Vacant Tree Well Planting Program

At a glance

What: a motion by Padilla seconded by Blumenfield (Council File 26-1333) asking the Bureau of Street Services to report on the resources needed for a citywide program to plant and maintain trees in vacant tree wells, taking into account different species' watering needs.
Where it stands: adopted by the City Council on 2026-10-27, 13 ayes, 0 noes (McOsker and Price absent), on a Public Works Committee report. The Sylmar Neighborhood Council submitted a statement in favor.
Next: the Bureau of Street Services report, due in 30 days.

3-, 5-, 10- and 25-year staffing and resource plans to plant every vacant well in the Tree Planting Prioritization Plan, focused on neighborhoods in the Clean Up Green Up Ordinance.
Resources to water and maintain the trees, yearly planting goals, and faster tree planting permits for community-based organizations.
A performance dashboard tracking those organizations' permits, inspection pass rates and survival rates.
Staffing for long-term tree well maintenance, including removing covers a tree has outgrown and fixing broken covers, weeds and soil depressions.
Resources for an updated citywide tree inventory kept as a living database.
The cost of tree-related claims against the City and whether soil cells or modular structural cells (such as Silva Cells, Soil Vault or Permavoid) could reduce sidewalk uplift and claims.

Item 2. Adopted, 13 ayes, 0 noes, 2 absent. No fiscal analysis completed.