Dorothy Abeyta

Maintaining the Community Forest During Hard Times Dorothy Abeyta Special Assessment Districts City of San Jose San Jose, CA

The City of San Jose
California’s first civilian settlement
Founded in 1777 as
‘ El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe’
Incorporated in 1850 as City of San Jose
First State Capitol

The City of San Jose
Largest city in the Bay Area
180 acres or 178.2 square miles
3 rd largest population in CA
10 th largest in US ~ 1 million people

Tree Population
The City of San Jose has an estimated 243,000 street trees
and…
Likely over one million trees City-wide when including parks and private property

Urban Forestry Program
No formal program
Property owner responsibility - 1951
Tree maintenance by City crews or contract when funding available
Lost tree crew to budget cuts – 2007
No emergency services
No corrective services
Property owner sent invoice for any work performed by City

Dark and difficult times lie ahead….
City funding for right-of-way tree & landscaping programs dwindled away
Most property owners are not aware of their responsibility toward street trees
http://www.glogster.com/media/3/13/21/34/13213411.jpg

Public Outcry (outrage)
Council and City Managers offices received hundreds of complaints.
Eight community meetings held across the City.
Staff from the City manager’s office, the City arborist office, Parks and other departments listened carefully.

8 most Common Complaints
THE CITY NEEDS TO:
Place a greater emphasis on the importance of the urban forest.
Improve access to tree-related information, such as tree planting, pruning or maintenance policies, regulations, and guidelines.
Improve the tree removal permit process to make it more streamline, less expensive, and equitable.
Regulate private property trees to a minimal degree, yet enforce the rules equitably.

Common Complaints
THE CITY NEEDS TO:
Consistently enforce existing tree regulations, codes and increase fines for noncompliance.
Maintain street trees and sidewalks.
Develop a tree master plan and inventory of all street trees.
Develop a plan to utilize private/public partnerships to a greater and better degree.

San Jose’s Strategic Framework
Primary Goals:
Grow Protect, preserve, restore and expand San Jose’s community forest
Engage Develop and maintain support for the community forest
Equity Manage the community forest to maximize benefits for all residents of the city

Cal Fire to the Rescue
Grant funding to initiate first steps toward a complete street tree inventory
Grant funding to improve access to tree-related information

What can we do to increase public awareness?

What do we need to do?
Inform the public of their responsibility to maintain right-of-way trees
Educate the public about proper tree care and the importance of the community forest
Develop a cohesive and accessible set of guidelines to provide this information

What is the best way to accomplish this?

Organization of the Manual
1 City of San Jose Tree Care and Management
2 Responsibility and Protection of Trees
3 Permits and the Law
4 Planting Trees in the City of San Jose
5 Care of Trees in the City of San Jose
6 Our City Forest

Chapter 1: City of San Jose Tree Care and Management
Importance of the community forest
Benefits of trees

Chapter 2: Responsibility and Protection of Trees
Trees on City property and right-of-way
Private property trees
Trees in County pockets, parks, riparian corridors, Caltrans trees, etc.
Tree emergency service program
Vehicle accident Program

Chapter 3: Permits and the Law
Permit requirements
Repair and non-completion notices
Citations for illegal tree work
Emergency reporting requirements
Heritage trees
State laws

Chapter 4: Planting Trees in the City of San Jose
Benefits of planting trees
Site assessment
Species selection
Pests, diseases and invasive species
Nursery stock selection
Proper planting procedures

Chapter 5: Care of Trees in the City of San Jose
Stewardship
Monitoring
Pruning
Maintenance of surrounding ground plane

Chapter 6: Our City Forest and other volunteer opportunities Volunteer Street Tree Planting Americorps Program Volunteer Training

Appendices
A. Contact Information
B. Frequently Asked Questions
C. City of San Jose Municipal Codes
Municipal Code Section 13.28 – street trees
Municipal Code Section 13.32 – private property
D. Public Right-of-Way Tree Removal Posting Notice
E. Private Property Tree Removal
F. Street Tree Planting Guidelines
G. DOT Infrastructure Maintenance Tree Services
Information and Procedure Manual
H. San Jose’s Physical Environment
I. San Jose Downtown Streetscape Master Plan
Excerpt – Landscape Policies
J. PRNS Tree Removal Procedures
K. Special Landscape Assessment Districts
L. Glossary

Come visit us on the WWW http://www.sanjoseca.gov/tree/pdf/Tree%20Policy%20Manual_June%202011.pdf Special Acknowledgement to Elizabeth Lanham City of San Jose, Arborist Technician

Questions?
Contact:
Dorothy Abeyta
City of San Jose
[email_address]
408.794.1924

Dorothy Abeyta

by California ReLeaf on Oct 20, 2011

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