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City moves forward on MLK corridor tree‑planting under USDA grant; two‑year maintenance plan promised
Summary
City sustainability staff and the Department of Infrastructure briefed the council on awards for a USDA tree‑planting project along Martin Luther King Drive. Contracts for tree supply and planting design were presented and staff outlined a contractor two‑year maintenance period and longer‑term city stewardship plans.
Jersey City staff told the municipal council they are moving ahead with tree plantings along the Martin Luther King Drive corridor under a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant.
The city presented two related resolutions: a procurement award for Schicktel's Nursery to supply and deliver trees, and an award to Watch Us Grow Landscape Design for planting and construction work tied to the USDA grant. Sustainability staff said site work will be phased so that specific planting locations are finalized after utility mark‑outs and direct coordination with property owners along the corridor.
Amanda, the city's sustainability director, told the council the USDA grant is a five‑year program but the current contracts are one‑year awards with options for renewals; the city expects to complete most plantings in two planting seasons (this fall and next spring) and will not likely need contract renewals. She said the city has a working list of planting sites developed after walk‑throughs with council staff, the business improvement district and other stakeholders.
On maintenance, staff said the contractor will be responsible for regular tree care during a two‑year establishment period after planting. After that, the city will use a maintenance plan combining hours from the Division of Sustainability and the Division of Forestry within Public Works to monitor and care for the trees. The city forester will review tree removals and site plan impacts during property redevelopment.
A law department representative confirmed that removing public trees without authorization is an ordinance violation that can carry fines up to $2,000, and that municipalities must also implement state Department of Environmental Protection regulations that increasingly cover private‑property trees.
Councilmembers who represent affected neighborhoods urged careful pit sizing and communication with property owners to avoid repeated removals or premature tree failures. Staff said they would share the working site list with council offices and will circulate the planting and maintenance plan to the council and advisory commissions before construction begins.
No formal vote was recorded in caucus on the awards; staff said the two resolutions are on the regular meeting agenda for formal approval.
