DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Maintenance Services
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute Landscape Management Contract for CalTrans Surplus Property Weed Abatement with Joe’s Landscaping and Concrete, Inc., with a Maximum Compensation Not-to- Exceed $700,000 through FY 2030
RECOMMENDATION
That City Council adopt a resolution (Attachment II) authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a landscape maintenance contract for CalTrans Surplus Property Weed Abatement with Joe’s Landscaping and Concrete, Inc. (Joe’s Landscape) with a maximum compensation not-to-exceed $700,000 through Fiscal Year (FY) 2030.
SUMMARY
Maintenance Services’ Landscape Division maintains street trees and municipal landscaping throughout the City along with vegetation management in select areas. Annual vegetation management services are necessary to mitigate fire hazards by completing weed abatement activities, reducing fire fuel materials, and creating fire breaks and other fire defensible spaces. To support staff workload, the Division routinely uses external contractors to complete landscape and vegetation maintenance. In November 2025, s taff released a Request for Quote (RFQ) for maintenance support along specific City -owned CalTrans Parcels since the current contract expired. Staff recommends awarding the contract to Joe’s Landscape with a maximum compensation not-to-exceed $700,000, effective FY26 through FY30, and subject to annual CPI increases.
FISCAL IMPACT
This item will be funded through the Department’s yearly CIP budget through the CalTrans Parcel Group Property Fund (Fund 411). The fund has sufficient balance to cover these costs.
Fund 411 is kept separate from the General Fund to maintain and sell the Parcel Groups, but is General Fund money. It is a City and staff priority to sell these parcels to reduce the annual maintenance costs and return as much of the Fund 411 balance to the general fund.
As parcels are sold, the total amount in this maintenance contract will be reduced equivalently.
The annual cost for services will be budgeted as a contingency expense so no overall contract increase will occur.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
On November 18, 2025, staff released RFQ 26-013 that detailed landscape maintenance required for the CalTrans Surplus Properties. One specified criteria was the need to complete the scope of work within eight weeks. On January 14, 2026, staff received and evaluated five (5) bids, ranging from $91,140 to $500,000 annually. The lowest bidder submitted a proposal for 40 -working hours a week, which is insufficient to complete the scope of work within the given timeline. As such, staff recommends awarding the contract to the second-lowest bidder, Joe’s Landscape.
Joe’s Landscape is experienced with vegetation management, has a vast understanding of City specifications and standards and is familiar with the City-owned Route 238 parcels, and offers excellent customer service. Joe’s Landscape has performed its duties in accordance with the RFQ’s specifications and service amendments. The expected yearly cost, inclusive of a 3% annual CPI increase and a 10% contingency, is outlined below.
Cost Type FY 26 FY 27 FY 28 FY 29 FY 30 Total
Contractual
Services
$119,000 $122,570 $126,247 $130,035 $133,936 $631,787
Contingency $12,213 $13,000 $13,000 $15,000 $15,000 $68,213 Total $131,213 $135,570 $139,247 $145,035 $148,936 $700,000
ECONOMIC IMPACT
This item has no direct economic impact. However, annual vegetation management creates a safer City by mitigating fire hazards through weed abatement activities, reducing fire fuel materials, creating fire breaks, and implementing other techniques that mitigate risk through the creation of defensible spaces between these parcels and inhabited dwellings and infrastructure.
STRATEGIC ROADMAP AND SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES
This item is a routine operational item and does not directly support Council’s Strategic Priorities or has significant sustainability features.
NEXT STEPS
If Council approves the attached resolution, the City Manager will execute the agreement for CalTrans Surplus Property Weed Abatement with Joe’s Landscaping and Concrete, Inc, with a maximum compensation not-to-exceed $700,000.
Prepared by: Manny Grewal, Management Analyst
Recommended by: Todd Rullman, Director of Maintenance Services
Approved by:
_________________________________
Jennifer Ott, City Manager