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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Urban Forestry Tree Planting and Maintenance Program Contract Increases
1. Resolution dispensing with competitive bidding and authorizing the City Manager, or a designee, to amend contract 8000974 for city tree services, with West Coast Arborists, Inc. (WCA) increasing the contract amount by $40,560 to $11,618,220 for the purpose of planting 104 trees as part of the reimbursable United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service grant subject to budget approval in FY 2024-25, FY 2025-26, and FY 2026-27.
2. Resolution authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a GreenLatinos Urban and Community Forestry Program Subaward Agreement for City of Glendale’s Canopy Improvement to plant 104 trees and perform a comprehensive Citywide canopy assessment.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Action Item
Approved for August 13, 2024 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Public Works was awarded a $100,000 grant from the USDA Forest Service for the planting of 104 trees in the southernmost portion of the Glenwood neighborhood. The grant will also provide funding to perform a citywide digital canopy assessment over a three-year period, which will include analysis of landcover and provide a prioritization analysis to reach the cities goal of 25% canopy coverage.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Resolutions to amend the contract with WCA, increasing the contract amount for additional grant activities and to execute an agreement with GreenLatinos as the administering body for the Urban and Community Forest grant. 2{{section.number}}b
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ANALYSIS
This USDA Forest Service has multiple grant programs funded by the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) grant program has $1.6 million in available funding for local governments and non-profit organizations for eligible projects. On October 12, 2023, the city was notified of the USDA Forest Service’s intent to award a grant in the amount of $100,000, pending the administration by a national pass-through nonprofit organization, GreenLatinos.
Requirements of the grant stipulate that trees must be planted in the California EPA- defined ‘Disadvantaged Communities’. Public Works selected the tree planting location to focus planting efforts within a portion of the Glenwood neighborhood due to their low canopy coverage and high quantity of vacant planting locations. The selected location is bounded by Glenoaks Boulevard on the south, Pacific Avenue on the east, Grandview Avenue to the west, and Glenwood Road to the north. Once planted, these trees will become part of the standard Public Works annual young tree maintenance program and maintained accordingly.
In addition, the city will obtain a three-year subscription for a digital tree canopy assessment which will include a current canopy assessment, a tree planting prioritization analysis and compare the evolution of canopy coverage from the past to present. This service is commonly used by municipalities to better understand their private and public tree canopy, as well as target future planting projects to reach the city’s 25% canopy coverage goal. Finally, the analysis will include the specific ecosystem benefits of city trees.
Table 1 summarizes the eligible reimbursable grant activities. The grant project does not require matching of funds.
Table 1: IRA Urban Community Forestry (UCF) Grant Costs Activity Unit Cost Quantity Funding Type Total Amount
Trees $390/tree 104 trees Direct $40,560
Tree Canopy
Analysis
N/A 3 year
subscription
Direct $52,591
Outreach Efforts N/A 1,967 letters Direct $4,849
Paid Targeted
Digital Advertising
$100/day 20 days Direct $2,000
Total $100,000
The annual breakdown of direct funded costs and activities are indicated in Table 2.
Table 2: Inflation Reduction Act Grant Costs by Fiscal Year Grant Activity 2024-2025 2025-2026 2026-2027
Tree planting, 24” box size (WCA
unit price $390/tree) $0 $40,560 $0
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Tree Canopy Analysis $52,591 $0 $0
Outreach collateral $4,849 $0 $0
Paid targeted digital advertising $1,000 $1,000 $0
Total $58,440 $41,560 $0
If approved, grant activities will begin in September 2024, with the start of the tree canopy analysis. Planting of the trees is anticipated to begin in Fall 2025.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
The city will perform specific and enhanced targeted outreach ahead of the tree planting program. Outreach efforts ahead of this tree planting initiative will include the creation of a dedicated project website, direct mailers to all 1,697 households in the community (created with the assistance of our internal Graphics Department), and paid direct social media advertising to run for two 10-day stints. These letters and advertisements will include QR codes linking to the project website, with short descriptions in four languages (Armenian, Korean, Spanish, and English) in efforts to reach all households within the project area. Households with designated vacant tree sites adjacent to their property will have the opportunity to select between two or three designated tree species for the block.
The first 104 responses will receive trees as part of this program. If fewer than 104 responses are received, the city will select any remaining planting sites based on the canopy data assessment. If more than 104 responses are received, the city will forward those planting requests to a separate, existing tree planting program managed by Public Works for planting at a later date. While there are only 104 trees being planted as part of this project, the greater intent is to increase understanding and encourage households outside of these specific planting sites to become interested in receiving or caring for trees.
FISCAL IMPACT
The amendment to the contract with West Coast Arborists, Inc. will cost $40,560.This funding was approved as a part of the FY 2024-2025 budget. No new appropriation is being requested at this time. The City Council approved funding is outlined below:
Existing Appropriation
Amount Account String Funding Source
$40,560 GL: 43110-2160-PWD-0020-P0000
PL: PWD01186AG
State Grant Revenue
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
This item is considered a ministerial activity and therefore, not subject to CEQA review. 4{{section.number}}b
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CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
The names and business addresses of the members of the board of directors, the chairperson, CEO, COO, CFO, Subcontractors and any person or entity with more than 10% interest in the company proposed for contract in this Agenda Item Report are listed below, in accordance with the city Campaign Finance Ordinance No. 5744. (Exhibit 2)
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Alternative 1: Do not approve the resolutions, which will result in no additional tree planting or canopy assessment, and the cancellation of this grant project.
Alternative 2: Consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Daniel Hernandez, Interim Director of Public Works
Prepared by:
Loren Klick, Urban Forester
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: GreenLatinos Subaward Grant Agreement
Exhibit 2: Campaign Disclosure