5.13.2026 Trees and Public Greenery Committee

The City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Trees and Public Greenery Committee met on May 13, 2026, to review and approve landscaping plans for the new Citizens Bank at 1465 Woodbury Avenue. The committee discussed modifications to the planting plan, including reducing the number of boxwoods and adding more tree variety such as dwarf arborvitae, catap, Freeman maples, and Kentucky coffee trees, particularly in the public right-of-way to enhance community space and pedestrian friendliness. Security considerations influenced shrub selections near the bank's ATM and drive-up lanes. The committee approved the landscaping plan with a recommendation to continue reducing boxwoods around the bank building. Additionally, the meeting covered tree removals due to storm damage and disease, tree planting updates including soil amendment techniques, and ongoing efforts to manage beach leaf disease affecting local trees. No specific contract awards or procurement actions were detailed, but the discussion involved city-managed landscaping and tree maintenance projects.