Staff Report. Walter Levison Consulting Arborist Agreement
PREPARED BY: Alexa Nolder
Executive Assistant
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, Community Development
Director, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 06/21/2022 ITEM NO: 7
DATE: June 16, 2022
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Authorize the Town Manager to Execute an Agreement for Consultant
Services with Walter Levison to Provide Services as Arborist Consultant to the
Town.
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the Town Manager to execute an Agreement for Consultant Services with Walter
Levison to provide services as Arborist Consultant to the Town.
BACKGROUND:
In 2015, the Town Council approved a contract with Walter Levison to serve as Arborist
Consultant to the Town. Since that time, the arborist peer review consultant process continues
to be a successful component of the planning process.
The Town distributed a Request for Qualifications in March 2022 and received six proposals
from: Walter Levison, (Attachment 1); Monarch Consulting; Lucchesi Plant and Soil Consulting;
Doug Anderson; Davey Resource Group; and Dudek. Staff determined that Walter Levison and
Monarch Consulting were the most qualified to serve as Arborist Consultants to the Town,
based on the quality of the proposals and past services provided. Please see the staff report for
Monarch Consulting for more information on their qualifications and separate consideration.
DISCUSSION:
The Consulting Arborist reviews tree impacts relative to development proposals, prepares
arborist reports, provides peer review of arborist reports submitted by applicants, and makes
recommendations to Town staff for the preservation and maintenance of trees. Typical tasks
that the Consulting Arborist may provide include the following:
PAGE 2 OF 4 SUBJECT: Consulting Arborist: Walter Levinson DATE: June 16, 2022
DISCUSSION (continued):
• Conducting site visits and inspections as needed;
• Evaluating proposed tree removals and impacts associated with development proposals;
• Reviewing proposed tree removals for compliance with the Town’s Tree Preservation
Ordinance;
• Preparing arborist reports for development proposals;
• Conducting peer review of arborist reports submitted by applicants;
• Meeting with Town staff and/or applicants as needed; and
• Attending public hearings as needed.
Optional work may include the following:
• Review of landscape plans for commercial and Planned Development projects; and
• Review of landscape plans for compliance with Wildland Urban Interface (Very High Fire
Hazard Areas) standards.
CONCLUSION:
Walter Levinson was determined to be one of the best candidate firms to continue serving as
the Town’s Consulting Arborist for the following reasons:
• Extensive knowledge of site analysis and preparation of reports for proposed
development projects and
• Experience working with the Town of Los Gatos.
COORDINATION:
The draft Agreement for Consultant Services (Attachment 2) were prepared in coordination
with the Town Attorney.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Arborist review is a cost recovery activity as part of the development review process.
Applicants pay a fee to the Town to cover the consultant costs to prepare arborist documents.
An administrative fee of 10 percent is also charged by the Town. The purpose of the
administrative fee is to reimburse the Town’s cost of administering the peer review.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This action is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
PAGE 3 OF 4 SUBJECT: Consulting Arborist: Walter Levinson DATE: June 16, 2022
Attachments:
1. Walter Levinson Proposal
2. Draft Agreement for Consultant Services
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