HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/18/2008, C7 - URBAN FORESTRY INVENTORY GRANT council '- arch 18, 2008
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CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
FROM: Jay D. Walter,Director of Public Works
Prepared By: Keith Pellemeier, Urban.Forest Supervisor
SUBJECT: URBAN FORESTRY INVENTORY GRANT
CAO RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize staff to complete final applications for a Grant from the California Department of
Forestry to inventory all of the street trees in the City.
2. Authorize anr.,appropriation of$30,375 from the General Fund Balance to provide the necessary
matching funds for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Tree Inventory grant
if the City's grant request is accepted.
DISCUSSION
Background
As part of the 2005-07 Financial Management Plan, the City Council approved the Downtown Urban
Forest Management Plan project. The first year of the project funded an evaluation of a large number of
trees in the downtown and along upper Monterey Street. The report discussed the mature trees, which
experience problems related to age or disease and are more likely to experience structural failures that could
cause injury or damage.
One result of this review by consulting arborist Bill Spiewak was a report provided to the Council in
August 2006, recommending the removal of some trees and the heavy pruning others. The report was
reviewed by the Downtown Association and the Tree Committee. After Council's "tour of trees" on
August 4, 2006, on September 5, 2006 it authorized the completion of high priority removals and
pruning.
Another result of the Downtown tree review was the realized by staff that a comprehensive inventory of
all of the trees in the City, not just the trees in Downtown, is needed. To be able to build a sustainable
management plan for the future we need to know what we have now.
Benefits of an Inventory
Presently the City has between 10,000 and 30,000 trees under its care. This large discrepancy
exemplifies why an inventory is needed. The larger number comes from an inventory that was done
many years ago and appears to have counted trees that are not street trees. The lower number was
generated recently by our GIS division from aerial photos. The urban forestry staff currently uses a
database program to maintain this tree inventory. The software used is only a database and not a
management program, meaning, it does not have the tools to assist staff in providing appropriate care to
the Urban Forest. For example, it does not report where new trees were planted for watering or
specialized young tree pruning, both of which can lead to a healthier, better structured mature tree less
likely to drop limbs.
Street Tree Inventory Grant Page 2
The Urban Forest program, and as a result, the community as a whole, will benefit from a new accurate
tree inventory and current software program that is designed to manage the Urban Forest. The new
software program will be able to do the following things currently left to paper lists or missed
completely, emphasizing a preventative management system:
1. Track trimming and produce work requests based on input from staff.
2. Track and report on the health of the street trees, generating work requests for trees with health
problems
3. Generate lists of young trees for watering and specialized young tree pruning
4. Track tree removals by others and report on locations where replanting should be completed for
staff verification of planting
5. Track and report on staff time spent on various work items
6. Provide an accurate count of City street trees
7. Assess the condition and value of each individual tree as well as the whole urban forest
The inventory will ultimately lead to better health of the forest, better budget forecasting for its care, and
reduced costs due to tree damage claims against the City. This is the same way in which other City
infrastructure, such as streets and pipeline systems, are managed.
Inventory Grant
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is sponsoring a grant with the goal of
assisting agencies committed to improving their urban forests by establishing a complete tree inventory.
This grant will support the City's long standing commitment to the urban forest program by completing
the following:
1. .Purchase of Urban Forest management software to support the management and maintenance of
city trees.
2. Inventory of all trees managed by the City of San Luis Obispo and entry of that information into
the management program.
In addition, the city's tree committee has the following objectives that are supported by this grant
request:
1. Be in parity with comparable cities
2. Provide a sustainable urban forest
3. Reduce risk and liability within the City of San Luis Obispo
4. Provide preventative tree care and maintenance
5. Address issues/needs outlined in the "Evaluation of Selected Street Trees" report (March 2006)
The funds will be used to hire a consultant through the Request for Proposals process to inventory and
assess all the City's street trees. The consultant selected will work closely with staff to accomplish the
inventory and assessment and integrate it with the new software system.
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Street Tree Inventory Grant Page 3
FISCAL IMPACT
This opportunity was not foreseen at the time of the mid-year budget review process. It was an
opportunity that staff looked into and has now received initial clearance from the Department of
Forestry to submit a final application. The anticipated costs are shown in the table below.
Expenditure Estimate
Tree Inventory, 15,000 trees x 3.25 per tree: $48,750.00
Software, tough book computer, customization, training and synchronization: $12,000.00
Total Inventory Costs: $60,750.00
Revenue
Grant $30,375.00
City of San Luis Obispo (50% required match) $30,375.00
Total: $60,750.00
As discussed in the Mid-Year Budget Review, the current projected General Fund balance at the end of
2007-09 is $10.6 million, which reflects 22% of operating expenditures compared with the City's policy
minimum of 20%. If this request for $30,375 in matching funds is approved, the ending balance will
still be above the policy minimum. Given the one-time nature of the request, staff believes this is an
appropriate use of fund balance. This appropriation will only be made if the City receives the grant.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Direct staff to return to the Council with a funding recommendation if the City receives the grant.
2. Reduce annual contract pruning to provide the required matching funds. This would result in no
net increase to the Tree Maintenance Program, but would reduce the amount of trimming the City
would be able to complete. The main draw back to postponing trimming is the potential to
increase limb dropping.
ATTACHMENT
Grant Notification
COUNCIL READING FILE
Evaluation of Selected Trees for the City of San Luis Obispo by Bill Spiewak
g:\staff-reports-agendas-minutes\—car\2008\parks-trees\treegrant\car urbanforestgrantpending.doc
STATE OF CALIFORNIA—THE RESOURCES AGENCY J ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Govemor
DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION
P.O.Box 944246
SACRAMENTO,CA 94244-2460
Website:www.fire.ca.gov
(916)6537772
January 15, 2008
Keith Pellemeier, Urban Forest Manager
City of San Luis Obispo, Public Works Department
25 Prado Road
San Luis Obispo, CA93401-7614
Dear Mr. Pellemeier:
Congratulations, The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
has selected your"Urban Forestry Inventory Grant'for funding. Please do not begin your
project until an actual contract has been signed.
In order to complete this process we will need additional documents and information
included on the attached checklist. This information must be submitted to the above
address, Attn: Urban Forestry Program by March 15, 2008. The sooner we receive your
information the sooner your documents will be finalized. If you have any questions please
call my office at(916) 651-6423.
Gle Flamik
Urban orest Program Coordinator
cc: D. Mills
File
Enc: Checklist
STD 204
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