Title
Annual Parkway Tree Pruning Program - Phase 1
History
On June 16, 2025, the Village Board heard a presentation from Public Works about the establishment of an annual Parkway Tree Pruning Program, including details on an update to the Village's municipal code regarding tree pruning, communication to residents and residents' overall response to tree pruning. The Village Board directed staff to develop a comprehensive annual parkway pruning plan to be presented to the Board on July 21, 2025.
A parkway tree pruning program, also referred to as a cyclical tree pruning program, is a planned, recurring process of removing branches from trees to maintain their health, structure, and safety, as well as to manage tree size and appearance. The goal of a pruning program is to improve tree structure, enhance tree vigor, increase aesthetic appeal, provide adequate clearances, and maintain safe conditions in the right-of-way, while reducing costs associated with storm damage and tree failure.
Local communities such as Downers Grove, Woodridge, Hinsdale, Riverside, Oak Lawn, Park Ridge, Wheaton, Oswego, Arlington Heights, Romeoville, Westchester, Schaumburg, Lombard, Naperville, Glencoe, LaGrange, and Oak Park all have well-established cyclical tree pruning programs. To date, the Village of Orland Park has not conducted a comprehensive Village-wide cyclical tree pruning program, resulting in an inconsistently maintained urban forest.
The proposed Parkway Tree Pruning Program has two (2) primary objectives: to establish a comprehensive annual pruning service for all parkway trees throughout the Village, and to clarify maintenance responsibilities for these trees through Village code amendments. This current agenda item focuses specifically on implementing the annual pruning service, although code amendments are discussed briefly below. Other key aspects of the Parkway Tree Pruning Program include:
Frequency and Zones: The Village maintains 36,134 public trees across its parks, parkways and facilities, with 28,541 trees (79%) located in parkways. To facilitate efficient pruning operations, Public Works has divided the Village into seven (7) parkway tree pruning zones, each containing approximately equal numbers of trees. This structure enables a systematic seven (7) year pruning cycle, ensuring each zone receives professional maintenance once every seven (7) years, with provisions for emergencies or unique circumstances as needed. Phase 1 would run from 2025 through 2031, with the potential to accelerate the timeline if additional resources become available in 2025. Upon completion of Phase 1, subsequent seven (7) year phases will maintain this regular maintenance schedule providing long-term care for the Village's urban forest.
Techniques: The scope of work for tree pruning services includes the removal of dead, diseased, or high-risk branches, as well as branches that interfere with traffic or utility lines. All work will follow ISA-certified arboriculture standards. Proper pruning techniques will be incorporated to avoid damaging the tree. This will include making cuts at the branch collar, avoiding excessive pruning and removing only the necessary branches.
Public Safety and Notification: The Village will notify residents about the program through Village-wide communications, with additional neighborhood-specific notifications provided prior to work beginning in each area. The pruning program will prioritize removing branches that pose safety hazards to pedestrians and vehicles.
Tree Health: Regular pruning will help prevent the spread of disease and insect infestations and promote overall tree health. Young trees will also be pruned to promote strong structure and growth.
Aesthetic Appeal: Pruning will help maintain the shape and symmetry of trees, enhancing their visual appeal. Trees that have been formally pruned over many years will be treated on a case-by-case basis.
Professional Expertise: Professional arborists and tree care specialists will be involved in implementing the pruning programs, especially for large trees or complex situations.
No Work on Private Property: The Parkway Tree Pruning Program will not impact trees on private property. Private property trees will continue to be the responsibility of property owners and in accordance with the Village Code.
Staff Time: Implementing a routine cycle pruning program will enable Public Works' Forestry Crew, comprised of highly trained certified arborists, to dedicate more time to maintaining trees located on Village parks and facility grounds. These areas often receive less attention due to the demands of parkway-related resident concerns, storm damage and hazards. With the implementation of a pruning program, the Forestry Crew remains available to address urgent tree maintenance issues that cannot wait for the next scheduled pruning cycle. The full value of this aspect of the program will not be realized until Phase 1 of the program is fully complete, however. An additional benefit also includes the reduction of staff time associated with tree-related code enforcement cases.
Village Code and Parkway Trees
It should also be noted that certain sections of the Village Code have led to confusion regarding responsibility for parkway tree maintenance. For example, Municipal Code Chapter 3-6-7 states that the overall responsibility for the maintenance of a parkway falls on the adjacent property owner (see § 3-6-7 Public Tree Care). However, the Municipal Code also states that the Village has the right to maintain parkway trees to ensure public safety or to preserve or enhance the symmetry and beauty of public grounds.
Furthermore, Chapter 3-6-9 (Pruning; Right-of-Way Clearance) states that, “Every owner of any tree overhanging any street or right-of-way within the Village shall prune the branches so that such branches shall not obstruct the view of any street intersection and so that there shall be a clear space of eight feet above the surface of the street or sidewalk. Said owners shall remove all dead, diseased or dangerous trees, or broken or decayed limbs which constitute a menace to the safety of the public.”
This section of the code has historically been interpreted to mean that property owners adjacent to the right-of-way where a parkway tree is located are responsible for the maintenance of said tree(s), even though the Village (or County, Township, State) typically own the right-of-way. These and other sections of the Municipal and Land Development Codes have led to difficult conversations between Village staff and the residents they are trying to support.
To reinforce the proposed cycle pruning initiatives, Village staff will need to conduct a thorough investigation of necessary Municipal and Land Development Code updates and their implications for Village Board review. Additionally, Public Works also plans to draft a comprehensive Urban Forestry Management Plan for Village Board review in 2026.
Annual Parkway Tree Pruning Proposals
On March 1, 2021, the Village Board approved a list of six (6) tree service contractors from whom Public Works could solicit proposals for various Village tree-related projects, including tree installation, removal, pruning, stump removal and emergency storm services (see 2021-0099). Master Service Agreements (MSAs) were subsequently established with each company. All MSAs were renewed in 2023 and reestablished at the July 21, 2025 Village Board meeting. The current list of approved pre-qualified tree service contractors is provided below:
- Homer Tree Care, Inc.
- The Davey Tree Expert Co.
- Winkler Tree Service, Inc.
- Mid-America Tree and Landscape. Inc.
- V3 Companies, Ltd.
- Smitty’s Tree Service, Inc.
On June 20, 2025, all six (6) pre-qualified Village tree service contractors were issued “Annual Parkway Tree Pruning Program” proposal documents. These documents included maps of the seven (7) pruning zones, a list of parkway tree data (size, species, location), pruning specifications and a proposal sheet. The seven (7) planting zones were compiled by the Village Forester in conjunction with staff from Great Lakes Urban Forestry Management, who completed the Village’s most recent tree inventory. All bidders were required to include a $25,000.00 “Tree Removal and Stump Grinding Allowance”, which would be available to address tree hazards identified during tree pruning work that require immediate removal.
By the close of the proposal period on July 9, 2025, four (4) contractors had submitted proposals. All proposals are attached for reference. A summary of the proposal prices is provided below:
Smitty’s Tree Service, Inc.
Zone 1: $178,618.00
Zone 2: $145,350.00
Zone 3: $142,196.00
Zone 4: $217,019.00
Zone 5: $238,602.00
Zone 6: $271,520.00
Zone 7: $321,405.00
Tree Removal Allowance: $25,000.00
Grand Total: $1,539,710.00
The Davey Tree Expert Co.
Zone 1: $203,154.00
Zone 2: $168,756.00
Zone 3: $175,960.00
Zone 4: $258,573.00
Zone 5: $248,771.00
Zone 6: $337,844.00
Zone 7: $324,615.00
Tree Removal Allowance: $25,000.00
Grand Total: $1,742,673.00
Homer Tree Care, Inc.
Zone 1: $331,680.00
Zone 2: $275,520.00
Zone 3: $265,600.00
Zone 4: $422,160.00
Zone 5: $297,040.00
Zone 6: $303,680.00
Zone 7: $387,600.00
Tree Removal Allowance: $25,000.00
Grand Total: $2,308,280.00
Winkler Tree Services, Inc.
Zone 1: $310,950.00
Zone 2: $258,300.00
Zone 3: $272,240.00
Zone 4: $469,653.00
Zone 5: $315,605.00
Zone 6: $322,660.00
Zone 7: $411,825.00
Tree Removal Allowance: $25,000.00
Grand Total: $2,386,233.00
V3 Companies, Ltd.: Opted not to submit a proposal
Mid-America Tree and Landscape Inc.: Opted not to submit a proposal
As such, based on proposal pricing, staff recommends accepting the proposal from Smitty’s Tree Service, Inc. for the Annual Parkway Tree Pruning Program - Phase 1 for a total project cost of $1,539,710.00. No contingency is requested for this project.
The proposed sequence of pruning zones, as detailed below, was determined by the Public Works staff based on the available budget, data collected during the 2024 Tree Assessment and Inventory (tree species composition, age and average diameter), relative frequency of resident concerns and firsthand knowledge of the Village’s parkway trees. As there were adequate funds for 2025 to complete (2) zones (Zones 1 and 5), the proposed total length of Phase 1 of the Annual Parkway Tree Pruning Program would only need to be six (6) years. A summary of the proposed sequence of pruning zones and associated costs is provided below:
2025 - Zones 1, 5 and Tree Removal Allowance: $442,220.00 ($178,618.00 + $238,602.00 + $25,000.00)
2026 - Zone 7: $321,405.00
2027 - Zone 6: $271,520.00
2028 - Zone 2: $145,350.00
2029 - Zone 4: $217,019.00
2030 - Zone 3: $142,196.00
TOTAL: $1,539,710.00
As the proposed total length of Phase 1 of the “Annual Parkway Tree Pruning Program” is six (6) years, Public Works is requesting the approval of a three (3) year contract with the option to extend the contract for an additional three (3) years. While the customary approach to multi-year contracts is three years plus an option for an additional two (2) years, due to the nature of this work and the total number of zones, allowing for a contract with a single contractor would be highly preferred. The Village may exercise its home rule authority to enter into a contract of this length where it is in the best interest of the Village.
This agenda item is being considered by the Committee of the Whole and the Village Board of Trustees on the same night.
Financial Impact
Funding for the Parkway Tree Pruning Program for 2025 is available in the amount of $400,000.00 in capital account 3008010-443500. An additional $42,220.00 is available for 2025 in the account 1008010-443500 for Tree Removal and Maintenance. For future years, all project funding will be budgeted in general fund 1008010-443500.
Recommended Action/Motion
I move recommend to the Village Board to approve and authorize the execution of a Contractor Agreement between the Village of Orland Park and Smitty’s Tree Service, Inc. as the lowest cost qualified responsive proposal for the Annual Parkway Tree Pruning Program - Phase 1 for a cost of $442,220.00 for 2025, a cost of $321,405.00 for 2026, and a cost of $271,520.00 for 2027, with the option to extend the contract for three (3) additional years (2028 - 2030) for a cost of $145,350.00 for 2028, a cost of $217,019.00 for 2029, and a cost of $142,196.00 for 2030, for a total not-to-exceed cost of $1,539,710.00.