San Luis looks at approving tree ordinance
San Luis, Ariz. – The city council could soon adopt an ordinance aimed a promoting the planting and care of trees in parks and other public areas around San Luis.
The ordinance, which the San Luis Parks and Recreation Department began drafting last year, could help the city join the Arbor Day Foundation, allowing it to qualify for grants and other incentives to increase the number of trees in public right-of-ways.
“We have been working on this for a while,” Parks and Recreation Director Louie Galaviz said. “It was just a matter of finalizing
the language of the ordinance. This is going to help us to have more trees and to provide for their care. This is a need that residents have expressed. They want to see more green areas in the city.
“We know that throughout San Luis there’s a lack of trees in public places, in parks and along walking paths,” he added. “We have planted about 60 trees over three years (around the city), but we know that is not enough. This is going to help us have resources to be able to plant more trees and to improve maintenance of them.”
The ordinance proposal , which tentatively has been endorsed by the council, will impose standards for planting and care of trees in public places and for their removal. It also will provide for penalties for anyone who damages trees on public property.
Galaviz said approval by the council of the ordinance would be the first step toward San Luis becoming affiliated with the Arbor Day Foundation’s program, which not only would provide funds to the city for tree planting but also technical assistance in designing and caring for forested area.
“In the county, Yuma is a Tree City,” he said. “We want San Luis also to be recognized as one, and for residents and visitors to be able to see the city full of trees and to enjoy their benefits.”
As part of the requirements of being a Tree City, the council would have to establish a board of directors to oversee the tree planting program or designate the parks and recreation department to do it. Also, the city would have to prove its is spending at least $2 annually per resident annually on efforts to forest the city.