Staff Report
PREPARED BY : STEVE REGAN
Parks & Public Works Superintendent
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, Finance Director, and Parks and
Public Works Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ●A 40 8 -354 -68 32
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 6/05 /2018
ITEM NO: 9
D ATE : MAY 3 0 , 2018
TO : MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: TREE TRIMMING AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES
A. AUTHORIZE THE TOWN M ANAGER TO EXECUTE A FIVE -YEAR
AGREEMENT FOR SERVIC ES WITH BRIGHTVIEW T REE COMPANY FOR
TREE TRIMMING AND MA INTENANCE SERVICES I N AN AMOUNT NOT
TO EXCEED $247,000 I N FISCAL YEAR 2018/1 9 AND $100,000 PLUS
ANNUAL CONSUMER PRIC E INDEX ADJUSTMENTS ANNUALLY
THEREAFTER.
B. AUTHORIZE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE BUDGET ADJUSTMENT IN
THE AMOUNT OF $47,000 FROM THE TREE REPLACEMENT DEFERRED
REVENUE ACCOUNT AVAILABLE FUNDING SOURCE .
RECOMMENDATION :
Staff recommends that Town Council:
1. Authorize the Town Manager to execute a five -year agreement for services with BrightV iew
Tree Company for tree trimming and maintenance services in an amount not to exceed
$247,000 in Fiscal Year 2018/19 and $1 00 ,000 plus annual consumer price index
adjustments annually thereafter .
2. Authorize revenue and expenditure budget adjustment in the amount of $47,000 from the
Tree Replacement deferred revenue account available funding source .
BACKGROUND :
The Town of Los Gatos has utilized contractual tree trimming and removal services for th e past
several years. Staff reviews these maintenance contracts regularly to ensure that the services
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B CKGROUNDA(cont’d):
provided are being performed satisfactorily, are competitively priced, and continue to meet the
Town’sAexpectationsAandAcontract terms. The current tree trimming contract with West Coast
Arborist will expire on June 30, 2018. With the existing contract set to expire at the end of thi s
fiscal year , staff initiated a Request f or Proposals earlier this calendar year .
As part of the Proposed FY 2018/19 Operating Budget, base fund ing for tree trimming and
maintenance services are allocated in the Streets and Signals Program in the amount of
$100,000 . This amount includes $99,000 received through funding from the West Va lley
Collection and Recycling (garbage) contract for tree maintenance to help keep tree canopies
above the collection vehicles. Th ese services allow for basic ongoing management of the
Town’sAtreeAinventoryAwithAtheAgoalsAofAensuringAtreeAcanopiesAprovide vertical clearance for
trash pickup, addressing safety concerns, and managing the long -term health of the urban
forest . A thriving and healthy urban forest is known to have many community benefits,
including positive impacts on stormwater quality and runoff, maintenance of a healthy urban
habitat, climate control and urban heat island effect, air quality, aesthetics, public health, and
property values.
In addition to the ongoing funding , staff recommend ed a one -time budget increase of $100,000
in tree maintenance funding during the FY 2018/19 budget process for the pruning of multiple
eucalyptus trees on Overlook Road. These trees are approximately 100 feet tall and 48 inches
in diamete r, have not been trimmed for many years , and are severely overgrow n. Eucalyptus
trees require high levels of maintenance due to inherently poor branch structure, susceptibility
to decay, and fast growth pattern. A number of large limbs overhang the adjacent residential
condominium complex along Overlook Road and pose a real danger to the buildings , especially
during heavy rain storms and high wind events.
Additionally, eucalyptus trees pose high fire danger due to a combination of bark shedding that
gets hung up in the tree canopy and volatile compounds in the foliage which cause explosive
burning. Proactive tree care through removal of up to 25% of the canopy greatly reduces the
chance for structural failure and fire hazard.
It should be noted that best practices for tree maintenance target a seven -year pru ning cycle
and with the proposed FY 18/19 Budget, the Town would prune on a 15 -year cycle. The
extended nature of the cycle can lead to unhealthy growth habits and unanticipated tree and
limb failures. The difference in maintenance cycles and current res ources will ultimately
contributeAtoAtheATown’sAdeferredAmaintenanceAbacklog.
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DISCUSSION :
As previously noted s taff prepared a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the following tree
trimming and tree maintenance service categories:
Tree trimming and removals
Tree planting and watering
Additional as -needed services (after hour call outs, and emergency services)
Firms were asked to provide their capability and qualifications across services and to provide
pricing for each category. T hree proposals were received on April 25, 2018 , with t he results
listed on Attachment 2.
Staff determined that BrightView Tree Company is the best qualified and the most cost
competitive firm to provide the requested services. BrightView provides tree trimming services
to multiple Bay Area cities including the c ities of San Jose and Sunnyvale, and the County of
Santa Clara. Reference checks with all three jurisdictions were positive.
The RFP included line item costs for miscellaneous services for tree planting and wa tering on an
as -needed basis. Staff anticipates the use of these services to re -forest and water newly
planted trees in park strips, parks , and open space through out the Town , replacing trees that
were los t during the last drought. The contract recommend ation includes $47,000 to address
new tree needs during FY 2018/19 . These additional funds would come from in -lieu fees paid
for tree replacements andAheldAinAtheATown’sATreeAReplacementAFund .
The agreement term allows for continuity of service and maxi mizes savings by engaging the
firm for multiple years. The contract language provides for cancellation should the need arise
during the contract term and ties the work to the budget appropriated by the Town Council
annually . To accommodate the potential impacts of inflation on the service, the contract allows
for annual increases tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) beginning in year two.
The award of the contract to BrightView Tree Company will also allow for updates to the
current web based online tr eeAinventoryAthatAwasAimplementedAsixAyearsAagoAwithAtheATown’sA
current tree trimming contractor.
BrightView Tree Company will be required to establish a five -year and fifteen -year tree grid
trimming maintenance plan within the first ten months of the c ontract, highlighting specific
areas in Town recommended for maintenance trimming, with exception for emergency
trimming or trees designated for more frequent trimming. Grid trimming allows for greater
efficiency in maximizing contract dollars concentrati ng efforts in one specific area versus
unplanned tree trimming in multiple locations.
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SUBSEQUENT EVENTS:
Following the notice of award to the proposing contractors, West Coast Arborist protested the
award to BrightView Tree Company (Attachment 3) based on a number of factors. The Director
of Parks and Public Works reviewed the protest and found that the protest was unsubstantiated
(Attachment 4), as BrightView meets the requirements of the RFP and is the most cost
competitive vendo r.
CONCLUSION :
Staff recommends that Town Council:
1. Authorize the Town Manager to execute a five -year agreement for services with BrightView
Tree Company for tree trimming and maintenance services in an amount not to exceed
$247,000 in Fiscal Year 2018/19 and $100,000 plus annual consumer price index
adjustments annually thereafter.
2. Authorize revenue and expenditure budget adjustment in the amount of $47,000 from the
Tree Replacement deferred revenue account available funding source.
FISCAL IMPACT :
On an annual basis, the Town receives through funding from the West Valley Collection and
Recycling (garbage) contract in the amount of $99,000 for tree maintenance to help keep tree
canopies above the collection vehicles. These funds are received into the G eneral F und for the
intended tree maintenance use and offset the G eneral F und obligation.
The Proposed FY 2018/19 Budget includes targeted funding within the Streets & Signals
Program B udget in the amount of $200,000 for tree trimming services ($10 0,000 ongoing and
$100,000 one time for eucalyptus trees on Overlook Road). The remaining $47,000 w ould be
funded by the Town Tree Replacement F und which allows for adding or replacing trees or
landscaping on Town property to include supporting t heATown’sAurbanAforestryAmanagementA
program. Future years of service through this contract will occur subject to the annual
appropriation of funds by the Town Council.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT :
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further a ction is required.
Attachments:
1. Agreement for Services
2. Bid Proposal Results
3. West Coast Arborist Letter of Protest dated May 18, 2018
4. Town Response to Letter of Protest
5. Public comment received through 11:00 a.m. May 31, 2018