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Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Pleasanton’s Trees <br />Q1: Who is responsible for planting, watering, pruning, and removing City-owned trees? <br />The City Parks Division is responsible for planting, watering newly planted trees for the first year, pruning, <br />and removing City-owned trees. The City puts out a request for bids every five years and selects the lowest <br />bidder for its annual pruning contract. West Coast Arborists, Inc. is the city’s current contractor to prune <br />trees growing in city rights of way. Parks staff are responsible for pruning the majority of trees in City parks, <br />with contractors supporting park tree pruning when extra assistance is needed. Other contractors may also <br />be hired by the City for emergency post-storm tree cleanup, larger tree removal/clearance projects, or <br />capital improvement projects. <br />Q2: Why doesn’t the City remove trees due to leaf drop or other messy litter? <br />Leaf and litter drop is part of the natural process that all trees go through, especially deciduous trees during <br />fall months, and is not considered an acceptable reason for removal of a tree. The Tree Preservation <br />Ordinance (Ch 17.16) states that trees cannot be removed because of normal maintenance. Living with <br />trees and the benefits they provide, also means accepting that there will be some regular upkeep that’s <br />needed to maintain the areas around trees in an urban environment. Trees truly benefit the entire <br />community and are a valuable city asset. <br />Q3: How are our trees in open space maintained? <br />Due to their wildlife habitat value, dead and dying trees located in City-owned open space or natural areas <br />will not be removed unless they pose an immediate hazard, or other reasons that warrant their removal. <br />Q4: Why doesn’t the City spray trees for pests and diseases? <br />The City maintains a large tree inventory of over 20,000 trees. There are many pests and diseases which <br />can affect the City’s trees. Some common pests such as aphids do not kill our trees but can cause problems <br />for residents and passersby such as sticky concrete or cars beneath the dripline of the trees. Pests are <br />species dependent and vary in severity from season to season, so it is very difficult for the Parks Division <br />to determine where to effectively implement its resources for treatment. Treatments are often preventative <br />and do not work once the pest has already been identified as causing a problem, so it takes a skilled <br />arborist familiar with trees, pests which affect them, and pest lifecycles and treatment options to <br />adequately identify and diagnose and treat our city trees. For some common pests, homeowners can help <br />the City by identifying City trees which are affected. Depending on the pest and the time of year, often times <br />power-washing the leaves of the tree can be effective. It should be noted that Pleasanton has a bee <br />ordinance and prioritizes protection of pollinators so chemical treatments should always be the last line of <br />defense against very serious pests which can severely weaken or kill high value trees. <br />Q5: Will the City fix my sewer line that was damaged or destroyed by a City tree? <br />The sewer line from the street to the home (lateral) is the responsibility of the homeowner who benefits <br />from the service. Many factors affect whether the city is liable for damage to a sewer line and each case is <br />reviewed independently.