Urban Forestry Council Resolution endorsing the Green Connections Plan and Implementation of the Green Connections Network

[Resolution Endorsing the Green Connections Plan]

Urban Forestry Council Resolution endorsing the Green Connections Plan and implementation of the Green Connections Network. 
 

WHEREAS, The Green Connections project aims to make the City more healthy, sustainable, and livable though features such street trees and other landscaping, storm water management, and opportunities for beautification and community stewardship, with the goal of increasing access to parks, open spaces, and the waterfront through creation of a network of “green connections”. The Green Connection network will be implemented  incrementally over the next 20 years to make it safer and more pleasant to travel to parks by walking, biking, and other forms of active transportation; and,
 

WHEREAS, The Green Connections Plan highlights the need to increase urban street tree canopy and the benefits that street trees provide; and,
 

WHEREAS, The Green Connections Plan strives to support local wildlife by creating habitat-supportive streetscapes that enhance the city’s ecological function; and,
 

WHEREAS, The Green Connections Plan builds on and supports several City efforts related to street design, including the 2014 Draft Urban Forest Plan, the Recreation and Open Space Element, the Better Streets Plan, and the Green Landscaping Ordinance; and,
 

WHEREAS, The Urban Forestry Council endorsed the 2014 Draft Urban Forest Plan in UFC Resolution No. 001-14-UFC, finding that the Draft UF Plan helps maximums the benefits of urban trees and supporting the Draft UF Plan goal of increasing street tree canopy, which is consistent with the Green Connections Plan; and,
 

WHEREAS, The Urban Forestry Council endorsed the Recreation and Open Space Element in UFC Resolution No. 008-11-UFC, finding that the ROSE supports the long term health and sustainability of the urban forest and helps the City achieve the best benefits from open space assets; and,
 

WHEREAS, The Better Street Plan identifies that that streets comprise approximately 25% of San Francisco’s total land area and that trees are the most important element of the street environment and should be included in design of completed streets; and,
 

WHEREAS, The Green Connection Plan provides valuable and practical resources that highlight the value and importance of street trees, including the Design Toolkit, the Community Resource List, the Ecology Guides, and the forthcoming SF Plant Finder, which is a searchable online database of climate appropriate plants that will incorporate the Urban Forestry Council’s list of Recommended Street Trees, therefore be it
 

RESOLVED, That the Urban Forestry Council endorses the Green Connections Plan; and be it
 

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Urban Forestry Council recognizes the vital role of green infrastructure in the public right of way; and be it
 

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Urban Forestry Council supports the full implementation of the Green Connections Network, including building at minimum twelve demonstration-level projects ($110M estimated cost) over the next twenty years; and be it
 

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Urban Forestry Council urges departments to collaborate to implement the Green Connections Network, which includes coordination with City streetscape, traffic calming, and stormwater projects to ensure they support Green Connections’ goals($58M estimated cost to enhance ongoing projects to add minimum level Green Connections greening and streetscape elements); and be it.
 

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Urban Forestry Council urges the City to identify both public and private funding and other resources to implement the Green Connections Network.
 

I hereby certify that this Resolution was adopted at the Urban Forestry Council’s Regular Meeting on March 28, 2014.
 
Monica Fish, Council Secretary              Dan Flanagan, Council Chair
 

VOTE:  Approved 8-0; 2 Absent; 1 Vacant
Ayes:  Members Flanagan, Hillan, Hillson, Kida, Most, Short, Sullivan and Swae
Noes:  None
Absent: Members Leffingwell and Sherwin