Brief

Councilmember Imelda Padilla, seconded by Bob Blumenfield, has moved to direct the Bureau of Street Services (StreetsLA) to create a staffing and resource plan for planting trees in every vacant tree well in the city. The motion aims to increase urban tree canopy and was referred to the Public Works Committee on September 16, 2026, where it currently awaits review.

Full summary

Introduced by Councilmember Imelda Padilla and seconded by Bob Blumenfield, this motion directs StreetsLA to report back within 30 days on what it would take to plant and maintain trees in all of the city's approximately 74,910 vacant tree wells — the designated planting spaces along city streets that currently sit empty. The motion is framed around Mayor Bass's April 2026 Climate Action Plan, which sets a goal of increasing citywide tree canopy to 25% by 2035, with at least 15% coverage in every neighborhood. Research cited in the motion found that tree canopy can lower pedestrian-level air temperatures by roughly 5 degrees Fahrenheit, a meaningful difference in San Fernando Valley communities where extreme heat events have reached 121 degrees. The motion notes that existing tree guarantee fee revenues are not sufficient to fund planting at all 74,910 sites within any reasonable timeframe, making a clear multi-year plan essential. The motion instructs StreetsLA to deliver a detailed staffing and resource plan spanning 3, 5, 10, and 25 year horizons, with particular attention to neighborhoods identified under the Clean Up Green Up Ordinance — areas already designated as environmental justice priorities. Beyond staffing, StreetsLA is asked to recommend how to water and maintain newly planted trees to maximize survival rates, set annual planting goals, and streamline permit processes for community-based organizations doing planting work. The department must also propose a performance accountability dashboard tracking permit applications, inspection pass rates, and tree survival data for community planting programs. Additional directives address longer-term maintenance challenges: how to manage tree well covers as trees grow, clear weed overgrowth and soil depressions to protect pedestrian safety, and conduct an updated citywide tree inventory maintained as a living database. The motion also asks StreetsLA to calculate the cost of tree-related liability claims against the city and assess whether innovative structural solutions — specifically soil cells and modular structural cells such as Silva Cells or Permavoid — could reduce sidewalk uplift, limit future claims, and improve long-term tree health by replacing traditional root barriers. The motion was referred to the Public Works Committee on September 16, 2026, where it currently awaits action. No further activity has been recorded.

Activity (1)

• 2026-09-16 Motion referred to Public Works Committee.

Documents (1)

• 2026-09-16 Motion · motion