9.1 –Neighborhood ROW Tree Maintenance Program Discussion June 25, 2025
2 Recommendation
• Staff recommends that the City Council review and discuss the information presented for the development of the NH ROW Tree Maintenance Program and provide Staff
direction on the following:
• Establishment of the proposed 70/30 Homeowner-City
cost split model for removal and replacement of high- priority ROW trees • Funding limits, per-tree and per-property caps, and
program duration
• Any additional criteria Council would like incorporated into the initial rollout phase
3 Background
October 23, 2024, staff presented preliminary information on a Neighborhood Right of Way Tree Removal and Replacement
Program. City Council requested staff return providing information defining the program based on City Council’s feedback.
April 23, and May 14, 2025, City Council passed a tree preservation ordinance
With the tree preservation ordinance in place, the city has the authority to manage non-compliance.
The development of the NH ROW Tree Maintenance Program will be the final step in several efforts to protect our urban forest and provide support services to the community to meet requirements. 4 Background
Completed - Establish a NH ROW Tree Pruning Program
Completed - Tree protection ordinance – To provide clear definition of the responsibilities of property owners concerning ROW trees.
In the Process - Public outreach – Establish an informative web page that provides information on required permits, ordinances, schedules, care instructions, etc.
Notification and compliance letter process for affected property owners .
Development of a comprehensive Neighborhood ROW Tree
Maintenance Program Manual
5 Background
• As part of this effort, a Citywide tree condition survey was completed. Of approximately 8,540 street trees evaluated, staff identified 1,040 trees requiring action, including:
• 235 missing trees
• 576 disfigured or incorrect species
• 159 leaning trees
• 70 dead, dying, or diseased trees
• This count excludes an additional 515 trees in Questa exhibiting signs of aphid stress. While these trees are not currently dead or structurally compromised, they may
require monitoring or future treatment if conditions worsen. 6 Background
Building on What We Already Do
This effort aligns with the City’s broader commitment to maintaining neighborhood infrastructure. For example, the City already fully funds sidewalk repairs caused by street tree roots through a no-cost sidewalk replacement program.
Why This Matters
• Over 1,000 trees require action now
• Total estimated restoration cost exceeds $800,000
• A shared-cost model balances resident equity and City fiscal responsibility • It encourages timely resolution and helps ensure safe, walkable, and visually appealing neighborhoods
While voluntary participation is encouraged, the City retains authority under the ordinance to pursue enforcement, including fines and property liens for prolonged noncompliance.
7 NEXT STEPS
• The Neighborhood Right-of-Way (ROW) Tree
Maintenance Program is designed to implement the
City’s Tree Preservation Ordinance through a
structured and community-supported approach.
• Once finalized, the Program Manual will guide how
the City maintains, enforces, and incentivizes care for street trees.
• To support rollout and long-term compliance, staff is also exploring tools like AI-based image detection,
which may help remotely monitor inventory and
identify violations, improving efficiency while reducing reliance on manual inspection.
ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS
Tonight, we will focus on Incentive Options
70/30 Option
Developing the cost model will require some
strategic planning in costs sharing and
incentivized cooperation.
8 9
NEXT STEPS
Proposed 70/30 Cost-Sharing Program
To accelerate corrective action on the most egregious cases of tree blight, staff recommends a limited-time cost-sharing incentive focused on:
• Missing trees
• Severely disfigured or non-compliant trees
• Dead or hazardous trees
Under the proposal:
• The City would contribute 30% of the cost; up to $1,000 per tree • Homeowners would pay the remaining 70%
• Capped at two trees per property, with an annual application window and funding cap
This program is not intended for minor or isolated violations. It targets visibly noncompliant or missing street trees, where the need is clear and the benefit is high.
Standardized Services & Cost Efficiency
10 Tree work would be bundled and delivered by the City’s contracted vendor using a published unit cost schedule, ensuring transparency and fairness. Services would include:
Tree removal and debris haul-away
Stump grinding and site preparation
15-gallon tree installation with stakes and ties
11 Standardized Services
& Cost Efficiency
By aggregating service needs citywide, the program
takes advantage of economies of scale and minimizes
contractor mobilization costs, maximizing the value of
public funds.
• A typical full removal and replacement costs
approximately $800-$1,000 per tree. Under this
program:
• City would pay approximately $240-$300
• Homeowner would pay approximately $560-$700
Approximately $300,000 has been earmarked in the adopted FY 2025-26 Budget to support the initial implementation of the Neighborhood ROW Tree Maintenance Program. This funding is intended to cover a combination of:
• Program design and administration
• Public outreach and permit processing
• Initial enforcement efforts
• City cost-share contributions for tree removal and replacement A portion of the allocation will be reserved for soft costs, while the remainder will support the launch of a limited-time 70/30 cost-sharing incentive program, or Council final direction. Based on estimated per-tree costs, this initial investment could enable cost-share support for approximately 800 to 1,000 trees in partnership with residents.
Financial Impact
12 Following Council direction, staff will return with a comprehensive program cost model that includes:
• Published unit pricing for services
• Final incentive structure and funding caps
• Administrative and enforcement cost estimates
• Multi-year budget projections
• Performance metrics to evaluate effectiveness (e.g., trees replaced, compliance response times)
This financial model will help guide future funding needs and establish a sustainable approach to preserving and restoring the community’s urban tree canopy.
Financial Impact
13 14
Recommendation
• Staff recommends that the City Council review and discuss the information presented for the development of the NH ROW Tree Maintenance Program and provide Staff
direction on the following:
• Establishment of the proposed 70/30 Homeowner-City
cost split model for removal and replacement of high- priority ROW trees • Funding limits, per-tree and per-property caps, and
program duration
• Any additional criteria Council would like incorporated into the initial rollout phase
15 QUESTIONS
16 NEXT STEPS
Establish a notification process to alert property owners of non- compliancy. Develop NH ROW Tree Maintenance Program strategies that will be implemented into a draft NH ROW Tree Maintenance manual. • Develop program cost model
• Long-term program budget plan
• Create a tree preservation fund
• Program roll-out strategy
• Develop incentive options
• Create tiered cost assistance
• Create exempt conditions
• Establish in-lieu fees
The NH ROW Tree maintenance program aside from pruning will also provide removals and installations.
The unit costs for these services will be established based on contracted pricing and staff labor. The unit priced services will serve as the basis for the entire program. The unit priced list of services will be made available to the community. A property owner that wishes not to take part in incentive programs may choose to apply for city provided tree services at listed unit pricing.
Unit pricing will provide a separate cost for each of the following items:
• Tree removal and haul away debris.
• Stump removal and haul away debris
• Tree installation (15 gal.) and tree stakes & ties.
INCENTIVE OPTIONS – Tiered Cost Assistance
17 A Tree Administrator assigned by the City Manager will be responsible for the following:
Assist in monitoring compliance of the tree protection ordinance. Approve applications for assistance options.
Determine tree health, safety, disfigurement and root impact to infrastructure.
Meet with property owners to expedite service requests, permits and a consult with the property owners.
Estimate the costs of tree removal and replacement.
QUALIFIED ASSISTANCE OPTIONS
18 A tree that is considered a public nuisance, through no fault of the owner, may be considered for an exemption.
City Council will review and approve the circumstances that qualify for exemption status. Trees that present a public nuisance and may include parasitic insects, mistletoe, invasive roots, root rot, tree rot, poor structure, etc.
Each exemption is unique. They must address specific issues. A criterium for each exemption must be established.
The tree administrator will review and inspect the submitted requests and determine if each request meets the exemption criteria for approval.
Exemption status will relieve the property owner of removal and replacement costs. City exemptions should not be approved to property owners that performs unpermitted work on any street tree that disfigures or interferes with the natural growth of the tree.
INCENTIVE OPTIONS – Tree Exemption
19 An in-lieu of installation fee equals the costs of establishing a tree of the same variety and size. A property owner may file a permit to remove a tree (at their cost) and request to pay an in-lieu to avoid the replacement of a removed tree.
Personal reasons on why the property owner wishes not to replace a tree may vary, from allergies, annoyance of tree litter, impact to private property, overly dense canopies of adjacent trees, etc.
Inspection criteria may include the adequate canopy coverage (without the tree), overly dense canopies of adjacent trees, etc.
The costs are typically estimated by the cost-per-inch of diameter of the trunk at chest height. A Tree Preservation Fund will be set up to deposit in-lieu fees that will be used for installation of a tree elsewhere.
IN-LIEU of INSTALLATION FEES
20 IN-LIEU of INSTALLATION FEES
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