HomeMy Public PortalAbout9A INTRO ORD 13-966City Council
February 5, 2 013
Page 2
3. On January 10 , 2013, staff met with the City Code Review Standing Committee
(i.e. Mayor Pro Tern Sternquist and Council Member Chavez) to discuss a
proposed ordinance establishing a Tree Commission . The Comm ittee
recommended the proposed duties of the Tree Commission be assigned to the
Parks and Recreation Commission.
ANALYSIS:
As part of a reorganization of City operations in 2010, the trees and parkways program
was transferred from the former Public Services Department to the Parks and
Recreation Department. Over the next several months, Parks and Recreation staff
reviewed the existing practices and procedures for the trees and parkways division as
well as sections of the Temple City Municipal Code relative to street t rees. With over
5 ,800 street trees in the City's inventory, staff became aware of a need to express the
value of the City's urban forest to the publ ic and , therefore , proposed an item in the
Fiscal Year (FY) 2011-13 work plan to build community awareness of the City's urban
forestry program . Elements of this work plan item included:
1. Identification of a tree advisory body that would make recommendations as
appropriate on matters involving the care and maintenance of City-owned
trees; and
2. Review and revision of the City's roadside tree ordinance (TCMC Chapter 4,
Article D, Section 3450~3464).
Staff has extensively researched ordinances re lative to publically owned trees as well
as t ree advisory boards. In general , the purpose of a tree commission/advisory board is
to act in an advisory capacity to the City Council, City Manager and City staff with
regards to the management of public trees . Duties normally include rev iew and/or
development of a street tree management plan ; review and recommendations
concerning overall policies, standards, guidelines, and regulations fo r street trees; and
to hear appeals from residents on staff decisions rega rding planting , trimming or
removal of city-owned trees. A partial list of cities in southern California that currently
have tree advisory boards or commissions include: Carpinteria , Cerritos, Coronado ,
Pasadena, Redlands, San Fernando, Sierra Madre , Simi Valley and South Pasadena.
In some local cities , instead of having a separate tree commission or tree advisory
board , oversight of public trees is assigned to an existing commission. In the cities of
Carlsbad, Glendora , Placentia and Whittier, their Parks and Recreation Commission (or
Community Services Commission) provides that oversight.
After reviewing information collected from other cities regarding tree ordinances and
tree commissions, staff developed a draft ordinance establishing a Tree Commission for
the City of Temple City. The City Code Review Standing Committee reviewed the draft
ordinance and recommended the duties identified for the proposed Tree Commission be
assigned to the Parks and Recreation Commission . In making th is recommendation,
City Council
February 5, 2013
Page 3
the Committee expressed a concern with establishing another new Commission after
the re -instatement of the Public Safety Commission in 201 0 and the establishment of a
Public Arts Commission in 2012. The Committee also felt the Parks and Recreation
Commission could absorb the duties of the proposed Tree Commission and that they
would, in fact, welcome additional duties .
Proposed Ordinance No. 13-966 revises the duties of the Parks and Recreation
Commission to include review and oversight of programs , plans , policies and budgets
for trees and parkways. If the City Council adopts the proposed ordinance amending
the duties of the Parks and Recreation Comm ission, one of the first tasks staff would
request the Commission undertake would be a review and revision of the City's tree
ordinance.
Following are the proposed revisions to Section 2607 of the Temple City Municipal
Code, relative to duties of the Parks and Recreation Commission (additions are
underlined and in bold, deletions are struckout):
2607: DUTIES:
The duties of the Parks and Recreat ion Commission shall be as follows :
A. It shall be the continuing duty of the Parks and Recreat ion Commission to
monitor the existing parks and recreation programs and to formulate policy
matters directly to the City Council in respect to the development and
acquisition of park sites , the development, maintenance and general
operation of existing recreation areas and facilities; and the development of
programs such as senior citizens services; transportation; human services ;
youth services; special events, and other communitywide programs and
activities;
B . To act in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to
parks, aM. parks and recreation programs, transportation programs, and
trees and parkways;
C. To act as liaison with the governmental agencies , private social service
agencies, civic groups and citizens in order to establish an ongoing needs
assessment fo r programs and sites , and to coordinate programs for a more
effective delivery of services and reduction of duplication;
D. To advise city staff with respect to matter of administration, development of
park and recreation programs , areas, facilities and services;
E. To make periodic inventories of recreation programs that exists or may be
needed within the city, county or community, to review the needs with city
staff and to advise the City Council accordingly;
City Council
February 5, 2013
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F. To advise city staff concerning the preparation of the annual parks
maintenance, recreation/human services, public transportation , and trees
and parkways program budgets , special projects and long range capital
improvement programs;
G . To review on an as needed basis o rdinances and city policies which relate to
use of city parks and public facilities;
H. To develop, review, recommend and implement community activities that
promote and encourage economic enhancement opportunities-:-~
I. To assist city staff in the development, review, and amendment of a
comprehensive street tree management plan, street tree i nventory,
master street tree list. and landscape plan requirements for private
developments;
J. To recommend specific guidelines for tree maintenance, landscaping
policies, placement and general prun i ng standards for publicly-owned
trees within in the city;
K . To assess the effectiveness of the existing ordinances regulating trees
and recommend tree preservation and enhancement ordinances;
L. Upon request by the City Council or City staff, consider, investigate, and
make findings, reports and recommends upon any special matter o r
question relating to street trees within the city;
M. To hear appeals from residents on city staff decisions regarding denials
of permits for removal or altering of trees in public places, or denials of
permits to plant trees in public places;
N. To help develop and implement educational and other programs
addressing urban forestry issues.
The City Council is requested to review and adopt Ordinance No . 13-966 amending
Section 2607 of Article A of Chapter 6 of Title 2 of the Temple City Municipal Code
amending the duties of the Pa rks and Recreat ion Commission to include management
of the City's urban forestry program .
CONCL USION:
Adoption of Ordinance No . 13-966 will expand the duties of the Parks and Recreation
Commission to include review and oversight of the City's trees and parkways program.
City Cou nc il
February 5 , 201 3
Page 5
FISCAL IMPACT:
If an advisory board is established in support of the City's trees and parkways program ,
regardless of whether it is a standalone commiss ion or those duti es are assigned to the
Parks and Recreation Commission, overtime will need to be paid for support staff (City
Arborist/Lead Tree Trimmer) to attend meetings . The amount is unknown at this time
but is not expected to exceed $1 ,000 per fiscal year. Sufficient funds have been
included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012-13 City budget to cover the additional expense .
ATTACHMENT:
A . Ord inance No. 13-966
ATTACHMENT A
ORDINANCE NO. 13-966
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TEMPLE
CITY AMENDING SECTION 2607 OF THE TEMPLE CITY MUNICIPAL
CODE RELATIVE TO DUTIES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION
COMMISSION
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TEMPLE CITY HEREBY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 2607 of the Temple City Municipal Code is hereby amended to
read as follows . Additions are underlined, and deletions are struckout.
"2607: DUTIES:
The duties of the Parks and Recreation Commission shall be as follows :
A. It shall be the continuing duty of the Parks and Recreation Comm ission to
monitor the existing parks and recreation programs and to formulate policy
matters directly to the City Council in respect to the development and
acquisition of park sites, the development, maintenance and general
operation of existing recreation areas and facilities; and the development of
programs such as senior citizens services; transportation ; human services;
youth services; specia l events , and other communitywide programs and
activ ities;
B . To act in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to
parks._aRG-parks and recreation programs, transportation programs. and
trees and parkways;
C. To act as lia ison with the governmental agencies , private social service
agencies , civ ic groups and citizens in order to establish an ongoing needs
assessment for programs and sites, and to coordinate programs for a more
effective delivery of services and reduction of duplication;
D. To advise city staff with respect to matter of adm inistration , development of
park and recreation programs, areas, facilities and services ;
E. To make periodic inventories of recreation programs that exist or may be
needed within the city, county or community, to review the needs with city
staff and to advise the City Council accordingly;
F. To advise city staff concerning the preparation of the annual parks
maintenance, recreation/human services, public transportation. and trees
and parkways program budgets, special projects and long range capital
i mprovement programs;
G. To review on an as needed basis ordinances and city pol icies which relate
to use of city parks and public facilities ;
H. To develop, review, recommend and imp lement community activit ies that
promote and encourage economic enhancement opportunities~~
Ordinance No. 13 ~966
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I. To assist city staff in the development, review, and amendment of a
comprehensive street tree management plan, street tree inventory, master
street tree list, and landscape plan requirements for private developments;
J . To recommend specific guidelines for tree maintenance, landscaping
policies, placement and general pruning standards for publicly~owned trees
within in the citv:
K. To assess the effectiveness of the existing ordinances regulating trees and
recommend tree preservation and enhancement ordinance s;
L. Upon request by the City Council or City staff, cons ider, investigate, and
make findings, reports and recommends upon any special matter or
question relating to street trees within the c ity;
M . To hear appeals from res idents on city staff decisions regarding denials of
permits for removal or altering of trees in public places, or den ials of p ermits
to plant trees in public places;
N. To help develop and implement educational and other programs addressing
urban forestrv issues."
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the pas sage and adoption of this Ordinance
and shall cause the same to be published according to law.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED on this 19h day of February, 2013.
MAYOR
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM :
City Clerk City Attorney
I, City Clerk of the City of Temple City, hereby cert ify that the foregoing Ordinance No.
13-966 was introduced at the regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Temple City held
on the 5th day of February 2013 and was duly passed, approved and adopted by said Council,
approved and s igned by the Mayor and attested to by the City Clerk at the regular meeting held
on the 19th day of February 2013 by the follow ing vote :
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
Councilman-
Councilman -
Councilman-
City Clerk