REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: BRIAN E. RUSSELL, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Streets, Landscape, and Graffiti Divisions
ERIKA PELAYO-LOPEZ, Community Coordinator
Public Works Department, Landscape Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the use of the CalEnviroScreening Score Analyzer as the tree equity scoring criteria to be used by staff in accordance with the City of Fresno Tree Policy.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the use of the CalEnviroScreening Tree Equity Score Analyzer which can be found at oehha.ca.gov as the tree equity scoring criteria to be used by staff to prioritize the planting of trees in neighborhoods deemed high need as part of City of Fresno Tree Policy Resolution No 2022-086.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On April 21, 2022, Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-086 adopting the City of Fresno Tree Policy. Section 21 of this resolution states that the planting of new trees shall be prioritized in neighborhoods deemed high need via a tree equity scoring criteria to be developed by staff, as well as high priority areas as identified by the Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission, and approved by the City Council. CalEnviroScreening is part of the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessments. The CalEnviroScreening score is calculated from the scores for both pollution burden and population characteristics. This will provide guidance in identifying disadvantaged communities in Fresno that would benefit from increased green canopy. The focus of increasing green canopy in lower income neighborhoods improves lives by absorbing harmful greenhouse emissions and providing shade. This tool also captures data from the US Census providing indicators related to the following unemployment, asthma, cardiovascular disease, low birth weight, education, housing burden, linguistic isolation, and poverty. City staff will utilize ...
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