By Sara Beth Williams–
Citrus Heights wants to increase the number of trees within the city through multiple new urban forest initiatives, officials said in November.
During the November Citrus Heights City Council meeting, city officials presented multiple urban forest expansion initiatives, including a “New Growth” tree giveaway program, which would offer new parents a free tree to plant at home, aligning with the city’s “Solid Roots. New Growth.” tagline. The estimated cost of providing larger trees with a retail value up to $150 is about $7,000 annually, assuming modest participation.
Citrus Heights Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa suggested also gifting trees to residents who purchase a new home in Citrus Heights.
Another proposal from the city was to revive the Urban Forest Photo Contest, which encourages residents to share photos of local trees. The contest would have minimal costs beyond small prizes and staff coordination. Councilmembers unanimously agreed that the contest was a “great idea” but suggested implementing age-specific categories.
Larger infrastructure-related proposals included a tree enhancement project along the Old Auburn Road Multi-Use Trail, aimed at increasing shade for pedestrians and cyclists. Staff estimates an initial $5,000 feasibility study would be needed before planting begins.
Another concept, called the Canopy Over Our Lots (C.O.O.L.) Grant Program, would provide matching grants of up to $20,000 to help commercial property owners add shade trees to parking lots. The proposal includes a total of $100,000 in available grant funding for the initial rollout, modeled after the city’s Façade Improvement Program.
An additional initiative, the Community Tree Planting Grant Program, would provide $20,000 in small grants to schools, community groups, and neighborhood associations for tree planting in public spaces. One potential project mentioned involves beautifying Tupelo Drive along the I-80 sound wall, though feasibility studies would be needed due to underground utilities.
According to a 2014 inventory, Citrus Heights had more than 27,000 trees, which is more per capita than the City of Sacramento. Karpinski-Costa suggested that number wasn’t accurate, as over time trees have been added and, more recently, removed along Auburn Boulevard as part of the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets project Phase 2. The construction project calls for replanting more trees and shrubs to replace the ones removed.
With new development and the natural aging of existing trees, staff said ongoing investment in tree planting and replacement is essential to maintain these benefits.
Future programs would be funded through the city’s Tree Mitigation Fund, which currently holds about $900,000. The fund is generated through developer in-lieu fees when on-site tree preservation or replacement isn’t possible and is intended to support projects that maintain and grow the city’s tree canopy.
Currently, the Tree Mitigation Fund supports several city programs, including the Tree Assistance Program, which connects homeowners with certified arborists for free consultations. Since 2019, that program has helped more than 300 properties and assessed over 500 trees, the city said. The fund also supports the city’s Tree City USA designation and community tree planting events, such as the 2019 effort that saw 160 oak saplings planted at Van Maren Park.
In addition to local funding sources, staff said they plan to pursue state and regional grant opportunities, such as those offered through CalFire’s Urban and Community Forestry Program and the California Green Infrastructure Grant Program.
Councilmembers praised city staff for the range of ideas and asked them to return with a breakdown of what each initiative would cost.
