Joint CPO Tree Code Group - Washington County, OR

©2006 Katherine Anne Stansbury

Introduction

Unlike many other jurisdictions in the Portland Metropolitan area, Washington County does not have in place a comprehensive Urban Forest Management Plan or a tree code. As a result, there are few protections in place for Washington County trees and for preserving the urban tree canopy.

Who are we and why we are here?

In December 2007, the Joint CPO Tree Code Group, made up of members from six urban CPOs, met to discuss concerns over the status of trees in Washington County.  The first meeting was characterized by a shared sense of loss – loss of trees to development (particularly the large native trees that are central to the experience of living in the Pacific Northwest), frustration with existing government process with no avenues for concerned citizens to protect the trees in their neighborhoods, and alarm over continued decline of the tree canopy.

These concerns were compounded by projections of future development and its impact on the urban tree canopy.  Specifically,

• If the tree canopy has declined to this point, what would it look like if the projections of 500,000 more people moving to area in the next 30-50 years came true?
• How would Washington County remain a desirable place to work and live for existing and new residents as well as for future generations? 

Our team hosted monthly open meetings with multiple subteam sessions to work through these issues. 

• We explored the current tools for managing trees available to the County through our discussion with Planners for Washington County Department of Land Use and Transportation. 
• We interviewed the advocacy group Clackamas County Urban Green to learn about their efforts in getting a tree code in place for Clackamas County. 
• We interviewed a member of the City of Portland Urban Forest Commission, who shared insights as to the elements of an effective tree code. 
• The team sent a representative to the 2008 Oregon Urban Forestry Conference “Urban Forests:  A Tool for Sustainable Communities” to make sure we heard the latest thinking in urban forestry management.
• We reached out to 9 developers as well as the Home Builders Association for a conversation on the economics of development and tree preservation.  One developer attended our meeting and shared his perspective on the considerations that go into tree preservation.
• The team also researched the urban forestry policy documents and associated tree codes of more than nine cities and counties. 

The results of this work form the basis for our recommendations to Washington County Commissioners and Planning Staff and are detailed later in this package.

After more than two years of interviews, research and deliberations, we have hope for the future of the tree canopy in Washington County.

The Joint CPO Tree Code Group has been featured in a couple of recent newspaper articles:

• The Oregonian, 11/05/09: "County, residents struggle to address urban issues in areas outside cities"     
• Cedar Mill News, February 2009: "Time to Start Saving Trees"