A penny for trees: proposal would tap city construction budgets

A new city building, parking facility or streetscape could help pay for Atlanta’s trees under a proposal to link Tree Trust Fund contributions to construction budgets. The proposed allocation: 1% of eligible construction funding.⁠[1]

Sponsored by Councilmembers Michael Julian Bond and Eshé Collins, ordinance 26-O-1634 borrows the city’s public-art funding model to support preservation, restoration and expansion of the tree canopy. It would require legislation for eligible projects to anticipate the tree-fund allocation.⁠[1][2]

Not every construction project would count. The proposed rule covers construction or remodeling of buildings, commemorative structures and parking facilities, along with street and streetscape improvements. Street repair and reconstruction are expressly excluded.⁠[1]

The funding pool could include unrestricted grants, general obligation bond proceeds, general funding and certain revenue bonds. Money restricted by law, bond covenants or grant terms would be excluded. So would projects mandated by state or federal courts or agencies, including consent-decree work. Within Watershed Management, only projects funded with water and wastewater revenue bond proceeds could qualify.⁠[1]

There is also an escape hatch: Council could waive the requirement through a resolution approved by the mayor. The chief financial officer would have to report annually on funding generated under the rule, within 90 days after each fiscal year ends.⁠[1]

Council referred the proposal to committees without objection on November 2; that was not enactment. It appears on the November 10 Finance/Executive agenda, which sets the meeting for 2:30 p.m. The item’s routing remains conditional: the agenda says it will reach Finance/Executive pending a recommendation from the Community Development/Human Services Committee.⁠[1][2]