Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: JUNE 6, 2023
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: RAUL GODINEZ, INTERIM PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR PREPARED BY: STEPHEN BISE, CITY ENGINEER / ASSISTANT PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
JULIO JACOBO, LANDSCAPE SUPERVISOR
SUBJECT: COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE
SUMMARY
Update of the City’s Community Forest Management Plan and intent to plant 500 trees in conformance with Cal-Fire grant requirements.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Community Forest Management Plan and proceed with planting 500 trees.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The City Manager recommends approval of the Community Forest Management Plan as reviewed and recommended by the Parks & Recreation Commission and to proceed with planting 500 trees.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statement:
Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
This item generates no additional financial impact to the City. A reimbursable $377,000 Cal-Fire grant awarded to the City in August 2020 would support this project.
DISCUSSION
A Community Forest Management Plan provides the framework for goals and objectives to manage and improve tree canopy during a specified time. Fullert As the environment changes, new information becomes available, and new studies are performed on adopted the first Community Forest Management Plan in 1998. The City periodically reviews the governing documents for the urban forest and makes necessary adjustments. as the environment changes, new information becomes available and new studies performed.
City Council authorized staff to partner with West Coast Arborists (WCA), the City’s selected professional contractor for tree maintenance services, in November 2019 to submit a proposal to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to develop a Community Forest Management Plan. The Public Works Department received a $377,000 grant in August 2020 with the following expected project outcomes:
Create a Community Forest Management Plan (CFMP) developed by industry professionals that reflects an accurate inventory and has community input.
Plant 500 trees with a particular focus on increasing the tree canopy in disadvantaged communities in Fullerton.
Conduct community education events and produce supporting materials for distribution.
Staff presented the draft Community Forest Management Plan to the Infrastructure and Natural Resources Advisory Committee (INRAC) on September 19, 2022 for comments. Staff has incorporated those comments into the document. INRAC expressed concern with infrastructure and tree impact. Species selected for use in the CFMP address infrastructure impact and consideration of the predominate type of tree on the block, the tree canopy height and width at maturity, general growth rate and watering requirement. Staff selected the trees specified in the plan to preserve an aesthetic design and honor historical planting in the specific districts. The plan makes use of the concept of “right tree, right place” which refers to selecting the appropriate size and shaped tree for growing space, as well as considering nuisance and infrastructure conflicts.
Staff presented the CFMP to the Parks and Recreation Commission on October 10, 2022 and received substantial comments and feedback. Staff returned to the Parks and Recreation Commission on March 13, 2023 with a revised CFMP, which the Commission unanimously recommended for City Council approval. Subsequently, staff met with Heritage Trees Committee on May 16, 2023 to address additional comments and edits to the plan, none of which affected the Master Street Tree Plan.
Staff would utilize the approved plan to plant grant-funded trees during the optimum planting season. The updated Community Forest Management Plan will help staff and residents work together to maintain a healthy and desirable urban forest.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – PowerPoint Presentation
Attachment 2 – Community Forest Management Plan
cc:City Manager Eric J. Levitt
Community Forest Management Plan Update
June 6, 2023 - Page PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 2