Tom Varn Park Streetscape Improvements

SUMMARY OF WORK

Specifications / Planting Schedule –

1. Description

The City of Brooksville desires to improve the entrance appearance into the park.  This work will be accomplished by planting trees in round mulched planting areas.  The Contractor is responsible for providing all material, labor, and equipment necessary to accomplish the planting shown on the Planting Schedule, and associated plan and detail.  The Contractor is also responsible for maintenance as described in these specifications.

2.     Utility Verification

The Contractor shall mark the proposed tree locations for approval, and verify the location of the waterline shown on the plan.  The Contractor shall be responsible for repairing all damage resulting from neglect or failure to comply with this requirement.

1. Work Zone

Work zone is located at the main entrance to the park, and traffic needs to be maintained.  The bike trail is also in use. The Contractor shall place warning barricades and/or signs on all roads accessing the area, and utilize a trained flagman to control traffic, if required, to ensure the work zone is secure at all times.  All debris shall be removed from the turf areas, and swept from the roadway and bike trail sidewalk daily.  A staging area is shown on the plan where trees can be unloaded and stored until planted.   The Contractor is responsible for providing for any desired security around the stored trees, and applying any required watering.  All grass areas that are disturbed during construction shall be resodded. The Contractor is responsible for removal and disposal of excess soil from the planting pits.

1. Planting

Plants shall be in accordance with the Department of Agriculture's regulation for nursery inspections, rules, and rating. Plant material shall be true to botanical and common name, and variety as specified in the Planting Schedule.  All plants shall have a normal habit of growth and shall be sound, healthy, vigorous, and free of insect infestations, weeds, plant diseases, sun scalds, fresh abrasions of the bark, excessive abrasions, or other objectionable disfigurements.

The size of the plants shall correspond with that normally expected for species and variety of commercially available nursery stock.  Poor-quality trees with cracked, wet, or loose root balls, poorly developed trunk-to-crown ratios, or undersized root balls shall be rejected. All plants not conforming to the requirements herein specified, shall be considered defective, and such plants, whether in place or not, shall be marked as rejected and immediately removed from the site and replaced with new plants at the Contractor's expense.

The backfill planting mix shall be an equal mix of native soil, and organic topsoil in the amounts shown on the planting detail.   The organic topsoil shall be a well-balanced, fertile, sandy loam containing 5–10% organic matter by weight. It shall have a near-neutral pH (5.5–7.5), high nutrient content, and be screened to 1/2 inch to ensure a fine, consistent texture. TerraSorb or approved equal shall be mixed into the soil mixture at a rate of two (2) ounces per caliper inch of tree.

Three (3) pounds of slow release (or controlled release) 10-10-10 fertilizer shall be uniformly applied to the top surface of the planted tree ball and backfill prior to installing the weed barrier.  Install six (6) 1” x 8” 10-10-10 fertilizer stakes uniformly spaced in the outer edge of planting pit

1. Staking and Strapping

The Contractor shall stake trees in accordance with the planting detail.  Trees that settle out of plumb due to inadequate soil compaction either under or adjacent to the root ball shall be excavated and reset. In no case shall trees that have settled out of plumb be pulled upright using strapping.

Tree stakes shall be 2” x 4” x 8’ dimensional lumber driven into undisturbed soil as shown on the Planting Detail.  The base of the stake may be pointed to aid in driving the stake.

Tree straps shall be 1-inch green soft woven polyester webbing as produced by Blubee or approved equal. Tensile strength shall be 2,425 lb. The tree strap shall be fastened to the plant and tree stake supports with knots.  Strapping shall be located to hold the knots firmly so that it will not slide down the tree trunk.

Stakes and straps shall be installed immediately upon planting and shall be removed at the end of the warranty.  Any tree that is not stable at the end of this time shall be rejected and replaced at the Contractor’s expense.

1. Weed Barrier and Mulch

All planting beds shall have a weed barrier installed prior to mulch placement.  Weed barriers shall be made of heavy-duty professional grade polypropylene material, chemical free, durable, sturdy and corrosion resistant, UV Stabilized, and have a 20-year life span.  Fabric edges in the bed area shall have a three (3) inch overlap. The fabric shall be anchored with six (6) inch 9 Guage steel landscape staples.  DO NOT DRIVE A STAPLE INTO A TREE ROOT.

Mulch shall be double shredded hardwood mulch installed per the planting detail. It shall be free of debris, weed seeds, and toxins, with a natural dark brown color. Mulch that is treated with any wood preservatives or pesticides including, but not limited to the following, is prohibited:

• Chromated arsenicals, which include chromated copper arsenate (CCA)
• Creosote
• Pentachlorophenol
• Propiconazole
• Triadimefon
• Acid Copper Chromate (ACC)
• Isothiazolinones
• Alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ)
• Borates
• Copperazole
• Coppernaphthenate
• Copper-HDO (Bis- (N Cyclohexyl Diazonium Dioxy-copper))
• Polymeric betaine

The mulch supplier shall provide a signed written statement certifying that none of the above chemicals were used in the mulch.

Keep mulch 2-3 inches away from tree trunks to prevent rot and disease. The base (or root flare) should be visible.  If installation of mulch disturbs the soil saucer mound it shall be restored so that it properly holds water.

1. Tree Maintenance/Warranty

The Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, equipment, and incidentals necessary to perform one (1) year of maintenance for all plantings installed under this contract, beginning on the date of final installation acceptance by the City. Maintenance shall include, at a minimum, watering plantings as necessary to maintain health and survival of the plantings, replacement of dead or declining plantings installed under this contract, and all other care necessary to establish the plantings installed under this contract in a healthy condition.

The cost of all maintenance, including watering, shall be included in the Contractor’s Bid Price and no separate or additional compensation will be paid for watering or water. The City Utility Department offers a rental meter to obtain water from fire hydrants. Payment for watering during the maintenance period shall be on a monthly basis.  Contact information:

The Contractor is responsible for warranting the survival of all plantings. Replacements shall be at no cost to the Owner.  Replacements shall be of the same kind and size as originally specified and shall be installed as described in these specifications.

At the end of the warranty period and prior to the final payment, the Contractor shall remove all stakes and straps except for those for replacement of trees, and install six (6) 1” x 8” 10-10-10 fertilizer stakes uniformly spaced in the outer edge of planting pit.

At the end of the warranty period, the City will release the Contractor from further warranty work and responsibility, provided all landscape items are established and all previous warranty and remedial work, if any, has been completed.