Planning & Development

Urban Forestry Committee

 

The Urban Forestry Committee (UFC) is a staff committee that has the responsibility to develop, adopt and maintain standards and practices for the conservation and maintenance of trees on city owned or controlled property.  It is composed of designated representatives from several City departments that typically deal with trees: Planning and Development, Public Services, Electric Utilities and Parks and Recreation.  UFC meets the second Tuesday of every month at 2:00 p.m. in the second floor conference room between Engineering and Transportation at the Municipal Office Building (City Hall).

 

The UFC created the Guidelines and Standard Practices for Trees to help guide its decision making.  The guidelines include provisions for the planting, maintenance, removal, and protection of trees located on property owned or leased by the City of High Point or property that the city controls through public rights-of-way and easements for public purposes.  Private property owners are encouraged to use the tree guidelines whenever possible to ensure the health of trees on their property, thereby enhancing the city’s overall tree canopy.  The guidelines also include information for use by City departments in their daily operations, such as the assessment of potential tree hazards, as well as the responsibilities and procedures of the Committee.

 

One of the responsibilities of the UFC is to review “Requests for Authorization to Plant, Maintain or Remove Trees” on city owned or controlled property that are submitted by a person, group or organization.  A decision on authorizing the tree related activity will be made by consensus at one of the monthly meetings, unless a continuation is warranted due to the need for additional information. Applicants will be notified of the meeting date, time and location and are encouraged to attend in order to aid the review and decision-making process.  The applicant will be notified in writing of the Urban Forestry Committee’s decision and the reasons for approval or denial.  Any decision of the Urban Forestry Committee may be appealed to the City Council.  Persons or groups that plant, maintain or remove trees on city owned or controlled property without prior authorization, or engage in prohibited tree related activities outlined in the Development Ordinance, may be subject to civil penalties.

 

Another important responsibility of the UFC is to implement its annual work program.  This includes hosting an annual Arbor Day event, and applying for Tree City USA designation every year, which the city received for the eighth year in a row in 2012.  In addition, the Committee has been working to promote a variety of tree planting activities, including:

 

“150 trees for 150 years” in celebration of the City’s sesquicentennial

Liberty Elm Tree Memorial – located at the Festival Park North Overlook

“Plant to Remember” Memorial Tree Program – click here for an application

 

Core City Tree Inventory

 

The City of High Point also received an Urban and Community Forestry Grant from the NC Division of Forest Resources in 2010-11 to conduct a tree inventory in the Core City area.  With the help of almost 40 volunteers, over 4,400 trees on City owned or controlled property were identified and entered into a GIS database.   In addition close to 250 potential planting spaces were identified. The certified arborist hired to lead the project produced a Tree Inventory Report and Analysis, along with an Urban Forest Management Plan, which makes recommendations about coordinating future tree activities and improving long range planning for the urban forestry program.

 

For more information about the Urban Forestry Committee, please contact Andy Piper at (336) 883-3328.