CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: JULY 8, 2026 BUSINESS & LEGISLATIVE
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING A PALM TREE TRIMMING
POLICY, AND SUPERSEDING ALL PREVIOUS PALM TREE TRIMMING
PROCEDURES AND POLICIES
FROM: Scott C. Stiles, City Manager
BY: David McAbee, Director of Public Works
SUMMARY:
Adoption of this resolution will approve a policy to allow for the removal of dry fronds from California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera) within the City’s right-of-way, City parks and other City property.
RECOMMENDATION:
1) Adopt a Resolution entitled, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING A PALM TREE TRIMMING
POLICY, AND SUPERSEDING ALL PREVIOUS PALM TREE TRIMMING
PROCEDURES AND POLICIES AND FINDING THE POLICY EXEMPT FROM
THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT PURSUANT TO STATE CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15304 (MINOR ALTERATIONS TO LAND).” (Attachment A)
2)Appropriate $300,000 from General Fund Balance to a Grounds Maintenance Account.
BACKGROUND:
On July 28, 1982, City Council approved minute order 3116 (Attachment B) establishing a policy for palm tree trimming, allowing palm trees to be trimmed as necessary until such time as the lower edge of the fronds’ “skirts” are twelve feet from the ground. This policy did not address fruit pod removal.
In 2007, as part of the General Plan Amendment process, the following two goals were established in the community design element:
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CD7.3 Amend the City’s Palm Tree Trimming policy to require skinning of trunks of Washingtonia robusta (Mexican fan palms) in the right-of-way to create a more maintained appearance.
CD7.4 Phase out the use of Washingtonia robusta (Mexican fan palms) in the public right-of-way. As robusta die or are replaced, use Washingtonia filifera for their replacement and in new landscape designs in the public right-of-way.
Mexican Fan Palms (Washingtonia robusta) California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera)
On May 6, 2009, the City Council approved Resolution 22475 (Attachment C), adopting a palm tree trimming policy incorporating General Plan goal number CD7.3.
The City annually trims fruit pods and fronds from City-owned palm trees based on Resolution 22475 as follows:
All California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera) and Mexican Fan Palms (Washingtonia robusta) located within the public right-of-way, shall have the fruit pods removed.
California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera) located within the public right-of-way, shall not have fronds removed and shall retain their “skirts”, and their trunks shall not be skinned, but remain in their natural condition. Fronds shall be sheared to provide 12’ minimum clearance and fronds at the skirt bottom shall be sheared to maintain a clean look.
Mexican Fan Palms (Washingtonia robusta) within the public right-of-way, shall have their dry fronds removed and their trunks shall be skinned.
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The City Council's July 9, 2024 agenda included a proposal to modify the City's palm tree skirt policy. After publication of the agenda, but before the item was heard, the City received a number of public comments regarding the agenda item. The item was pulled from the agenda and City staff was asked to seek out any possible public safety alternatives from community members, vendors, arborists, and other relevant parties.
This agenda item is being brought back after that outreach has been completed and City staff has received and evaluated input from all parties consulted.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
The City of Palm Springs is world renowned for its distinctive palm tree-lined streets and parkways. These palm trees create the unique character that make Palm Springs a destination city, having one of the largest compositions of heritage quality California Fan Palms in their natural state. The current City policy restricts removal of California Fan Palm dry fronds and skinning of trunks (i.e., “skirts”) but allows the removal of fruit pods and fronds to be sheared to provide a 12’ clearance from the ground.
At the direction of the City Council, the City has evaluated the risk presented by preserving California Fan Palms in their natural state when faced with storm events, such as high winds, and the possibility of fronds becoming displaced from a California Fan Palm and landing on the area beneath. City staff and the City Attorney have determined that the dry fronds (i.e., “skirts”) should be removed when the subject trees are located in pedestrian- intense locations such as public rights-of-ways.
In addition to the physical danger of falling skirts — which can weigh anywhere from 1,000 to over 4,000 pounds — palm tree skirts harbor pests and rodents that pose significant public health risks. Roof rats are common nesters in palm tree skirts throughout Southern California and are carriers of serious diseases including Hantavirus, Leptospirosis, and Salmonellosis. Palm tree skirts also provide ideal habitat for cockroaches, which carry bacteria including E. coli and Salmonella, and whose droppings and shed skins are known allergens that can trigger asthma.
Should a skirt fall, the disturbed debris creates an additional inhalation hazard for pedestrians in the area, posing a direct health risk to tree workers, arborists, and bystanders alike. For example, in February of 2024, a palm tree skirt from a palm tree in the City right-of-way fell on an individual, injuring her and leading to a lawsuit against the City.
Public Safety Alternatives
Since the July 2024 agenda item, City staff has investigated public safety alternatives suggested by community members and providers of proposed solutions, including a tree skirt "capture" mechanism. As described in more detail below, City staff has determined that no practical or adequate public safety alternatives to trimming the skirts exist.
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A local community member recommended reaching out to Troybelt, a Florida-based company that manufactures nylon belts designed to prevent fronds from falling to the ground. Staff met with Troybelt on April 1, 2025, to discuss their product and whether it could be a viable option for the City.
It was discovered that the belts are intended for Royal Palm trees native to Florida, which are substantially different from the California Fan Palms found in Palm Springs. The belts are designed to contain a small number of falling fronds and require replacement approximately every three months. Given that California Fan Palms produce large, heavy skirts, the belt would not be capable of holding them in place.
Individual fronds can weigh over 20 pounds, and as dead fronds accumulate over the years — with up to 50 fronds added annually — a full skirt can reach several thousand pounds in mature, untrimmed trees.
Furthermore, installation would require a worker to go beneath and inside the skirt every three months —an extremely dangerous undertaking, as the skirt could release and fall on the worker, or trap and suffocate them. Given these safety concerns and the belt's inability to adequately secure the skirts, this option was determined not to be viable for the City.
Staff contacted West Coast Arborists, the City's contracted trimming company, and consulted with their arborist staff to determine whether any other devices or equipment might provide a viable solution. The contractor concluded that no such device exists that can reliably hold skirts in place once they detach.
Staff also reached out to the American Public Works Association (APWA), a nationwide organization with an extensive professional network. This outreach similarly yielded no viable device options for securing detached skirts.
The City's Fire Department regularly trains to manage incidents involving California Fan Palm skirts, which pose inherent dangers to arborists working on the trees, pedestrians on the ground, and Fire Department personnel responding to palm tree-related incidents.
Staff recently reached out to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to inquire about their perspective on the removal of California Fan Palm skirts. Staff received a response indicating no opinion on the matter.
Aesthetics
Some have suggested that trimming of the skirts would create an aesthetic that is incompatible with Palm Springs historic brand. In this regard, it bears noting that the City does not have a long history of keeping palm tree skirts. For instance, these street scenes of downtown Palm Springs in the 1960s clearly show these California Fan Palms in a fully trimmed condition:
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The Palm Springs Scene, Jack Douglas, Periscope Film, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2fan6oTROM&t=29s Therefore, a palm tree trimming policy that provides for the removal of the skirts would not be incompatible with the City’s historic aesthetic.
Proposed Policy
The proposed resolution amends the palm tree trimming policy to establish standards that promote public safety for the trimming of California Fan Palms and Mexican Fan Palms within the City’s right-of-way, City parks, and other City property. All California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera) and Mexican Fan Palms (Washington robusta) located within the public right-of-way, shall have the fruit pods removed.
All California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera) and Mexican Fan Palms (Washingtonia robusta) located within the City’s public right-of-way, City parks and other City property, except for designated historic sites, shall have their dry fronds, including the skirts, removed and their trunks shall be skinned.
The City has approximately 2,150 California Fan Palms.
If the proposed policy is adopted, City staff will utilize the Citywide tree trimming contract to trim California Fan Palms in phases until completion over approximately the next 4
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years. Trimming will begin in the most densely populated areas of the City, starting with the Downtown area, before transitioning to City Parks, Medians and Parkways, Assessment Districts, and other City property.
The City will strive to cease trimming during its most populated nesting season starting April 15th and continuing through June 30th annually. Although varying time frames are referenced as nesting season due to Palm Springs’ unique weather conditions, nesting season can be year-round but is observed at its highest from mid-April through June. City staff and our contracted tree trimming vendor annually avoid tree trimming during these times, but if required due to public safety, staff shall employ additional precautionary measures such as deploying an urban biologist to inspect the palm tree prior to any trimming activities taking place to ensure no active nesting exists. Currently, the City’s vendor follows the protocol outlined below to ensure nesting, regardless of the time of year, is not disturbed.
Wildlife Protection Training
oIdentify types of nests
oHow to do a pre-work survey
oLearn when to get help with a pre-work survey
oBecome aware of “problem” type trees that make it difficult to see wildlife oLearn differences between active and inactive nests
oWhat to do and who to call if you find a bird nest with eggs or young oLearn what to do if you find an injured or orphaned wildlife Employ wildlife trained staff
Pre-work survey (inspection)
oInspect the tree from ground
oInspect from aloft before trimming activities
Visually scan tree
Look for dark shapes that don’t fit the leaf or branch pattern Look for holes or cavities, especially in dead limbs
Check for bird feces, pellets, feathers, or bones on the ground Check for squirrel signs – empty nut shells, feeding debris on ground Listen for repeated alarm calls, birds and mammals often try to defend their young
Continue to inspect as foliage is being removed
City staff and its tree trimming vendor will ensure all palm tree trimming activities are in line with Palm Springs Municipal Code Section 11.36.010 Wildlife Protected.1 1 That section reads, “No person shall kill, capture or molest any species of wildlife or damage the nest or eggs of any wildlife within the city, except any poisonous reptile or insect; provided, however, that if it shall be determined by the city manager, or his authorized representative, that wildlife has become a menace to any person's health, safety or property, the city manager shall issue a permit authorizing such person to kill or capture such wildlife. In no event shall any person use or employ poison or diseased material to kill or capture wildlife.” City Council Staff Report
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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
The Policy is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15304, Minor Alterations to Land (“Class 4”).
The Class 4 exemption allows minor public alterations in the condition of land, which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees. Here, the Policy permits minor alterations to specific palm trees, limited to fruit pod removal, trunk skinning, and/or shearing, in certain public areas for the safety of the City’s residents. The Policy does not permit tree removal of any sort.
The City has also considered whether the proposed Policy is subject to any exception to the Class 4 exemption, as set forth in State CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2. No exception applies for the following reasons:
The Policy does not affect palm trees located in a sensitive environment. These palm trees are located in highly urbanized areas of the City within the public right- of-way or parks, which are not designated as sensitive environments. The Policy would not result in any significant cumulative impacts on the environment since successive policies of the same type are unlikely to be proposed or implemented.
The Policy does not involve any unusual circumstances and has no potential to result in a significant impact on the environment. The Policy simply permits certain tree trimming procedures in the public right-of-way, parks and City properties. The areas affected by the Policy are not located within a state scenic highway. These areas affected by the Policy do not contain a site that is included on any hazardous waste site list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code.
Should the Policy be approved, Staff is directed to file a Notice of Exemption (Attachment D) within five (5) working days of approval.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING:
Adoption of the proposed Policy will support the City Council’s goal of providing for quality, well-maintained infrastructure and facilities, as well as protecting public safety and community services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this action will require an appropriation of $300,000 from General Fund Balance into Public Works Grounds Maintenance Account 1006540-40105.
Funding will be budgeted for subsequent fiscal years in the following accounts:
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1006540-40105 & 50121
1006515-40105
1413060-80000
2603205-50119
4157045-40105
5206570-40105 & 50119
REVIEWED BY:
Assistant Director of Public Works: Daniel Martinez
Director of Public Works: David McAbee
Director of Finance & Treasurer: Kristopher J. Mooney
Assistant City Manager: Teresa Gallavan
City Manager: Teresa Gallavan for SS
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Resolution
B. Minute Order 3116
C. Resolution No. 22475
D. Notice of Exemption