CC - Item 5C - Staff Report Parkway Trees on Valley Blvd. 5'E M.._F
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report
TO:
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS
ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
FROM: FRANK G. TRIPEPI, CITY MANAGER
DATE: JUNE 7, 1999
RE: STATUS REPORT— PARKWAY TREES ON VALLEY BOULEVARD
The majority of the work on Valley Boulevard will be completed in approximately three
weeks. Unfortunately, due to the unavailability of mature "Sweet Shade" trees, Damon
Construction Company (Damon) has not been successful in securing such species. The
following is an explanation of events that led to the current circumstance.
When the contract for this project was awarded in June 1998, the subcontractor for
landscape and irrigation was Hardy Landscaping, Inc. They refused to enter into a
contract with Damon, unless they would be allowed to increase their bid prices. By letter
dated August 7, 1998, Damon informed the City of this and requested that Mariposa
Horticultural Enterprises, Inc. (Mariposa) be allowed to be substituted. This substitution
was approved August 12, 1998. This matter likely led to the delay in securing the 218 36-
inch box trees as specified in the contract.
Prior to award of the contract in June 1998, staff inquired with tree brokers Paul Bruning
& Associates as to the availability of the 218 36-inch box "Sweet Shade"trees required for
the project. At that time, 24-inch box trees were available, and if contract grown, would be
ready to plant as 36-inch box trees at project completion. Due to the long timeframe
between contract award and project completion (approximately 10 months), having 36-inch
box trees to plant at the end of the project was not an unreasonable expectation. It should
be noted that although staff made the effort to verify the availability of trees, this is the
contractor's responsibility and he is required to assure availability of plant material for the
project.
COUNCIL AGENDA
JUN 088119999
ITEM No.
June 7, 1999
Page 2
On or about October 5, 1998, Mr. Jack Brady, inspector for the project, verbally stated to
Mr. Larry Rudd of Mariposa that through Paul Bruning & Associates we had a source for
the parkway trees. Mr. Rudd stated that Mariposa had its own sources and did not require
the City's assistance. Staff notified Mr. Bruning of this and the tree stock was released and
sold to another large project. Mariposa, despite its contention that it had other sources,
contacted Paul Bruning on January 22, 1999, but appropriate sized trees were not
available.
By letter dated February 7, 1999, Mariposa informed the City that only 24-inch box trees
were available and that it would take a minimum of one year to grow them to 36-inch box
trees. Subsequently, staff directed Damon and Mariposa to continue to search for
appropriately sized trees but to also provide what credit would be granted if we accepted
the 24-inch box trees. Unfortunately, during this process, the previously mentioned 24-inch
box trees were purchased by another contractor and planted on a large freeway project in
Orange County. This left only 15-gallon trees available for planting in June 1999.
By letter dated April 4, 1999, Damon offered a $200 cost reduction per tree to plant 15-
gallon trees upon completion of the project. During the process to review and approve the
new unit price per tree, the previously available 15-gallon trees were moved by the growers
into a larger containers to be grown into 24-inch box trees; the grower indicated that they
would not be ready until October 1999. At that time, these "24-inch" box trees did not meet
24-inch box size requirements and the grower was unwilling to sell these trees at a
reduced cost to Mariposa to plant upon project completion, thus staff was not willing to
accept the trees and pay 24-inch box prices. Subsequently, staff inspected 170 available
"15-gallon" trees in early May 1999, but only about 25 of these meet 15-gallon size
requirements.
When the contractor stated that it would be at least October 1999 before 15-gallon size
trees would be available, staff conducted a search for the trees and located only one
nursery, which indicated they had 350 15-gallon trees and 93 24-inch box trees in
production. "In production" means that the trees do not yet meet their respective size
requirements, and staff was told that the trees would not likely be ready for 2 %: months.
Damon was notified of this and Mariposa requested staff to inspect the trees.
On Monday, June 7, 1999, staff inspected the trees and verified that 200 to 275 24-inch
box trees and 100 to 175 15-gallon trees were indeed in production. However, the trees
will not be at their respective specified heights until May 2000. These heights are 12'-15'
for 24-inch box trees and 7'-8' for 15-gallon trees. Depending on rate of growth, the 24-
inch box trees currently in production may be at the 15-gallon tree height in about six
months. Even if this "smaller" 24-inch box tree was planted, the purchase price would be
that of a full-grown 24-inch box tree.
June 7, 1999
Page 3
In summary, the City can proceed in one of two directions; wait until May 2000 when the
24-inch box "Sweet Shade" trees are expected to be available for planting, or elect to
select a different specie. If the City Council is inclined to a different specie, it is
recommend that the species "London Plane Tree" be planted. As of this date, the London
Plane Tree is available in both 24-inch and 36-inch box size.
I999rsmd/staff rpUcity