Attachment 1 - September 20, 2022 Staff ReportPREPARED BY: Arn Andrews
Assistant Town Manager
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Town Attorney, Parks and Public Works Director, and Interim Finance
Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 09/20/2022 ITEM NO: 11
DATE: September 6, 2022
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Receive an Update on a Roadside Fuel Reduction Federal Grant of $750,000
and Recognize a Future Match Commitment of $750,000
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive an update on a roadside fuel reduction federal grant of $750,000 and recognize a
future match commitment of $750,000.
BACKGROUND:
In 2019, the Town commissioned SWCA consultants to develop a roadway vegetation
management plan (Plan) for the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) in Los Gatos. The report
examined 31.09 miles of Town-owned WUI roadways that provide critical ingress/egress routes
for residents and emergency responders in the event of wildfire.
These Town-owned roadways identified in the Plan include evacuation routes and other
collector, neighborhood, and hillside collector roads that currently provide narrow access for
emergency response during a wildfire. Of note, the report identified approximately 19 miles of
Priority 1 and 2 roadways of very high concern for safe evacuation of the hillsides. The
remaining 12 miles of roadways were identified as Priority 3 and prioritized last for clearing
roadside vegetation.
Under the Plan, roadside vegetation management seeks to achieve a clearance of 20 feet
horizontally and 13 feet, 6 inches vertically above roadways, as well as clearance of non-fire-
resistant vegetation within 10 feet of the roads.
ATTACHMENT 1
PAGE 2 OF 3 SUBJECT: Roadside Fuel Reduction Federal Grant DATE: September 6, 2022
BACKGROUND (continued):
To date, the Town has completed two years of progress on the Plan. In Fiscal Year (FY)
2020/21, the Town Council allocated $500,000 toward the project which achieved
approximately 6.5 miles of fuel mitigation along Priority 1 and 2 roadways. In FY 2021/22, the
Town Council allocated an additional $500,000 toward the project which achieved an additional
4.5 miles of fuel mitigation along Priority 1 and 2 roadways.
DISCUSSION:
In March 2021, staff submitted a $1.0 million Federal Budget Earmark Grant request to
implement the Roadside Vegetation Management Plan at the behest of Congresswoman Eshoo.
In March 2022, the House passed a bipartisan Omnibus bill which included $750,000 for the
PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: Roadside Fuel Reduction Federal Grant DATE: September 6, 2022
DISCUSSION (continued):
Town’s grant request as one of 10 community projects funded in the Congressional
District. Knowing that the grant had been accepted, Town Council did not allocate any Town
funding toward the Plan for FY 2022/23. This third phase for FY 2022/23 funded by the federal
grant would conclude the remaining 7.71 miles of Priority 1 and Priority 2 roadside vegetation
management. Later phases would address the next level of priority.
When staff submitted the grant request, it was understood that the prior years’ investments
would constitute the required one-to-one match for the grant. Subsequently, staff learned that
the match must come from funds allocated during the grant performance period which started
March 15, 2022. This means that the Town has two years to provide the match funding toward
the federal grant of $750,000 which could be allocated $375,000 in FY 2023/24 and $375,000 in
FY 2024/25 to complete Priority 3 roadways.
CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS:
Staff is nearing completion of the required federal documentation. When staff receives
confirmation that the Town’s grant is being released, the Council will be asked to accept the
grant to ensure the continuation of the roadside vegetation management plan and reduce the
total project cost to the Town by $750,000.
COORDINATION:
This staff report was coordinated with the Town Manager, Town Attorney, Director of Parks
and Public Works, and Interim Finance Director.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Future acceptance of the grant necessitates future budget allocations totaling $750,000. Staff
will bring budget recommendations in the proposed Capital Improvement Program Budgets for
FY 2023/24 and FY 2024/25 as part of the balanced budget process.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This roadway vegetation management project is categorically exempt from CEQA Guidelines
section 15301, because it involves minor alterations to existing right of way, and section 15304,
because it involves minor alterations to land.