Devorah Zotterer, Public Works program manager, and John Hockridge, the city arborist, briefed the commission on next steps to implement Albany’s Street Tree Management Plan, which the transcript records as adopted by the City Council on September 15.

Zotterer said the plan’s recommendations break into three categories: immediate improvements that can be implemented within current resources, service changes that require council action and funding, and longer-term program development. She proposed a near-term (about 1–2 years) focus on policy updates that would clarify maintenance responsibilities, explore funding options and modernize maintenance practices; midterm work on remedial projects and increased community engagement; and a longer-term (6–10+ years) cycle of canopy measurement and trend analysis.

Zotterer said some actions can begin without council policy changes but that more proactive citywide maintenance and authority over street trees likely require ordinance updates. She said staff will bring an item to council in November to start those discussions and explore funding options, including whether to pursue voter measures.

Hockridge described operational matters and tree specifics in later discussion. He and Zotterer said the annual street-tree planting request period closes Oct. 31 and that the city hopes to pursue Tree City USA certification if council supports the plan.

Commissioners and members of the public raised questions about how maintenance would be systematized (for example, grid pruning on a zoned schedule), how often canopy monitoring should be done (consultants recommended a 10-year cycle), and whether Measure DD funds could be used to support canopy work. Zotterer said Measure DD is a general-fund measure and that she would verify the precise dollar shares; she advised that the delta between current funding and the city’s full wish list would likely exceed available Measure DD funds.

Public comment included outreach suggestions (QR codes at block parties, block-captain models) and the suggestion to reconsider terminology for “private trees” (examples: “heritage,” “significant” or “property trees”). Commissioners recommended earlier and broader community engagement and asked staff to prepare financial detail for council discussions.