Agenda - Planning Commission - 06/02/2005

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ordinance waives those permit requirements where the tree ts a highly flammable native or ornamental tree as listed in the ordinance, and therefore it is very desirable to remove it. Like other wildfire ordinances, it goes on to identify a series of recommended replace- ment trees that are less flammable. ' Public disclosure and education. The model requires selling landowners, devel- opers, and Realtors to disclose in writing the fact an undeveloped property is within a high-risk area or an overlay district as well as the wildfire risks and potential nui- sances posed by fuel management activi- ties, including but not limited to the smoke produced by prescribed bumin§ activities. Under these provisions, the wildfire mitiga- dramatic incentive is a landowner awards program in which the local government recog- nizes landowners who have undertaken notable wildfire mitigation programs. The Fiodda manual atso contains a model vegetation management ordinance that requires any person owning, leasing, or controlling any land upon or adiacent to wildlands to reduce brush around structures in the WUI in order to establish an effective fuel break and to take other actions, such as keeping' the roof and gut- ters flee of flammable debris. Ifa violation is found, the violator has 60 days to correct the problem, or the [qcal government may correct the violation and assess the property owner and establish a lien on the property until paid. tion official is to conduct public work- shops, publish informational brochures, and make public announcements via the Intemet and in written form on the risks posed by wildfires and the steps to be taken to mitigate potential damage. Incentives. The ordinance requires the local §ovemment to grant a one-time ad valorem tax exemption that applies to all improve- ments to real property made by or for the purpose of wildfire miti§ation and com- pleted in accordance with the approved wild- fire mitigation plan approved by the o~cial, in some states, it may be necessary to have clear statutory authority for the local govern- men~ to grant such exceptions. Another less ASHLAND, OREGON Ashland, Oregon, has established a series of development standards that apply to prelimi- nary plats and applications to partition land that contains designated wildfire areas. Such developments frigitor the preparation of a "fire prevention and control plan" as part of the application process. These are reviewed-by the fire chief as part of the record of the action. Such a ~olan must contain: -~ an analysis Of the fire hazards on the site from witdfire, as influenced by existing veg- etation and t.opography; · ';, a map showiqg the areas to be cleared of dead,.dying, or severely diseased vegetation; m a map of the areas to be thinned to reduce the interlocking canopy of trees; m a tree management plan showing the loca- tion of all trees to be preserved and removed on each lot. In the case of heavily forested parcels, only trees scheduled for removal shall be shown; I the areas of primary and secondary fuel breaks required to be installed around each structure [as required by the code]; and [] roads and driveways sufficient for emergency vehicle access and fire suppression activities, [ndudin§ the slope of all roads and drive- ways within the wildfire lands area. The hearing' authority has the discretion to approve the plan and to impose conditions including: ~ delineation of areas of heavy ve§etation l~o be thinned and a formal plan for such thinning; m clearing of sufficient vegetation to reduce fuet load; [] removal of all dead and dying trees; and [] relocation of structures and roads to reduce the risks of wildfire 'and improve the chances of successful fire suppression, The plan must be impleme'nted before building permits are issued. For subdivisions, provisJops for maintenance of the plan must be included in the covenants, with the city named as a beneficiary of the covenants, restrictions, and conditions. For partitions, the property owner is responsible for maintaining the plan. All new construction and any construc- tion expanding' th'e size of an existing struc- ture must have a fuel break. A primary fuel break extends a minimum of 3o feet from all structures or to the property line, whichever is less, in order to remove ground cover that will produce flame lengths in excess of one foot. The regulations require the fuel brook's depth to be increased by to feet for each to percent increase in slope over to percent. Where sur- rounding landscape is owned and under the control of the property owner, a secondary fuel break extending' too feet beyond the pri- mary fuel break must be provided. HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA Hayward's WUI guidelines contain construc- tion standards that apply to certain areas of the Hayward Hills that the city's fire depart- ment has designated as "urban/wildland ZONINGPRA£TICE 3.o5