Tree Procedures in the City of El Cerrito

There are different programs that can be utilized to plant trees. We support and encourage the planting of new trees. We strive to continually care for our existing mature trees. We understand that trees improve our air quality, help to beautify the City for the community, and add value to the worth of properties in our city. Below is a list of our programs with procedures for planting trees in the parking strip area and general tree maintenance information. When you have specific questions, please contact the Maintenance Division directly at 510-215-4369.

Grant Funding to Plant New Trees

The City of El Cerrito was awarded an Environmental Enhancement Mitigation Program (EEMP) grant from the State Resources Agency to plant trees for individual residences, neighborhood blocks, businesses, and parks throughout the City of El Cerrito. This grant cycle will end in May of 2010. This grant allows the City to purchase and plant trees at no expense to the property owner. We have planted about 300 trees over the first year of the grant cycle. Our goal is to plant at least 300 more.

If you’re interested in having one or more trees planted in front of your home or business, please contact the Maintenance Division directly at 510-215-4369. If there is a neighborhood block or large area where you would like to see trees planted, please contact the Maintenance Division with each address. We can also send you a form to list multiple locations.

The City will then contact each property owner directly to solicit their participation in this voluntary program and to request that they sign a two year Tree Maintenance Agreement to keep the tree(s) well watered. The first two years are the most critical in establishing a proper root system. Doing so reduces sidewalk buckling and uplifting which is a result of tree roots searching for moisture.

It is also important that each property owner choose a tree that is the appropriate size for their parking strip area (the space between the sidewalk and the curb). You can download the Approved Master Tree List or ask the Maintenance Division directly for a copy to be mailed to you. This list of trees has been approved by the City Council for planting throughout the City of El Cerrito. For more information including photographs of mature trees, fruit and/or flowers, please search the Tree Library at www.canopy.org.

Encroachment Permits

Once grant funds have been exhausted and property owners want to plant trees in the parking strip area of their home, an encroachment permit is required to conduct work in the public right-of-way. The property owner will be responsible for purchasing and planting the tree of their choice that has been chosen from the Master Tree List.

Each fiscal year, fees are subject to increase; for Fiscal Year 2008-2009, the City charges $61 to plant a tree in the public right-of-way. The tree will be inspected after one year of it being planted and if thriving, the $61 will be refunded. If the tree has died, the property owner is responsible to replace the tree at their own expense.

In addition to the encroachment permit, each property owner will need to sign a Tree Agreement ensuring that they will keep the tree well watered for the initial two years. After the two years have passed, the City will include the tree in the city's pruning rotation. Property owners are expected to keep us informed of the health of the tree. If it looks like it's not thriving, please let us know so that we can evaluate how to care for the tree(s).

General Tree Care

The City of El Cerrito owns and maintains street trees in the parking strip area.

1. If a tree's roots have uplifted or buckled the sidewalk, the City will make the necessary repairs. Repairs include grinding the roots and re-pouring the sidewalk. Typically, this is innocuous to trees.
2. The City wants to preserve mature trees. We will only remove trees that are dead, diseased or dying. We do not remove trees that may be considered a nuisance and typically do not spray herbicides or insecticides on city trees. If a tree is removed, the property owner is given the opportunity to choose a replacement. The City will purchase the selected tree and plant it once the stump has been ground flat. We group tree stumps that need grinding. Typically a tree stump is not ground the same day the tree is removed.
3. Each City tree is pruned on a four-year rotation; however, if problems arise outside of the scheduled rotation, please alert the Maintenance Division so that an inspection can be scheduled. We will do what is best for the tree’s health as timely as possible. Sometimes an Arborist will need to evaluate trees and then we will follow his recommendation.
4. Pruning typically involves trimming low hanging branches or branches that stretch too far out into the street or near buildings/homes. We typically do not trim the tree’s canopy; however, if there is a specific problem please alert us directly. We will do our best to address the specific problem.
5. The City never prunes or plants trees on private property nor plants bushes in the public right-of-way.