Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit D, Special Terms and Conditions
5. Dispute Resolution
A. Invoice Disputes
i. In the event of an invoice dispute, the Grant Manager will notify Grantee by phone and follow up in writing using the Invoice Dispute Notification Template (Attachment 6) within ten (10) working days of receipt of the disputed invoice.
ii. During the dispute, both parties shall deal in good faith to resolve the dispute.
Grantee shall continue to meet its responsibilities and obligations under the terms of this Grant Agreement.
iii. If Grantee contests the decision made by the Grant Manager, Grantee shall submit a written “Notice of Dispute” on official letterhead, according to Subsection C below.
B. General Disputes
i. In the event of a dispute unrelated to the dispute of an invoice, Grantee shall first attempt to resolve the dispute with the Grant Manager. ii. Both parties shall deal in good faith and attempt to resolve the dispute informally.
iii. Grantee shall continue to meet its responsibilities and obligations under the terms of this Grant Agreement during a dispute.
iv. If Grantee contests the decision made by the Grant Manager, Grantee shall submit a written “Notice of Dispute” on official letterhead, according to Subsection C below.
C. Contesting a Dispute Decision
i. If Grantee contests a decision made by the Grant Manager, Grantee may submit a written “Notice of Dispute” on official letterhead. The “Notice of Dispute” shall include:
• The Grant Agreement number
• A complete description of the basis for the dispute
• Legal authority or pertinent facts, supporting arguments and documentation
• Action requested for resolution
The “Notice of Dispute” shall be sent to the following address, with copies sent via email to the OPR contacts in Exhibit A, Section 4:
Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
RRGP
Attn: RRGP Program Manager
1400 Tenth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
ii. Within 30 days after receipt of the “Notice of Dispute,” the OPR RRGP Program Manager shall review the dispute and submit a written decision to Grantee, which shall include: Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit D, Special Terms and Conditions
• The decision made
• An explanation for the decision
iii. The written dispute decision of the OPR RRGP Program Manager is considered final and cannot be disputed further by the Grantee.
6. Termination
A. Completion of Project. This Grant Agreement shall terminate upon completion of the Project and payment of the last invoice.
B. Early Termination. Either Party may terminate this Grant Agreement upon thirty (30) days advance written notice by certified mail to the other Party. The notice shall specify the reason for early termination and may permit Grantee or OPR to rectify any deficiency(ies) prior to the early termination date. i. Conditions of early termination:
1. Upon any termination, Grantee must deliver all
invoices, reports, and other deliverables required by
this Grant Agreement up to the time of termination.
Grantee must deliver all materials within sixty (60)
calendar days of the termination date.
2. Upon receipt of notice from OPR of Termination for
Convenience, or upon sending the notice of early
termination to OPR, Grantee shall immediately take
action to ensure neither it nor any Partner or
Subcontractor incur any additional obligations, costs
or expenses, except as may be reasonably necessary
to terminate its activities.
3. OPR will examine the extent of Grantee compliance
for work partially completed and reasonably
determine costs eligible for reimbursement based on
final invoices submitted and compliance with this
Grant Agreement.
ii. The rights and remedies of OPR and Grantee provided in this section shall not be exclusive and are in addition to any other rights and remedies provided by law or under this Grant Agreement.
b.
7. Waiver of Rights
A. Grantee waives any and all rights to any type of express or implied indemnity or right of contribution from OPR, its officers, agents, or employees for any liability arising from, growing out of, or in any way connected with this Grant Agreement.
B. Grantee waives all claims and recourses against OPR, including the right to contribution for loss or damage to persons or property arising from, growing out of, or in any way connected with or incident to this Grant Agreement, except claims arising from the gross negligence of OPR, its officers, agents, and employees.
C. None of the provisions of this Grant Agreement shall be deemed waived unless expressly waived in writing. Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit D, Special Terms and Conditions
8. Insurance Requirements
A. A Grantee that is a governmental organization may provide evidence of sufficient self-insurance to satisfy the insurance requirements below.
B. If Grantee is not a governmental organization or is a governmental organization that is unable to provide evidence of sufficient self-insurance, then the following are the insurance requirements:
C. Grantee must ensure the following insurance policies are obtained and kept in force for the term of this Grant Agreement, with no lapses in coverage, that cover any acts or omissions of Grantee or its employees engaged in carrying out any tasks specified in this Grant Agreement:
i. Workers’ Compensation Insurance in an amount of not less than the statutory requirement of the State of California (Labor Code, § 3700 et seq.). ii. Commercial general liability insurance in an amount of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage combined. iii. Motor vehicle liability with limits not less than $1,000,000 per accident for bodily injury and property damage combined. Such insurance shall cover liability arising out of a motor vehicle including owned or hired, and nonowned motor vehicles.
D. Insurance policies must name the State of California, its officers, agents, employees, and servants as additional insured parties for the commercial general liability and automobile liability insurance, but only with respect to work performed under this Grant Agreement.
E. Grantee is responsible for guaranteeing that a copy of each Certificate of Insurance is submitted OPR within sixty (60) calendar days of the Grant Agreement signature. The grant number must be included on each submitted Certificate of Insurance.
F. Grantee must notify OPR prior to any insurance policy cancellation or substantial change of policy, including lapse of coverage, change in coverage amount, or change in carrier. Grantee shall submit proof of new or updated policy based on insurance requirements within thirty (30) days of policy cancellation or substantial policy change. Failure to provide proof of insurance may result in termination of this Grant Agreement.
9. Stop Work
If it is determined, at the sole discretion of OPR, that Grantee is not meeting the terms and conditions of this Grant Agreement, immediately upon receiving a written notice through certified mail from OPR to stop work, Grantee shall cease all work under this Grant Agreement. OPR has the sole discretion to determine that Grantee meets the terms and conditions of this Grant Agreement after a stop work order, and to send through certified mail a written notice to Grantee to resume work under this Grant Agreement.
10. Remedies of Nonperformance
Grantee’s failure to comply with any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall constitute a breach of this Agreement. OPR will give written notice to the Grantee to cure the breach or violation within a period of not less than 15 days. Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit D, Special Terms and Conditions
In addition to the other remedies that may be available to OPR in law or equity for breach of this Agreement, OPR may at its discretion exercise the following remedies:
A. Undertake the dispute resolution process set forth at Exhibit D, Section 5; B. Issue a stop work order pursuant to Exhibit D, Section 9; C. Disqualify the Grantee from applying for future RRGP funds or other OPR administered grant programs;
D. Revoke existing RRGP grant funds to the Grantee;
E. Require the repayment of RRGP grant funds disbursed and expended under this Agreement;
F. Seek a court order for specific performance of the obligation defaulted upon, or the appointment of a receiver to complete the obligations in accordance with the RRGP Guidelines and this Agreement;
G. Other remedies available by law, or by and through this Agreement. All remedies available to OPR are cumulative and not exclusive.
11. Publicity
Grantee agrees that it will acknowledge OPR in all publications, websites, signage, invitations, and other media-related and public-outreach products related to the RRGP. OPR staff will provide OPR logo files and guidance on their usage directly to Grantee. Grantee agrees to adhere to the Communications Kit provided by OPR (Exhibit H). If Grantee is planning an event or announcement, needs sample materials, or needs assistance or advice, Grantee shall contact the Grant Manager.
A. Long-Form Materials: Long-form written materials, such as reports, must include the following standard language about OPR, RRGP, and the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP):
As communities in California experience more frequent, prolonged, and severe impacts from climate change, communities and governments at all scales are developing strategies and implementing actions to build a climate- resilient future. However, many jurisdictions, especially under-resourced communities in California, lack the capacity, tools, guidance, and resources to effectively prepare for climate impacts.
The RRGP addresses this capacity gap by providing funding to help fill planning needs, providing communities with the resources to identify climate resilience priorities, and supporting the development of climate resilience projects across the state. The RRGP enables communities to climate risk and adaptation considerations into planning activities and prepare for climate readiness and resilience in the long term.
• The RRGP is an initiative of the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) housed within the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. ICARP advances statewide climate adaptation and resilience by coordinating investments, partnerships and climate science to ensure people, natural systems, and the built environment are protected, prepared, and thrive in the face of climate change.
• Through direct and equity-focused investments and resources, ICARP helps build climate adapted and equitable communities in California, with a Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit D, Special Terms and Conditions
focus on solutions that both address the impacts of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. ICARP works to advance these priorities across all levels of government by developing actionable science and research; providing guidance, tools, and technical assistance; and administering climate resilience-focused grant programs.
Learn more: https://opr.ca.gov/climate/icarp/
A. Press Releases, Flyers, and Visual Materials: Any informational materials that do not qualify as long-form, but that include at least a paragraph of text, such as press releases, media advisories, short case studies, flyers, etc., must include either of the following messages:
Long version:
“[Project Name] is supported by the Regional Resilience Grant Program at the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR). The Regional Resilience Grant Program is an initiative of OPR’s Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP). ICARP advances climate adaptation and resilience in California by coordinating investments, partnerships and climate science to ensure people, natural systems, and the built environment are protected, prepared, and thrive in the face of climate change.
Short version:
“[Project Name] is supported by the Regional Resilience Grant Program implemented by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.” Grantee may at times produce promotional materials that are primarily visual in nature, such as banners, signage, certain flyers, and sharable images for social media. In such cases, when including the above boilerplate language acknowledging ICARP and OPR support is not practical, Grantee should instead include the official OPR logo, preceded by the words “Funded by.” B. Media Inquiries: Grantee must provide to OPR the name, phone number, and email address of Grantee’s point of contact for all press inquiries and communications needs related to the Project. Grantees must also distribute a press release after grant decisions are presented during ICARP Technical Advisory Council (TAC) Meetings, and may be requested to present before the TAC and release communications materials for other major milestones throughout the lifecycle of the grant. All press releases must be approved by the OPR Communications and External Affairs prior to distribution and OPR must be alerted to all press events related to the grant.
C. Communications Materials and Photos: Grantee shall share between 8-12 highresolution, color photos with OPR during the Grant Term. These photos should include pictures of people involved with the Project, the Project area, and/or activities conducted during the Grant Term. OPR reserves the right to use these photos across its communications platforms.
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit D, Special Terms and Conditions
D. Social Media: Grantee is encouraged to use social media to share and inform the public of activities under this Grant Agreement. LinkedIn: @Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) @CalOPR and #ICARP #climateadaptation #climateresilience #RRGP should be tagged on all posts related to the RRGP grant. Use of the hashtags #CAresilience and #ICARP and related variations is also encouraged.
12. Drug-Free Workplace Certification
In signing this Grant Agreement, Grantee certifies that it will comply with the requirements of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1990 and will provide a drug-free workplace by taking the following actions:
A. Publish a statement notifying employees that unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited and specifying actions to be taken against employees for violations.
B. Establish a Drug-Free Awareness Program to inform employees about:
i. The dangers of drug abuse in the workplace.
ii. The person's or organization's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace. iii. Any available counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs. iv. Penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations.
C. Every employee who works on this Grant Agreement will:
i. Receive a copy of the company's drug-free workplace policy statement. ii. Agree to abide by the terms of the company's statement as a condition of employment on this Grant Agreement.
Failure to comply with these requirements may result in suspension of payments under this Grant Agreement or termination of this Grant Agreement or both, and Grantee may be ineligible for award of any future State of California agreements if OPR determines that any of the following has occurred: Grantee has made false certification, or violated the certification by failing to carry out the requirements as noted above (Gov. Code, § 8350 et seq.).
13. Americans with Disabilities Act
Grantee will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as all applicable regulations and guidelines issued pursuant to the ADA (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
14. Air/Water Pollution Violation Certification
Under State of California laws, Grantee shall not be: (1) in violation of any order or resolution not subject to review promulgated by the California Air Resources Board or an air pollution control district; (2) subject to cease and desist order not subject to review issued pursuant to Section 13301 of the Water Code for violation of waste discharge requirements or discharge prohibitions; or (3) finally determined to be in violation of provisions of federal law relating to air or water pollution.
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit D, Special Terms and Conditions
15. Payee Data Record Form - STD 204
This form must be completed by all Grantees that are not another state agency or other governmental entity.
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit E, APGP Guidelines
Exhibit E, RRGP Guidelines
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit F, Award Letter
Exhibit F, Award Letter
[Insert award letter here.]
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit G, Grant Application
Exhibit G, Grant Application
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit H, APGP Communications Kit
Exhibit H, RRGP Communications Kit
Welcome to the California Office of Planning & Research Awardee Community! Dear Regional Resilience Grant Program Grantee,
Congratulations on your successful award from the Regional Resilience Grant Program! Your dedication and hard work have paid off, and we are thrilled to be partnering with you on your important project.
At the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR), we recognize the significance of your work in advancing climate resilience and adaptation. Your project holds great potential to deliver substantial environmental, health, and climate benefits to your community, and we are committed to supporting you every step of the way.
To assist you in effectively communicating and sharing the impact of your project, OPR's Communications and External Affairs team has prepared this Communications Toolkit. It serves as a comprehensive set of communications and branding guidelines specific to the Regional Resilience Grant Program, as well as a range of resources and best practices to enhance your outreach across various media channels.
We believe that your project deserves recognition not only within your community but also as a model for others facing similar challenges. The tools and guidance provided in this kit will help you effectively share your accomplishments, engage stakeholders, and build awareness about the importance of climate adaptation and resilience planning.
As you plan events, announcements, or any communication activities related to your grant, please refer to this toolkit and adhere to the guidelines provided. Should you require sample materials, event support, or expert advice, our Deputy Director of Communications and External Affairs, Emily Breslin, is available to assist you. You can reach Emily at [email protected].
We appreciate the inspiring work you are doing to implement innovative and effective climate adaptation strategies. Together, we can make a substantial difference in building resilient communities and securing a sustainable future for all. We value our partnership and look forward to supporting you every step of the way.
Best regards,
The Governor's Office of Planning and Research Team
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit H, APGP Communications Kit
We are promoting the final 16 grantees on all of our channels through a press release and social media and welcome you to do the same. Below is some suggested language, but please feel very free to modify any of it as you see fit:
[Organization Name] is pleased to announce that [Project Name] has been selected as a recipient of the Round 1 Regional Resilience Grant Program, provided by the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR). This new grant program supports planning and implementation projects that strengthen climate change resilience at a regional scale. We’re thrilled to announce our project is one of sixteen awarded!
With the support of the Regional Resilience Grant Program, [Project Name] will be able to [briefly describe the project's goals and objectives]. This funding will enable us to [insert deliverables etc… implement innovative strategies, leverage partnerships, and incorporate cutting-edge climate science to enhance our resilience and adaptation measures].
Find more information about the Regional Resilience Grant Program and the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program ICARP here and read more about our other projects in today’s press announcement, here.
We look forward to working with the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and want to congratulate all the recipients of the Regional Resilience Grant Program. Together, we will build a more resilient California for All.
LinkedIn: @Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) @CalOPR and #ICARP #climateadaptation #climateresilience #RRGP #CAresilience Publicity Requirements & Guidelines for RRGP Awardees
RRGP awardees should acknowledge OPR in all publications, websites, signage, invitations, and other media-related and public-outreach products related to the RRGP.
OPR staff will provide OPR logo files and guidance on their usage directly to Grantee.
When using OPR’s logo, use the color version only when the logo appears on a white background; on backgrounds of any other color, please use the white version of the logo.
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit H, APGP Communications Kit
LONG-FORM MATERIALS
Long-form written materials, such as reports, must include the following standard language about OPR, RRGP, and the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP):
As communities in California experience more frequent, prolonged, and severe impacts from climate change, communities and governments at all scales are developing strategies and implementing actions to build a climate- resilient future. However, many jurisdictions, especially under-resourced communities in California, lack the capacity, tools, guidance, and resources to effectively prepare for and build resilience to climate impacts.
The RRGP addresses this capacity gap by providing funding to help fill regional-scale planning and implementation needs, providing communities with the resources to identify climate resilience priorities, and implementing regional climate resilience projects across the state. The RRGP supports multi-jurisdictional partnerships to work together to address the most significant climate change risks in their region, especially in communities that are most vulnerable to climate change impacts.
The RRGP is an initiative of the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) housed within the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. ICARP advances statewide climate adaptation and resilience by coordinating investments, partnerships and climate science to ensure people, natural systems, and the built environment are protected, prepared, and thrive in the face of climate change.
Through direct and equity-focused investments and resources, ICARP helps build climate adapted and equitable communities in California, with a focus on solutions that both address the impacts of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
ICARP works to advance these priorities across all levels of government by developing actionable science and research; providing guidance, tools, and technical assistance; and administering climate resilience-focused grant programs.
Learn more: https://opr.ca.gov/climate/icarp/
PRESS RELEASES, FLYERS, AND VISUAL MATERIALS
Any informational materials that do not qualify as long-form, but that include at least a paragraph of text, such as press releases, media advisories, short case studies, flyers, etc., must include either of the following messages:
Long version:
“[Project Name] is supported by the Regional Resilience Grant Program at the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR). The Regional Resilience Grant Program is an initiative of OPR’s Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP). ICARP advances climate adaptation and resilience in California by coordinating investments, partnerships and climate science to Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit H, APGP Communications Kit
ensure people, natural systems, and the built environment are protected, prepared, and thrive in the face of climate change.
Short version:
“[Project Name] is supported by the Regional Resilience Grant Program implemented by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.”
Mostly visual:
Grantee may at times produce promotional materials that are primarily visual in nature, such as banners, signage, certain flyers, and sharable images for social media. In such cases, when including the above boilerplate language acknowledging ICARP and OPR support is not practical, Grantee should instead include the official OPR logo, preceded by the words “Funded by.”
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit H, APGP Communications Kit
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Grantee must provide to OPR the name, phone number, and email address of Grantee’s point of contact for all press inquiries and communications needs related to the Project. Grantees must also distribute a press release after grant decisions are presented during ICARP Technical Advisory Council (TAC) Meetings, and may be requested to present before the TAC and release communications materials for other major milestones throughout the lifecycle of the grant. All press releases must be approved by the OPR Communications and External Affairs prior to distribution and OPR must be alerted to all press events related to the grant.
COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS & PHOTOS
Grantee shall share between 8-12 high-resolution, color photos with OPR during the Grant Term. These photos should include pictures of people involved with the Project, the Project area, and/or activities conducted during the Grant Term. OPR reserves the right to use these photos across its communications platforms.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Grantee is encouraged to use social media to share and inform the public of activities under this Grant Agreement. LinkedIn: @Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) @CalOPR and #ICARP #climateadaptation #climateresilience #RRGP should be tagged on all posts related to the RRGP grant. Use of the hashtags #CAresilience and #ICARP and related variations is also encouraged.
Spread the Word
Here are a few effective ways to raise awareness around your important work. In every case, we recommend a clear, concise writing style that avoids technical terms and is easy for most readers to access. Be sure all of your communications comply with the Publicity Requirements and Guidelines on pages 2-10 of this kit.
Create a Website
One of the best ways to share the latest information about the progress of your RRGP project is to compile everything the public needs to know into well-organized website.
Your website should be simple and inviting, with sections explaining who you are, what the RRGP program is, and why the project is important. Keeping the website updated with your latest accomplishments and steps taken to achieve your goals will keep members of your community enthusiastic and engaged. You can choose from dozens of inexpensive website templates, such as Wix, Square Space, and WordPress.
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit H, APGP Communications Kit
Press Releases & Media Advisories
If you’re interested in getting mentioned by your local news outlets (newspapers, webbased news, radio, television), you’ve got to alert reporters, editors, hosts, news desks, and producers in your local media market. Here are a couple ways to get their attention (in both cases, include a contact name, title, phone number, and email at the top):
Press release
This is a narrative piece that tells the reader a story. Your best bet is to write it in the style of a story you’d read in the newspaper. Start with the most important part so that the reader knows immediately what you want to tell them about. From there, add details to flesh out the story (the amount of the grant, the number of supporting community groups, total emissions reductions, etc.), along with quotes from people who are engaged with your project – for example, representatives from partner organizations, residents who engaged in project design, and OPR’s Executive Director. Some media outlets might publish your press release as is! Others will follow up with questions or to interview someone.
Media advisory
This is a short piece you send to reporters, editors, hosts, news desks, and producers when you want to invite them to attend and cover an event, such as a groundbreaking, ribbon-cutting, dedication, etc. Make sure you answer the most important questions (who/what/when/where/why/how) and emphasize what makes your story worthy of media attention—as well as what photo opportunities will be available at the event.
Social Media
Numerous social media platforms support digital storytelling and promotion. Use your existing platforms to talk about your RRGP project. We also encourage you to follow OPR on Twitter and LinkedIn so we can watch for and share your updates about your RRGP project. Please see our social media section of this kit for more details.
Blog Post
If you or any of your partners currently has an active blog, we encourage you to write a post highlighting the progress or impact of your RRGP project. For example, ask a project partner to write a guest blog or sit with you for a Q&A to highlight some of the specific benefits of their programs, who is receiving those benefits, and how the community has been involved. After you’ve posted your blog, you can share it on your social media platforms!
Newsletter
If you or any of your RRGP partners have a newsletter or listserv, please share your award announcement and other important milestones through that platform.
Encourage community leaders and/or elected officials who work with you frequently to announce RRGP milestones through their newsletters or listservs as well. Please contact us at OPR so we can share your important RRGP milestones through our newsletter as well!
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit H, APGP Communications Kit
Op-Ed or Letter to the Editor
Consider writing an op-ed or letter to the editor of your local newspaper to raise awareness of your new RRGP award and the benefits it will bring to your community. A good approach is to acknowledge the various stakeholders involved in the planning process, name the specific benefits this project will bring to members of your community, and emphasize the place-based, community-driven approach to this project using RRGP’s model. An op-ed is typically around 600 words (it depends on the outlet) and you submit it to the Op-Ed Editor; it is best to reach out to this editor with an outline for your piece and ask if they’re interested in running a developed piece from you. A letter-to-the-editor is short – usually under 200 words – and you just submit it directly to the letters section of the outlet.
Events
Events with community members, leaders, and elected officials can be a draw for the press, as well as for local residents, and are a great way to build excitement about your RRGP project.
Host Community Events
Organizing a fun kick-off meeting and other community events for stakeholders and the general public is a great way to raise awareness about your RRGP award and get more people involved in the planning process. These kinds of events can help make sure everyone is on the same page and united in your mission, as well as enthusiastic about the tangible benefits your project will create.
Remember
The OPR team is here to help! We love to work with awardees to brainstorm communication strategies. We can provide quotes from OPR leadership for your press releases and make leadership available for media interviews. We can coach you on how to pitch media, help you identify reporters, and help secure participation by State officials in your event. Contact OPR’s Deputy Director of External Affairs, Emily Breslin, for support: [email protected].
Social Media
Social media offers an array of powerful, free platforms that enable you to communicate about your RRGP project to potentially large audiences.
Follow us
The California Office of Planning & Research (@Cal_OPR) posts frequently on Twitter about the State’s efforts to improve our environment and communities. OPR is also active on LinkedIn. We encourage you and your RRGP partners to follow our accounts to stay up to date on the latest news on our policies and programs. If we tweet about the RRGP, or about anything else relevant or interesting to you, please ‘like’ and retweet us—sometimes it can even save you the trouble of crafting your own tweet. Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit H, APGP Communications Kit
Tag us
We love seeing grantees’ progress from vision to reality. Please post updates and photos of project events or outcomes on social media, and make sure to tag us so that we can like, comment, and retweet to share your hard work with all of California.
Tag Your Partners
Remember to include co-applicants and other key stakeholders and champions in social media posts about your RRGP award. Tagging partners gives them the recognition they deserve while increasing the audience for your post.
Use Hashtags
Hashtags can be a very effective way to increase a post’s visibility and response rate. It is best to use a few relevant hashtags, like #climateadaptation #climateresilience #CAresilience and #OPR.
Take Pictures
A social post with a great image attached is bound to get more traction than one without an image. Throughout every stage of the RRGP process, be sure to encourage your team to bring their phones or even a nice camera and take a picture of their colleagues or work environment. Having a photobank of pictures can work wonders on your social media accounts, especially because you’ll have the freedom to choose the highest quality or most interesting photos. Please see the Photo Tips section of this kit for more information.
Shorten the Message
Given the character limit for tweets, you will need to pick and choose what information to include. Incorporate hashtags and tagging partners into your sentences, (see the sample posts below). Use commonly known abbreviations and conjunctions.
Amplify the Voices of Community Members
Reach out to partners and community members for their videos, quotes, and pictures that share how your RRGP project will affect their lives. These stories can increase your social media audience’s enthusiasm for your project. Retweeting posts that residents and stakeholders create is another way to demonstrate RRGP’s impact.
Post Often
Interact with your audience as much as possible on all platforms. It is ideal to post between a few times a week and once or twice a day on social media. Brainstorm with your staff to come up with creative ways to keep the public informed and interested in your work. Then create a schedule and remain consistent.
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit H, APGP Communications Kit
More Social Media Tips
Encourage audience engagement by posting questions.
• Use URL shortening tools from sites like bitly.com and tinyurl.com. • Don’t be afraid to use emojis.
• Encourage your colleagues and RRGP partners to participate in social media conversations.
• Be visual! Use infographics instead of text when possible. • Observe copyright laws.
Sample Posts
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit H, APGP Communications Kit
Photo Tips
Consider pointers in this section when using photography to tell your project’s story.
Quality
Use the highest quality camera you can access. Good news: many modern smartphones are usually sufficient, as long as your subject is in focus, well-lit, and the phone is turned sideways (landscape orientation—use this orientation for videos, too!).
Photos on social media don’t have to be as high quality as photos on your website or newsletter.
Everyone’s a Photographer
Encourage your staff and partners to take photos whenever they have the chance, and to send them all to your organization’s communications team. Designating someone who owns a nice camera to take photographs during events is always a good practice.
Don’t Have a Great Photo?
Services like Flickr, Pixabay, and Upsplash offer countless high-quality photos that you can download and use for free.
Content
When possible, photos should be bright and colorful, without being too ‘noisy,’ blurry, or filtered. Candid photos of people working or interacting tend to be more unique and eye-catching than people smiling at the camera. Highlight interesting aspects of your project so your photo stands out. Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Exhibit H, APGP Communications Kit
Remember
The picture is what draws people in to read the caption and learn about your work.
Don’t underestimate its importance!
STAY IN TOUCH!
Feel free to contact OPR’s Deputy Director of External Affairs, Emily Breslin, if you have questions or need support on any of your communications efforts at [email protected].
OPR’S NEWSLETTER AND RRGP LISTSERV
OPR Newsletter Sign Up: https://opr.ca.gov/e-lists.html RRGP Listserv: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/36xr3ct/RRGP Follow us on social media and check our website regularly for new announcements and updates!
TWITTER
twitter.com/Cal_OPR
LINKEDIN
linkedin.com/company/governor-s-office-of-planning-and-research/
WEBSITE
opr.ca.gov
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Attachment 1: Authorized Signatory Form
Attachment 1: Authorized Signatory Form
I hereby verify that I am an authorized Grantee representative and signatory and, as such, can sign and/or delegate authorization to sign and bind Grantee as it relates to the above-referenced Grant Agreement and grant related documents.
Grantee Authorized Signatory:
Name: Title:
(Type or Print Name)
Signature: Date:
Delegated Authorized Signatories:
1. Name: Title:
(Type or Print Name)
Signature: Date:
Document(s) Authorized to sign:
All Grant Related Documents or Grant Agreement
Grant Amendments Budget Amendments Reports
Invoices Other ______
2. Name: Title:
(Type or Print Name)
Signature: Date:
Document(s) Authorized to sign:
All Grant Related Documents or Grant Agreement
Grant Amendments Budget Amendments Reports
Invoices Other ______
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Attachment 2: Work Plan
Attachment 2: Work Plan
Project Name:
[INSERT BRIEF PROJECT DESCRIPTION THAT LISTS PROJECT PARTNERS] High Level Activities
Performance Measures
[Any appropriate deliverables,
metrics, milestones]
Timeline
[Start and End Date]
TASK 1:
Subtask A:
Subtask B:
Subtask C:
Subtask D:
TASK 2:
Subtask A:
Subtask B:
Subtask C:
Subtask D:
TASK 3:
Subtask A:
Subtask B:
Subtask C:
Subtask D:
TASK 4:
Subtask A:
Subtask B:
Subtask C:
Subtask D:
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Attachment 2: Work Plan
The Parties may make minor changes to the timeline and deliverables due without the requirement of an amendment.
See Exhibit B, Sections 7 and 8.
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Attachment 3: Final Report
Attachment 3: Final Report
Regional Resilience Grant Program
Final Report: FY 22-23
Grantee:
Grant Number:
Project Name:
Project Summary
1. Provide a brief summary of the challenges facing the Planning Area and the work completed under this grant.
Barriers and Accomplishments
2. Describe and explain any differences between the planned results, as listed in the Work Plan, and the actual results. Describe any barriers that impeded the progress of the grant, any corrective actions taken, and the outcomes. Discuss how these lessons learned can be useful for other communities.
3. Describe any notable outcomes, findings, or conclusions. Report on successful strategies used to achieve results and how these lessons learned can be useful to other communities.
4. Include a list of other sources of funding that were secured, directly or indirectly, through this Project.
Future Implementation
5. Describe how plans or processes developed under this grant will be implemented over the next three to five years. Explain:
a. How they will further your organization’s sustainability goals and strategies. b. How they will advance the State’s planning priorities and RRGP objectives. c. How the work completed under this grant will assist in applying for future funding that aligns with the RRGP’s objectives.
Feedback
6. Based on your experiences with this grant program, please provide feedback about how the OPR can improve future grant programs.
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Attachment 3: Final Report
Attachments
7. Attach any relevant documents to this report, including final deliverables. If the documents cannot be sent electronically, notify the Grant Manager.
Case Study
8. Grantee(s) will produce a project case study documenting key project information, data, lessons learned, and effective practices gathered through this project. To facilitate knowledge exchange and advance community planning and capacity, at the end of the Grant Term applicants are responsible for submitting a narrative case study to OPR to reflect on and share project outcomes and lessons learned, how the project responds to climate change impacts, and any resources that helped along the way. Case studies will be reviewed and curated for possible inclusion in the Adaptation Clearinghouse to help support a community of practice across the state. (See Appendix E: Work Plan for more information). Grantees will receive technical assistance for support in developing case studies. (See Program Technical Assistance for more info) Instructions:
a. Write the case study in a narrative form using the below section headers, format and font for organization.
b. The case study should be between 800-1000 words in total length. c. Provide responses for each header section – please don’t combine or modify these. However, don’t feel obliged to provide answers to all sub-bullets under each section header - only provide information for those that apply. d. Provide 1-3 graphics (photos, tables and charts, figures, etc. are welcome).
Provide links as needed. Send these as separate jpg or png image files (high resolution preferred).
e. To see examples of published Case Studies, visit: https://resilientca.org/casestudies/.
CERTIFICATION: I certify that this Final Report is accurate and that this project complies with the Agreement. I further certify that any expenditure discussed in this report is allowed under the Agreement and that all funds were expended for the purposes of this Project.
Name: Title:
(Type or Print Name)
Signature: Date:
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Attachment 4: Budget Detail Worksheet
Attachment 4, Budget Detail Worksheet
Project Name:
High Level Activities Budget Total
TASK 1:
TASK 2:
TASK 3:
TASK 4:
The Parties may make minor changes to the timeline and deliverables due without the requirement of an amendment. See Exhibit B, Sections 7 and 8.
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Attachment 5: Invoice
Attachment 5, Invoice
[TO BE PRINTED ON GRANTEE LETTERHEAD]
REGIONAL RESILIENCE GRANT PROGRAM FY 22-23
PLANNING GRANT INVOICE
Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
Date:
Email required invoice documents to: [Department Grant Manager Name] Invoice Number:
Grantee Name: Grant Number:
Project Name:
Invoice Quarter: (Start Date) (End Date)
Invoice Summary:
Task Grant Funds Spent
Task 1:
Task 2:
Task 3:
Task 4:
SUBTOTAL for this Quarter
Less 5% Retention
TOTAL reimbursement requested this Quarter
Invoice Detail:
Task Cost Description Amount
Supporting
Documentation/
Page #
1 Subtotal
2 Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Attachment 5: Invoice
Subtotal
3 Subtotal
Travel
Subtotal
Equipment
Subtotal
Indirect
Subtotal
SUBTOTAL FOR THIS QUARTER
Progress Report:
Work Plan Task # Description of Work Performed
Please refer to specific deliverables in the Budget and Work Plan.
CERTIFICATION: By my signature below, I certify that I have full authority to execute this payment request on behalf of Grantee. I declare under penalty of perjury, under the laws of the State of California, that this invoice for reimbursement, and any accompanying supporting documents, are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, an all disbursements have been made for the purposes and conditions as outlined in the Grant Agreement.
Print Name: Print Title:
Signature: Date:
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Attachment 6: Invoice Dispute Notification
Attachment 6, Invoice Dispute Notification
INVOICE DISPUTE NOTIFICATION
INVOICE DATE
INVOICE
NUMBER
GRANTEE
ADDRESS
INVOICE
AMOUNT
$
DATE INVOICE RECEIVED
GRANT AGREEMENT NUMBER
The invoice referenced above is disputed for the following reasons:
Request reimbursement for expenses not in the
Budget Detail
Invoiced for indirect cost reimbursement
above 10% cap
Invoiced for incidental costs or travel costs outside
of CA
Work performed prior to the Grant start or end
date
Insufficient evidence of progress made or task
completion
Invoice submitted without using required
templates
Insufficient supporting document for
reimbursement
Progress Report or Final Report not included
with invoice
Request reimbursement through another funding
source Other not listed above:
Comments:
THIS NOTIFICATION IS A FOLLOW UP TO A PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE GRANTEE OR DESIGNEE WHOSE NAME APPEARS BELOW.
NAME DATE OF
CONVERSATION
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS DISPUTE, CONTACT:
NAME
TELEPHONE NUMBER (include Area Code)
STATE OF CALIFORNIA USE ONLY
RETURN A COPY OF THIS NOTIFICATION WITH THE
CORRECTED INVOICE TO:
DATE DISPUTE RESOLVED INITIALS
RESOLUTION
Attachment 2
Office of Planning and Research – Regional Resilence Grant Program – Round 1 Grant Number: OPRXXXXX, [GRANTEE]
Attachment 6: Invoice Dispute Notification
Attachment 2
Reso No. (CM)
Meeting Date: 042324 SWZ ______ RM ______ PWU ______
1 RESOLUTION NO.__________ (CM)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
WATSONVILLE ACCEPTING THE OFFICE PLANNING AND
RESEARCH REGIONAL RESILIENCE GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS IN
THE AMOUNT OF $649,335 FOR THE MONTEREY BAY ADAPTATION
AND RESILIENCE IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING ROADMAP;
AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE A
STANDARD AGREEMENT AND ANY AMENDMENTS THERETO; AND
ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS; AND APPROPRIATING SUCH
FUNDS TO THE SPECIAL GRANTS FUND
WHEREAS, on December 21, 2023, the City was awarded a grant from the State of California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research in the amount of $649,335 for the Monterey Bay Adaptation and Resilience Implementation and funding Roadmap.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AS FOLLOWS:
1. Adopting a Resolution accepting a Grant from the State of California does not meet CEQA’S definition of a “project,” because the action does not have the potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
2. That the Council hereby accepts the State of California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research Regional Resilience Grant Program (RRGP) in the amount of $649,335, for the Monterey Bay Adaptation and Resilience implementation and Funding Roadmap.
3. That the City Manager or designee of the City of Watsonville, is authorized and directed to execute in the name of the City of Watsonville, all documents required by the State of California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research Regional Resilience Grant Program (RRGP), and any agreements or amendments thereto as well as any necessary documents.
Reso No. (CM) 2
Meeting Date: 042324
4. That the $649,335 grant is hereby appropriated to the Special Grants Fund [0620].
********************************
4/18/2024 12:30:39 PM
C:\Program Files\eSCRIBE\TEMP\12303689906\12303689906,,,RESOLUTION APPOINTING TAMARA VIDES TO INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND APPROVING AT WILL EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.docx Agenda Report
MEETING DATE: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
TO: City Council
FROM: DEPUTY CITY MANAGER MANNING
HIRING SUBCOMMITTEE
THROUGH: CITY MANAGER MENDEZ
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION APPOINTING TAMARA VIDES TO INTERIM
CITY MANAGER AND APPROVING AT-WILL
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is recommended that the City Council appoint Tamara Vides to serve as Interim City Manager and approve an At-Will Employment Agreement between the City of Watsonville and Tamara Vides.
BACKGROUND:
City Manager Mendez recently announced his resignation with May 15, 2024, as his final day of employment with the City of Watsonville. While the City Council conducts a recruitment to fill the City Manager position, it is necessary to appoint an Interim City Manager.
DISCUSSION:
Mayor Quiroz-Carter appointed a subcommittee to oversee the hiring of an Interim City Manager which included herself, Council Member Parker and Council Member Montesino.
This subcommittee recommends the approval of the appointment of Tamara Vides to the Interim City Manager position and the related contract. Ms. Vides possesses the necessary experience, skills, and expertise to serve as the City’s Interim City Manager as she has over twenty-five years of experience with the City. She has been the Assistant City Manager for over three and a half years during which time she also served as the Interim City Manager for six months during the last City Manager recruitment.
The City Council has initiated the process to fill the City Manager position on a permanent basis which is expected to take up to six months.
4/18/2024 12:30:39 PM
C:\Program Files\eSCRIBE\TEMP\12303689906\12303689906,,,RESOLUTION APPOINTING TAMARA VIDES TO INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND APPROVING AT WILL EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.docx The contract includes a base salary of $247,200 and an annual $5,000 contribution to deferred compensation. The contract also includes benefits equitable to the City’s at-will employees as defined in the Compensation and Benefits Plan for the Executive Team including, but not limited to, longevity pay, vacation, sick leave, administrative leave, health benefits, and bilingual pay. This contract shall become effective on May 15, 2024, or on the final day of the current City Manager’s employment, whichever is sooner and will remain in effect until (1) a permanent City Manager assumes this office (2) six months from the Effective Date or (3) the Agreement terminates pursuant to Section 5 of the contract.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The contract can be absorbed in the current budget with the departure of the outgoing City Manager.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
The City Council could elect not to approve the appointment and contract.
ATTACHMENTS AND/OR REFERENCES (If any):
None.
1 Reso No. ______ (CM)
Meeting Date: 042324 SWZ ______ HR ______
RESOLUTION NO. (CM)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
WATSONVILLE APPOINTING TAMARA VIDES INTERIM CITY
MANAGER AND APPROVING AT WILL EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
WHEREAS, with the resignation of City Manager Mendez, the City Council must appoint an Interim City Manager during the recruitment process and enter into a contract with the Interim City Manager.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AS FOLLOWS:
1. This action is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21000, et seq. and the CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 15000 et. seq.), including without limitation, Public Resources Code section 21065 and California Code of Regulations 15378 as this is not a “project” that may cause a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment and because the action constitutes organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. Additionally, even if a “project,” the action would be exempt under the “common sense” exception (14 Cal. Code Regs. § 15061(b)(3)) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this action may have a significant effect on the environment.
2. That Tamara Vides be and is hereby appointed Interim City Manager, effective May 15, 2024, or the last date of service of the current City Manager, whichever is sooner, and she shall have the powers and authority granted the City Manager in section 703 of the City Charter.
2 Reso No. (CM)
Meeting Date: 042324
3. That the agreement between the City of Watsonville and Tamara Vides for employment as Interim City Manager of the City of Watsonville, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, is fair and equitable and is hereby approved.
4. That the Mayor be and is hereby authorized and directed to execute the Agreement for and on behalf of the City of Watsonville, in the form attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, with minor revisions that may be approved by the City Attorney.
********************************
4890-6835-8069 v1 1
AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE
AND INTERIM CITY MANAGER TAMARA VIDES
This agreement is between the CITY OF WATSONVILLE ("City"), a municipal corporation organized in the State of California, and TAMARA VIDES ("Employee") (“Agreement”). City and Employee shall be collectively referred to as “Parties” or individually referred to as “Party”, “Employee” or “City”.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the current City Manager has recently announced his resignation; and WHEREAS, the City is in the process of recruiting a full-time replacement for the City Manager, and the City will likely require the services of an Interim City Manager; and WHEREAS, Employee currently serves as the City’s Assistant City Manager and has the necessary experience, skills, and expertise to serve as the City’s Interim City Manager; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City (“City Council”) desires to appoint Employee to the position of Interim City Manager subject to the terms and conditions herein; and NOW THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed by City and Employee as follows:
1. Appointment as Interim City Manager and Start Date
The City hereby appoints Employee as its Interim City Manager, effective May 15, 2024, or the final day of the current City Manager’s employment, whichever is sooner (“Effective Date”). Employee hereby accepts such employment.
2. At-Will Agreement
Employee shall be “at will” and serve at the pleasure of the City Council.
Employee's employment with the City shall be subject to all requirements of the City's Personnel Rules (“Rules”) unless contradicted by some provision of this Agreement, in which case this Agreement shall govern.
3. Term
The term of this Agreement (“Term”) shall commence on the Effective Date and remain in effect until: (1) a permanent City Manager assumes that office; (2) six months from the Effective Date; or (3) the Agreement terminates pursuant to Section 5 of this Agreement.
4. Duties and Responsibilities
a. Employee will perform the functions and duties specified in the laws of the United States and the State of California and in Article VII of the City’s Charter, as well as the City’s Municipal Code, the Personnel Rules, ordinances and resolutions of City, and to perform
4890-6835-8069 v1 2
other legally permissible and proper duties and functions of the City Council may, from time to time, assign.
b. Employee shall perform her duties to the best of her ability in accordance with the highest professional and ethical standards of the profession, comply with all general rules and regulations established by the City, and obey all State and Federal laws. c. Employee agrees to devote her productive time, ability and attention to the City's business during the term of this Agreement. Employee shall not hold secondary employment, and shall be employed exclusively by the City. The City and Employee recognize that Employee is expected to devote necessary time outside normal office hours to perform business of the City.
Since Employee's position is "exempt" under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Employee shall not receive overtime or extra compensation for work performed outside normal business hours. d. Employee shall not engage in any activity, which is or may become a conflict of interest, prohibited by contract, or which may create an incompatibility of office as defined under California law. Prior to performing any services under this Agreement and annually thereafter, the Employee must complete disclosure forms as required by law.
5. Separation
a. Voluntary Resignation: Employee may voluntarily resign from the position of Interim City Manager, so long as Employee provides the City Council with thirty (30) business days advance notice. So long as such notice is provided, nothing in this Agreement shall prevent, limit, or otherwise interfere with the right of Employee to return to her prior position of Assistant City Manager or, at Employee’s election, Employee may separate from City employment.
b. Removal by City
i. City may terminate Employee, with or without cause, at any time, consistent with the requirements of Section 701 of the City’s Charter, which provides that the City Council may remove the City Manager by a resolution adopted by at least four (4) affirmative votes.
ii. If the City Council removes or terminates Employee as the Interim City Manager without cause, the City Council agrees that Employee may return to her prior position as the Assistant City Manager for the City under the same terms and conditions set forth in Employee’s Employment Agreement as Assistant City Manager. The City Council agrees that the position of Assistant City Manager will not be filled with a permanent replacement during Employee’s service as the Interim City Manager.
iii. Termination for Cause: City may terminate Employee for cause by providing her with a written notice of termination. Such termination may be effective immediately. The following are sufficient basis for termination for cause:
4890-6835-8069 v1 3
A. Employee engages in illegal activities;
B. Gross malfeasance;
C. Dereliction of duties;
D. Absence from employment without a good cause;
E. Failure to perform duties and responsibilities under this Agreement, as defined in the City’s Charter, or as specified in the City Manager’s job description.
F. Resume fraud or other acts of material dishonesty;
G. Violation of the City’s Rules, including but not limited to, the City’s rule against harassment, discrimination, and retaliation; H. Use or possession of illegal drugs;
I. Engaging conduct tending to bring embarrassment or disrepute to the City;
J. Conviction of any felony or any criminal offense involving moral turpitude; or
K. An abuse of her office or position" as that term is defined in Government Code Section 53243.4.
c. Termination by Reduction of Salary or Benefits: If City at any time during this Agreement reduces the salary of Interim City Manager in a greater percentage than an applicable across-the-board reduction for other “at will” employees, as defined in the City’s Compensation and Benefits Plan for at-will employees (“Plan”), the Employee may, at her option, be deemed to be “terminated” without cause at the date of such reduction. d. Affirmation of “At-Will” status: Employee is an "at-will" employee whose employment may be terminated by the City Council at any time. This Agreement is the sole and exclusive basis for an employment relationship between Employee and the City. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create a property interest for Employee in the position of Interim City Manager.
6. Salary
a. Effective on the first day of Employee’s service as Interim City Manager, City agrees to pay Employee $247,200 in base salary per year ($20,600 per month). All salary payments to Employee shall be payable in installments at the same time as other employees of the City are paid and subject to the customary withholding.
7. Benefits
a. Economic Benefits: Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, Employee shall receive the same economic benefits as other employees in the City’s Compensation and Benefits Plan for Executive Team, currently and as it may be amended by the City from time to time. Employee shall not receive the salary increases provided for in the Plan, as Employee will negotiate any salary increase with the Council only upon receiving a performance review. b. Deferred Compensation: City shall contribute a maximum of $5,000 annually into either an International Capital Market Association (ICMA-RC)\MissionSquare Retirement
4890-6835-8069 v1 4
deferred compensation plan, or other similar plan in which the City participates. The annual amount will be divided and paid equally amongst Employee’s pay periods. c. Professional Development: City shall pay for professional dues and subscriptions during the term of this Agreement necessary for Employee’s continuation and full participation in the following organizations:
International City/County Management Association (ICMA); and California City Management Foundation (CCMA).
8. Severance
Upon the termination of this Agreement or Employee’s resignation or separation from the Interim City Manager position, the severance provisions in the Compensation and Benefits Plan for the Assistant City Manager shall govern.
9. Indemnification
The City shall defend, hold harmless and indemnify Employee against any tort, civil rights, personnel, discrimination, professional liability claim or demand or other legal action, whether groundless or otherwise, arising out of an alleged act or omission occurring in the performance of Employee's duties in accordance with the provisions of California Government Code section 825. The City shall provide a defense in accordance with California Government Code section 995. The City may decline to defend and/or indemnify Employee only as permitted by the California Government Code. The City may compromise and settle any such claim or suit and pay the amount of any settlement or judgment therefrom.
10. Bonding
City shall bear the full cost of any fidelity or other bonds the City Council requires of Employee under any law or ordinance or otherwise.
11. Notices
Any notices required by this Agreement shall be in writing and either given in person or by first class mail with the postage prepaid and addressed as follows:
TO CITY: Mayor
City of Watsonville
275 Main St., 4th Floor
Watsonville, CA 95076
TO EMPLOYEE: Tamara Vides
[Most recent address on file with human resources]
4890-6835-8069 v1 5
12. Abuse of Office
California Government Code Sections 53243, 52431.1, 53243.2 and 52431.3 are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
If this contract is terminated, any cash settlement related to the termination that Employee may receive from City shall be fully reimbursed to the City if Employee is convicted of a crime involving an abuse of her or her office or position.
13. Entire Agreement
a. This Agreement and its attachments and exhibit are the final expression of the complete agreement of the parties with respect to the matters specified herein and supersedes all prior oral and written understandings and agreements, and, except as prescribed herein, this Agreement cannot be modified except by written mutual agreement signed by the parties. The Parties agree that the recitals identified in this Agreement are true and correct and are incorporated into the terms of this Agreement.
b. The following exhibit is incorporated by reference to this Agreement: Exhibit AForm of Written Waiver
14. Severability, Applicable, Law, and Interpretation
In the event that any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal or void by a court having jurisdiction over the parties, the remainder of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless the parts found to be void are wholly inseparable from the remaining portion of this Agreement. Any dispute concerning this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California. The parties consent to the jurisdiction of the California courts with venue in Santa Cruz County.
15. Informed Agreement.
This Agreement has been negotiated between the City Council, on behalf of City, and Tamara Vides as Employee. City and Employee acknowledge that they have each contributed to the making of this Agreement and that in the event of a dispute over the interpretation of this Agreement, the language of the Agreement will not be construed against one party in favor of the other. City and Employee acknowledge that they have each had an adequate opportunity to consult with their own legal counsel in the negotiation and preparation of this Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the City has caused this Agreement to be signed and executed in its behalf by its Mayor and duly attested by the City Clerk. It has also been executed by the Employee.
EMPLOYEE
_____________________________________
Tamara Vides, Interim City Manager
CITY OF WATSONVILLE
______________________________________
Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, Mayor
4890-6835-8069 v1 6
ATTEST:
___________________________________
Irwin I. Ortiz, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
___________________________________
Samantha W. Zutler, City Attorney
1 Reso No. ______ (CM)
Meeting Date: 040924 SWZ ______ RM ______ HR ______
RESOLUTION NO.__________ (CM)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE
APPROVING SIDE LETTER TO THE MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE AND THE
POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION FOR FISCAL YEARS 2022-2025
WHEREAS, in accordance with provisions of the Milias Myers Brown Act (Government Code section 3500 et seq.), City of Watsonville's Resolution No. 56-08 (CM), and City of Watsonville Administrative Rule V.1.1.,the bargaining team from the City met and conferred in good faith with the bargaining team from the Police Officer’s Association regarding the terms and conditions set forth in the Side Letter, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference; and WHEREAS, the City of Watsonville and the Police Officer’s Association on or about June 28, 2022, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for the fiscal years 2022-2025 subject to Council approval; and
WHEREAS, the Council adopted Resolution No. 130-22 (CM) on June 28, 2022, ratifying said Memorandum of Understanding for the fiscal years 2022-2025 between the City of Watsonville and the Police Officers Association; and WHEREAS, the parties have agreed to the terms set forth in the Side Letter, attached hereto and incorporated herein as “Exhibit A”; and WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Watsonville after reviewing the Side Letter hereby determines to approve said Side Letter to the Memorandum of Understanding.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AS FOLLOWS:
1. This action is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5), in that
2 Reso No. ______ (CM)
Meeting Date: 040924
adopting a Resolution approving the Side Letter between the City of Watsonville and the Police Officers Association unit does not meet CEQA’s definition of a “project,” because the action does not have the potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and if a “project,” is exempt under the “common sense” exception (14 Cal. Code Regs. § 15061 (b)(3)) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this action may have a significant effect on the environment.
2. That the Side Letter to the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Watsonville and the Police Officers Association, attached hereto marked Exhibit “A,” and incorporated herein by this reference, is hereby ratified. ********************************
SIDE LETTER AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE AND THE POLICE
OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
THIS SIDE LETTER AGREEMENT TO MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING is made and entered into this _____ day of __________, 2024 by and between the CITY OF WATSONVILLE, a municipal corporation, hereafter referred to as “City”, and THE POLICE
OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
RECITALS
WHEREAS, on JUNE 28, 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 130-22 (CM), approving the 2022-2025 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and the Police Officers Association; and
WHEREAS, the City of Watsonville and the Police Officers Association met to discuss the ongoing challenges to recruit and retain qualified Police Officers; and WHEREAS, the City is experiencing a police officer vacancy rate that is unstainable leading to excessive overtime demands to ensure the ability to maintain adequate public safety services to the City; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to be proactive in order to enhance our ability to attract and retain highly qualified police officers in a very competitive market; and WHEREAS, the City and the Police Officers Association agree that an adjustment to salary and benefits will help address attraction and retention issues; and WHEREAS, the City of Watsonville will provide a 3% salary adjustment effective the first full pay period after City Council approval to all employees in the Police Officer classification; and
WHEREAS, the City of Watsonville and the Police Officers Association agree to replace section 21.9 Longevity Pay to read “Any employee with at least 5 years of service as a sworn police officer with the City of Watsonville shall receive a two (2%) Longevity Pay Premium, and any employee with at least 10 years of service as a sworn peace officer with the City of Watsonville shall receive an additional 2% Longevity Pay Premium, and any employee with at DocuSign Envelope ID: A4691D6A-EF7B-41D2-BFF8-2C323CF7D5C6
least 15 years of service as a sworn peace officer with the City of Watsonville shall receive an additional two and one-half percent (2.5%) Longevity Pay Premium (for a total of six and onehalf percent (6.5%) longevity pay period;” and WHEREAS, effective after the first full pay period after City Council approval through June 30, 2025, at the discretion of the Police Chief and with proper verification provided at the time of hire, longevity may be granted to lateral employees possessing equivalent or similar experience as a patrol officer or other significant law enforcement experience with their current comparable public agency employer; and
WHEREAS, The City and Police Officers Association agree to continue discussions exploring a health savings account or similar tool to assist with retiree health care costs; WHEREAS, All other terms of conditions of the MOU remain unchanged; NOW THEREFORE, the City and the Police Officers Association agree as follows:
1. Provide a 3% salary increase to the Police Officer classification on the first full pay period after City Council approval and replace the 21.9 Longevity Pay Section with language adding 2.0% Longevity pay at 5 years and replacing 20 year Longevity Pay of 2.5% with 15 year Longevity Pay of 2.5%.
2. All other terms and of the MOU remain unchanged.
IN WITNESS WHEROF, the parties hereto have executed this Side Letter Agreement the day and year first hereinabove written.
Police Officers Association
Date___________ ____________________________________
Police Officers Association
CITY OF WATSONVILLE
Date____________ _____________________________________
Rene Mendez, City Manager
Date____________ _____________________________________
City Attorney
Date____________ _____________________________________
City Clerk
DocuSign Envelope ID: A4691D6A-EF7B-41D2-BFF8-2C323CF7D5C6 4/9/2024 | 1:22 PM PDT
1 Reso No. (CM)
Meeting Date: 04/23/24 SWZ ______ RM ______
RESOLUTION NO.__________ (CM)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE
APPOINTING DON BROWN TO THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE BOARD OF
LIBRARY TRUSTEES
[DISTRICT 5]
WHEREAS, Section 910 of the Charter of the City of Watsonville established a seven member Board of Library Trustees with specific powers and duties; and WHEREAS, Section 902 of the Charter of the City of Watsonville authorizes each member of the Council to appoint one member to each City board or commission subject to approval by resolution of the Council adopted by at least four (4) affirmative votes.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AS FOLLOWS:
1. Adopting a Resolution appointing a member to the Board of Library Trustees does not meet CEQA's definition of a “project,” because the action does not have the potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
2. That Council Member Clark hereby nominates Don Brown for appointment to the Board of Library Trustees (expires December 2026), representing District 5.
3. That the Council hereby approves such appointment.
4. That the City Clerk is hereby directed to transmit a copy of this resolution to the newly appointed member and to the Secretary of the Board of Library Trustees. ********************************
From: City Council
To: Eduardo Montesino; Vanessa Quiroz; Maria Orozco; Kristal Salcido; Casey Clark; Jimmy Dutra; Ari Parker; cityclerk
Subject: FW: I won"t be there this evening, so here are my thoughts.......
Date: Tuesday, April 23, 2024 4:03:08 PM
From: steve trujillo <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2024 4:02:56 PM (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) To: Nick Calubaquib <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; City Council <[email protected]>; citymanager <[email protected]>
Subject: I won't be there this evening, so here are my thoughts.......
1. we NEED the urban forestry management program as proposed. it needs to be passed and in place as soon as possible. global warming is real.
2. we NEED the tiny village project on the Presbyterian church property. it needs to be approved and in place as soon as possible. with the unhoused population up %15 since last year in Watsonviille , we need as much low cost housing as POSSIBLE.
3 . Governor Newsom just announced that more than 1 million fentanyl pills were seized last month in CA. think that Watsonville is somehow exempt from this evil ? it is not. and the migrants without official papers ARE NOT THE REASON. the demand for fentanyl among US born is quite high and it is now a commodity for some to get rich and be STUPID. as someone who picks up trash along the levee and Atri park daily, i will remind all of you and our city employees, if you see pills you cannot identify, call and report it to the WPD. this stuff is a scourge of civilization and sadly, that includes our city.
4. still, too many potholes in the industrial section of the city and also Bridge street. that is all for now.
Steve Trujillo
Encampment Resolution
Funding Program
ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION PROJECT OVERVIEW
GOALS
• Resolve the Pajaro River encampment between river miles 2 through 5.5 • Establish a two-county partnership
• Build a 34-unit housing navigation tiny village in partnership with the County of Santa Cruz within the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of Watsonville
• Provide a pathway to safe, permanent housing for encampment occupants and their pets
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
EVENT TIMELINE
County of Monterey applied for ERF-2-R funding February 28, 2023 County of Monterey awarded $7,986,354 June 19, 2023
Recruited for and hired a Management Analyst II August 2023 – December 2023 Received executed agreement from Cal ICH September 13, 2023 MOU negotiations with the County of Santa Cruz
* Fully executed
December 2023 - February 2024
DignityMoves contract negotiations
*Notified about impacts of FEMA requirements and right
of way issues in March – delayed contract for one month ** Presented to Monterey County Board of Supervisors
on April 23, 2024
January - March 2024
Met with Cal ICH technical assistance provider to identify options to meet expenditure deadline (50% by June 30,
2024)
February 6, 2024
Coalition of Homeless Services Providers contract
negotiations
* Presented to Monterey County Board of Supervisors on
April 23, 2024
March - April 2024
NEXT STEPS
DignityMoves
submitted their
application for a
business license.
Complete permit
process
Groundbreaking
during summer
Target opening in
November/December
2024
Recurso de Fuerza
PROGRAM
OVERVIEW
SERVICE HIGLIGHTS
TESTFIT APPROVED BY WESTVIEW
TESTFIT APPROVED BY WESTVIEW PRES
TESTFIT APPROVED BY WESTVIEW PRES
4/18/2024 1:18:28 PM
C:\Program Files\eSCRIBE\TEMP\13182456970\13182456970,,,RESOLUTION APPROVING URBAN FOREST AND MANAGEMENT PLAN .docx
Agenda Report
MEETING DATE: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
TO: City Council
FROM: PARKS & COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR CALUBAQUIB
PARKS SUPERINTENDENT MEDINA
THROUGH: CITY MANAGER MENDES
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN 2024
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution adopting the City of Watsonville Urban Forest Management Plan 2024.
BACKGROUND:
The City Council authorized the application for CAL FIRE Urban Forestry Program grant funds on April 14, 2020, by Resolution No. 46-20 (CM). Following the application, the City was awarded a $700,000 grant from The CAL FIRE Urban & Community Forestry Program in August 2020.
The program’s goals were to optimize the benefits of trees and related vegetation through multiple objective projects as specified in the California Urban Forestry Act of 1978 (Public Resources Code §§ 4799.06-4799.12). This grant program uses funds provided by Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) for California Climate Investments (CCI) and projects that further the goals of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), resulting in a net greenhouse gas (GHG) benefit, and providing environmental services and cost-effective solutions to the needs of urban communities and local agencies. Co-benefits of the projects include increased water supply, clean air and water, reduced energy use, flood and storm water management, recreation, urban revitalization, improved public health, and producing useful products such as bio-fuel, clean energy, and high-quality wood. Urban and Community Forestry efforts play a significant role in meeting the State's GHG emission reduction targets. Cal Fire encourages resident participation in the development and implementation of each project.
Expansion and improved management of urban forests is greatly needed in the City of Watsonville. The City is significantly deficient in urban forest resources, with a current 9.4% canopy coverage. This severe lack of urban trees directly impacts the City’s public health and well-being and the freshwater wetlands that underlie the City. Watsonville is a predominately
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low-income community, where among the approximately 20,000 students in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, over 75% qualify for free and reduced lunch and unemployment rates are the highest in Santa Cruz County. The entire City qualifies as either SB 535 or AB 1550 under the CA ARB designation and has a combination of high pollution burden and low income. Watsonville exemplifies the type of community in California that will benefit most from urban forest development.
The City of Watsonville and Watsonville Wetlands Watch collaborated on the Urban and Community Forestry grant, which installed 300 trees throughout the City’s highest need areas before the end of 2021. This very successful project represents the first major collaboration in urban forest expansion and to date has supported over 1,500 youth and family volunteer hours in tree plantings and care.
The awarded Watsonville Community Forestry Project has developed and implemented comprehensive urban forest management activities designed to evaluate current urban forest resources, identify locations, opportunities, and needs for urban forest expansion activities, develop appropriate policies to sustain and enhance urban forest resources within the City of Watsonville over time, and implement urban forest expansion activities in a way that advances these efforts. This project is consistent with past planning efforts such as the Urban Greening Plan (2012), the Climate Action Plan (2015) and the Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan (2023). The Parks and Community Services Department worked with local residents, City departments, community partners, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, and consultants to achieve project objectives. Specific project accomplishments include:
1. Development of an urban forest inventory for the City of Watsonville
2. Development of an urban forest management plan, per CalFire guidelines
3. Development of project designs and plans for at least 30 future street, neighborhood, and school tree plantings that can be implemented following the urban forest management plan creation
4. Development of a City of Watsonville tree preservation ordinance
5. Completion of a resident survey to support the urban forest management plan and ordinance development
6. Establishment of a tree canopy cover goal for the City
7. In partnership with Watsonville Wetlands Watch, installation of 260 trees on City streets, parks, and neighborhoods during 20 public and local student education and outreach events that also included surveying of residents
8. In partnership with Watsonville Wetlands Watch, piloted resident neighborhood tree planting events and an adopt-a-tree tree stewardship program to engage City residents in urban forest stewardship and foster public interest and appreciation for urban forest expansion
In order to meet objectives 1-6, the City put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) for consultant services in January of 2021. The consultant proposals were scored, and the top firms interviewed. Through this competitive process, City staff determined that Davey Resource Group’s proposal best met the needs of the City. Their scope of work included, but is not limited to, the following:
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The development of a City Tree Inventory of up to 6,000 trees i-Tree Eco Sample Inventory of private property and wetland trees Urban Tree Canopy and Land Cover Assessment
Urban Tree Canopy Mapping and Analysis including a Priority Planting Index and Canopy Goal Identification
50 Year Urban Forest Management Plan
Tree Protection Ordinance
Approved Tree Species List
Project Specific Website
Monthly Status Updates (calls)
Operations Review
Robust Community Engagement
Community Survey
Data Management and Delivery
Other urban forestry consultant services according to CAL FIRE grant requirements Through this agreement, Watsonville Wetlands Watch supported the City in meeting objectives 7 and 8 along with supporting development of the Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) (Objective 2) and design of future street, neighborhood, and school tree plantings (Objective 3). Additionally, they provided grant administration and reporting services. Watsonville Wetlands Watch was selected for this project because it is uniquely positioned to support longterm Watsonville urban forest expansion and stewardship and has a demonstrated commitment to community-based non-profit environmental education and stewardship in the community.
DISCUSSION:
Currently, Watsonville has an average tree canopy of 9.4% (412 acres) comprised of both public and private trees (Watsonville Tree Canopy & Land Cover Assessment Summary Report, 2022). The potential for tree canopy may be as high as 30%. To date, this resource has stored 13,590 tons of carbon in woody and foliar biomass, valued at $2.3 million.
Public trees are the publicly owned subset of the urban forest. The city manages 4,504 inventoried public trees along streets, in parks, and at City facilities. In addition, while not yet included in the inventory, there are more public trees in wetlands, wetland buffers and other open space areas where the city provides minimal care in support of natural habitat. Annually, Watsonville’s inventoried public trees provide quantifiable environmental benefits to the community valued at $22,810. Benefits include reducing stormwater runoff ($3,273), carbon sequestration ($5,368), and improvements to air quality ($14,169). This is a conservative estimate of the benefits from trees, as it does not account for socioeconomic and human health benefits.
The Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) is a roadmap for managing community trees and growing the urban forest and tree canopy over the next 50 years. It supports the community’s desire for preserving and improving the health, value, and the environmental benefits of trees. and tree canopy. The development process for the UFMP included establishing a baseline for the structure and value of existing urban forest resources, including tree canopy and
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inventoried community trees. The process also analyzed urban forest programming, including staffing, services, and funding. Urban forest managers, key partners, and community stakeholders were engaged to identify the challenges and opportunities facing Watsonville’s urban forest and to explore possible solutions and objectives for the UFMP.
Watsonville’s urban forestry program is fortunate to have the support of the community and local nonprofit organizations, including Watsonville Wetlands Watch. The group has been a leader in tree planting efforts across the community, planting nearly 500 trees over the last five years alone, and was instrumental in acquiring the grant funding from CAL FIRE that supported the development of the UFMP. Many communities with more established urban forestry programs strive to grow partnerships like the one the city has formed with Watsonville Wetlands Watch. In addition, City staff responsible for caring for community trees have worked for the city for their entire careers and have demonstrated a vested interest in nurturing the urban forest. Together, the city and its nonprofit partners have made important steps to develop an urban forestry program, with a strong focus on equity and enhancement of the urban forest and its associated benefits.
The Implementation Plan in the UFMP presents goals, objectives, and actions to grow the urban forestry program and enhance the services provided to the community. Since the UFMP is a long-term guiding document, regularly monitoring and reviewing progress towards goals and objectives will be important.
The UFMP identifies five goals and 49 objectives to manage and grow Watsonville’s urban forest over the next 50 years. The UFMP goals reflect Watsonville’s vision for the future of the urban forest and promote the preservation of health, value, services, and sustainability of this important resource. Each goal is supported by comprehensive objectives and actions and includes target dates and touchpoints to engage with the community. The timeline for accomplishing objectives is flexible and meant to be adjusted based on emerging opportunities and in response to changes in funding and staffing resources.
The Implementation Plan identifies specific actions for measuring progress and achievements.
Ultimately, the success of the UFMP will be measured by the community’s level of satisfaction with the services provided and the condition and contribution of the urban forest. If adopted the Urban Forest Management Plan will serve as a guiding document for City staff and the community.
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This project meets the Council Strategic Priorities of:
1- Economic Development through the increased value trees add to property and business.
2- Infrastructure & Environment through tree planting and long-term planning to improve the environment.
5- Public Safety by creating a specific management plan that provides for and promotes proper planning, planting, and maintenance practices that create a safer urban forest for the community.
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6- Community Engagement & Well-Being through engaging the community in the development of the UFMP and participation in tree plantings throughout the City as well as the numerous health benefits that trees provide to the community.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no current financial impact from this recommendation. The consultant contract was funded entirely by the CAL-FIRE Urban Forestry Grant (337) Project #10070, with support of in-kind match in the form of staff time to support the project objectives and consultant scope of work. Future implementation of the goals and objectives outlined in this Plan require additional resources that could be acquired through City and/or future grant funds and through continued partnerships with organizations, such as Watsonville Wetlands Watch.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
The City Council may choose to:
1. Not adopt the Urban Forest Management Plan.
2. Adopt the Urban Forest Management Plan with edits.
ATTACHMENTS AND/OR REFERENCES (If any):
None.
Reso No. (CM)
Meeting Date: 042324 SWZ ______ RM ______ PCS ______
1 RESOLUTION NO.__________ (CM)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
WATSONVILLE ADOPTING THE WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST
MANAGEMENT PLAN 2024
WHEREAS, the City Council authorized the submittal of an application for CAL FIRE Urban Forestry Program grant funds on April 14, 2020, by Resolution No. 46-20 (CM). Following the application, the City was awarded a $700,000 grant from The CAL FIRE Urban & Community Forestry Program in August 2020; and WHEREAS, during its meeting on May 11, 2021, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 141-21 (CM), awarding a contract to Davey Resource Group, Inc. (DRG), in an amount not to exceed $268,664, as the consultant selected through an RFP process to provide consultant services to assist the City in developing an Urban Forest Management Plan, Tree Protection Ordinance and other related services to meet the requirements of a CAL FIRE funded grant project; and WHEREAS, at this same meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 142-21 (CM), approving a contract with Watsonville Wetlands Watch, in the amount of $349,800 for Urban Forestry Services and to assist with tree planting, Urban Forest Management Plan Development, and grant administration/reporting to meet objectives for the Watsonville Community Forest Project; and WHEREAS, the Watsonville Community Forestry Project developed and implemented comprehensive urban forest management activities evaluating current urban forest resources, identified locations, opportunities, and needs for urban forest expansion activities, developed appropriate policies to sustain and enhance urban forest resources within the City of Watsonville over time and
Reso No. (CM)
Meeting Date: 042324
2 implemented urban forest expansion activities in a way that advances these efforts; and
WHEREAS, Davey Resource Group, Inc., with the assistance of Watsonville Wetlands Watch and City staff, have delivered the City of Watsonville Urban Forest Management Plan pursuant to the contract, to serve as a guiding document for City staff and the community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AS FOLLOWS:
1. This action is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21000, et seq. and the CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 15000 et. seq.), including without limitation, Public Resources Code section 21065 and California Code of Regulations 15378 as this is not a “project” that may cause a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment and because the action constitutes organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. Additionally, even if a “project,” the action would be exempt under the “common sense” exception (14 Cal. Code Regs. § 15061(b)(3)) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this action may have a significant effect on the environment.
2. That the Watsonville Urban Forest Management Plan 2024, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, is hereby adopted.
Watsonville
URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN
2024
PREPARED BY
Davey Resource Group, Inc.
www.davey.com/drg
PHOTO CREDITS
Community Members
City of Watsonville
Davey Resource Group, Inc
PREPARED BY
Davey Resource Group, Inc.
www.davey.com/drg
PHOTO CREDITS
Community Members
City of Watsonville
Davey Resource Group, IncPREPARED BY
Davey Resource Group, Inc.
www.davey.com/drg
PHOTO CREDITS
Community Members
City of Watsonville
Davey Resource Group, Inc
WATSONVILLE CITY, CITY COUNCIL
Vanessa Quiroz-Carter- Mayor
Maria Orozco- Pro Tempore
Eduardo Montesino- Council Member
Kristal Salcido- Council Member
Casey K. Clark- Council Member
Jimmy Dutra- Council Member
Ari Parker- Council Member
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
CITY DEPARTMENTS
Parks and Community Services
Public Works and Utilities
Community Development
COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS
Watsonville Wetlands Watch
Pajaro Valley Unified School District
CAL FIRE
Regeneration Pajaro Valley
Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley
Real Estate Professionals of Watsonville
Community Members
Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County
Rodgers-Repass Family Foundation
Pajaro Chamber of Commerce
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PREPARED BY
Davey Resource Group, Inc
www.davey.com/drg
PHOTO CREDITS
Community Members
City of Watsonville
Davey Resource Group, Inc
Watsonville Wetlands Watch
FUNDING
Funding for this project was provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as part of the California Climate Investments Program.
2 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 241 of 428
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 243 of 428 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.....................................................................................................................................................................2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.........................................................................................................................................................................6 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................................................................10 BENEFITS FROM TREES AND CANOPY ...............................................................................................................................12 HISTORY OF THE URBAN FOREST ........................................................................................................................................14 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN....................................................................................................................................................................16 BACKGROUND.......................................................................................................................................................................................48 URBAN FOREST RESOURCE .....................................................................................................................................................48 GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF TREE CANOPY...........................................................................................................48 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS .....................................................................................................................................................58 CANOPY GOALS AND CANOPY POTENTIAL...................................................................................................................60 PLANTING PRIORITIES .................................................................................................................................................................60 COMMUNITY TREE RESOURCE ..............................................................................................................................................62 URBAN FORESTRY OPERATIONS ...........................................................................................................................................65 URBAN FORESTRY PROGRAM FUNDING............................................................................................................................68 URBAN FOREST PARTNERS ......................................................................................................................................................68 PARTNERS ..........................................................................................................................................................................................68 POLICY AND REGULATION .....................................................................................................................................................70 ANALYSIS OF SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS ...................................................................................................................76 CONCLUSIONS ...............................................................................................................................................................................76 PLAN DEVELOPMENT.........................................................................................................................................................................80 COLLABORATIVE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT............................................................................................................80 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ..................................................................................................................................................82 TREE CARE AND PLANTING PLAN........................................................................................................................................88 EVALUATE AND ADJUST ...................................................................................................................................................................94 MONITORING AND MEASURING RESULTS .......................................................................................................................94 REPORTING .....................................................................................................................................................................................95 APPENDIX A: REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................................................96 APPENDIX B: TECHNICAL GUIDE..................................................................................................................................................98 APPENDIX C: METHODOLOGY FOR ASSESSING TREE CANOPY EQUITY ............................................................... 100 APPENDIX D: SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS ........................................................................................................................ 102 APPENDIX E: SOIL VOLUME AND TREE STATURE ............................................................................................................... 106 APPENDIX F: ALTERNATIVE PLANTER DESIGNS................................................................................................................... 107 APPENDIX G: TREE PROTECTION ZONES .............................................................................................................................. 110 APPENDIX H: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RESULTS........................................................................................................ 114 ONLINE COMMUNITY SURVEY............................................................................................................................................. 116
The Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) is a roadmap for managing community trees and growing the urban forest and tree canopy over the next 50 years. It supports the community’s desire for preserving and improving the health, value, and the environmental benefits of trees and tree canopy. The development process for the UFMP included establishing a baseline for the structure and value of existing urban forest resources, including tree canopy and inventoried community trees (Table 1). The process also analyzed urban forest programming, including staffing, services, and funding. Urban forest managers, key partners, and community stakeholders were engaged to identify the challenges and opportunities facing Watsonville’s urban forest and to explore possible solutions and objectives for the UFMP.
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
Nestled in the Pajaro Valley, the City of Watsonville is bordered by agricultural fields, orchards, and the Pajaro River. Wetlands are found throughout the Pajaro Valley, which is home to hundreds of species of birds, fish, and mammals. Wetlands and other natural resources are also present in the built areas of the community, where there is a diverse, growing population of urban trees. Watsonville’s urban forest (comprising trees on both public and private property) provides many valuable benefits to the community. These benefits are critical to sustaining the quality of life in the community.
Currently, Watsonville has an average tree canopy of 9.4% (412 acres) comprised of both public and private trees (Watsonville Tree Canopy & Land Cover Assessment Summary Report, 2022). The potential for tree canopy may be as high as 30%. To date, this resource is storing 13,590 tons of carbon in woody and foliar biomass, valued at $2.3 million.
Community trees are the publicly-owned subset of the urban forest. The City manages 4,504 inventoried community trees along streets, in parks, and at City facilities. In addition, while not yet included in the inventory, there are more community trees in wetlands, wetland buffers and other open space areas where the City, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, and community volunteers steward and provide minimal care to maintain a natural habitat. Annually, Watsonville’s inventoried community trees provide quantifiable environmental benefits to the community valued at $22,810. Benefits include reducing stormwater runoff ($3,273), carbon sequestration ($5,368), and improvements to air quality ($14,169). This is a conservative estimate of the benefits from trees, as it does not account for socioeconomic and human health benefits.
The Municipal Code includes provisions intended to protect private and community trees.
Key Challenges and Opportunities:
● Sustainable funding for urban forest operations
● Drought and climate change pose challenges for tree health and urban forest resiliency
● Heat island effects have a greater impact on areas with lower canopy and contribute to residents vulnerability to heat stress
● Canopy cover is lower than average along residential streets and in residential neighborhoods
● Current maintenance for community trees is inconsistent and primarily reactive
● No long-term planting plan
● Limited space available for new community trees due to existing infrastructure constraints
● Existing irrigation infrastructure further limits potential planting sites
● Historical tree plantings included species that are
inappropriate for the local climate and/or specific sites ● Ordinances currently provide limited protections for trees in the public rights-of-way and on private property
● Watsonville qualifies for Tree City USA designation
● Skilled City staff and strong existing environmental programs that support the administration of a comprehensive urban forestry program
6 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 245 of 428 Watsonville’s urban forestry program is fortunate to have the support of the community and local nonprofit organizations, including Watsonville Wetlands Watch. The group has been a leader in tree planting efforts across the community, planting nearly 500 trees over the last five years alone, and was instrumental in acquiring the grant funding from CAL FIRE that supported the development of the UFMP. Many communities with more established urban forestry programs strive to grow partnerships like the one the City has formed with Watsonville Wetlands Watch.
In addition, City staff responsible for caring for community trees have worked for the City for their entire careers and have demonstrated a vested interest in nurturing the urban forest. Together, the City and its nonprofit partners have made important steps to develop an urban forestry program, with a strong focus on equity and enhancement of the urban forest and its associated benefits.
The Implementation Plan in the UFMP presents goals, objectives, and actions to grow the urban forestry program and enhance the services provided to the community. Since the UFMP is a long-term guiding document, regularly monitoring and reviewing progress towards goals and objectives will be important.
The UFMP identifies five goals and 40 objectives to manage and grow Watsonville’s urban forest over the next 50 years (Table 2).
The UFMP goals reflect Watsonville’s vision for the future of the urban forest and promote the preservation of health, value, services, and sustainability of this important resource. Each goal is supported by comprehensive objectives and actions and includes target dates and touchpoints to engage with the community. The timeline for accomplishing objectives is flexible and meant to be adjusted based on emerging opportunities and in response to changes in funding and staffing resources.
The Implementation Plan identifies specific actions for measuring progress and achievements. Ultimately, the success of the UFMP will be measured by the community’s level of satisfaction with the services provided and the condition and contribution of the urban forest.
Table 1: Benchmarks
1 The 2022 inventory collection indentified empty planting sites.
Table 2: Plan Goals and Objectives
Goals Reach or exceed 30% overall tree canopy cover Grow a sustainable and resilient community tree resource
Enhance the livability and character of the
community
Encourage stewardship of the urban forest Celebrate the urban forest Reach or exceed 15% overall tree canopy cover
by 2043
Provide proactive maintenance for all community
trees to reduce costs and promote efficiency
Prioritize planting trees in areas with less than
average canopy cover, especially in areas of the
City that are environmentally and/or socially
disadvantaged
Foster relationships with local community
partners to implement thhe goals and objectives
of the Urban Forest Management Plan
Engage the community in urban forestry
programming
Increase tree canopy cover on public property Follow integrated pest management (IPM) protocols and best management practices for
managing pests and disease
Adopt the Urban Forest Management Plan to guide
long-term management of the urban forest
Create opportunities for the community to
assist in improving the urban forest
Become a Tree City USA
Increase tree planting on private property Increase contractor oversight Establish minimum tree canopy cover percentages for new development through City ordinance
Develop a workforce training program for tree
planting, care, and establishment
Promote awareness of the care and value of
trees and the urban forest
Work with the community to establish canopy
goals for neighborhoods, City rights-of-way,
land use, Downtown, and schools
Explore the use of an inventory management
software which can be accessed by both City staff
and contractors
Communicate the vision and provide continual
updates to the community on progress on meeting
goals and objectives
Monitor changes in tree canopy cover Designate a position within the City or hire a contractor who is an ISA Certified Arborist
(at minimum) that is responsible for providing
guidance and policy recommendations for urban
forest operations
Increase stocking level to 100% in the community
tree resource in 5 years
Preserve and protect trees in open space Revise and amend Municipal Code to promote the protection of community trees
Use best available climate science to inform
management and increase resilience of the urban
forest
Objectives Increase and ensure equitable distribution of tree canopy and urban forest resources to mitigate
extreme heat and pollution burdens in areas that
are environmentally and/or socially disadvantaged
Plant the right trees in the right places Establish the goals of the Urban Forest Management Plan into visionary and planning
documents, including the General Plan and the
Climate Action Adaptation Plan
Adopt a tree ordinance that promotes the
protection of both City trees and trees on
private property
Formulate a long-term tree planting program Revise and update the UFMP to respond to changing conditions and community needs over the
next 50 years
Use trees and canopy to address urban heat
islands
Update and maintain the Street Tree List from
the Urban Green Plan to consider long-term
climate resiliency and suitability for Watsonville
Update standards to accommodate for tree
planting space and maximize soil volume to
accommodate large trees wherever possible
Create a wood utilization plan Use trees to reduce localized flooding and improve water quality in downstream wetlands and receiving
waters
Formalize emergency response procedures Identify the costs of implementing the various goals of the plan so that a budget can be developed
Establish predictable and stable funding for the
community tree resource
Provide outreach and education on updates to
the tree preservation ordinance
Work with utility providers to maintain trees and
replace problematic trees where possible
8 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 247 of 428
WE NEED MORE TREES AND PLANTS TO HELP
KEEP DOWN THE HEAT.
-SURVEY RESPONDENT
Watsonville is located on the central coast of California in the Pajaro Valley of Santa Cruz County and sits between the Santa Cruz mountains to the northeast and Monterey Bay to the west. Agriculture is an important industry for the community which is surrounded by a lush patchwork of agricultural lands. The Pajaro River flows westword through the city and through a riparian area with dense tree canopy before it empties into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
The Pajaro River Watershed and Watsonville Slough System are defining features in Watsonville.
With a history of recurring flooding, the river has deposited fertile and nutrient-dense soils in the Pajaro Valley. However, flooding has also had devastating impacts. Areas along Corralitos Creek have been especially hard hit by flooding. An atmospheric river system that occurred in early winter of 2022 and early spring of 2023, brought more than 20 inches of rain to the community, which resulted in severe local flooding. With a changing climate, storm events like atmospheric rivers are likely to become more frequent and intense (NOAA 2023), bringing an increased risk of flooding and landslides. With thoughtful planning, trees and canopy can augment stormwater management and flood risk reduction initiatives.
The poverty rate in Watsonville is 12.9%, which is higher than the US average of 11.6% (US Census Bureau, 2020), and a significant portion of the community is especially vulnerable to extreme heat and flooding brought on by climate change. Currently, 75% of streets in Watsonville have less than 10% tree canopy cover, including in many residential neighborhoods (Watsonville Tree Canopy & Land Cover Assessment Summary Report, 2022). Greater incorporation of shade trees at the neighborhood level can help to reduce stormwater runoff and flooding and cool homes during extreme heat.
The community recognizes that trees and canopy cover are vital components of a thriving community. Trees are especially important for mitigating the consequences of climate change, including reducing urban heat islands and combating extreme heat events. Watsonville’s Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) was developed to communicate the importance of trees and tree canopy and to share the community’s vision for the future urban forest. The goals and objectives presented in the UFMP are a reflection of the ideas of the community and the City that were shared during the development of the UFMP.
INTRODUCTION
10 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 249 of 428
BENEFITS FROM TREES AND
CANOPY
Trees in the urban forest work continuously to mitigate the effects of urbanization and development and protect and enhance lives within the community. Healthy trees are vigorous, producing more leaf surface and canopy cover area each year. The amount and distribution of leaf surface area are the driving force behind the urban forest’s ability to produce services (i.e., benefits) for the community (Clark et al, 1997).
Benefits include:
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND WATER QUALITY
● Trees intercept rain during storm events, which reduces and slows runoff (Xiao et al. 1998).
● Trees that intercept raindrops can lessen the impact and erosion of barren soils.
● Tree roots and decomposed leaf litter increase the capacity and rate of soil infiltration by rainfall and snow melt, which can further reduce the flow and volume of stormwater
runoff that can cause erosion, pollute water bodies, and threaten aquatic life (McPherson et al. 2002).
CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCTION
● Trees reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere
through the growth and sequestration of CO2 in woody and foliar biomass.
● Trees can reduce CO2 emissions by lowering the demand for energy and thereby reducing the consumption of natural gas and the generation of electric power.
AIR QUALITY
● Trees protect and improve air quality by filtering and intercepting particulate matter (PM2.5), including dust, pollen, and smoke until precipitation rinses the particulates off of the leaves and bark onto the ground.
● Trees absorb harmful gaseous pollutants like ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) and some VOCs. (Karl, 2010; Science Now, 2010).
● Trees that shade parked cars can reduce the formation of ozone (O3) which is accelerated at higher temperatures. ● Trees produce oxygen through photosynthesis.
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
● Trees in retail areas promote better business by stimulating more frequent and extended shopping and shoppers are
willing to pay more for goods (Wolf, 2005).
AESTHETICS
● Trees beautify the urban landscape and provide privacy for homes.
● Trees contribute to increased property values (Theriault et al. 2002).
● Neighborhoods with more tree cover in urban areas tend to have better overall health, including reduced rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma (Ulmer et al. 2016).
ENERGY SAVINGS
● When trees transpire, water converts to water vapor,
thereby cooling the air using solar energy that would
otherwise result in heating of the air (Heisler, 1986; Ellison et al. 2017; Huang et al. 1990; Lyle, 1996).
● Trees that shade dwellings and hardscapes reduce the
energy needed to cool the building with air conditioning (Akbari et al. 1997).
NOISE REDUCTION
● Trees with larger trunk diameters are better at abating traffic noise than synthetic barriers (Ow and Ghosh
2017).
JOB CREATION
● More than 500,000 people are employed as a result of
urban forestry activities (Thompson et al. 2021).
GREEN ROOFS
● Green roofs planted with trees are greater contributors to air quality than green roofs planted with shrubs and grasses (Currie and Bass 2008).
HEALTH
● When people are exposed to nature, including trees,
they can experience improvements in mental and physical health, including lower incidence of depressive symptoms and increased capacity and recovery time (Kuo, 2001;
Sherer, 2003; Jennings et al. 2016; Ulrich, 1984).
● Greater tree density has been attributed to reductions in hospital emissions and deaths due to reduced air
pollution (Tiwary et al. 2009).
● Leaf litter from trees, especially species that are
allelopathic (toxic to other plants), can suppress weeds and reduce the use of herbicides (Chen et al. 2013).
● Greater tree species diversity may enhance immune
function and reduce mortality risks of dieases associated with proper immune function (Giancinto et al. 2021).
ACADEMICS
● Students exposed to nature (including trees) experience greater academic success, whereas students who lack
views of natural features (including trees) experience
decreased student performance (Matsuoka, 2010).
● High schools with a higher density of tree cover within a 1-mile radius are positively associated with higher ACT scores and students were more on track for graduation
and prepared for college (Li et al. 2019).
WILDLIFE
● Trees and forest lands provide important habitat for
mammals, birds, fish, and other aquatic species (habitat for foraging, nesting, spawning, etc.). Flowering trees provide pollen and nectar, which offer pollinators additional food sources.
● Having many different types of tree species attracts
greater biodiversity (Pena et al, 2017; Haddad et al,
2015).
● Green corridors, such as wooded streets and riparian
areas, allow for wildlife movement and dispersal
(Fernandez-Juricic, 2000; Dwyer et al, 1992).
12 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 251 of 428 PUBLIC SAFETY ● Trees and ”park-like” surroundings increase neighborhood safety by relieving mental fatigue and feelings of violence and aggression that can occur as an outcome of fatigue (American Planning Association, 2003).
● People who live near outdoor greenery (including trees) tend to be more familiar with nearby neighbors, socialize with those neighbors more frequently, and express greater feelings of community and safety than residents lacking nearby green spaces (American Planning Association, 2003).
● Trees and landscape planted near homes can reduce the incidence of domestic crimes by up to 25% (Kuo, 2001).
● Tree canopy cover has been linked to reduced crime rates, even after adjusting for a number of other variables, such as median household income, level of education, and rented versus owner-occupied housing (Gilstad-Hayden et al. 2015; Troy et al. 2012).
● Trees increase walkability and opportunities for additional physical activity which has been shown to lower overweight and obesity cases, and increase social cohesion (Ulmer et al. 2016).
URBAN HEAT ISLAND ● Trees that shade sidewalks, asphalt, buildings, and other impervious surfaces reduce the amount of radiant energy absorbed and stored by these hardscapes and thereby reduce the heat island effect, a term that describes the increase in urban temperatures in relation to surrounding locations (Akbari et al, 1997; McDonald et al. 2016).
FOOD FORESTS ● Foraging for nuts and fruits from trees provides opportunities for increasing food security and food sovereignty (Bunge et al. 2019).
HISTORY OF THE URBAN
FOREST
The people of Watsonville have a deep physical, social, spiritual, and cultural connection to the trees in the community. This connection first began with the Ohlone people, who for more than 10,000 years lived on the land and relied on the acorns of oak trees as a primary source of food and the willows for the construction of their homes (City of Watsonville; Santa Cruz County).
The first European explorers found their way to the valley in 1769.
Notes from the Gaspar de Portolá expedition include descriptions of coast redwood trees in the area. Juan Crespí of the expedition, named the area that is now Pinto Lake the (land of lakes and hazelnuts) because of an abundance of hazelnut trees (City of Watsonville). By the end of the 1700’s the Spanish founded three missions around the Pajaro Valley. Many Ohlone people died from European diseases like smallpox during this time. Those who survived lost their cultural traditions because of the missions. And their land was given to Mexican citizens and claimed for grazing rights. With the loss of the land, ancestral land management techniques like burning the grasslands stopped (Santa Cruz County). Without periodic fires, hazelnut trees became rare in central California, as fire has been shown to be important for their growth and production (Marks-Block et al, 2019 ).
Logging further shaped the landscape. In the 1840s, a large-scale logging industry was established in the area of Pinto Lake, which resulted in a shift in plant communities in the area. Areas that were once dominated by redwood, hazelnut, willow scrub, and oak woodland transitioned to open grassland and open-range habitat types (City of Watsonville).
With the California Gold Rush of 1848, waves of migration brought greater demands for agriculture. Immigrants from other countries filled this need by growing and harvesting crops. Among those immigrants were Louis and Stephen Martinelli, who established their first apple orchard in Watsonville. Together, the duo founded S. Martinelli and Co., which would later become one of the most well-known apple cider companies in the US.
In 1935, the Watsonville Japanese Association donated 238 cherry trees to the City of Watsonville as a show of “friendship, mutual respect, and understanding”. These trees were planted at schools, City playgrounds, churches and a cemetery. In the years following, the group continued to distribute another 1,000 cherry trees to residents (Jones, 2011). The last known surviving tree from this important tree-planting campaign was outside of the Watsonville High School cafeteria. After the tree died, the local chapter of the Japanese American Citizen League donated a replacement tree to the school in 2013.
In 1986, the City adopted an ordinance, which sought to protect historic trees in the community. The adoption of the ordinance and other advocacy for historic trees, have contributed to the protection of several old and historic trees in the community. In fact, one of Watsonville’s oldest trees, a pepper tree planted in 1864 on Beach Street, was repeatedly saved from removal because of community advocates (Mize, 2018). The tree was removed in 2018 due to safety concerns (Hannula, 2018).
In 1990, when developers proposed building 800 homes on the uplands of Struve Slough, community members sought to protect the habitat, which includes several species of native trees. The group was successful in protecting the wetlands and came to form Watsonville Wetlands Watch (WWW) (Watsonville Wetlands Watch, 2023).
The formation of WWW and other successful community projects, like the planting of a school orchard at Ohlone Elementary School in 2009, are examples of the community’s will power and reflect peoples’ appreciation for the natural environment and the benefits of trees (Little, 2010).
In an effort to promote city-wide tree planting, the Urban Greening Plan was adopted in 2012. The plan included goals to plant 40,000 new trees and improve existing low canopy cover, which reflects the community’s commitment to enhancing and preserving the urban forest.
The Urban Greening Plan contributed to the awarding of a grant to the Watsonville Wetlands Watch and the City of Watsonville in 2018 from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections’ Urban and Community Forestry Program, which provided the funds to plant 300 new trees. Subsequent funding from State and local sources has enabled the increase of these tree-planting efforts.
In 2021, with an urban forestry grant from CAL FIRE, the City collected an inventory of community trees on streets, parks, and at City facilities.
The inventory, which collected 4,642 trees and planting sites, included the GIS location and other valuable information about each tree, including species, size, condition, and maintenance needs. The inventory was used in conjunction with i-Tree Eco to develop an in-depth analysis of the structure, composition, and benefits provided by Watsonville’s community trees (Watsonville, CA Urban Forest Resource Analysis, 2022).
Along with the inventory collection of community trees, tree canopy and other land cover on both public and private property were mapped using high-resolution aerial images. The assessment maps the location and extent of tree canopy and estimates the quantifiable benefits provided by the urban forest, including reducing stormwater runoff, improving air quality, and sequestering carbon from the atmosphere (Watsonville, CA Tree Canopy & Land Cover Assessment Summary Report, 2022).
With an updated inventory, resource analysis, tree canopy assessment, and community advocates for the environment and trees, Watsonville has a strong foundation for a comprehensive management plan to guide the development of an advanced urban forestry program.
14 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 253 of 428
CONNECTION WITH THE NATURAL WORLD
IMPROVES THE LIVES OF RESIDENTS IN EVERDENSELY DEVELOPED CITIES. -SURVEY RESPONDENT
The Implementation Plan details the goals, objectives, and actions for Watsonville’s UFMP. Many objectives support more than one goal and these are denoted with an asterisk (*). The UFMP is a dynamic tool that can and should be adjusted in response to available resources and changes in community expectations. The UFMP serves as a day-today guide for planning, policy-making and is intended to be reviewed regularly for progress on goals and objectives and to ensure that the recommended action steps are integrated into annual work plans.
Each objective identifies a suggested timeframe for accomplishing associated actions. In addition to a timeframe, a priority is assigned to communicate the urgency of addressing the objective:
● High–An objective that is critical to protecting existing community assets and reducing/managing risk
● Medium–An objective that further aligns programming and resource improvements that have been identified as desirable by the community, partners, and/or urban forest managers, but that may require additional investment
● Low–An objective that is visionary or represents an increase in current service levels
Objectives also include ratings on impact which denotes the outcome of an objective in meeting community needs:
Impact
● High–An objective with an anticipated outcome that will provide benefits to community members and result in more equitable distribution of trees, canopy, environmental benefits, and/or tree services.
● Medium–An objective with an anticipated outcome that may provide benefits to community members and result in more equitable distribution of trees, canopy, environmental benefits, and/or tree services.
● Low–An objective with an anticipated outcome that may result in benefit to community members, but may not result in more equitable distribution of trees, canopy, environmental benefits, and/or tree services.
A cost range provides managers with an estimate of the budget required to implement each objective;
● $ (<$10,000)
● $$ ($10,000-$50,000)
● $$$ ($50,000-$100,000)
● $$$$ (>$100,000)
IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN
16 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 255 of 428
RATIONALE:
The 2012 Urban Greening Plan set a goal of 40% canopy cover.
However, considering existing tree canopy and pervious surfaces, it is estimated that the city can support at most 30% canopy cover.
Participants at a community meeting indicated that they supported a canopy goal of 30% in 20 years. Based on the existing land cover and the community’s support, a goal of 30% overall tree canopy cover should be adopted.
RISK:
Without a tree canopy cover goal, the community is at risk of stagnation or losses to tree canopy and the associated benefits.
BENEFIT:
With increased canopy cover comes increased benefits.
GOAL: REACH OR EXCEED 30% OVERALL TREE CANOPY
COVER
OBJECTIVE:
Reach or exceed overall tree canopy cover by 2043*
ACTIONS:
▪ Annually plant 600-800 trees over the next 20 years
▪ Use TreeKeeper Canopy to identify potential planting areas • Explore mechanisms in the Story Map to allow community members to request trees in specific areas of the community PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 5-10 YEARS
COST: $$$$
*-Objective supports more than one goal. $- (<$10,000) $$- ($10,000-$50,000) $$$-($50,000-$100,000) $$$$- (>$100,000) ACTIONS:
▪ Review canopy cover within the rights-of-way at least every 10 years
▪ Work with the community to establish a canopy goal for the rightsof-way to reduce the urban heat island effect ▪ Continue to plant trees at City parks
• Incorporate more opportunities for trees in streetscapes, parking lots, seating areas, walkways, and near buildings OBJECTIVE:
Increase tree canopy cover on public property
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-10 YEARS
COST: $$$
18 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 257 of 428 ACTIONS:
▪ Define sustainable annual planting goals and the necessary funding required to achieve and maintain desired levels of planting on public property
• Keep records of available planting sites
• Remove stumps after tree removals to make the site available for a replacement planting • Seek to expand planting areas through modifications to construction designs • Optimize planting areas in Capital Improvement Projects • Use TreeKeeper Canopy® to prioritize planting in areas with less than average tree canopy ▪ Use TreeKeeper Canopy to establish tree canopy goals and determine the number of trees that need to be planted in the specified timespan to meet the goals
• Explore mechanisms in the Story Map to allow community members to request trees in a particular area ▪ Educate the community on the importance of private trees in reaching canopy goals • Provide materials on how to care for trees to encourage preservation of existing trees on private property
• Promote planting the largest statured trees possible
• Increase awareness on how the urban forest can help the community face changes in climate • Encourage the use of best management practices
OBJECTIVE:
Work with the community to establish canopy goals for neighborhoods, City rights-of-way, land use, Downtown, and schools
ACTIONS:
▪ Encourage tree planting on private property behind the sidewalk in areas where parkways are too narrow for street trees
▪ Emphasize the importance of planting the right tree in the right place on private property ▪ Continue to provide free fruit and shade trees for residents through the Watsonville Wetlands Watch partnership and grant programs
• Explore additional nonprofit and community partnerships that could result in increased tree canopy
▪ Consider partnering with the local utility provider to incentivize property owners to strategically plant shade trees to reduce energy costs
▪ Encourage private property owners to maintain existing trees • Provide education on tree planting and maintenance
• Provide education on the benefits of trees to encourage residents to plant trees on private property
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
COST: $
OBJECTIVE:
Increase tree planting on private property
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-10 YEARS
COST: $
OBJECTIVE:
Monitor changes in tree canopy cover
ACTIONS:
▪ Conduct a land cover assessment at least every 10 years to evaluate progress on canopy cover goals • Adjust 20 year canopy cover goal as needed depending on the changes in the distribution of tree canopy cover
• Reassess local canopy goals in response to patterns of expansion and/or loss of tree canopy • Host meetings at local events to gather community input on canopy goals and potential planting locations • Use aerial imagery and remote sensing to map changes to the extent and location of tree canopy and other land cover and assess progress on tree canopy goals at least every 10 years ▪ Revisit the overall canopy goal of 15% in 2043
OBJECTIVE:
Preserve and protect trees in open space*
ACTIONS:
▪ Strategically plant trees to encourage regional habitat connectivity and wildlife corridors ▪ Identify opportunities to retain dead standing trees wherever possible to serve as wildlife habitat • Set up perimeter fencing to discourage occupancy underneath trees selected for habitat retention PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-10 YEARS
COST: $
PRIORITY: MEDIUM
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 5-10 YEARS
COST: $
20 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 259 of 428 OBJECTIVE:
Increase and ensure equitable distribution of tree canopy and urban forest resources to mitigate extreme heat and pollution burdens in areas that are environmentally and/or socially disadvantaged*
ACTIONS:
▪ Use land cover data in the public rights-of-way to further explore possible disparities in distribution of canopy cover
▪ Utilize TreeKeeper Canopy® to identify areas with lower tree canopy cover • Work with local neighborhoods to develop appropriate tree canopy cover goals ▪ Conduct outreach efforts in neighborhoods to identify where local communities want trees planted and where they are not wanted
• Plant all available planting sites in the public rights-of-way, especially in neighborhoods with lower tree canopy
• Replace trees as that have been removed
▪ Continue to provide education on the benefits of trees to encourage residents to plant trees on private property • Explore more opportunities to provide free or inexpensive trees to plant on private property ▪ Collaborate with nonprofits involved in creating a more equitable urban forest • Continue to partner with Watsonville Wetlands Watch on tree planting and adoption, tree care, and urban forest education for the community
▪ Develop an incentive program for tree planting, establishment, maintenance, and replacement to reduce economic barriers to participation in tree canopy establishment
▪ Increase tree planting and establishment on public schools and other areas with less than average tree canopy cover
▪ Encourage tree planting and establishment in areas where persons are environmentally and/or socially disadvantaged to promote public health and reduce pollution burdens
▪ Use the City’s Tree Fund to support tree planting projects that promote canopy equity PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-5 YEARS
COST: $
OBJECTIVE:
Adopt a tree ordinance that promotes the protection of both City trees and trees on private property*
ACTIONS:
▪ Encourage the community to nominate trees for heritage tree designation to preserve trees on private property ▪ Emphasize protecting and preserving heritage trees as defined by the pending adoption of a tree ordinance OBJECTIVE:
Use trees and canopy to address urban heat islands*
ACTIONS:
▪ Use TreeKeeper Canopy® to identify areas with higher surface temperatures and low tree canopy to prioritize planting areas
▪ Improve parking lots with planter spaces that can support large stature trees • Plant the largest tree possible
▪ Provide education to private parking lot owners about the benefits of planting trees to reduce heat islands • Include information on how trees that shade hardscape can extend the life of asphalt and concrete ▪ Revise design standards for newly constructed parking lots • Require the construction of planter spaces with minimum soil volumes • Establish a minimum number of tree plantings per parking spaces • Plant the largest statured tree possible for the site • Allow substitutions for solar arrays to support community solar ▪ Adopt a new ordinance that requires attainment of at least 15% tree canopy cover after 15 years in new residential developments
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 2-10 YEARS
COST: $$$
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
COST: $
22 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 261 of 428
RATIONALE:
Trees are living organisms, whose health and structure is affected by numerous biotic and abiotic factors. The needs of trees can vary depending on their age. Regular care for all community trees and continual planting in the public rights-of-way will ensure that the resource is sustained for future generations and is more resilient to pests and pathogens and changes in climate.
RISK:
Without regular care, trees are more vulnerable to pests and pathogens and may develop structural problems that can pose a risk to public safety. Many structural issues, if left unchecked, can grow into more expensive issues as the trees mature. In some instances, these issues may be impossible to correct and require the tree to be removed before it has reached its full potential.
BENEFIT:
If trees are regularly maintained, they can live longer and provide more benefits to the community. When new trees are planted, it ensures that mature trees will have successors and the benefit stream will not be disrupted. Planting new trees also presents an opportunity to select species of trees that are performing better in the local climate and are less susceptible to existing and emerging pests.
OBJECTIVE:
Provide proactive maintenance for all community trees
to reduce costs and promote efficiency*
ACTIONS:
▪ Develop a 10-year work plan to address all priority and routine maintenance
• Use the inventory to identify priority and routine maintenance • Update the inventory to reflect current maintenance needs • Consider species that may require more frequent maintenance (e.g., Texas red oak, Chinese pistache, etc.)
• Consider areas of town that may require more frequent pruning cycles (e.g., along bus routes, downtown)
• Provide training pruning for young trees every 2-years to avoid more expensive maintenance as trees age
• Include park trees in maintenance plan
• Adjust annual maintenance schedules to consider available funding
Goal: GROW A SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITY
TREE RESOURCE
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 5-10 YEARS
COST: $$$
*-Objective supports more than one goal. $- (<$10,000) $$- ($10,000-$50,000) $$$-($50,000-$100,000) $$$$- (>$100,000) 24 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 263 of 428 ▪ Project costs for completing maintenance
• Establish maintenance zones to complete maintenance in grids • Use the grids to project annual costs
◦ Publish pruning cycle schedules and maps on the City website ◦ Add the last year the pruning cycle was completed
◦ Restructure maintenance zones as trees are planted or removed to distribute trees evenly across maintenance zones
◦ Identify budgetary needs for equipment (e.g., trucks, lift trucks, chippers, trailers with winches) ◦ Identify budgetary shortfalls
• Program in annual inspections to proactively identify risks • Update the inventory as inspections occur
◦ Monitor the condition of trees and use this data to identify high performing or maladapted species to guide future planting
• Increase frequency of inspections in heavily used public spaces • Notify property owners of maintenance needs for community trees that are not maintained by the City ▪ Include annual tree plantings
• Use the inventory to track the stocking levels and identify available planting locations • Incorporate tree plantings that are funded through grants • Build on existing planting project plans in the Green Infrastructure Plan to develop an overall Tree Planting Plan to optimize available funds for tree planting
• Program training pruning for young trees every 2 years to avoid more expensive maintenance as trees age • Include irrigation costs in order to water trees and remain compliant with MWELO • Provide water to trees even during periods of drought ▪ After the 10-year work plan is complete and as funds permit, strive to maintain trees every 5 to 7 years
OBJECTIVE:
Follow integrated pest management (IPM) protocols and best management practices for managing pests and disease
ACTIONS:
▪ Monitor for pests and pathogens, especially pests and pathogens like emerald ash borer, invasive shot hole borer, and sudden oak death
• Engage in trainings about integrated pest management for key pests ▪ Look for signs of pest/pathogens during regular tree inspections ▪ Incorporate non-chemical strategies to decrease susceptibility to pests and pathogens • Select cultivars with known resistance for pests and disease • Integrate biological and cultural controls into pest management programs ▪ If chemical treatments are required, follow best management practices:
• Read the label
• Avoid application on flowering plants
• Prevent the recurring use of the same pesticide and mode of action to control pests • Monitor weather conditions to avoid impacts from drifting chemicals • Monitor environmental conditions and match them to the product to maximize efficacy ▪ Publish articles and fact sheets about common pest issues on the City website ▪ Consider revising the Interim Pesticide Use & Notification Policy to require notifications after trunk injections OBJECTIVE:
Increase contractor oversight
ACTIONS:
▪ Require contractors to conduct all tree work in accordance with ANSI A300, Z133, and Z60.1 ▪ Require the crew leads for contractors to be Certified Tree Workers or a Certified Arborist ▪ Assign staff to monitor and review work completed by contractors for quality assurance ▪ Require contractors to update the inventory records for community trees • Update tree condition and diameter as maintenance occurs PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: MEDIUM
TIMEFRAME: 1-3 YEARS
COST: $$
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-3 YEARS
COST: $-$$
26 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 265 of 428 OBJECTIVE:
Explore the use of an inventory management software which can be accessed by both City staff and contractors
ACTIONS:
▪ Require updates when performing tree work
• Update/record attributes, including species, diameter, and condition • Use this data to identify high or low performing species to guide future planting ▪ Monitor condition of trees
▪ Consider use of an inventory management system that allows for a public interface, to allow community members to explore the tree species in the community
▪ Confirm risk levels before removing large, mature trees • Use new technologies to determine the extent of decay and potential risk of large, mature trees in high use areas (e.g., internal decay testing equipment)
• Continue to use ISA Certified Arborists, either contracted or in-house, to assess trees • Use safety zones to prevent targets
PRIORITY: MEDIUM
IMPACT: MEDIUM
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
COST: $
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
COST: $$-$$$
OBJECTIVE:
Designate a position within the City or hire a contractor who is an ISA Certified Arborist (at minimum) that is responsible for providing guidance and policy recommendations for urban forest operations
ACTIONS:
▪ Establish a dedicated city arborist position
▪ Responsibilities of the City Arborist and/or hired contractor to include:
• Contract monitoring for tree care providers
• Design review
• Inspection and monitoring of tree protection zones
• Review of tree removal permits
OBJECTIVE:
Revise and amend Municipal Code to promote the protection of community trees* ACTIONS:
▪ Prohibit the removal of community trees without a permit • Establish criteria for evaluating requests for the removal of community trees • Provide resources on best management practices for pruning trees on the City website ▪ Require tree protection zones for trees that will be retained that may be affected by construction activities • Monitor compliance with tree protection zones
• Order a stop work order for noncompliance
▪ Require mitigation for the removal of otherwise healthy trees • Establish a replacement ratio for every health tree removed • Require replacement trees be maintained in perpetuity • Replacement trees should be trees of similar size and stature as the tree that is removed ◦ Replacement tree species should be selected from the Street Tree List • Replace requisite replacement trees if the tree(s) dies • Allow in-lieu fees for when replacement trees are not feasible or desired • Deposit in-lieu fees into a Tree Fund
▪ Define adjacent property owner responsibilities for the care and maintenance of community trees • Define irrigation of street trees as a responsibility of adjacent property owners ▪ Enhance methods for cost recovery in the case of tree removals or improper tree maintenance consistent with City policies and practices
▪ Develop a Tree Fund and allocate the funds to planting and maintaining the community tree resource • Deposit monies received from illegal removals or other penalties into the fund • Deposit monies collected from in-lieu fees into the fund PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-3 YEARS
COST: $
28 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 267 of 428 OBJECTIVE:
Plant the right trees in the right places*
ACTIONS:
▪ Diversify plantings at genus level, as many pests threaten multiple species within a genus ▪ Consider large stature trees where planting space allows to maximize benefits • Consider alternative species if conflicts with gray infrastructure are a concern • Consider species water usage and drought tolerance
▪ Decrease reliance on most prevalent species, including London plane trees ▪ Decrease reliance on species known to cause issues such as maintenance difficulties or other community concerns ▪ Locate and consolidate utilities where possible and plan planting locations PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-5 YEARS
COST: $
OBJECTIVE:
Formulate a long-term tree planting program*
ACTIONS:
▪ Develop a tree planting plan and include tree planting as part of annual maintenance • Plan for succession with species that are performing well • Prioritize planting trees in medians with existing irrigation systems • Develop a weekly watering schedule to provide water to trees planted in medians without irrigation systems • Track the number of trees planted each year
• Report the number of trees planted and the species in the State of the Urban Forest Report • Calculate the carbon sequestration estimates using i-Tree Planting Calculator • Build on previously-identified planting sites in the Urban Greening Plan to identify planting locations • Identify potential planting sites both in the short and long term • Explore the expansion of planting sites in rights-of-way • Set standards for soil volume to increase size of trees and growth potential • Consider long term goals of succession and climate resiliency • Use an updated tree species list for species selection ▪ Plant trees in the rights-of-way where residents request trees • Develop an online request form for residents to request a tree be planted • Update the inventory or another database to track tree planting requests • Update tree planting standards to be consistent with current industry standards and to save on planting costs
• Plant trees in accordance with ANSI A300
• Plant trees in sites with adequate soil volumes, to allow trees to reach mature size and canopy spread • Avoid the use of root barriers
▪ Prioritize tree planting and replacement in areas with lower tree canopy cover • Plant the largest statured species possible for the site to increase shade over hardscape • Adapt species selection to reflect the values by different cultural neighborhoods ▪ Continue to partner with Watsonville Wetlands Watch for community tree planting PRIORITY: MEDIUM
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-3 YEARS
COST: $$
30 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 269 of 428 PRIORITY: LOW
IMPACT: MEDIUM
TIMEFRAME: 5-10 YEARS
COST: $
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-5 YEARS
COST: $
OBJECTIVE:
Create a wood utilization plan
ACTIONS:
▪ Explore opportunities to repurpose the wood with the community • Assess the feasibility of a local wood waste or re-use program for urban trees • Consider public art projects
• Consider opportunities for the production and use of biochar • Explore partnerships with local end users for lumber and artisanal uses • Explore the use of urban trees as biofuel
• Use wood chips in landscapes at City facilities
▪ Continue to partner with contracting arborists to recycle/reuse wood from large removals OBJECTIVE:
Update and maintain the Street Tree Planting Pallette from the Urban Greening Plan to consider long-term climate resiliency and suitability for Watsonville ACTIONS:
▪ Monitor species performance and periodically update a Street Tree Planting Pallette to include species that are performing well and exclude species that are performing poorly • Introduce tree species that are suitable for the current and predicted future climate • Tie the climate change projections for Watsonville (e.g., changes in temperature and precipitation) to the current climate of a comparable city and explore their species palette • Communicate and coordinate with foresters in the region to share information on the greatest vulnerabilities and species that may be best adapted
• Stay up to date with potential pest and disease threats
OBJECTIVE:
Formalize emergency response procedures
ACTIONS:
▪ Amend existing emergency response plan to include procedures for:
• Debris storage and staging areas
• Emergency communications
• Provide training to staff on safety as it relates to emergency events and the dangers that may exist as a result of tree and/or branch failures
OBJECTIVE:
Establish predictable and stable funding for the community tree resource* ACTIONS:
▪ Identify existing revenue streams to support Urban Forestry, including the General Fund ▪ Consider alternative revenue sources, including:
• Capital Improvement Project Budgets
• Bonds
• Voter approved funding initiatives
• Land Development Mitigation
• Corporate sponsorships to fund tree plantings
• Land Development Fees
• Service Fees (e.g., stormwater utility fees)
• Public health initiatives
• Explore carbon markets (e.g., City Forest Credits)
▪ Divert funds collected from violations of a tree preservation ordinance to a Tree Fund that is dedicated to planting trees and providing maintenance to community trees
▪ Continue to explore grant opportunities in urban forestry, public health, affordable housing, and environmental justice
▪ Explore interest in the development of a Tree Management District to fund tree maintenance PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-5 YEARS
COST: $
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-5 YEARS
ONGOING
COST: $-$$$
32 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 271 of 428 PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
ONGOING
COST: $
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
ONGOING
COST: $
OBJECTIVE:
Provide outreach and education on updates to the tree preservation ordinance* ACTIONS:
▪ Encourage private property owners to volunteer their trees for “heritage tree” designation • Identify trees on private property that may be candidates for “heritage tree” designation • Keep an inventory of “heritage trees”
• Explore the creation of a digital “heritage tree” walking tour for trees located in front yards or on City property
• Advertise the tour on the City website to promote participation ▪ Develop an FAQ about the new ordinance on the City website once adopted OBJECTIVE:
Work with utility providers to maintain trees and replace problematic trees where possible ACTIONS:
▪ Revise the Street Tree Planting Palette to identify trees that are “utility friendly”
RATIONALE:
More than 90% of respondents to the community survey agreed that trees are important to their quality of life. A community with trees promotes greater well-being and helps to provide a better quality of life.
RISK:
Urban areas without trees are noisier, have worse air quality, and are hotter. All can contribute to urban fatigue. Fatigue and stress can negatively affect a person’s health and increase their likelihood of developing disease.
BENEFIT:
Trees help people have a greater social connection with their neighbors and feel safer in their neighborhoods. Transportation corridors with trees increase the walkability and help to encourage the use of public transportation. Additionally, improvements in air quality can result in improved public health and reductions in heat islands can help reduce extreme temperatures that contribute to heat illnesses.
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 2-10 YEARS
COST: $$$
ACTIONS:
▪ Plant trees to shade public spaces that have a high amount of impervious surfaces such as streetscapes, parking lots, near buildings, plazas, and other seating areas
• Plant trees to shade pedestrian corridors and improve walkability
• Incorporate median plantings when possible
• Support tree canopy to increase wildlife habitat and provide corridors that connect greenspaces to allow for wildlife movement
▪ Develop policies around parking lot shade
• Require minimum shade requirements for the reconstruction or construction of parking lots
• Consider parking lot canopies as potential community solar array locations to allow for greater tree planting on individual parcels and decrease conflicts with street trees
• Consider use alternative planter designs to allow for more space for tree planting and for the planting of larger trees, especially in hardscaped areas such as rights-of-way
▪ Emphasize retaining and incorporating trees in development and redevelopment projects
• Use tree protection zones during construction
• Use alternative designs and material to avoid tree removal or root pruning (Appendix G).
• Promote tunneling/boring for utility line installation to decrease tree and overhead utility conflicts
▪ Plant evergreen and deciduous trees to create visual interest Goal: ENHANCE THE LIVABILITY AND CHARACTER OF THE
COMMUNITY OBJECTIVE:
Prioritize planting trees in areas with less than average canopy cover, especially in areas of the City that are environmentally and/or socially disadvantaged* *-Objective supports more than one goal. $- (<$10,000) $$- ($10,000-$50,000) $$$-($50,000-$100,000) $$$$- (>$100,000) 34 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 273 of 428 OBJECTIVE:
Integrate the goals and objectives of the Urban Forest Management Plan into guiding and visionary documents, including the General Plan and the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan* ACTIONS:
▪ Amend existing City plans, guiding and visionary documents, and policies with the UFMP ▪ Incorporate trees into other planning documents
OBJECTIVE:
Establish minimum tree canopy cover percentages for new development through City ordinance* ACTIONS:
▪ Require new developments to attain a minimum of 15% tree canopy cover after 15 years through retention of existing trees, planting new trees, or a combination of the two ▪ Require a specific amount of “open space” or green space where trees can be planted ▪ Require replacement planting for trees removed due to development • If trees must be planted off-site, establish a list of approved sites for these trees ▪ Increase access to greenspace
• Increase opportunities for community access and exposure to natural environments in an urbanized area through tree planting
• Use trees to shade and soften hardscape areas, such as plaza, public spaces, parking lots, near buildings, and other pedestrian walkways
• Identify areas that have the potential to be converted into pocket parks • Partner with schools to provide tree canopy in schoolyards • Continue adding green landscape areas where possible
ACTIONS:
▪ Communicate the vision and provide continual updates to the community on progress on meeting goals and objectives
OBJECTIVE:
Adopt the Urban Forest Management Plan to guide long-term management of the urban forest* PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
COST: $
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-5 YEARS
COST: $
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-10 YEARS
COST: $-$$
ACTIONS:
▪ Update the community on the progress of the UFMP annually through a State of the Urban Forest Report
• Inform the community about the achievements of the UFMP • Identify the status of funding for goals and objectives • Communicate any challenges with meeting the goals and objectives • Report changes on tree canopy and other land cover
• Distribute the State of the Urban Forest Report through the City website • Invite the community to provide feedback on progress
• Explore mechanisms to gather community comments
▪ Review and measure attainment of the UFMP
• Conduct a tree canopy and land cover assessment every 10 years or if pest infestations or other other natural disasters occur that significantly affect tree canopy • Use i-Tree Canopy or remote sensing (aerial imagery) to map the distribution of tree canopy and other land cover
• Review changes in distribution across zoning, neighborhoods, parks, rights-of-way, and parking lots
• Consider results during UFMP review and adjust goals, objectives, and action steps as needed
• Report changes in the State of the Urban Forest Report • Incorporate these changes into the UFMP and articulate changes on benchmark values • Conduct a Resource Analysis every 5 to 10 years
• Use i-Tree Eco to analyze the structure, composition, and benefits of the community tree resource
• Review changes to species diversity and benefits
• Consider results during UFMP review and adjust goals, objectives, and action steps as needed
• Report changes in the State of the Urban Forest Report • Incorporate these changes into the UFMP and articulate changes on benchmark values OBJECTIVE:
Communicate the vision and provide continual updates to the community on progress on meeting goals and objectives*
36 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 275 of 428 • Provide opportunities for community input to see how the UFMP is addressing the communities needs and pivot as needed
• Consider having Parks team members attend public gatherings to facilitate direct communication • Use surveys and other engagement methods to solicit community input • Consider community feedback during UFMP review and adjust goals, objectives, and action steps as needed
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 5 YEARS
ONGOING
COST: $$
OBJECTIVE:
Increase stocking level to 100% in the community tree resource in 5 years ACTIONS:
▪ Use the tree inventory to locate available planting spaces • Plant available planting sites
• Remove stumps to open up available planting sites
▪ Update the tree inventory to indicate sites that have been planted and to track trees that have been removed • Replace trees that are removed
▪ Use the priority planting analysis to identify new planting sites in areas where tree canopy cover is low
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
COST: $$
OBJECTIVE:
Use best available climate science to inform management and increase resilience of the urban forest*
ACTIONS:
▪ Incorporate goals from the UFMP into updates of the 2030 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) ▪ Consider tracking tree plantings to estimate carbon reductions using USFS i-Tree tools ▪ Incorporate trees into stormwater management systems wherever possible ▪ Select species that are more appropriate for projected climatic conditions OBJECTIVE:
Establish the goals and objectives of the Urban Forest Management Plan into guiding and visionary documents, including the General Plan and the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan*
ACTIONS:
▪ Integrate the goals and objectives of the Urban Forest Management Plan into guiding and visionary documents, including the General Plan and the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan* • Amend existing City plans, guiding and visionary documents, and policies with the UFMP • Incorporate trees into other planning documents
PRIORITY: MEDIUM
IMPACT: MEDIUM
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
COST: $$$
38 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 277 of 428 OBJECTIVE:
Communicate the vision and provide continual updates to the community on progress on meeting goals and objectives*
ACTIONS:
▪ Update the community on the progress of the UFMP annually through a State of the Urban Forest Report • Inform the community about the achievements of the UFMP • Identify the status of funding for goals and objectives • Communicate any challenges with meeting the goals and objectives • Report changes on tree canopy and other land cover
• Distribute the State of the Urban Forest Report through the City website • Invite the community to provide feedback on progress
• Explore mechanisms to gather community comments
▪ Review and measure attainment of the UFMP
• Conduct a tree canopy and land cover assessment every 10 years or if pest infestations or other other natural disasters occur that significantly affect tree canopy
• Use i-Tree Canopy or remote sensing (aerial imagery) to map the distribution of tree canopy and other land cover
• Review changes in distribution across zoning, neighborhoods, parks, rights-of-way, and parking lots • Consider results during UFMP review and adjust goals, objectives, and action steps as needed • Report changes in the State of the Urban Forest Report • Incorporate these changes into the UFMP and articulate changes on benchmark values PRIORITY: MEDIUM
IMPACT: MEDIUM
TIMEFRAME: 10 YEARS
ONGOING
COST: $
OBJECTIVE:
Revise and update the UFMP to respond to changing conditions and community needs over the next 50 years*
ACTIONS:
▪ Review and revise goals and objectives as needed every 10 years • Revise goals and objectives and associated action steps as needed • Adjust targets as necessary
PRIORITY: MEDIUM
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 10 YEARS
ONGOING
COST: $
OBJECTIVE:
Update standards to accommodate for tree planting space and maximize soil volume to accommodate large trees*
ACTIONS:
▪ Clarify and make complete standards for maintaining a certain level of pervious surface on private property ▪ Include requirements for certain number of tree wells/planters and amount of pervious surface per given length of sidewalk
▪ Include use of aggregate materials and alternate materials in sidewalk construction standards ▪ Incorporate medians, park strips, and pervious surface wherever possible (consider adding these features to existing streets which have space for them)
• Reduce hardscape wherever possible by converting hardscape into pervious surface for tree planting
OBJECTIVE:
Use trees to reduce localized flooding and improve water quality in downstream wetlands and receiving waters*
ACTIONS:
▪ Identify areas with high stormwater runoff and low tree canopy in TreeKeeper Canopy to prioritize planting areas • Encourage the planting of trees on private property in these areas • Protect existing trees in these areas
▪ Plant the largest statured species possible
• Consider planting evergreen and semi evergreen species in these areas to optimize year-round stormwater capture
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
ONGOING
COST: $$
OBJECTIVE:
Identify the costs of implementing the various goals of the plan so that a budget can be developed
ACTIONS:
▪ Identify existing revenue streams to accomplish plan objectives, including:
• Taxes
• Assessments
• Special Tax districts
▪ Consider alternative revenue sources, including:
• Land Development Fees
• Stormwater Utility Fees
• Service Fees (other)
▪ Other funding mechanisms, including:
• Capital Improvement Project Budgets
• Bonds
• Land Development Mitigation
• Grants
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-5 YEARS
COST: $
40 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 279 of 428
OLD TREES ARE VALUABLE TO PROTECT US FROM
CLIMATE CHANGE.
-SURVEY RESPONDENT
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
COST: $
RATIONALE:
Survey results revealed that the community has strong interest in volunteering to plant and/or care for trees. Survey respondents also expressed a willingness to plant trees on their own property if provided a free tree and guidance on how to plant it. Less than 9% of Watsonville is made up of public property. The greatest opportunity for tree canopy expansion and retention is through the community stewarding the urban forest by caring for existing trees and planting new trees on their property.
RISK:
Relying on the City to plant trees in public areas will likely result in at most a hundred acres of tree canopy. Trees in public spaces, while beneficial, do not necessarily provide direct benefits to residents, such as reductions in energy costs. Without the community stewarding the urban forest by planting trees, maintaining existing trees, and advocating for their preservation, tree canopy is likely to decline, along with its associated benefits.
BENEFIT:
With the community’s help, more trees can be planted in more places. With proper care, trees can live longer and provide more direct benefits to the people who plant them.
OBJECTIVE:
Foster relationships with local community partners to
implement the goals and objectives of the UFMP*
ACTIONS:
▪ Continue to collaborate with community partners to increase awareness of the urban forest and facilitate participation in tree planting and stewardship activities
• Continue to partner with Watsonville Wetlands Watch for community tree planting and early establishment
▪ Continue to collaborate with local tree advocacy groups on grant opportunities
▪ Collaborate with Pajaro Valley Unified School District and Watsonville Wetlands Watch and promote school programs
• Provide Parks team members to help support learning modules about urban forestry in local schools
• Work with local schools to respond to irrigation bans for turf and implement green school yards that have more park-like settings with trees and mulched areas
GOAL: ENCOURAGE STEWARDSHIP OF THE
URBAN FOREST
*-Objective supports more than one goal. $- (<$10,000) $$- ($10,000-$50,000) $$$-($50,000-$100,000) $$$$- (>$100,000) 42 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 281 of 428 PRIORITY: MEDIUM
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-5 YEARS
COST: $
PRIORITY: MEDIUM
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-5 YEARS
COST: $
OBJECTIVE:
Create opportunities for the community to assist in improving the urban forest* ACTIONS:
▪ Consider a permanent volunteer program through which volunteers can sign up to regularly care for trees • Explore a Volunteer Program for tree care and maintenance similar to Tree Amigos in San Jose • Offer a training program for volunteers that results in them earning progressive titles so that they can perform higher levels of tree care, help guide other volunteers or lead volunteer events • Training includes education on growing trees in nurseries, proper tree planting, stewardship, maintenance, watering, and volunteer coordination
▪ Explore opportunities to use citizen science to collect urban forestry data ▪ Explore creating a tree stewardship program or Adopt-a-park/Adopt-a-tree programs ACTIONS:
▪ Continue to foster youth job training and career and technical education programs, like the Watsonville Wetlands Watch’s Climate Corps Leadership Institute
▪ Partner with the Pajaro Valley Unified School District on career and technical education programs to support the implementation of this plan
▪ Collaborate with local workforce development partners to build career training programs and skills enhancement in the field of urban forestry
OBJECTIVE:
Develop a workforce training program for tree planting, care, and establishment
RATIONALE:
Acknowledging the benefits of the urban forest promotes appreciation for trees and encourages the community to actively participate in its stewardship.
RISK:
Without celebration, awareness of the urban forest may decrease.
If people are unaware of the importance of the urban forest, they are unlikely to support the use of resources to maintain and care for it.
BENEFIT:
By regularly celebrating the urban forest, the community is more educated about its importance and more likely to advocate for the necessary resources to care for it.
GOAL: CELEBRATE THE URBAN FOREST
PRIORITY: MEDIUM
IMPACT: MEDIUM
TIMEFRAME: 1-5 YEARS
ONGOING
COST: $$
OBJECTIVE:
Engage the community in urban forestry programming*
ACTIONS:
▪ Continue to provide urban forestry programming information on the City website
▪ Provide a FAQ sheet about urban forest policies and the tree preservation ordinance
▪ Publish articles and fact sheets about common pest issues on the website
▪ Regularly update City events calendar to advertise urban forestry events
▪ Translate tree information materials into other languages, to allow for greater accessibility
▪ Ensure all volunteer programs and education are culturally relevant for the Watsonville community
▪ Continue to sponsor and promote tree-related events, the benefits of trees, and the importance of tree care
▪ Include tree-related information in the City’s social media presence ▪ Explore the use of pop-up events
▪ Cater outreach and engagement to youth to engage with community members who may not be reached through other outreach methods ▪ Promote student participation in tree-related events
▪ Partner with schools to promote tree-related activities ▪ Coordinate Arbor Day events with local schools
▪ Explore a drop-in program for youth in environmental education, including urban forestry topics
*-Objective supports more than one goal. $- (<$10,000) $$- ($10,000-$50,000) $$$-($50,000-$100,000) $$$$- (>$100,000) 44 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 283 of 428 OBJECTIVE:
Become a Tree City USA
ACTIONS:
▪ Apply for Tree City USA designation
• File an annual report to Arbor Day Foundation to maintain designation • Apply for Gold Leaf Awards to recognize achievements/improvements in the urban forest ▪ Continue to spend at least $2 per capita on trees
▪ Adopt the revised tree ordinance
▪ Designate the Community Development Department as having the legal responsibility for the care of all City trees ▪ Observe and have a formal proclamation of Arbor Day
PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: MEDIUM
TIMEFRAME: 1 YEARS
ONGOING
COST: $
OBJECTIVE:
Promote awareness of the care and value of trees and the urban forest* ACTIONS:
▪ Distribute an annual State of the Urban Forest Report • Inform the community about the achievements of the UFMP • Identify the status of funding for goals and objectives • Communicate any challenges with meeting the goals and objectives • Distribute the State of the Urban Forest Report through the City website • Invite the community to provide feedback on progress
• Explore mechanisms to gather community comments
▪ Lead regular campaigns to educate property owners on their responsibilities in caring for City trees ▪ Provide educational materials to residents about tree health and the frequency of tree maintenance • Distribute materials through the City website, social media, and in print on a variety of educational topics, including:
◦ How to water trees during drought
◦ How to plant a tree
◦ Hot to care for trees during transitions from turf to xeric landscapes ◦ Tree Planting Palette
◦ Right tree, right place
◦ Planting guidance for tree benefit optimization
• Expand educational efforts to digital media
• Explore creating videos on watering techniques, landscaping techniques, preferable plant species, FAQ videos, etc.
• Consider developing visual digital media content
▪ Use interactive tree activities to engage the community ▪ Consider creating a virtual tree walk/scavenger hunt of notable/historic trees in the community • Use tree tags on trees to communicate benefits of specific trees in the community • Consider digital mapping tools or QR codes to provide information about historic trees PRIORITY: HIGH
IMPACT: HIGH
TIMEFRAME: 1-2 YEARS
ONGOING
COST: $
46 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 285 of 428
Understanding the existing conditions at the time of the development of the Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) is important to developing objectives and corresponding action steps to meet plan goals. Each of the following sections summarizes Watsonville’s urban forest in 2022 as it relates to the geographic distribution of tree canopy, the community tree resource, urban forestry operations and funding, partners, policies and regulations, and the Sustainability Indicators.
URBAN FOREST RESOURCE
Watsonville encompasses approximately 6.9 square miles (4,397 acres). Nearly 412 acres are covered by tree canopy, for an average canopy cover of 9.4% (Figure 1). Impervious surfaces (e.g., roads, parking lots, structures, etc.) make up 58.8% of the total land cover and 23.3% are pervious surfaces, such as bare ground, turf, or other low-lying vegetation. The community tree resource (i.e., public trees) provides an estimated 30 acres of canopy (Watsonville Community Tree Resource Analysis, 2022). Tree canopy extends beyond property lines and so do the benefits, which are enjoyed by the whole community.
The more tree canopy, the more benefits to the community.
Figure 1: Tree Canopy and Land Cover
BACKGROUND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
OF TREE CANOPY
Tree canopy is the layer of leaves, branches, and stems of trees and other woody plants that cover the ground when viewed from above.
Understanding the location and extent of tree canopy is critical to developing and implementing sound management strategies that will promote the smart growth and resiliency of Watsonville’s urban forest and the services that it provides to the community. A tree canopy assessment provides a bird’s-eye-view of the entire urban forest and includes consideration of tree canopy along with other primary land covers, including impervious surface, low-lying vegetation, bare soils, and water. This information helps managers better understand tree canopy in relation to other geospatial data, including distribution of tree canopy, geopolitical patterns, and potential planting areas. The analysis was used in conjunction with data on community demographics (i.e., census data) to better understand the distribution of tree canopy as it relates to these other available metrics and to establish a baseline for assessing change.
LAND COVER SUMMARY
Watsonville encompasses approximately 6.9 square miles (4,397 acres). Currently, the overall tree canopy covers approximately 9.4% of this overall area. In addition to tree canopy, Watsonville’s land cover includes 58.8% impervious surface, 23.3% grass and low-lying vegetation, 5.2% bare soil, and 3.4% open water (Table 3). Considering the current canopy cover (412 acres) and pervious surfaces that could support tree planting (excluding cemeteries, ball fields and other areas), Watsonville has the potential to reach a canopy cover of 30%.
Table 3: Land Cover in Watsonville
48 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 287 of 428 Map 1: Watsonville Land Cover Classification as of June 2023
TREES HELP REDUCE
FLOODING
Flooding events have occurred throughout Watsonville’s history. Levee systems have been engineered to help manage flooding in the Pajaro River Valley (Pajaro River Watershed), but have proven to be insufficient after decades of numerous flooding events which have resulted in significant economic damages and loss of life. Recently, the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency was created to update the Pajaro River levee to withstand a 100-year flood. Although, the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project is not expected to begin construction on the levee until 2025. Recent “atmospheric rivers” brought severe flooding to areas that are not within flood zones, which suggests that more localized efforts to manage flooding is needed.
Along with Watsonville’s proximity to the Pajaro River and sloughs, the lack of tree canopy is a contributing factor to flooding in the community.
With nearly 59% of the overall land cover made up of impervious surfaces, there is limited opportunity for rainfall to absorb into the ground. Furthermore, many neighborhoods lack adequate tree canopy and have large areas of compacted soils. The water has nowhere to go but into streets and subsequently run off into storm drains.
Not only can the runoff from storm events result in flooding, but it can impact local water quality. The runoff can cause erosion of the banks of rivers, creeks, and sloughs in the area. This erosion can introduce a lot of sediments and pollutants to the water supply, reducing water quality.
Additionally, sewage systems can become overwhelmed with water and result in sewage leaking into waterways.
Neighborhoods with trees along streets, not only improve the aesthetics but also serve a functional role in stormwater management.
The bark and leaves of trees can hold large volumes of rainfall and can help clean it, before particulate matter enters the water supply.
Trees along waterways can help slow flood waters, reduce erosion, and filter harmful runoff from the surrounding land. By expanding tree canopy over impervious surfaces, there is a greater opportunity for precipitation to be captured by tree canopy, instead of pooling on hardscape and overwhelming storm drains.
LET’S RESTORE AS MUCH NATURAL
HABITAT AS WE POSSIBLY CAN!
-SURVEY RESPONDENT
50 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 289 of 428 TREE CANOPY BY LAND USE AS OF JUNE 2023
Tree canopy cover and canopy potential can vary widely within a city depending on land use. Residential land use covers the most area in Watsonville (1,531 acres) and has an average canopy cover of 8.9%.
Residential areas have the potential to support more than 37% canopy cover, which indicates there is considerable opportunity for tree planting and preservation on private property.. While the City cannot directly influence private tree planting, current efforts such as free tree programs encourage private tree planting and will result in an increase in canopy cover for private land use.
Areas classified as commercial land use have below-average canopy cover (less than 6%), but have nearly 156 acres that could potentially support additional tree plantings. Increasing tree planting on commercial properties, through regulatory or other avenues, could help to meet the estimated potential canopy cover of 19%. While there are opportunities to expand canopy across all land use designations, the City has the greatest influence over tree planting and tree preservation on public land and facilities (31.5% potential canopy). The City also will have greater influence on planting in open spaces, parks, and in public rights-of-way (ROW), despite related challenges with space availability.
Map 2: Tree Canopy by Land Use as of June 2023
CANOPY BY SCHOOLS
Watsonville has 25 school properties, when combined they span 231 acres. School properties have 12.8 acres of tree canopy and 5.5% canopy coverage which is below the average canopy cover throughout the rest of the community. In addition, tree canopy varies greatly by school type (Table 4). Public schools have lower canopy cover than private schools (3.9% versus 16.7% canopy cover). There is potential for increased tree canopy at nearly all of the school properties. The City should explore ways to partner with schools to increase canopy cover. Students benefit when school properties have ample tree canopy cover. Access to green infrastructure has been shown to heighten student performance by increasing attention spans and reducing stress levels. Furthermore, tree canopy has been shown to increase activity levels and reduce the risk of physical and mental health illnesses (Li and Sullivan, 2016).
Table 4: Tree Canopy by Schools
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CANOPY BY STREET RIGHTS-OF-WAY
The City maintains trees in the public rights-of-way (ROW). By planting in ROW, urban forest managers have an opportunity to not only support citywide canopy goals but also increase equitable distribution of canopy throughout the city where ROW canopy is limited. In Watsonville, the land area in ROW covers approximately 693 acres and has an average canopy cover of 5.5%.
The highest level of canopy cover in ROW within the main city boundary is along Manfre Road (47.9%). Generally, other ROW areas with relatively high canopy cover are seen along major streets and boulevards, such as Freedom Boulevard, South Green Valley Road, and Ohlone Parkway.
While a number of connecting streets have moderate to
high canopy levels, more than three-quarters of ROW in
Watsonville have less than 10% canopy cover. A majority of these low-canopy ROW areas fall within residential neighborhoods, and are particularly concentrated in the southeast portion of the city. For example, East Lake Ave (Highway 152) is a major connector route that runs through several neighborhoods in eastern Watsonville. While this street has 15.9 acres of total ROW area, only 0.2 acres are identified as having canopy for approximately 1% average canopy cover.
Tree canopy can be increased in areas of ROW such as East Lake Ave through private tree programs which include outreach, education, and discounted or free trees. The City can increase ROW planting by ensuring a high stocking level and working to create more planting space for community trees in ROW. Infrastructure improvements can increase ROW planting availability, including developing planting space in medians, creating more tree wells in sidewalks, and developing park strips. There are an estimated 127 acres of total available planting space in Watsonville ROW (Tree Canopy & Land Cover Assessment, 2022).
Map 3: Tree Canopy by Rights-of-Way
DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES
The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA, 2022) has identified census tracts across California as “disadvantaged communities’’.
Disadvantaged communities are areas that experience excessive environmental pollution and/or environmental hazards. Because of excessive pollution and other environmental hazards, many of the people in these areas have worse health outcomes than other communities in the state. The purpose of identifying disadvantaged communities is to direct funds from Senate Bill 535 to programs that benefit disadvantaged communities and improve public health.
To identify disadvantaged communities, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) as part of CalEPA’s environmental justice program developed a screening tool known as CalEnviroSreen.
CalEnviroScreen scores census tracts based on the following indicators:
The scores are then used to determine a census tracts’ overall pollution burden or CalEnviroScreen Score. The higher the score, the more disadvantaged the community. In Watsonville, two census tracts are considered “disadvantaged”, with Cumulative CalEnviroScreen 3.0 scores in the 80th percentile. Approximately 27% of Watsonville’s population reside in these two census tracts.
TREE CANOPY AND EQUITY
Trees and tree canopy can mitigate the impacts of urban heat islands and flooding. The distribution of tree canopy and how tree canopy relates to other socioeconomic metrics and indicators of health can be explored by comparing tree canopy cover and data from the U.S.Census and CalEnviroScreen (Appendix C). However, the results of this analysis for Watsonville were inconclusive, as all but one census tract and more than 50% of Census Block Groups in the city are shared with adjacent communities. These results do not deny that inequities exist. According to American Forests’ Tree Equity Score, the City has a composite score of 67, which suggests that the health, economic, and climate benefits of trees are not equitably distributed throughout the community. Tools like TreeKeeper Canopy® can be used to dynamically explore opportunities for tree planting and tree preservation to bridge gaps in tree canopy coverage, especially in areas where tree canopy is below the city average or where there are vulnerable populations based on environmental and social criteria. Further exploration, such as ground truthing, can help determine the areas in greatest need of trees and tree canopy.
The CalEnviroScreen tool determined Watsonville to have a significant percentage of residents living in disadvantaged communities (DAC) or areas with high pollution burdens. Compared to neighboring communities, Watsonville has the highest percentage of low income residents and the lowest tree canopy cover. Within Watsonville, the surface temperatures are highest in the census tract northwest of Airport Boulevard and tracts that are northeast of Lincoln Street. Increasing canopy cover in these areas can lessen the effects of urban heat islands and reduce adverse health events for vulnerable populations. Because of Watsonville’s proximity to the coast, it is not projected to experience as intense extreme heat events as areas further inland (CAAP, 2021). Nonetheless, patterns in tree canopy should be investigated to prioritize actions that will resolve inequities within the community.
Perhaps the biggest threat to Watsonville is flooding, this risk is exacerbated by climate change. According to the Watsonville Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (2020), there will likely be fewer total days of precipitation, but days with precipitation will be wetter. Atmospheric rivers, like those occurring from storms in winter of 2022-2023, are expected to increase under projected climatic conditions. These and other extreme precipitation events will likely result in flooding. In Watsonville, people who self-reported Latino or Hispanic Origins tend to live in census tracts with higher concentrations of stormwater runoff, which can contribute to flooding.
At an overall city-wide level, tree canopy plays a role in reducing runoff and urban heat islands (Livesley et al. 2016). Trees are beneficial in watersheds, because of their role in capturing some of the water and reducing the volume of water that enters creeks, streams, and rivers.
With less water flowing into creeks, streams, and rivers, flooding risks can be reduced. In this way, trees serve as “green infrastructure” to help with the task of absorbing and filtering stormwater (Carmichael et al. 2019). More tree canopy cover and green spaces in areas where people live and work can also help address issues of “heat equity” and provide relief to those who are most at risk during heat waves (EPA, 2012). ● Exposure (e.g., air quality, traffic, drinking water contaminants, etc.)
● Environmental Effects (e.g., hazardous waste generators and facilities, impaired water bodies, etc.)
● Sensitive Populations (e.g., asthma, cardiovascular disease, and low birth weight infants, etc.)
● Socioeconomic Factors (e.g., educational attainment, poverty, unemployment, etc.)
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CANOPY BY PARKS
Watsonville has 29 parks spanning 147.4 acres, 17.6 of these acres are tree canopy. The average canopy cover in all of the parks is 12% (Table 5) and there is potential to increase canopy cover up to 34.1%. The parks are categorized by:
Of the community parks, Pinto Lake Park is the largest park spanning
78.7 acres. However, a large portion of Pinto Lake Park is open water and therefore not plantable (60.6 acres). With many built attractions (i.e., tennis court, basketball court, community center, and skate park), Ramsay Park has 19.4% canopy cover and the greatest amount of impervious surface (7.4 acres). There are many areas where trees cannot be planted in Ramsay Park as they would inhibit the designated use, such as soccer fields. Not considering these areas, Ramsay Park has
6.6 acres of plantable space. Tree planting and preservation efforts could increase canopy coverage to 14.1%. Several community parks, including Ramsay Park and Franich Park, have ample opportunities for additional tree planting and could help to increase the overall canopy cover. ● Community Parks seven parks that together encompass
126 acres and have an average of 9.9% canopy cover
● Neighborhood Parks six parks that together encompass
10.3 acres and have an average of 31.6% canopy cover
● Pocket Parks 16 parks that together encompass 10.3 acres and have an average of 18.1% canopy cover
● Community Garden- one park (the future Loma Vista
Dr Park) encompasses more than a half acre and has an
average of 3.4% canopy cover
Table 5: Tree Canopy by Parks
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ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
To date, Watsonville’s urban forest has stored 13,590 tons of carbon in woody and foliar biomass, valued at over $2.3 million. Annually, Watsonville’s trees provide quantifiable benefits totaling $329,875 to stormwater, air quality, and carbon sequestration.
Figure 2: Environmental Benefits from the Urban Forest
Stormwater Runoff
The urban forest intercepts 5.2 million gallons of stormwater annually, protecting ground and surface water supplies from harmful pollutants and flooding, for a total of $90,967.
Air Quality
The urban forest decreases ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and particulate matter (PM10) resulting in annual air quality improvements, valued at $121,582.
Carbon Sequestration
The urban forest annually sequesters 688 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere, valued at $117,326.
TREES ARE LOVELY AND PROVIDE SHADE
-SURVEY RESPONDENT
58 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 297 of 428 LARGE TREES: BIG BENEFITS
Large, mature trees contribute the greatest amount of environmental benefits, yet are threatened by environmental stressors, habitat loss, and removal. Trees are long-lived organisms, many species commonly live 500 years, and the long-lived species up to 8,000 years. There are many reasons to support the preservation of old, iconic trees. Old trees and their benefits are not easy to replace because they take significant lengths of time to develop. Also complicating their longevity is the fact that trees in urban environments have limited lifespans.
Large old trees provide significant carbon storage in an era with high atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and unproportionate amounts of carbon being released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels. The preservation of large trees is important in helping combat this phenomenon because large old trees continue to actively fix carbon in greater amounts than smaller trees. In other words, large trees are disproportionately important carbon sinks (Stephenson et al, 2014). This, coupled with the carbon used in planting and logging younger trees make their conservation important for gains in carbon storage.
Lindenmayer and Laurance (2017) recognize that “large old trees are among the most imperiled organisms on earth and that their protection demands innovative approaches to management and monitoring over unprecedented time frames.” The importance of preserving mature, significant trees through historic or heritage tree ordinances is more important than ever. These trees may be removed because they are perceived as a health or safety hazard. A paradigm shift is needed where communities reconsider health and safety in a way that allows both the large tree to remain and the community to be safe. This could include creating buffer zones around large, mature trees, and using new technologies to determine the extent of decay and potential risk in high use areas and safety zones to prevent targets.
Some benefits of old trees include:
● Supporting ecological and biological processes such as:
○ Wildlife habitat
○ Carbon sequestration
○ Nutrient cycles and nutrient “hotspots”
○ Distribution of plant and animal species
○ Recruitment and succession of their species
● Contributing greater environmental benefits
● Enhancing beauty and emotional/spiritual connection
PLANTING PRIORITIES
Planting trees increases canopy cover and replaces trees that are removed. However, not all areas are suitable for planting and funds are often limited. While “Right Tree, Right Place” is important to practice at the site level, managers should also consider where planting trees will provide the greatest return on investment and meet the goals of the local community.
As a part of the development process for the UFMP, a GIS-based tree canopy and land cover assessment mapped the location and extent of existing tree canopy in Watsonville and identified other areas where new trees and canopy might be added. The assessment identified nearly 950 acres where there is potential for planting additional trees. These areas exclude areas like agricultural land, cemeteries, and ball fields where trees are not desired. Prioritizing these potentially plantable areas can help ensure that new tree planting projects are strategically planned to maximize available funds and meet community needs. To aid in this process, TreeKeeper® Canopy, an interactive GIS interface tool, allows forestry managers and interested members in the community to identify potential planting areas. Priority can be placed on certain variables to address a variety of social concerns, including:
CANOPY GOALS AND CANOPY
POTENTIAL
The percentage of canopy cover in the community is based on the amount of acreage of tree canopy that covers the overall land. Setting canopy goals is an important step in urban forest management and can help to ensure the quality of life and sustainability of a community.
While the tree canopy potential for Watsonville is currently 30%, this value does not consider the potential for other land cover (e.g., infill development, impervious surfaces planted with trees, etc.). Agricultural land is common in Watsonville. Some of these areas will inevitably be developed to include structures, roads, and parking lots that will compete with trees for space. The population of the community is increasing, and development will likely continue to expand and create more competition for trees.
Table 6 provides a side-by-side comparison of potential canopy goals over a 20 year period as projected by TreeKeeper Canopy®. The primary factors that influence the number of trees that need to be planted annually are the size of trees planted, the ratio of small, medium and large trees, and mortality rates (the percentage of trees that die annually).
Table 6: Canopy Goal Projections
Considering the existing land cover and development pressures, a goal of 15% tree canopy cover by 2043 is likely attainable but will require the commitment and support of the community. This goal can be achieved by planting approximately 600-800 trees every year over the next 20 years and by preserving existing trees, which is within the City’s current capacity.
Canopy goals can be tailored to specific land use, such as residential areas or open spaces. A determinant for actually reaching canopy goals is dependent on the willingness of the community to accomplish and sustain these goals. Expansion of the canopy cannot be accomplished through planting trees on public property alone; it also requires the preservation and conservation of existing trees and new tree planting on private property. Approximately 41% of tree canopy is in residential land use, which makes tree canopy expansion on private property especially important to reach the community’s tree canopy goal. This means support and collaboration from private property owners are needed to preserve and expand tree canopy.
● Reducing stormwater runoff
● Reducing surface temperatures and heat islands
● Improving air quality
● Reducing erosion
● Tree equity
● Low income populations
● Populations with high rates of Black, Indigenous, and other people of color
● Low canopy cover
● High canopy potential
● High population density (per square mile)
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TREEKEEPER CANOPY
TreeKeeper Canopy is a public-facing website that can be explored by community members who want to better understand canopy trends as they relate to different land cover and socioeconomic factors.
Watsonville’s urban forest canopy data (public and private) can be used to make data-driven decisions on tree planting and maintenance that have the most return on investment. Future tree planting programming and outreach and education efforts can be prioritized in identified areas to improve the equitable distribution of tree canopy.
Resources for tree planting are often limited. Using planting priorities to identify planting locations can help maximize available resources, guide strategic planting to achieve specific objectives, and meet community needs. TreeKeeper Canopy’s “Prioritize” tool can be used to explore geographic areas of interest throughout Watsonville where trees could potentially be planted on both public and private property. Planting can be prioritized and weighted by vulnerability parameters for social and environmental criteria. Depending on planting objectives, the areas recommended for priority planting will shift. For instance, the planting areas that have the highest planting priority to address stormwater runoff may not be the same areas for higher priority planting to address surface temperatures.
TreeKeeper Canopy’s “Plant” tool can estimate tree planting and maintenance costs, which consider the size of trees planted and mortality rates. Urban forest managers or interested community members and/ or groups can develop tree planting plans that include canopy goals, projections for the number of trees to be planted over a period of time, and estimated planting and maintenance costs. While planting plans do not guarantee that funding will be available to support larger planting efforts, they can serve as a tool to advocate for funds to accomplish planting objectives. Additionally, if funding sources do become available, planting plans can help allocate those funds appropriately to meet community needs. For example, if funding for stormwater mitigation were to become available, TreeKeeper Canopy could be used to identify planting sites that would provide the greatest benefit to reducing stormwater runoff.
I’M SO PROUD OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
INTERESTED IN TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY!
-SURVEY RESPONDENT
This tool allows users to:
● Quickly observe data from canopy assessments
● Prioritize and plan tree plantings using environmental and social equity data
● Create custom tree canopy goals and projections
● Share the benefits and promote the value of the urban forest
COMMUNITY TREE RESOURCE
Community trees (publicly managed trees along streets, parks, and at City facilities) play an important role in Watsonville. The community tree resource provides numerous tangible and intangible benefits to residents, visitors, neighboring communities, and the surrounding Pajaro Valley. People in the community value this resource and recognize it as integral to the livability and comfortability of the community.
RESOURCE STRUCTURE
Watsonville’s community tree inventory includes 4,504 trees and 138 available planting sites (2021). The following information characterizes Watsonville’s community tree resource:
One limitation of the summary is that it does not fully account for all of the benefits provided by the community tree resource. Some benefits could not be included in the analysis such as reductions in energy use (electricity and natural gas) through shading and climate effects. Other benefits are intangible and/or difficult to quantify such as increases in property values and impacts on psychological and physical health, crime, and violence.
Empirical evidence of these benefits does exist (Wolf, 2007; Kaplan and Kaplan, 1989; Ulrich, 1986), but there is limited knowledge about the physical processes at work and the complex nature of interactions make quantification imprecise. Tree growth and mortality rates are highly variable. A true and full accounting of benefits and investments must consider variability among sites (e.g., tree species, growing conditions, maintenance practices) throughout the City and variability in tree growth. In other words, trees are worth far more than one can ever quantify!
Figure 3: Most Prevalent Species (>1% of Population)
● The most common species is Platanus x hybrida (London planetree, 8.0%), followed by Prunus cerasifera (cherry plum,
5.9%), and Quercus agrifolia (coastal live oak, 5.6%) (Figure 3). ● 62.7% of trees are less than 8 inches in diameter (DBH) and
6.9% of trees are larger than 24 inches in diameter, indicating an established age distribution.
● Community trees provide approximately 29.6 acres of canopy cover which accounts for 0.7% of the total land area.
● The current stocking level is 97%, based on 138 available planting sites (including 40 vacant sites and 98 stumps) and 4,504 existing trees.
● Replacement of all 4,504 community trees with trees of equivalent size, species, and condition, would cost more than $10.9 million.
● Community trees are storing more than 1,247 tons of carbon (CO₂) in woody and foliar biomass to date.
● The annual quantifiable benefits provided by community trees totals $22,810, an average of $5.06 per tree. These benefits include pollution removal ($14,169), carbon sequestration ($5,368), and avoided stormwater runoff ($3,273). These benefits do not include energy use benefits and other
intangible benefits to the community.
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RIGHT TREE, RIGHT PLACE
The practice of installing the optimal species for a particular planting site is known as the “Right Tree, Right Place”. This philosophy considers the effects of tree growth on existing and planned utilities, existing landscapes, and other infrastructure. Factors to consider include planter size, soil characteristics, water needs, as well as the intended role and characteristics of the species. By considering the long-term consequences of planting a particular tree in a particular place, conflicts and premature removal of trees can be avoided.
Historically, proper consideration for species selection and planting location has not always been provided. Some species were planted heavily at different periods in the history of Watsonville’s urban forestry program, including small-stature trees in rights-of-way. A few of these species are costly to maintain, some are poorly suited to the local climate, and others such as small-stature trees are limited in the benefits they provide. City staff and involved stakeholders aim to develop an updated species list for future planting focused on climate readiness and suitability for Watsonville. This list should also consider the past performance of certain tree species when determining future species selection. For example, London plane tree, the most prevalent species in the inventory (8%), is known to cause problems in planters and is costly to maintain as a result. Palm species are also included in the top ten most prevalent species in the inventory. Palms are known to be fast-growing and are aesthetically pleasing, but do not provide the same environmental benefits as trees yet require more maintenance.
Like many communities, Watsonville experiences tree-hardscape conflicts. Small tree wells and narrow park strips contribute to the roots of trees growing underneath sidewalks and cause lifting and heaving.
These restricted spaces also contribute in limiting species selection to smaller stature trees, as well as limiting the growth potential of larger stature species. To avoid such conflicts in the future, species with a reputation for hard-scape conflicts should be reserved for better-suited, open areas with adequate space for root spread and growth (Appendix E). However, tree wells and park strips should be increased in size to accommodate larger stature species where possible.
SPECIES DIVERSITY
There are 182 unique species in the community tree resource. The species diversity in Watsonville is slightly less than the mean of 185 species reported from 18 California communities (Muller and Bornstein 2010). The three most predominant species represent 19.5% of the population.
Maintaining diversity in a community tree resource is important.
The dominance of any single species or genus can have detrimental consequences in the event of storms, drought, disease, pests, or other stressors that can severely affect a community tree resource and the flow of benefits and costs over time. Catastrophic pathogens, such as Dutch elm disease (Ophiostoma ulmi), emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis), and sudden oak death (Phytophthora ramorum) are some examples of unexpected, devastating, and costly pests and pathogens that highlight the importance of diversity and the balanced distribution of species and genera. In addition to these pests, there is a growing concern for polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) (Euwallacea spp.), a new pest complex that has devastated urban forests in Southern California due to its wide host range (Eskalen, 2015).
In light of significant pests and diseases, many cities are opting to increase tree species diversity to improve resilience. The widely used 10-20-30 rule of thumb states that an urban tree population should consist of no more than 10% of any one species, 20% of any one genus, and 30% of any one family (Clark et al, 1997; Santamour, 1990). While this rule does ensure a minimum level of diversity, it may not encourage enough genetic diversity to adequately support resilience. Therefore the 10-20-30 rule should be considered a minimum goal. Managers should always strive to increase the range of representation among species and genera within an urban forest. Among Watsonville’s community tree population, no current species or genera exceed this rule of thumb.
To increase species diversity and promote greater resilience in the overall resource, future tree planting should focus on increasing diversity and reducing reliance on overused species. As over-predominant species are removed and replaced, new species should be introduced when possible.
New species should be resistant to the known pest issues that currently pose a threat to the region. In addition, consideration should be given to species that withstand higher temperatures and periods of drought.
STOCKING LEVEL
The stocking level indicates how many planting sites within the community contain trees, versus those available for tree planting. With a stocking rate of 97%, Watsonville has an opportunity to fill 40 vacant planting sites and remove 138 stumps to plant new trees.
RELATIVE AGE DISTRIBUTION
The age distribution of the urban forest is a key indicator and driver of maintenance needs (Richards, 1982/83). The relative age distribution can be approximated by considering thediameter at breast height (DBH) range of the overall inventory. Trees with smaller diameters tend to be younger. Palms do not increase in diameter over time, so they are not considered in this analysis. In palms, height more accurately correlates to age and mature height varies among palm species.
Figure 4: Relative Age Distribution
Trees in the medium-diameter classes (between 8 and 18 inches in diameter) represent more than 33% of the overall inventory. These trees are generally established and are a mixture of young, large- and medium-stature tree species and mature small-stature species. This age group is a positive indicator of future benefits since large shade trees typically provide more shade, pollutant uptake, carbon sequestration, and rainfall interception than small trees.
Trees in the larger diameter class (>24 inches) represent 6.9% of the overall inventory. In general, this group of trees requires more regular inspections and routine maintenance as they mature. Planting enough trees to plan for the succession of trees that are mature and reaching the end of their useful life is important for maintaining the flow of benefits.
The age distribution of Watsonville’s community tree resource (excluding palms) shows a mostly established population with a large number of young, recently planted trees.
Trees in the smaller diameter classes (8 inches or less in diameter) represent 62.7% of the overall inventory. Trees less than three inches in diameter represent 21.9% of the overall population, indicating a recent increase in new tree planting. However, more than a third of those plantings are small-statured species which do not have the same benefit potential as medium or large-stature trees. The costs of maintenance can be reduced over time through training pruning. Training, defined as the selective pruning of small branches to influence the future shape and structure of a young tree, is critical at this stage to prevent costly structural issues and branch failures as these young trees mature into their final size in the landscape. 64 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 303 of 428
URBAN FORESTRY
OPERATIONS
Watsonville has a total of 4,504 community trees along streets, in City parks, and at City facilities. Responsibilities for tree care are shared between the departments of Parks and Community Services, Public Works, Watsonville Wetlands Watch (WWW), and residents and homeowners associations (HOA). Parks has a small in-house crew.
Although there currently is a Certified Arborist on staff, the City does not have a dedicated city arborist and staff are not required to possess the International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist or other professional tree care licenses. Parks team members participate in weekly safety tailgates and records of participation are kept on file. Team members receive additional training on the proper use and maintenance of equipment.
Parks and Public Works are supported by contracted services in the care of community trees. The Parks Director manages tree work contracts, including monitoring to ensure trees are not over-pruned.
The following graphic summarizes the primary
services provided to community trees:
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I FULLY SUPPORT MORE TREE PLANTINGS AND
TREE PROTECTIONS. - SURVEY RESPONDANT
URBAN FORESTRY PROGRAM
FUNDING
Maintenance of community trees is provided by both in-house and contracted services and is supported by the General Fund, Landscape and Lighting Maintenance Districts (LLMD) and Measure Y. The General Fund provides most of the funding for the care of street trees. Measure Y supports tree work in parks and in areas that benefit the public that are adjacent to parks. Other trees that are within the LLMDs are maintained by those specific district funds.
The City has a Carbon Fund, which can be used by the City to implement projects that reduce GHG emissions. Projects must have a direct or indirect GHG emissions reduction identified and should align with the priorities identified in the CAAP. Although there are no projects currently funded, the Carbon Fund may provide another source of funds for tree management.
Grants have been incredibly beneficial for the City’s tree-planting program. However, grant funding is not predictable. Grants require staff to identify grant opportunities and then apply for funding. Some urban forest grants support tree planting but do not provide funding for long-term maintenance. While grants are helpful for boosting urban forestry programming and accomplishing specific tasks (e.g., developing the UFMP), grants are not a long-term solution for funding urban forest management.
URBAN FOREST PARTNERS
While the maintenance and care of community trees is primarily the responsibility of the Parks and Community Services Department, the Public Works Department, and Watsonville Wetlands Watch, other internal departments and teams share responsibility for tree management, regulation, advocacy, and planning.
PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
Watsonville Parks and Community Services department manages trees in parks as well as in streets. The Department cares for trees in Watsonville’s 26 parks which cover 143 acres. Parks and Community services also care for 350 street trees which are concentrated downtown.
The department performs tree inspections, maintenance, and tree inventories. Parks and Community Services also oversee contract tree pruning and street and sidewalk conflicts.
PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
The Public Works department addresses the maintenance and repair of streets and sidewalks in the public rights-of-way. Historically, the department had greater responsibility over community trees, especially for trees in the public rights-of-way area. In 2012, the Public Works department developed the Urban Greening Plan which included the Urban Street Trees Program. As a result of shifting responsibilities, Public Works now has less of a role in the urban forest and indirectly manages trees when tree and infrastructure conflicts arise and/or during environmental projects.
The department maintains open space areas, wetlands, and an extensive trail system that spans seven miles across City parks. While in the past trees have not been included in street development or stormwater management projects, Public Works is taking the initiative to incorporate trees into these projects.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community Development is tasked with performing development reviews and long-term community planning. The department ensures development projects and building activity comply with zoning and building codes, General Plan policies, the California Environmental Quality Act, and community values. Projects including improvements to public rights-of-way often involve trees and tree removals.
PARTNERS
The urban forest impacts everyone in the community. The benefits of community trees go beyond property lines and the responsibility for their care is shared amongst many groups, including property owners, volunteers, nonprofit organizations, City departments, and tree care professionals. Engagement with urban forest collaborative partners was an integral part of the development of the UFMP.
WATSONVILLE WETLANDS WATCH
Watsonville Wetlands Watch (WWW) is a non-profit organization that has worked in the Pajaro Valley since 1991 to preserve and restore wetlands and watershed areas to improve environmental and community health outcomes and to educate youth and community about the value of the Pajaro Valley’s natural environment. They operate out of the Fitz Wetlands Educational Resource Center on the Pajaro Valley High School campus, where they have a native plant and tree nursery. WWW has been an important partner of the City in the development of the City’s Urban Greening Plan and its implementation as well as maintenance and care of the City’s wetlands, trails, and open spaces. Since 2018, WWW has partnered with the City to achieve the goal of increasing tree canopy cover in Watsonville by developing tree planting programs, community volunteer programs for urban forestry, a tree adoption program for private residents, and educating the community about tree care and establishment. WWW also operates the Climate Corps Leadership Institute, a job training and academic pathway program for high schoolaged youth to learn about and participate in urban forestry, watershed restoration, and climate action work.
PAJARO VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
The City and Watsonville Wetlands Watch have identified opportunities for tree planting within local school districts in Watsonville. Pajaro Valley Unified School District partnered with Watsonville Wetlands Watch in 2019 to achieve the goals of preserving, restoring and growing Watsonville’s urban forest. The Green Careers Middle School Program, put on by Watsonville Wetlands Watch, provides educational opportunities for students in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District to explore local environmental careers.
68 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 307 of 428 REGENERACIÓN PAJARO VALLEY
The local non-profit Regeneracion was founded in 2016 to address the community’s need to organize for climate justice action. The organization’s mission is centered on the principle that climate change is a social justice issue that must be addressed through local advocacy and action. Regeneracion has participated in several projects since then, including murals within the city, the showing of environmental justice films, and holding the Climate of Hope forum, an interactive event where speakers and community members can shed light on climate change issues affecting the community.
CAL FIRE
CAL FIRE Urban Forestry Program works to advance the development of sustainable urban and community forests throughout California.
Through the program, CAL FIRE provides technical expertise, as well as administers State and Federal grants throughout California communities to advance urban forestry efforts (fire.ca.gov). CAL FIRE encourages cities to commit to avoiding any net loss of canopy.
PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC
Tree and utility conflicts are a common source of concern for electric providers. Trees that grow into power lines can cause electrical outages and fires. They can even conduct an electric shock to someone who comes into contact with a tree that is contacting a high-voltage line.
In California, all utility providers are subject to General Order 95; Rule 35 Vegetation Management (California Public Utilities Commission, revised 2012) and FAC-003-2 Transmission Vegetation Management (NERC), which outline requirements for vegetation management in utility easements. These requirements include clearance tolerances for trees and other vegetation growing in proximity to overhead utilities.
Many street trees located under power lines are too large for the site, requiring extreme pruning to maintain clearance. Selecting small-stature tree species that are utility-friendly for planting sites in utility rights-ofway can minimize the need for these maintenance activities.
COMMUNITY HEALTH TRUST OF PAJARO
VALLEY
The Community Health Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit healthcare foundation that advocates and provides for health and wellness in the Pajaro Valley. The first 501(c)3 healthcare foundation in the Pajaro Valley, the organization aims to provide equal opportunity for improving health through comprehensive means of healthy lifestyles, choices and activities. The nonprofit offers direct programs including the Diabetes Health Center, a prescription program for those facing food insecurity (VeggieRx), and a farmers market centered on health and wellness (El Mercado). Indirectly, the organization manages grants and funds for local organizations to improve wellness and equity in the Pajaro Valley.
The organization prides itself on being an excellent community partner, and has collaborated on several projects, including the Carey-Davis Community Gardens and the Community Orchard.
Trees help improve public health in many ways, including reducing air pollution such as particulate matter (smoke), managing climate-related health impacts, such as reducing heat islands and improving public safety.
In addition, exposure to nature, such as trees, has been shown to have a positive impact on human health and wellness by improving mental and physical health.
TREE AMIGOS
Our City Forest is a non-profit organization, born out of the Silicon Valley, that has been a leader in urban forestry and environmental stewardship. It has created an incredible program that brings specialized tree knowledge to volunteers. Empowering the community through a free five-week course, volunteers learn how to plant and care for trees. This program is known as “Tree Amigos”. Through Tree Amigos, anyone interested can sign up to become stewards/caregivers for City trees and receive the training. Participants earn a Tree Amigo title if they attend a full five-week course on urban tree care. Courses in the Tree Amigos program include education on how trees are raised in the nursery, background on Our City Forest programs, proper tree planting, tree stewardship and maintenance, water conservation, and volunteer coordination. Tree Amigos serve as mentors and leaders to the large number of daily volunteers who sign up with Our City Forest. Programs such as this one can make a big difference in the community by ensuring trees are being planted and cared for which would reduce strain on City staff and budgets.
POLICY AND REGULATION
Urban forest management operations are influenced by and subject to regulations, policies, and guidance from federal, state, and local direction.
The following section provides a summary of the regulatory and guiding policies explored during the development of this Plan. Additional regulations and policies may also apply.
FEDERAL AND STATE LAW
Endangered Species Act
Signed in 1973, the Endangered Species Act provides for the conservation of species that are endangered or threatened throughout all or within a significant portion of their range, as well as the conservation of the ecosystems on which they depend. The listing of a species as endangered makes it illegal to “take” (i.e., harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect, or attempt to do these things) that species.
Similar prohibitions usually extend to threatened species.
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA)
Passed by Congress in 1918, this Act defines that it is unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, possess, sell, purchase, barter, import, export, or transport any migratory bird, or any part, nest, or egg of any such bird, unless authorized under a permit issued by the Secretary of the Interior.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act can impact forestry operations during times when birds are nesting, which may delay work in order to avoid violating the MBTA.
California Urban Forestry Act
Section 4799.06-4799.12 of the California Public Resources Code defines a chapter known as the California Urban Forestry Act. The Act defines trees as a “vital resource in the urban environment and as an important psychological link with nature for the urban dweller.” The Act also enumerates the many environmental, energy, economic, and health benefits that urban forests provide to communities.
The purpose of the Act is to promote urban forest resources and minimize the decline of urban forests in the state of California. To this end, the Act facilitates the creation of permanent jobs related to urban forestry, encourages the coordination of state and local agencies, reduces, or eliminates tree loss, and prevents the introduction and spread of pests.
The Act grants the authority to create agencies and mandates that urban forestry departments shall provide technical assistance to urban areas across many disciplines (while also recommending numerous funding tools to achieve these goals).
70 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 309 of 428 Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO)
To promote the conservation and efficient use of water and to prevent the waste of water, a Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) was adopted in 2009 and later revised in 2015. The Ordinance requires increases in water efficiency standards for new and retrofitted landscapes through the use of more efficient irrigation systems, greywater usage, and onsite stormwater capture. It also limits the portion of landscapes that can be covered in turf.
California Global Warming Solutions Act
In 2006, the California Global Warming Solutions Act (Assembly Bill 32) was implemented to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Through this Act, California was the first state in the nation to initiate long-term measures to help mitigate the effects of climate change through improved energy efficiency and renewable technology. California approached the goal to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 through direct regulations, market-based approaches, voluntary measures, policies, and programs.
The 2015 update set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.
California Solar Shade Control Act
Passed in 1978, California’s Solar Shade Control Act supported alternative energy devices, such as solar collectors, and required specific and limited controls on trees and shrubs. Revised in 2009, the Act restricted the placement of trees or shrubs that cast a shadow greater than ten percent of an adjacent existing solar collector’s absorption area upon the solar collector surface at any one time between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE
Watsonville City Municipal Code has seven chapters that include provisions which impact trees, tree care, or the urban forest:
Chapter 5 Coastal Zone Implementation Plan
The Coastal Zone Implementation Plan outlines separate and exclusive regulations for lands designated as the Coastal Zone to protect coastal visual resources, environmentally sensitive habitat areas, water resources, and more. The chapter sets forth guidelines to plant native trees and shrubs in buffer zones to environmentally sensitive habitat areas, as well as to non-agricultural development which lies in the Coastal Zone. When invasive exotic species are present, this chapter calls for replacing them with native species. As part of 9-5.705 Regulations, all nonagricultural development should include native vegetation (i.e., trees) that are “consistent with a transition to natural landform”, and that provide screening from Highway 1 and other coastal zone roads. This section also requires all nonagricultural development in the Coastal Zone to include a landscape plan detailing that all plantings (including trees) be kept in good growing condition and all invasive species be removed from the site.
Chapter 7 Removal of Weeds and Debris
Per Chapter 11 of the Municipal Code, titled “Removal of Weeds and Debris”, weeds and debris, including dead trees, is declared a public nuisance. Property owners are required to abate weeds and dead trees.
If the property owner fails to abate the public nuisance, the Fire Chief may remove the public nuisance at the owner’s expense as ordered by Council resolution.
Title 7, Chapter 11 Street Trees
Chapter 11 of Title 7 of Municipal Code, defines “street tree” as any tree on a City street. The chapter delineates street trees as either being “approved street trees” or “unapproved street trees”. Unapproved street trees are trees that were planted in the improper place, infested with pests or disease, or are a hazard to public health and safety.
Per the chapter, the Director of Public Works is authorized to and responsible for the supervision of the maintenance for all street trees.
Permits are required for anyone who wishes to plant street trees, and to trim or remove a street tree, regardless if a tree is approved or unapproved.
Chapter 11 also defines a public nuisance regarding street trees, which can be any tree growth that interferes with public infrastructure or improvements, vines growing over any street tree, or infested or diseased trees. When a public nuisance exists, chapter 11 requires the property owner to abate the nuisance. If a private property owner fails to comply with a public nuisance work order, charges may be imposed on the private property owner equaling the cost of abatement.
Title 7, Chapter 13 Preservation of Historical Trees
Chapter 13 of the Municipal Code describes regulations on historical trees and the process of designating a historical tree. The Parks and Recreation Department and the Recreation and Parks Commission determine which trees are worthy of preservation, and recommend to the City Council which trees to designate as historical. Any person who wishes to trim, alter, or remove a designated tree, must seek the approval of the commission and acquire a permit from the City to perform such work.
Title 10, Chapter 2 Park Rules and Regulations
Chapter 2, Section 10 of Title 10 prohibits damage to park trees, including carving, cutting, or removal. Affixing rope, wire, signs, or animals to park trees is also unlawful.
Title 13, Chapter 7 Subdivision Improvements, Article 2.
Design Standards, Section 13
Per the Design Standards, all streets and public ways within and bordering divisions of land shall be planted with trees. Trees in these areas shall be maintained by the subdivider or subsequent owners of said lots. Additionally, existing trees that meet a certain size threshold shall be retained and protected during construction. If such trees are damaged or removed, then the trees shall be replaced with the number, type and size determined by the Director.
Title 14, Chapter 14 Zoning, Section 14
The Zoning Chapter outlines laws and development requirements for each district. Street trees are explicitly required in industrial areas for the purpose of screening but otherwise trees are not explicitly required in zones. General development plans for Planned Development Districts are required to include the location and type of existing trees that are planned for removal.
The Act exempts trees or shrubs that were:
● Planted prior to the installation of a solar collector ● Trees or shrubs on land dedicated to commercial agricultural crops
● Replacement trees or shrubs that were planted prior to the installation of a solar collector and subsequently died or were removed (for the protection of public health, safety, and the environment) after the installation of a solar collector ● Trees or shrubs subject to City and county ordinance
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Green infrastructure projects help prevent water runoff and reduce surface temperatures. Water is slowed down, spread out and sinks into the ground instead of flowing into storm drains. Green infrastructure can be implemented in parking lots, parks, open spaces, streets, and schools. The goals of the Green Infrastructure Plan are to:
The plan emphasizes that every project has the capacity to incorporate green infrastructure and the City may demand more from the engineering designs, including integrating green roofs, permeable pavements, and detention pond retrofits. The plan suggests making revisions to development standards and specifications and evaluating strategic tree planting.
LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan differentiates the various hazards that are relevant to Watsonville and provides mitigation strategies for these hazards. High wind is one potential hazard described in the plan. Wind can be categorized on the Beaufort scale, which groups wind speed from 0-12. As found in the plan, at the “10” level, trees are uprooted and considerable damage can occur. In a vulnerability assessment section of the plan, the heat island effect is showcased as a secondary hazard associated with climate change. Heat islands were assessed using satellite imagery overlaid with the tree canopy. “Hotspots” are identified, where heat mitigating actions can be taken such as increasing tree canopy. Overall, mitigation actions are separated into categories, including “flood mitigation”, “infrastructure”, and “green.” The Green category includes tree planting programs as one strategy to reduce certain hazards, such as wildfire, flood, and climate change.
URBAN STREET TREES PROGRAM
The Urban Street Trees program was initiated in 2012 as part of the Urban Greening Plan. The plan was formed to address low canopy cover in the city, at the time 7.8%. The plan set a base goal to plant 8,000 trees, but also a larger goal to plant 40,000 more trees over the following ten years. The plan document outlines a Street Tree Program Framework, which describes different zones for tree planting. It identifies several opportunities for planting, including front yards, mixeduse streets, through widening sidewalks and planting in the roadway (stormwater management zones, tree islands, and planting strips.) The document highlights specific streets and locations in Watsonville which would benefit from the increased tree canopy. The plan includes an approved street tree list, which is divided into three “influence zones” of agricultural, cultural, and native habitats.
WATSONVILLE 2030 CLIMATE ACTION AND
ADAPTATION PLAN (2021)
The Watsonville Climate Action and Adaptation Plan supports the Climate-Safe California Campaign’s goal of negative-net emissions by 2030. While ambitious, Watsonville will set an example for other communities by adopting this plan. A number of programs are outlined, which aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to below 80% of the levels reached in 1990 over the next ten years, which would meet the state legal target. In order to meet climate goals, the City divides initiatives into three categories:
Tree planting programs are a central component of the climate restoration strategy, as they remove and sequester atmospheric carbon, as well as provide several other climate benefits. These goals aim to restore the climate, while perhaps gradually, to its natural state before human interference.
WATSONVILLE GENERAL PLAN
Watsonville is in the process of updating its general plan, called the Watsonville General Plan 2050. The plan will set forth goals and planning guidelines for the community. The addition of street trees along streets and boulevards is one request by the community that is considered in the plan.
WATSONVILLE URBAN GREENING PLAN (2012)
The Watsonville Urban Greening Plan was developed in 2012 to address increasing concerns over climate change and to identify opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The plan also addresses low canopy cover in the city with a goal to plant 40,000 trees with the Urban Street Trees Program. The Plan includes seven primary elements, which include:
● Citywide pedestrian and bicycle trails system
● Urban Street Trees Program
● Community Gardens
● Plant palette and Landscaping Guidelines and Policies ● Landscape restoration projects (to reduce heat island effects) ● Green Roof and cool roof projects
● Stormwater features, such as the use of cool paving materials to mitigate heat island effects and maintain water quality ● Climate action/mitigation, through reducing emissions; ● Climate adaptation, by preparing for increased effects of climate change, including wildfires;
● Climate restoration, or removing atmospheric carbon and restoring natural ecosystems.
● Protect water quality
● Reduce urban heat island effects
● Build climate and community resiliency
● Design complete streets to encourage alternative
transportation and pedestrian safety
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PARKS STRATEGIC PLAN (SUPPLEMENT OF
MASTER PLAN)
The Parks Strategic Plan was initiated in 2019 as an update to the 2009 Parks Mastert Plan. The section on future plans and programs, it includes the goal to “Revise and adopt a new Tree Ordinance and Urban Forest Management Plan to effectively manage the City’s trees.” Each park is considered and given suggested recommendations. At Ramsay Park, the public supported preserving old and mature trees but called for the removal of large shrubs and overgrown trees that block views of the plaza. This plan design preserves healthy, mature trees and also adds key tree species at focal locations. However, some mature trees that were in poor health were removed.
DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN
The Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan provides regulations and standards for the development of downtown as they align with General Plan goals and objectives. Adopted in October 2023, the plan serves as a comprehensive guide and policy resource for developers, property owners, the City, and decision-makers. The City’s vision with the plan is to celebrate the historic roots of the area while connecting it with nearby industrial and residential areas to create a walkable, economically vibrant Downtown. Specific objectives include adding mixed-use developments throughout the area, concentrating development near transit stops or centers to reduce automobile use, and providing additional strategies to increase multimodal transportation to and from the downtown area.
DOWNTOWN COMPLETE STREETS PLAN
The Downtown Watsonville Specific Plan will work in conjunction with the Complete Streets Plan to make streets more accessible and safer for all users. The Complete Streets Plan includes proposed improvements for streets such as Main Street, Brennan Street and Union Street. These proposed improvements include increasing the width of sidewalks and adding street trees along the sidewalks.
WATSONVILLE SCENIC TRAILS NETWORK
RESTORATION PLAN
The Scenic Trails Network Restoration Plan supports the Trails & Bicycle Management Plan, which calls to add 33 miles of new trails to the existing Wetlands Trail System in Watsonville. This plan is not only focused on trails, but it also plans to create more native landscape areas.
According to the document, more native landscape areas can be added through low-impact development, and urban beautification projects, as well as by creating nature parks. Nature parks attempt to restore and represent the local environment and habitat as it was before human alteration. New nature parks can be created on unused City parcels, or existing parks can be modified to be more like the natural ecosystem.
The use of native plantings, including trees, is emphasized for their value to local ecosystems, in stormwater management, and in reducing carbon footprint.
Fieldwork was done for the plan in 2011 and 2012, which assessed local habitat, habitat resource inventory, and invasive plant species, though these were limited to trail corridors.
Riparian areas near the Pajaro River and trail system are characterized by woody forests of cottonwood, willow, alder, elderberry, box elder, and sycamore trees.
STORMWATER POST CONSTRUCTION
STANDARDS
Performance requirement 3 of Post Construction Standards, entitled “Runoff Retention”, specifies runoff requirements for development and redevelopment. Redevelopment projects must retain half the pre-project runoff of impervious surface that is removed. All projects must prevent runoff up to the 95th percentile 24-hour rainfall event and do this with infiltration, storage, rainwater harvesting and/or evapotranspiration.
This document presents 20 LID Developmental standards, which include standards on vegetative cover and trees. Certain qualifying projects must meet additional requirements, known as ‘site Design Measures.” One of these measures is the requirement to conserve natural areas, including existing trees.
SIDEWALK PARKWAY STRIP MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM
This document defines the area of the sidewalk, park strip, curb and gutter and states the adjacent property owner is responsible for maintaining these areas. Maintenance can include, but is not limited to, weed abatement, sidewalk buckling, and the maintenance of trees or shrubs in this area. Per Municipal Code Title 7, Chapter 2, the property owner is liable for injuries as a result of the sidewalk not being maintained by the property owner. Sidewalk hazards from street tree roots and sidewalk buckling are included as liable hazards. The City also requires any obstacles in the parkway strip area to be removed, including tree stumps. If repairs require any modification to street trees, the property owner is required to acquire a permit to complete such work, per Title 7, Chapter 11.
6TH CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT
This document identifies residential and commercial land that is either vacant or underutilized. This document has the potential to be a useful tool in identifying opportunities for future tree planting, which can further the goals of the Urban Street Tree Program.
PARKS MANAGEMENT PLAN (2009)
A park tour was taken in 2009 to assess the needs of Watsonville parks.
A number of recommended improvements were procured following this, including uniform signing, weekend maintenance staffing, amenity updates, and tree planting. During the Management Plan development process, two community workshops were held to gain community input. Community members who participated were in favor of more trees in parks for shade as well as for pinatas. During a senior focus group, participants also voiced their desire for more trees in parks. This plan also mentions the need to address a tree fungus problem in JoyceMckenzie Park.
POLLINATORS
Ornamental pears attract a wide variety of insect pollinators including bees, wasps and flies. Avoiding applying pesticides to trees that are insect-pollinated, such as ornamental pears, promotes pollinator health.
Pollinators are essential to plant and animal life. The pollination of landscape plants and economically important fruit and nut-producing crops results in many economic, environmental, and socioeconomic benefits. The most abundant and common group of pollinators are insects (US Fish & Wildlife, 2020).
In many cases we take pollination services for granted, but because of the recent decline in pollinators, attention has shifted toward finding pest management practices that promote pollinator health. One of the most controversial topics in the decline of pollinators is the use of pesticides.
Insect physiology is similar whether the insect is a pest/insect we want to kill or a pollinator/insect we want to protect. Therefore, the use of insecticides typically impacts species that we do not intend to harm, such as pollinator and predator non-target insects. The side effects can be lethal or cause long-term effects. Pesticides can be present in the environment through plant exudates, dust, or water that pollinators and predatory insects come in contact with (Johnson, 2015). Furthermore, water-soluble pesticides, some of which are commonly used pesticides for ornamental trees and plants (e.g., neonicotinoids) are present in the floral parts of plants that are frequented by pollinators (Goulson et al, 2015).
Several changes can be made in order to decrease the impact pesticides have on pollinator health. Limiting or not using the use of pesticides on flowering trees and following label directions are some important ways we can protect pollinators. Following pesticide labels to determine when it is appropriate to treat the plant (i.e., avoiding insecticide applications when the plant is in bloom, considering wind speed/direction, and neighboring plants in bloom) (Purdue Extension, 2016).
It is important to note that these essential, but often overlooked insects are also threatened by other causes such as disease, habitat alteration, and fragmentation that occurs in conjunction with “human endeavor” (development of cities, towns, agricultural fields, and pastures). There is not one group responsible for the management of habitat fragmentation or the use of pesticides in our landscapes and food systems, we are all accountable and can promote the protection of pollinators. 74 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 313 of 428
WESTSIDE INDUSTRIAL STREETSCAPE
GUIDELINES (2004)
The Westside Industrial Streetscape Guidelines provide plans and specifications for improving this major industrial zone in the city. The Westside area is the oldest and largest industrial area in Watsonville and is a center of economic activity. This area also acts as a main thoroughfare into the city, being located between Highway 1 and downtown, but lacks many modern amenities such as complete sidewalks, street trees, and street landscaping. The goal of the Westside Industrial Guidelines is to create a more attractive entrance to the city by improving related public facilities while also retaining its purpose as an industrial area.
Points of concern for this area include safety regarding a high volume of industrial traffic, limited ROW space, and limited space for frontage landscaping. The guidelines also caution against planting trees in front of food-related businesses as they may promote pests and introduce sanitation issues. Further concerns were documented about street trees disrupting visibility and sight lines for large trucks. While considering these limitations, recommended improvements in the guidelines include adding planting strips and medians in ROW containing trees.
They also include adding street trees along sidewalks and in front of businesses as part of “frontage landscaping,” where appropriate. Specific recommendations and diagrams including street trees were given for each particular site.
In addition to the above recommendations, a tree list was provided for use in the industrial area. Trees in this list were selected for specific criteria, including:
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)
PROGRAM SUMMARY AND REVIEW
The IPM Summary and Review provides a consolidated review of the City’s pest management activities and:
The Interim Pesticide Use & Notification Policy serves as the City’s IPM policy until a more formal plan is in place. The main focus of the Interim Pesticide Use & Notification Policy is to reduce pesticide use. It explains the recent ban on the use of glyphosate herbicides, the introduction of integrated pest management guidelines, and the requirements for training and posting notifications when pesticides are used.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT STANDARDS (2013)
The Public Improvement Standards are construction standards for all new developments in Watsonville. The standards are currently being revised to best fit the goals of Watsonville and the community.
SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
CONSTRUCTION BEST MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES HANDBOOK (2013)
Per Municipal Code, developers are required to prevent erosion during construction and control pollution and limit runoff. The Public Works and Utilities Department adopted the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Construction Best Management Practices Handbook (2013) to define the City’s requirements. The standards include some guidance for tree preserving existing vegetation and protecting trees through impact barriers and fencing. These measures are not consistent with current ANSI A300 Part 5 standards for protecting trees during construction.
MULTI-FAMILY CONDOMINIUM AND
TOWNHOUSE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
AND MULTI-FAMILY RENTAL DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS (1987)
Standards for multi-family unit construction in Watsonville include provisions for incorporating trees and landscaping into development.
Standards include the requirement for 20% of any multi-family project to be landscaped and be provided with an irrigation system. The document also requires landscaping to be a mix of trees, shrubs and ground cover.
All greenery and landscaping should consider the existing vegetation of the site, be consistent with neighboring vegetation as appropriate, enhance the experience of the site, and mitigate the effects of pavement and buildings. The standards require that trees be planted along streets consistent with adjacent properties and neighborhoods. All projects must comply with the City Historic Tree Ordinance and specify any large trees that are proposed for removal. Specimen trees, described as equal or larger than 20 inches DBH, must be preserved unless special permission is given to modify these standards.
Standards also require trees to be planted in parking lots to provide shade, at regular intervals throughout the parking lot and at the end of parking rows. The City also requires open space be provided on-site as a natural break from dense development, which may include landscaping or existing natural features of the site.
● To reduce conflict with trucks, trees with limited spread, trees that grow tall enough with few low-hanging branches, or small trees
● Trees that do not produce fruit
● Trees that have been proven to perform well in the local environment of the central coast
● Introduces the City’s IPM Committee, which consists of City staff from the departments that are responsible for pest control operations
● Details the primary pests on public lands (public rights-of-way, public parks, and open space, wetlands, and trails)
● Details the City’s efforts to manage pests on public lands ● Recommends ways to enhance the City’s IPM program
● Includes the Interim Pesticide Use & Notification Policy as an attachment
ANALYSIS OF SUSTAINABILITY
INDICATORS
The Sustainability Indicators is a tool based on the Characteristics of Urban Forest Sustainability as defined in the 1997 Journal of Arboriculture article “A Model of Urban Forest Sustainability”, which describes specific criteria that can be used in conjunction with measurable indicators to evaluate sustainability (Clark et al., 1997). To identify goals and areas where the urban forestry program can be improved, managers can regularly assess, evaluate, and indicate the current performance levels of the urban forest through the Sustainability Indicators. While the Sustainability Indicators are a useful tool for assessing the current status of an urban forest program, it does not necessarily provide a comprehensive review of all the areas in which a program could be improved. The Sustainability Indicators do provide an opportunity for managers to benchmark their current conditions and understand how they can be improved to meet industry recommendations and then establish performance measures to improve the effectiveness of their management approach (Kenney, et al 2011). The criteria for the Sustainability Indicators were used as a reference to assess the current urban forestry practices in the City and provided the framework for describing what current urban forest management looks like and steps to advance urban forest management.
Overall, Watsonville’s urban forestry program is performing at a low (Table 7) level and a detailed report of the results of the assessment can be found in Appendix D.
Table 7: Sustainability Indicators Summary
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THE PLAYERS
The City is performing at a low level in The Players, but achieves high performance when it comes to department cooperation. Watsonville has established strong partners in Watsonville Wetlands Watch and other organizations which have provided valuable grants to grow the urban forest, which has included tree adoption events and free tree giveaways.
This partnership and other partnerships, will be important for elevating the performance level in the neighborhood action category. Greater neighborhood-level engagement will be important for setting localized tree canopy goals and for accomplishing the goals of the Urban Forest Management Plan.
The results of the online survey that was conducted during the development of the Urban Forest Management Plan revealed that nearly 100% of survey respondents recognize the important role of trees in the environment. This suggests that the community as a whole generally appreciates trees. However, because the Municipal Code does not prohibit the removal of otherwise healthy trees in the rights-of-way, trees are not seen as critical infrastructure. Revisions to the Municipal Code, which define criteria for the removal of trees in the rights-of-way will be a way to demonstrate that trees in the public rights-of-way are a community asset.
THE TREES
Overall, Watsonville has a low-performance level in The Trees, but the program has categories with high-performance ratings, thanks to the completion of the citywide tree inventory and the diversity of the community tree population.
Watsonville has a current canopy cover of 9.4% according to Tree Canopy Cover and Land Cover Assessment (DRG). In 2012, the Urban Greening Plan estimated the overall canopy cover to be 7.8%. The Urban Greening Plan sought to increase canopy cover through an effort to plant 40,000 trees. Planting efforts began in 2017 with the support of grants and a partnership with Watsonville Wetlands Watch to plant trees across streets, parks, schools, and on private property. Sustaining these efforts and adopting a tree canopy cover goal will bring the program to the next performance level.
While an analysis of canopy cover across census tracts did not find major disparities in canopy cover, analysis of canopy cover in ROW showed significantly low canopy cover in residential areas. This suggests that historically, planting efforts and outreach have not specifically targeted disparities in tree canopy cover or benefits. Current outreach and planting efforts are aimed at addressing low canopy cover, which based on the Tree Canopy Cover and Land Cover Assessment is consistently low across the community. Engagement geared towards working with neighborhoods with a lower tree canopy cover to develop localized tree canopy goals and planting projects will bring the program to the next performance level. Engagement should include providing materials in the languages spoken by neighborhood groups and be conducted at venues where community members naturally congregate (e.g., houses of worship, farmers markets, block parties, etc.).
While the inventory of community trees is meeting minimum diversity thresholds, susceptibility to pests and pathogens, the presence of invasive species in the inventory, and trees having been planted in sites that were not necessarily the right species or the right places affect the program’s resilience to climate change. Maintaining the inventory and continuing to practice the philosophy of “right tree, right place” will help to improve the performance level in the future.
THE MANAGEMENT APPROACH
The Management approach is the area where the City has the highest performance level, where the City is meeting medium and highperformance levels in more than half of the categories.
With the GIS-based tree inventory and a land cover assessment using high-resolution aerial imagery, the City has a strong understanding of the composition of community trees and the extent of public and private tree canopy. Primary maintenance needs of trees were one of the data specifications that was collected during the 2022 tree inventory. Trees were not evaluated for risk during the inventory. Trees are being primarily managed reactively outside of the downtown area and main thoroughfares. Completing risk assessments on community trees and establishing risk thresholds for managing risk will be important for increasing the performance level in the risk management program category. Similarly, developing a management plan that provides cyclical maintenance for all community trees will ensure that trees are managed proactively, instead of in reaction to resident requests.
In the last five years, the CIty has benefited from numerous grants, which have provided the necessary funding for tree planting. Because grants are not a stable source of funding, tree planting is contingent on available grant funding. Identifying a stable source of funding to regularly plan and provide the necessary care to new and established trees will be important for bringing the performance in the planting program category up to the medium or high-performance level. Currently, Landscape Lighting Maintenance Districts (LLMD) fund maintenance for a small subset of the community tree resource. Creating a Tree Management District that is specific to funding tree maintenance by district, may be a means to generate a stable source of funds for trees within residential areas.
Most community trees are maintained on a reactionary basis. Historically the City has only maintained trees in parks, medians, at City facilities, the downtown area, and along arterial roads when visibility and clearance issues arise. Street trees adjacent to residential homes have been the responsibility of the property owners, which has resulted in variable levels of care. The City has not had a management plan. But through the adoption of the UFMP, the City has a means to estimate costs for proactively caring for all street trees in the community and taking that responsibility off of the adjacent property owner. The benefits of this transition are twofold, as it not only alleviates the costs of tree care maintenance on property owners, but it also elevates the standard of care that is provided to all street trees.
CONCLUSIONS
Watsonville’s urban forestry program provides a strong foundation for maintaining and managing the urban forest and growing tree canopy for a resilient and sustainable future. The community and the program have benefitted from the partnership with Watsonville Wetland Watch (WWW). WWW provides invaluable support for educational programming and stewardship of the urban forest throughout the community. Sustaining this partnership and identifying other organizations and community partners may open up other funding opportunities, including grants geared towards promoting public health. Additionally, because the City is small, interdepartmental communication is effective.
The responsibilities for the care of community trees are shared between Parks and Public Works and are well understood. The departments are successful in working with one another to address tree-related service requests.
In the last five years, grant funding has supported the planting of new trees in the community, with more planned for the next three years.
While they will continue to seek grant funding to supplement the urban forestry program, stable funding is needed to ensure that there is a long-term tree-planting program.
In addition to funding, identifying places to plant trees on public property will likely continue to be a challenge in the future. The 2022 inventory identified 138 available planting sites. The Tree Canopy Cover and Land Cover Assessment determined that parks, City facilities, and the rightsof-way have low tree canopy cover and have the potential to support higher levels of tree canopy cover. To increase tree canopy in residential areas, new planting sites will need to be identified. To increase overall tree canopy cover, many trees will need to be planted on private property.
Prioritizing planting with TreeKeeper Canopy presents an opportunity to identify potential planting areas where residents and the City and its partners can define priority planting areas to address community needs, including increasing tree canopy in areas with lower median incomes, heat islands, and/or to improve stormwater capture.
Future tree plantings should continue to consider “Right Tree, Right Place”. Climate resiliency will be greatly improved by selecting species of trees that are appropriate for projected conditions and that help further diversify the forest and reduce susceptibility to emerging and existing pests and pathogens. Regularly evaluating species performance and making revisions to the City’s species list will be important to adapt to a changing climate. Furthermore, there should be a focus on evaluating individual planting sites to determine where large-stature trees can be planted without creating future conflicts with utilities and other infrastructure.
The City’s “Preservation of Historic Trees” chapter in the Municipal Code was adopted to encourage the preservation of important trees by the community. However, some revisions are needed to improve clarity and application, including clarifying the process for designating trees as historic, which may have deterred some residents from participating in the program. Additionally, per Chapter 11, street trees may be removed so long as an encroachment permit has been approved. Revisions to both ordinances are imperative for improving protections for community trees, as well as preserving tree canopy.
Trees in the open space require minimal maintenance and are primarily managed when adjacent to trails. Other community trees receive more regular care, especially in the downtown area and along major thoroughfares. Adjacent homeowners and homeowners associations are responsible for the maintenance of community trees in residential planting strips and front yards. With current funding levels, Watsonville cannot feasibly provide care for all community trees. Cities that regularly maintain all trees within the public rights-of-way tend to have fewer tree failures. Increased urban forestry funding would allow the City to assume responsibility for the maintenance of street trees to promote tree health, establish more uniform tree care across the community, reduce the likelihood of unexpected and expensive maintenance, reduce barriers, and incentivize more tree planting. Developing and following a proactive work plan that provides care to all community trees every 5 to 7 years will support long-term tree health and benefits along with reducing risk factors.
The urban forest program is supported by contracted services for community trees. New contracts should require that all tree care operations are performed in accordance with ANSI Standards. Future agreements should cite ANSI standards and Parks staff should continue to monitor contractors to ensure that standards for tree care are being met.
Tree City USA is an initiative of the Arbor Day Foundation to green urban areas through enhanced tree planting and care (Arbor Day Foundation, 2019). Currently, Watsonville meets all four requirements of Tree City USA. Applying for Tree City USA is a great way to recognize the urban forestry program and increase awareness of the urban forest.
Small program changes will improve Watsonville’s scores on urban forest Sustainability Indicators and advance the program to a higher performance level. Adoption of the UFMP (which includes an overall canopy goal), will increase the assessed performance level in two categories.
The urban forest is a community asset. With appropriate care and planning, Watsonville trees and canopy cover will continue to benefit future generations. The goals and objectives of the UFMP will ensure urban forest resources receive appropriate support and will encourage sustainable stewardship in a way that is consistent with community values. The success of the plan is dependent on its ability to meet the community’s needs.
Arbor Day Foundation Tree City USA designation requirements:
● Spending at least $2 per capita on the urban forest
● Having a community tree ordinance
● Maintaining a tree board or department
● Celebrating Arbor Day
78 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 317 of 428
I BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF TREE CARE AND
MAINTENANCE AND HOPE IT CAN BE INCLUDED AS
PART OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN.
-SURVEY RESPONDENT
Understanding how the community values the urban forest and the benefits most appreciated by residents and other stakeholders is important for developing a plan that meets the needs of the community.
The development of the Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) included virtual interviews with collaborative stakeholders, an electronic survey, virtual community meetings, pop-up events, and a project landing page.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Internal and external stakeholders were asked to share their perspectives on the management, policies, and priorities during the development of the UFMP through virtual interviews and questionnaires.
COLLABORATIVE STAKEHOLDER INPUT
Collaborative Stakeholders identified the following key challenges and opportunities for Watsonville’s urban forest, including:
1. Enhancing tree canopy
a. Committing to a tree canopy goal and replacing trees that are removed
b. More trees on public and private property
c. Preservation of native species and avoiding planting invasive/non-native trees or trees that are susceptible to pests and disease
d. Equitably distributing trees and tree canopy to ensure that everyone benefits
2. Tree planting
a. Tree and site selection due to pest vulnerabilities, small planting sites, and overhead utilities
b. Identifying tree species that will survive in future projected climates
c. Residents/businesses may be reluctant to plant trees due to maintenance concerns and/or visibility of the frontages of the business or visibility of lighting and/or security cameras
d. Residents tend to prefer smaller-statured tree species or fruit trees over larger-statured trees that provide more benefits
e. A public area for fruit trees or planting fruit trees in existing community gardens
f. Free trees to encourage tree planting on private property g. Providing establishment care (e.g., irrigating, staking, training pruning) for newly planted trees, especially during drought or at sites without automated irrigation
h. Design standards for tree planting in new developments i. High-density housing with limited space for tree plantings j. Thresholds for review of landscape designs in
redevelopment projects
PLAN DEVELOPMENT
Ten collaborative stakeholder groups were identified by City staff and Watsonville Wetlands Watch for the development of the UFMP.
These collaborators included:
● City of Watsonville Departments:
○ Parks and Community Services
○ Public Works and Utilities
○ Community Development
● Community and Regional Collaborators:
○ CAL FIRE
○ Watsonville Wetlands Watch
○ Board of Directors for Watsonville Wetlands Watch
○ Watsonville Parks and Recreation Commission
○ Community Health Trust of the Pajaro Valley
○ Regeneración Pajaro Valley
○ Real-estate Professionals
○ Pajaro Valley Unified School District
○ Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce
80 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 319 of 428
3. Community tree maintenance
a. Developing an Urban forest Program and implementing
young tree care maintenance
b. Maintaining an inventory of city trees
c. Contractor agreements do not require adherence to
ANSI standards
i. Contractors are not required to be Certified
Arborists
d. Weed abatement in park strips, including lack thereof or use of herbicides
e. Developments where the responsibility of sidewalk repairs and maintenance for street trees is the responsibility of the homeowners association
4. Funding
a. Providing the necessary resources to provide a stable longterm tree planting AND long-term maintenance program b. Continuing to search for grant opportunities that support urban forestry
5. Education and outreach
a. Education to help the community understand the
importance of trees and enhancing the environment
b. Educational materials for residents about how to care for trees
c. Partnering with other programs that focus on health, including the Police Activities League and community
gardens
d. Engaging with youth and highlighting employment
opportunities in urban forestry and other green jobs
e. Lack of awareness of responsibilities for the care of street trees adjacent to private property on the part of property owners
f. Celebrate our natural areas
6. Protecting trees and tree canopy
a. Tree ordinance does not prohibit the removal of street trees
b. A tree protection ordinance to protect private trees of a certain size to enhance existing tree canopy
NATIVE TREES SHOULD BE PROTECTED.
-SURVEY RESPONDENT
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The development of the UFMP included an inclusive strategy for engagement and outreach. A project landing page was established at the start of the project. The page could be translated into multiple languages using Google Translate.
The community was invited to three virtual meetings to discuss the development of the UFMP and the tree preservation ordinance. Two presentations were held virtually through the project landing page and through Zoom. Participants were asked a series of questions during the presentations to help facilitate discussion about the urban forest.
Recordings of the presentations were posted on the project landing page, which allowed community members to participate after the events if they were unable to attend the meetings.
Three pop-up events were held on July 22nd, July 23rd, and August 19th of 2022 at the Watsonville Farmers Market and at Watsonville Wetlands Watch Tree Adoption Workshops. DRG and City staff were present to give community members an opportunity to provide their feedback in person and with interpretative services to capture the opinions of Spanish speakers. The events gave individuals a chance to take the online survey by scanning QR codes, taking the survey on tablets, or with paper copies.
VIRTUAL PRESENTATION POLL QUESTIONS
Two virtual meetings were held on August 11th, 2022 and August 24th, 2022. The following summarizes those presentations and the resulting feedback received from participants:
During the August 11th meeting, the presentation was focused on discussing the development of the UFMP. In total, 13 people participated in the live event. A recording of the meeting was available on the project landing page and viewers were able to participate in poll questions after the original presentation. Throughout the presentation, participants were asked to respond to a series of questions related to the community’s perception of trees and the urban forest, the care of community trees, tree planting, and interest in education and outreach. Participants were invited to ask questions and provide feedback through a comment box.
The following summarizes the key findings from the presentation. For the complete results to poll questions asked during the presentation, see Appendix H.
Participants in the meeting indicated strong support (62%) for a canopy goal of 30% by 2042, which would require the planting of nearly 34,000 trees on both public and private property (Figure 5).
Figure 5: What tree canopy coverage goal should the City adopt? When asked, “Where do you want more trees planted”, 92% of participants selected streets, followed by 77% parks (Figure 6).
Figure 6: Where do you want more trees planted?
When participants were asked about their satisfaction with the care of trees in the sidewalk, 50% said “no” (Figure 7). In contrast, 80% of participants said “yes” they were satisfied with the care of park trees (Figure 8).
Figure 7: Are you satisfied with the care of trees in the sidewalk? Figure 8: Are you satisfied with the care for park trees? During the August 24th meeting, the focus of the presentation was to discuss existing protections for trees in the community and potential additional protection for trees and tree canopy in the community. In total, 34 people participated in the live presentation. A recording was available on the project webpage. Poll questions were asked during the meeting to help facilitate discussion about tree protection. Participants were invited to ask questions and to provide feedback through a comment box. The following summarizes the key findings from the presentation. For the complete results of poll questions asked during the presentation, see Appendix H.
Respondents were asked to indicate their familiarity with the existing ordinances that pertain to trees in the community, Chapter 11 Street Trees and Chapter 13 Preservation of Historical Trees. Nearly 100% of participants had not used either chapter (Figure 9). Similarly, less than half of respondents were aware that trees in the rights-of-way are protected and that permits are required to prune or remove trees in the rights-of-way (Figure 10, Figure 11).
Figure 9: Have you used Chapter 11 Street Trees and/or Chapter 13 Preservation of Historical Trees in the Municipal Code?
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82 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 321 of 428 Figure 10: Are you aware that trees in the rights-of-way are protected? Figure 11: Are you aware that a permit is required to prune or remove a tree in the rights-of-way?
More than 61% of respondents were in favor of street trees only being removed if the trees meet certain criteria (e.g., condition, concern for public safety, etc.) (Figure12).
Figure 12: Should street trees only be removed if they meet certain criteria (e.g., condition, concern for public safety, etc.)?
To understand the community’s perceptions on protecting trees and tree canopy, participants were asked whether persons who remove or irreparably damage street trees should be penalized and 62% said “yes” (Figure 13). When asked about whether private trees should be protected from removal, less than 50% of respondents said “yes” (Figure 14). When asked which trees should be protected on private property, 80% of respondents supported the protection of historical or culturally significant trees. More than 60% of respondents also supported protected native trees and species that provide wildlife habitat (Figure 15).
Figure 13: Should persons that remove or irreparably damage street trees be penalized?
Figure 14: Should private trees be protected from removal? Figure 15: If yes, which trees should be protected?
Sometimes trees need to be removed. To gauge the community’s support for mitigating the loss of trees that are removed, respondents were asked “Would you support mitigation measures for otherwise healthy trees that are removed (e.g., replacement trees)”. More than 60% said “yes” (Figure 16).
Figure 16: Would you support mitigation measures for otherwise healthy trees that are removed (e.g., replacement trees)?
Some ordinances have provisions that divert money collected from penalties for violations of the ordinance into a tree fund. Tree funds can be designated for specific uses that benefit the urban forest, including tree planting, maintenance, and purchase of property to protect existing trees. Among participants, 77% responded “yes” when asked “Would you support the creation of a Tree Fund that could be used to plant trees, maintain City trees, and/or purchase existing trees” (Figure 17).
Figure 17: Would you support the creation of a Tree Fund that could be used to plant trees, maintain City trees, and/or purchase existing trees? 0%
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ONLINE COMMUNITY SURVEY
The online survey was available in English and Spanish. Other languages could be translated using Google Translate. The survey included a series of questions, including questions about demographics, views about tree benefits, awareness of the urban forest program, expectations for public tree maintenance and planting, views on incentivizing tree preservation and planting on private property, and the preferred topics and methods for public education and outreach. The survey was open from July 17th, 2022 through February 13th, 2023. During that time, 245 people participated in the survey. The following summarizes the key findings from the online survey. For complete results, see Appendix H.
The majority of respondents agreed that the city needs more trees (78%) (Figure 18). Yet, only 12% of respondents agreed that the City is planting enough new trees (Figure 19). When respondents were asked if they felt trees are spread evenly across Watsonville, 44% disagreed (Figure 20). Responses to another question revealed that 78% of respondents want equity to be considered in urban forestry decisions (e.g., areas with the least amount of trees should be given the most attention with new plantings and tree care) (Figure 21). More than 59% of respondents indicated that they agreed that certain trees in the community should be protected from removal (e.g., large, native, historic, and/or old trees) (Figure 22).
Figure 18: I feel that… More trees are needed
Figure 19: I feel that… The City is planting enough new trees Figure 20: Trees are spread evenly across Watsonville
84 WATSONVILLE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 323 of 428 Figure 21: Equity to be considered in urban forestry decisions (e.g., areas with the least amount of trees should be given the most attention with new plantings and tree care)
To understand what the community values about trees, the survey asked respondents to indicate whether they agree with a series of statements about why the respondent might value trees. Nearly 96% of respondents indicated that they valued trees because they provide shade (Figure 22).
Other benefits were also widely valued by respondents (Appendix H).
Figure 22: I value trees because… They provide shade
Sometimes people have concerns about trees. To understand why the community might not want trees, respondents were asked to indicate “agree”, “disagree”, or “unsure” with a series of statements. Half of the respondents indicated that they were unsure if trees worried them because of the potential risk to people or property. Nearly 29% of respondents indicated that they “agreed” with the statement “Trees worry me because… They may require maintenance I’m unable or unwilling to provide”.
Figure 23: Trees worry me because... They may pose risks to people or property Figure 24: Trees worry me because... They may require maintenance I’m unable or unwilling to provide
Education and outreach is important for preserving and enhancing the urban forest. Understanding the community’s preferred methods of outreach and the educational topics that the community is most interested in is helpful for prioritizing resources for urban forest programming. Respondents were asked to indicate “agree”, “disagree”, or “unsure” with a series of statements. More than 70% agreed that they wanted information on events that teach people how to plant and maintain trees (Figure 25). Similarly, 65% agreed that they wanted information on how to plant and care for trees to be available on the City website (Figure 26). Results from the survey showed that the majority of respondents have an interest in volunteering to plant or care for trees and plant trees on their own properties if provided a free tree and guidance on how to plant it (Figure 27 and Figure 28).
Figure 25: I want... Information on events that teach people how to plant and maintain trees
Figure 26: I want... The City website to have information on how to plant and care for trees
Figure 27: I want... To volunteer to plant or care for public trees