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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/26/25 3:30 CC AGENDA PACKET REGUALR (183 BAKERSFIELD CITY COUNCIL POST-MEETING AGENDA BAKERSFIELD REGULAR MEETING March 26, 2025, 3:30 p.m. Council Chambers, City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Avenue 1. ROLL CALL 2. PUBLIC STATEMENTS a. Non-Agenda Item Public Statements *1. Written material provided by Eddy Laine *2. Written material provided by Eddy Laine b. Agenda Item Public Statements 3. REPORTS a. Administrative Citations Process Update and Automation Proposal. (All Wards) Staff recommends approval and authorization to automate the Administrative Citation process. *1. PowerPoint presentation 4. CLOSED SESSION a. Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation; Closed Session pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1) regarding Jonathan Wharton v. City of Bakersfield, et al. Kern County Superior Court Case No. BCV-23-103909 5. CLOSED SESSION ACTION 6. ADJOURNMENT Rec'd & Placed on file at City j Council Meeting of: Date: �o f5- Time: 3 !° Agenda Item: 3 Submitted by: C-D)OV "We s. 41 I C K �NEAH CHAPTER DIALOGUE ABOUT TREES IN BAKERSFIELD Welcome to a monthly dialogue about tree issues in the City of Bakersfield. On the last Thursday or Friday of each month the Sierra Club, Kern-Kaweah Chapter will be sponsoring an open-ended discussion about tree issues in the City of Bakersfield. These will be Zoom informational meetings which will last for not than one hour. Host for Zoom meetings will be Sierra Club Member Amy Jayasena. Zoom Information: Meeting ID: 884 1665 0610 Passcode: 225287 Who is invited? Anyone interested in tree issues. Topic of Thursday,March 27, 2025 meeting (at 2:00 P.M.): The Development and Implementation of the Urban Forest Management Plan by the City of Fresno. Participating will be Erika Pelayo-Lopez,Community Coordinator from the City of Fresno Department of Public Works and the landscape manager from the City. She will provide information about: 1. Community groups/collaborators involved and process involved in the development of the Plan—as well as on-going participation and management reporting/follow-up(measurable objectives). 2. How the Plan addresses the heat island effect. 3. Tree canopy issues(current coverage and goals—including tree selection). 4. Special tree issues in Disadvantaged Communities within the City of Fresno. 5. Tree trimming and removal practices/procedures—including in streetscapes, public parks and private property(such as shopping centers—and even private homes). 6. City staff and/or contractors involvement in implementing the Plan. Her presentation will take approximately 20-30 minutes—much of which will be a review of the Urban Forest Management Plan—again, its origin and implementation. The remainder of the hour will be open-ended dialogue with participants. Students are encouraged to participate. Notes will be taken and shared with all who might be interested--members of the Bakersfield City Council, Bakersfield City staff,the newly formed Bakersfield Tree Advisory Committee, California State University Bakersfield faculty,staff and students who signed on to the November 6, 2024 list of recommendations provided to the City Council (see attached),the California Native Plant Society,the Kern River Parkway Foundation,Audubon or Kern and other community-based organizations as well as individuals who have expressed interest in tree issues in the City of Bakersfield. Questions/comments? Eddy Laine,Member, Executive Committee,Sierra Club, Kern-Kaweah Chapter eddylaineC_aol.com (661)345-4736 Page 2 of 22 Rec'd & Placed on file at City Council Meeting of: Date: Z(o ZS Time: Agenda Item: 3 A 11/06/2024 Submitted by: Eppy �A�iVE Topic: Increasing Tree canopy in the City of Bakersfield: Urban Forest To: Mayor K. Goh and Members of the City Council The City of Bakersfield was named this year as a 2023 Tree City by the Arbor Tree Foundation, a global tree planting and non-profit organization, sponsored by the Tree City USA program (Tree Planting Nonprofit I Arbor Day Foundation,Tree City USA at arborday.org, Bakersfield named 2023 Tree City: Arbor Day Foundation I KGET 17).This is certainly a credit to the city and its many functionaries as this award recognizes Bakersfield's past efforts and commitments to effective urban forest management,which should include: 1. Maintaining a tree board or department 2. Having a tree care ordinance 3. Having an annual community forestry budget of at least$2/capita 4. Hosting an Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation Day We appreciate the City's vision and planned efforts to improve its urban forest management and that the many benefits and ecosystem services provided by urban trees were recognized in the Bakersfield Tree Care Plan. As it says in the plan "Trees are a major capital asset to the city and like any asset,they require appropriate care and protection".Trees combat heat, provide oxygen, provide ecological services, enhance biodiversity, and make our city more beautiful. Given our location in the Central Valley,these functions are critical.The Bakersfield Tree Care plan is appreciative of all these qualities and necessities of urban forestry. The Bakersfield Tree Care Plan also includes a list of good recommendations that are essential for a sustainable and well-managed urban forest.These include an update of the city's tree j ordinance,increase in the urban tree canopy in general, especially in parks(p.38), as well as expansion of staff and development of a financially sound program to implement success (pp. 36- 45). Recommendation#5(p. 43) in the Bakersfield Tree Care Plan is referred to as critical because it aims to foster partnerships and gain support from the community.This is vital to any public policy intervention, and we appreciate the city's recognition of it. To support the City of Bakersfield's efforts,we would like to urge the city to meet its , commitments and re-envision its plans, considering some of the observations and recommendations belowthat are drawn from neighboring cities in the Central Valley. A good first step is to recognize that previous efforts to provide that care were insufficient, leading to Bakersfield lagging far behind the efforts of other cities in the Central Valley such as Sacramento, Fresno, and Visalia.These cities have a mean tree canopy coverage of about 2% compared to Bakersfield with an average of 0.65%(Bakersfield's Central City and Citywide Tree Plan, p.18-19).While the city recognizes the need for urban forestry,there is a lag between the vision and the implementation, and this letter is an attempt to move past this impasse. The signatories of this letter to the Mayor and City council members would like to draw attention to the following recommendations. Page 3 of 22 i t 1. While many recommendations in Bakersfield's Central City and Citywide Tree Plan are good,the plan would benefit from a more detailed implementation and monitoring plan. Therefore, consider following the Implementation Plan for short term, medium term, and Long-term actions, and the Monitoring Plan, including an assessment of methodology and achievement of goals over time as outlined in the detailed model of the Urban Forest Management Plan of the City of Fresno, explicitly the Strategic Plan with its guiding principles(link to the plan below).We urge the city to reexamine Bakersfield's'Central City and Citywide Tree Plan and to possibly draw upon Fresno's Urban Forest Management Plan. 2. Determine the percentage of tree coverage for the City of Bakersfield. How many trees need to be planted each year to reach a certain percentage of canopy coverage by 2030(City of Fresno's goal is 20%)? 3. We urge the city to connect to the City of Fresno and a. talk to members of the working group (page vii in the plan)who contributed to the City of Fresno Urban Forest Management Plan to learn about challenges, setbacks, successes, recommendations etc. b. observe the appearance and health of trees first-hand,which will reflect the success of good stewardship and tree maintenance as described in the plan. 4. Instead of using mostly ornamental trees (as indicated in both the Bakersfield and the Fresno plan), use a list of Kern County native trees and shrubs for re-vegetation efforts and tree planting. Consideration should be given to plants'drought tolerance and skill at adapting to climate change. 5. Experts from the California Native Ptant Society can provide a list of such plants. 5. Increase efforts to support tree planting in Disadvantaged Communities (DACs)that suffer the most from the urban heat island effects. 6. Tree maintenance: a. Follow the American National Standards Institute(ANSI)standards on all points.Thus, Arborists adhering to the ANSI A300 pruning standard will not: leave branch stubs make unnecessary heading cuts - cut off the branch collar(not make a flush cut) top or lion's tail trees(stripping a branch from the inside leaving foliage just at the ends) remove more than 25 percent of the foliage of a single branch remove more than 25 percent of the total tree foliage in a single year - damage other parts of the tree during pruning - use wound paint prune without a good reason climb the tree with climbing spikes (fps ll)� yw tcia Qrg/TCIA/TCIA/B[Qg Items/2016/Tree Pruning to ANSI Standards asox). The points in bold are of particular concern of not being followed.We are concerned that Bakersfield's low tree cover is in part because of poor tree maintenance: mainly due to Page 4 of 22 i excessive pruning that is leading to tree's loss of ecological services (e.g. shade and cooling effect, habitat for animals), not being able to deal with the effects of climate change (excessive heat, and reduced water availability), leading to stunted growth, premature death, and ultimately the removal of the tree. b. Cost-effective and sustainable tree management requires unbiased assessment and oversight by a certified arborist(present during tree maintenance efforts) and biologist, as well as regular reporting on tree pruning and removal with justification. c. For each tree to be removed, at least one new tree needs to be planted. d. Develop a policy to protect mature trees on private property. e. Establish a committee composed of community members, experts in the field, and representatives of city departments,which meets regularly to support the implementation and overall success of the plan. None of the members on this committee should have a conflict of interest, such as receiving funding from the City of Bakersfield for services rendered. We are deeply appreciative of the work accomplished by the functionaries of the city, but we need to recognize how we may do better.The fact that there is a community of signatories and potentially others show the level of support the citywill receive for such an initiative.This wilt truly be a remarkable community-driven, and city-supported partnership for a better Bakersfield.While we have the award,we are now responsible for living up to its promise. Scientific references about the value of an urban forest are plentiful in the literature. For example: Urban trees area significant source of environmental amenities and ecosystem services. These act as air pollutant sinks (Jones and McDermott 2018), sequestering carbon (Nowak and Crane 2002), reducing energy use through tree shade (Akbari 2002), serving as natural habitats for species (Alvey 2006), and by promoting outdoor recreation and exercise (Lupp et at. 2016). Sincerely, Antje Lauer(CSUB) Gitika Commuri (CSUB) LIST OF SUPPORTERS CSUB Faculty&Staff Dr. Antje Lauer, CSUB, Department of Biology Dr. Gitika Commuri, CSUB, Department of Political Science Dr. Mark Martinez, CSUB, Department of Political Science Page 5 of 22 l Dr. MichaeLAult, CSUB, Department of Political Science Dr. Dirk Horn, CSUB, Department of Political Science Dr. Chandra Commuri, CSUB, Department of Public Policy&Administration Dr.Sumita Sarma, CSUB, Department of Management&Marketing Dr.Janet Armentor, CSUB, Department of Sociology Dr.John B. Stark, CSUB, Department of Management&Marketing Dr.Stephen Allen, CSUB, Department of History Dr. Manuel Barrera, CSUB, Office of Grants, Research, and Sponsored Programs Dr. Isolde Francis, CSUB, Department of Biology Dr. Maria Palaiologou, CSUB, Department of Philosophy&Religious Studies Dr. Maureen E. Rush, CSUB, Department of Mathematics Dr. John Deal, CSUB, Department of Economics Dr.Jackie Kegley, CSUB, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Dr. Charles Lam,CSUB, Department of Mathematics Dr. David Gove, Department of Mathematics Matthew Woodman, CSUB, Department of English MicaeLa Yanez, CSU B, Department of Political Science Michelle Cross, Department of Mathematics Dr. Bilin Zeng, CSUB, Department of Mathematics Dr.Jing Wang, CSUB, Department of Accounting Dr. Nate Olson, CSUB, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Alondra MonreaL CSUB, Department of Economics Dr.Anjana Yatawara, CSUB, Department of Mathematics Dr.Stafford Betty, Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies Dr.Jeanine Kraybill, CSUB, Department of Political Science Dr. Ivy CargiL, CSUB, Department of Political Science Dr. Richard Gearhart, CSUB, Department of Economics Dr. Marisa Sanchez, CSUB, Department of Sociology Dr. Nyakundi Michieka, CSUB, Department of Economics Page 6 of 22 Dr. Richard Ryan, CSUB, Department of Economics Dr. Sean A.Wempe, CSUB, Department of History Dr.Joseph Florez, CSUB, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Dr. Rae McNeish,CSUB, Department of Biology Dr. Lucas Hall, CSUB, Department of Biology Dr. Carl Kloock, CSUB, Department of Biology Dr. Creed Tumlison, CSUB, Department of Public Policy and Administration Christopher B. Livingston, CSUB, Historical Research Center Walter Stiern Library Dr. Rebecca Weller, CSUB, Department of Art and Art History Dr.Zachary Zenko,CSUB, Department of Kinesiology Kristi J. Chavez, CSUB,Walter W. Stiern Library Bianca Moreno,CSUB, Department of Communications Joe Ren, CSUB, Department of Communications Luis Hernandez, CSUB,Academic Advising, College of Business and Public Administration Dr.Amber Stokes, CSUB, Department of Biology Dr. Kate Mulry, CSUB, Department of History � Dr. Di Wu, CSUB, Department of Accounting and Finance Dr.Ji Li, CSUB, Department of Accounting and Finance Dr. Mansik Hur, CSUB, Department of Management and Marketing Dr.Aaron Hegde, CSUB, Department of Economics Dr.Javier Trigos-Arrieta, Department of Mathematics Kim Mishkind, CSUB, Department of Management&Marketing Dr Pratigya Sidgal, CSUB, Department of Management and Marketing Dr. Mohammed Naser, CSUB, Department of Communications Dr. Senem Saner, CSUB, Philosophy and Religious Studies Department Page 7 of 22 Dr.Ankita Agarwal, CSUB, Department of Management&Marketing s Mrs. Katherine Van Grinsven, CSUB, Office of the Academic Senate CSUB Students Alexandra Brown, Graduate Student,CSUB, Department of Biology Alexandra Martinez Serrato, Political Science Ryan Keith Whiteford,Agriculture Business Tyrese Johnson, Political Science Margarita Ruiz, Political Science Aureo Jacome, Marketing Isabelle Blanco,Agriculture Business Steven Contreras, Political Science Alondra Garcia Cortez, Political Science Christian Quezada, Political Science Jose Angel Sanchez Cortez, Kinesiology Lia Limon, Political Science Kahlan Wallace, Political Science Linda Anderson, Geology, CSUB Alumnus Katie Blanco, Political Science Evelyn Duran, Political Science Katelynn Veith, Social Science Teaching Noah Felix,Computer Science Information Mateo Abonce Sanchez, Political Science Nicole Rodriguez Juarez, Political Science Viridiana Santa Cruz, Political Science Yovana Milian, Political Science Giselle Alamillo, Pre-health Major Noah Canchola, Political Science Page 8 of 22 i Donald Kirk, Political Science, Alumnus Anthonio Reyes, Music Education Emelia Reed, Liberal Studies Aydan Starman, Business Administration Cassandra Alvarez, Political Science Angel Estrada, Computer Science Ruby De Santiago, Political Science Concerned Groups and Residents Chris Cruz-Boone, Bakersfield College Department of Communication Eddie Laine,Sierra Club, Executive Committee, Kern-Kaweah Chapter Sharon Briel, R.D., Sierra Club, Executive Committee, Kern-Kaweah Chapter Joyce Hulen, Member, Buena Vista Group, Sierra Club, Kern-Kaweah Chapter Eva Nipp, Member,Sierra Club, Kern-Kaweah Chapter Mary Helen Barro, President, League of Women Voters of Kern County Reyna Olaguez, Building Healthy Communities Kern Marci Cunningham, Kern Equestrians for the Preservation of Trails Lucy Clark, Member, California Native Plant Society, Kern Chapter Dinah Campbell, Member, California Native Plant Society, Kern Chapter Fred Chynoweth, Member, California Native Plant Society, Kern Chapter Monica Tudor, Member, California Native Plant Society, Kern Chapter Harry Love, Member, Kern Audubon i Patricia and Larry Mumford, Members, Kern Audubon and California Native Plant Society, Kern Chapter Pat Nolan, Member,Sierra Club, Kern-Kaweah Chapter Brooke Malley Ault,School Counselor, KHSD, and BCSD Trustee Area 5 Trevor Hensley, Southern California Gas,Software Engineer Daniel Rodela, Community Organizer, Faith in the Valley Maria Polite, Member, Buena Vista Group,Sierra Club, Kern-Kaweah Chapter Margie Bell, Chair, Buena Vista Group,Sierra Club, Kern-Kaweah Chapter Page 9 of 22 Stephen Montgomery Ashley Vega Lisa Tabassi Robin Walters David and Harriet Schaad Bob and Kristie Coons June Braun Bill Tatro Becky Larson Tree Management Plan References City of Bakersfield, Central City&Citywide Tree Plan,July 2024, available at: https //conteht civicpLus com/api/assets/940adlfd-4435-4a52-aaaa- 58b118de4acc?cache=1800 City of Fresno, Urban Forest Management Plan, February 2024, available at: https //www fresno gov/wp content/unloads/2024/06/Fresno-UFMP-Final.pdf Scientific References Akbari, H. (2002). Shade trees reduce building energy use and CO2 emissions from power plants. Environmental pollution, 116, S119-S126. Alvey,A.A. (2006). Promoting and preserving biodiversity in the urban forest. Urban forestry& urban greening,5(4), 195-201. Jones, B.A. (2021). Planting urban trees to improve quality of life?The life satisfaction impacts of urban afforestation. Forest Policyand Economics, 125, 102408. Lupp,G:, Forster, B., Kantelberg,V., Markmann,T., Naumann,J., Honert, C., ... &Pauleit,S. (2016). Assessing the recreation value of urban woodland using the ecosystem service approach in two forests in the munich metropolitan region.Sustainability, 8(11), 1156. Nowak, D.J., Crane, D. E.,Walton,J.T.,Twardus, D. B., &Dwyer,J. F. (2002). Understanding and quantifying urban forest structure,functions, and value. Page 10 of 22 • BAKERSFIELD ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT MEETING DATE: March 26,2025 AGENDA CATEGORY: REPORTS TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Darin Budak, Recreation and Parks Department DATE: March 13, 2025 SUBJECT: Administrative Citations process update and automation proposal. All Wards RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval and authorization to automate the Administrative Citation process. BACKGROUND: City staff from BPD, BFD, Code Enforcement and Parks Rangers are responsible for the inspection and enforcement of various codes and regulations. Staff takes an "educate-first" approach in most situations; however, issuing citations is sometimes necessary to encourage compliance. The current paper-based citation system presents operational challenges. The significant time required for manual processing can lead to delays in issuing citations and ultimately impact the timely resolution of code violations. Furthermore, the existing process can strain resources when appeals are filed, requiring coordination with the City Attorney's Office and hearing officer scheduling. This resource-intensive nature can inadvertently limit the effective utilization of administrative citations. Consequently,the current system's effectiveness in achieving consistent compliance and collecting fines is less than optimal. To improve the effectiveness of the administrative citation process, staff propose implementing a modern digital system in partnership with a third-party service provider, Data Ticket. Data Ticket is already a established and proven vendor with Bakersfield Police Department in handling all parking violations. BPD has had no issues with Data Ticket and speaks highly of their process The Data Ticket program will establish a system for multiple city departments to issue administrative and parking citations for minor violations of the municipal code and other regulations. This program aims to streamline the process resulting in several key benefits: • Improve efficiency and effectiveness of enforcement: Automation will significantly improve citation process, reducing paperwork and court time for minor offenses. • Promote public awareness and compliance: Clearly communicate rules and regulations and deter violations through swift and consistent enforcement. • Enhance visitor safety and resource protection: Address issues such as littering, unauthorized camping, pets off-leash, illegal dumping, graffiti, and illegal parking, all of which impacts city resources and visitor experiences. • Provide a fair and consistent enforcement process: Ensure all visitors are treated equitably and have a clear understanding of the consequences of their actions. Page 11 of 22 • BAKEIRSFIELD The program will include: • Clearly defined offenses: A comprehensive list of minor violations subject to administrative citations, aligned with applicable laws and regulations. • Citation authority: Authorization for city departments to issue citations for designated offenses within defined parameters. • Administrative hearing process: A fair and impartial process for individuals to contest citations through a third-party service provider. • Record-keeping and reporting: A system for tracking issued citations, collected fines, and program outcomes, managed by the third-party vendor. • Ongoing evaluation and improvement: Regular reviews of program effectiveness, with necessary adjustments to ensure efficiency and fairness. FISCAL IMPACT: Currently,there is no fiscal impact. If Council authorizes Staff to proceed, cost proposals will be presented to Council at a future meeting for approval. COUNCIL GOAL: Safety and Resilience Community Character&Quality of Life Innovative and Efficient City Government ATTACHMENTS: None Page 12 of 22 O U J W ifs ' ,., 1iioF� ���% � ,�� t ; r, ii ���i,,. y �� �„ i / �,� i "' ,, ��, '° / �' i/ rU�� r�j ' i �, 1� �/�///i � ' r ii� � 1%f �� /� ��� i �j/ d ii It°� � � �%i l'i i� � r� �%/ olij i � / �� � �% i��� ��' %j� r ��� ii� � �y` � %/� �%�/ii � J� �'m�"�" ii �� ��� �i, r ,u ��, ` � „>, �� //�ii " � � r r"w ' i r � �,. %io ��i „� �. � �� �I � R� ;,�� Y �i/'/1/ r �iia ," r '� �� � � l�l���jj// ��//jam��iriiiiirr ,,,,,,,,, �� • � � • s • �► � w ' w �� ~ • � � � ' • � � • i � • • � , w � � • • • � 4-4 4-J N N cn O 4-0 fC3 O .> c O Z3 4-4 N cn O S3 ca co U. 40, O 4 O (t3 O :-, " `�- mill <* © \ r t / 2 . � £ . . d� �� . � ? » » £ « } \ / » �! ® / : . �\ � © �» � \ £ � � � � a . . � 2� ,d £ � c \ � � ■* � � �\ « / \ � c » ,! / » : � � � � � \ \ d / � � / � y: � � � � C 2, 6 « � C , � « � C : 6 « . « C � � d � 6 \ �� 6 \ : « � x 6 � �\ C « ~ �: i< . � / ? « 6 � y � ` � �° ^ w 2 6 C « �� �d ' � / / � ` � �^ � « .d � � .y C © � \ � \ � \ � C <* - � / � :> ~ . y �° \ � � C « ■» +> ( �� : � � \ / � �� ^ +: 6 y . . . ■» : » #y � � �� 6 � � \ � » » �� �: : § � . � � : : . � »* : 6 � % � 6 * :> / �> « ? � / i> ■» � � / � .� * :> i> / / . \ / �� �\ 2 � « C � d 2 i> 4< �> » � i< � 4> 4> / � � � « / �� C d / / .\ C ./ � \ « �: / C \ � © / ~ � . �/^ � � � \ �^ � �■ / �\ % . � � / � � .� �\� ? � C � � . z / \ � :< � � � � / �\ �: � � \ � % .\ ®� / { » � / � « 2 �} � �\ � � .� � ? �\ � . �� � ^ � ©. ©. � . « 5 !, 1 f ® i. ®r ® ; e 1.,' f e f ® • v ® ®r ®Y ," • ! •. effi v � + • e ! 1 v • ! 1 ®Y 9 _.. ® r -a ® ® � 1 q r 1 1, ®i ®Y 5 1 `: f e e; e M, • e f ® '® f R ! 1 "1 ®! 1 e ®Y ® ® ®. 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