Temecula council approves consent calendar 5–0; West Coast Arborist urges delay on tree-trimming award

The Temecula City Council voted 5–0 on May 12 to adopt the consent calendar, approving eight routine items including easements, a roadway safety-plan consultant agreement and contracts for landscaping and street-tree maintenance. The mayor read the titles of items 1–8 and Councilmember Kalfas moved approval; the motion passed unanimously.

One consent item drew public comment before the vote. Martin Cortez, area manager for West Coast Arborist, told the council WCA submitted a formal notice of appeal challenging the staff recommendation to award the citywide tree-trimming and maintenance services contract to Mariposa Tree Management. Cortez requested postponement of the award to allow additional review, saying WCA had extensive municipal experience (including prior service to Temecula from 2003–2021), a strong safety record, and that the contract affects public safety, emergency response, and the long-term care of more than 36,000 city trees.

Council members carried the consent calendar 5–0; no council member called an item for separate discussion prior to the vote. The staff-recommended award to Mariposa Tree Management (consent item 6) was therefore approved as listed in the agenda packet. West Coast Arborist’s appeal was recorded in the public comment period; the company asked the council to postpone approval to permit a fuller review of evaluation scoring and value determinations.

The council also approved a consultant agreement for the local roadway safety plan update (PW25-03), a landscape maintenance contract, and set a public hearing to consider commercial solid waste and recycling rates for fiscal 2026–27. The meeting record shows the council followed its standard consent process; staff did not announce an immediate postponement in response to the appeal.