For City Council Meeting May 26, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Tanya Williams, City Manager
FROM: Yazdan Emrani, P.E., Director of Public Works
Title
Request City Council to: (1) Award a Contract Services Agreement with West Coast Arborist, a California Corporation, in the Amount of $550,000 for the Implementation of the Urban Forestry Management Plan, City Project No. 25041; and (2) Authorize the City Manager or Their Designee to Execute all Related Documents.
(ACTION)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1) Award a contract services agreement with West Coast Arborist (WCA) in the amount of $550,000 for the implementation of the Urban Forest Management Plan, City Project No. 25041.
2) Authorize the City Manager or their designee to execute all related documents.
BACKGROUND
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program strives to increase the long-term benefits of trees, improve the public’s understanding and appreciation of urban trees, and promote effective urban forest management and tree care. The objective of this grant is to develop a comprehensive Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) to increase tree benefits, reduce risk, ensure cost-efficient maintenance, and promote community engagement.
As a part of this grant, the City will complete a comprehensive tree canopy assessment and tree inventory, develop a UFMP, conduct tree plantings within the City’s right-of-way and parks system, and host public tree giveaways. The UFMP will serve as a guiding document, including a shared vision for the City’s urban forest, an inventory assessment, quantified urban forest benefits, strategic plans, routine maintenance procedures, a street tree planting plan, and an evaluation component. A key goal is to increase Citywide canopy cover to maximize urban cooling, mitigate stormwater and air pollution, and improve walkability. The completed UFMP will also guide the selection of tree-planting sites and species.
On April 23, 2024, the City Council authorized staff to submit a grant application to the CAL FIRE Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program to develop the City of Rialto’s UFMP, and on December 10, 2024, CAL FIRE notified staff that the City’s grant application was selected for award in the amount of $789,500.
On September 23, 2025, the City Council accepted the Urban and Community Forestry Grant, approved the First Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with West Coast Arborist to conduct a tree inventory and develop the UFMP, in the amount of $191,680, and authorized staff to release a Request for Bids (RFB) to implement the Urban Forest Management Plan.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
As part of the First Amendment to the Professional Services agreement, WCA is conducting a comprehensive tree survey through field data collection and will inventory GPS locations and attributes for all the City’s tree locations and planting sites.
On October 1, 2025, the City issued RFB No. 26-006 to implement the UFMP. The RFB was designed to encompass all costs and project management requirements for implementing the UFMP as part of the grant-funded project.
The City received two bid proposals, including one from TreePeople. Staff reviewed the proposals for compliance with the RFB and recommended award of a Contract Services Agreement to TreePeople. On February 10, 2026, the City received notification from TreePeople stating their intention to withdraw their bid proposal.
On April 3, 2026, the City released the new RFB No. 26-026 for the implementation of the UFMP and received one bid proposal. WCA’s bid abstract is included as Attachment 1. Staff reviewed the proposals for compliance with the RFB and is recommending award of a Contract Services Agreement to WCA.
A copy of the Contract Services Agreement is included as Attachment 2, and a Conflict Disclosure is included as Attachment 3, for the services identified below, upon completion of the tree inventory and approval of the planting sites.
1. Tree Planting: Tree planting activities will include planting 500 new trees in the City’s right-of-way and parks system.
2. Tree Care: Ongoing tree care will include regular site visits, watering, re-staking, and re-mulching as needed for 1.5 years following the planting of the trees.
3. Tree Distribution & Community Engagement: 250 fruit and shade trees will be distributed to residents during the City’s community events. Community engagement activities include outreach and education activities.
4. Reporting: WCA will be responsible for maintaining detailed records and submitting regular reports to the City to ensure compliance with the CAL FIRE Urban and Community Forestry grant. Reports must meet CAL FIRE’s standards and timelines and include complete and accurate documentation of all activities performed under the contract to support successful program delivery.
Timeline
The anticipated project timeline for the City of Rialto is as follows:
Winter 2025 - Winter 2027 Tree Inventory update & UFMP Development
Winter 2026 - Winter 2027 Tree Distribution
Spring 2026 - Fall 2027 Tree Planting
Spring 2026 - Spring 2028 Tree Care
Ongoing Community Engagement
March 2028 Grant Performance Period Ends
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed request is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The City of Rialto General Plan establishes various guiding principles, goals, and objectives through which the City looks to improve the community and protect the quality of life for our residents. This action is consistent with Guiding Principle 3 in the General Plan:
“Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.”
This action is also consistent with the following goal and policy:
Goal 2-12: Design streetscapes in Rialto to support and enhance the City’s image as a desirable place to live, work, shop, and dine.
Policy 2-12.4: Incorporate street trees and other landscape treatments along corridors to provide sufficient shade canopy and promote pedestrian comfort.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the agreement and approved it as to form.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
The total estimated project cost for the City of Rialto Urban Forest Management Plan is $849,212. The project is currently being funded by the Grants Project Fund, Account No. 22234424-52011, in the amount of $789,500, and the General Fund Account 10107304-52011 in the amount of $59,712.
Upon City Council approval, the Contract Services Agreement with WCA will be budgeted in the Grants Project Fund Account No. 22234424-52011-05 in the amount of $550,000.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
This action has no impact on the Capital Improvement Budget.
Licensing
WCA will pay a Business License tax prior to the execution of the Contract Services Agreement.
Attachments
1. BID Abstract
2. Contract Services Agreement Draft
3. Conflict Disclosure Form