Explanation
This ordinance is to authorize the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to enter into two contracts, one with Davey Resource Group ($111,125.00) and the second with Urban Canopy Works ($93,500.00) to perform a city-wide analysis and management plan for the city’s urban forest. The results of these contracts will guide the department’s tree planting program going forward, maximizing the benefit these assets provide to the residents of Columbus.
Background: Columbus Recreation and Parks has been researching a solution to proactively manage the city’s trees, known as its urban forest, for the past year and a half. The 2015 Urban Tree Canopy Assessment found that only 22% of Columbus is covered by trees, substantially less than comparable cities such as Cincinnati (38%) and Pittsburgh (42%). Our canopy is vulnerable to threats such as disease, pests, the changing climate, and increased development. Columbus needs a master plan to comprehensively assess our current conditions and recommend how to manage our trees for a healthy, long-lived urban canopy to benefit current and future residents. This master plan will engage stakeholders, both internal and external to city departments, review current operations and policies impacting trees, and recommend strategies to improve Columbus’ urban forest over the next decades. Implementation of the Columbus Urban Forestry Master Plan will impact all residents by improving the city’s trees.
Trees provide tangible benefits to Columbus residents. The 14th largest city in the nation, Columbus is home to over 880,000 people. Columbus had the 8th most intense urban heat island effect of major US cities, impacting health, energy use, and water quality. The recently published Columbus Climate Action Plan recommends planting trees as a solution. Street trees are the workhorses. They clean our air, reduce heat, and absorb stormwater. In an Ohio summer, trees provide the shade that makes walking outside bearable.
Trees also pay for themselves. A USDA Forest Service analysis found that trees provided net benefits in all 5 cities studied, as noted in Figure 1 attached at the end of the document (McPherson et al, 2006). Tree-lined streets beautify Columbus and improve our residents’ quality of life, creating many benefits that improve public health. The city’s urban forest, both public and private trees, are important assets that make our city vibrant and healthy.
Formal Requests for Proposals were advertised through Vendor Services, in accordance with City Code Section 329, on May 22, 2019, and received by the Recreation and Parks Department on June 12, 2019. Proposals were received from the following companies:
Company Stauts
Community Forestry Consultants, (Spokane, WA) MAJ
Urban Canopy Works, (Cincinnati, OH) FBE, WBE
American Forests, (Washington, DC) non-profit
Davey Resource Group, (Kent, OH) MAJ
In accordance with City Code, a selection team evaluated the proposals and recommended that it would be beneficial for the city to contract with both Davey Resource Group and Urban Canopy Works to complete the master plan. The firms were chosen based on their extensive reference projects, experience, qualifications, availability, timeline, and project approach.
The firms chosen will contracted separately to perform individualized tasks:
Davey Resource Group will lead the forest inventory and assessment, internal protocols and operations of the city’s trees, legal and code analysis, threat assessments, and data management improvements. Urban Canopy Works will lead the engagement process with a diverse range of stakeholders, including environmental organizations, city departments, public-at-large, private development, and infrastructure owners affecting the health and welfare of the urban forest.
The timeline of the project is set to commence in October of 2019 through July of 2020.
The deliverables to the city will be a comprehensive “State of Columbus’ Urban Forest” combined with a concise, consensus-built “Action Plan” of tasks to protect, maintain, and expand the city’s tree canopy.
Principal Parties:
Davey Resource Group
1500 North Mantua Street
Kent, OH 44240
330.329.8274
Contact:
Shirley Vaughn
shirley.vaughn@davey.com <mailto:shirley.vaughn@davey.com>
Contract Compliance # 82-1948528
Urban Canopy Works
11424 US Highway 42
Union, KY 41091
859.493.4132
Contact:
Jenny Gullick
jenny@urbancanopyworks.com <mailto:jenny@urbancanopyworks.com>
Contract Compliance # 82-4852065
Emergency Justification: An emergency is being requested in that it is immediately necessary to enter into said contracts to complete the master plan by July, 2020 as part of the Mayor’s Sustainable Columbus 2020 Initiative.
Benefits to the Public: Trees provide tangible benefits to Columbus residents. The 14th largest city in the nation, Columbus is home to over 880,000 people. Columbus had the 8th most intense urban heat island effect of major US cities impacting health, energy use, and water quality. The recently published Columbus Climate Action Plan recommends planting trees as a solution. Street trees are the workhorses. They clean our air, reduce heat, and absorb stormwater. In an Ohio summer, trees provide the shade that makes walking outside bearable. Trees should be equitably distributed across the city, so all residents benefit.
Community Input/Issues: The project received support from the Far East Area Commission, Friends of Blacklick Creek, and the landowner. During the past decade, residents in these communities, and the city at large, has expressed strong priority for more protected stream corridors, headwater tributaries, access to nature, walking paths, and urban forest conservation.
Area(s) Affected: All communities
Master Plan Relation: Conserving, protecting, and enhancing the city’s natural resources and overall environmental health for this and future generations.
Fiscal Impact: $204,625.00 is budgeted and available in the Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund 7747 to meet the financial obligations of these contracts.
Title
To authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into two contracts, one with Davey Resource Group ($111,125.00) and Urban Canopy Works ($93,500.00) to perform a city-wide analysis and management plan for the city’s urban forest; to authorize the City Auditor to appropriate $37,397.23 to the Recreation and Parks Bond Permanent Improvement Fund; to authorize the transfer of $204,625.00 between projects within the Recreation and Parks Bond Permanent Improvement Fund; to amend the 2019 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1326-2019; to authorize the expenditure of $204,625.00 from the from the Recreation and Parks Voted Permanent Improvement Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($204,625.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize and direct the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into two contracts, one with Davey Resource Group ($111,125.00) and Urban Canopy Works ($93,500.00) to perform a city-wide analysis and management plan for the city’s urban forest; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the appropriation of $37,397.23 between projects within the Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer of $204,625.00 between projects within the Recreation and Parks Bond Permanent Improvement Fund 7747; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize that the 2019 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1326-2019 be amended in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this legislation and future projects; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $204,625.00 from the Recreation and Parks Voted Permanent Improvement Fund 7747; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is immediately necessary to complete the master plan by July, 2020 as part of the Mayor’s Sustainable Columbus 2020 Initiativethereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Recreation and Parks is authorized to enter into two contracts, one with Davey Resource Group ($111,125.00) and Urban Canopy Works ($93,500.00) to perform a city-wide analysis and management plan for the city’s urban forest.
SECTION 2. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 5. That the appropriation of $37,397.23 is authorized within the Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund 7747 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the transfer of $204,625.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within the Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund 7747 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 7. That the 2019 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1326-2019 is hereby amended as follows in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this ordinance and future projects.
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Change / Amended
Fund 7747; P510042-100000; Parkland Dedication - Clintonville (Carryover) / $175,296 / ($8,414) / $166,882
Fund 7747; P510043-100000; Parkland Dedication - Downtown (Carryover) / $2,720 / ($131) / $2,589
Fund 7747; P510044-100000; Parkland Dedication - Eastland/Brice (Carryover) / $37,016 / ($1,777) / $35,239
Fund 7747; P510046-100000; Parkland Dedication - Far East (Carryover) / $57,314 / ($2,751) / $54,563
Fund 7747; P510047-100000; Parkland Dedication - Far North (Carryover) / $1,158,392 / ($55,603) / $1,102,789
Fund 7747; P510048-100000; Parkland Dedication - Far Northwest (Carryover) / $262,500 / ($12,600) / $249,900
Fund 7747; P510049-100000; Parkland Dedication - Far South (Carryover) / $2,391 / (115) / $2,276
Fund 7747; P510050-100000; Parkland Dedication - Far West (Carryover) / $197,632 / ($9,486) / $188,146
Fund 7747; P510051-100000; Parkland Dedication - Franklinton (Carryover) / $96 / ($5) / $91
Fund 7747; P510052-100000; Parkland Dedication - Greenlawn/Frank Rd (Carryover) / $4,973 / ($239) / $4,734
Fund 7747; P510053-100000; Parkland Dedication - Hayden Run (Carryover) / $338,702 / ($16,257) / $322,445
Fund 7747; P510055-100000; Parkland Dedication - Near East (Carryover) / $114,970 / ($5,519) / $109,451
Fund 7747; P510056-100000; Parkland Dedication - Near North/University (Carryover) / $212,489 / ($10,199) / $202,290
Fund 7747; P510057-100000; Parkland Dedication - Near South (Carryover) / $3,608 / ($173) / $3,435
Fund 7747; P510058-100000; Parkland Dedication - North Linden (Carryover) / $359 / ($17) / $342
Fund 7747; P510059-100000; Parkland Dedication - Northeast (Carryover) / $16,150 / ($775) / $15,375
Fund 7747; P510060-100000; Parkland Dedication - Northland (Carryover) / $27,187 / ($1,305) / $25,882
Fund 7747; P510061-100000; Parkland Dedication - Northwest (Carryover) / $37,461 / ($1,798) / $35,663
Fund 7747; P510062-100000; Parkland Dedication - Rickenbacker (Carryover) / $34,381 / ($1,650) / $32,731
Fund 7747; P510063-100000; Parkland Dedication - Rocky Fork-Blacklick (Carryover) / $583,820 / ($28,023) / $555,797
Fund 7747; P510064-100000; Parkland Dedication - South Linden (Carryover) / $869 / ($42) / $827
Fund 7747; P510065-100000; Parkland Dedication - Southeast (Carryover) / $53,398 / ($2,563) / $50,835
Fund 7747; P510066-100000; Parkland Dedication - West Olentangy (Carryover) / $84,929 / ($4,077) / $80,852
Fund 7747; P510067-100000; Parkland Dedication - West Scioto (Carryover) / $201,467 / ($9,670) / $191,797
Fund 7747; P510068-100000; Parkland Dedication - Westland (Carryover) / $633,727 / ($30,419) / $603,308
Fund 7747; P747999-100000; Unallocated Balance Fund 7747 (Carryover) / $135,872 / ($1,017) / $134,855
Fund 7747; P511012-100001; Street Trees - Urban Forestry Master Plan (Carryover) / $0 / $204,625 / $204,625
SECTION 8. For the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $204,625.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the cost thereof, be and is hereby authorized from the Recreation and Parks Voted Permanent Improvement Fund 7747 in object class 06 Capital Outlay per the accounting codes in the attachments to this ordinance.
SECTION 9. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or 10 days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.