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DATE: |
February 12, 2025 |
01 |
SUBJECT
Title
AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE AND AWARD CONTRACTS FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE TREE PROGRAM AND CEQA EXEMPTION (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The County of San Diego (County) Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) manages 158 facilities across 58,000 acres of land and more than 389 miles of trails. Trees are valuable assets to the park system as they increase the usability of parks, contribute to biodiversity, and serve as important climate buffers that moderate temperature and moisture and make parks more desirable for the public. Preserving a healthy tree canopy is crucial to facilitating native tree species regeneration because without shade it is very challenging for young trees to survive in dry environmental conditions.
DPR is a regional leader in the planting of trees and has planted trees throughout San Diego County as part of its Comprehensive Tree Program to improve the overall regional tree canopy. Since 2016, the County has planted more than 40,000 trees with at least 3,500 trees planted per year, including 4,645 trees planted through this program in calendar year 2024. DPR identifies priority areas where trees are needed based on factors including where trees have been lost from the impacts of drought, invasive pests, age of the existing trees, and environmental fit for the trees. This prioritization process includes following the guidelines in the County’s Native Landscape Program approved by the County Board of Supervisors (Board) on December 14, 2022 (11). DPR also uses databases like the California Healthy Places Index (HPI) and CalEnviroScreen to help identify County-maintained parks in underserved communities that lack access to tree canopies.
On September 11, 2024 (6), the Board adopted the Climate Action Plan Update, now called the 2024 Climate Action Plan or 2024 CAP, which guides the County in investing in actions that increase sustainability, reduce harmful emissions that cause climate change and health impacts, enhance quality of life in our communities, and streamline housing development. Measure A-2.1 in the 2024 CAP sets a goal for the County to expand the existing tree planting initiative to plant 70,560 trees by 2030 and 6,650 trees per year thereafter on County property and in the unincorporated area. DPR is on track to reach the CAP goal by 2030 by planting 4,000 to 5,000 trees annually. Achieving this goal is equivalent to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle being driven more than six million miles.
Today’s proposed actions will authorize the Director of the Department of Purchasing and Contracting to advertise and award contracts estimated at $2,000,000, including contingency, for the purchase of about 4,000 trees through multiple vendors, the installation of watering systems, removal of dead and diseased trees, and the purchase of equipment for the DPR program. Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Operational Plan in DPR. If approved, the trees purchased through this action are estimated to be planted in Spring 2025 through Spring 2026.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1. Find that the proposed project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to the State CEQA Guidelines Section 15304.
2. In accordance with Section 401, Article XXIII of the County Administrative Code, authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting to issue a Competitive Solicitation for trees and related equipment for the County’s Comprehensive Tree Program, and upon successful negotiations and determination of a fair and reasonable price, award contracts for a term of one year, with option years and up to an additional six months if needed, and to amend the contracts as needed to reflect changes to services and funding.
3. Authorize the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting to advertise and award a construction contract(s) and take any action authorized by Section 401 et seq. of the County Administrative Code, with respect to contracting, for the County of San Diego’s Comprehensive Tree Program, including the installation of watering systems and removal of dead and diseased trees.
4. Designate the Director, Department of Parks and Recreation, or designee, as the County Officer responsible for administering the contracts, in accordance with Board Policy F-41.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The planting of trees positively impacts all demographics in the region by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reducing erosion, and lowering the temperature of the air and ground under trees on hot days. Healthy tree canopies in parks ensure that parks have available and accessible shaded areas that can be enjoyed by the public during the hottest times of the year and reduce ultraviolet heat exposure. The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) uses the California Healthy Places Index (HPI) provided through the Public Health Alliance of Southern California and CalEnviroScreen 4.0 to identify parks in underserved communities that lack access to tree canopies. This includes parks with tree canopy scores in the lowest percentile, such as Sweetwater Lane, Tijuana River Valley, Kumeyaay Valley, and Ramona Grasslands. DPR organizes volunteer tree plantings to connect people to their parks and contribute to environmental education. When members of the community plant trees, it can provide a lifetime connection to that tree and park.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The Comprehensive Tree Program contributes to many of the County of San Diego’s Sustainability Goals: Goal No. 1 to engage the community; Goal No. 2 to provide just and equitable access; Goal No. 3 to transition to a green, carbon-free economy; Goal No. 4 to protect health and wellbeing; and Goal No. 6 to protect ecosystems, habitats, and biodiversity. Additionally, the Comprehensive Tree Program is a key component of the County’s 2024 Climate Action Plan which focuses on mitigating the impacts of climate change to achieve a more sustainable future. The inclusion of native and environmentally compatible trees in park projects is part of public meeting discussions. Working with service organizations, volunteer groups, and the public to plant trees leads to strong connections between people and parks. A healthy tree canopy is vital to removing greenhouse gases from our environment and reducing the temperature. Trees provide shade that lowers the nearby temperature and provides a place to relax and escape the heat. These benefits come at low cost for the benefit of park visitors of all ages, abilities, and financial resources.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 Operational Plan in the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). If approved, this request will result in costs and revenue of $2,000,000 in FY 2024-25. The funding source is existing one-time General Purpose Revenue. Upon completion of the tree planting, DPR field staff will perform and complete annual maintenance as part of their regular park maintenance duties. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
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Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
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BACKGROUND
The County of San Diego (County) Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) promotes healthy families, safe communities, sustainable environments, and operational excellence by managing 158 facilities across 58,000 acres of land and more than 389 miles of multi-use trails. A valuable part of each park is the natural shade offered by trees for the benefit of park users and the environment. Trees increase the usability of parks, contribute to biodiversity, and serve as essential climate buffers that moderate temperature through shade and evaporation of moisture, making parks more desirable for the public. Preserving a healthy tree canopy is crucial to facilitating native tree species regeneration because without shade it is very challenging for young trees to survive in dry environmental conditions. Scientific studies have revealed that the presence of trees and shrubs can reduce mean maximum daily soil surface temperatures in the summer up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
The global climate is changing, and the effects are felt acutely at the local level through a higher frequency and intensity of extreme heat events, droughts, wildfires, storms, and sea level rise, all of which impact the health of our regional tree canopy. The United States Forest Service estimates that California has lost more than 237 million trees since 2010 due to wildfires, bark beetles, and diseases, all of which are exacerbated by global climate change. The University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources estimates that 80,000 Oak Trees were lost to the Goldspotted Oak Borer from 2002 to 2014. Infestation from invasive boring insects, such as the Goldspotted Oak Borer and Invasive Shothole Borer has weakened or killed millions of trees, negatively impacting the region’s tree canopy. DPR conservatively estimates that 20 trees per acre have been lost over 50,000 acres of County open space since 2010.
Through the Comprehensive Tree Program, DPR plants at least 3,500 trees per year, installs temporary watering systems or hand waters to enhance the trees’ natural ability to absorb oxygen, water, and nutrients, and strengthens fire resilience by providing services to remove and replace dead and diseased trees. On average, a new tree takes 220 gallons of water per year while its root system is being established, which takes about three years. A healthy tree canopy is vital to retaining water in the surrounding ground and providing shade above ground. Through the program, DPR plants a variety of native and climate-ready species and sizes of trees in parks to prevent any one type of tree infestation from devastating the DPR tree canopy in the future. Diversity among species ensures natural sustainability and a much higher defense against invasive pests that often rely on one specific tree species to feed and expand their population.
DPR partners with local non-profit, service, and volunteer groups including I Love a Clean San Diego, Boy and Girl Scouts, high schools, and Rotary Clubs to plant trees and connect people with nature. DPR is coordinating with the County’s Planning & Development Services (PDS) to expand the existing tree program after completing a tree canopy evaluation, with a focus on prioritizing new tree plantings in underserved and environmental justice communities. The Comprehensive Tree Program leverages the Sheriff’s Community Involved Vocational Inmate Crew Services (CIVICS) program to increase the reforestation of County parks by collecting native seeds in DPR parks and propagating them in the greenhouse at East Mesa Reentry Facility (EMRF). The EMRF greenhouse will be expanded and improved through DPR’s Comprehensive Tree Program to increase the number of native trees the facility can produce. This improved facility will be used to raise 2,000 trees annually to be planted in DPR parks by the Sheriff’s CIVICS program and community volunteer groups. CIVICS provides inmates at EMRF training in landscaping, horticulture, trail maintenance, and environmental rehabilitation. The partnership represents an excellent example of using intergovernmental collaboration to address important public safety and resource management issues to benefit the region.
DPR will plant trees to create diverse tree populations in terms of species and age to help support a healthy tree canopy system in the region. Since 2016, DPR has planted more than 40,000 trees in County parks, which supports the County’s 2024 CAP. DPR began tracking 17,000 newly planted trees through the TreePlotter inventory software in 2021. The inventory system allows for efficient tracking of tree plantings and maintenance during the establishment period. To streamline contracts for tree purchases, the contracts will be tailored to specific park needs, current market availability, and selection of tree species that are best suited to local environmental conditions. This better defines the tree types that are needed in specific park areas and helps to improve the success rate of growing new trees.
Today’s proposed actions will authorize the Director of the Department of Purchasing and Contracting to advertise and award contracts estimated at $2,000,000, including contingency, for the purchase of about 4,000 trees through multiple vendors, the installation of watering systems, removal of dead and diseased trees, and the purchase of equipment needed for the program. Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Operational Plan in DPR. If approved, the trees purchased through this action will be planted in Spring 2025 through Spring 2026.
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT
The Comprehensive Tree Program is exempt pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15304, Minor Alternations to Land. Tree removal and planting of replacement trees are exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15304 of the CEQA Guidelines because the project consists of minor alterations to land and vegetation that do not result in the removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees. This project proposes only the removal of dead, dying, and diseased trees. Any excavation required for tree removal or planting will be backfilled and restored.
In addition, CEQA is suspended for tree removal in High Hazard Zones (HHZs) by Governor Brown’s October 30, 2015, Proclamation of a State of Emergency (Proclamation). Directive 2 of the Proclamation ordered local agencies to remove dead or dying trees in HHZs “to the extent required by their existing responsibilities to protect the public health and safety,” as designated by CAL FIRE. Directive 15 of the Proclamation suspended CEQA compliance for implementation of Directive 2 within HHZs.
The project is not subject to any of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions listed in Section 15300.2 of the CEQA Guidelines.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed action to authorize the Director of the Department of Purchasing and Contracting to advertise and award contracts for the Comprehensive Tree Program supports the Sustainability Strategic Initiative in the County of San Diego’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan by creating natural shade, increasing the usability of parks, contributing to biodiversity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and lowering daily soil surface temperatures.
Respectfully submitted,
Dahvia lynch
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
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