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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/08/2002 - Study SessionCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH City Council Minutes Study Session January 8, 2002 - 5:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Heffernan, Bromberg, Glover, Adams, Proctor, Mayor Ridgeway Absent: O'Neil (excused) CURRENT BUSINESS 1. CLARIFICATION OF ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. Council Member Heffernan asked if the population proportions given for Item No. 3, Councilmanic Redistricting, were allowed by State and Federal laws. He requested that this be clarified at the regular meeting. City Clerk Harkless announced minor changes to Item No. 17, Appointments by the Mayor, including a change on the Economic Development Committee from Council Member Proctor to Mayor Pro Tom Bromberg, on the Ad Hoc City Council Airport Issues Committee from Council Member Heffernan to Mayor Pro Tem Bromberg, on the Ad Hoc General Plan Update Committee from Council Member Glover to Mayor Pro Tern Bromberg and on the Santa Ana River Flood Protection Agency from Council Member Glover to Council Member Adams, as the alternate. Additionally, Mayor Ridgeway clarified that he was elected, not appointed, to the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). 2. DISCUSSION REGARDING INCREASED LEVELS OF TREE TRIMMING SERVICES. City Manager Bludau stated that Council Member Glover requested that this item be placed on a Study Session agenda. He stated that some factual information on ficus trees in the community would be provided, as well as what can be done to try to mitigate some of the issues. General Services Director Niederhaus introduced Park & Tree Superintendent Lomeli, Urban Forester Conway, and the Parks, Beaches & Recreation Commission Chairman, Val Skoro. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that the City is trying to attain a balance between natural resources and maintenance requirements. He stated that the City's urban forest consisted of over 33,000 trees prior to the annexation of Newport Coast, which added another 3,000 trees to the total. He stated that although there are 178 species of trees in the City, the report at the current meeting would focus on the 3,200 ficus trees in the City. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that the two major types of ficus in the City are the Indian Laurel Fig and the Rusty Leaf Fig, both of which have been removed from the City's designated street tree list. Council Member Heffernan asked why it took so long to remove these trees Volume 54 - Page 642 INDEX Tree Trimming Services (62) City of Newport Beach Study Session Minutes January 8, 2002 from the list. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that prior to officially removing them from the designated street tree list, the City was working from a street tree /parkway tree manual, which didn't include ficus trees. Using a PowerPoint presentation, General Services Director Niederhaus stated that ficus trees cause $50,000 to $100,000 in hardscape damage annually, and account for almost 70% of the claims paid for tree damage. He noted that Council Policy G -1, Retention or Removal of City Trees, was amended in February 2000, leans towards the preservation of trees and includes a provision to allow for reforestation, which has proven to be successful. He announced that in the past fiscal year, the City removed 45 trees of all species while planting 458 trees during that same period. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that the property damage caused by ficus trees is not limited to Newport Beach, and that damage is caused to both public and private properties. He pointed to some samples of pipes filled with ficus tree roots that he brought to the meeting. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that the majority of the City's ficus trees are mature specimens and that they can be accommodated in larger areas. He noted, however, that new homeowners in particular often request that ficus trees be removed from the parkways. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that the current cycle of trimming every 3.2 years seems to be at a level that is satisfactory to the residents. He added, however, that palm and coral trees are trimmed annually. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that ficus trees are still being planted throughout Southern California by developers because they are rapid growers and quickly attractive in new neighborhoods. He added, however, that utility companies and municipalities are finding out that the trees are not compatible with small parkways. General Services Director Niederhaus displayed a list of the councilmanic districts in the City and the paid property damage claims associated with City trees for each. He noted that District 3 has the predominant problem, primarily due to the number of ficus trees in the district. He displayed photos of trees on Clay Street, which showed the extensive root systems of the ficus trees. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that the efforts by the City to offset the ficus tree root damage have included parkway renovation projects, which utilize root barriers and root pruning. He noted that the cost is approximately $1,000 per tree. Other efforts by the City include reforestation projects, although there is a controversy over the size of the newly planted tree. He explained that some advocates want 36 -inch box trees planted, but that the cost is $1,000 compared to $200 for a 24 -inch box tree. Additionally, the parkways can't accommodate the larger box trees. He mentioned some of the successful projects that have been done in the City. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that the Clay Street project was an effort to preserve the canopy formed by twenty -one ficus trees between Irvine Avenue and St. Andrews, while removing all trip and fall hazards and damage to private property. He stated that the damaged areas were replaced, deep root barriers were installed and trimming was done to inhibit root growth. The cost has totaled approximately $37,000, with Volume 54 - Page 643 City of Newport Beach Study Session Minutes January S, 2002 INDEX approximately $17,000 remaining in the project budget. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that an additional $15,000 will be needed to finish the project. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that staff is recommending three projects to decrease ficus tree damage. He noted that two of the projects are included in the proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for the 2002 -2003 fiscal year. The first project is the continuation, or Phase VI, of the street tree reforestation. He stated that $75,000 is being requested to continue with the removal and replacement of problem trees. He stated that the second project is a street tree root pruning project, with $50,000 being requested in the CIP. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that this project would address approximately fifty to seventy -five troublesome trees that the City would like to preserve. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that the third project being recommended by staff is an annual ficus tree trimming project, which would address the 2,360 problem ficus trees in the City at a cost of $39 per tree. He stated that it is believed that this trimming would decrease root growth and avoid subsequent hardscape damage. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that the total cost of the three recommendations is approximately $217,000. He added that the reforestation project should be continued for ten to twelve years, the pruning project should continue over time also and the trimming project should be started as soon as possible. Council Member Glover stated that her district, District 3, was the first subdivision in the City, and noted that many City employees live within it. She stated that there is no undergrounding of utilities and Southern California Edison has admitted to wanting the trees to be trimmed to bushes so that they don't interfere with the wires. Council Member Glover noted a book she owns that discusses the importance of familiar things in the community that one dwells in. She stated that it also discusses what happens to a person, intellectually and psychologically, when a mature tree is removed. Council Member Glover stated that many of the new homeowners in her district come from communities that do not have mature trees. She added that these homeowners will typically remove the trees on the property and build a larger home, and that this is changing the landscape of the district. She noted that one of the reasons these people moved into the area was for the mature trees, but then they end up removing them. Council Member Glover stated that she is not opposed to the large homes, but would like to look at how the mature trees can be retained, particularly in the parts of the district that do not have the ocean views. She added that she does not believe in reforestation, because the removal of mature trees destroys a part of the history of the City. Council Member Glover stated that Newport Beach is a charming and beautiful community, and can't be measured by communities that have lower standards. She stated that due to budget cuts, tree trimming was reduced but it was the wrong thing to do because the tops of the trees have been increased and the roots have expanded. She requested that a plan be put together to retain as many of the mature trees in her district as possible. Council Member Adams asked how the trim cycle of every 3.2 years was affecting the damage potential of the trees. He asked if a shorter cycle would Volume 54 - Page 644 City of Newport Beach Study Session Minutes January 8, 2002 INDEX be better. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that staff is recommending that the cycle be shortened to annual trimming for 2,300 of the 3,200 ficus trees, and that it begin within the next six months. He added that a 24 -inch box tree is a five to eight year old tree, and a 36 -inch box tree is eleven to twelve years old. Council Member Adams added that the 24 -inch box trees also have a faster rate of growth. Additionally, he asked if other species of trees had been looked at that would shorten the trim cycle. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that many trees don't need to be trimmed every three years, and its handled by the urban forester. City Manager Bludau added that the type of annual trimming being recommended for the ficus trees leaves the tree fairly scarce. General Services Director Niederhaus agreed that it takes about six months for the tree to regain its canopy, but that the trimming is done for more than just to avoid the hardscape damage. For example, it allows the sun to reach the ground under the tree and helps the turf to grow. City Manager Bludau stated that some people disagree with the extent of the trimming. General Services Director Niederhaus stated that the City can probably accommodate those individuals that want more of a canopy left. Council Member Heffernan stated that since the City parkway trees pose a potential liability problem, an estimate of the claims against the City should be presented to the City Council at an upcoming Closed Session. He stated that this would allow for a cost balancing analysis, and a way to access if the tree trimming program should be changed. Don Webb, 1821 Mariners Drive, stated that a number of years ago, the tree trimming operation was privatized and the ficus trees were trimmed less often to save money. He stated that ten to twelve years of unmanaged growth has resulted in larger crowns, trunks and root systems. Mr. Webb provided a handout, which included photos of trees that had been severely pruned and showed that the root systems can be controlled. He then noted a picture that showed the substantial growth of the ficus trees over a ten -year period. He mentioned the eucalyptus trees on Poppy Avenue that were left due to objections from the community, and noted the photos that showed the signs that were erected to warn people of the uneven sidewalks. Mr. Webb went on to discuss some of the reforestation projects in the City and stated that it takes a long time for the new trees to get as big as the previous trees. He also noted places where trees were removed and not replaced. He requested that the City Council leave some of the mature trees that are lining the streets. He suggested that the ficus trees not be removed, and that a comprehensive root control program and an annual tree trimming program be adopted. Council Member Heffernan noted that Mr. Webb was the Public Works Director during the periods mentioned and asked why lack of tree maintenance was allowed to go on for so long, given the potential for liability. Mr. Webb confirmed that a tree trimming program was not started early enough, although he had made recommendations to have more frequent trimming than the 3.2 year cycle. Dr. Jan Vandersloot, Stop Polluting Our Newport (SPON) Tree Committee, agreed with Mr. Webb that removing the ficus trees is not the solution. He noted that part of the problem is having the maintenance of the parks and Volume 54 - Page 645 City of Newport Beach Study Session Minutes January 8, 2002 trees under the jurisdiction of the General Services Department. He stated that the people that know what's best for the trees should be the ones maintaining them. He agreed that tree trimming should be increased and that it should be done to arborists' standards. He also supported root pruning and root barrier projects, and preventative maintenance. Dr. Vandersloot stated that the City also has to deal with people that are filing claims against the City and not just remove the trees to avoid the claims. He stated that the City values its mature trees and should strive to keep them. Virginia Herberts, 2290 Channel Road, agreed that there is a conflict of interest having the General Services Department in charge of the tree program. She noted that her comments aren't directed at anyone in particular. She stated that the City has the obligation to enhance Newport Beach and maintain the trees. She stated that root barriers need to be used, and money should be spent to save the trees. Irene Black stated that trees do an enormous amount of good. She stated that trees reduce pollution, increase conservation and reduce sunlight damage. She stated that the potential liability could be handled by using more signs. She suggested that a scientific study be done to determine what happens to a community when mature trees are removed. Mayor Ridgeway stated that the issue would be discussed again during the budget process. He noted that Council Member Glover has suggested that a committee be formed to also address the issue. PUBLIC COMMENTS - None. ADJOURNMENT - 6:00 p.m. The agenda for the Study Session was posted on January 2, 2002, at 2:15 p.m. on the City Hall Bulletin Board located outside of the City of Newport Beach Administration Building. City Clerk Recording SecrLmary Volume 54 - Page 646 1", )] WI