DATE: March 12, 2024
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Maintenance Services
SUBJECT: Adopt A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Funding Agreement, Accept $500,000 in USDA Urban and Community Forestry Grant Funds, Appropriate $250,000 to Project 07797 for a Citywide Tree Condition Assessment, Inventory, and Tree Management Software and $250,000 to Project 07796 for Hazardous Tree Removals and Replacements, Transfer and Appropriate $250,000 From the General Fund to Capital Fund 405 for Project 07797, and Transfer and Appropriate $250,000 from Project 05102 to Project 07796 Over Five Years
RECOMMENDATION
That Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) authorizing the City Manager to: 1) accept $500,000 in Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF) grant funds; 2) appropriate $250,000 to Project 07797 to perform a citywide tree condition assessment, inventory, and the procurement of a new tree management software; 3) appropriate $250,000 to Project 07796 for hazardous tree removals and replacements; 4) transfer and appropriate $250,000 from the General Fund to Capital Fund 405 for Project 07797; and 5) transfer and appropriate $250,000 from Project 05102 to Project 07796 over five years.
SUMMARY
In early 2023, the USDA released a notice of funding opportunity for the U&CF Grant, a multiyear grant opportunity to encourage proactive maintenance and monitoring of urban street trees, advancing the use of tree inventory monitoring, and improving preparation for severe weather, among other program goals. The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar match. The Maintenance Services Department successfully applied for and was awarded a total of $500,000 in grant funds to procure and implement a citywide tree condition assessment, inventory, and tree management software (“Software”) and support the removal and replacement of hazardous trees that pose a risk to property, pedestrians, and vehicles. To act on behalf of the USDA, the USDA is partnering with several national “pass-through partners” that will coordinate with awardees to execute funding agreements, manage distribution of grant funds, and to implement and monitor compliance with the U&CF program goals. The USDA selected GreenLatinos, a non-profit environmental organization, to be the City’s pass-through partner. Staff requests that the City Manager be authorized to execute the funding agreement with GreenLatinos, accept the grant funds, and appropriate $250,000 to Project 07797 for the acquisition and development of a new tree management software, citywide condition assessment and inventory and $250,000 to Project 07796 to support hazardous tree removals and replacements. Staff also requests the transfer of $250,000 from the General Fund to Capital Fund 405 and appropriating the same amount to Project 07797 for the required match. Staff also requests the transfer and appropriation of $250,000 from Project 05102 (Landscape Tree and Shrub Replacement) to Project 07796 over five years ($50,000 per fiscal year) for the required match.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Inflation Reduction Act provided $1.5 billion for U&CF investments. Goals of the project include increased and equitable access to urban tree canopy and associated human, environmental, and economic benefits, tree planting and management activities, and improved resilience to climate change.
On June 1, 2023, staff received approval from the City’s Grant Committee to apply for $500,000 in grant funds. As described below, half of this amount will be used to perform a citywide tree condition assessment, inventory, and the procurement of a new tree management software and the other half will be used to support hazardous tree removal and replacement. On September 14, 2023, staff received notice of funding award. On October 12, 2023, staff received the letter of intent to award funding to the City in partnership with GreenLatinos. The anticipated date for the partnership agreement is no later than April 30, 2024.
Complete Tree Inventory and Tree Management Software
The City has been recognized as a Tree City for the past 34 years and currently has approximately 30,000 street trees in its inventory. Staff will seek and acquire a tree management software that will be the backbone of the City’s urban forest and tree management and maintenance programs. The new software program will provide an accurate inventory of all city-owned trees, an urban tree canopy assessment, and arborist reports supporting vegetation work, planning, and management. One of the biggest benefits of this software will be its emphasis on the City’s current urban tree canopy’s health, required maintenance needs, scheduling and frequency, and cataloging performed work on each tree, along with photographs. Once implemented, this software will be used by multiple departments to assist in future development, geographic data that will drive new tree plantings, especially in marginalized areas, tree preservation efforts, provide carbon sequestration data, applied research and reporting processes, and preparing for extreme weather. This software will enable staff to effectively manage tree-related data, optimize resource allocation, and facilitate informed decision-making. Furthermore, staff will be able to receive and respond to citizens’ requests for tree planting and maintenance through the user-friendly interface. Ultimately, this software will play a crucial part in developing the City’s first Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP).
Hazardous Tree Removal and Replacement
Landscape Maintenance Division’s staff has identified numerous hazardous trees throughout the jurisdiction that need to be removed and replaced. By definition, a hazardous tree is a tree that is dying, dead, diseased, or defective, or can lead to personal injury or property damage. A hazardous tree can and should be removed if proper maintenance is not sufficient to mitigate risks. Staff has developed a comprehensive project plan that equitably removes hazardous trees and replants native trees to ensure there is no negative impact to the City’s current tree canopy, and will help mitigate the negative effects of climate change, urban heat islands, and support the City’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gasses.
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff was awarded a total of $500,000 in U&CF grant funds. The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar match. The grant provides $250,000 in one-time funds to support the development of a citywide tree inventory and analysis and procurement of a new tree management software. Staff is requesting a match of $250,000 from the General Fund to support this effort. This amount will be transferred from the General Fund to Capital Fund 405 and appropriated to Project 07797, for a total project budget of $500,000. The grant also provides $250,000 over five years ($50,000 per fiscal year) for hazardous tree removal and replacement efforts. The FY24-33 CIP Budget appropriated sufficient funds to provide a yearly $50,000 match from Project 05102 to Project 07796 for five years, for a total project budget of $500,000 over five years. A breakdown of the distribution of grant and matching funds is provided below.
Funding
FY24
FY25
FY26
FY27
FY28
Total
Federal Grant – Tree Management Software
$250,000
$250,000
Match - City’s General Fund (100) Transfer
$250,000
$250,000
Total Project Budget
$500,000
$500,000
Federal Grant – Hazardous Tree Removals/Replacement
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$250,000
Match - City’s Capital Fund (405-05102)
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$250,000
Total Project Budget
$100,000
$100,000
$100,000
$100,000
$100,000
$500,000
Total Expenditures
$600,000
$100,000
$100,000
$100,000
$100,000
$1,000,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES
This item does not provide a direct economic impact to the City but does provide public safety and environmental benefits through the following:
Enhanced public safety: removing hazardous trees will reduce the risk of accidents, personal injuries, property damage, and environmental disasters like fires and landslides Environmental preservation: expanding and managing the City’s urban forest more efficiently will mitigate the negative effects of climate change and urban heat islands, reduce greenhouse gasses, and conserve and protect natural resources and ecosystems Improved efficiency: implementation of the tree management software system will streamline operations, leading to better resource allocations, enhanced planning, and more effective decision-making
STRATEGIC ROADMAP
This item supports Council’s Strategic Priority of Confront Climate Crisis and Champion Environmental Justice by supporting the following project:
Project C10 – Plant 1,500 trees annually
PUBLIC CONTACT
No public contact is required for this item.
NEXT STEPS
If approved, the City Manager will be authorized to execute the funding agreement with GreenLatinos and to accept a total of $500,000 in grant funds. Staff will appropriate $250,000 to Project 07797 to support the procurement and implementation of tree inventory, assessment, and tree management software and $250,000 to Project 07796 for hazardous tree removals and replacements. Staff will also transfer $250,000 from the General Fund to Capital Fund 405 and appropriate the same amount to Project 07797. Staff will also transfer and appropriate $50,000 from Project 05102 to Project 07796 annually for five years.
Prepared by: Manny Grewal, Management Analyst
Recommended by: Todd Rullman, Director of Maintenance Services Approved by:
_________________________________________
Kelly McAdoo, City Manager