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MOUN-DS ViEw <br />Item No: 5 <br />Meeting Date: March 6, 2024 <br />Type of Business: WS <br />Administrator Review: <br />City of Mounds View Staff Report <br />To: Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From: Don Peterson, Director of Public Works/Parks and Recreation <br />Item Title/Subject: Reviewing the City Diseased Tree Removal Policy <br />Background/Discussion: <br />Public Works oversees the Forestry duties for the City to include maintaining the trees in/on City <br />grounds and in the ROW (Right of way), and the Diseased Tree Ordinance for private Elm, Oak and <br />Ash trees. <br />In 2022, the City began to notice an increase in the number of ash trees infected with Emerald Ash <br />Borer (EAB) and unfortunately this trend continues. Repercussions from the drought conditions <br />of 2022 and 2023 include an increase of oak wilt for the oak trees throughout the City. <br />The current policy / practice has the City provide a contract with a tree removal contractor to include <br />a cost for private tree removal. The past few years the City has taken on a heavy financial burden in <br />covering the associated costs for private tree removal. <br />1. The property owner is notified via letter, informing them of the diseased tree(s) on their <br />property and the cost(s) associated for its removal to include the stump. <br />2. The property owner will communicate to the Arborist authorizing the removal. <br />3. Once the tree is removed the contractor invoices the City, the invoice is paid and the City <br />invoices the property owner for the removal cost(s). <br />Further Discussion: <br />The City has prided itself as a "Tree City", following the current code adheres to the vision of <br />past City Councils and Park and Recreation and Forestry Commission members as well as <br />understanding that trees and forests improve our physical health by cleaning the air, reducing <br />exposure to the sun's UV rays, and decreasing temperatures during the summertime, and trees <br />create high -quality drinking water by acting as a natural filter. If the Council were to consider <br />revising the current policy the effects could be catastrophic! <br />The City Arborist estimates the following tree removals for 2024 and 2025: <br />2024 <br />• 300 <br />Private Ash Trees <br />• 15 <br />Boulevard* Ash Trees <br />• 100 <br />Private Oak Trees <br />• 10 <br />Boulevard* Oak Trees <br />2025 <br />• 100 Private Ash Trees <br />• 5 Boulevard* Ash Trees <br />• 50 Private Oak Trees <br />0 5 Boulevard* Oak Trees <br />