Proposed Dates of Use:
Mace Boulevard – November 1^st - 7^th
Covell Boulevard – November 1^st - 7^th
Estimated to move onto Alhambra Drive – November 8^th – 14^th
Estimated to move onto Pole Line Road – November 8^th – 14^th
Estimated to move onto Russell Boulevard – November 15^th – 21^st
Estimated to move onto Danbury Street – November 22^nd – 30^th
Estimated to move onto F Street – November 22^nd – 30^th

Applications will occur during working hours, schedule is dependent on wind and weather conditions staying within acceptable parameters.

Street Address/Site Name: Street medians clear of pedestrian traffic along the above listed streets. No applications will be in the vicinity of playgrounds, schools, or picnic areas.

Posting and Notification: Site notifications will be posted at least 72 hours before application via the pesticide application electronic notification system and at site entrances, remaining 24 hours after.

Pesticide: Cheetah Pro

Target Pests: Various broadleaf weeds and annual grasses

This herbicide use is warranted, due to the vast number of invasive weeds that have germinated in street scape planters and medians following the heavy rain event in September.  When the weeds mature, they block the visibility of vehicular traffic when coming onto the roadways, and this increases the chances of vehicular and pedestrian accidents.  As detailed in the following section, staff and contractors have been unable to manage weeds in street medians using mechanical and cultural methods alone.

An application of this product was implemented earlier this year, which helped maintenance staff gain control of weeds and reduce recruitment of additional weed seed. It also allowed maintenance staff to concentrate on landscaping in other areas this summer. Now, after heavy rains in September, new weeds have germinated within the street medians and the need to gain control over them now is again pertinent to a successful maintenance program.

Explanation of IPM Methods Used:  As previously stated, crews have completed mechanical controls (ex. string trimmers, steaming, and hand pulling) in the medians in an attempt to eradicate the weeds. String trimming is utilized when the weeds are already tall and have become both an aesthetic and safety issue. Steaming has been tested during early growth. Cultural controls (ex. landscape fabric, direct irrigation) have been extensively utilized.

String trimmers throw debris and rocks when in use, which endangers individuals and their property in these high-volume throughways of the City.  Additionally, the current practices of trimming and mulching serve only to perpetuate the issue, as they create conducive conditions for weed growth.  As the weeds are trimmed, their seeded remains are spread throughout the area.  Even when they are cleared by raking, the seeds remain embedded in the soils.  The mulch provides a protective layer and moisture that enables germination of the newly spread seeds, and this creates a larger area of weed material in the planters.  Furthermore, with the use of inorganic mulch some aspects of mechanical weed abatement are not able to be employed due to safety issues presented by the movement of the debris they cause, endangering pedestrians, vehicles, and the workers themselves. Steaming was tested as a less hazardous alternative to string trimming, but regrowth and new growth were observed within weeks post treatment. Additionally, steaming requires the closure of a traffic lane to accommodate equipment which increases resource demands and associated costs. Finally, string trimming of weeds in street medians currently requires 2-3 treatments each growing season to be effective. The City currently does not have the staff or contractor resources to keep up with this volume of work.

Strategies to Prevent Future Applications:  Unfortunately, there are no other methods that can be utilized in these specific areas to safely mitigate invasive weeds at this time. Options such as hardscaping are being explored in certain areas, but this will not be suitable for all applications.

More information on the IPM Program, including the current Policies and Procedures guidance, can be found on the City's webpage: Integrated Pest Management