Staff Report.FEMA Roadside Veg Mgmt
PREPARED BY: Hannah Tarling
Emergency Services Coordinator
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, Finance Director, and Parks and
Public Works Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 06/15/2021
ITEM NO: 17
DATE: June 7, 2021
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Roadside Fire Fuel Reduction (Project 812-0130):
a. Authorize a FY 2021/22 Expenditure Budget Adjustments in the Capital in
the Amount of $75,000 for the Roadside Fire Fuel Reduction Project (411-
812-0130); and
b. Authorize the Town Manager to Apply for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program, Asking for Funds for Roadside Vegetation Management
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Town Council authorize the following actions for Los Gatos Roadside
Vegetation Management:
a. Authorize a FY 2021/22 Expenditure Budget Adjustment in the amount of $75,000 for the
Roadside Fire Fuel Reduction Project (411-812-0130); and
b. Authorize the Town Manager to apply for a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management
Agency’s) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) (DR-4458), requesting funds for
roadside vegetation management.
BACKGROUND:
The combination of increasing development in or near wildlands, the accumulation of wildland
fuels, a drying and warming climate, longer fire seasons, and rugged terrain has resulted in
significant wildfire risk to communities located in or near the wildland urban interface (WUI).
The WUI area is best described as a wildland-urban intermix with homes scattered amongst
wildland fuels. The Town’s WUI planning area includes primarily Very High Fire Hazard Severity
Zone areas, as defined by CalFire and the Town of Los Gatos Fire Prevention and Protection
Ordinance (Calfire 2008; Town of Los Gatos 2019; 2016, Amended 2020).
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SUBJECT: Roadside Fire Fuel Reduction (Project 812-0130)
DATE: June 7, 2021
BACKGROUND (continued):
Considering the high risk of wildfire to Town residents, property and economy, Town staff
propose applying for the FEMA HMPG with a project titled, Los Gatos Hazardous Fuels
Reduction Plan. This plan would remove hazardous vegetation and create defensible space
around approximately 24.4 miles of Town-owned hillside roadways that have been identified by
the Town and its residents as roadways of high concern and are further identified in the Town’s
Roadside Vegetation Management Plan.
At the end of 2020, the Town addressed approximately 6.5 miles of WUI roadway. Significant
amounts of WUI roadway remain for future phases of the project.
DISCUSSION:
On May 6, 2021, Town staff submitted a Notice of Interest (NOI) to the California Office of
Emergency Services (CalOES) for a wildfire mitigation grant, in the Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program for disaster DR-4558. CalOES approved the NOI, allowing the Town to apply to the
grant program. The Los Gatos Hazardous Fuels Reduction project has an estimated total cost of
$2,300,000, requiring a 25% local cost share of $575,000. While the Town Council has
budgeted for $500,000 for vegetation management, staff is recommending an additional
$75,000 allocation to move forward with the Town’s full application amount to reduce
hazardous fuels in the high-risk wildland urban interface. If the Town is awarded this grant, the
project work must be completed within 36 months.
CONCLUSION:
Approval of the recommendation would allow staff to apply for the Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program (DR-4558).
COORDINATION:
This project has been coordinated with Parks and Public Works Department and the Town
Manager’s Office.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Staff is recommending an FY 2021/22 expenditure budget adjustment in the amount of $75,000
for the Roadside Fire Fuel Reduction Project (411-812-0120) to allow for a 25% local cost share
for costs and other expenditures related to the project.
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: Roadside Fire Fuel Reduction (Project 812-0130)
DATE: June 7, 2021
FISCAL IMPACT (continued):
The additional funding is available from the identified 50% of Measure G and property sale
proceeds dedicated by Town Council for capital projects. This project will require project
management and coordination by staff. Staff costs are tracked for all projects. Tracking of staff
costs allows for accountability in the costs of projects, recovery of costs from grant funded
projects, and identification of future staffing needs.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is a project as defined under CEQA and an environmental analysis has been completed.
The project is Statutorily Exempt (Section 15301(c) Existing Streets). A notice of exemption has
been filed.