For City Council Meeting September 23, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Tanya Williams, City Manager
AUTHOR: Tim Sullivan, Assistant City Manager
Title
Request City Council to: (1) Adopt Resolution No. 8410 Accepting the Urban and Community Forestry Grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in the Amount of $789,500; (2) Authorize the First Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with West Coast Arborist for the Tree Inventory and the Development of the City of Rialto’s Urban Forest Management Plan in the Amount of $191,680; (3) Authorize the Release of a Request for Bids for Tree Planting, Distribution, and Tree Care; and (4) Authorize the City Manager or Their Designee to Execute all Related Documents.
(ACTION)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1) Adopt a resolution accepting the Urban and Community Forestry Grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in the amount of $789,500;
2) Authorize the first amendment to the professional services agreement with West Coast Arborist for the tree inventory and the development of the City of Rialto’s Urban Forest Management Plan in the amount of $191,680;
3) Authorize the release of a request for bids for tree planting, distribution, and tree care; and
4) Authorize the City Manager or their designee to execute all related documents.
BACKGROUND
On April 23, 2024, the City Council authorized staff to submit a grant application to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program, in partnership with TreePeople, to develop the City of Rialto’s Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP).
The CalFire 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 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 an 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 that will include 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, stormwater and air pollution mitigation, and improve walkability. The completed UFMP will also guide tree planting sites and species selection.
The grant application was completed in partnership with TreePeople, a Southern California non-profit that recently partnered with the City to plant over 300 street and park trees.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
On December 10, 2024, CalFire notified staff that the City’s grant application was selected for funding. The approved amount is $789,500, under the Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program through the Inflation Reduction Act funding from the United States Department of Agriculture. A copy of the grant award notification is included as Attachment 1.
Shortly after the award notice, staff was informed that due to the Federal funding freeze ordered on January 27, 2025, several federally funded grant programs were impacted, including the CalFire Urban and Community Forestry Management Plan Grant. As a result, progress was paused until further guidance, delaying the initiation of program activities.
On July 24, 2025, a kick-off meeting was held between City staff and CalFire to discuss grant guidelines and requirements, and to initiate grant activities. This kick-off meeting included reviewing CalFire's Initial Grant Project Meeting Checklist, which upon signature, established the official notice to proceed date.
As part of the development of City’s UFMP, a tree inventory and assessment also has to be completed. The City of Rialto currently has an existing tree maintenance agreement with West Coast Arborist, Inc. (WCA) that was awarded by the City Council on May 28, 2024. As part of the Request for Bids that led to this agreement, WCA also submitted alternative bids for two additional services as follows:
The costs outlined in the Request for Bids (RFB) remain valid for these two additional services. Therefore, it is recommended that the City authorize a first amendment with WCA in the amount of $191,680 for additional services as identified as part of this grant. A copy of the amendment is included as Attachment 2.
Throughout the development of the UFMP and the tree planting initiatives, the City and its contractors will educate the community on grant activities, tree care, and urban forest management. Collaboration with schools, community groups, and local businesses will encourage the involvement of community stakeholders. Moreover, the City and its contractors will conduct a series of educational workshops, public meetings, and volunteer tree planting events to foster community engagement.
In addition to the amendment, staff is seeking approval to release a RFB for three specific initiatives:
The RFB is designed to encompass all related costs and project management requirements, ensuring a comprehensive budget approach that maximizes the impact of available grant funding.
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 resolution and approved it as to form.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
Operating Budget Impact
The total estimated project cost is $849,212. The grant funding revenue has been budgeted into the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Grants Project Fund, Account No. 22234424-47536, in the amount of $789,500. The grant expenditure appropriation was budgeted in the Grants Project fund Account No. 22234424-52011.
Staff recommends the adoption of a budget resolution appropriating funds in the General Fund, Account No. 10107304-52011, in the amount of $59,712 as the required local match for this grant-funded project.
Upon adoption of the requested budget resolution, the first amendment to the professional services agreement with WCA will be funded from Grants Project Fund Account No. 22234424-52011 in the amount of $178,202.10, and $13,477.90 from the General Fund, Account No. 10107304-52011.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
This action has no impact on the Capital Improvement Budget.
Licensing
The proposed action will require West Coast Arborists to pay a Business License Tax prior to commencing services for this project.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Award Notification Letter
2. West Coast Arborist First Amendment
3. Resolution