Title
"TD Greenstreets" Grant Application (NB)
This item involves a request to accept a "TD Greenstreets" grant from the Arbor Day Foundation and TD Bank, if awarded, to support an urban forestry project to plant 100 trees, and provide urban forestry support education and information for the Cedar Grove and Duval neighborhoods.
Explanation
The City of Gainesville's Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (PRCA) has submitted an application for a "TD Greenstreets" grant from the Arbor Day Foundation and TD Bank to support tree planting and urban forestry education and information for the Cedar Grove and Duval neighborhoods. The proposed project involves multiple facets. The City's Urban Forestry program will plant 100 trees in the Duval and Cedar Grove neighborhoods. Urban Forestry program staff will hold a tree planting at Duval Elementary School and involve the fifth grade science classes as an educational event in May, 2013. The Urban Forestry program will also create a new informational brochure (or brochures), with the assistance of the Tree Advisory Board, that inform people about the benefits of the urban forest in Gainesville, what trees can do for them (i.e. reduce home energy costs, raise property values, etc.), and inform citizens about and promote the City's "Tree Sponsor" program. A contractor will be hired to assist with an update and upgrade of the Urban Forestry webpage hosted on the PRCA web site to be easily searchable, have more current information (including who to contact for specific questions), and links to additional information from partner agencies. Both the Duval and Cedar Grove neighborhood residents will be invited to the "Urban Forestry Workshop" in December 2013, where a number of seats will be held just for them, or alternatively, the department will have a workshop just for those neighborhoods. The workshop will be focused primarily on the benefits of the urban forest canopy, appropriate selection of tree species (native, drought tolerant, "right tree, right place") and planting, care, and basic maintenance of trees in the home landscape. The City is required by the City's comprehensive plan to plant at least 400 trees per year. This project will contribute to the required planting amount. If awarded the grant activities will take place from April, 2013 until December, 2013.
Fiscal Note
The grant application requested $20,000 from the "TD Greenstreets" grant. The City's funding match will be in-kind salary and equipment costs that are included in PRCA's FY 2012/2013 budget.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) approve the request to accept a grant, if awarded, from the Arbor Day Foundation and TD Bank, and 2) if the grant is awarded, authorize the City Manager or designee to execute the grant agreement and other grant-related documents, subject to approval by the City Attorney as to form and legality.