City Council Meeting Date: February 20, 2024
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Charlie Fredericks, Streets & Parks Manager
Title
Consider Resolution Approving Grant Agreement with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for Shade Tree Program.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council considers a resolution approving grant agreement with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for Shade Tree Program.
Summary Report:
The DNR has a total of $10,063,000 available in bond dollars ($8,400,000 in general obligation bonding and $1,663,000 general fund bonding) to fund projects managing forest pest and disease through community forestry activities on public or tribal lands.
To aid in the management of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation in Northfield, staff applied for, received Council authorization for the grant application and received award of the grant in the amount of $255,690 in funding for costs associated with the application.
There are currently 1,494 remaining Ash Trees in the City of Northfield's GIS inventory; of those, 663 have been identified as needing to be removed and replaced due to condition. The first confirmed EAB infestation was found on March 5th, 2023.
This funding is required to ensure that the City can address EAB before infested trees become an increased safety risk to the public and to ensure that healthy mature Ash trees are protected. These grant funds will allow the City to remove and replace 200 of the 663 (30%) trees identified for removal over four years, keeping us ‘on track’ in our management plan, diversifying a significant portion of the City’s tree canopy, and ensuring the public’s safety. There is currently no budget allocation to address EAB, so we are utilizing our operating budget to address as much as we can. Without these funds, we will fall significantly behind and trees will become a safety risk well before we are able to address them.
All trees being removed and replaced with this funding are located on public land within the Environmental Justice area of Northfield.
Staff will contract for the removal, planting of new trees, and initial mulching. City staff will carry out watering (utilizing their tanker truck), additional mulching, take photos verifying tree health, and maintaining GIS inventory and record of maintenance of the trees. Staff will be certified as a Minnesota Tree Inspector during the grant time frame. Tree species planted will include those which are climate resilient and will increase the canopy diversity to help prevent future insect and disease susceptibility.
Alternative Options:
There is no direct local cost for the grant so we are not recommending alternate approval.
Financial Impacts:
The grant amount received is $255,690.
There is no City match tied to this grant.
Tentative Timelines:
January 2024 - June 2027: Work associated with grant, if approved will occur from 2024 through 2027. Details of minimum deadlines are included in the grant agreement for reference.