The Friends of 43212 organization has selected West Fifth Avenue as the target area for its 2011 "Keep 43212 Beautiful" campaign.

The organization will be raising funds to purchase trees to be planted along West Fifth Avenue, said Fifth by Northwest Area Commission president Becky Obester.

The commission is not a sponsor of the beautification campaign, but is in full support of the effort, she said.

Legally, the commission cannot be involved in fundraising, Obester said.

The initial goal is to plant 25 trees this fall, she said.

"Long-term, we'll looking to plant about 168 trees in total," Obester said.

The city of Columbus has partnered with the Friends of 43212 and will provide assistance in designing the beautification plan, tree selection, delivery, planting and maintenance, she said.

Details about the plan will be discussed by the director of the Columbus Neighborhood Design Center at a meeting on April 26 for business owners and interested residents. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Reitter building, 1100 King Ave. The building entrance and parking lot are on the west side of the building.

"We really hope that this project is something that local businesses and the community will support," Obester said.

Donations are being sought to help cover the costs of the trees as well as signage, benches, bike racks and other materials, she said.

The materials will be purchased as funds become available, Obester said.

A fund for the Friends of 43212 beautification project is being set up at the Arlington Bank branch at 1460 Grandview Ave., she said. Donors are being asked to contribute in a range of levels, including $25, $50, $100 and $500 or more.

"The city forester has said the trees will need to be fairly mature two-inch caliper trees, so the cost will be $200 to $300 per tree," she said.

The trees that will be selected for the project will be ideally suited for an urban setting and able to withstand such elements as vehicular and pedestrian traffic and pollution, Obester said.

"They are going to make West Fifth Avenue a more appealing place, especially for pedestrians and customers of our businesses," she said.

In addition to their aesthetic benefits, the trees will have environmental benefits for West Fifth Avenue, including helping to prevent runoff into the Olentangy and Scioto rivers, Obester said.

Businesses will have to give their permission for trees to be planted in front of their buildings, she said.

"That's why we're hoping a lot of people will attend (Tuesday's) meeting so they can learn more about the beautification plan," Obester said.

A donation solicitation packet is being delivered to Fifth Avenue business owners and is available to the public at the Grandview Heights Public Library and at participating businesses.