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HomeMy WebLinkAboutC-4 Update on Tree Planting Program r „it!,i77 1 AZUSA! AGENDA ITEM TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM: NASSER ABBASZADEH, CITY ENGINEER VIA: RICK COLE, CITY MANAGER DATE: OCTOBER 1, 2001 SUBJECT: UPDATE ON TREE PLANTING PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION For your information, receive and file the report. BACKGROUND On an experimental basis, the City outsourced its tree care program last year and hired West Coast Arborists (WCA) on a service contract. Prior to the contract, the two-member City crew was several months behind its tree pruning and planting schedule, due to the staffing shortage. With the service contract, WCA stepped in and relieved the back-log. With assistance from City Tree Trimmer staff, WCA began an unprecedented effort to plant and trim trees. The results have been outstanding and Azusa is well on its way to become a "Tree City." Below is a report of the accomplishments that the City staff, along with the help of volunteers, and WCA have produced in the past year: • Trees planted by West Coast Arborists- Residential 1,357 trees, School District 156 trees. • Trees planted by staff&volunteers - 432 trees. • Free shade tree program: 84 residents have picked up and planted trees. A total of 2029 trees have been planted. The goal of"2000 trees for the Year 2000" has been 1 /0/ 0/ achieved and exceeded. In addition, private developments in Azusa have also planted trees on their properties, a break down follows: APU (Krems site): 173 trees Parkside: 95 trees to date Fifth &Virginia: 63 trees 415-421 S. Azusa Avenue: 23 trees 791 S. Azusa Avenue (public storage): 89 trees TOTAL 443 trees Trees that are still scheduled to be planted include: • Trees planted by WCA and staff/volunteers: 771 trees. • Free shade tree program: 140 • Five schools: 60 Attached for your information is the annual tree maintenance highlight report that WCA has produced. TREE CITY USA DESIGNATION To qualify for Tree City USA, the City needs to meet four standards established by the National Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of the State Foresters. The four standards include: 1. A Tree Board (Committee) 2. An Arbor Day Observation and Proclamation 3. A Community Forestry Program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita 4. A Community Tree Ordinance Azusa has met the top three requirements and staff is currently working on a draft Ordinance. The Ordinance will be forwarded to the attention of the "Tree Committee" shortly. Afterwards, it will be presented to the Parks and Recreation Commission with a recommendation to the City Council to follow. A copy of the draft Ordinance is attached for your attention. FISCAL IMPACT The total budget expended for tree trimming by WCA for FY2000-01 was $85,000, which was budgeted. Funds for the tree planting program included $25,000 in CIP funds, a State grant, and Public Benefit funding. Attachment: Tree Maintenance Highlight Report and Draft Ordinance 2 CITY OF AZUSA TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I. INTRODUCTION .3 II. SEVERABILITY 3- III. III. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS -3- IV. SCOPE OF ORDINANCE 5- A. Application of Ordinance B. Subdivision Grading Requirements C. Exceptions IV. ADMINISTRATION A. Administrative Responsibilities B. City Management Practices III. TREE CARE 6---- A. Harming Public Trees B. Pruning and Maintenance C. Planting and Selection IV. TREE REMOVAL 9- A. Removal of City Parkway Trees B. Violations III. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW SUBDIVISIONS---- A A. References to DBH B B. Preservation of Existing Trees C C. Destruction of Trees D D. Tree Well Details and Plans E E. Tree Preservation During Construction VI. PUBLIC NUISANCE .2--- A. Public Nuisance Defined B. Inspections-Violations III. APPEALS 4-2---- A. Final Disposition B. Intention to Kill-Cut Down-Remove Public Trees C. Abating a Nuisance IV. APPENDIX A. List of Undesirable Trees 44---- B. List of Approved Trees 1-5- --- INTRODUCTION The intent of the Azusa Tree Ordinance is to ensure and enhance public health, safety, and welfare through proper care, maintenance and preservation of trees in Azusa's public sector. II. SEVERABILITY If any word, phrase, clause, sentence, or section herein is for any reason held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not impair the validity of any other part herein, and the City Council of the City of Azusa hereby declares that it would have enacted everything herein without any such invalid part thereof. III. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS For the purposes of this title, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this chapter. ANSI 300 Pruning Standards-safety and pruning standards for tree care operations developed by the American National Standards Institute. Cambium layer-a layer of actively dividing cells responsible for the production of a tree's vascular tissue, critical to the translocation of water, nutrients, and photosynthates to all living tissues with the tree. The cambium layer is located just underneath the outer bark of woody trees. Certified Arborist-a tree care professional meeting ISA standards of tree care and certified as such. Certified Tree Worker-a tree care professional who works trimming trees, meets ISA standards of tree trimming, and is certified as such. DBH-initials which denote the term 'diameter at breast height', and a measurement of diameter of a tree trunk approximately 4-1/2 feet above the root crown. DBH is the standard measurement of tree size used by arborists. Development plan-a series of scale drawings that depict the proposed grading, building construction, street and sidewalk construction, landscape installation, etc. of a subdivision. A plan depicting the existing trees on the property and their preservation is included in the development plan. Drip line-the ground area at the outside edge of a tree's branches or canopy. Established value of trees-financial worth of trees as determined by current market value, replacement, and other assessed worth. Heritage Tree-any tree that has historical or cultural importance/significance to the Azusa area. Infraction-a written document declaring a specified violation of code, law, or legal statute has occurred. International Society of Arboriculture-a professional organization dedicated to promoting proper tree care through education, certification, and scientific research. ISA-the International Society of Arboriculture. 2 Inventory of public trees-a City document that contains data regarding public trees, including type of tree, size of tree, address/location of tree, surrounding ground cover/hardscape and condition thereof, and health of the tree. List of approved street trees-those trees determined by Council resolution for species of trees suitable for planting in City parkways at the discretion of the City Director of Public Works. List of undesirable trees-those trees which are not suitable for planting in City parkways or on other public property. Parkway/Easement/Right of Way-land owned by another over which the City has an easement or right-of-way for street and related purposes. Parkway refers to that portion of a street right-of-way which is available for landscaping, and not for curb, gutter, or pavement. Post and beam construction-wood framework method of building a structure, usually corner wood posts attached to supporting wood beams. Public property-land owned by a public or governmental entity and generally accessible to the public. Public trees-any tree growing in City parkways and right-of-ways or City parks, or on any other City-owned property. Root crown/Root collar-the junction between the roofs of a tree and its trunk(s) often indicated by a trunk flare. Root pruning-a technique for the proper removal of unwanted roots. Soil compaction-ground or soil that is heavily traveled, trampled and/or impacted, resulting in loss of natural soil structure, aeration and water infiltration; soil compaction is generally interpreted as injurious to tree health. Street tree-a tree located in the right-of-way easement owned and maintained by the City. Thinning/Pruning/Trimming-to reduce the size of a tree using professionally accepted standards. Topping-a severe type of pruning which produces less desirable results than more moderate pruning with respect to tree's natural form, and which are generally hazardous to the overall health and stability of the tree. Tree crown-that portion of the tree encompassed by the lowest branches on the trunk extending to the top of the tree. Tree protection zones-areas designated for special care of trees during development. Tree root zones-those areas beneath the canopy of a tree consisting of the mass of roots growing from the trunk of a tree along with the surrounding soil extending to and including the drip line of the tree. Undesirable tree-a tree that is not defined as significant which has unsuitable characteristics. 3 IV. SCOPE OF ORDINANCE A. Application of Ordinance. The provisions of this ordinance shall apply to all public property within the City of Azusa. B. Subdivision Grading Requirements. This ordinance shall apply to private property only as to new subdivision grading requirements. C. Exceptions. The provisions of this ordinance do not govern the following: 1. The removal or pruning of any tree which poses an imminent threat to public property or welfare, as determined by any member of a law enforcement agency, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, or the Azusa Director of Public Works. 2. The removal of any tree on public property as directed by any county, state, or federal agency or insurance provider. 3. The removal of a diseased or dead tree on public property as determined by the City Director of Public Works. V. ADMINISTRATION A. Administrative Responsibilities: Director of Public Works. 1. Office Created. The office of Director of Public Works is hereby created. 2. Duties. a) To make or cause to be made inspections of all trees and shrubs growing in parkways and walkways of the City and to report violations to be abated. (See Section IX) b) Regulate all tree planting in City parkways; c) Oversee the planting, the removal, and the replacement of City parkway trees. d) To make or cause to be made a complete inventory of public trees. Such inventory shall be updated a minimum of every five (5) years. e) Establish a policy for the treatment of City trees that present or are causing health and safety concerns; f) The trimming of trees shall be done by the City under the Director of Public Works's direction. g) Follow procedures and policies for administering public notices and hearings regarding public trees as outlined in Section X. h) Oversee tree preservation requirements for new subdivisions (see Section VIII). B. City Management Practices 1. City staff in Public Works and Planning shall carefully coordinate their work practices so that projects will not damage existing trees unless deemed by the Director of Public Works that such damage is unavoidable. 2. During sidewalk, curb, and gutter repair operations undertaken or contracted by the Public Works Department, all tree roots of City trees will first be exposed in place under the supervision of the Director of Public Works or his designated 4 staff. Such roots will then be inspected by the Director of Public Works or his designee before any root pruning is performed. Whenever required by the Director of Public Works, tree roots shall be shaved ("ground down") according to the specifications of the Director of Public Works. 3. No more than one-third (1/3) of a root's diameter shall be shaved off. Shaving cuts shall be made clean and smooth with no crushing or tearing of the remaining root. Soil shall be backfilled immediately following pruning or shaving activity to minimize drying of roots. All root-pruning activities shall be recorded by the Public Works Department in the City's Tree inventory. 4. During sidewalk construction and/or replacement, a minimum of a 12 inch layer of course gravel base shall be installed beneath the new pavement wherever roots of public trees damage the pavement. The Director of Public Works or his designee prior to the installation of the base material shall first inspect any roots of City trees in the vicinity of the excavated soil for the base. VI. TREE CARE A. Harming Public Trees. It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to destroy, deface or injure any public tree through willful intent or negligence. 1. Physical Damage. No person shall: a) Cause physical damage by authorizing, placing, or maintaining any stone, cement or other substance or impermeable material so that it - impedes the free access of water or air to the root zone of any public tree. b) Construct or place any type of wall, border or raised planter, or other hardscape feature which encroaches or causes physical damage to or on the root zone of a public tree. c) Place or attach any sign, rope, wire or device of any kind or nature in such a way as to be injurious to the tree. d) Use line trimmers and/or lawnmowers which cause damage to the cambium layer and/or root crown of any public tree. 2. Weakening. Activities such as excessive watering, fertilizing or other types of poor maintenance harming public trees are prohibited. Tree trunks and branches must be kept free from climbing vines. 3. Defacing. Activities such as applying or attaching signs, cutting away the bark, graffiti writing, puncturing the bark with nails, staples or other sharp objects, and any other activities which the Director of Public Works may deem damaging, are prohibited. 4. Tree Protection. Public trees shall be sufficiently shielded to prevent injury during any repair, alteration or removal of a house or structure. Protectors shall include but not be limited to chain-link fencing, staking, etc. 5. Root Protection When Trenching. In construction cases where trenching around trees is necessary, the pathway of the trench shall be dug making every reasonable effort to avoid the tree's drip Jine. In those cases were an alternative trenching route is not possible, tunneling under woody roots rather than cutting such roots shall be required to preserve roots two inches or greater in diameter. 5 • When roots must be cut, sharp saws shall be used to make clean, non-frayed cuts, under the supervision of the Director of Public Works. C. Pruning and Maintenance. The pruning of all trees covered in this sub-section shall conform to the current industry standards, such as the ANSI A300_pruning standards. 1. Topping prohibited. Topping is prohibited, except in the following circumstances: a) Trees that have been previously topped that require continued topping as deemed necessary by the Director of Public Works. b) Trees that have suffered severe damage due to storms or other acts of God, as deemed necessary by the Director of Public Works. c) Any other public tree as deemed necessary by the Director of Public Works. 2. Clearance requirement of trees. All trees in parkways of the City shall be kept trimmed, to a minimum vertical clearance of fourteen (14) feet over the street. 3. Trees on private property. The property owner on whose property trees are standing shall keep such trees trimmed so that they vertically clear the sidewalk by not less than nine (9) feet and so that they vertically clear the street by not less than fourteen (14) feet. 4. Trimming by contiguous property owner. A property owner who wishes to trim public trees in the parkway abutting his property must first obtain the permission of the Director of Public Works, and then do such trimming in accordance with the Director of Public Works's instructions. 5. Plants in parkway. The property owner whose property abuts the sidewalk or parkway in which plants or shrubs are growing shall keep such plants or shrubs trimmed three inches back of the curb or sidewalk line, and to a height of not to exceed thirty-six (36) inches. 6. Plants along property line. The property owner on whose property hedges or shrubs are growing shall keep such hedges or shrubs trimmed so that no part of them will project over the sidewalk. 7. The City may not trim trees that overhang from one private property to another. 8. All tree-care companies contracted by the City of Azusa shall employ at least one ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Certified Arborist to supervise all work performed on behalf of the City. 9. All tree care companies contracted by the City shall employ ISA Certified Tree Workers. 10. ANSI A300-1995 Standards or equivalent standards designated by the Director of Public Works shall be followed as the standard for utility vegetation management. C. Planting and Selection 1. The City may replace at no cost to the property owner those street trees which necessitate removal and replacement. This may occur only in cases where the property owner was not responsible for the conditions and events necessitating replacement. (Administrative Policy#5.03) 2. In those cases where tree removal and replacement was necessary because of conditions and events caused by the property owner, the property owner shall be charged for replacement. (Administrative Policy#5.03) 6 3. All street tree plantings must be first approved by the Director of Public Works as to species, location and method of planting. The tree must be inspected by the Director of Public Works or his or her designee prior to planting. A list of approved street trees is available from the City's Parks Division. 1. Proximity to intersections. At street intersections, no person shall plant any tree or shrub closer than twenty-five (25) feet to the prolongation of the property line crossing such parkway nearest to the point of planting. 2. Thorn bearing plants in parkways. No person shall plant in any parkway ivy or any shrub or plant upon which grow thorns or spiny extensions. 6. Only the City of Azusa personnel or contractor shall plant trees in parkways. VII. TREE REMOVAL A. Removal of City Parkway Trees. 1. The Director of Public Works or his designee shall supervise the removal of all parkway trees as well as those trees on public property. If damage to private property is caused by a parkway tree, the property owner may file a claim (on a form prescribed by the City) with the City Clerk's office for the recovery of damages. 2. No live tree shall be killed, cut down, or removed from the parkways of the City solely because it conflicts with the predominant planting scheme of any given street, thoroughfare, or neighborhood, or unless it be so requested by the property owner whose property abuts the parkway in which the tree stands, and is approved for removal by the Director of Public Works. 3. The Director of Public Works shall review all applications for parkway tree removal and determine whether the tree in question presents a clear safety hazard or has been identified as an undesirable tree. Based on the Director of Public Works's evaluation, the tree may be approved for removal or the tree may be retained. 4. Tree Roots in Sewer Laterals. a) Parkway trees with roots invading private sewer laterals will be removed upon receipt of three plumbing bills in a twelve (12) month period. b) Coast Live Oaks and other Heritage Trees will be presented for Council recommendation upon receipt of three plumbing bills in a twelve (12) month period. 5. If an unsafe or undesirable tree is to be removed, the planting of a new tree from the approved list of City trees may be required. 6. Any oak tree removed from public property under this provision shall be replaced with an oak or other tree as deemed appropriate by the Director of Public Works, at a location within the City of Azusa. 7. Removal from sidewalk area by property owner. All trees growing in that portion of highway set apart for sidewalk use by the ordinances of the city shall be removed by the property owner upon the order of the Director of Public Works. 8 . Any property owner, upon securing permission of the Director of Public Works, may remove any tree in the parkway upon or abutting upon the property of such 7 owner. The City, at its discretion, may plant another tree selected by the Director of Public Works. 9 . Objections-Notice-Hearing. a) If the Director of Public Works receives objections to the removal of a tree he shall deliver such objections to the City Council. b) The Council shall consider the same at a regular meeting and the City Clerk shall notify the petitioner and the objector in writing of the time and place of the meeting of the Council at which such matter will be considered. Such notice shall be mailed at least five (5) business days before the convening of this meeting B. Violations. 1. It is unlawful for any person to cause or permit any tree or shrub to be planted, maintained or removed in violation of the provisions of this chapter. 2. Every person who violates any section of this chapter is guilty of an infraction, unless the violation is otherwise made a misdemeanor pursuant to applicable code sections. 3. Any person or entity responsible for harming a public tree may be fined according to the established value of the tree upon the recommendation of the Director of Public Works and with final approval by the City Council. The Director of Public Works or his designee shall establish the value for any public tree based upon current industry methods. The fine shall be levied based upon the severity of the damage to the tree. If the tree is deemed a total loss, then the fine shall be 100% of the valuation of the tree. 4. Any person or entity responsible for harming a public tree and fined accordingly, shall pay the City any fines levied, as confirmed by the City Council. Such fines shall constitute a special assessment and shall be collected through liens placed against the respective lot or parcel of land upon which the public tree was harmed, as outlined in the Azusa Municipal Code. VIII. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW SUBDIVISIONS A. References to DBH. References to "DBH" (diameter at breast height) shall include, by inference, the phrase "at 4-1/2 feet above natural grade". B. Preservation of Existing Trees. All existing living trees having a DBH of six inches or more shall be preserved when so directed by Director of Public Works, and no grading shall be done to endanger them. C. Destruction of Trees. If said trees are destroyed, applicant shall replace them with trees whose size, number, and planting location shall be determined by the Director of Public Works before final occupancy is granted to any new residents. D. Tree Well Details and Plans. Tree well details and plans may be submitted at the direction of the Director of Public Works for locations where cuts or fills adjacent to trees exceed one foot in height. E. Tree Preservation During Construction. 1. Trees that have a six-inch or greater diameter at breast height (DBH) shall not be removed or relocated unless authorized by the Director of Public Works and replaced as determined by the Director of Public Works. Trees situated on 8 public as well as private property shall be maintained to the mutual satisfaction of the property owner and the City. Trees that have a six-inch or greater dbh shall be shown on the development plan prepared by a Certified Arborist and shall include the following: a) Identification of species, diameter at breast height (DBH), and the condition of each tree; b) Methods of tree preservation as outlined in paragraphs 2, 3, 4 and 5 of this section; c) Proposed landscaping within drip lines; d) Tree replacement recommendations. 2. Trees to be retained on site shall be encircled by a protective fence. In all cases, fencing shall be installed prior to commencement of any grading and/or construction activity, and shall remain in place throughout all phases of development. Fences may not be removed without first obtaining written authorization from the Director of Public Works. The fence shall be placed outside of the tree root zones. General root zone estimates may be determined by one foot of radius per inch of trunk diameter at breast height (DBH). 3. To protect roots of nearby trees, all trees to be removed at the site shall be cut, rather than bulldozed, unless approved by the Director of Public Works. If root loss is expected to occur, any root pruning is to be supervised by a certified arborist. If some root removal is necessary, the tree crown should be thinned. Thinning shall be supervised by the Director of Public Works. Any vegetation to be removed adjacent to retained trees shall be cut at ground level by hand to prevent root injury to remaining trees. Any excavation near major roots shall be performed only by hand. 4. No structure or impervious paving should be located within the drip line or within a six-foot radius of the trunk perimeter, whichever is greater. A tree with a dbh of thirty inches or more shall require additional space as determined by the Director of Public Works. Decks located above the root zones of retained trees shall be of post and beam construction to reduce the need for root pruning or removal. 5. All areas within the tree protection zones shall remain in natural states and grades. The following activities shall be prohibited within tree protection zones; construction, stockpiling of materials, parking, soil compaction or other such detrimental activities. IX. PUBLIC NUISANCE A. Public Nuisance Defined. Any tree, shrub, or ground cover that significantly interferes with any public street, sidewalk, alley, or in any manner, restricts the flow of traffic or visibility of any person or persons lawfully using such streets, sidewalks, alleys or intersections shall constitute a public nuisance. B. Inspections-Violations. 1. It shall be the duty of the Director of Public Works to make or cause to be made inspections of all trees and shrubs growing in the parkways or walkways of the 9 city, or growing over or adjacent to the walkways or parkways of the city, to determine whether or not any section of this title has been, or is being violated. 2. If the Director of Public Works finds any violation of any section of this title, he/she shall, in writing, notify the violator of the existing condition and the violation and direct the violator as to the manner in which the violation is to be corrected. If, after fifteen business days, the cause for the violation has not been corrected as directed, the Director of Public Works may cause the violation to be abated in accordance with the provisions of the Azusa Municipal Code. X. APPEALS A. Final Disposition. Any property owner may appeal a decision of the Director of Public Works to the City Council for final disposition. B. Intentions to Kill, Cut Down and/or Remove City Trees. 1. Should a decision be appealed, the applicant shall deposit, with the application, a sum of money sufficient to cover the cost of the City Clerk's having published twice in the local newspaper a notice of the intention to "kill, cut down or remove" the city tree, 2. Notice shall state the name of the applicant, the location of the tree and a statement to the effect that any person objecting to such removal must, in writing, notify the Director of Public Works of their objection and the reasons therefore. A. Abating a Nuisance. To abate a nuisance: 1. The appeal shall be made in writing and filed with the City Clerk within five working days following notice of the Director of Public Works. 2. Such appeal shall state the grounds for the appeal. 3. The City Clerk shall, upon receipt of such appeal, set the matter for hearing before the City Council not less than ten (10) nor more than thirty (30) days following the filing of the appeal. 4. Notice of hearing shall be given in the manner provided for in Azusa Municipal Code. C 10 XI APPENDIX A. "Undesirable" Trees For Use in Public Parkways or On Public Property BOXELDER (Acer negundo) BRAZILIAN PEPPER (Schinus terebinthefolius) CALIFORNIA FAN PALM (Washingtonia filifera) CHINESE ELM (Ulmus parvifolia) COW ITCH (Lagunaria patersonii) FRUIT TREES (except ornamental varieties) MEXICAN FAN PALM (Washingtonia robusta) MODESTO ASH (Fraxinus veluntina 'Modesto') OLIVE (Olea europa) POPULUS SPP. SHAMAL ASH (Fraxinus udeii) SILK OAK (Grevillea robusta) SWEETGUM (Liquidambar styraciflua) TREE OF HEAVEN (Ailantus altissima) WEEPING WILLOW (Salix babilonica) 11 B. "Approved" Trees For Use in Public Parkway or On Public Property COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME Australian Willow Geijera parviflora Brisbane Box Tristania conferta Bronze Loquat Eriobotrya deflexa California Bay Laurel Umbellularia californica California Pepper Schinus molle Callery Pear (blight resistant) Pyrus calleryana 'Aristocrat' Camphor Cinnamomum camphora Canary Island Pine Pinus canariensis Cape Chestnut Calodendron capense Chinese Flame Tree Koelreuteria bipinnata Chinese Fringe Tree Chionanthus retusus Chinese Pistache Pistachia chinensis Chinese Tallow Sapium sebiferum Coast Live Oak Quercus agrifolia Cork Oak Quercus suber Crepe Myrtle (mildew resistant) Lagerstoemia indica Deodar Cedar Cedrus deodora Engelmann Oak (Mesa Oak) Quercus engelmannii Fern Pine Podocarpus gracilior Flaxleaf Paperbark Melaleuca linariifolia Fraser's Photinia Photinia fraseri 12 Ginko (fruitless variety) Ginko biloba Golden Rain Tree Koelreuteria paniculata Golden Trumpet Tree Tabebuia chtysoctricha Holly Oak Quercus ilex Incense Cedar Calocedrus decurrens Indian Hawthorne 'Majestic Beauty' Raphiolepis'Majestic Beauty' Italian Stone Pine Pinus pinea Jacaranda Jacaranda acutifolia London Plane Platanus x acerifolia Mimosa (Silk Tree) Albizia julibrissin Peppermint Eucalyptus Eucalyptus nicholii Peppermint Willow Agonis flexuosa Purple Trumpet Tree Tabebuia ipe Raywood Ash Fraxinus angustifolia Southern Magnolia Magnolia grandiflora Sweetshade Hymenosporum flavum Tulip Tree Liriodendron tulipifera Virginia Oak Quercus virginiana Western Redbud Cercis occidentalis Yew Pine Podocarpus macrophyllus 13 West Coast Arborists, Inc. ANNUAL TREE MAINTENANCE HIGHLIGHT REPORT Prepared for the City of A _ . .n. _ • . , , _____::: ..t. .:., .. N.__ . _ ___ r • .4 ,„ __, ,_ _ 4 . . .. �' '� `gyp --A-4.4-,• ,., i/ 3 _ V _ . r f Ai PT' w , rt- , „ _ • 2 West Coast Arborists and the City of Azusa entered into a partnership just over a year ago. Together,we have introduced a pro-active tree mainte- nance strategy with the benefits of long-term reduction in costs, increased public safety, satisfied residents, and an increased value of an essential City asset. Throughout the past fiscal year, West Coast Arborists, Inc. pruned over 3,500 trees in accordance with the 2000-2001 tree maintenance con- tract. Tree pruning was performed to prevent branch and foliage interfer- ence with any aspect of safety, remove broken or loose branches, clear trees of sprout and sucker growth, obtain an overall balanced appearance, and remove and control tree limbs as to cause no damage to other parts of the tree. In addition to the pruning, there were 80 trees removed due to declina- tion or death and 1,513 trees planted throughout the City. Fiscal Year 2000-2001 NAscitSr Contract Highlights MAINTENANCE RECAP WORK SUMMARY • Pruned 3,510 trees Work Performed Monthly • Planted over 1,500 trees 900 800 V • Removed 80 trees 700/ 600/ • Crew rental was provided on an as needed basis 500/ v acio 7 _ • All billing information was pro- 300/ a vided in hard copy as well as corn- 200 - 3 puterized diskette compatible with 100 the City's software program 0 P Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun G Trimming ORemovals OPlanting #1 SPECIES PRUNED Of the 3,510 trees pruned,308 were Washingtonia robusta,making them the #1 SPECIES PRUNED for this period. The photo below is a visual representation of the species. The Mexican Fan Palm flourishes in full sun and can withstand aridity but thrives on moisture. As a slender,fast growing palm it can grow to 100 feet in height and can tolerate poor soil but grows faster where the soil is good. Mature trees take on a natural curvature as to where the young ones start at an angle but will grow upright to produce a bend. The SPECIES FREQUENCY graph shown below displays the Top 10 Species Pruned this fiscal year. SPECIES FREQUENCY = ,,_„. .',,,,L. - Top 10 Species Pruned — Camphor Tree 4-— CaliforniaoPepper 6% Queen Palm - __ 6% 5% Ficus Alii Canary Island Pine —_ 5% 8% __ I . ., __ . 1 i :, Carrotwood 111111111111 8% bWV-- Indian Laurel Fig t 9% MEXICAN FAN PALM I4if ' 26% Ficus Species American Sweetgum Washingtonia robusta 10% 17 COMMUNITY RELATIONS We pride ourselves on outstanding customer relations. As an industry leader,effective customer service and client relations keeps WCA in the forefront of Complete Urban Forestry Management. Our fore- q `; men and crew members are trained extensively on how to be courteous and responsive to our customers - yip and their needs. Numerous letters were received commending the City for selecting WCA and for a job f s4` well done. Azusa resident,Alan R. Schapiro writes, 1 certainly appreciateyour concern for making sure the7 _1 --411' �'—„ were trimmed in a proper manner. Because of your help and the fine work performed by WCA the trees now look better , than they did before. Also, my commendations to WCA for their attitude and for their professional work." • . Specialty Services GREEN WASTE DIVERSION . , , ,,.aa .. ..., ,„ ,� _ . , ,.. ..-11,. .. With the steadily increasing concern for the ecological health of our communities,WCA has - embarked on a landfill diversion process where all green waste is taken to recycling facilities µ and it is used in the production of soil amendments such as mulch,compost,and firewood. . Also, an old idea with a new approach is converting City trees into usable lumber. In an on-going effort to reduce waste from the urban forest, West Coast Arborists is currently distributing valuable urban lumber to cities throughout California. The process begins with removing a dead, diseased, or declining tree; branches and remaining foliage are recycled k into mulch and large logs are sorted by specie. The logs are then milled into usable lumber. `' Following milling,they are stacked and dried in a kiln where the wood is used to build park - and lawn benches. Over the past holiday season, WCA presented the City with a bench _" - made from recycled urban lumber along with a flowchart depicting the process of this • -;. operation. This segment of our business is not-for-profit; the program was initiated as a i -. s 47-`, •� ' ver-0-;- $ step toward environmental preservation and green waste diversion. Our green waste diver- )v 0.-----r,:'',$,...,-_-oar_--,-, sion program is a way for WCA to take environmental responsibility and a way for us to give 1..„ • back to the community. Ni . AM"•1 * ,_ Ate. COMPUTER SOFTWARE West Coast Arborists, in conjunction with several California cities, designed a computer _� J� _ = software program to manage tree inventories as a tool in the Complete Urban Forestry _-- - Management Program. The inventory is updated concurrently with each billing cycle to 3`- eliminate the process of dual inputting by WCA and the City. This process also assists the r ._ . - .. ....,— ,. ``' _ City in keeping the tree inventory current. Some special features that can be utilized in the inommo=n - = program are work history by location,scheduling of work to be performed,list tracking and .t= _ ._.--..[- several types of frequency reports. TREE INVENTORY & GASB349 _ v Using a handheld computer and a Global Positioning System (GPS) :--, sn. • backpack receiver, WCA data collectors can identify tree sites by their - • global coordinates of longitude and latitude. By collecting the data using - the GPS system,the City can consolidate the tree data with various other • • • , asset layers as directed by the recently enacted GASB34 requirements. GASB34 requires an up-to-date inventory of all infrastructure assets _1 including street and park trees. The public entity must perform or obtain _=_ condition assessments of these assets every three years. The City must wE . make an annual estimate of the amount needed to maintain and preserve P -_ o those assets. WCAs Urban Forest Management Program meets all of these requirements. A Certified Arborist will plot latitude and longitude coordinates,perform a condition assessment and gather several physical f i._` - - - - attributes of each tree to be entered in the tree inventory database. The - database is loaded into ArborAccess and can also be linked directly to a ' � -T-->- - s-- fi GIS program, such as ArcView, for geo-coding purposes. All data will = ' 1 R : ir- be provided to the City in hard copy and electronically for ease of use. _____ =_ Park Location About West Coast Arborists, Inc. =a A , •:: West Coast Arborists, Inc.'s (WCA) vision is to deliver the best Urban Forestry Man- `4>-a 4'"' agement Program in California. We achieve our vision by making total quality our way „:4.•••:- ` • of doing business, by relentless pursuit of full customer satisfaction in every respect, by •}: • '1,*` • , Y : empowering our trained professionals,by leading the industry in state-of-the-art urban tree r ;/ a' ,,, ,i-i, care services, and by performing superior and safe operations on a seven day, twenty-four ; • Build strong partnerships of neighbors, schools, businesses and city government working together to solve problems and promote progress • Coordinate the efforts of multiple departments, agencies and stakeholders to respond more quickly and more effectively We also need to address long-standing internal and external challenges to neighborhood improvement such as: • Deep social problems of poverty, gangs, slum conditions and overcrowding, particularly in our older multi-family housing • The erosion of community cohesion as the aging or departure of the long-time stable, home-owning, voting and volunteering population gives way to increasing numbers of new residents that have far weaker ties to Azusa • The all-too-frequent problem of complaints or projects getting lost or bogging down because there is not a well-coordinated way to ensure that tasks are handled to completion if they run into interdepartmental or interjurisdictional snags To help achieve the goals and overcome the challenges cited above, I'm recommending the following steps: • Through the General Plan process, establish distinct neighborhood districts throughout the city • Work to support neighborhood organizations in each of these districts • Assign a current city staff member to take on additional responsibility as Deputy to the City Manager for Neighborhood Improvement, putting the authority of the City Manager's office behind this effort • Coordinated by that deputy, create both a specific city staff team and a larger network of contacts and resources to coordinate a list of priority projects needing interdepartmental involvement • Establish direct Council liaison with one or two members to provide both oversight and support at the highest level • Creation of a Neighborhood Improvement Fund to provide matching capital resources and bridge financing for urgent priorities, including emergency abatements and small-scale physical improvement (with an initial capitalization of $250,000 provided by a payback of that amount of General Fund advances to Redevelopment) • Seek additional grant and sponsorship funding for ongoing activities and projects The goal is not to centralize, but to coordinate our citywide efforts (and partnerships) with neighborhoods and on Neighborhood Improvement problems and projects. Where problems can be solved without interdepartmental efforts, these efforts will continue as before. But where (as is increasingly is the case) a challenge initially encountered by Police or Code Enforcement or Public Works triggers the need for assistance or cooperation from others inside and outside of the City government, the Neighborhood Improvement Team and its larger network will coordinate these efforts. This team will also facilitate the process of extending the model of neighborhood self- organizing citywide. The General Plan process has identified a quarter-mile radius as the basic scale of a neighborhood (a theory bolstered by our NIZ experience.) By working to define and organize 20-30 neighborhood associations throughout Azusa, a powerful force can be mobilized for safety, advocacy and social bonds. Experience in many other cities show that such groups, with help, can over time transform neighborhoods by making them safer, more attractive and more cohesive. We have some building blocks already in place with both the NIZ experience and more than 20 homeowner associations required by condo covenants, conditions and restrictions. Again, experience has shown that these groups must have a broad focus and will interact with a wide range of city departments. The Police Department will play a key role in the safety component, along the lines of "neighborhood watch." The Community Development Department will be an important part of integrating local groups in zoning, planning and code enforcement decisions that affect their neighborhoods. Recreation and Parks can develop a more neighborhood focus to its parks and recreation programs. By coordinating these and other program/outreach efforts at the neighborhood level, the City can support the creation and growth of a new fabric of neighbors working together. Funding for this effort is critical, because our own experience (and that of the award-winning effort we have studied in the City of Paramount) indicates that positive small-scale improvements have tremendous return on investment. Pocket parks, landscaped vacant lots, clean-ups, demolitions and other swift actions can restore pride, mobilize jaded residents, encourage adjacent property owners and impress potential investors. To ensure this does not become an unwieldy bureaucracy or a black hole of time and money, I will emphasize in selecting the Deputy and putting together the team, individuals with a "can do" and "hands on" approach. We will also use technology to streamline communication and coordination. Finally, this is not a permanent new department. Like the "Neighborhood Improvement Zone" it is an innovative effort to change the way we do business, emphasizing partnership, focus and teamwork. FISCAL IMPACT Additional staff costs for Deputy assignment will be absorbed within the adopted budget. The Redevelopment Agency will repay $250,000 to provide funds for the start-up of the Neighborhood Improvement Fund. This will reduce the Redevelopment Agency reserves at the end of this fiscal year from $2,914,860 to $2,664,860.