The Pensacola Environmental Advisory Board unanimously recommended that City Council approve a request to use $128,837.25 from the city's tree-planting trust fund to remove dead trees, replace plantings and replace the irrigation system in the City Hall parking lot.

Board members and staff discussed the scope of work, bids and the fund balance before the vote. The board's motion to recommend the request to council passed unanimously after a second; the board did not award a contract and left procurement decisions to staff and council.

The request covers demolition and removal of dead trees and shrubs, grading and soil import, a new irrigation system that staff described as the largest single cost item, and landscape planting including nine larger trees. Chase, a city staff member who presented the project overview, said the irrigation replacement is the bulk of the expense and estimated that the new system "would last the irrigation system for ideally another 40 years." Wendy Gavin, the city street and traffic operations division manager, introduced herself during the discussion and described her supervisory role over the tree fund and tree work.

Board members asked about the price and alternatives. The meeting packet summarized the request and included bids; staff said the low-bid figure for the complete project is $128,837.25 and that the highest responsive total quote received for the project was as high as roughly $350,000. Board members and staff acknowledged that the irrigation scope, tree removal and plant selection drive much of the cost.

Board members and staff gave further details about planting size and species. Staff said the replacement trees called for in the bid are roughly 3-inch caliper and about 12' to 16' tall depending on species; larger-specimen trees were included where feasible to accelerate canopy growth. Staff noted there are approximately 11 dead trees in the parking lot now and the project calls for nine new large-caliper trees plus groundcover and ornamental rock in two outer islands to reduce long-term maintenance.

City staff told the board the tree-planting trust fund has roughly $360,000 of unencumbered funds available; board members noted that the recommended withdrawal would not exhaust the balance. Staff also said the city has secured a separate $1,000,000 Arbor Day grant for tree plantings elsewhere in the city; those grant-funded plantings are distinct from the City Hall work and will use a separate procurement and reporting process.

The board did not direct staff to award the contract; its formal action was a recommendation to City Council to approve the trust-fund request. The board's recommendation will be transmitted to council for final authorization and any contract award.

Votes at a glance: The EAB voted unanimously to recommend approval of the request to use $128,837.25 from the tree-planting trust fund; no recorded dissents were entered at the meeting.