Fremont City Council Meeting: 07/11/23 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Community Services
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Agreements and Contracts
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 4942) DOC ID: 4942
Updated: 7/5/2023 10:40 AM by Susan Gauthier Page 1
FOURTH AMENDMENT FOR ON-CALL TREE TRIMMING, MAINTENANCE & GENERAL GROUNDWORK & DEBRIS MAINTENANCE SERVICES - Authorize the City Manager or her Designee to Execute the Fourth Amendment On-Call Tree Trimming, Maintenance and General Groundwork and Debris Removal Agreement with West Coast Arborists to Increase Contract Compensation to Support City Street Sweeping Operations
Contact Persons:
Name: Andrew Freeman Suzanne Wolf
Title: Business Manager Community Services Director
Div/Dept: Community Services Community Services
Phone: 510-494-4757 510-494-4329
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: Authorize the approval of the fourth amendment to the maintenance agreement for on-call tree services to support the City’s street sweeping operations and emergency tree services by increasing compensation for West Coast Arborists in a total amount not to exceed $1,508,850.
BACKGROUND: On March 13, 2018, the City Council approved the initial agreements to address the City’s on-call tree trimming, maintenance and general groundwork and debris removal needs Citywide. Four vendors were selected, via Request for Proposal (RFP) 18 - 012, to address these needs: Brightview Tree Care Services, Imhof, Professional Tree Care Company and West Coast Arborists. Each agreement had an approved contract compensation value not to exceed $250,000 with an expiration date of March 31, 2020.
Additionally, on March 13, 2018 the City Council delegated contract extension authority to the City Manager or designee for up to two additional two-year terms through June 30, 2024.
On December 17, 2019, the City Council increased the compensation and extended the contract terms for two of the vendors, Brightview Tree Services and West Coast Arborists , in an amount not to exceed $350,000 for each vendor through June 30, 2022.
On April 6, 2021, the City Council increased the compensation and extended the contract terms for Brightview Tree Services and West Coast Arborists in an amount not to exceed $525,000 for each vendor through June 30, 2024.
On December 21, 2022, the City Council increased the compensation of West Coast Arborists in an amount not to exceed $650,000.
Staff is requesting an increase in compensation to an amount not to exceed $1,508,850 for West Coast Arborists to perform tree pruning services to 2,000 trees blocking the path of City street sweepers and for on-call emergency tree services.
Council Staff Report (ID # 4942) Meeting of July 11, 2023 Updated: 7/5/2023 10:40 AM by Susan Gauthier Page 2
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: In 2010, the City returned responsibility for maintaining street trees to property owners. The City’s last major city-wide tree pruning effort occurred in the same year (2010). Over the last 13 years City trees have continued to grow. This growth is impacting the City’s ability to properly complete street sweeping activity as the growth (e.g., limbs) is blocking the path of street sweepers to operate. The City’s street sweeping removes pollutants from street surfaces before these contaminants reach storm drains and wash into local water ways. Street sweeping is a key activity in the City’s stormwater pollution effort and prevention work to comply with the Municipal Regional (Stormwater) Permit (MRP). The MRP is issued and enforced by the Regional Water Quality Control Board and applies to the 78 jurisdictions in the Bay Area. Pruning the 2,000 trees blocking street sweeper routes will support the City’s compliance with the MRP.
As needed, West Coast Arborists will work with the City to schedule and perform tree pruning throughout the City. A list of tree sites impeding street sweeping operations will be shared with West Coast Arborists as needed. The one-time tree pruning work to be completed by West Coast Arborists with an estimated cost of $708,850 has an expected cycle of 5 to 7 years. The agreed scope of work with West Coast Arborists included tree service activities, such as pruning, canopy lifting, removal, planting, clearance, debris removal and emergency response.
During the storm damage response of December 2022 to March 2023, the City worked with West Coast Arborists to remove damaged trees from structures, park locations and roadways as well as clearing debris from City streets. As the City prepares for weather related storms for the upcoming fiscal year, staff is requesting that on-call emergency tree services funding be increased by $150,000.
The addition of $708,850 for support of one-time tree pruning to support street sweeping operations plus the addition of $150,000 for the emergency storm response in addition to the existing contractual authority of $650,000 provides a total contractional compensation not to exceed amount of $1,508,850 for West Coast Arborists.
FISCAL IMPACT: The funding for tree pruning services for City street sweeping routes and on-call emergency tree services was approved as part of the Fiscal Year 2023/24 Adopted Operating Budget and the Capital Maintenance Replacement for Parks project (PWC8501).
There is no additional impact to the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Approval of on-call tree maintenance agreements is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because any environmental impacts associated with any specific tree maintenance activity are speculative at this time, and it is anticipated that compliance with Fremont Municipal Code Chapter 18.218 (Standard Development Requirements) will be sufficient to avoid such impacts. Typical tree maintenance activities will be exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 15301(h) (maintenance of existing landscaping), but further review may be necessary on a case-by-case basis.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute the fourth amendment to the on-call tree trimming, maintenance and general groundwork and Council Staff Report (ID # 4942) Meeting of July 11, 2023 Updated: 7/5/2023 10:40 AM by Susan Gauthier Page 3
debris removal service agreements with West Coast Arborists in a total amount not to exceed $1,508,850.