Brentwood Park Project
Project Overview
The almost constant storm systems that SSF and all of California experienced through the winter of 2023 have had impacts on our parks and trees across the city. Unfortunately, in terms of tree failure, Brentwood Park has experienced the most significant damage. The back of the park has seen multiple tree failures that have impacted homes, power lines, and the baseball field.
Many of the large trees in Brentwood Park have reached maturity and are nearing the end of life; showing signs of beetle attack, pitch canker, and various stages of decay. Most of these trees were planted at the same time and grew together in a grove type setting. Unfortunately, when we see significant loss of trees in those grove settings, the likelihood of failure increases for those trees that remain because they have not grown root structure or trunk taper to resist new wind exposures created by the previously fallen trees.
In response to this, the City is studying the condition of the remaining trees, and risk associated with their failure. The City performed an initial assessment with in-house Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) certified arborists. The City has also hired a third-party contractor to perform Level 2 assessments on the trees in the back of the park. The assessors, both internal and external, are TRAQ certified and follow all guidelines defined by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
Public outreach and in person pop-up type meetings will be held once these initial assessments are completed to keep the community informed throughout the process and to gather feedback. Information and current details will also be updated on this website. Additionally, a wildlife biologist firm will be hired to survey all trees within the park to make sure no nesting birds or mammals will be disturbed by tree work, as required by Federal Law. Work will not commence until nesting surveys have verified that there are no nesting creatures present. It should be noted that the nesting season is February through August.
Sequencing of Work
- Internal assessment of existing trees - Completed
- Third party assessment of existing trees -Completed
- Staff begin to design replanting scheme - Not Started (funding has been appropriated)
- Public outreach/community meetings - Complete
- Issuance of Request for Proposals (RFP) for tree work - Complete
- On-board biological consultant for surveying - Contingent on start date of chosen contractor and if work occurs within nesting season
- Tree removals - Complete
Tasks to Be Done After Tree Removal Work is Complete
- Completion of irrigation design and issuance of RFP for irrigation upgrades on hillside - In Progress
- Baseball field/turf repair - In Progress
- Irrigation contractor begins work - TBD
- City staff and/or volunteers replant trees of appropriate species with proper spacing - TBD
Scope of Work
Please see links below for more information on the scope of work regarding trees marked for removal, to be trimmed and those that will remain with no action taken.
After Completion of Project
After this sequence of work concludes, staff will regularly maintain and inspect the existing and newly planted trees as they grow. If trees fail, they will typically be replaced. Species of trees will be chosen that grow at different rates and are appropriate for the back of the park. This will prevent future occurrences where all trees “age out” at the same time; this process is called succession planting. The City strives to re-create the forested feel of Brentwood Park and will plant large growing species that are not susceptible to the health and structure issues that Monterey Pine and Monterey Cypress experience.
Park Status
The back of Brentwood Park is now open to those who wish to use it. The baseball field remains closed until the backstop can be rebuilt. Tree work has concluded and design for irrigation upgrades are currently underway.
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