HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - October 17, 2001 I-02r AGENDA TITLE: Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Contract with ACRT, Inc. for the Urban Forest Management
Plan and Software; and Appropriate Funds
MEETING DATE: October 17, 2001
PREPARED BY: Public Works Director
RECOMMENDED ACTION: That the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute a contract with ACRT, Inc.
for the Urban Forest Management Plan and software; and appropriate the necessary
funds for the contract.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The City of Lodi Public Works Department Street Division manages the City's trees
located in the public right-of-way and at City facilities (except parks). A modern,
computerized tree inventory and management system would enable our
Tree Operations Supervisor to more effectively manage our approximately 8,000
trees. Implementation of a computerized inventory and management system was approved in the 1999/00 budget at
$31,000, but was delayed, and costs have increased.
ACRT was selected to assist in the effort (Exhibit A). They are a leader in this field and have offices in Lodi. ACRT will
evaluate all street trees for size, health, and value. This evaluation would facilitate management of existing trees through
tracking, scheduling, and documentation of maintenance. ACRT is going to survey the trees with International Society of
Arborists (ISA) -certified arborists. This will provide the City with a very accurate assessment of our urban forest and its
immediate and long-range needs. Additionally, this program will be used for planning replacement of problematic trees,
planning for future improvements, minimizing the spread of potential disease and insect infestations, budget analysis and
forecasts. A staff check of ACRT's California references provided very favorable endorsements.
A properly managed urban forest is a valuable asset to our community, including providing aesthetic appeal, psychological
uplift, historical value, oxygen generation, climate control (absorbing incident solar radiation, cooling through
evapotransportation, blocking radiant heat loss from homes, deflecting winds), minimizing air pollution by removing both solid
and gaseous particles, reducing noise pollution, and enhancing property values. The requested appropriation allows for
software, training, and inventory work. An allowance was made for identification of potential tree -planting sites, thus the
exact cost is unknown. The program will also be available to the Parks Division to evaluate and manage park trees. An
optional cost to evaluate park trees and include them in the initial implementation is also shown as requested by the
City Council at the October 9, 2001 Shirtsleeve Session.
FUNDING: Appropriation:
Street Fund $44,000
Estimated Cost:
Street Trees (approximately 8,000) $28,800
Management Plan 3,500
Software 5,973
Training 2,300
Contingencies (additional trees, sites, misc.) 3,427
$44,000
Optional:
Park Trees (approximately 2,770) $10,000
Parks Minor Capital (has not yet been appropriated)
Budgeted:
1999/01 budget (Page E-8, Capital Improvement Budget)
ing Available:
' ice,
Vicky McAthie, Finance Director
ARichard C. Prima, Jr.
�o �
Roger' Baltz
Public Works Director
Parks and Recreation Director
Attachment
cc: George Bradley, Street Superintendent
Ray Fye, Tree Operations Supervisor Roger Baltz, Parks and Recreation Director
APPROVED:
axon Flynn -- City Manager
CURBANFORESTISSUES 10/11/01
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COST PROPOSAL
Task 1: Tree Inventory
• Tree Inventory using Tree ManagerTM
for Windows® Software $3.10/tree*
• with GPS + 3 ft $3.60/tree*
3
Task'2: Tree Management Plan
Includes separate plans for streets and parks $3,500.00
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Task;: Tree Manager" I for Windows® Software $5,973.00
Options:
On site training (8 hours), installation and 5 copies of manual $2,300.00
ft. $4,80 on-yy—
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—Task 4: r- en-Waet Forester
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* A 20% discount has been applied to each of the Tasks noted.
Prices are effective until December 31, 2000.
Presented by ACRT, INC.
08/22/01
TASK 1: TREE INVENTORY
A. Data Collection Specifications
ACRT will inventory all trees and planting sites on the boulevards and parks in the City of Lodi.
Wooded areas will be inventoried specifically for hazard trees or if there is a situation that
demands clearance trimming, only at the request of City of Lodi staff.
The inventory will include the following types
of information:
• Location
• Tree Identification
• Planting Site Identification
• Size Classification
• Condition Rating
• Maintenance Needs
• Clearance Trim
• Utilities
• Special Work Considerations
B. Data Collection Methodology and Inventory Integrity
ACRT will collect data on hand-held computers using Tree Manager for Windows software.
The data can then be electronically transferred to ACRT's computers for processing. This
procedure eliminates the need to keypunch data from hand,NTitten field notes and has proven to
be a rapid, reliable means of data collection.
ACRT collects your data using.
hand-held microcomputers
A complete list of street and park
names are pre -loaded onto the
computer
Quality control checks for tree
identification are built into the
hand-held computer program
The date and the data collector's
initials are automatically recorded
on the computers
All inventories are backed up daily to ACRT Western Division's main computer
Presented by ACRT, INC. 1
08/22/01
• ACRT conducts a 10 percent quality control check at the start of an inventory
• ACRT uses well trained and experienced personnel to collect the data
TASK 2: TREE MANAGERTm FOR WINDOWSO SOFTWARE
Tree ManagerTM for Windows® is an
urban forestry management program
that allows you to electronically
maintain information about your
urban forest, including work
performed on trees, requests for
service, and to perform daily forestry
operations.
A. Standard Primary
Functions of Tree Manager
• Displays all pertinent
information regarding one tree
(tree/site information, work
history information, and service
request information)
• Maintains information on
removed trees for liability
purposes, population analysis,
and species costing
• Allows the user to enter a
virtually unlimited number of
work history entries per tree
• Stores comments for any tree,
work history, or service requests
• Calculates total tree values
• Can automatically calculate cost
information for crews,
equipment, and materials
• an extensive user friendly on-line help system
• Permits electronic data entry
from some hand-held computers
• Has option to download to
computer for field inspections
and upload from hand-held to PC
to update (add, delete, or change)
information in the PC's master
data files
• Work history windows allose
users to input labor rates and
equipment costs
• Tree Manager for Windows✓
includes
Presented by ACRT, INC. 2
08/22/01
B. Minimum System Requirements
• Intel Pentium 200 MHz processor • 32 megabytes of RAM
• 800 megabytes of free disk space, • Windows® 95/98/NT/2000
For optimal performance, ACRT recommends a Pentium 500 MHz or faster, 2 -gig free disk
space or more, 256 megabytes of RAM, Windows® 98/2000, and a 4 megabyte graphics
accelerator card.
C. Interface to Geographical Information
Systems
Tree Manager software can be used to
interface to the City's Geographical
Information Systems (GIS) such as
ArcViewo, Intergraph®, or MapInfoo.
1l I&MdraC201 -- -
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D. Tree Manager Term's & Conditions
All clients are required to sign an agreement (Attachment). This agreement specifies that the
software may be used by the City and cannot be sold or given to other entities.
E.. Installation and Training
ACRT believes that training, continuing support and development are integral parts of any tree
inventory package. ACRT can provide one to two day workshops for Tree Manager and/or
ArcView®. The training shall ensure competent, comfortable use of the software by staff.
(Please call for pricing.) .
F. Tree Manager Software Support
Included in the Tree Manager software package is 60 days of post -installation telephone support
(not to exceed 10 hours) to answer questions and aid managers in the use of the software system.
Support will also include on-line support via computer modem when necessary if the client
system is properly equipped.
TASK 3: TREE MANAGEMENT PLAN
ACRT will prepare an Inventory Data Analysis and three different proposals for a Tree
Management Plan for review by City of Lodi staff. The plan would include:
• The Goals of the Management Plan
• Survey Results
• Hazard Tree/ Safety Pruning Mitigation Plan
• Routine Maintenance and Planting Recommendations
• Tables and charts of tree species profiles for your City.
• An estimated annual cost to maintain the trees in your City.
The management plan will be based on the results of the inventory and on observations made
while performing the data collection. Data collection procedures and approaches to the study
will be described in detail.
-The analysis will include presentations of tree species population density and diversity along
with physical characteristics of the tree population (diameter, maintenance, etc.) Specific results
of the inventory will be included in graphs, and summary tables within the report. The analysis
of the results*will be used to predict future trends for the City of Lodi's urban forest. The report
will also provide an estimated dollar value. of City trees to indicate. the.monetary benefit. of the
urban forest.
Tree and planting site data will be analyzed using computer summaries of species composition,
size distribution, maintenance - needs, and location. Relationships between these various
parameters will be discussed in terms of -management strategy and long term planning.
Discussion of the results will include identifying trends, potential problems, favorable
conditions, and recommendations to reduce future maintenance costs.
A five-year general vegetation maintenance program for each proposal will be presented to set
priorities to the types of maintenance tasks to be accomplished. This replacement and removal
program will be based upon the survey. This will include tasks to be completed, the quantity of
vegetation 'requiring maintenance, the estimated person -hours, budgets, and the time of year
when these tasks should be completed. Computer listings necessary for completing priority work
will be included. ACRT will include a list of recommended tree species for planting in the City
of Lodi.
Presented by ACRT, INC. 5
08/22/01
ACRT, Inc., (Appraisal, Consulting, Research, and Training) is an international consulting service and training
:)ruanization in the utility and urban forestry, arboricultural, environmental, natural resource, biological, and
horticultural sciences. In 1975, Richard E. Abbott, ACRT's chairman and CEO, started the first national,
commercial, urban forestry consulting firm in North America and, possibly, the world.
Since 1955, ACRT's Utility Services Group has provided contract foresters, tree and brush control operations
preplanners and RAV maintenance inspectors to more than 100 electric utilities nationwide. Among the services
are: prenotification/ permitting of tree owners for trimming and/or removal; line clearance work planning and
scheduling; tree crew inspections and evaluations, and right-of-way management.
ACRT developed Utility Tree''IanagerT�1 for NVindows(R) software for distribution and transmission
management information systems. Also mapping of trees, poles or electric hardware using Global Positioning
Systems (GPS) on distribution and transmission and integration with Utility Tree %Manager.
ACRT is a leader in Tree Growth Regulator (TGR) application and research
ACRT's Offices
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Lodi, California
CITY COUNCIL
ALAN S. NAKANISHI, Mayor
PHILLIP A. PENNING
Mayor Pro Tempore
SUSAN HITCHCOCK
EMILY HOWARD
KEITH LAND
Mr. Ralph Nevill
ACRT, Inc.
P. O. Box 1540
Lodi, CA 95241-1540
CITY OF LODI
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
CITY HALL, 221 WEST PINE STREET
P.O. BOX 3006
LODI, CALIFORNIA 95241-1910
(209)333-6706
FAX (209) 333-6710
EMAIL pwdept@lodi.gov
http:llwww.lodi.gov
October 11, 2001
H. DIXON FLYNN
City Manager
SUSAN J. BLACKSTON
City Clerk
RANDALL A. HAYS
City Attorney
RICHARD C. PRIMA, JR.
Public Works Director
SUBJECT: Urban Forest Issues — Maintenance Management of Public Trees
Enclosed is a copy of background information on an item on the City Council
agenda of Wednesday, October 17, 2001. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the
City Council Chamber, Carnegie Forum, 305 West Pine Street.
This item is on the regular calendar for Council discussion. Please plan to attend to
address any questions the City Council may have. George Bradley, City of Lodi Street
Superintendent, will also be there.
If you wish to write to the City Council, please address your letter to City Council,
City of Lodi, P. O. Box 3006, Lodi, California, 95241-1910. Be sure to allow time for the
mail. Or, you may hand -deliver the letter to City Hall, 221 West Pine Street.
If you wish to address the Council at the Council Meeting, be sure to fill out a speaker's
card (available at the Carnegie Forum immediately prior to the start of the meeting) and
give it to the City Clerk. If you have any questions about communicating with the
Council, please contact Susan Blackston, City Clerk, at 333-6702.
If you have any questions about the item itself, please call George Bradley at 333-6740.
Richard C. Prima, Jr.
Public Works Director
RCP/1m
Enclosure
cc: City Clerk
NCURBANFORESTISSUES