75245.
(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:(1) “District” includes, but is not limited to, school, park, recreation, water, and local taxing districts.
(2) “Eligible applicant” means a city, county, district, or nonprofit organization qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(3) “Eligible project” means a tree planting project or green infrastructure project undertaken by an eligible applicant.
(4) “Fund” means the California Tree Fund established pursuant to Section 18735 of the Revenue and Taxation
Code.
(5) “Green infrastructure project” includes either of the following:
(A) Multiobjective storm water project, including construction of permeable surfaces and collection basins and barriers through low impact development strategies.
(B) Innovative urban forest site improvement project to create larger, more functional planting sites for trees, such as bioswales, urban forestry education centers, edible landscaping, or community gardens and orchards.
(6) “Tree planting project” includes either of the following:
(A) Planting of trees in sites that are strategically selected to shade buildings, such as planting a tree within 60 feet of an air conditioned building. Fundable elements
include tree or vegetation planting, including costs for tree or vegetation establishment care and planting site preparation, and urban heat mitigation by tree shading.
(B) Planting of trees in sites that do not shade buildings. Fundable elements include the enhancement or expansion of neighborhood park and community space that include a tree planting component; planting trees in public lands and structures, which may include incorporation of riparian habitat for water capture and provide for other public and wildlife benefits; and tree inventory, or urban forest mapping and analysis; or long-term management plan that includes a tree planting component.
(b) (1) Moneys appropriated from the fund to the Strategic Growth Council shall be used to provide grants for the implementation of eligible projects. Eligible costs include all of the following:
(A) Signs and interpretive aids, including exhibits, kiosks, display boards, or signs about the project and funding acknowledgment.
(B) Costs associated with the implementation of the project.
(C) Land purchase for developing new parks and urban forest area.
(D) Tree establishment and maintenance cost during the grant term.
(2) Moneys from the fund shall not be expended for any of the following:
(A) Projects that are not in accordance with the California Urban Forestry Act of 1978 (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 4799.06) of Part 2.5 of Division 4) or standards adopted by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
pursuant to that act.
(B) Decorative tree grates and decorative tree guards.
(C) Tree removal.
(D) Inefficient irrigation valves, pumps, sprinkler control timers, or overly costly and elaborate irrigation systems.
(E) Urban wood and biomass projects that remove trees solely for the purpose of utilization.
(F) Root barriers.
(G) Invasive species.
(H) Palm trees.
(I) Trees that have any of the following characteristics:
(i) The trees
rely on excessive amounts of water to survive.
(ii) The trees rely on synthetic fertilizer to survive.
(iii) The trees are inappropriate for the site selected or require excessive maintenance.
(iv) The trees conflict with overhead or underground utilities or ground-located infrastructure.
(c) This section shall become inoperative one year after the date on which Article 4 (commencing with Section 18734) of Chapter 3 of Part 10.2 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code becomes inoperative and is repealed on January 1 of the following year.