spoke with the auditor’s office about setting up that account so funds from multiple developers could be pooled for future urban-forest work.

Why it matters: the forest-bank approach is a common municipal option when on-site replacement is infeasible; it preserves developer responsibility for tree mitigation while enabling municipal replanting projects elsewhere.

Next steps: developers will prepare a tree inventory and a preliminary plan, then hold a Zoom meeting with engineering and public-works staff. The commission was invited to join the review. After internal comments, the plan will be revised and presented to the city for approval prior to council review and any required approvals.

Ending: Salyers said he will notify commission members when the developer Zoom review is scheduled and that members are welcome to join.