TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Masa Alkire, Community Development Director
Joe DeFrancesco, Interim Public Works Director
Britny Coker-Moen, Environmental Programs Administrator
Ernest Area, Urban Forester
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of an Earth Day Community Tree Planting Event (No Budget Impact) (Community Development Director Alkire).
APPROVE
Body
_________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the proposed Earth Day Community Tree Planting Event.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
If City Council approves the proposed Earth Day Community Tree Planting Event, sufficient funds of $3,000 are currently budgeted within the City’s Public Works Department budget.
BACKGROUND:
Earth Day was first established in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson in response to a rising concern for air and water pollution. The actions at that time around those concerns resulted in the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Today, Earth Day is celebrated as the anniversary date of the modern environmental movement.
Manhattan Beach held its first Earth Day celebration in 1992 at Polliwog Park and regularly hosted an annual celebration and concert in partnership with nonprofit Volunteers and Organizations Improving the Community’s Environment (V.O.I.C.E.). V.O.I.C.E. is no longer operating with the City’s last Earth Day celebration and concert collaboration with V.O.I.C.E. taking place in 2018. The City did not hold another Earth Day event until 2025, when the City hosted a celebration and resource fair in partnership with the Manhattan Beach Farmers Market.
On December 24, 2025, Grades of Green, a nonprofit organization that provides students with hands-on environmental programs and education, contacted the City with a partnership proposal to host a community tree planting event for Earth Day 2026 (Attachment 1) to foster civic engagement and educate students and community members through hands-on participation in the planting of trees.
In addition to community engagement, the tree planting will expand the urban tree canopy in alignment with the City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and Urban Forest Master Plan, which set goals of expanding the City’s tree canopy by five percent and planting 100 trees in the City per year, respectively. According to the City’s 2016 Urban Tree Canopy Assessment, the City’s tree canopy accounted for 14.7 percent of the City’s land area at the time. According to this assessment Manhattan Beach’s trees account for annual air quality and stormwater benefits, including:
• Removing 23.4 tons of air pollutants; and
• Reducing stormwater runoff by more than 7,775,969 gallons.
At the January 20, 2026, City Council meeting, the City Council directed staff to return with recommendations for an Earth Day Community Tree Planting Event.
DISCUSSION:
After review of the Grades of Green proposal and input from staff, staff developed the following recommendations for an Earth Day Community Tree Planting Event:
Proposed Event Details
• Date: Staff recommends Saturday, April 18, 2026, rather than the proposed April 25, 2026, due to the City Council’s request to consider the weekend before Earth Day.
• Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Staff recommends a later start time than the proposed start time of 9:00 a.m. to better accommodate families with young children.
• Event will be open to the public.
• Event will include an area designated for community resources, environmental education, and City department booths.
• Invitees to include members of the public, local garden clubs, senior citizens, students from Manhattan Beach Unified School District Green and Garden Teams, American Martyrs Catholic School, Leadership Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden, and other community groups.
• Grades of Green will facilitate organizing the school groups.
• West Coast Arborists will provide the trees and planting materials and will prepare the planting sites, including digging the holes, prior to the event.
• In accordance with the Veterans Parkway Master Plan guidelines, staff recommends planting California native sycamore trees.
• Ongoing maintenance of the trees will be incorporated into the City’s regular tree maintenance plan which includes weekly watering by City staff.
Location
Staff recommends the Veterans Parkway between 18th Street and 17th Street for the event location and planting site. The area is adjacent to public parking along Valley Drive and across from the Joslyn Community Center and Live Oak Park. This section of the Veterans Parkway is identified in the City’s Veterans Parkway Master Plan as a transition area from the Parkway into the Civic Core with its proximity to the Joslyn Community Center, City Hall, Police Station, and Fire Station. This portion of the parkway currently has approximately 38 percent tree canopy coverage and large open grassy areas with potential for additional trees. Based on the size of the area and available space, staff recommends planting eight trees: one for each MBUSD Green and Garden Team and one for American Martyrs Catholic School.
The Veterans Parkway Master Plan’s donor and volunteer policy welcomes volunteer activation through projects and events. The policy requires that volunteer projects along the Veterans Parkway are reviewed and approved by the City.
With the information provided herein, staff recommends that the City Council approve this project.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The public has been informed of this agenda item as part of the City’s standard meeting notice practices via public bulletin boards, website calendar, and social media. If the Council authorizes this event, staff will provide further public outreach with the details of the event, including on the City website, in City newsletters, on social media, distribution of flyers, and ads in the Easy Reader and Beach Reporter.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the project qualifies for a Class 4 categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15304, Minor Alterations to Land, of the State CEQA Guidelines since this activity includes the addition of eight trees to a City park. Thus, no further environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Grades of Green Proposal
2. Proposed Planting Sites