Athens Shade Tree Commission members and residents on Oct. 9 urged city leaders to preserve the commissions formal approval role for development landscaping and objected to a proposed package of code changes that would transfer that authority to the Planning Commission.

Commission members said the package, first drafted by city planners and previously reviewed by the commission, originally included a reduction in required plantings and a transfer of approval power; the city later circulated a revised set of changes that keeps current planting densities but still moves final approval authority away from the Shade Tree Commission.

Why it matters: Commission members and public commenters said the commissions review provides technical oversight by volunteers and certified arborists that developers and a generalist planning panel may lack, and they warned loss of the commissions authority could reduce enforcement and follow-up after plantings are installed.

At the meeting the commissions chair (name not specified in the meeting record) said the citys package originally would have cut planting requirements from roughly one tree per 1,700 square feet to one tree per 4,500 square feet; the chair said the Planning Commissions latest revision dropped that reduction but still transfers approval power. The chair also cautioned that if the commission falls below a quorum the city could lose its Tree City USA designation: "If we only have 3 members, we do not have a quorum and we will not be able to operate anymore, which does put us at risk and in general of having Tree City USA, funding." (quote verbatim from meeting transcript).

Public commenters included homeowners, sustainability officials and volunteers. Carrie Gibbons, a resident, urged city officials to keep the commissions authority: "From a community benefit standpoint, I believe it is in those interests that a fully capable shade tree commission must be supported." Mary Reid, a member of the Athens Arbor Day Committee, told the meeting the commission includes "at least 2 certified arborists" and said shifting approval to the Planning Commission risks losing technical expertise in reviews.

Several speakers said the mayor has been delaying appointments to the Shade Tree Commission while the code package is under consideration, which could leave vacancies unfilled and the commission unable to meet. The commission noted the Planning Commission is scheduled to review the updated code package at noon the following Wednesday; if Planning forwards the changes, council consideration would follow.

Opponents also pressed the city on enforcement: Mary Reid and others pointed to prior projects where required trees were later removed or replaced with shrubs because there was no follow-up after construction. Residents called for clearer timelines and for the Shade Tree Commission to be consulted earlier in the planning process rather than "one day before" a decision.

City staff and commissioners said the revised draft adds explicit points where the Shade Tree Commission must be consulted, but members said the change still leaves a risk that their input will arrive too late in the review process to influence outcomes.

Votes at a glance (formal actions recorded in the meeting minutes):
- Approval of previous meeting minutesmotion passed (mover: Commission chair; second: Commission member; tally not roll-called; outcome: approved).
- Several planting and replanting permits were approved by motion (details in the meeting record and the commissions permit log).

Whats next: The commission encouraged residents to attend the Planning Commission meeting scheduled the following Wednesday at noon and, if needed, the City Council meeting that would consider the package the next week. Speakers urged residents to submit comments during the Planning Commission hearing and to monitor the citys agenda postings.

Ending: Commissioners and residents said they will continue outreach, including an Oct. 20 public "tree talk" and future planting events, and asked city leaders to prioritize a permanent urban-forestry point person to handle planting, stump removal and post-planting oversight.