SPRING TREE PLANTING BEGINS

NEARLY 200 TREES TO BE PLANTED

The Parks & Recreation Division has begun their spring tree planting! The City is committed by ordinance, policy, and tradition to the full responsibility for the management of all trees on City-owned public land within the City limits. Each tree, or collectively, the urban forest, has three fundamental management requirements: planting, maintenance, and removal. This spring, the City will be planting 139 city trees and 40 trees at Hickory at Hills!

Did you know that the City owns and maintains approximately 15,000 trees in parks, right-of-way and on City property? Each year approximately 300 trees are planted in spring and fall to contribute the growth of the City's urban canopy. In addition to planting trees, over 1,000 trees are pruned and cared for each year.

Stop the Spread of Oak Wilt

In 2011, the City passed a Local Ordinance that prohibits pruning oak tress from April through November to protect oak trees and help prevent oak wilt disease. Oak wilt is also a serious pest of local importance. The disease is introduced to oak trees via fresh wounds in the tree. As oak trees often graft roots beneath the soil, once infested tree can pass the disease to other healthy trees. Breaking these root grafts and removing infested trees is critical to saving nearby oaks. Oak wilt is well-established across much of the Michigan oak landscape. Help save the trees by not pruning between April and November!

City Arborist

Did you know the City as a certified arborist? The City's Parks and Recreation Supervisor, Matt Bright, earned the Certified Arborist credential from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) in 2022. 

And don't forget the City's Interactive Tree Map is a great resource for reporting issues and more!

MASTER PLAN SURVEY

The City is currently updating the community Master Plan, a long-range policy document used by elected and appointed community leaders to guide land-use decisions, including those related to transportation, development, housing, recreation, natural resources, arts and culture, and the economy.

Online Neighborhood Survey

For City residents who were unable to attend the recent listening sessions, the City is hosting an online survey with the same questions. The survey is open to residents from April 21st through May 7th.

Take the Survey

COAL TAR BAN

As seasons shift, the City reminds those looking at improvement projects to be aware of the City's Coal Tar Ban. In partnership with The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, the City adopted a Ban of Coal Tar Sealant Products that bans the use and sale of coal tar sealant products and other high PAH products with an effective date of February 13, 2020.

Coal tar is a thick, black or brown liquid that is a byproduct of the carbonization of coal for the steel industry or the gasification of coal to make coal gas. Coal Tar contains high levels of a class of chemicals called PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) that harm fish, and with prolonged exposure, pose a risk of cancer in humans. 

JOIN OUR TEAM

The City of Traverse City is a great place to work! As an employer, we offer a wide range of rewarding jobs. Our employees take pride in their work and in making Traverse City the best it can be!

The City of Traverse City is an equal opportunity employer. Full-time positions receive a competitive benefits package; paid time off, short-term leave, health, dental, vision, and life insurance, employer retirement contribution, and participation in Michigan’s Municipal Employee Retirement System, pension benefit program. Employees must live within a radius of twenty (20) miles of the City limits, measured from the nearest City limit.  

Open Full-Time Positions

• Chief of Police
• City Treasurer/Finance Director
• Firefighter - 24 Hour
• Utility Billing Specialist

Seasonal/Temporary/Part-Time Positions

• Seasonal Park/Cemetery Maintenance Worker
• Temporary HR Recruiter

Internships

• Planning Intern

IN THE COMMUNITY

THANK YOU, NEIGHBORS!

This month, the City hosted nine in-person neighborhood listening sessions, two virtual neighborhood listening sessions, and a design workshop for the Master Plan Rewrite Project. Over 250 individuals participated! Thank you, neighbors, for being a part of the conversation!