PP 24-0006: Tree Regulation Amendments
In June 2024, the City completed an update to its Urban and Community Forestry Plan (UCFP), a key step in strengthening management of our urban forest. This update included a thorough review of relevant City Codes, Plans, and Policies, guided by staff input, a Technical Advisory Committee, and community feedback.
Now, the City is taking the next critical step—updating its tree regulations to reflect the UCFP’s recommendations. This effort, a 2025 City Council goal, will focus on targeted updates to the Tree Code and Community Development Code (CDC) to ensure alignment with urban forestry best management practices, long-term urban forest sustainability, and compliance with state law.
What’s Next?
Work on the Tree Regulation Amendments Project began in May 2025 and will take approximately one year to complete. A consultant team is leading the effort, and community involvement will be a vital part of the process.
Get Involved!
Apply to serve on the Tree Task Force – Recruitment was completed in June 2025. See Project Updates, below, for details.
Participate in a Stakeholder Focus Group – Meetings will be held in Summer 2025 to gather feedback from residents and key stakeholders. If you’re interested, contact the project manager.
Attend Public Events & Meetings – The City will host a public outreach event and meetings with boards, commissions, and the City Council. See Project Updates, below, for dates and details!
Sign up to receive project updates – Sign up here to add your email address to the project email subscription list to receive notices and updates.
11/18/2025 - City Council Study Session 3
City Council will hold a study session on Tues, Nov 18 on the code concepts that the Tree Task Force discussed at their October 22 meeting.
Visit the meeting web page: https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/citycouncil/city-council-meeting-87.
10/15/25 – Tree Task Force Meeting #3
The City’s Tree Code Task Force will meet on Wednesday, October 22, for their third meeting. At this session, they will be presented with the first draft of code concepts being considered for the Tree Code update. Several of these draft concepts move the code toward the clear and objective standards as required by State law.
This work is just beginning— we are still in the preliminary stages. Any code changes will require a comprehensive process of Tree Task Force review, community feedback, Planning Commission consideration, and City Council direction. All these steps will refine the draft code concepts throughout the project.
The agenda packet and information on how to observe the meeting can be found on the meeting webpage using this link: https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/planning/tree-task-force-meeting-0.
09/16/2025 – Participate in the Online Open House through October 10, 2025
Fill out the Lake Oswego Tree Regulations Amendments public survey here: https://arcg.is/8D8HO to inform of us of your priorities and concerns for the City’s urban forest. The project team will use your feedback to help guide draft potential changes to Lake Oswego’s tree regulations in the Community Development Code and Tree Code. The survey will be available until Friday, October 10, 2025 at 11:59pm. Thank you for your input!
09/05/2025 – Provide feedback on City Tree Regulations at the Emergency Preparedness Fair
Come see us at the Planning Department booth at the Emergency Preparedness Fair on Thursday, September 18 from 5:30 to 7:30pm at City Hall. In addition to being available to answer questions about trees, staff will be seeking feedback on what key City Tree Regulation issues are most important to you and what your biggest concerns are about Lake Oswego’s urban forest. Click here for more details on the Emergency Preparedness Fair. Hope to see you there!
09/03/2025
The Tree Task Force will hold their second meeting on Monday, September 8, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. This will be an online-only meeting using Zoom
The agenda packet and information on how to observe the meeting can be found on the meeting webpage using this link: https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/planning/tree-task-force-meeting-0
08/05/2025 - City Council Study Session 2
The City Council held a study session on Tuesday, August 5, 2025. A link to the Council Report is available in the "Public Records folder", click here.
07/28/2025 - Work Session #2
The Commission will hold a work session, documents are available in "Public Records folder", click here.
Visit the meeting web page: https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/boc_pc/planning-commission-12.
07/03/2025
The Tree Task Force will hold their first meeting on Monday, July 14, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. This will be an online-only meeting using Zoom
The agenda packet and information on how to observe the meeting can be found on the meeting webpage using this link: https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/planning/tree-task-force-meeting.
03/28/2025
The City is recruiting community members to serve on an the ad hoc Tree Task Force. The Task Force will be charged with reviewing work products and providing input to the City project team to help shape the development of code concepts and draft tree regulation amendments. Recruitment runs from April 1 through May 11, 2025. The Task Force’s membership will consist of not more than 12 community members and local professionals and will include at least one representative from each of the following groups:
- The Development Review Commission
- The Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources Advisory Board
- The Sustainability Advisory Board
- The Neighborhood Chairs Committee
- Local certified arborist, with preference for a TRAQ-certified arborist
- Local home building professionals, such as builders, developers, home designers or architects with experience applying Lake Oswego’s tree and development regulations
- Community members with knowledge and experience with the city’s tree permitting process and/or experience in tree management, natural resources, or sustainability
If you are interested in applying, please see the Boards & Commissions webpage for more details and to fill out an application form by May 11, 2025.
11/12/2024 - Work Session #1
The City Council will hold a study session on Tuesday, November 19, 2024. A link to the Council Report will be available in the Public Records Folder prior to the meeting.
Jessica Numanoglu, AICP
Community Development Director
Phone: (503) 635-0283
Email: jnumanoglu@lakeoswego.city
Oct 22 2025 - 9:00am
Sep 8 2025 - 10:00am
Aug 5 2025 - 3:00pm
Jul 28 2025 - 6:30pm
Jul 14 2025 - 10:00am
Nov 19 2024 - 3:00pm
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