HomeMy WebLinkAbout7B, Tree Inventory�
EN HILLS
Reques� for Council Action
Prepared By: Michelle Oison Council Meeting Date: June 1, 2Q11
Parks and Recreation Manager
Tree Invento�-y
Budgeted Amaivat: Acival Amount: Func�ing Source:
$20,400 $10,100 PIR Fund
Recommendation:
Motion fo authorize staff to proceed with a Cit� wide �ree inventory utilizing the City Farester,
�imple Tree Software from Rowecamp and Assoczates ancl ihe hiring of one additional seasonal
maintenance worker ai a total cost not to exceed $1D,100.
SupporEin� Docu.ments:
1. Memorandum dafed June I, 2011 from Michelle Olson, Parks and Recreation Manager.
�
EN HILLS
MEMORANDUM
DATE: June 1, 2011
TO: HonorabI� Mayor and City Councilmembers
Patrick Klaers, City Administrator
CC: Terry Maurer, Public Works Director ��'�
FROM: Michel�e 01son, Parks and Recreation Manager 1(�(�
SUSJECT: Tr�e Inventory
Back�round
The City of Arden Hills has begun the process to establish an Ezx�erald Ash Borer PIan.
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), az� invasive bee�le that kills ash trees, was discovered in St.
Paul in the spring af 2009. Previous infestaiions of EAB have shown that the beetles will
move out at a rate of one to two miles per year. At ti�at rate, the en�ire county will be
�nfested in apparoximately 10 to 15 years. There are critical steps within this process that
rnust take place before the City is ready to estab�is� a policy. Two crucial steps that the
City needs to work on are cT�anges to the right of way ordinance and a tree inventory.
5taff is currently working on changes to the right of way ordi�ance and this �11 be bxought
to Council at a future work session for review. A tree inventvey was placed in tYie Capital
Improvement Program (CIF} for 2011. Tncluded in this inventory would be trees located
in boulevards, right of way and parks. A tree inventory will assist staff in identi�ying the
overall impact that Emerald Ash Borer may have on the City.
Budget
The 2011 CIP includes $20,000 from the Permanent Improvement Revolving Fund for a
City w'rde tree inventory. Staff contacted ou.r 2011 tree contractor, Precision Landscaping
who provided a quote of $65.00 per hour to canduct an ash tree inventory. This inventory
would include identifying ihe species, size and providing aerials with the trees hand
marked in approximate Iocaiions. They stated that they would not be able to complete this
work continually as they have ather wark and jobs that will take priority. With
approximately 31 n:�iles of Ci#y streets, it is difficult ta identify an exact timeframe of how
long it would take to complete this work. Precision stated that if they wexe just identifying
asi� tre�s, they gave a rough estimate of 88 houxs to complete ihe �vork. This would come
to $5,720.00 plus tax. This did not �nclude City parks because �hat had been done last
summer. They would only have the capa�6ility of manually marking the information an a
map. Staff would then have to transfer the informaiion to an electronic format.
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After discussing this with the Public Warks Superintendant, he suggested that we could
possibly utilize ihe City's sign inventory software, Simple Signs by Rowecam� and
Associates io da a full tiree inventory. This software utilizes a hand held GPS unit that
plots each sign onto a map az�.d places it in an electronic data base with informatian such as
repairs, date of install, location, etc... Staff talked to ihe sign company and asked if the
softvvare cauld be xevised far a tree inventory. Roweca�np and Associates indicated that
they had not thought of the idea but agreed that it could be revised to work similar to the
sign software. Our staff will provide the data needed such as species, size, condition,
etc... This software car� be created for an amount between $2,000 to $3,0.00. This
includes the program and ihe mapping features with no annual fee, free updates, and free
technical support. The ability for Public Works to have an electroruc data base for trees
similar to the sign inventory will produce great benefits.
1. Our farestry staff can devote their camplete attentian to this iask, finishing this
in ar� efficient manner.
2. Qur siaff could do this task at an average of $35.00 per hour.
3. The Public Works Dept. would have a database with existing trees with their
� tree species, size, condition, notes about trimming, dafe planted and exact
locaiion plotted on a map.
4. Tree removal, tree plantings, trirnmzng ar any work done on a tree would be
logged i�to the daiabase. This would include noting trees tb.a# have water bags
to be filled.
5. Diseased, hazardous and dead or nuisance trees would be documented within
the software, tracking the status of the tree removal.
6. Work orders can be iracked through th� software and reports can be printed to
show the status of wark arders as open or closed.
7. Friends of the Park iree donation trees will have their locations instant�y linked
to the software when they are planted, saving significant sta�f time and donors
could actually find their tree thro�gh e�aci caordinates.
8. Problem areas wher� trees cor�sistently have issues can be ideniifed.
9. Diseased marking/notifications will be much more efficient as the forestry sta�`f
will have City wide tree infarnnation to heip g�ide them.
10. The City would be better prepared for any fuiure tree diseases.
In order ta accomplish this inventory, staff would like to hire an additional seasonal
maintenance staff to supplemeni the work that our full tizne staff will be taken away from.
The starting wage far a seasonal staff is $11,10 per hour ($10.00 plus benefits) and if hired
for 12-16 weeks, the amount needed for this salary would be up to 8a working days and
640 hours for $7,1Q4. Therefore, ihe overall budget impact would be just over $10,000
for the extra maintenance staff and the software:
$7,100 staff ng
$3,000 software
$10,100 estimate
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Co�tnciI Action Reauested
Motion to authorize staff to proceed with a Cit� wide tree inventory utilizing the City
Forester, Simpie Tree Software from Rowecamp and Associates and the hiring of o�xe
additionaI seasonal anaintenance worker at a total cost noi to exceed $10,100.
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