City Council — Springfield, MA
Date: 2026-06-22
Time: 17:00

CITY COUNCIL
 Sustainability And Environment Subcommittee


I hereby notify you that the following items of business have been filed with this office and can
be acted upon at the meeting of the City Council Monday, June 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM.

 City Clerk


Roll Call


Call To Order
5:00 PM Meeting called to order on June 22, 2026, in Hybrid Room 200, 36 Court Street,
Springfield, MA 01103.


Public Portion

 1. Update on Woodland Ordinance.




 City Council 1 HYBRID MEETING

City Council 36 Court Street
 Springfield, MA 01103
 Sustainability and http://www.springfieldcityhall.com
 Environment Meeting
 Victor Davila (Chair)
 ~Final~


June 22, 2026 5:00 PM City Hall - Room 200




Roll Call

In Person
Councilor Davila(Chair)
Councilor Govan(Committee member)
Councilor Martin
Council President Whitfield
Denise
Frank
Jay Latorre(Scans)
Brian Skelly (Scans)
Solicitor Buoniconti

Zoom
Verne McArthur (constituent)
Alex Sherman (Forestry)

 Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
 Brian Santaniello City Councilor At Large Excused
 Gerry Martin City Councilor — Ward 7 Present
 Maria Perez City Councilor — Ward 1 Excused
 Malo Brown City Councilor — Ward 4 Excused
 Zaida Govan City Councilor — Ward 8 Present
 Kateri Walsh City Councilor At Large Excused
 Justin Hurst City Councilor At Large Excused
 Victor Davila City Councilor — Ward 6 Present
 Michael Fenton City Councilor — Ward 2 Absent
 Jose Delgado City Councilor At Large Excused
 Lavar Click-Bruce City Councilor — Ward 5 Excused
 Melvin Edwards City Councilor — Ward 3 Excused
 Tracye Whitfield City Councilor At Large Present



Call To Order
5:00 PM Meeting called to order on June 22, 2026, in Hybrid Room 200, 36 Court Street,
Springfield, MA 01103.


Public Portion

 1. Update on Woodland Ordinance.


Minutes:

On June 22, 2026, the Sustainability and Environment Subcommittee, chaired by Councilor
Victor Davila, met to review and continue the discussion of the proposed Urban Woodlands
Ordinance. The committee received an updated draft and discussed the ordinance's purpose,
scope, definitions, applicability thresholds, residential exemptions, commission structure,
enforcement, and implementation. The proposal is intended to provide greater oversight of large-
scale woodland clearing, protect tree canopy, require mitigation for significant tree loss, and
increase public input in development projects involving substantial tree removal.

City Forester Alex Sherman reported that Springfield's overall tree canopy coverage is
approximately 36%, with significant differences among neighborhoods. Members discussed the
environmental benefits of trees, including shade, air quality, and heat reduction, and requested
additional information on canopy coverage by neighborhood and the city's overall forested
acreage.

The committee, residents, and city officials discussed balancing environmental protection,
development needs, property rights, and the city's ability to administer and enforce the
ordinance. The Law Department advised that further clarification of the ordinance's goals and
scope is needed before substantial legal drafting can be completed. Committee members
expressed support for continuing the review process and requested additional revisions and
stakeholder feedback.

The matter was held for further refinement and discussion, with a follow-up meeting expected in
approximately three weeks. The meeting adjourned at 6:06 PM.

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