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Title:
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Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Submit an Application for Competitive Tree Planting Grant Funds from the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District.
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City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 12/10/2012 Item Number: C-5
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: – Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the City
Manager to Submit an Application for Competitive Tree Planting Grant Funds from
the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District
Contact Person/Dept.: Helen
Kerstein/PW; Patrick Reynolds/Parks
Phone Number: (310) 253-5618; (310)
253-6471
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Agenda and Meetings – City Council (12/07/12)
Department Approval:
Charles D. Herbertson (11/29/12)
Dan Hernandez (11/27/12)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (12/06/12)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by K. Marsden) (12/06/12)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (12/07/12)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager
to submit a grant application for competitive tree planting grant funds from the Los
Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District
BACKGROUND:
Los Angeles County voters passed Proposition A in 1992 and again in 1996. These
Propositions created the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space
District and provided funding for beach, wildlife, park and natural lands; tree-
planting; gang prevention and intervention; and improvement of recreation facilities
for youth and senior citizens.
In September 2012, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas announced the availability of
competitive Proposition A grant funding through the Los Angeles County Regional
Park and Open Space District for tree planting. Grants are limited to $150,000 and
the application deadline is December 20, 2012.
DISCUSSION:
Culver City has a modest budget for trees. This budget covers the cost of regular
tree trimming for the City’s urban forest and the removal of City trees that are dead
or otherwise pose a hazard. However, there is only a small amount available for
tree planting. As a result, in recent years, more trees have been removed than have
been planted, leaving a number of vacant tree sites throughout the City. According City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
to the most recent tree inventory, there are over 1,300 vacant tree locations in the
City’s parkways. Additionally, the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services
Department conducted a review of the City’s parks and identified roughly 20
locations that are appropriate for tree plantings at this time.
The Proposition A grant provides an opportunity to augment the City’s tree budget
by providing outside funding to assist in filling these vacant sites and adding to the
City’s urban forest. Staff recommends submitting an application requesting
$150,000 to pay for the planting and establishment of between 300 and 400 trees
(depending on planting costs). Approximately 20 of these trees are anticipated to be
planted in Culver West Alexander and Syd Kronenthal Parks, and the rest of these
trees are anticipated to be planted in City parkways.
The proposed locations in parks were discussed with the Parks, Recreation, and
Community Services Commission on December 4, 2012. Public Works staff is still in
the process of identifying specific locations for all the proposed trees in the parkways
but anticipates prioritizing vacant locations that are near parks and on key
commercial corridors as well as vacant locations that have appropriate trees
identified in the Street Tree Master Plan.
Planting the proposed trees will serve aesthetic, environmental and practical
purposes. Experts note that street trees can improve the appearance of a
neighborhood, thus adding to property values and encouraging local business.
Trees also have the potential to lower temperatures near the road, reduce the
impact of carbon emissions, create safer walking environments, and reduce the
need for drainage. Within the City’s parks, trees can help provide environmental
benefits as well as help contribute to the sense of place.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
No matching funds are required for this grant. If the City is awarded the grant, staff
resources will be required to manage the project. Furthermore, while the grant
provides some funding for plant establishment, this funding can only be used for two
years and is limited to 20 percent of the grant total. Thus, additional funding will be
required in future years to trim and otherwise maintain these trees. Should the City
Council approve this item, staff will include requests for related maintenance of the
newly planted trees in the General Fund budget in future years. Those maintenance
costs are estimated to be $3,000 per year and will increase to approximately
$15,000 per year as the trees mature.
Should the grant be awarded, staff will return to the City Council to approve grant
acceptance and appropriate the grant funds.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Proposed Resolution
MOTION:
That the City Council:
Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit a grant application for
competitive tree planting grant funds from the Los Angeles County Regional Park
and Open Space District,
MEETING DATE: 12/10/2012
AGENDA ITEM: FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE REQUIREMENT - Adoption of a
Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Submit an
Application for Competitive Tree Planting Grant Funds from the
Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District;
2) Approval of Acceptance and Implementation of the Grant, If
Awarded; and, 3) Approval of a Budget Amendment to
Appropriate the Grant Funding for this Project, If Awarded.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1 Resolution
1