July 12, 2023 — Environmental Advisory Board Regular Meeting

Transcript

Captions from City of Boulder YouTube recording.

[0:00] That is that in some areas it doesn't cool down at night. And that really is, it's impactful on people's health, particularly sleep. So once we collected all that data the capital strategy sent us back the report. There we go. We have a 4 maps here on the screen. the first map on the left. There. That's the data that was collected directly along the routes by volunteers. and that's our morning morning traverse round on the left there. And then these other 3 maps for the area. Wide maps. morning, afternoon in the evening. And you can pretty quickly see that some areas are quite significantly harder than others. downtown boulder is certainly one of them. the 20 Ninth Street Mall area. That's certainly one of the hottest areas throughout the day. And then in the evening we we really called out North Boulder as an area that didn't cool down throughout the day. Oh! And I forgot to mention we also had another activity running simultaneously. We wanted to engage a lot more community members, and we only had 42 given the number of routes. So I came up with another activity for people to do on foot or on bicycle. So they had a little bluetooth temperature reader. that connected to their phone. And we had them going around different areas of of where we were stationed to collect data. we'll actually be running that activity again next Saturday at the metal music event. and we'll be running it for children, which will be really fun.

[1:19] So yeah, once, then, once we got these maps back, we didn't want to, just, you know, present the maps to the public. in this kind of formal scientific report. so what I did with them is to create this story map. with our Gis online. so one of the first things I wanted to do is compare that key data, that that we got to some other data that we had. So I compared it to a tree canopy data, which is the map on the top. There. story maps has this cool feature where you can swipe maps and kind of compare side by side. It's not a statistical comparison. It's more of just a visual comparison. but looking at tree canopy in previous surface. and I also to affordable housing data. where some of those community members are living. and the general visual pattern did show that the hottest areas have lower tree canopy and higher number of impervious surface or higher percent of area and previous surface. but the other big point in the story map was to kind of share the story of the day of that event.

[2:09] so I interviewed some of the volunteers who did the driving and the walking to capture their experiences as well as their reactions to the data. and really, you know, personalize this issue that that people experience. It's not just about this top down view of the whole city of Boulder. It's about the people who experience that heat in those temperatures. that's something that I really want to capture. With this story map, which we should be able to share out. It was published little or less than a year ago. So the next thing that we want to do is now that we've identified these areas is implement some cooling solutions, namely, being urban forestry. so to do that we have contracted out with planet Geo, which is actually a local company based in our got up and they produce this really great herb forestry tool? that is going to be available to the public.

[3:01] was that sh! I mean great. So there are 3 main sections to this tool. the first one at the top. Here is the view sections that one just shows basic spatial distribution of the urban forestry as well as some other land cover types that we have in the tool as well. and a not so can be changed based on some historic data. the plan section of the tool that integrates a lot of census data. so we'll show more social demographic data. within that that we connect compared to the physical and built environment data. and that's a really important part of the tool. Because that's that's facial distribution. The key often impacts lower income and communities and community to call it more than other communities. and the last section of the tool to grow tool there. that's for forecasting future candy goals. You can input your candid people and will tell you how many trees to plan in that area and what benefits you'll get from it. So I'm gonna launch into the new tool and try and do a really quick demo here. So right now we're looking at a map of folder as well as outside of city limits as well, which is something that planners wanted.

[4:03] so right now we can see the we're looking at census block groups. so each one of those polygons, there is sense of spot group, and we can click on these and highlight them and get all this data for us. So we have. The tree can be here at 42%. we can also visualize this data at other geography levels, and what I mean by that. So we have census blockers. We have census block, we have hexagons, we have parcels, subcommittees, watershed and zip codes. a really interesting one to look at the census blocks. You can see when I change it to that. it's a lot more detail on the map, though those blocks get a lot smaller, so we can really zoom in. It's sorry I was going to make it larger. Alright, so we can really zoom in on areas and see, like this whole area that I'm circling here might be a census block group. But when we zoom in we can see that this little parcel there has 43% canopy, which is pretty high. And this one right here, that's just a 7% canopy. So the data can get really granular but we could get even more granular than this.

[5:10] if we look at parcels, and that's looking at individual properties. within those within those blocks. You can see this. How many features there are in this layer? and it does cause the tool to run a bit more slow. But you know, we can see makers and compare can be. So this one here has 76 and just 2 houses down 23%. So this is really useful tool and analyzing camping throughout the city as well as within neighborhoods. and one thing we're doing is looking at older housing partners, properties and and doing tree camping analysis for each of those properties as a potential pilot site. So we can easily using this address, search function type in an address and pull up all this data with it. and we also have possible planting areas, a variable and this shows you the amount of land currently suitable for cheap landing. This will require some ground choosing, so we'll have people go out in the field, come up with a methodology to to verify the amount of land that's actually sensible. because these are watching just estimations based on aerial imagery.

[6:09] and I mentioned this other data. We have herbacious non-wing plans. But the really interesting one, I think, is a previous service cover to look at. So all this data is within the tool. You can do it at all these different geographies. last thing I'll show you in this section of the tools that can change And so we have 25 data in 2,021, dated in here. we have a subscription with them, so we'll be getting new data every 2 years. So we'll get a 2023 update sometime next year. so we can really track. This can be changed over time. but the brown areas there. those are areas where there's been candy from boss, whereas green areas have. it can be game. So it's a really good way. And you can use these sliders here to kind of filter out values that are not interested. So we're only look if we say we only want to look at areas of experience lost. we can use that Slider. And all those 3 months will disappear. And we'll have all these areas here highlighted now, showing where it can't have been lost during a 6 year period.

[7:07] but one last thing, we can actually view the the aerial imagery itself rather than doing it in those blocks with percentages. So I'm turning on this satellite image review of Boulder and then I can select the 2,021 data that's going to pop up in green. So all that imagery there popped up in green. That was the canopy image from 2,021 and you can zoom in real close and actually kind of see individual trees here. and then the really cool thing is, then if I then select the 2,015 data that will be placed underneath the 2,021 data. So there in red, you're seen 2,015 to canopy. That was there in 2,015. But it was no longer there in 2,021. That's a way of getting a really granular view of in certain areas. so here we can see a large section of 2 kind of people's cut down and then we can also do ken if you growth in this way. So if I leave 2,015 selected, and then select 2,021 all the areas of green popping out underneath the red. That's areas where

[8:06] canopy of ground trees just growing or new trees have been planted like this one here. So just other ways to do the data and and get a more deep detailed view. moving on here to the plan section of the tool. I'll try and do this quickly. so we're looking at census block groups. that's the only geography we have for for this section of the tool. because it's coming from census data. so we essentially have all these variables here on the left hand side, we have areas with look, tree canopy possible which you can't be in household income population, low poverty, vulnerable population, which is younger community members and older community members, unemployment rates and education. So we can wait these variables against one another and the tool, then rank each census block group according to how Well it applies to these variables. So this one I selected a north holder when every when every variable is applied evenly, is the second highest priority, ranking the colors on the map have to do with. It's ranking, not necessarily the values

[9:11] And then we can, you know, decide which variables we want to see. So we could look at one variable of time. If we're only interested in in population poverty, we can only have that one selected. But say, we want to have. Look at that as well as areas of the tree. Can we can set that to medium? and the tool will just automatically do statistical analysis, and then rank the census block groups according to how well they apply to the variables that you select And then, in the last section, the tool to grow. Section that's for forecasting future. So so let's say, we want to have a goal of 3% canopy. we consult our our risks and find our average 2 time diameter and our local mortality rate. and we can apply that to the whole map, and then we can click on a sell up here and say, Okay, our hypothetical is 30% to resettle. We need to plant almost 9,000 trees.

[10:02] so it can give you really, really detailed figure for how many trees you need to plan to reach your goal once you set these parameters. it is just a computer too low, so it will tell you. If if the certain area has a hired, you can't be, then to go, it'll tell you to get rid of, you know, in this case almost 1,600 trees. So this is why we we still need people to to look at these tools. and then it can give you a full out report. It will tell you how many trees for the whole city you need to get to reach that goal? as well as some ecosystem benefits. They were still kind of doing some analysis on, but it'll tell you. You know how much air quality pollutants you You look for, how much carbon you'll absorb and how much bring. Why, storm out of your If you reach these can be goals. yeah, that's the essence of a tool. Right now, we're we're really focused on the view section, the plan section to do site analysis and figure out where we want to prioritize.

[11:01] Okay. yeah. okay. that's completely so. one other thing that we're hoping to compare with that urban forestry analysis is, keep modeling. Okay? So we contracted out with the Georgia tech climate lab, and what they're doing for us is they're creating a land cover map. it's a really, really high quality data. I believe it's at like 3 feet resolution. with different land cover types. And then also using historical temporal data to kind of create a base temperature model for the city and then, once that baseline key model is set. we can then implement planning scenarios and say, Okay, if we change the sign cover type from impervious to tree can be, how much temperature reduction do we get Or we can say we want this much temperature reduction. How many trees do we need to plan?

[12:11] So we're hoping to integrate that modeling within the planet. Geo. Tool or it might just be done separately. but these are the the main tools that we're using. to kind of do our site analysis and demographic analysis to determine where we want to prioritize 2 planting projects. Thank you, Alan. I'm heather you super pronounced and I am here to talk a little bit about next steps, and also how we we deal with community and handle community processes, because that was just a lot of data that Adam roll through. And it's really important that this is really so. There's that tool we just roll through, and a few others that private initiatives is investing in. And on top of that there is data our forestry team has. There's there's already equity maps. There are already all of these things out there that the city already has.

[13:08] 1. One reason we are looking across Sweden tools is that, for example, the forestry data we have is Lidar. It comes in really slowly and with climate change. We know we need to move faster. That is one reason we're looking at planet Geo. They claim that their data is light, our quality, which is hyper, hyper, high quality. So one one reason to invest in a tool like that is to compare to what we are already getting. and see if we can improve on tools. And it's important to know that we fought that tool in conjunction with forestry, and we determine the most of its parameters across departments with planning and such, so that we could get boundaries that would also be useful to them. We're trying to invest in tools in a way that's useful across the city. and and just good for everybody. And and ultimately the reason why we have people like Adam on board is that we need a lot of people figuring out the best way to use these tools as higher level make prioritization decisions.

[14:06] But you can't just do that at the city level. he is this salient thing. It is the thing that kills most people out of all the environmental issues we're facing And to do this, going forward without the community involved would be a grave error and absolutely the incorrect approach. So the first thing we are starting with this trees is a nature-based solution, and so establishing this baseline work of knowing where our trees are. looking up and figure out where it is possible to plan. all of these things are just a really key, Baseline, starting step to get us to a point where we really can launch off with community work. on the flip side of that, knowing where to plan. It's just one part of it, because where you plan to tree. The tree also has to be taken care of, and we have a so on the cool boulder side. We also have the Tree trust.

[15:00] The Tree Trust is established in play boulder, which is a nonprofit, and the reason is, there is because 80 of our tree can be on private land. There is only so much we can do to cool down on public land. so we we know that we need to be working with the public in that way just we can get trees on the property, however. The leader of the Tree trust Mike, who's running it? The most recent number he's found, I think, from San Francisco is that the first several years in the trees life cost $2,000. So a problem we have is that the people who need cooling most, and who need trees the most are the ones who are probably least likely to be able to successfully take care of them. So it's not just planning trees. It's also figuring out how you can grow a tree. And one of the tag lines we've been working with with forestry is not planetary. It's grow a tree. so we can't come in as the city and say, we're going to plant trees here and then run off and just expect people to take care of them. There's also the fact that in places that really need cool links to manufactured homes, communities

[16:01] wind, when does a huge risk. And how are you going to mitigate that risk with the cooling? So starting with the baseline data, starting with what we can do to actually plant, and then figuring out how we work together with the community to successfully. And that might mean watering programs that might mean one. if you all know Brett Karen, his big ideas like a a use based program where we use a electric bike to haul water around and and water things you something creative, but a way to create some economic opportunity, a way to take care of trees for people who are burdened. If we want to come in and plan trees. But this is this is really complicated, and we want to do it right? So we're really where we are at is starting with what is even an option to begin with, and it with trees. It's a 30 year investment before you even have some candy you can work with so shrubs might be an option, or maybe something like

[17:01] trellises with plants growing over them. So you increase biodiversity, but also immediately have a shade of structure. I put up a picture on this slide because I think it's really fun. We had a workshop 2 Saturdays ago. and we were out in a park, and it was hot. This is like noon, and so we set up pizza under one tree. We had a tent, and we have people hanging out under another. And the way people move to shade is so obvious we all do it. I was walking to work today, and there were construction workers napping under trees. We all know that trees are part of how we keep ourselves. 1 one reason we're doing activities like the one out of the zoom to go be the Bluetooth sensors is that we all know this. We maybe don't know it super cognitively like we all move towards shade, but it's not necessarily our like first thought to be like, I am moving to the tree because it is cooler than the parking lot, you know, we we just intuitively do this. So starting here with trees, where can you plant them? How can we plant them?

[18:01] And then helping people learn just your experience with learning why we do this, even though it's something. I think we all immediately and on top of that there's this incredible opportunity to increase biodiversity. And you know, mental health. You know, everyone likes to to move around green spaces and be with their trees. So there's there's added benefits to this thing we are trying to start. So we hired actually one of Adam's peers. Sam cohort in grad school as well as he spent 3 months to nothing but interviewing people in different departments and city interviewing community members and just talking about approaches to heat. And one thing she learned is that but in talking to municipalities across the Front Range a lot of us are in the same spot. We all know there's hot places, we all know. There's vulnerable people. We all know we need to engage with community and get qualitative data to help us figure out how to cool things down.

[19:05] None of us quite know how to do it, and I thought that was an interesting thing that came out of her work. So we have a bunch of interviews that she did. That we're relying on is some of our starting basis. For like, how do we even begin to work with the community? And a really key part is that we cannot proceed with anything before we have a plan for follow up. This is such an important thing to everyone's daily life. It'd be a grave error to come in and say, Here we are to help you cool down. and then take a survey, for example, because folders really really good at surveys and have no follow up steps. Is that is a huge complaint. Everyone in the city, when the first things you hear me talk to people is like, don't don't send out survey So there there is. This process we can do at the higher level of figuring out where we can plan, and things like that. But we have to pull this all together with a plan, with tangible action, because if there's a possibility that we go to the community already. And we talk to people. We find out that what people really need right now is just money to run their A/C,

[20:06] because it doesn't matter if you have an A/C, if you can't turn it on, and that's the kind of information we don't really have and that means we have to work at the speed of trust. We have to work at a community speed as well. So there's always city objectives. And then there's how you work with community, and they're different. So how do we marry that? And how do we move forward? potential processes and stuff like aspen you? And talking people came up with one option might be that we create a task force, and they just exist for a while working on this. And they're they're a team that is made partially of community members. We have a working group. It has to include community representatives. And one of the suggestions I would have would be to like higher in the community. Don't bring in a consultant hire community members to help us with this to figure this out, but it can't be a one off. You can't be short, and that brings up. The question is, are we the right department to this? I don't know. We've got a lot of conversations have, I think we might be.

[21:05] But there, there are conversations to have about how we do that community work and how we make it truly impactful in people's lives and in the end ultimately protecting is health. a cool holder has potential to be a huge part of this cool boulder is our community arm. Our nature based climate solutions, work. and I think we can push out a lot with it. People are already familiar with keep mapping from last year people were stoked on it. We got tons of media coverage. People love to see those maps. so we already know the community really wants to engage with this. And so there's this potential that we can use cool boulder. It's that way to move forward with this, and I think it will be really useful. The event we're doing on Saturday with Deaf and Page in Chicago. And it is a cool boulder event. And it's just it's 3 stations. We're at one under trees in the shade, one in the sun and the grass, and one in the parking lot in the sun. and the whole goal is just show people the differences. And you know, we have a little passport. And if kids take temperatures in all 3 places, they can come and give their data to global, they'll be really bad. I'm really excited about it. But it's a good start. And then ultimately, we'd like to run that activity in neighborhoods. This is kind of our pilot, for you did it work? How the sensors do? How do people like it? That kind of thing?

[22:20] but we do have some engagement in some recognition. Now from the community, this is a space where they can start engaging about it. So yeah, lots of unknowns, which is, you know, not always satisfying. But I'm really looking forward to the potential of it. And I think we have a lot of input, to get before we can really go forward on it correctly. yeah, that's us. Thanks for your time. I'm happy to answer questions about cool boulder, and we're all happy to answer your questions about the topic. That's great. And I think now we do. You know, clarifying questions and comments that we use just to add a one level piece here that it will be released before. First of all, I hope you appreciate the the great expertise that's sitting at the end of these tables over here.

[23:13] There's there's some important threats that I wanted to connect into this conversation. So you understand them. First of all, the city does have an urban for a strategic plan. It was approved in 2,018, and that was it. And if it wasn't explicitly stated, our urban forestry program lives within our parts of Recreation Department. However, we've been working very hard to align the work both of the parts direct Department and our department, as we think about the opportunities that that are place, and if you didn't see it, I don't know if I brought this forward. But there was the first state of the Urban Forest report that was published earlier this year. And so now I think we have some really interesting opportunities, not only aligning those departments. But we're now having conversations with utilities Another really important player in this and then planning. So when we had a discussion last month, one of the recommendations to the Board was to look at how the landscaping requirements are really starting to fit into our updates around our energy code. Our building code in our zoning code.

[24:13] So that was something. If you happen to watch the City Council meeting where we discuss this, it was a really big topic. I'm going to get into some of the other things we're shared, but just wanted to stress. We have a really interesting opportunity to create this alignments now and think about, not just for the purposes of pooling. But how do we think holistically about what we can control? And I I think there's a misconception that somehow that urban forestry plan only relates to public trees. They don't. I mean, it is our urban Canada. So it's both public and private trees. So we have some really unique opportunity to align the departments to really think about what our share of vision and share pools are. And I just wanted to share that. That's something that is really surfaced. from a lot of the work that.

[25:02] Okay, thank you. I I think I'll throw it to her on first. for for clarifying questions. Okay. yeah. Okay. So again, my first question relates to this article that I just read at the boulder reporting lab about it talks about the urban forest strategic plan. that you guys just mentioned. And it says, the basically the rate of which we lose trees every year it's larger than the rate of which we planned trees. And now, you know, because of that bug our urban canopy is at risk. But you have all this mitigating factor. So how does that? How do you guys take into account all those factors when you're like, you know, developing this this initiative. I can you clarify a little more on the the the factors?

[26:04] by checking primarily the the loss, or I guess well. this I guess we'll talk about the the the Ml. Us. Border. Oh. that falls on on the what department's jurisdiction to treat those streets to make sure we don't lose. you know a lot of them. So anything on and on, so many directory. But anything on public land is going to fall to parks and and forestry and then they want private land. That's not within city. They're section exactly. But, Jonathan, are you able to help me out with the jurisdiction of easy stuff on primarily. and you fully all like to be extensive, that the the Department can make recommendations. our ordinance related to like tree protection, and that this is something that we're starting to look forward to say, what? What should we be thinking about in terms of strengthening our protection ordinance? But this came up

[27:09] and a pretty pretty big way in the last couple of years, where there were some neighbors that were coming down. Big trees and they were wasn't happy about that. So they came to the city, and some what you do about that, and it really starts to tread on, on, on. like our property rights. The question, then, because this will be a conversation for council at some point, which is how far we we want our only to go in terms of tree protection. But right now, what the forestry department does is you? You can actually call our urban forest to come to your property, assess your trees, look to see if it it's acceptable or just in any way make recommendations. But in terms of authority, we have very well. okay, okay. I mean, our forestry department probably knows where those ashes are. and 1 one reason we're trying to baseline a lot of data is to know what you've got. So if there is a area, say, for example, a census block that is primarily ash.

[28:05] and we know that's going to be an issue that might become an area to target for planting. So it's just doing co-planting. If you've got a fairly healthy ash. But you know, eventually it might be a problem. One recommendation is to co-plant a new tree that can begin to grow, and then take down your ash before it's critically in critical shape. but that whole planting so that you get replacement canopy eventually. That's one reason. But we have a lot of data baseline to do, because there might be a section of town that's like we really need to focus here, because this is all what we lost. But that's that's part of like the putting in the inputs into the plan that makes sense. Yeah, no, that makes sense, thank you. And my single question will be like, and this is not that. That's not a question. It's just something to consider like when we're planning a canopy. I guess we have to

[29:01] account for the loss in stock in solar power. like I feel like my house of looking at the 3 cannot be website. You guys sent, and it has a nice kind of be around it. But, for example, I cannot install solar power, because I don't really have. It's all collaborating trees. So I don't know like that's only to consider, like as we plan a kind of for the city we are going to do spots where panels can be installed as well. at least at least in residential areas. one thing to consider is, people might take down trees, for example, west of Broadway to fire risk. So there there will be these places where potential opportunity for solar opens up whilst we're growing can be elsewhere, and there may be a balance to strength. But I I appreciate that that's not quite a lot. Yeah, just the idea of balance. I mean, that will be something that to consider. I think. Yeah, thank you guys.

[30:00] I've also seen on that on that topic in neighborhoods around where I live there's a lot of like covered parking, which is solar panel moving and so parking spaces are not going to be is able to be covered in trees. and so if you can set it up for buildings or to communities, I think that's a great space that you're mentioning. The other thing I would just point out is that the city does have a solar access ordinance and that it's a very old ordinance that tries to address this issue of making sure you have access to solar if you want, but recognizing the the of priorities so maintaining pre can be, and accessing solar, which is one of the reasons why we created the Solar Garden legislation in 2,010 to create an alternative. Say, look, if you have architectural shading, you actually have 3 cannabis, your renter, whatever it might be, you can still own solar. This may not be on your root. It's it's in a in a clustered field. But those credits go right to your bill. So there are all alternatives that we can work with. And so we try to deal with those kind of those pinch points, so to speak.

[31:03] okay, if you have any more questions, I can go over with Alex, and just go down the line. Yeah, go ahead. I'm good. Thank you. Okay. so I just want to say, Thank you. That was really well presented and linked diverse and a lot of perspective. So I really appreciate that. so I have a few questions. One. when you're talking about planning for me planting and growth part of the conversation at all focused on kind of natural trees, for you know things that are more likely to grow and drive here. outside of obviously wildfires. Or that's part of the conversation. Yeah, absolutely. Because they're they're gonna be some trees that aren't native that are essentially still very, very useful for biodiversity, for habitat. There's some species that are known to be the whole of things, even though they're not needed. But where we can, putting in native trees. that are going to require less water and are adapted to. Here is a component of it, for sure. But there's always that balance of native versus on it.

[32:15] if you're growing an apple tree, for example, you know you need more water and the native trees. So some of it's going to depend on what people want to do on their own properties, but on a bigger planning level, biodiversity is really key. And then something, whatever is going to be resilient for this space. So there's still a lot to figure out there. And then there's also an issue of supply as to put in this many trees, especially native trees. I don't. We're pretty sure there's just not enough being like broken nurseries, right? So having that be an element of pay. Not only do we need to plant trees like we gotta figure out what trees we want to plan it and also get people growing them. this is like the whole system. But yeah, for sure. And

[33:02] one really important thing is missing your types of trees up. So, for example, if it when the next test comes through it. Doesn't I have a whole block getting that that diversity in this room? question. I guess this probably goes to add on your kind of trading in the tool kind of it provides a recommended number of trees that should be planted ideally, satisfying some. you know, that takes into account. I guess it would be hard to take into account wildfires, or when taking trees down and things like that. But does it take into account. and a projected temperature rise over the next decade. Or is it assuming kind of current temperatures where we yeah, it it does. I don't think you could take that into account. temperature currently is not integrated into that to at all. I had seen it integrated into other cities tools, when you were first like considering functioning. That's how playing around with with, you know. you. In Oregon they have the same tool and they have temperature in there. But the data set wasn't super reliable. So it's a question of, can we get a reliable key data set within the tool?

[34:11] that can apply that But I think maybe more. What you're talking about is that more calendar rate? and that mortality rate should consider everything from wildfires to the AV. And you know, just people cutting down trees. so I can find out more about what what's totally accomplished in that. But I don't believe that temperature is right now. I can't jump in So I mentioned breakfast. You know a lot of, and there is one of them that is incorporates private projections. so we couldn't get everything we wanted in one place. But we've got multiple tools in development. And one of those has different climate scenarios. So the hope is figuring out. how do we work with the suite of tools to come up with that answer, even though we have to work kind of like across data sets and across. And I hopefully, I'm hoping that the projection one allows us to bring that in and that also, then factors to into types of given given projected temperatures.

[35:09] And I have 2 more questions, one So I think you said we were among like 15 cities selected for this study. Obviously, Boulder as a community has its own priorities, problems, things to address. But are there things that we can learn from the other 3 that participated ideas that they have, that we are trying to not explicitly care with them, but check in with some ideas that maybe work for not work for. Yeah, totally. no one did a really great job. And like creating the cohort. So we're kind of like the class of 2,022 And so they actually it was to call a couple of months ago, where, like all the previous quarters, came together. And we're sharing ideas and updates. so it's very much community that's interacting with each other. one thing that Philadelphia did last year on our part part with this to pair in that setting with your quality study. and I think that's something that we would be doing. I know what their housing partners is doing their quality. Id kind of independently. but yeah, there's a lot of collaboration, and like sharing of ideas and projects. we shared our walking activity with the

[36:12] thing with Omaha last year. so they actually conducted that after we shared it. So you got lots of opportunities there to collaborate and touching base with similar to the. For example, Longmont, isn't this interesting flip of where we're at? We're a long one has done a bunch of equity work in mapping. But as so, they're considering doing a heat activity this year, and they've been touching base with us. And like, Hey, how did you do that. So there's not a nice amount of like talking to your neighbors, you know. I'm figuring out how you can do that together, and there might need a in a cooler space and kind of like. Oh, we could do like a well. There's doing something analogous to something. You can make those connections for people across base. Or it's more than just hold there, you know, it's all of us. Our final question is maybe a very simple one, but maybe hold into what you're talking about. If

[37:00] community members not just playing the tree, but growing. And for you? you you do not you. But is it clear to people the best time of year to plant the tree, then it has the best chance of some Bible. and is that I'm I'm assuming that would be taking into account all the kind of planting programs that would happen. Yeah, it's a I think that's a big part of the education. So it's like you can plant in the spring in the fall, and I believe our forestry departments only put it in the spring, and it goes correct. So like there's the cooler times of the year and shoulder seasons. We need to do it. and that's one of the things we see cool, cooler coming in. We've got blog posts on this already. And then the Tree Trust runs 3 tender training, which is 26. it's getting that basic information out to people it's happening with. There was a sapling. Giveaway comes to the city in the T Trust. There's a tree sale coming up to the industry test, and anytime

[38:02] we're doing this. We're trying to partner those efforts with information that's adjustable. And then the 3 tenders are starting as a thing where it's like they've got a thing on their website. This is email, a tree center. I am trying to get people to make those community connections and share knowledge. And by moving into things like the work hangar, is you? Any way we can to get the basic info out there? It's the goal. But trying to never do anything not cared with empowering people to like, take the action themselves. Also we did a 3. The city comes and plans to free it. taking care of your so alright I checked one question. which is that at the end we should like the the pencils, and there is a recommendation I couldn't point to if it was based on the suitability or the priority of that parcel, or more, or it could be both.

[39:05] Is that what it tells you how many like you like. You have all the you know, different backers of for set like. And then there's like right we had like that was high priority, or however, it's priority and suitability, but it so. The suitability is how suitable the the parcel is according to the variables you set, but not necessarily to treat planting unless you had one of those variables was the amount of space available for that. It's like the stability. Yeah, but it is but sort of as a proactive priority to yeah. Okay, yeah. And then we the other section. And so that tells you how many trees to plant doesn't really take the previous tool into consideration. It kind of exist on its own within the same link. if I do with that, it's it's it's just telling you how many trees to play it to reach a certain goal. and about they're working on doing like report out. So you can do a report out for a certain census block groups. but right now they have to report out for the whole area, for for all of older.

[40:07] But I think eventually we'll be able to like, say, Okay, in this polygon in this parcel this is how many trees need to plant, and it can give you a whole report of all the data from that parcel as well. I've only mentioned that I also want to say Thank you. Oh, second or third, the thanks for it. It's a great presentation. Very informative. Most of my questions have been answered, my only other one, and often talked about about the feasibility of integrating. you know, percent coverage building within some sort of code. I know. you know, something is getting improved. So it of that. But I have a big curiosity about so on the different predictions. Sort of the morning. So the afternoon cool. It's trump. It's sort of one of the morning's warmest junk. And it yeah out of here, like, you know what causes that? It's it. Just it. Yeah. So that was

[41:05] out of all the covert last year folder had the greatest temperature differential, and within one time period, and that was the morning. And it's because of the folders. That's like very unique topography compared to other cities. so the flat items there in the morning facing east are just getting hit with all morning. How the sun, the west side of the city? Yeah. And then by the afternoon, that is one of the areas with the highest you can be that west, we're trying to hold it. So it's it's staying relatively pretty cool compared to other areas. It's start to heat up as the side goes overhead. Okay, thank you. So I think with that we can move on to sort of our comments and and such that I'm missing something, you know. So for not if you'll take that away for us on sec.

[42:09] What kind of comments are you guys looking for like, just could you clarify that, please? I think we're probably looking for just initial thoughts, I think, especially as we start to consider community and and the question of thoughts about how we, if you have any additional feelings about like continuing work, and a responsible way to go about engaging. That's something I'd be really interested in if anyone has initial thoughts and feelings. Hmm! I guess my main thought will be something that resonated with me. Was that what you said about it? Not only about planting the trees, it's about taking care of the trees. and I'm not sure how you go about doing the like.

[43:02] I guess. Would you guys eventually need a separate like your separate funding to like not only plan, but also like, take care of the trees with the full like will that will that get it integrated under a different department. I think that's something that I would like to see. I would like to, you know. sort of thinking about now. and what I said earlier about the solar panels. I think it's like you know how to reach that balance in terms of the residential I think this will be my 2 comments. I mean, it's I. I'm really excited about this initiative. I think it's it's really important. So that's something that I want to make clear. But yeah, I think those are. Those will be my 2 main concerns right now, based on what you guys presented. I hope that that's helpful. Yup, thank you. Yeah. One thing I think you already touched on is quite a bit heather, and be aware of

[44:06] all the new people to stay in touch with it. I think one thing, especially under the 3 error and 30 year period. a lot of the residents will necessarily be here to see the full. So whether that be just printing population, student population. R to population. there's a way to kind of brainstorm. How do you incentivize those people to care about it. They don't care But if there's a way to try to incentivize that population. I don't know that I have suggestions. I have a renter, and we still plan to treat so I might not. But yes, I if that's something we're considered. Thank you. yeah, I think it's I, I think, it's the Internet, this 80% prior thing. That's, I think everything you're doing is awesome. So I think it's going to be the next step. They like you said, and in our neighborhood. And it's just recently happened. There's

[45:15] or our neighbor. It's like, well, we're we're we're we're we're hanging over the street a little bit, and they're shading his yard, and one of them broke a Liberal go off and smash one of the neighbors cars. He decided. He was like, I'm just gonna cut the tree down because it's cheaper than having someone food off like through these massive trees. And you know it's like a 90 year old tree. They're gonna cut them down because it's cheaper than everything and potentially falling on their house. And so how do you incentivize? Maybe not for us, because I don't think that. Is there something we need to 75 to do that. So they don't cut that jig and make people aware of that further. that's anecdotal, but something just have to be something.

[46:02] Oh, but I guess another thing. But I was just doing a colleague in Idaho, and he had a big tree D in his yard, and he that he had planted a bunch of like 6 years ago. You had just pledged a bunch of aspen kind of around their back from patio. And in 6 years, you're like, you know, 19 feet tall. We don't need a lot of wire that shades the area. So I think that could be like short term solutions. We're. you know, very successful. This is my comments. But I do that. I think I'm getting the word out, because I think I think this is this is like a really here in dear my heart. I don't think it's really important because I don't like this. I'm here.

[47:01] I love you. Yes, so I I think I'm gonna pig you back on your I talked about, you know, sort of making it accessible money, or whatever. Also, maybe working with sort of this is more of a working with sort of more private groups around, making sure that we the city is providing are not like skippable. So you can't just go, you know, for it's 4 to 10 min. You can't just go straight to a private company. Have to treat, sat down, and not even be aware of the tools that the city could provide to help maintain. And so just making sure there's a relationship between city and private companies that, you know, our infantry cutting business in order to make sure those skips good steps can get skipped. That's really good. But so I I call one of them. But so so that, yeah, or they're aware. So just that they have the resources to go. Okay, cool. Yeah, we can work on this. But first, you need to reach out to the sort of the city

[48:01] for us to do evaluation. See what the city can provide, and then you can come back to us half my feet. I think in terms of the the, the cooler project. I yeah, I'd love it. It's really interesting data. and hopefully, we can get, you know, a lot more tree coverage in those areas that needed, you know, 20 Ninth Street kind of area and sort of the surrounding more industrial arts. getting more tree coverage there. And you know, working with those residential areas are a lot more accepted to put in on private land than industrial areas and commercial areas. I mean to finding a way to try and work with those companies as well. I think that will be a bigger sticking point than residential areas. Because, as you said, people flock to trees and everyone loves the neighborhood full of trees, you've got shade to play in. For, you know, kids and yeah.

[49:00] adults and teenagers can hang out outside under trees. And so they're sort of in natural incentive in those kind of spaces we'd love to see sort of access as well on commercial to to get more traces. How do you do a tree outside of port right like it's it's a lot less of a sort of pressing and sort of self incentivizing concern. There. I think up as a Mac only good things. And it's very yeah, I think this is such. I mean such. You know, you plant cheese. People feel like it's it's it affects people. It's very real, right, like, if you walk down Phil Street, and you've got a heart and cut down all the cheese in our folder park around the primitive corners. We call it big, sunny park. but like, yeah, yeah, to cut all the shapes for people right here. Yeah, like, people have us. Some people notice some more to. So it's a very real benefit to the community. So I think,

[50:07] it's good to people. They're actually easy to people that boy. Bye. I maybe one final question. Obviously a lot of business around in trees. But, as you mentioned earlier. shrubbery and other types of things are options. Is that how strong a consideration is that for, say or not talking about earlier having solar access? Is that a way to fold some of that in? We'll let get us needs it set so in the same direction. Or it's the focus primarily on trying to the middle ground. It's really crucial. That's a thing we just haven't figured out is like, what does that little G look like? Because you can use shrubs, and you can use all these things to. We spy adversity from knowledge, create habitats do all these things whilst you're growing the long term investment. But yeah, it could be aspen. It could be seen structures. It could be so many different things, and we just don't

[51:02] white know yet what that could be. So definitely a huge component of it is the fact that people need to like now, and if we're trying to create a natural cooling strategy, it can't just be. It does have to be some way to have a little phase. But it's multi- beneficial that answers that. I just want to make sure you. You see the direct connection. If it wasn't expressed it to a lot of our climate justice. So it's a really really critical piece of what we're doing where you can start if we saw them, you know. Show me those masks when you can start to overlay looking at those formal parts of the community to say, Okay, let's look to see what how many of those renters or homeowners actually have air condition that allows us then to start to target our investments, to start to work more directly in those neighborhoods say, well, this is where we need to start. You can start to then think about impacts from air quality or extreme heat or floods and fires. I mean, these are the things that we're starting to map and see spatially, too, when we I just think that's a really critical part for us as a

[52:15] it's the department who wants to really prioritize those investments in in those communities. We need this data to help us to do it. that a lack of trees, or just because of trees are young and small, and like. that's the high part with the data. It's well I I can verify there's not a lot of huge trees out there. Yeah, my spell. So maybe when they really look like that'd be a good place to start the covering. But I know when there's not above like 50. Yeah, I don't think they're after that, right? And of course, we need to know just data that they have a cut off at which they consider the tree.

[53:07] So there is. That's why ground true thing is really important. Because it might, it might be like, Oh, we have all these satellites they are like, and the else with trees that have pretty sparse coverage, and there's no grow like 30 44. That giant that's for a long time right? Yeah, because it sounds very old. Area. Yeah. yes. Have anything. Thank you so much for incredible presentation. Informative answers, and I hear from you guys soon, with some great, you know, new information on the path to come back to the board.

[54:01] and so we'll just kind of track when there's a really good time to come back to you. Thank you. They also brought you some cool boulder swag. So yeah. thank you. The oh, one more thing for me on this system. I think there's a house on the corner of twenty-first, and for us, maybe 23, for right here, Col. By elementary. But it's right there, and I don't know if it's intentional, but they have the coolest. I think the tallest tree is probably 25 feet like it comes right to the secondary level, but they have a mix of. Like all these natural plants. When layers of shots, the trees are all groups around the house, and you can barely see the house. It's like perfectly shaded. It has all these. It's called the Forest House, like some free bike. I it's really cool. I don't know if it's purposeful, but it might be as a model, because it is really cool.

[55:04] 20. First and fourth. Okay. I see it has 6. Thank you so much for your laptop of one of those stickers. Okay? So next up, we have a council calendar preview. Yeah, for sure. so I can get through this pretty quickly. It's. It's your last meeting. I I believe you went through the Council agenda committee, list, and just like the couple of things that you might be interested in. Podcast I wanted to come back to this. The one thing I wanted to mention is, I I think they're going to be multiple items coming your way this fall from some follow up of items. Since you already seen some of those really quickly, we're going to be coming back with the results of our that's our landscape equipment pilot. So that'll come to you later this fall. we're all going to be coming back with

[56:15] a pretty significant update on the, on the conversation. We just have the council on updating the energy code. That's going to be important as we expect them to. For maybe maybe early. Q. One. But I think we're going to try to hit you for this year. It depends on some of up upcoming conversations. The reason for that. I want to hover that for just a minute. if you watch the conversation with Council a couple of weeks ago on the energy code, it's one of the big topics that that I think was really really critical. If you watches that discussion was really themed as a climate discussion and part of what came up part of, and I would talk for its recommendation to is to look at how landscaping fits into that code. how I'm on in carbon fits into that update.

[57:02] and what we were able to work through with council is, there are updates that are going to be coming forward. So really prioritizing. moving towards an electrical way. Whether it's it's from gas, whether it's like the only the code is a vehicle to do that, to really drive towards an electrified future. So that's the first thing. Second was the inviting carbon that we had a big conversation about for sure. and it was our recommendation that that it's better with building code than it does the energy code, because the billing is your materials, right? It's it's how you build your building. So thinking about how my body carbon fits in to that, we asked if we could let that travel along with the building code update that schedule for next year. and then there was a lot of conversation about zoning, and whether or not we could utilize our zoning codes to get the desired outcomes. So as an update to the board, we've had some really good conversation with our colleagues in finding the services about how we might phase this project, move forward with an aggressive energy code and then try to package some of these other elements and and really build that as a joint work line between our departments, and

[58:10] so I'll be talking with council. But what we come back with is it at least just like predicting right now will be really so we you want to bring that back to just want to give you that kind of button in that piece of A few of the other things that you mentioned. that you might want to talk about this fall first was the unique hill for civilization and the affordable commercial program development updates. And that was for August tenth and August seventeenth. So so you're aware, I I don't necessarily think this is an item that should come to the board, and I don't know that it's right to come to the board. So what this is about I have to leave this with some of my. So what Council will do is they will actually convene, as the Board of directors will be general for the district. and the discussion they're going to have is decide next steps for that own parts with fourteenth and college. So the confrontation is really going to help inform the work plan that can be vitality is moving forward with. So there isn't much impact to or just yet. And similarly, I think on the second piece, our

[59:16] community Vitality department has been working with the central Area general for the district, which is highlight on the vacation, and what they're doing is looking to design a pilot program to think about. this new concept, I guess, and revitalization. So they just want to check in with council. But they're not. They? Are you that a pilot program is a good idea. And then they will start designing what that pilot looks like. And so what I like for my colleagues over in vitality is when you start to get into that design phase it might be nice to touch in. So those are the august pieces. Some of the other things. that I just wanted to fly in the list. the spending session on the budget.

[60:02] you know. Again, study sessions are not the time necessarily to provide board inputs. they are just we're we're asking questions of council and is giving feedback. And then when we come back, that's the time to make sure that you're ready updates in that. In that regard. the the each holder form based code update, I I do want to fight that one. It's a it's a potential item that I think the Board might be interested in. So as the Planning Development Services Department looks at updating that form based code in in the eastern part of our community. the one area. What what they'll be looking at is an update to that code or things like character, contact, scale, human building design elements. looking at assigned quality aesthetics outs and tides adaptable buildings. But I think, more importantly, is this idea of support of my mobile locality and mobility options and the conversation we've had tonight about landscape and opportunities. And someone more recently at the climate facing things, and that might be a really interesting opportunity for the

[61:15] so if if you agree, then I'll work with our colleagues to get to get that? I I would. Yeah. so that in addition to the items that are already flagged, specifically, that are being driven out of out of our department. I think there's gonna have a fairly full all agenda schedule. And it's a really good step. Any other that those are the updates. I just wanted to cover with you. There are other items. Again, as the CC. Agenda continues to evolve, things get put on, and we're just going to keep a close watch on those.

[62:05] I have a question for you, and we are not about The Bowler Junction representatives from each board is that under way it is. How is it going? Are they still trying to sort that out? The latter? They are still trying to sort it out. I checked them with her on, and asked, and whether or not they can convene yet and again, that's being convenient of the city manager's office. So we don't really have this ability into that. But I did check in with city manager 2 weeks ago in this past. And it's still being sorted, not because we are changing courts in any way, but really making sure that we have representatives, and we're finding a little bit of a challenge. It's a very easy one. I can put it that way. So no, no, no. The first part, yeah. And here, now, if you have a

[63:02] a better update than that, please jump in. No, I don't. yeah. The last. The last I spoke to them was when I send the email to Nooria, saying that I will be participating. And that's the last part of it. So yeah, I don't have any updates on that. Great, thank you. Yep. all right, you have anything else to after the meeting. no, I'm good. Take it away. It's not then I think we oh, well, we kind of do, but we can do it all right. Oh, well, our next meeting time. or is there something else? That's the next meeting so like this I will. What questions to you, or just to join us. Motion to adjourn. That's right. Thank you. Everyone. It's still going, because I cannot see.

[64:02] Yes. you can work with. I just wanted to take an opportunity. I think this will be perhaps here. right there.