SEE latest update for more information.
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ORIGINAL UPDATE
Thanks to everyone who signed this petition to save the trees in Laramie's Depot Park. The City Council heard from a number of neighborhood residents when it met on August 12, and were made aware of the 500+ signatures (~300 local) on this petition. The petition is currently at 627 signatures and we would love your help in sending in public comments.
The Laramie Planning Commission is meeting at 4:30pm on Monday 12/8/25 to review the draft plans for the 1st Street/Depot Park project. We are asking people to make comments on the current draft plans (scroll to section 4 to see the current draft concept) by sending your thoughts to this email address planning@cityoflaramie.org by 9am on Monday 12/8/25. Example points to include in your comments are at the bottom of this update.
The agenda is here and this is the zoom link:
Laramie Planning Commission
Monday, December 8, 2025 at 4:30 PM City Council Chambers, City Hall 406 Ivinson Avenue, Laramie, WY
The Planning Commission meetings are open to the public. Requests from person with
disabilities must be made to the Planning Division 24 hours in advance of the meeting.
One tap mobile: +13462487799,,713514851# US
(Houston), +16699009128,,713514851# US (San Jose)
See the full draft plan here:
https://www.cityoflaramie.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/21685?fileID=30478
Currently the plans (as of August 2025) call for:
- removing all the cottonwood trees in north of Depot Park, including the best/biggest trees closest to the Depot, tree 22 and 23.
- adding a total of 35 parking spaces (28 on street diagonals that interfere with current trees, plus 7 in the Jackalope Lot
- pruning the trees in south Depot Park
- improving drainage and sewer to prevent flooding
- adding numerous play structures, performance structures, shelters, and sidewalks for ADA
Points to include in your comments to planning@cityoflaramie.org by noon on Friday 12/5/25 include:
- Please conserve as many historic trees as possible and immediately plant new trees to prepare for end of life of current trees.
- Conserve all trees in south Depot Park, and trees 23 and 22 closest to depot in north Depot Park.
- Question whether 35 new parking spaces are needed, and whether it is worth destroying century-old trees. (The current Jackalope lot has 89 spaces and is often at 2/3rds capacity on typical days, indicating there is a CURRENT EXCESS of 30 parking spaces.)
- Draft plans for diagonal on-street parking make no accommodation for horse trailers or RVs which currently park all along 1st Street especially during summer.
- Address flooding and drainage concerns with as minimal disturbance to trees as possible. Millions of dollars in sewer main infrastructure that disturbs tree roots may not be needed with surface drainage, or proper curbing, sump pumps, siphons, sandbags, etc.
- Prioritize bio-swales and natural surface drainage into the park over funneling more water into sewer mains that are very expensive to install.
- Question to what degree extensive new infrastructure is needed when casual/event specific and movable infrastructure is already serving needs of the community.
- Request that play structures be placed away from trains to maximize children safety and reduce exposure to noise, dust, risks of derailment/debris etc. Current concept does this for north Depot Park.
- Consider converting larger areas of Jackalope Parking lot or 1st street into a non motorized pedestrian plaza instead of devoting so much space to parking and cars.
- Consider other parking measures that don't impact trees, for example a parking study, valet parking to support charities on peak days, leasing other private lands for parking, or implementing paid parking in select spots to increase turnover and guarantee more parking availability in front of businesses, increase current parking enforcement.
- Promote biking to farmers market events and special high-occupancy bike rack/bike trailer parking to remove car parking pressure.
- Extend 20 mph speed limit further south on 3rd street to park to encourage safe pedestrian crossings of 3rd street toward Depot Park events and better livability for residents.
- Consider bike lane installation on 2nd street.
Thank you for engaging with this effort to make this important public space in historic Laramie as good as it can be!