02-05-2019 - AGENDA ITEM 12 EVALUATING MOVING FROM 7-YEAR TO 5-YEAR TREE TRIMMING CYCLE FOR CITYWIDE TREE MAINTENANCE SERVICESAGENDA ITEM NO. 12
AGENDA STAFF REPORT
City of West Covina I Office of the City Manager
DATE: February 5, 2019
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Chris Freeland
City Manager
SUBJECT: EVALUATING MOVING FROM 7-YEAR TO 5-YEAR TREE TRIMMING CYCLE FOR
CITYWIDE TREE MAINTENANCE SERVICES
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council instruct staff to trim trees on a five-year cycle, beginning July 1, 2019,
and appropriate necessary funds during the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Budget and subsequent budgets.
BACKGROUND:
This item was requested to be agendized by Mayor Pro Tern Wu at the December 18, 2018 City Council
Meeting. The Public Services Department is responsible for maintenance of all City -owned facilities and
public infrastructure. One component of these maintenance responsibilities is establishing and maintaining an
efficient and cost-effective tree maintenance program. Implementing an annual tree maintenance program is
critical to ensure the proper upkeep and maintenance of the City's urban forest. Regular tree maintenance
service varies in scope and frequency depending on the sizes, species and condition of trees.
West Coast Arborists (WCA) has been providing tree maintenance services to the City of West Covina since
1997. In 2017, the City renewed its contract with WCA to move from a seven-year to a five-year trimming
cycle, but due to budget constraints the City Council chose to move back to a seven-year cycle. Prior to the
seven-year tree trimming cycle, tree maintenance was done on as needed basis, which has caused some trees in
the City to be overgrown and in need of additional maintenance.
DISCUSSION:
The industry standard for tree trimming is 3-5 years, however the City of West Covina changed its tree
trimming cycle in the past due to budgetary issues. Staff surveyed other agencies to determine how often they
maintain their trees and the following is a summary of those results:
Tree Trimming Cycles for Other Municipalities
City
Trimming Cycle
Azusa 114
year
Baldwin Park
5 year
Claremont
15 year
Covina
15 year
Diamond Bar
15 year
Fontana
15 year
Glendora
5 year
La Puente
13 year
La Verne
4 year
Montclair
4 year
Ontario 115
year
Pomona 115
year
San Dimas
4 year
Upland 115
year
West Covina
17year
Average
4.73 years
West Covina is the only local City that is currently on a seven-year tree trimming cycle. Nine cities are
currently on five-year tree trimming cycles, four on four-year tree trimming cycles, and one on a three-year
trimming cycle.
Staff is recommending that the City move from the seven-year tree trimming cycle to a five-year tree trimming
cycle. Increasing the frequency of tree trimming will create additional costs to the contract with West Coast
Arborists, but there area number of benefits by increasing the frequency of trimming. This includes overall
appearance of the community; more frequent trimming should reduce the City's exposure for claims against the
City for damages from tree related incidents (i.e. tree branches falling on vehicles, fences, etc.), better customer
service to residents who want/expect more frequent tree trimming, reduce other tree related hazards (i.e.
potentials source of fuel for fires) and much more.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options:
1. Approve staffs recommendation; or
2. Provide alternative direction.
Prepared by: Mike Cresap, Public Services Superintendent
Additional Approval: Nikole Bresciani, Assistant City Manager/Public Services Director
Fiscal Impact
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total approved budget for tree maintenance for Fiscal Year 2018-19 is $413,000 with funding coming from
the following funding sources:
Funds
Account No.
Amount
Citywide Lighting Maintenance District
188.41.4141.6130
$276,710
Sewer
189.41.4160.6120
$11,151
General Fund
110.41.4142.6130
$28,497
Gas Tax
124.41.4141.6130
$28,497
Maintenance District No. 1
181.41.4145.6130
$11,977
Maintenance District No.2
182.41.4145.6130
$11,151
Maintenance District No. 4
184.41.4145.6130
$22,715
Maintenance District No.6
186.41.4145.6130
$11,151
Maintenance District No.7
187.41.4145.6130
$11,151
Total
$413,000
WCA's contract amount is $413,000 per year. If the City Council elects to amend WCA's agreement and adjust
the trimming cycle from seven to five years, there will be an increase of $72,000 annually. WCA's contract
amount would be $485,000. The total increase over the three years remaining on the five year contract would
be $216,000.
Fiscal Year
ive-Year Trimming Cycle
Seven -Year Trimming Cycle
2017-18
$413,000 *7yr cycle
$413,000
018-19
$413,000 *7yr cycle
$413,000
019-20
$485,000
$413,000
2020-21
$485,000
$413,000
2021-22
$485,000
$413,000
Total Contract Amount
(over rive -year period)
$2,281,000
$2,065,000
Whatever option the City Council chooses, there will be no price increase for the remainder of Fiscal Year
2018-19, thus, no additional appropriation will be required at this time. However, it will be necessary to
increase the assessment rates for the Citywide Lighting and Maintenance and Landscape Maintenance Districts
in order to fund these additional costs moving forward. Any proposed new assessment rates will be presented
to the City Council for consideration as part of the Fiscal Year 2019-20 budget adoption process.
Attachments
Attachment No. 1 - West Coast Arborists Amendment No. 1
ATTACHMENT NO. 1
AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO
CITY OF WEST COVINA
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
WITH
WEST COAST ARBORISTS, INC.
This Amendment ("Amendment") is made and entered into this 1 St day of April, 2017
("Effective Date") by and between the CITY OF WEST COVINA, a municipal corporation
("City") and WEST COAST ARBORISTS, INC., a California corporation ("Contractor").
RECITALS
A. On April 1, 2012, City and Contractor entered into an agreement for the provision
of landscape maintenance services ("the 2012 Agreement").
B. The 2012 Agreement provides for a term of five (5) years, expiring on April 1, 2017.
C. City and Contractor desire to extend the 2012 Agreement for five (5) years and
establish a five-year tree trimming cycle.
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants and
conditions contained herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:
1. To extend the 2012 Agreement for five (5) years and establish a five-year tree
trimming cycle, unless terminated pursuant to Paragraph 7.8 of the 2012
Agreement.
2. Paragraph 7.8(b) of the 2012 Agreement is deleted in its entirety and replaced
as follows:
(b) Atthe Option of City: This Section 7.8(b) shall govern anytermination
of this Agreement by City except as specifically provided in the preceding
Section 7.8(a) or Section 7.8(d) below. The City reserves the right to
terminate this Agreement at any time, with or without cause upon thirty (30)
days' written notice to Contractor. Upon receipt of notice of termination,
Contractor shall immediately cease all services hereunder except such as
may be specifically approved by the Contract Officer. Contractor shall be
entitled to compensation for all services rendered prior to the effective
date of the notice of termination and for any services authorized by the
Contract Officer thereafter in accordance with the Schedule of
Compensation or such as may be approved by the Contract Officer, except
as provided in Section 7.3. In the event of termination without cause pursuant
to this Section 7.8(b) or pursuant to Section 7.8(c) or 7.8(d), the terminating
party need not provide the non -terminating party with the opportunity to cure
pursuant to Section 7.2.
3. All other terms and conditions of the 2012 Agreement shall remain in full force
and effect.
4. The total annual contract amount is $485,000 starting FY2017-18 based on
prevailing wage rates.
Contractor s6i be paid according to the compensailon provisions set forth in
the table below:
Description
Svc Rqst Clearance Prune
unit
Each
Price
$44.00
$48.40
$52.80
$57.20
Year 4
ii
(No Imiu-)
$57.20
Year 5
(No hioreise)
$57.20
Grid Pruning
Each
$44.00
$48.40
$52.80
$57.20
$57.20
$57.20
Light Pruning - less than 15 %
Each
$33.00
$36.30
$39.60
$42.90
$42.90
$42.90
Svc Rqst Pruning 0.6 DSH
Each
$25.00
$27.50
$30.00
$32,50
$32.50
$32.50
Svc Rqst Pruning 7-12 DSH
Each
$60.00
$66.00
$72.00
$78.00
$78.00
$78.00
Svc Rqst Pruning >12DSH
Each
$90.00
$99.00
$108.00
$117.00
$117.00
$117.00
Svc Rqst Pruning WA Robusta
Each
$44.00
$48.40
$52.80
$57.20
$57.20
$57.20
Svc Rqst Pruning WA Filifera
Each
$44.00
$48.40
$52.80
$57.20
$57.20
$57.20
Svc Rqst Pruning Phoenix Can
Each
$90.00
$99.00
$108.00
$117.00
$117.00
$117.00
Svc Rqst Pruning
Man Hr
$50.00
$55.00
$60.00
$65.00
$65.00
$65.00
Palm Skinning
Foot
$10.00
$11.00
$12.00
$13.00
$13.00
$13.00
Tree and Stump Removal
Inch
$15.00
$16.50
$18.00
$19.50
$19.50
$19.50
Tree Only Removal
Inch
$10.00
$11.00
$12.00
$13.00
$13.00
$13.00
Stump Only Removal
Inch
$6.00
$6.60
$7.20
$7.80
$7.80
$7.80
WA Robusta Removal
Foot
$15.00
$16.50
$18.00
$19.50
$19.50
$19.50
WA Filifera. Removal
Foot
$15.00
$16.50
$18.00
$19.50
$19.50
$19.50
Phoenix Can Removal
Foot
$25.00
$27.50
$30.00
$32.50
$32.50
$32.50
Plant 15 Gallon Tree
Each
$90.00
$99.00
$108.00
$117.00
$117.00
$117.00
Plant 24" Box Tree
Fach
$180.00
$198.00
$216.00
$234.00
$234.00
$234.00
Plant 36" Box Tree
Each
$300.00
$330.00
$360.00
$390.00
$390.00
$390.00
Root Pruning
Foot
$7.00
$7.70
$8.40
$9.10
$9.10
$9.10
Root Barrier Installation
Foot
$7.00
$7.70
$8.40
$9.10
$9.10
$9.10
Root Shaving
Man Hr
$50.00
$55.00
$60.00
$65.00
$65.00
$65.00
Crew Rental - per man
Man Hr
$50.00
$55.00
$60.00
$65.00
$65.00
$65.00
Emergency Crew Rental -per man
Man Hr
$50.00
$55.00
$60.00
$65.00
$65.00
$65.00
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, City and Contractor have executed this Amendment as
of the date and year first written above.
CITY OF WEST COVINA
Chris Freeland
City Manager
ATTEST:
—I R
Rosalia Butler
Assistant City Clerk
7ZV�AS TO FORM:
Kimberly Hal Barlow
City Attorney
WEST ST ARB STS, INC.
Patrick Mahoney
President