City Council Agenda Report
TO: Mayor Clauzel and Members of the City Council
FROM: Fernando Ulloa, City Manager
BY: Will Barrera,
MEETING DATE: September 2, 2025
ITEM NO: 6.9
SUBJECT: Approve an additional appropriation of $30,000 in the CFD 2013-01 Fund for the Baldwin Road Easement Landscape Modification project and authorize the Finance Department to make the necessary budget adjustments.
RECOMMENDATION
Motion to Approve an additional appropriation of $30,000 in the CFD 2013-01 Fund for the Baldwin Road Easement Landscape Modification project and authorize the Finance Department to make the necessary budget adjustments.
BACKGROUND
A portion of Baldwin Road lies within Community Facilities District (CFD) 2013-01. Within this area, there is a narrow landscape easement, ~1,230 feet, planted with mature trees. The existing irrigation infrastructure in this easement consists of PVC lines entangled within the tree root systems. Over time, the irrigation system has fallen into significant disrepair, making effective repair nearly impossible without removing multiple mature trees.
In similar residential settings, the city has removed individual trees to repair irrigation; however, in this case, the number and maturity of the trees make that approach infeasible. Staff has evaluated alternatives and determined that the most cost-effective and sustainable approach is to:
· Abandon the existing irrigation system within the tree easement. · Remove failing turf and replace with decomposed granite (DG), consistent with the adjacent side of Baldwin Road.
This solution ensures preservation of the mature trees, eliminates ongoing irrigation maintenance risks, and aligns with the City’s practice of converting narrow easements with water-demanding turf into low-maintenance, drought-tolerant landscaping.
ANALYSIS
Staff recommends that the City Council approve appropriating CFD 2013-01 funds to the FY 25/26 budget to move forward with the Baldwin Road easement landscape modification project.
This approach offers a long-term, sustainable solution that preserves the existing trees, eliminates failing irrigation systems, reduces maintenance burdens, and creates consistent landscape treatment along both sides of the easement.
Along Baldwin Road, there are two parallel landscape easements divided by the sidewalk: the east side where the mature trees are located, and the west side where turf currently exists. Since the east side turf must be removed as part of the tree irrigation abandonment, staff recommends also removing the turf on the west side and replacing it with drought-tolerant plants. This coordinated approach eliminates water-demanding turf on both sides, ensures consistency in appearance, and reduces ongoing irrigation needs.
Key considerations include:
· Infrastructure Feasibility: The existing PVC system under the trees cannot be repaired without extensive root disturbance, making abandonment the only practical solution. · Consistency: Replacing turf with decomposed granite (DG) and drought-tolerant landscaping will create uniformity across both easements and match improvements on the opposite side of Baldwin Road.
· Tree Preservation: Mature trees on the east side will remain viable · Fiscal Stewardship: While funds were not appropriated in the adopted FY 25/26 budget, sufficient capacity exists within the CFD 2013-01 fund balance to support this project.
This project aligns with City objectives of maintaining safe, sustainable, and cost-effective landscape infrastructure within CFD areas, while also advancing drought-resilient practices.
FISCAL IMPACT
This additional appropriation request is supported in full by the fund balance in the CFD 2013-01 Fund. If approved, additional appropriations will be made to the following accounts:
· $20,000 to Account 178-000-6240 (General Contract Services) · $10,000 to Account 178-000-6300 (Facility Maintenance)