City Briefs
Focus
on Trees:
Trimming Guidelines Protect Trees |
Birds Be Gone
Teamwork
Results in Well-Maintained Wharf, Saves Money
North
Fremont Business District Works to Improve Area
|
Parking Ticket Pay Online
No Flush Urinals Conserve
Resources | Legal Beagle
FOCUS ON TREES
Trimming Guidelines Protect Trees
View trimming guidelines provide tree
owners with proper pruning techniques. The guidelines listed below are in
accordance with professional tree care standards published by the
International Society of Arboriculture.
- Trees cannot be topped or
excessively trimmed to create or maintain a
view. Excessive trimming is the removal of
more than 33% of the live crown of a tree
within one year. Removing more than 33% can
lead to the decline or death of the tree.
- Trees should be trimmed during the
cooler, shorter days from November to the
end of February. Trees pruned during the late fall and winter are less
likely to be attacked by disease and destructive insects.
- Any trimming should be done by
a Certified Arborist or state licensed tree care contractor
in conjunction with approved tree pruning guidelines.
For a set of these guidelines and other
tree care info, call the City’s Parks Division at 646.3860
(reid@ci.monterey.ca.us).
Birds Be Gone
Pigeons can be the bane of roof tops and ledges. The roof of our very own
Monterey Youth Center became the preferred
resting place, it seemed, for half of the pigeons in Monterey.
The result? The Youth Center roof was literally covered with droppings,
which turned it white and created a stench that could be unbearable.
Thanks to an innovative solution, this problem has been solved. A motion
sensitive water sprinkler was mounted on the roof to safely discourage
birds from resting on the roof. Essentially, when a bird lands within the
range of the sensor, the sprinkler sprays water and the bird takes flight.
Today when you drive by the Youth Center, the roof remains bird free and
clean!
Teamwork
Results in Well-Maintained Wharf, Saves Money
City crews from the Harbor and Fire Department teamed up recently to
repair a broken piling on Municipal Wharf II. Properly maintained support
pilings ensure that the wharf is stable and that boats can dock safely. In
the past, the City has hired outside contractors to drive pilings
at significant expense.
However, this type of cooperative effort, which took less than two hours,
will save the City money and keep the wharf in
tip-top shape.
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North
Fremont Business District Works to Improve Area
In order to create a cleaner,
safer and more attractive commercial area, business owners and residents
in North Fremont have worked with the City to establish
a Business Improvement District (BID).
The City recently approved the North Fremont Street BID and its mission
“to ensure an attractive destination for local residents, businesses and
visitors alike thereby generating sustainable revenues.”
The City slated $10,500 to cover BID operations
and administration costs for this fiscal year.
To support the district’s programs and
activities, property owners will pay a fee to
the BID based on the cost of their business license.
A Business Improvement District is set up to fund activities and projects
aimed to improve a specific commercial area over the long term; this
includes physical upgrades and the overall promotion
of businesses. Every business within the district is assessed an
annual fee.
A business association, the North Fremont Business District of Monterey,
was formed in February to manage the North Fremont Street BID.
The goals of the business association include
1) creating a cleaner, safer and more
attractive business district; 2) ensuring a stable and predictable
resource base to fund supplemental programs
and services; 3) helping to maintain and increase property values and
improve sales and occupancy rates, thereby increasing the community’s
overall tax base; and
4) developing a stable environment and distinct district identity.
For more info call the Community Development Dept. at 646.3885
or email
bennett@ci.monterey.ca.us .
Parking Ticket? Pay Online
Parking tickets can be paid via
the Internet with a credit card (Visa or MasterCard).
Visit www.monterey.org/parking
and make sure you have your citation or license plate number at
hand.
Click the link on the home page and follow the instructions. A fee of
$3.95 is added per online transaction.
Payments are also accepted via mail at the Parking Enforcement Center,
City of Monterey, P.O. Box 5010, San
Ramon, CA 94583-0810.
For more details, visit the Web or call the Parking Division at 646.3953
(schumach@ci.monterey.ca.us).
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No Flush Urinals Conserve
Resources
To save gallons of water and reduce maintenance costs, we are installing
waterless urinals in select City restrooms.
Here’s how they work:
No-FlushTM urinals resemble conventional urinals. They hook up to the
regular waste lines but don’t use the water supply lines, saving 1.5 to 3
gallons per use. Flush valves are no longer needed (see picture); there
are no handles, sensors or moving parts!
The bowl surfaces are urine repellent. And cleaning is just the same.
The no-flush urinal has a disposable EcoTrap® instead of a drain. This
device holds a layer of immiscible BlueSeal® liquid that cannot be mixed
or blended. This liquid floats on top of the urine, sealing in the urine
and gases and keeping odors from going back into the room.
A 3-oz. dose of BlueSeal® lasts for more than 1500 uses, replacing the
need for some 1500 to 4500 gallons of potable water. BlueSeal® is
biodegradable and the EcoTrap® is recyclable.
For more info, call the Public Works Dept. at 646.3920
(uslar@ci.monterey.ca.us).
LEGAL BEAGLE
Repair
your Defective Sidewalk
Keep your sidewalks safe and slip free by taking care of needed repairs
quickly.
Many of the sidewalks in the City are located on private property, and
property owners are responsible for maintaining and repairing them as
needed. Both the California Health and Safety Code and Monterey City Code
require property owners to maintain their own sidewalks.
That means that private property owners are also accountable if someone
slips/trips and falls on the sidewalk because the area was not maintained
properly.
The City cannot be held responsible if a community member gets hurt on a
sidewalk hazard on private property. So, remember to fix your sidewalk
now, keep it clean and in good order and avoid problems later.
New Smoking Law on Books
No smoking near government buildings, it’s the law.
As of January 1, smoking is not allowed within 20 feet of the main
entrances, exits or operable windows of any building owned, leased or
occupied by state or local governments.
For more info on laws
that govern your community, call the City Attorney’s Office at 646.3915.
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