Item 4/2025
Final
City of Garden Grove
INTER-DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM
To:
Lisa L. Kim From: William E. Murray
Dept:
City Manager Dept: Public Works
Date: 1/28/2025
Subject: Approval of an Amendment to increase the annual contract amount with West Coast Arborist, Inc. by $350,000 and Adoption of a Resolution establishing a new City tree removal fee. (Action Item)
OBJECTIVE
For City Council to approve Amendment No. 4 to increase the contract with West Coast Arborist, Inc. (WCA) from $440,000 to $790,000 - a $350,000 increase for tree trimming, crew rental, and tree removal services, and for City Council to adopt a resolution establishing a new City tree removal fee for cost recovery.
BACKGROUND
The Tree and Flood Control Maintenance Section (Section) in the Public Works Department (Department) is responsible for maintaining approximately 16,000 city trees in the public right-of-way and maintaining all city -owned flood control channels. In respect to tree maintenance, the Section is responsible for trimming, pruning, removing, and planting new trees, including promptly responding to urgent reques ts for service, particularly during wind/rain storms. The Section is also responsible for administering resident applications for street tree removals per Chapter 11.32.060 of the Municipal Code which requires this work to be performed by contract, under City specifications and be administered by the City.
DISCUSSION
The Section faces an ongoing operational challenge due to a continuous shortage of staff caused by temporary vacancies. Currently, the Section is operating without three (3) full - time maintenance workers and one (1) part -time public works trainee, representing approximately one-third of its total staffing.
The City contracts with WCA to periodically trim all 16,000 city trees and provide additional services as needed. As a procurement option, the City is currently “piggybacking” on the City of Rancho Cucamonga’s multi-year contract with WCA. Additionally, WCA offers crew rental services to ensure uninterrupted operations for the Section. These supplemental contract services are utilized only on an as-needed basis.
Item 4/2025
The Section is actively working to address the temporary vacancies by implementing best practices to prioritize employee safety and reduce unnecessary manual labor for field crews.
Efforts include task rotation and proper tech niques training to enhance efficiency and maintain a safe working environment.
Public Works is also requesting for the adoption of a new City tree removal fee consistent with Section 11.32.060 of the Municipal Code for resident petitions. The fee would be set at the amount charged by WCA under their fee schedule for tree and stump removal, which is based on the size of the tree being removed, and will be used to offset some of the contractual costs for tree removals as requested by residents and authorized by Public Works.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
It is estimated that the adoption of the new fee will generate an additional $50,000 per year in tree removal revenue. Combined with projected salary savings from the temporary vacancies, no additional appropriation is required to approve the $350,000 increase in WCA contractual services.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
Approve Amendment No. 4 increasing the annual contract amount with West Coast Arborist, Inc. by $350,000 for the current Fiscal Year 2024-25 and for all remaining contract options years, contingent upon Rancho Cucamonga’s approved contract extensions;
Conduct a public hearing to establish a new City tree removal fee; and Adopt a resolution establishing a new City tree removal fee consistent with Chapter
11.32.060 of the Municipal Code.
By: Ana V. Neal, Principal Administrative Analyst
ATTACHMENT(S)
Resolution
Amendment No. 4
Schedule A – City Tree Removal Fee
WCA Schedule of Charges.