The News of San Patricio
jonathanmcelvy
It’s one thing to have a growing city. It’s another for that growing city to look, well, not pretty. That hasn’t been lost on officials with the city of Portland.
Last week, members of the Portland City Council heard the first reading of an ordinance amendment that will require new homes to spruce things up a bit. Actually, spruce didn’t make the list of canopy trees that will be required for most residential construction once the amendment passes.
“The amendment will require newly constructed one- and two-family homes to install landscaping in 100 percent of total front and side-yards, as well as, requiring a minimum number of front- or side-yard trees to be planted,” reads the proposal heard by city council members.
Kathleen Weisenberger, the assistant city manager for Portland, said the ordinance is in response to the interest the city’s leadership has shown in beautification efforts.
“[The] efforts… will contribute to a sense of community, a sense of place for our residents, and also improve the walkability and beauty of our neighborhoods,” she said. “As we see the development expand out into the west of our community, we know much of this area is prior farm land that does not have existing, mature trees, and we know this is a priority for our community…”
Weisenberger listed three specific areas the amended ordinance will help: Reduction of heat in neighborhoods, reduction of energy costs, and benefits to property owners.
The details of the amendment, which will receive a second reading and likely pass at the Nov. 1 council meeting, require homes zoned to certain areas to have a specific number of trees.
Homes zoned R-2, single-family residential, will be required to have four canopy trees with a minimum caliper of two inches at breast height.
The city’s zones are numbered based on the number of residential lots on an acre. An R-2 zone would mean there are two lots on an acre. R-6 would mean six lots on one acre, meaning a denser population.
Lots zoned R-6 will be required to have two canopy trees, R-7 single-family will need one canopy tree and one understory tree, and R-8 single-family will need one canopy tree.
There are also other landscaping requirements in the amended ordinance.
“For all residential homes, 100 percent of the front- and side-yard must have sod or other permanent vegetation ground cover installed,” the amendment reads. R-2 single-family lots, the largest of the Portland zones, will be allowed to use seed rather than sod.
To show how important the new measure is to city officials, not abiding by the ordinance could come with a steep fine.
“Any person who violates this Ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction… shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $2,000,” the ordinance reads. Each day of non-compliance would represent a separate misdemeanor.
While the ordinance only applies to new construction, Weisenberger said the city knows there are a lot of homes in the area that have no trees and there will be more beautification efforts outside of this ordinance.
“The city of Portland has several exciting initiatives planned for beautification and for increasing the green spaces in our community…,” she said. “We are planning a tree planting for Texas Arbor Day, some sapling giveaways to current residents at upcoming events, addition of shade structures and landscaping in our parks…”