HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8.3 Tree City USA Program
STAFF REPORT CITY CLERK
File #530-20
CITY COUNCIL
DATE:June 19, 2012
TO:
Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM:
Joni Pattillo, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Report on the Potential to Initiate a Tree City USA Program
Prepared by: Steven Yee, Public Works Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
One of the City Council's Key Initiatives in Fiscal Year 2011-2012 is to receive a report on the
potential to initiate a Tree City USA Program.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
If the City Council chooses to initiate a Tree City USA program, Staff has determined the first
year costs to be approximately $32,000. Staff has identified that the on-going costs of the
program would be approximately $15,000.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council receive the report and provide direction to Staff on whether
or not to pursue the Tree City USA designation.
Submitted By Reviewed By
Director of Public Works Assistant City Manager
DESCRIPTION:
One of the City Council's Key Initiatives in Fiscal Year 2011-2012 is to “explore the feasibility of
implementing the Tree City USA Program.” The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the
Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National
Association of State Foresters. The program provides direction, technical assistance, public
attention, and national recognition for community forestry or tree programs in more than 3,400
towns and cities. Some of the benefits of being a Tree City USA community are providing a
framework for better care of public trees, community education for citizens about trees, citizen
pride for trees and preference for possible allocations of grant funding for tree programs.
Tree City USA Program Requirements
ITEM NO. 8.3
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To qualify as a Tree City USA community, the City must meet four standards established by the
Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters. These standards were
established to ensure that every qualifying community would have a viable tree management
plan and program. The standards are:
1) A Tree Board or Department. Someone must be legally responsible for the care and
management of the community's trees. This may be a professional arborist, an entire tree
department, or a volunteer tree board. A tree board or department can be a group charged by a
City tree ordinance with developing and administering a comprehensive tree management
program.
2) A Tree Care Ordinance. The tree ordinance designates the establishment of a tree board or
department and this body has the responsibility for writing and implementing an annual
community tree work plan. A tree ordinance sets good tree policy and provides clear guidance
for planting, maintaining and removing trees from streets, parks and other public places.
3) A Community Tree Program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita. It is required that
the community establishes a tree program that is supported by an annual budget of at least $2
per capita. The budget requirement can include staff time managing a tree program as well as
maintenance costs for tree planting, pruning and removal.
4) An Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation. This standard provides the recognition of Arbor
Day that is annually on the fourth Friday in April. An Arbor Day celebration can be simple and
brief or an all-day or all-week observation. Some examples include a proclamation declaring
Arbor Day observance at a public meeting or a tree planting event.
Once all the four standards are met, the community can complete a Tree City USA application
and submit to the appropriate state urban forestry coordinator. Applications in California are
submitted to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Tree City USA
designation recognizes work completed by a community during a calendar year.
Capital Outlay and On-going Operational Costs
The City of Dublin currently maintains over 8,100 trees identified within the public right of way
and 3,700 trees in parks and public facilities. The FY 2011-2012 budget to maintain these trees
is approximately $158,000. The City does retain a certified arborist on staff through the
maintenance contract with MCE Corporation. MCE also maintains a tree inventory database
through the current tree maintenance contractor, West Coast Arborist.
If the City Council wishes to become a Tree City USA community, Staff resources will be
required to begin meeting the four required standards of establishing a tree board or
department, preparing a tree ordinance, identifying the required tree program budget and
recommending events to recognize Arbor Day. The preliminary cost to complete the
four standards will be approximately $15,000. This initial cost assumes a tree board consisting
of City and contract staff and a $1,000 budget for an Arbor Day event. As part of the tree
ordinance requirement, the City will be required to create and maintain an urban forestry
management program.
Once the City is recognized as Tree City USA, an additional cost of potentially $17,000 may be
necessary to fabricate and install new street banners, plaques and signs at City entrance signs,
parks and public facilities.
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Based on the 2010 census with the City's population at 46,036, the required on-going annual
tree program budget, as established by the Tree City USA standard, must be at least $92,072
(based on $2 per capita). The City's current annual operating budget for tree maintenance is
approximately $158,000. If the City wishes to re-establish the Tree City USA designation on an
annual basis, the additional on-going operations cost for maintaining a tree board, updating a
tree inventory database as part of the urban forestry management program and hosting an
Arbor Day event will be approximately $15,000 per year. If the City Council wishes to proceed,
Staff could explore incorporating Arbor Day recognition activities and events as part of an
existing City event such as Dublin Pride Week or the existing Park & Recreation activities as a
way to minimize event cost.
In summary, the cost to implement and maintain a Tree City USA Program is as follows:
Task Preliminary Cost Estimate
1. Establishing Tree City USA standards $ 15,000
2. Tree City USA banners and signs $ 17,000
Total initial cost to implement Tree City USA Program: $ 32,000
On-going annual operational cost for Program: $ 15,000
Staff recommends the City Council receive the report and provide direction to Staff on whether
to pursue the Tree City USA designation. If the City Council elects to proceed, staff will bring
back to the Council a tree ordinance for comment and approval as well as more specific options
regarding Arbor Day events and activities.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
None.
ATTACHMENTS:
None
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