Label
Council Member Gadus
City Council Meeting
4/10/2024
Title
From Council Member Gadus Answer Requested: ASAP
What steps were taken to notify neighbors community groups and stakeholders about the reforestation of Highland Park? What steps were taken to allow public input on the reforestation efforts at Highland Park? When did those meetings occur?
Body
Referral Response:
TO: Council Member Gadus
THROUGH: Abby Arnold, Deputy Mayor
FROM: Joe Fausnaugh, Director Parks and Youth Services
The April session of Wednesdays With Wade was scheduled for Highland Park specifically to highlight the reforestation efforts at Highland Park. As the decision to perform reforestation at Highland and multiple other parks was considered an operational initiative that would simultaneously reduce the mowing of under-utilized park areas and advance our goals to increase the community tree canopy, we did not hold public input meetings prior to commencing with the planned work.
For nearly a year in advance of the project, we did provide the district councilmembers with notice of the parks being reforested through the quarterly park project updates emailed by Director Fausnaugh. No questions or requests for public input were received.
If there are community members who would like more information about the reforestation effort, the benefits, or the remaining work planned to implement improvements at Highland Park, Director Fausnaugh remains open to facilitating those community conversations.