During public comment, Mary Richter of Sammamish urged the Sustainability Commission to prioritize control of Tansy ragwort and other noxious weeds.

Richter, who identified herself as a Washington native-plant steward, summarized King County guidance about the species: a single plant can produce tens of thousands of seeds and seeds can remain viable in soil for 10–16 years. She said the seed-production numbers mean small infestations can become large problems over time and offered three specific recommendations for city action: train maintenance crews and inspectors to spot and remove noxious weeds during routine rounds; train or incorporate local landscape contractors to provide targeted removal (potentially under existing contracts); and require better weed control for vacant lots during permitting, with the option to have trained contractors clean sites and charge costs back to property owners.

"So every time you drive by one of those and go, oh, we don't have time to deal with it — it generates a lot of seeds," Richter said, urging proactive steps. She also said trained landscapers could be put on call under existing contracts to respond when property owners fail to manage weeds.

City staff acknowledged the concerns and encouraged written follow-up questions to ensure the right departments are engaged; staff also offered to bring the relevant public-works or permitting staff to a future meeting if the commission wanted to explore policy or enforcement options.

The commission asked staff to take steps to clarify how the city currently handles noxious-weed complaints and what policy levers (permitting, contractor requirements, or code enforcement) are available for future action.