HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem VAGENDA REPORT I�
Date: December 10, 2001 I� .
To: Honorable MayorT
and City Council
From: John B. Bahorski City Manager
Subject: Future of Tree Trimming/Preservation and Street Sweeping
in Seal Beach
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
1. Repeal Resolution Number 4500 and disband the Tree Advisory Board.
2. Confirm the proposed actions contained in the recommendation section of this staff
report.
3. Approve resolution number"70 amending the FY 2001/02 budget in the amount of
$250 for the purchase of a new chain saw.
BACKGROUND:
On November 27, 2001 the community of Seal Beach voted by an overwhelming margin
to reject the proposal to increase fees for weekly street sweeping and tree maintenance
services for the preservation of trees in the City. The results of the election clearly
indicate that 61.3% of the voters do not wish to increase fees for weekly street sweeping
and 63.3% do not favor increased fees to preserve trees in the City. The voters have sent
an unambiguous message regarding the level of service they desire. It is now the City's
obligation to give the voters the service level they demanded. Staff has prepared the
following recommendations to carry out the desires of the voting majority.
The City of Seal Beach has recently contracted out street sweeping services to eliminate
the $46,000 shortfall and is providing the service within the existing fees collected. Street
sweeping will occur as before the election on a twice a month schedule. At this point in
time no adjustment is needed. However, staff does want to make City Council aware that
in future years the existing fees will not cover the expenses. In order to address that
eventuality, staff requests Council adopt a policy that street sweeping services be reduced
as necessary to meet the revenue collected from the existing fees. This may eventually
require moving to monthly street sweeping. However, staff is optimistic that by
competitively contracting this service, a once -a -month street sweeping program will not
be necessary in the new future.
Agenda Item
By awarding the new tree - trimming contract City Council will nearly eliminate the
existing subsidy. City Council will recall that awarding the new contract reduced the
subsidy for tree trimming by $19,000. The General Fund subsidy for this fiscal year will
be roughly $3,425.
Staff has worked aggressively to reduce expenses related to tree trimming by re- bidding
the contract services. However, Council should take note that costs for existing services
will increase in future years based on the economy, but the collected fees will not
increase accordingly. With the landslide voter opposition to increasing tree- trimming
fees to include tree maintenance services, staff believes that adjustments must be made to
the tree preservation and tree trimming policies.
In order to honor the voters decision staff is recommending City Council take the
following actions:
1. Direct staff to provide no subsidy to maintain street sweeping services and to
provide a level of street sweeping services that matches the revenues received
from the existing fees collected.
2. Rescind Resolution 4500 that established the tree advisory board for the
purpose of ensuring our City's urban forest. With 63.6% of the voters in
opposition to increasing the service level to preserve trees in the community
it appears that the advisory board no longer represents a direction that the
overall community wishes to pursue.
Staff has prepared the attached resolution rescinding resolution 4500.
3. Direct staff to halt the current practice of exhausting all feasible efforts to
save trees in the community. This includes obtaining arborist reports,
grinding, patching and root pruning to save trees in the public right of way.
These efforts are expensive and are clearly not what the majority of voters'
desire.
4. Direct staff to suspend any future plans to install trees in the public right of
way since there is no additional funding source for maintenance of these trees
without providing a subsidy. The City should not increase maintenance costs
if there is no corresponding funding for these activities.
5. Direct staff to adjust the tree - trimming schedule from a three -year cycle to a
five -year cycle. This action will ensure that the current fees collected matches
the costs of providing the service.
6. Direct staff to modify the Street Tree Policy adopted in 1997 to reflect voter's
Will.
S
These actions must be implemented in order to avoid creating a subsidy from the general
fund. The voters in Seal Beach have indicated their desire for a certain level of service
and implementing these actions will comply with the 63% of Seal Beach voters who did
not want service levels increased.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal year 2001/02 budget will be amended by $250 to purchase a chain saw and
thereby reduce the undesignated reserve by $250. If enacted the proposed
recommendations will have a positive effect by reducing expenditures for tree
preservation and street sweeping.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the following actions:
Approve Resolution Number amending the FY 2001/02 budget in the amount of
$250 for the purchase of a new chain saw.
City Council direct staff to provide a zero subsidy for street sweeping services and to
provide a level of street sweeping services that matches the revenues received from the
existing fees collected.
Rescind resolution 4500 that established the tree advisory board.
Direct staff to halt the current practice of exhausting all feasible efforts to save trees in
the community. This includes obtaining arborist reports, grinding, patching and root
pruning to save trees in the public right of way.
Direct staff to suspend any future plans to install trees in the public right of way since
there is no funding source for maintenance of these trees.
Direct staff to adjust the tree - trimming schedule from a three -year cycle to a five -year
cycle. This action will ensure that the current fees collect match the costs of providing the
service.
Direct staff to modify the Street Tree Policy adopted in 1997.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Results of the November 27, 2001 special election
B. Resolution _ Rescinding Resolution 4500
C. Resolution _ Amending the FY 2001/02 Budget
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