At the August 2, 2022 meeting, the City Council awarded a professional Services Agreement, in the amount of $150,000 funded by a Cal Fire Grant, to prepare the City’s Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP). The contract is included as Attachment A.
Carmel Municipal Code Section 2.32.060 directs the Forest and Beach Commission to develop a management plan for the City’s urban forest. Before a management plan can be established, the development of a Master Plan is needed. A Master Plan is a high-level guiding document that provides vision and obtainable long-term program goals. A management plan outlines the strategies and tactics that will be employed to reach the Master Plan’s goals while caring for the existing trees. It is common to have management activities nested into a Master Plan.
UFMPs are typically guided by a Steering Committee and/or a Technical Advisory Committee.
The Steering Committee is a body populated by stakeholders from the community. The Committee provides oversight and direction to the Master Plan. The Committee, however, does not create the Master Plan. The Project Manager (City Forester) and Consultant (Davey Resource Group) will be compiling data about the urban forest and community sentiments. The Streering Committee will receive the data and guide the goals and preparation of the Master Plan. For the City’s UFMP, the Forest and Beach Commission is recommended to serve as the Steering Committee.
On a parallel track to the Steering Committee, a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is formed to ensure the elements of the Master Plan are aligned with current peer-reviewed literature, local, state and federal laws, and adopted plans of the City.
It is proposed that the TAC be comprised of:
· City Forester (Project Manager)
· An academic subject matter expert
· Planning staff
· Public Safety staff
· Public Works streets staff
The TAC will report back to the Forest and Beach Commission/Streering Committee from time to time during the Master Planning process.