City Council report
(L-R) Claremont Reserve Park Rangers Thomas Shelley, Richard Weiner, Charles Gerlach, and Bel Jacob were recognized by Mayor Corey Calaycay for their service to the community at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. A full story will appear in next week’s edition. Courier photo/Andrew Alonzo
by Andrew Alonzo | aalonzo@claremont-courier.com
The Claremont City Council updated two important documents, the priorities and objectives list for 2024-2026 and the tree policies and guidelines manual, at its January 28 meeting.
Among the actions approved were the reimagining of the city’s bulk trash pick-up program, and changes and recommendations to the tree manual and policy guide made by Dudek, an outside firm contracted by the city to review the document.
Trash talk
Discussion of the council’s 2024-26 priorities list included seven priorities and 27 objectives it aims to address by mid-2026.
There are currently two systems in place for the city’s bulky item pickup service and fee system: one for single-family residential customers and the other for multi-family accounts.
Single-family residentials are charged $29-$44 per month based on the size of their trash bins. They get three free bulky item pickups per year. Bulky pickup in excess of three cost $37-$44.
The city’s 176 residential multi-family and 54 corporate multi-family accounts pay $27 per month for bin service or automated containers, but do not receive free bulky item service. They pay $44 for each bulky pickup.
“On average, the City picks up approximately 3,200 bulky item loads per year,” read a staff report. “Staff estimates that approximately 12 percent of available bulky item loads are utilized in any given year.”
The discussion centered on whether all residents are being charged equally. Claremont Mayor Corey Calaycay said he didn’t think so.
“It may not be immediate, but over time I think this program needs to be equalized somehow,” Calaycay said. “My feeling is I don’t care whether we charge for it or we don’t charge for it, as long as it’s the same for everybody.”
The council directed staff to develop a subsidy program for income eligible residents and to make the fee system more equitable to residents.
Community Services Department Director Jeremy Swan said he and City Manager Adam Pirrie will discuss ways to align the program with the council’s vision and likely bring ideas before the next priorities and objective update in July.
Tree talk
Following a devasting January 2022 windstorm that felled more than 300 trees in Claremont, the city contracted with urban forest management company Dudek in 2023 to evaluate its tree policies and guidelines manual.
“The goal of the review is to recommend changes that meet industry standards, while considering community character, fiscal responsibility, and compliance with State and local regulations,” according to the policy at claremontca.gov. “Additionally, Dudek will make recommendations on reforestation goals, appropriate planting, and infrastructure versus tree conflicts. Recommended revisions will go through a robust community input process. We encourage the community to participate in the process.”
Months of meetings with city staff and the community followed. The latest iteration of Dudek’s updates and recommendations are viewable at claremontca.gov, search “tree policies.” Prior to that, the recommendations were approved by the city’s community and human services commission and tree committee. On January 28, it was the City Council’s turn to weigh in.
“The update to the City’s Tree Policies and Guidelines Manual provides updated [best management practices], transparency, protections for established trees, more robust community input procedures, and recommendations for urban forest resiliency,” according to a staff report.
Updates include an annual report on the number of trees with bird activity and a more robust tree protection zone program. The revised manual notes the city will plant the “right tree in the right place,” improve species diversification, and develop and implement proactive removal and replacement programs.
Other updates include redesignating tree removal categories from “dead,” “diseased,” and “hazardous” to “emergency,” and “non-emergency.”
“Emergency removals include hazardous trees and dead or severely declining trees,” according to the staff report. “Non-emergency removals include declining trees, infrastructure conflicts, and other necessary removals.” Non-emergency recommendations will be posted on the city’s website for 15-days prior to removal to allow for community input. The revised manual also requires an arborist report for all non-emergency removals. The report and photos will be available during the 15-day notification period.
The council approved a recommendation by Council member Ed Reece to add language that ensures nursery stock is inspected by an International Society of Arboriculture-certified arborist employed by Claremont before being planted. Current policy is to have stocks evaluated before the contractor provided warranty period expires. The council voted unanimously to adopt the tree policy changes, along with the recommendation by Reece.
The next meeting of the Claremont City Council is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 11 at the council chamber, 225 W. Second St., Claremont.
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