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Tree Advisory Committee

Tree Advisory Committee

Wed, February 18, 2026

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Meeting summaryAI-generated

Tree Advisory Committee — February 18, 2026


This was a regular meeting of Petaluma's Tree Advisory Committee, held at City Hall. Five of seven members were present (Bill Cover and Keith Schildt were absent).


Public Comment


Three members of the public — Deb Fox, Wendy Jacobs, and Eve O'Rourke — addressed the committee during general public comment. The minutes do not detail the substance of their remarks.


Approval of Minutes


Minutes from the January 21, 2026 meeting were approved without discussion.


ReLeaf Petaluma – Spring 2026 Planting Project Review


Wendy Jacobs of ReLeaf Petaluma presented a slide update on the organization's spring 2026 tree planting plan, which includes sites along Lynch Creek Trail, Magnolia Avenue, and several locations in the public right-of-way. The committee opened the floor for questions and discussion. All five committee members weighed in, as did Parks and Recreation Director Drew Halter. One written public comment was submitted prior to the meeting by Susan Kirks. The minutes do not detail the specific concerns raised or any decisions made, but the item appeared to be a review and informational discussion rather than a formal vote.


2026 Arbor Day Tree Dedication


Director Halter led a discussion about how the committee and city might celebrate Arbor Day 2026. The committee explored different event concepts, including the possibility of partnering with other local organizations on tree plantings. Wendy Jacobs also spoke during public comment on this item. No specific event was finalized; the conversation appeared to be in an exploratory stage.


Ad-Hoc Committee Assignments – Urban Forestry Management Plan Alignment


Chair Darren Racusen introduced a proposal to restructure the committee's existing subcommittees around three focus areas drawn from the new Urban Forestry Management Plan: Protect (advocating for policies like the Tree Preservation Ordinance), Grow (partnering with groups like ReLeaf Petaluma on plantings), and Engage (maintaining the city's public-facing website and communications). After committee discussion, no assignments were made at this meeting. The committee agreed to place the item on the next meeting's agenda for a more complete discussion.


Staff and Committee Comments


During closing comments, Director Halter addressed a tree pruning concern that had come up during the meeting and mentioned work underway to implement the upcoming Tree Preservation Ordinance (TPO). Halter also introduced Jen Santos as the city's new Parks Superintendent — a notable staff change for those who work closely with the urban forestry program.


Key Takeaways


ReLeaf Petaluma presented its spring 2026 planting plan covering Lynch Creek Trail, Magnolia Avenue, and public right-of-way sites — community tree planting activity is actively moving forward.
Arbor Day 2026 celebrations are being planned, with interest in coordinating with other local groups, but no event details have been confirmed yet.
Subcommittee restructuring to align with the Urban Forestry Management Plan (Protect / Grow / Engage) was deferred to the next meeting — members should expect to be assigned roles at that time.
Jen Santos has joined city staff as the new Parks Superintendent, a key contact for tree-related matters going forward.
The Tree Preservation Ordinance implementation is actively being discussed by staff, signaling continued regulatory attention to tree protection in Petaluma.

AI-generated summary from voice-to-text transcript. Not the official record. Verify important details with the source documents linked above.

What happened at this meeting

Public Comment – Wendy Jacobs, ReLeaf APPROVAL OF MINUTES

During General Public Comment, three members of the public spoke: Deb Fox, Wendy Jacobs, and Eve O'Rourke.

Approval of Minutes for the meeting of January 21, 2026

The minutes from the January 21, 2026 meeting were presented for approval and were deemed as approved.

ReLeaf Petaluma – Spring 2026 Planting Project Review – Lynch Creek Trail, Magnolia Ave., and several locations along public right of ways. ­ ReLeaf Petaluma

Wendy Jacobs of ReLeaf Petaluma presented slides with an update on the Spring 2026 tree planting plan for Lynch Creek Trail, Magnolia Avenue, and several locations along public right of ways. Public comment was received prior to the meeting from Susan Kirks, and the committee discussed questions and concerns regarding the planting project.

Discuss 2026 Arbor Day Tree Dedication, including participation in upcoming events or tree plantings. Drew Halter, Director of Parks and Recreation

Drew Halter, Director of Parks and Recreation, opened the discussion regarding 2026 Arbor Day celebration ideas and potential participation in upcoming events or tree plantings with other local groups. Wendy Jacobs provided public comment during the discussion.

Review, Discuss, and Establish new Ad­Hoc Assignments from existing sub­committees to align with new Urban Forestry Management Plan elements which may include but is not limited to the following: a. Protect (Advocate and educate community around policies like the Tree Preservation Ordinance) b. Grow (working with groups like ReLeaf Petaluma to promote tree plantings) c. Engage (work with staff to keep public­facing website updated, stay on top of current events, etc.) ­ Darren Racusen, Chair of Tree Advisory Committee COMMITTEE COMMENT STAFF COMMENT

Chair Darren Racusen presented the topic of establishing new Ad-Hoc Assignments from existing sub-committees to align with new Urban Forestry Management Plan elements (Protect, Grow, and Engage). The committee agreed to add this item to the next meeting agenda for further discussion.

Agenda items (5)

Procedural (2)
1ProceduralPublic Comment – Wendy Jacobs, ReLeaf APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Wendy Jacobs from ReLeaf Petaluma will speak during public comment time.

What happened

During General Public Comment, three members of the public spoke: Deb Fox, Wendy Jacobs, and Eve O'Rourke.
2ProceduralApproval of Minutes for the meeting of January 21, 2026
The council will approve the official minutes from the January 21, 2026 meeting.

What happened

The minutes from the January 21, 2026 meeting were presented for approval and were deemed as approved.
Public Hearing
3Public HearingReLeaf Petaluma – Spring 2026 Planting Project Review – Lynch Creek Trail, Magnolia Ave., and several locations along public right of ways. ­ ReLeaf Petaluma
A public hearing on ReLeaf Petaluma's spring 2026 tree planting plans, which include projects at Lynch Creek Trail, Magnolia Avenue, and various public right-of-ways throughout the city.

What happened

Wendy Jacobs of ReLeaf Petaluma presented slides with an update on the Spring 2026 tree planting plan for Lynch Creek Trail, Magnolia Avenue, and several locations along public right of ways. Public comment was received prior to the meeting from Susan Kirks, and the committee discussed questions and concerns regarding the planting project.
4Public HearingDiscuss 2026 Arbor Day Tree Dedication, including participation in upcoming events or tree plantings. Drew Halter, Director of Parks and Recreation
Discussion and planning for Petaluma's 2026 Arbor Day celebration, including how the city will participate in tree dedication events and plantings.

What happened

Drew Halter, Director of Parks and Recreation, opened the discussion regarding 2026 Arbor Day celebration ideas and potential participation in upcoming events or tree plantings with other local groups. Wendy Jacobs provided public comment during the discussion.
5Public HearingReview, Discuss, and Establish new Ad­Hoc Assignments from existing sub­committees to align with new Urban Forestry Management Plan elements which may include but is not limited to the following: a. Protect (Advocate and educate community around policies like the Tree Preservation Ordinance) b. Grow (working with groups like ReLeaf Petaluma to promote tree plantings) c. Engage (work with staff to keep public­facing website updated, stay on top of current events, etc.) ­ Darren Racusen, Chair of Tree Advisory Committee COMMITTEE COMMENT STAFF COMMENT
The Tree Advisory Committee will create new working groups focused on three areas: protecting trees and advocating for tree preservation policies, growing the urban forest through partnerships with groups like ReLeaf, and engaging residents through updated websites and community communication—all aligned with the city's new Urban Forestry Management Plan.

What happened

Chair Darren Racusen presented the topic of establishing new Ad-Hoc Assignments from existing sub-committees to align with new Urban Forestry Management Plan elements (Protect, Grow, and Engage). The committee agreed to add this item to the next meeting agenda for further discussion.

Verbatim transcript available

2 transcript segments indexed

CITY OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA REGULAR MEETING OF THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE City Hall Council Chamber 11 English Street Petaluma, CA 94952 MINUTES Wednesday, February 18, 2026 CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL PRESENT: Taryn Obaid, Darren Racusen, Marianne Bertuccelli, Diane Gentile, Stephanie Sanchez ABSENT: Bill Cover, Keith Schildt GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT During General Public Comment, the public is invited to make comments on items of public interest that are within the City Council’s subject matter jurisdiction and that are not listed on the current agenda. Public comments are limited up to three minutes per person. Depending on the number of persons wishing to address the Council, time will be allocated in equal shares totaling no more than twenty minutes, subject to the Council’s discretion (Cal. Gov’t. Code §54954.3(a), Petaluma City Council Rules, Policies and Procedures, III). 1. Public Comment Deb Fox Wendy Jacobs Eve O’Rourke APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2. Approval of Minutes for the meeting of January 21, 2026 Minutes deemed as approved. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION 3. ReLeaf Petaluma – Spring 2026 Planting Project Review – Lynch Creek Trail, Magnolia Ave., and several locations along public right of ways. - ReLeaf Petaluma Wendy Jacobs shared slides with an update on the tree planting plan. The discussion was opened up to the committee for questions and concerns.
Public Comment Received Prior to Meeting: Susan Kirks Committee Comments Gentile Obaid Halter Racusen Sanchez Bertuccelli Public Comment Open Public Comment Closed 4. Discuss 2026 Arbor Day Tree Dedication, including participation in upcoming events or tree plantings. Drew Halter, Director of Parks and Recreation Staff Liaison Halter opened the discussion regarding Arbor Day celebration ideas. The committee discussed different options and possibly joining other local groups with tree plantings. Committee Comment Obaid Sanchez Racusen Gentile Bertuccelli Public Comment Open Wendy Jacobs Public Comment Closed 5. Review, Discuss, and Establish new Ad-Hoc Assignments from existing sub-committees to align with new Urban Forestry Management Plan elements which may include but is not limited to the following: a. Protect (Advocate and educate community around policies like the Tree Preservation Ordinance) b. Grow (working with groups like ReLeaf Petaluma to promote tree plantings) c. Engage (work with staff to keep public-facing website updated, stay on top of current events, etc.) - Darren Racusen, Chair of Tree Advisory Committee Committee agreed to add to agenda next meeting. Committee Comment Gentile Obaid Sanchez Bertuccelli Public Comment Open Public Comment Closed COMMITTEE COMMENT Bertuccelli Sanchez Obaid Racusen STAFF COMMENT Staff Liaison Halter discussed the pruning topic brought to our attention during the meeting and implementing the upcoming TPO. Announcement – New Superintendent, Jen Santos, was introduced. ADJOURNMENT 5:10p.m.