[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6501459,"mediaKeyId","5546590-54bc58d8a296a565c5ed95789844c221","parentId",5546590,"title","Toledo foresters report large tree plantings, backlog of pruning and stump removals","audioSeconds",286,"startMs",2683000,"endMs",2969000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5546590-54bc58d8a296a565c5ed95789844c221&start=2683&end=2969","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5546590-54bc58d8a296a565c5ed95789844c221/thumbnail_2683000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6501459/Toledo/Lucas-County/Ohio/Toledo-foresters-report-large-tree-plantings-backlog-of-pruning-and-stump-removals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501459-0d613154475338c47178de0ec181895b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770406343&Signature=ZeIVrezGHrRg-kV65Xig1nmmauMPW0BbLGr6T9E9nl75r4CSiFIlst5gSXmUGDBi1O8Oyt76U8aRBoBG9trqJfB8A-ZnFpl~gbQT7ghmS0e2N8-iVyTwGizwXA~lghIa~lMqWWKnha6SvT0kf3~mPKeG4zGM0SJOOYnLiQa7s29epWctdYjXkNhC93uBtFdqSEbGTzpSqWllb4LRxQyx~YznN18a5P6pvcw-1mmZJ-wWlzyQyePyN7iP3Q9uSF5j2QgynTbBnpHOzQawcvfoFFb5Lla8rGJIL5AvshxXYpwkDTK82XgrIKggbMwBwzKXHSxQiuHoBxLHeZ1tiSJwIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Toledo","date","2025-08-07T00:00:00Z","article","TOLEDO, Ohio — Forestry staff told the joint committee meeting on Aug. 7 that the city manages an inventory of about 90,000 street trees and has increased planting this year while facing a backlog of pruning and stump removal work.

A forestry staff member told the committees the urban canopy program is funded mainly by the tree maintenance assessment fund, which assesses costs to property owners based on street frontage. Staff said spring plantings included almost 4,000 trees — many paid for through grant programs — and that the city expects to remove fewer than 1,700 trees this year to meet a targeted 1:1 replacement policy.

Staff said forestry crews and contractors have pruned just over 1,000 trees to date and currently prune roughly 2% of the street tree population each year. “To be able to proactively manage trees on a seven‑year cycle, we would need to prune about 14,000 trees a year,” the staff member said, and added that budget and staffing constraints limit the city’s ability to scale to that level. Stump removal requires specialized equipment; the city has 786 stumps under contract and expects to complete close to 1,300 removals by year end. Staff said the objective service level is to remove stumps within 12 months of placement on the contract list.

Residents raised concerns about young tree care, watering to establish new trees and dying older trees. Blair Johnson, a longtime resident, said some established trees have structural issues and urged more systematic assessment of older trees to reduce the risk of failures and property damage. Staff urged residents to report dead or struggling trees through Engage Toledo and said they provided door tags prior to plantings with basic water‑establishment instructions; staff also said they will work with the communications team to expand outreach on post‑planting care and consider incentives for neighborhood stewardship such as volunteer watering.

Staff said grants such as the ReTree program and ARPA funds support planting and canopy initiatives; sales of approximately 20,000 cubic yards of mulch generated by forestry operations also help fund program activities and equipment purchases. The committee asked for a referral on estimated time of completion for pending tree trimming requests; staff said they would provide a timeline and noted a planned cross‑department meeting later in the month to discuss rodent abatement, code compliance and demolition coordination.

No legislative action was taken. Staff asked residents to continue submitting photos and service requests so crews can triage high‑priority safety issues and refine contractor scopes of work.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Toledo - Housing & Community Development Committee on 2025-08-07 4:30 PM - Joint Meeting with Mobility, Sustainability & Beautification Committee regarding Trash, Blight, Grass and Trees","oneSentenceSummary","City staff said forestry planted nearly 4,000 trees in spring, aims for a 1:1 removal/replacement ratio and is managing a backlog of stump removals and limited pruning capacity; residents raised concerns about young tree care and dead street trees.","taxTitle","Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio","taxId",2665,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6501464,"Toledo reduces mowing cycles and faces resident complaints about contractor quality and debris",832,2844000,3676000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5546590-54bc58d8a296a565c5ed95789844c221&start=2844&end=3676","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5546590-54bc58d8a296a565c5ed95789844c221/thumbnail_2844000.jpg","/articles/6501464/Toledo/Lucas-County/Ohio/Toledo-reduces-mowing-cycles-and-faces-resident-complaints-about-contractor-quality-and-debris","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501464-a25fe650c8749d1857066de6474664eb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770406343&Signature=faJlx7hzayZGzboUIxHmLXM~uqKrw5bhsYD4WeFAMlzlSFmsJs6OICJuGGXETz7H6XJ80se53rr4BUmHv1FhzGecYNbgNdONM-hKmtHwcaTrWJLEWR3DMm2x3XV4qMQHoJ89Kw6qHGRi8EcDdiLK0cysDh0L5XMv1wSUAWlKCwAFFMzxEn7r13DD-pXzV0LDk6n95oxo4GnFcA7iliJD3rGixEA~ulwMDo7osyUy7jFl7EPRYXC39wt8INiriSyFYYuhc9bR9Wnso3~n3czL3kcoHtV3oZza-FsK0XEikJYi7SRiIeiSAWluWI0Y9Nwg9dKhMbdpWKhHT9S29YcjuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","TOLEDO, Ohio — City staff and residents discussed grassland maintenance at the Aug. 7 joint committee meeting, where the Department of Public Service described a reduced mowing schedule for 2025 and residents reported uneven contractor performance and debris left after demolition.

Sarah Stacy, urban beautification commissioner, told the committees the mowing season runs April 15 through Oct. 31 and described this year’s schedule: “For 2025, the neighborhood cyclical program had a general fund operating budget for nine cuts. This was approximately a 50% reduction from 2024, where 18 cuts were scheduled,” Stacy said. She added that parks, boulevards and right‑of‑ways were cut 20 times this year, and beginning in August the department moved many properties from weekly to biweekly cuts as growth slowed.

Stacy said the city contracts out about 100 right‑of‑way parcels, 100 parks and almost 6,000 neighborhood parcels; contractors bid on packages and are paid based on square footage invoiced through work orders. Nuisance properties are cut on a complaint basis and, by standard operating procedure, a property is added to the cyclical program after the city performs a third cut.

Residents told the committees that contracted work is inconsistent. Leslie Eve and other neighbors said contractors sometimes refuse to cut entry islands, fail to weed curbs, do incomplete work and do not display identifying markings on vehicles. Eve asked whether contractors must submit before‑and‑after photos to verify work; staff said contractors are required to submit photos and the city has quality control specialists who spot‑check jobs before payment.

Bianca Lanting and other speakers described sidewalk hazards and debris on former demolition sites that can dull blades and create safety issues. Councilwoman Williams and residents said contractors sometimes leave clippings and straw after cutting, which can complicate subsequent mowing and create slippery surfaces. “We have had contractors that… we have had to remove properties from their contract when they did not have the capacity to complete them,” staff said.

Staff acknowledged gaps and outlined improvements under consideration: more on‑site contractor training to show expected before/after standards, additional spot checks by quality control staff (QCs), and better resident reporting through the department’s forthcoming “Track My Truck” application. Stacy said the city is also working with the land bank and trying slow‑growth seed for some demo lots to reduce mowing frequency.

Council and residents also discussed payment and oversight: Stacy said invoices are tied to square footage from bid packages and that QCs oversee performance and verify invoices. Residents pressed for more public transparency and easier ways to report missed or substandard mowing; staff asked residents to continue reporting problems through Engage Toledo and said contractors and QCs would be asked to tighten quality control.

No formal votes were taken. Staff said they would follow up with council on contractor performance reviews, the Track My Truck rollout and specific complaint addresses provided by residents.","City staff said the neighborhood mowing program was cut in 2025 and contractors now perform fewer scheduled cuts; residents told council the change and quality control problems have left sidewalks, parkways and demolition lots unsafe or messy.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6501469,"Toledo residents and council press Republic Services, city on rising bulk pickups and blight",2664,153000,2817000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5546590-54bc58d8a296a565c5ed95789844c221&start=153&end=2817","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5546590-54bc58d8a296a565c5ed95789844c221/thumbnail_153000.jpg","/articles/6501469/Toledo/Lucas-County/Ohio/Toledo-residents-and-council-press-Republic-Services-city-on-rising-bulk-pickups-and-blight","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6501469-6a6abdb18f6fb35fe13c425b4bc41c87/orig.mp4?Expires=1770406343&Signature=iUUK5ESOhQ3OO8EB51Q9cS0gzpm5Stkix~GUuOX6zUChkQgYI4KbcSClFbBj0tF7zgnlzNCtquuCIUtqvNBWDEI9oT4juOHkIBmigkk22Z~lmIay-TzxeBPGL3JpfJzRHhV6wC78nE0SLeFaxzM4gLrxn9LGQ3igAgKTPdJja79XjNOp8l~KtTPD21QW~ZCsi4JMX4x23poeSB3atprBn5W4ngFbcbR6CXJjdxjMU8sNRKPI-ilGXiOdA9V~G0Rvov07zigsOQXlgYj2fJNSxoFB6fP9Q3p~BoBsStjOSdstkFdNGs1xDIaOCw~p3bkwhTFLwpS7PW2SYercmp6MaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","TOLEDO, Ohio — At a joint meeting of the Toledo City Council’s Mobility, Sustainability and Beautification Committee and the Housing and Community Development Committee on Aug. 7, city staff, Republic Services representatives and residents said noncompliant bulk set‑outs and property blight are increasing and creating public‑health and quality‑of‑life concerns.

Megan Robson, director of the Department of Public Service, told the committees the department operates three divisions — fleet and facility operations, the Division of Solid Waste (which oversees the Hoffman Road landfill) and Urban Beautification, which manages demolition, blight cleanup, alley maintenance, land mowing and forestry. “We typically run two to three blight crews per day focusing on collecting all of those noncompliant bulk set outs and property cleanups,” Robson said, and described the city’s workflow: Republic Services flags noncompliant bulk pick‑ups, the city logs requests in CityWorks, crews take before‑and‑after photos and staff create on‑site work orders for unreported problems.

Residents and council members said the system is not keeping up. Councilwoman Williams said she tracks bulk pickups in her district and reported a sharp rise in calls this spring: “In March, I had 594 pickups… in April, it was 604, and then in May, it was 692,” she said, adding that about 160 piles were repeat instances. Williams also said at least one resident, identified by Williams as Doug Johnson, was charged a nuisance assessment after a contested noncompliant determination.

Republic Services municipal sales manager Rochelle Bowen said the company attended to answer questions; Anujit Barwa, Republic’s general manager, called the situation “a bit of a challenging time for us” and offered to respond to specific operational questions. City and Republic staff said some bulk items are left because of safety or access problems — narrow streets, two‑sided parking, or items that are deemed unsafe to pick up — and that those cases can be turned over to city crews for removal.

East Toledo community builder Gary Lenhart told council he has tracked piles for years and provided the committee with his counts: “Presently, as of today, there are 1,331 total properties in East Toledo that I’m tracking. There are 1,002 open issues,” he said, and offered a printed packet of addresses and complaints for council and staff.

Residents described trash that attracts rodents, blocks sidewalks and creates hazards near schools. Leslie Eve and other speakers said they repeatedly clear alleys and islands themselves because municipal response is slow. Manuel, a resident who spoke, asked which agency residents should contact about rodent abatement; city staff said the Lucas County Health Department handles rodent control and the city coordinates abatement around demolition sites.

City staff described next steps. Robson and staff said the city’s blight teams follow a set timetable (the city’s crews work two days behind Republic’s garbage route and one day behind its bulk route), and they collect photographic evidence attached to CityWorks work orders. Public Service staff also said they are testing a resident application called “Track My Truck” that will allow residents to report set‑outs, request can exchanges and monitor status online; staff said they would follow up with council on whether district offices could view submitted requests.

Speakers offered operational suggestions. Gary Lenhart proposed the city operate its own regular neighborhood cleanups rather than rely on the contractor for all bulk pickups and suggested scheduling changes such as 10‑hour shifts to increase daily productivity. Several residents asked for better quality control of contracted mowing and bulk cleanup work and said contractors should provide before/after photos and visible vehicle identification.

The committees scheduled follow‑up work: staff will continue testing the resident reporting application, coordinate with the health department on rodent abatement around demolitions, and track specific repeat piles flagged in resident submissions. No formal action or vote was taken on the topic at the meeting.

The meeting’s public comment packet and residents’ printouts were submitted to the committees for review and follow up.","City staff, Republic Services and residents discussed a rise in noncompliant bulk set‑outs, delays in pickup and neighborhood blight at an Aug. 7 joint committee meeting. Residents urged faster cleanups and the city outlined new reporting tools and processes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Toledo foresters report large tree plantings, backlog of pruning and stump removals

Toledo reduces mowing cycles and faces resident complaints about contractor quality and debris

Toledo residents and council press Republic Services, city on rising bulk pickups and blight