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Pasco staff outlines boulevard maintenance costs; council asks for xeriscape options and corridor prioritization
Summary
City staff presented a review of boulevard maintenance showing roughly 26 lineal miles maintained by the city, an estimated $1,000,000 annual maintenance cost and a one-time $475 per-lot fee that does not cover ongoing expenses.
Deputy City Manager provided a briefing and consultant-supplied analysis of the city's boulevard maintenance program. Staff said the city maintains about 26 lineal miles of landscaped boulevards (varies as new developments are added) and estimated the program's annual maintenance cost at roughly $1,000,000. The current funding model relies on a one-time developer fee of $475 per lot and general-fund subsidies; staff estimated the general fund effectively subsidizes boulevards by approximately $800,000 to $900,000 annually.
The presentation identified recurring maintenance problems: trees planted too close to sidewalks and fences (causing root damage), narrow mowing strips, species that require frequent pruning, and inconsistent landscape standards in developer-installed boulevards. Staff said the city lacks a single, codified boulevard landscape standard and recommended council direction on whether to continue city maintenance, adopt xeriscape standards, prioritize key corridors for investment, or require different approaches for future development. Council discussion favored adopting consistent standards, prioritizing certain gateways or corridors for more intensive landscaping and using xeriscaping and low-maintenance plantings elsewhere to reduce ongoing costs. Staff said they will return with costed options and draft standards showing what a baseline, reduced-maintenance and corridor-prioritized approach would cost.
