Dear Members of the Committee, As one of your constituents, I wanted to convey my support for the many tree related bills in front of the committee. These specific Bills will allow localities to more effectively conserve existing trees and maintain newly planted trees. Conserving and increasing Virginia’s tree canopy is critical not only because trees are beautiful, but because they also provide the following crucial benefits: - Reduce flooding - Stormwater runoff reduction - Less heat islands, which leads to reduced energy costs and healthier citizens - Improve air quality and reduce air pollution - Sequester carbon All of these benefits create a win – win – win by helping the environment, improving human health, and providing cost effective positive economic impacts. I hope that you all recognize the critical benefits that trees provide across the state of Virginia and that you will support these bills. Sincerely, Winston Bibee

Comments Document

I am Denise Mosca, a constituent of Keith Hodges in Gloucester County, living at 6977 Ark Road. Please allow HB 529 and HB1100 to pass out of committee to be considered by the House. Because Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, localities need to be granted the flexibility to manage trees specific to their local planning and individual stormwater response. In a 2020 study Virginia Dept. of Forestry VADOF estimated that Virginia is currently losing 14,000 acres annually to land conversion. From 2014 to 2018 Gloucester County has experienced a net loss of 217 acres of tree cover. The 2020 VADOF study delineated the following benefits of trees (see attachment): Trees are a low cost option to provide resilience. Keeping healthy, mature trees on site costs far less than taxpayer-funded programs to construct “hard” storm water infrastructure. HB 529 and HB1100 are local option bills; they provide the freedom to the locality to enact the provisions or not. There is a site specific clause for deviation in HB 529 to address hardship of the developer provided that neighborhood stormwater management and tree preservation goals are considered. Fairfax County has adopted this ordinance package as of 2009 and it has neither slowed nor hindered development or stifled affordable housing initiatives. Virginia has already delegated authority to the localities to implement stormwater plans that make the most sense for their circumstances. Please allow localities the low cost options to maintain and increase tree cover for their stormwater planning and all the benefits that trees provide for Virginia.

Please support HB644.

Please support HB170! This proposal would extend local authority throughout Virginia to preserve tree canopy, improve local water quality, reduce flooding and mitigate the impact of climate change. Land development and tree removal continue to progress in Virginia at an alarming rate. This bill would help Virginia to meet its tree canopy goals.

HB170 Trees; conservation during land development process - This bill should become law. Virginia is far behind in meeting its urban tree canopy goals under the Chesapeake Bay Agreement. Tree canopy loss must be reversed.

Support HB170. Virginia continues to lose tree canopy at an astounding rate, which limits the state’s ability to improve water quality, reduce flooding and mitigate the impact of climate change on the most vulnerable communities. Climate-ready communities that are resilient to flash floods, urban heat islands and increased air pollution need trees

Please support bills HB 170 and HB 459. Virginia continues to lose tree canopy amazingly fast, which hurts our ability to improve water quality, decrease flooding and mitigate heat and air quality effects of climate change. Virginia has signed onto The Bay Agreement and is far behind in meeting its urban tree canopy goals. HB 170 includes canopy credits for saving high-value mature trees and tree stands to incentivize preservation and has a minimum post-construction canopy coverage percentage and would cover the whole state rather than just northern Virginia. HB 459 would further strengthen the current "conservation during land development process".

Richmond needs the ability and authority to conserve its trees during the development process as we work to restore and protect our tree canopy in our most vulnerable communities, Please support this bill!

I am president of Richmond Tree Stewards, a volunteer organization dedicated to the support of our urban canopy. We endorse this legislation for all of the health, ecological, economic and social benefits outlined by other supporters. Localities already have certain tools at their disposal that allow them to establish or preserve the character of a given neighborhood or development via architectural, historic preservation, and zoning requirements. These ordinances regulate such factors as building height, setback, materials, rooflines, porches and facades, sidewalks, lighting, parking, etc. because they effect the community or neighborhood as a whole. Trees, whether on private or public property, have a fundamental and positive impact on the character of a community. For this reason, localities should have the authority to consider tree canopy and preservation when evaluating proposed development. Here in Richmond, many of the largest, oldest, and healthiest trees on our city blocks are located on private property, both commercial and residential. I have noted privately-owned trees that shade or partially shade as many as 19 surrounding homes. Few street trees--planted in our small city tree wells, subjected to pollution, road salt, compacted soil, excrement, utility lines, vehicle damage, and other indignities--will ever reach these proportions. The loss of one such tree can create a void that will last decades. H.B. 170 is a logical and necessary tool for localities to seek a balance between their natural and built environment. We ask your support.

Comments Document

TO: Members, Virginia House Counties Cities and Towns - Subcommittee #2 FROM: Virginia League of Conservation Voters DATE: January 18, 2024 RE: Virginia LCV Legislative Positions – HB 170, HB 459 On January 18, the House Commerce and Energy Committee will consider the following legislation: HB170 and HB459. We encourage you to SUPPORT HB170 and HB459 HB170 (Keys-Gamarra) Trees; conservation during land development process. This legislation would: Allow all localities in Virginia to adopt tree conservation and preservation ordinances–currently, only cities in Planning District 8 are allowed to do so. Reasons to SUPPORT HB170: Virginia localities must have the authority to conserve existing canopy where possible and replant where it’s not feasible to keep the trees on site in order to prepare our communities for the impacts of climate change Climate-ready communities that are resilient to flash floods, urban heat islands and increased air pollution need trees in their toolbox as a cost-effective strategy to deploy. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ HB459 (Sullivan) Trees; conservation during land development process in certain localities. This legislation would: Strengthen tree conservation by adding incentives to preserve stands of healthy mature trees and expand how certain localities can use their tree fund. Increase the canopy credits a developer receives if they preserve high-value mature trees or stands of trees. Developers who provide a stand assessment prior to submitting a site plan and who take the necessary precautions to protect those trees during construction would receive additional canopy credit Allow a locality to plant on both public AND private property and use funds to help maintain newly planted trees. Reasons to SUPPORT HB170: Virginia continues to lose tree canopy–limiting the Commonwealth’s ability to improve water quality, reduce flooding and mitigate the impact of climate change. Virginia is far behind in meeting its urban tree canopy goals under the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. If you have any questions about our position, please contact Michael Town, Executive Director of Virginia LCV, at mtown@valcv.org, or Chris Leyen, Policy Director, at cleyen@valcv.org, or 925-354-1433 (mobile).

Please Support! The preservation of trees here has to do with where the trees are in relation to the buildable area of a parcel based on zoning requirements, so it's appropriate that it be regulated by the Zoning Ordinance. If passed this legislation will provide an additional tool for resiliency and enhanced stormwater management. Enforcement for violations should be through stormwater or some other environmental regulation instead of the Zoning Ordinance. The City of Portsmouth strongly supports this bill.

Fairfax Tree Stewards (FTS) is a Virginia non-profit corporation that preserves, plants, and maintains trees in Fairfax County and vicinity, educates the public on the value and benefits of trees, and encourages them to take an active role in caring for trees. We speak for the trees because the trees cannot speak for themselves. It is critical to do more to preserve and increase Virginia’s tree canopy. Virginia has signed on to the Bay Agreement, but it is far behind in meeting its urban tree canopy goals. It is altogether unacceptable that Virginia continues to lose tree canopy at an astounding rate, which limits the state’s ability to improve water quality, reduce flooding and mitigate the impact of climate change on the most vulnerable communities. A healthy urban tree canopy reduces flooding, cools our cities, encourages people to walk, reduces air pollution, and alleviates stress and asthma. FTS urges the Subcommittee to report out HB170. The bill will help to preserve and increase Virginia’s tree canopy by allowing localities throughout the commonwealth to adopt an ordinance providing for the conservation of trees during the land development process. Currently, only localities in Planning District 8 (Northern Virginia) that meet specific requirements can do so. The bill will establish minimum post-construction canopy coverage percentages, which could be achieved by preserving existing trees or by planting new ones. It also allows localities to establish a tree canopy fund that developers pay into if it is not feasible to achieve the target canopy percentages on site. It also establishes a framework of canopy credits for high-value mature trees or stands of trees to incentivize preservation.

Please support HB459 and SB121. Preserving tree canopy is especially vital during this time of climate chaos. Trees protect us from heat, provide protections from flooding, air pollution, and provide habitat for more than songbirds. It is important that developing communities have access to funding and flexibility to preserve old trees. (Studies have shown lower violence rates in treed communities; they give us a sense of peace and belonging.) Trees limit asthma impacts by cleaning air. We all need increased incentives to preserve trees. (Sadly, researchers report we are 50 years behind in our hardwood tree growing in Virginia, due to invasives, lack of periodic fires, and deer browse). Thus, preserving them & planting becomes even more important. Thank you.

Please support both HB170 and HB459 which both promote tree conservation during development. Preserving existing trees is critical for improving air water quality, mitigating flooding, reducing urban heat, and promoting citizen mental health and safety. Virginia is rapidly losing trees to development and is failing to meet goals relating to the Bay Agreement. These bills would benefit Virginians in numerous ways and would help us meet goals we have set.