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Saint Helena weighs options to manage spring weed growth; council signals support for mixed approach
Summary
Council members discussed expanding contracted weed‑abatement work, hiring seasonal staff and exploring cultural controls such as grazing. Members emphasized prioritizing fire safety while managing community expectations for park aesthetics.
City staff and the council discussed April 8 how best to respond to an unusually vigorous spring growth cycle and what service levels the city should sustain for weed abatement, park aesthetics and fire prevention.
Deputy City Manager Leslie Milton outlined current resources: five full‑time parks and trees staff, 126 acres of open space within city responsibility, nine city parks and new duties such as maintenance of the Vine Trail segment and Elm Tunnel. Milton noted staff used an “all‑hands” approach during high‑growth periods and that the city hired a contractor in 2024 to abate roughly 88 acres (including dam faces and flood‑project lands) at a reported cost of about $150,000 per cut.
Milton presented four broad options for council consideration: maintain current staffing and strategy; expand contracted services for additional cuts; hire seasonal temporary workers to augment staff; or modify the city’s integrated pest management (IPM) policy to allow different (including chemical) treatments with trade‑offs for environmental and public‑health concerns. Milton stressed that compliance with the municipal code’s June 1 requirement (weeds under 4 inches) is the baseline and that the city will prioritize fire‑safety abatement.
Councilmembers expressed interest in a hybrid solution. Several members emphasized safety as the highest priority while acknowledging community expectations for park maintenance and aesthetics. Vice Mayor Deasy and others suggested the city explore cultural control methods such as goats or sheep for steep terrain, and Councilmember Barrick asked staff to seek competitive bids and consider local contractors. Fire Chief Sorensen described difficult terrain at the lower reservoir and dam faces (steep slopes and limited access), noting mechanical crews and specialty equipment are often required for those sites.
Council consensus directed staff to pursue a mixed approach: remain compliant with fire‑safety deadlines, continue to use staff for urban and park areas where feasible, obtain estimates for additional contracted cuts for steep/difficult terrain, explore seasonal staffing to address peak growth periods, and research cultural‑control options (grazing) and their costs. Milton said staff will return with refined cost estimates and recommended contractual arrangements to include local bidders where possible.
Councilmembers asked staff to provide budgetary figures so the finance committee and council can consider funding options as part of the FY26/FY27 budget process.
