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Commission reviews contracted street-tree pruning scope, pricing and limits
Summary
Commission members discussed the city contract for street and sidewalk tree work, the contractor's scope (13-foot street clearance, 9-foot sidewalk clearance), pricing bands per tree class, and limitations (no deadwooding or structural pruning included under the current contract).
The commission reviewed the city's contracted tree work and raised questions about scope and service limits after staff described how the contractor is performing street and sidewalk clearance.
Staff reported that the contract was written to clear 13 feet over the street and 9 feet over sidewalks per the city ordinance. The contractor is working from an earmarked street list; they estimate costs by tree size class with per-tree prices discussed by staff (examples cited by staff ranged from about $7,999 to $12,499 per tree depending on class and complexity). The contractor provides crews with trucks, chippers and supervision; several contractor crew members are preparing for professional certification exams in February.
Commissioners noted key limits: the contracted crews are not required under the current contract to remove deadwood or perform structural pruning to the same standard as the city crew. Staff said the contract is being used to address immediate clearance issues (clearance for trash and snow trucks) while the city determines longer-term priorities such as structural pruning, removals and stump grinding. Commissioners asked staff to monitor quality and perform spot checks; staff said they had already performed spot checks and required contractors to return where work was incomplete.
Commissioners also discussed removals and stump work: removals and some stump grinding remain within city crew responsibilities or separate removals schedules; the contractor had removed trees on several streets as part of the contracted work. One staff member noted that some areas are complicated by underground utilities and irrigation systems, which can raise costs or require additional coordination.
Staff said prices in the contract reflected crew size and equipment (two crews, trucks and chippers) and included certified personnel on-site for oversight. The commission requested staff continue to report on contractor performance, upcoming inventory/street lists, and any additional streets that may be added to the scope.
