Council hears updated Urban Forest Management Plan; staff to return Aug. 18 with adoption and budget request

City staff presented an updated Urban Forest Management Plan and a citywide tree inventory prepared with West Coast Arborist. Albert Mendoza said the inventory identified more than 16,000 publicly maintained trees and that staff’s findings show most city trees are in good condition. The plan recommends expanding the approved tree palette to include more California native and climate-adapted species, establishing consistent maintenance standards and prioritizing planting in vacant parkway sites.

Staff described an aspirational goal to increase the city’s tree canopy by roughly 3% every decade. To approach that target, the plan estimates planting about 404 trees per year (roughly 4,000 over a decade) and recommends a funding starting point of approximately $350,000 per year to begin implementation; staff said adoption will not itself authorize spending beyond future budget approvals.

Council members welcomed the plan and asked staff to provide the results from the community survey before the Aug. 18 adoption hearing. Vice Mayor Margarita Rios asked for clarity on the fiscal attachment and wanted assurance that the planting commitment would be prioritized in the budget. Several council members supported adding a youth or adoption component to community planting and emphasized species diversity and long-term maintenance.

Charlie Pulido of West Coast Arborist, a board-certified master arborist, noted vacancies in the inventory and highlighted ecological and social benefits of increasing canopy — including reduced urban-heat impacts and improved public spaces. Public commenters later urged prioritizing native and indigenous species during implementation.

Staff will return Aug. 18 with a formal adoption item and with compiled survey results and recommended funding details.