COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Ramon Galo, Recreation and Parks Director
DATE: August 4, 2026
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution approving a Professional Services Agreement for City Tree Maintenance Services
Description:
The City Council will consider adopting a Resolution approving an award of a Professional Services Agreement to West Coast Arborists for street tree maintenance in the City.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Adopt a Resolution approving a Professional Services Agreement with West Coast Arborists for City tree maintenance services; and
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the agreement.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Santa Maria maintains approximately 26,000 trees located throughout parks, parkways, landscaped medians, streetscapes, rights -of-way, and other City -owned properties. Routine tree maintenance is essential to preserve the health and appearance of the City's urban forest, reduce public safety hazards, and protect public infrastructure.
The Recreation and Parks Department is responsible for maintaining the City's tree inventory. Due to the specialized equipment, technical expertise, and staffing required to perform pruning, removals, emergency respon se, and other arboricultural services, the City periodically contracts with qualified professional tree care firms to supplement City maintenance operations.
Consistent with the City's purchasing policies, the City solicited proposals from qualified contractors to provide citywide tree maintenance services. Proposals were evaluated based on qualifications, experience, technical capability, responsiveness, and cost.
Following the evaluation process, staff determined that West Coast Arborists is the most qualified company to provide the services requested.
2 DISCUSSION:
The proposed Professional Services Agreement will provide the city with comprehensive tree maintenance services. Services include, but are not limited to:
Tree pruning and canopy management;
Hazardous tree assessment and removal;
Emergency tree response following storms or other incidents; Stump grinding;
Removal and disposal of tree debris;
Traffic control associated with tree work; and
Other related arboricultural services as directed by the City.
Maintaining the City's trees through a qualified contractor supports public safety by reducing hazards caused by dead, diseased, or structurally compromised trees. Regular maintenance also promotes tree health, extends the useful life of the City's urban forest, improves neighborhood aesthetics, and helps protect streets, sidewalks, and other public infrastructure from damage caused by unmanaged tree growth.
The agreement establishes service expectations, insurance requirements, safety standards, and compensation terms necessary to ensure professional and timely completion of work.
Alternative(s)
The City Council can choose not to approve this cooperative purchasing agreement; if so, tree work around the city would stop until the City could prepare, release, and evaluate requests for proposals from other firms.
Fiscal Consideration
The Professional Services Agreement has a total yearly value not to exceed $730,000.
Funds for this work come from a variety of sources: Gas Tax, Measure A, landscap e district assessments and the General Fund.
Impact on the Community
Regularly scheduled tree work keeps the urban forest thriving, reduces exposure to liability, and helps identify inequities in the urban forest around the city. Trees provide the generation of oxygen, absorb CO2 in the atmosphere, and help to mitigate urban flooding by storing rainwater. Trees that are not properly cared for are not able to provide these benefits.
ATTACHMENT(S)
A. Resolution Approving Agreement for Tree Maintenance Services B. Tree Agreement
C. Tree Maintenance RFP 2026