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Robin's Comments Regarding Proposed Landscaping Regulations <br />• General discussion of Public Works approach to maintenance of landscaping/trees in the <br />public rights-of-way. <br />New capital improvement projects (both public and private) continue to install new landscaping and <br />street trees within the public rights-of-way for various beneficial reasons. Staffing that maintains <br />said vegetation has not increased along with this increased workload. Therefore, PW staff generally <br />maintains newly installed landscaping during the establishment period. These areas often include <br />irrigation systems to avoid plant mortality during the dry, hot summer months. Landscaping <br />installed by private development is generally maintained by the private entity for a prescribed <br />establishment period. After landscaping and street trees are established, staff relies on some level <br />of support from abutting property owners as maintenance of all vegetation in the public rights-of- <br />way by City staff is not possible. The expected level of support is generally as outlined in the TMC. <br />There are varying levels of support from private property owners, but City staff generally takes <br />responsibility for issues that appear to extend beyond the normal capacity of property owners. <br />While this may seem ambiguous, the City accepts maintenance help from proactive property <br />owners, but generally accepts responsibility for maintenance issues in the right-of-way if public <br />infrastructure is at risk or if an issue is left unattended. Rarely, if ever, has the City enforced a <br />maintenance provision of the TMC on a property owner for vegetation issues within the right-of- <br />way. <br />• Public Works has had the opportunity to review the Draft Tree Regulations and request the <br />following revisions to reduce or eliminate conflicts with TMC Chapter 11.20 <br />18.54.030 Tree Permit Required <br />Revise C.3. to include: "routine maintenance within rights-of-way related to Interference, Sight <br />Distance, Emergencies or Topping as codified in Chapter 11.20 of the TMC." <br />Add an exemption for the removal of trees in the right-of-way related to a capital project that has a <br />landscaping component that includes trees, where there is adequate room in the right-of-way. <br />57 <br />