PURPOSE

This report will provide an overview of the value of trees to the City, both in terms of their aesthetic appeal and their environmental benefits.  It will discuss the City codes which are relevant to the administration of the street tree program.  Additional information will include the Tree Keeper software program, the Master Street Tree Plan, maintenance procedures, and tree wells.

BACKGROUND

The City of Burbank has been recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA for thirty consecutive years.  This designation acknowledges the City�s commitment and efforts to provide an ongoing community forestry program.  The Arbor Day Foundation believes it is important to recognize a community that acknowledges the benefits and needed care for its trees.  The issuance of this prestigious award is an effort to publicly recognize and thank the City for their efforts.

The City of Burbank has approximately 35,000 trees located in parkways, parks, public land and the golf course.  These trees help to provide shade, stabilize soil in the open space areas, slow down the high winds, turn carbon dioxide into oxygen and provide noise attenuation.  They also provide energy savings and aesthetic value to neighborhoods, which increases property values.  Trees are a vital component of the infrastructure in our City.

Tree canopy cover equates to the distribution of the trees leaf area to produce benefits for the community.  As a canopy cover increases, so do the benefits afforded by the leaf area regarding climate control and energy savings.  Generally, the more canopy cover, the better it is for the environment.  There are 28,286 street trees planted in parkways, which help mitigate urban heat islands.  The City continues to have a goal of planting one hundred (100) new trees each year which will increase the canopy coverage.  Currently, there are 7,725 unplanted parkway locations.

Chapter twenty-eight of the Burbank Municipal Code (BMC) details the management of the trees and vegetation. It refers to the City�s Master Street Tree Plan. The Master Plan designates the various types of trees which can be planted on a specific street.  Over the years, certain varieties which have been planted have proven to be problematic and are no longer one of the designated varieties (i.e. Liquidambar and Ficus).  There are at least two specific trees approved for each street.  This creates degrees of continuity and adds to the aesthetic beauty of our neighborhoods.  The BMC also details tree removal procedures, protection and maintenance procedures, and tree well covers.  Tree wells are created to protect the trees and lessen the impact of sidewalk upheavals. They vary in size and some are covered by grates.  Open tree wells are maintained by the adjacent property owner.  Some owners have planted small plants or ground cover, however many have not.  Staff is currently investigating other modes of enclosing the space with organic material or rubberized material.

ANALYSIS

The Park, Recreation and Community Services Department�s Forestry Services Section is responsible for the planting, removal and maintenance of all trees in public parkways, median strips, traffic islands, park facilities and other municipal properties within the seventeen square miles of the City. 

The Forestry Services Section is under the supervision of the Forestry Services Manager, assisted by two Tree Trimmer Leadworkers. They are supported by fourteen (14) full time staff.  The City has been geographically divided into two separate sections (primarily defined by Victory Boulevard) with each Leadworker assuming responsibility for all phases of the Forestry operations.  These duties include tree planting, tree removals, citywide watering, tree trimming and root pruning.  Additionally, the Forestry Section also lends assistance with a variety of special projects, public relations activities and the development review plan check process.  The following is a summary of the services provided by the Forestry Services Section.

Tree Planting

Over 300 trees are planted annually by Forestry Services personnel to replace parkway trees, which have been removed due to hazardous conditions or disease.  While most of these plantings are funded using the City�s General Funds, parkway tree plantings that replace non-hazardous approved tree removals at the request of residents are paid for by the property owner.  In Fiscal Year 2006-2007 the City Council funded a pilot free parkway tree program, authorizing the first one hundred (100) tree planting requests, whether replacements or new, to be free of charge.  To date, staff has planted thirty-five free trees for Burbank residents. The City also receives reimbursement from local developers for any trees they must remove  as a result of their project.  This source of funding helps offset part of the street tree planting program.  It should be noted that approximately one hundred-fifty (150) trees are being planted in conjunction with the South San Fernando streetscape beautification project.  Additionally, approximately forty-five trees (45) have been recently planted on Empire Avenue and it is anticipated that approximately four hundred (400) trees will be planted in conjunction with the Burbank Boulevard Beautification Program.

Tree Removals

The tree removal process requires the work of three employees, and is performed in two work phases: (1) removal to the ground level and (2) stumping below the ground. Tree removals are classified in two categories, either hazardous or non-hazardous.  Those removals considered to be hazardous involve trees which are either dead, diseased, leaning, wind damaged or split.  Non-hazardous removals pertain to trees that are contributing or causing sewer problems, as well as trees that are overcrowding or creating an accessibility issue (ADA).  Non-hazardous tree removals are scheduled approximately every other month, depending on the number of requests received and the scope and complexity of the removals.  In 2006, there were a total of 261 parkway trees removed. 

Citywide Watering

The Forestry Services Section currently utilizes one Tree Trimmer operating a 1,800-gallon water truck on a full-time basis to irrigate approximately 14,000 trees monthly during the hot months.  The program�s water source is provided by the Water Reclamation Plant�s reclaimed water system.  Trees planted in the City�s commercial and redevelopment areas and residential grant planting areas are watered once a week. The current project areas include irrigation systems which do not necessitate truck watering.

Tree Service Cycle

Effective planning is a key element in efficient urban forestry management. By properly planning the use of resources available, staff is able to address issues proactively and maintain a focus on the needs of the residents.  Urban forestry management planning includes maintaining maintenance standards by providing trimming, pruning, removals, reforestation, and evaluating tree selection.  Also, staff keeps the tree inventory current utilizing Tree Keeper software, which provides a history on each street tree.  The Forestry Services Section trims over 5,000 trees annually for traffic clearance purposes, and prunes 1,800 trees to insure the health, beauty and safety of trees in parkways and on other municipal properties. The trimming of trees is essential to preserve the tree�s health and appearance and to prevent possible damage to human life and property.  To maintain an efficient operation and reduce liability as a result of tree failures, considerable effort is made to �trim� street trees on a planned, four-year cycle. However, adjustments to a five-year schedule are made based on the prioritization of other services and requests from local residents.

As part of the services provided by the Forestry Services Section, staff responds to requests from the public to trim the City owned trees located in the City�s many parkways.  As currently structured, these occur in two distinct phases.  First, staff visits the site within seventy-two (72) hours and performs an assessment.  Any unsafe conditions are addressed immediately.   However, the vast majority of requests, approximately 95%, do not involve unsafe or hazardous conditions.  Phase two of the response to public requests concerns other issues.  In most cases, citizens request service when it impacts their property.  Typical requests include the property owners desire to reduce the amount of leaves, fruit and berries the trees drop and/or to reduce the overall canopy size of the tree to accommodate encroachment on structures or other trees.   Responses to these requests are handled on a �first-come first-serve� basis.  The present backlog for citizen tree service requests is approximately two weeks for clearance trimming, and up to twelve months for pruning.  In 2006, over 1,686 service requests for a variety of tree related work were received from residents.  In addition, staff generates additional service requests.   

The number of City trees waiting for trimming service requested by a resident, fluctuates during each year.  The time of year, special assignments, the number of tree failures, the amount of construction and Public Works related activity all impact the response time for request for service from residents.  As an example, large block pruning projects in the Magnolia Park, the Downtown Village, the Media District, and Bell Aire Drive also affect staff�s ability to respond to other requests.  These locations alone total approximately 1,000 trees which are currently being pruned on an annual cycle.  When special assignments are underway, the Forestry crews work together in one large unit so they can prune an increased number of trees on a daily basis.  This approach serves to minimize the inconvenience to the public and merchants, but also results in delaying routine tree service requests. 

Over the past ten years, the City�s street tree inventory has increased substantially, and with the new planting programs on Empire, South San Fernando and Burbank Boulevard the numbers continue to grow.  In contrast, Forestry Section staffing has decreased by four full-time equivalent positions.  Current staffing levels require staff to prioritize efforts on the trimming and scheduled maintenance of the City�s street trees, leaving service to the trees located in City owned parks to an as-needed or emergency basis.   For example, the scheduled pruning of trees located in the City�s parks, preventative root pruning, watering schedules, and new tree planting programs are currently being delayed, in an effort to meet citizen�s requests for service. 

Root Pruning

This past year approximately twenty-seven (27) locations were root pruned by property owner request. Due to budget constraints, the Forestry staff no longer root prunes on public sidewalk projects. This work is now being performed by a Public Works contractor.   This effort was established to address concrete upheaval related to parkway tree roots, and to minimize the City�s liability in this area.   Since the staff reductions of the early 1990�s, the Forestry Service Section no longer maintains a preventative root pruning program.   

Special Projects

The Forestry Services Section is currently involved in several special programs that serve the community and help emphasize the importance of trees in an urban environment.  One such program is the City�s Plant-A-Tree Month ceremonies.  The entire month of March is designated, by proclamation of the Mayor, as Plant-A-Tree Month and a series of events, involving service clubs, schools and social organizations are conducted to acknowledge the benefits of tree planting to the community.  During the month of March, the Burbank Civic Pride Committee and the Park, Recreation and Community Services Department annually co-sponsor a Plant-A-Tree ceremony.  Forestry Services personnel also plan and conduct the City�s annual Arbor Day celebration.  This event traditionally involves elected officials as well as local elementary school children and culminates with the recognition of Burbank as �Tree City, U.S.A.�  The upcoming 2007 Arbor Day celebration will mark Burbank�s thirtieth consecutive year as a recipient of the Tree City, U.S.A. recognition award, second only to the City of Sacramento.

The Forestry Services Section also provides a variety of other community services such as; assisting local organizations with special events, demonstrating the various pieces of Forestry equipment at City-sponsored special events and for local elementary schools; and responding to a number of requests for public presentations related to tree care and maintenance, planting, removal, insect infestation, disease, etc. 

Development Plan Review  

Tree inspections for street tree plantings performed in conjunction with private developments are initiated through the Development Review process.  Through this procedure, construction plans are stamped with instructions to contact the Forestry Services Manager or forty-eight (48) hours prior to the scheduled plantings of any street trees in the parkway area of the specified project.  Forestry Services staff will often supervise such street tree plantings to insure compliance with the following tree planting standards: proper location, proper varietal selection, size and installation of root barrier material.

The second step of this inspection process requires Forestry Services personnel to approve the Certificate of Occupancy, indicating that the landscape and street tree plantings have complied with the City�s specifications.  This process also insures that existing parkway trees, that were proposed not to be removed during the course of construction, are still place and undamaged by the project.

When construction plans are submitted and reviewed, developers are given the option of planting their own street trees in compliance with the City�s requirements or of requesting Forestry Services Section to purchase and plant such trees.  If the latter option is selected, the developer is assessed a fee to recover all expenses related to the planting, including the cost of the tree, labor and, if required, the installation of tree wells and tree well covers.  The vast majority of street tree plantings done in conjunction with redevelopment or new construction projects are completed by outside contractors.

FISCAL IMPACT

There is no fiscal impact as a direct result of this report.

RECOMMENDATION

Note and file report.

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