Following City Council direction, the Environmental Quality and Sustainability Commission (EQSC) created the Urban Heat Island/Tree and Shade Subcommittee in 2018.  The purpose of the subcommittee is to evaluate, analyze and recommend policies to address the issues surrounding Urban Heat and to advance implementation of the Phoenix Tree and Shade Master Plan.

"As our city continues to grow, so does the urban heat island and the need to provide heat relief," said former Mayor Thelda Williams. "I look forward to the policy recommendations the subcommittee brings forward to mitigate the effects of the heat island and provide much needed shade throughout the city."

The Urban Heat Island/Tree and Shade Subcommittee will include representation from a diversity of areas, including arboriculture, urban forestry, community health, commercial development and management, ​urban planning, environmental education, academia and residents.

"Finding long-term solutions to tackle our urban heat island and tree canopy are imperative for the future of Phoenix," said Colin Tetreault, Chairman, EQSC.  "The Commission welcomes the opportunity to be the honest broker of ideas, solutions and policy recommendations that creates a 21st century city that is cooler, healthier, and more competitive."  

Subcommittee Members

Ginger Sykes Torres – Chair  ​

Tabitha Myers –​ Vice Chair

Vjollca Berisha 

Anna Bettis

Marc Campbell

Hazel Chandler

Aimee Esposito 

​Tiffany​ Halperin​

Nicole Rodriguez

Columba​ Sainz​​

The Urban Heat Island/ Tree and Shade Subcommittee provides recommendations to Environmental Quality and Sustainability Commission. Copies of those recom​​mendation memos can be found below. 

Tree an​d Shade Recommendations ​- September 11, 2019​

Memo from Colin Tetreault, EQSC Chair ​

Urban Forest Infrastructure Manager Position - January 14, 2021​

Cool Corridors Program Recommendations - April 8, 2021

Cool Roofs - December 7, 2021

Heat Equity Policy - December 7, 2021

UHITS Accomplishments September 2020 through December 2021 and Recommendations for Additional Work in the Area of Heat and Shade - December 7, 2021

​​UHITS Work Plan April 2022-December 2022  - April 12, 2022​ 

​Agendas

View ​meeting agendas and results.  The public is invited to attend these meetings. For reasonable accommodations, call Voice/602-256-5669 as early as possible to coordinate needed arrangements.​​

Meeting Minutes

The minutes of UHITS meetings conducted in the current and previous year are provided below as PDF files and requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.  (For copies of attachments to prior meeting minutes not listed below, call 602-256-5669)​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - ​August 9, 20​22​ (minutes to be approved at next meetin​​g)​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - July 12, 2022 (No quorum)

UHITS Meeting Minutes - June 7, 2022 (Cancelled)

UHITS Meeting Minutes - May 10, 2022 (Cancelled)

UHITS Meeting Minutes - ​April 12, 20​22​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - ​March 15, 20​22​

Office of Heat Response and ​​Mitigation Update ​​​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - ​February 8, 20​22​

​​Office of Heat Response and ​​Mitigation Update ​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - ​January 11, 20​22​

​​Office of Heat Response and ​​Mitigation Update 

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UHITS Meeting Minutes - December 7, 20​21​

​​Office of Heat Response and Mitigation Update ​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - November 9, 20​21​​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - October 19, 20​21​

​Heat Equity Policy: Inequities in Extreme Heat and Urban Heat Island Risks in Phoenix​​

​Introducing the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation​​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - September 14, 20​21​ 

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UHITS Meeting Minutes - August 10, 20​21​

Phoenix Art and Culture Upcoming Projects​​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - July 6, 2021 

UHITS Meeting Minutes - June 8, 2021 (No quorum)

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UHITS Meeting Minutes - Ma​y 11​​, 202​1​​​ ​

​Introduction to Cool Roof​

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UHITS Meeting Minutes - April 6, 202​1​ ​

2021-22 City Manager’s Trial Budget​​​

Cool Corridors Update​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - March 9, 202​1 ​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - February 9, 202​1 ​

Nature’s Cooling Systems Project​​

Phoenix Cool Corridor Research Update

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UHITS Meeting Minutes - January 12, 2021 

Climate Action Plan Framework and Review of UHI Goals​​​​​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - December 8, 2020​

Landscape Maintence TA

TNC Healthy Cities Program​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - November 17, ​2020​

UHITS Meeting Minutes - October 27, ​2020

Landscape Maintence TA

UHITS Meeting Minutes - September 29, 2​020

​Overview of Urban Heat Programs

Urban Heat in Phoenix: Patterns, Causes, Impacts​