07 Staff Report.Roadside Vegetation Management
PREPARED BY: Matt Morley
Parks and Public Works Director
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Finance Director and Town Attorney
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 09/01/2020 ITEM NO: 7
DATE: August 27, 2020
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Approve the Roadside Vegetation Management Plan and Authorize the Town
Manager to Issue a Request for Proposals and Award One or More Contracts
for Roadside Vegetation Management up to the budgeted amount of
$550,000.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the Roadside Vegetation Management Plan and authorize the Town Manager to issue
a Request for Proposals (RFP) and award one or more contracts for roadside vegetation
management up to the budgeted amount of $550,000.
BACKGROUND:
On June 2, 2020 the Town Council authorized an agreement with SWCA Environmental
Consultants to develop a Vegetation Management Plan for Town roadsides and Open Spaces.
At that meeting, the Council directed staff to expedite the roadside vegetation management
plan to allow for work to begin as soon as possible, with the goal of reducing risk during this
year’s fire season.
DISCUSSION:
Staff and SWCA have developed a Roadside Vegetation Management Plan that will serve as the
guiding document for ongoing roadside vegetation management. The plan addresses
approximately 18 miles of roadway with varying levels of vegetation management needs. This
plan is intended to provide annual guidance for maintenance through future years. The plan
and supporting documents can be found on the Town’s website:
www.losgatosca.gov/VegetationManagement
The plan sets standards for clear roadway width and height, as well as understory growth
management. A standard treatment area has been identified for ten feet on either side of the
PAGE 2 OF 3 SUBJECT: Roadside Vegetation Management DATE: August 27, 2020
DISCUSSION (continued):
roadway for properties with unlandscaped frontage. Often in the hillside areas, the right-of-
way limits are unclear and at times this may encroach on private property. To address this,
staff will mail a notification to property owners along each roadway with project information
and a method for opting out of the vegetation management program. Those properties that
opt out will be provided information on their responsibility for maintaining their frontage.
PG&E will play a significant role in the program as many roads include electrical services that
are overgrown by trees. The Town contractors will not be able to address these locations. Staff
has begun coordination with PG&E so that a complete vegetation management program can
occur.
Using the Roadside Vegetation Management Plan as a guide, staff intends on soliciting
proposals from contractors to begin work this calendar year through an RFP process that will
allow for the Town to enter a contract with one or more vendors. This will leave open the
possibility of conducting work in multiple locations at once and thereby expediting the
program. The work will be conducted on a time and material basis until such time as the
identified roadways have been addressed or funds are expended.
As a parallel effort, work continues on a plan to address vegetation management in Town Open
Spaces.
CONCLUSION:
Approval of the recommendations will allow for staff to proceed with execution of the
Vegetation Management Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The 2020/21 Capital Improvement Program Budget has identified funds for Roadside Fuel
Reduction and Town-wide Vegetation Management. The latter was planned as matching funds
for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant for vegetation management in
Town open spaces. The grant has no identified timeline for award, so staff proposes using
those funds for this project. If the FEMA grant is ultimately awarded, staff will return to the
Town Council with a funding request to allow for matching funds for that grant.
PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: Roadside Vegetation Management DATE: August 27, 2020
FISCAL IMPACT (continued):
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is a project as defined under CEQA and an environmental analysis has been completed.
The project is Statutorily Exempt (Section 15269(b) Emergency Projects). A notice of exemption
will be filed.
Budget Costs
Project 812-0130 - Roadside Fuel Reduction 250,000$
Project 832-4508 - Vegetation Management 500,707$
Total Budget 750,707$
Consultant Costs - SWCA 199,828$
Total Expenditures 199,828$
Remaining Balance 550,879$
Projects 812-0130 & 832-4508
Fuel Reduction