Thu May 10, 2012
FV HOME PAGE RESIDENTS HOME PAGE ANIMAL CONTROL COMMUNITY CALENDAR FACILITIES PARKS REC & COMMUNITY SERVICE REGISTER TO VOTE SCHOOLS STREET SWEEPING SCHEDULE TRANSPORTATION

Translate This Page:


Parkway Tree Information

PARKWAY TREE MAINTENANCE, REMOVAL, AND REFORESTATION POLICY

To view the Parkway Tree List, please click here. 

PURPOSE:

This policy establishes guidelines and procedures needed to provide for the care, maintenance, removal, replacement, protection, and reforestation of parkway trees in order to promote the health, safety, welfare, and quality of life for all City residents, businesses, and visitors.  The property owner owns the parkway tree and is responsible for its watering, maintenance, and removal of weeds and debris around the tree.  The City controls only the right of way between the curb and private property line for street, sidewalk, and utility purposes, but does not own the land.  The City does, however, trim the parkway trees only for the purpose of maintaining the appropriate clearance for pedestrians and vehicular traffic.

POLICY STATEMENT:

GOALS

The City’s Tree Program provides a number of tree services through the City’s Landscape Division and private contractor(s).  These services include scheduled and unscheduled trimming, root pruning, removal, replacement, reforestation, inspection, pest control, and emergency response within the public right-of-way. City and contractor personnel receive continual training in tree trimming/pruning, removal, planting, and pest control practices utilizing Best Management Practices (BMP) in accordance with the Department of Pesticide Regulation.  The City’s Tree Foreman is a certified arborist and the City’s Tree Trimmers are certified Tree Workers. Many of the contractor’s employees are also certified arborists and/or certified tree workers. The City’s Tree Maintenance, Removal, and Reforestation Policy create the following goals:

  1. Establish and maintain an optimal number of trees through proper inspection, maintenance, trimming/pruning, removal, replacement and reforestation;
  2. Maintain trees in a safe and healthy condition through good arbocultural practices;
  3. Establish and maintain an optimal level of age and species diversity;
  4. Promote conservation of tree resources;
  5. Provide reforestation of parkway trees;
  6. Provide suitable locations for and select, situate, and maintain trees to minimize hazard, nuisance, hardscape damage, and maintenance costs, with special consideration given to compatibility in commercial areas with regard to aesthetics and signage visibility;
  7. Centralize tree management under one department to ensure the consistent enforcement of policies;
  8. Foster citizen support for the City’s Tree Program and encourage good tree management on privately owned properties through public education.

One of the conditions of approval for the development and construction of residential tracts within the City was a requirement to plant a minimum of one parkway tree in front of every residential address.  As part of the City’s dedication to maintaining a safe and healthy urban forest, the City annually budgets for the reforestation through the City’s Tree Program. The number of trees planted per year may vary depending upon the budget and/or from success in securing tree planting grants. 

Sustaining a City tree population with a minimum density of 95 percent will create a desirable level of tree population density and contribute to an optimal number of trees.  The number of trees planted per year may be accelerated by expanding the budget and/or through successful tree planting grants. An optimal number of trees will be further achieved by planting City approved tree species from the City’s Authorized Tree List that provide the greatest canopy spread the tree site can accommodate. Approved species will be compatible for the area in which they are planted and will not have a root structure that is invasive or otherwise damaging to public/private facilities such as curb, gutter, sidewalks, driveways, water/sewer laterals, and roadway. Obtaining optimal number of trees will also provide the highest level of economic, environmental, and sociological benefits to the residents of Fountain Valley.

Planting for reforestation of the City is another element of the Tree Program that is necessary to fill vacant sites and to replace tree removals.  The City shall decide what species/variety of tree to plant from the City’s Authorized Tree List and will replace the tree as the City determines necessary.

BENEFITS

The benefits for properly maintained and healthy parkway trees include:

GENERAL

Parkway trees can become hazardous to pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic, as well as cause damage to water/sewer laterals, curbs, gutters, roadways, driveways and sidewalks.  In such cases, property owners may request, or City staff may recommend, removal of an unacceptable or undesirable parkway tree.  The City’s Tree Foreman will evaluate the condition of the tree in relationship to its surroundings and may make a recommendation that the tree be removed and replaced with a more compatible species from the City’s Authorized Tree List.

PARKWAY TREE DEFINITIONS

Unacceptable Parkway Trees

Some mature trees are unacceptable as parkway trees due to the damage they cause to sidewalks, curbs, gutters, roadways, and sewer lines. Removing unacceptable trees will reduce ongoing and recurring maintenance cost to the City. When the City determines a parkway tree is unacceptable, the City will remove unacceptable parkway trees and plant a new tree at no cost to the resident.

Undesirable Parkway Trees

Undesirable parkway trees in most cases should be removed and replaced with a City approved tree. There may be instances where an undesirable parkway tree adds to the street scene and neighborhood aesthetics. These neighborhood benefits may warrant working around some of these trees providing they are not creating extensive damage especially to the curb, gutter, or street. To preserve street scenes and neighborhood aesthetics in areas that may have undesirable trees in the parkway, sidewalks will be ground, ramped or replaced to otherwise accommodate these trees.

Unauthorized Parkway Trees

The City’s authorized parkway tree list identifies species appropriate for the space and height restrictions of a parkway. Trees planted in the parkway without a City permit or that are not on the approved tree list are not suitable for a parkway due to damage caused to curbs, gutters, roadways, and private sewer laterals. Significant cost is incurred by the City from repairing the damage to sidewalks, curbs, and gutters.  Unauthorized trees also pose hazards that may be created to pedestrians using the sidewalks adjacent to the parkway trees.  Trees that would not be otherwise authorized for planting nor on the City’s authorized tree list, but were previously approved or appeared on a prior approved tree list, will not be considered unauthorized under this program. Replacing unauthorized trees with appropriate species will reduce recurring maintenance and repair cost to the City. 

Through the Program, a 30-day notice of violation (Notice) is sent to residents with unauthorized or undesirable parkway tree(s) requiring replacement within 30 days with a tree from the City’s authorized tree list.  If a resident removes their own tree, stump, and roots, they can have an approved parkway tree planted by the City for $25. If the resident does not comply with the Notice, the City will remove the unauthorized or undesirable tree and plant an approved tree at the resident’s expense. The cost for removing an unauthorized or undesirable parkway tree and replacement with an approved species is proposed at the full cost recovery.  

Unwanted Parkway Trees

The removal and replacement of parkway trees that are acceptable but unwanted by residents will not be covered under the proposed Program.  With City approval, residents may choose to remove and replace the acceptable parkway tree with a different approved species at the full cost recovery. 

The City, at its cost, reserves the right to remove and replace any unacceptable or undesirable parkway tree when one or more of the aforementioned conditions have occurred. All trees will be planted in accordance with the City’s Standard Plans and the species of tree will be selected from the City’s Authorized Tree List.

PROPERTY OWNER REQUESTED TREE REMOVAL

Tree removals requested by residents will be considered for approval by the Director of Public Works, when one or more of the following occurs:

  1. When one or more of the tree categories listed above exist wherein tree removal is necessary;
  2. When a property owner has demonstrated, to the City’s satisfaction, that a tree in the parkway has caused damage to a private sewer/water line or other public substructures which cannot be repaired without tree removal;
  3. When any of the above occurs and the City has budgeted funds available or other funding is identified to accomplish all work necessary, including but not limited to, tree removal, parkway/right-of-way repairs, and tree replacement.

The City will assist property owners in the removal, replacement, or planting of parkway trees as follows:

Parkway tree inspection will be paid for by the Property Owner per current City Fee Schedule.

1. Property owner or a licensed arborist contractor cuts down the tree, removes the stump and the roots, and disposes the plant waste material; or,

2. The proposed parkway location does not contain a tree, stump, or roots.

Property owner selects a replacement tree from the City’s Authorized Tree List which is then planted by the City and paid for by the property owner. New tree installation will be paid for by the Property Owner per current City Fee Schedule.

Stump removal and tree replacement will be paid for by the Property Owner per current City Fee Schedule plus actual cost for a 15 gallon tree.

Complete tree removal and replacement paid for by the Property Owner per current City Fee Schedule plus actual cost of a 15 gallon tree.

NOTE: The City of Fountain Valley will repair damage to irrigation lines caused by removal of a tree or root structure by the City.  The City of Fountain Valley is not responsible for the repair or replacement of any parkway turf, plant material, hardscape, or structures in connection with the removal of a tree or root structures.

The resident shall water the tree as needed and keep the tree free from overgrown weeds or any obstructions contrary to public safety. The resident shall not intentionally damage, injure, or kill the tree or replace with a tree not on the City’s Authorized Tree List.