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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
REVIEWING THE COOK COUNTY TREE REPLACEMENT POLICY AND EXISTING SUBURBAN TREE CONSORTIUM PROGRAMS TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIES OF SCALE
WHEREAS, Chapter 126 of the Cook County Land Development Ordinance provides specific guidelines for tree preservation, landscaping, and screening; and
WHEREAS, the provisions of Chapter 126 are intended to foster aesthetically pleasing development that will protect and preserve the appearance, character, health, safety, and welfare of Cook County; and
WHEREAS, on those occasions in which replacement tree planting falls to a Cook County entity, such as the Department of Transportation or to the Township Highway Commissioner, there is no umbrella tree replacement policy; and
WHEREAS, several suburban municipal conferences, including the West Central Municipal Conference, administer tree purchasing and planting programs; and
WHEREAS, the Suburban Tree Consortium to which the West Central Municipal Conference belongs and administers, joins with other municipalities to combine purchasing power to negotiate advantageous contract terms, including improved quality and selection at the lowest reasonable price; and
WHEREAS, it would be beneficial for Cook County to review said programs to determine the benefits of working with suburban townships to provide well priced, quality trees to residents of unincorporated areas of Cook County.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners requests that the Transportation and Building and Zoning departments review existing tree consortium programs in suburban Cook County and develop a proposed plan for tree replacement; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Transportation and Building and Zoning departments present their proposed plan for tree replacement to be considered by the Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee of the Cook County Board.
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