| | | | | | | | Board Action Request 20-0042
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| | | | | | | | Item Description: Neg 11 fall 2019 healthy tree canopy grant agmts, 02/04/20–03/01/21, total combined NTE $108,629 |
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| | | | | | | | Resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate the following 11 fall 2019 healthy tree canopy grant agreements, during the period of February 4, 2020 through March 1, 2021, with the combined total amount not to exceed $108,629:
- Agreement PR00001913 with Metro Blooms, in an amount not to exceed $20,000
- Agreement PR00001923 with Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church, in an amount not to exceed $8,735
- Agreement PR00001916 with Friends of the Mississippi River, in an amount not to exceed $1,843
- Agreement PR00001922 with Green Minneapolis, in an amount not to exceed $9,700
- Agreement PR00001918 with Lakewood Cemetery Association, in an amount not to exceed $10,000
- Agreement PR00001917 with the St. Anthony East Neighborhood Association, in an amount not to exceed $8,646
- Agreement PR00001921 with Tree Trust, in an amount not to exceed $5,315
- Agreement PR00001920 with Touchstone Mental Health, in an amount not to exceed $5,000
- Agreement PR00001919 with the Young Men’s Christian Association, in an amount not to exceed $9,720
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the County Administrator be authorized to sign the agreements on behalf of the county; that costs incurred by the grantees after the board approval date be eligible for reimbursement upon the execution of the agreements; that the County Administrator be authorized to approve one 12-month extension of the agreements; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed. |
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| | | | | | | | Background:
History: The board established the Healthy Tree Canopy Grants program to provide funding to cities, affordable housing providers, schools and non-profits to enhance the county’s tree canopy in a total not-to-exceed amount of $500,000 per calendar year (Resolution 19-0185). The goals of the grants are to combat threats to trees from invasive insects and diseases; promote the development of a more diverse, resilient, and equitable tree canopy; and support efforts to educate the public on tree care and the importance of trees.
Trees improve air quality by absorbing fine particulate matter and other pollutants and reduce storm-water runoff. Trees also provide shade, reduce the urban heat island effect, reduce stress, and increase property values.
The Emerald Ash Borer alone is expected to kill one million ash trees (approximately 15 percent of the county’s tree canopy) in the next 10 years. Emerald Ash Borer has now been identified in 18 Hennepin County municipalities. Based on experience from other states, the effects of Emerald Ash Borer will overwhelm local municipalities’ financial and staffing capabilities to respond to the tree loss. This will result in the removal of trees without replacement and a corresponding decline in the tree canopy and associated benefits.
Staff completed a countywide data analysis that identified a correlation between tree canopy deficient areas and areas of disparities in air quality, health, income, and housing. Planting trees in high priority areas of the county will help make the tree canopy more equitable and help reduce environmental, health, and economic disparities. Without proactive efforts to improve the tree canopy, the loss of trees from Emerald Ash borer will exacerbate these disparities and health risks. Many of these grants will support tree planting in priority areas.
In early 2019, the county awarded 23 tree grant agreements to improve the tree canopy, totaling $207,781 in funding (Resolutions 19-0063 and 19-0114).
The Environment and Energy Department solicited proposals in October 2019 from affordable housing providers, schools and non-profits and conducted extensive outreach to potential grant applicants during the request for proposal process. A committee of five public works staff reviewed all applications. Applications were evaluated on project need, positive impacts to tree prioritization areas, the potential for tree canopy enhancements, and eligibility aligned with grant guidelines.
Healthy Tree Canopy Grants applications from cities were solicited and evaluated separately from the affordable housing, schools, and non-profit organizations applications. In October 2019, the county awarded 14 grants to municipalities, totaling $237,709. These funds were used to complete tree inventories, develop tree management plans, plant and maintain trees, conduct outreach, develop gravel-bed nurseries and perform other efforts to improve the tree canopy (Resolution 19-0403).
Funding for the grants comes from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.
Current Request: This request is for County Administrator authorization to negotiate 11 fall 2019 healthy tree canopy grant agreements, during the period of February 4, 2020 through March 1, 2021, with the combined total amount not to exceed $108,629. Board authorization is required because several of the proposed grantees have other contracts with the county that exceed $100,000 when combined.
This request also seeks approval for grantees to incur costs after the board approval date, with reimbursements being paid upon execution of the grant agreements. The fall 2019 tree canopy improvement grants are summarized below.
Affordable Housing
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Aeon (Richfield)-$17,200 to remove four ash trees and plant 41 additional trees at Seasons Park Apartments.
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City of Edina (Edina)-$12,470 to remove two ash trees and replace them with 20 new trees after construction of a new building at 7075 Amundson Avenue is complete.
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Metro Blooms (Brooklyn Park)-$20,000 to remove and replace 18 ash trees at Autumn Ridge Apartments that will improve public safety and capture stormwater.
Non-profits
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Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church (Golden Valley)-$8,735 to remove three mature ash trees and plant 10 new trees.
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Friends of the Mississippi River (Minneapolis)-$1,843 to restore and diversify a 5.3 acre forest on Nicollet Island and plant 150 trees.
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Green Minneapolis (Minneapolis)-$9,700 for a year-long engagement effort to create awareness of downtown trees: add new tree tags and replace old ones, hold group education events, encourage volunteers to engage with the downtown urban forest, and develop Arbor Day events that support planting 130 trees.
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Lakewood Cemetery Association (Minneapolis)-$10,000 to inventory all the ash trees throughout the cemetery. Five hazardous trees will begin to be removed and trees will be replaced with a one-to-one ratio.
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St. Anthony East Neighborhood Association (Minneapolis)-$8,646 to remove and replace six ash trees in Community Commons Park.
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Tree Trust (Glen Lake Elementary, Minnetonka)-$5,315 to offer a Learning with Trees program at Glen Lake Elementary School in Minnetonka, which includes planting 25 trees at the school.
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Touchstone Mental Health (Bloomington)-$5,000 to remove and replace five ash trees at a residential treatment service facility located at 8941 Portland Avenue S in Bloomington.
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YMCA (Independence)-$9,720 to diversify their tree canopies by planting 60 new trees at YMCA Camp Christmas Tree and Camp Ihduhapi. Both camps will also train additional staff in Project Learning Tree/Project Wild to expand environmental educational programming.
Impact/Outcomes: The tree canopy improvement grants will promote a more diverse, resilient and equitable tree canopy. The grants will:
- Fund the collection of data through tree inventories, which is critical to start responding to Emerald Ash Borer.
- Mitigate the effects of tree pests and pathogens by improving municipal forestry capacity.
- Educate residents on the benefits of trees and engage them in tree planting efforts.
- Improve livability by planting trees in neighborhoods throughout the county experiencing disproportionate amounts of economic, environmental, and health disparities.
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