City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/346592
SIDEWALKS CURBS AND GUTTERS ADJACENT TO THEIR PROPERTY 4HE #ITY OF 3AN *OS£ MAINTAINS JUST THOSE TREES THAT ARE IN THE MEDIAN ISLANDS OR OTHER DESIGNATED LANDSCAPED AREAS EXCEPT IF THE TREES ARE WITHIN THE 3PECIAL $ISTRICTS OF THE #ITY 4HESE 3PECIAL $ISTRICTS ARE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE PROPERTY OWNERS PAY AN INCREASED PROPERTY ASSESSMENT THAT FUNDS SPECIAL LANDSCAPE FEATURES WITH IN THEIR DISTRICT WHICH IN SOME $ISTRICTS INCLUDES THEIR STREET TREE MAINTENANCE 4HE #ITY OF 3AN *OS£ $EPARTMENT OF 4RANSPORTATION HAS JURISDICTION OVER MOST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ASSETS PAVE MENT SEWERS STREET LIGHTS ETC LOCATED IN THE PUBLIC RIGHTOFWAY THE STREET TREES BEING ONE OF THOSE ASSETS 4HAT IS WHY OUR STREET TREE OFFICE IS IN THE $EPARTMENT OF 4RANSPORTATION $/4 7E ISSUE PERMITS WHICH ARE FREE OF CHARGE TO PLANT PRUNE AND REMOVE STREET TREES &OR TREES ON PRIVATE PROPERTY IT IS 3AN *OS£S 0LANNING "UILDING AND #ODE %NFORCEMENT $EPARTMENT THAT ISSUES REMOVAL PERMITS OF ANY TREES THAT ARE v CM OR GREATER IN CIR CUMFERENCE 3INCE 0LANNING DOES NOT HAVE PROFESSIONAL ARBORISTS ON STAFF WE ALSO PROVIDE ARBORICULTURAL CON SULTATION AS NEEDED FOR THEM AS WELL AS FOR THE 0ARKS 2ECREATION AND .EIGHBORHOOD 3ERVICES WHICH OVERSEES MAINTENANCE OF THE PARK TREES AND THE %NVIRONMENTAL 3ERVICES $EPARTMENTS 7HAT ARE THE SPECIAL CHALLENGES OF THIS MODEL 2- 4HE MAIN CHALLENGE IS THAT MOST OF THE STREET TREES IN 3AN *OS£ OFTEN GET MINIMAL PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE WORK &EW PROPERTY OWNERS DO THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF THEIR TREES BUT INSTEAD DEFER UNTIL THEY ARE DEALING WITH A TREE EMERGENCY WHICH IS OFTEN A LARGER PROBLEM )N SOME CASES OWNERS HIRE UNSKILLED TREE WORKERS WHO TOP THEIR TREES IN VIOLATION OF THE !.3) ! STANDARDS WHICH WE HAVE ADOPTED AS THE STANDARD FOR STREET TREE MAINTENANCE IN 3AN *OS£ 7HEN STREET TREES ARE MIS TREATED THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE FINES FOR ILLEGAL PRUNING OR REMOVAL 3OME OF OUR EFFORTS ARE SPENT ADDRESSING TREE ISSUES FROM TREES THAT HAVE DEVELOPED POOR STRUCTURE AND CLEARANCE ISSUES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED WHILE THE DEFECTS WERE MUCH SMALLER 3INCE STREET TREES ALSO CAN CAUSE UPLIFT TO THE ADJA CENT CONCRETE FOR WHICH THE OWNER IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE OWNERS ARE OFTEN FACED WITH ADDRESSING MULTIPLE COSTLY ISSUES AT ONCE 7HEN A TREE EMERGENCY OCCURS IF THE PROPERTY OWNER IS NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION IMMEDIATELY ON THEIR OWN WE HAVE TREE SERVICE CONTRAC TORS AVAILABLE TO REMEDY THE SITUATION 4HE #ITY THEN BILLS THE COST OF THE CONTRACTORS WORK PLUS AN ADMINIS TRATIVE FEE BACK TO THE PROPERTY OWNER -ANY OWNERS ARE NOT FINANCIALLY PREPARED TO COVER THE COST OF THE CONCRETE OR TREE WORK THAT MAY BE ASSESSED TO THEM OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME 7HILE WE DO HAVE A LOWINCOME HARDSHIP PROGRAM THE FUNDING FOR THIS PRO GRAM IS VERY LIMITED AND ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF PROPERTY OWNERS QUALIFY FOR THE ASSISTANCE 7E READILY ADMIT THIS MAINTENANCE MODEL IS NOT ALWAYS AN IDEAL SITUATION BUT IT HAS MEANT THAT THE LIMITED AVAILABLE TAX REVENUES ARE SPENT ON OTHER HIGH PRIORITY SERVICES WITHIN THE #ITY OF 3AN *OS£ 7HAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS MODEL 2- 4HE #ITY OF 3AN *OS£ HAS SAVED UNTOLD MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR IN POTENTIAL LIABILITY CLAIMS FOR STREET TREE SEWER AND SIDEWALK DAMAGES AND INJURY LAWSUITS AS WELL AS THE COST OF THE RECURRING TREE AND CONCRETE MAINTENANCE )N THE PAST AS BUDGET DOLLARS ALLOWED THE #ITY WAS ABLE TO DO SOME PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PRUNING TO SUPPLEMENT THE PROPERTY OWNERS CARE OVER THE YEARS UNFORTUNATELY MOST OF THOSE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED DURING THE PAST TEN YEARS OF SEVERE BUDGET CUTS ,>«ÊâiÊ>««ÀiV>ÌiÃÊ>ÊVV>`iÊiÊÌ>ÌÊÃÊiÃÌ>LÃ}Ê ViÞ°Ê ÜÜÜ°ÕÀL>vÀiÃÌÀÞ°V