REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
December 12, 2019
FROM: TJ MILLER, Director
Parks, After School, Recreation, and Community Services Department
BY: KRISTINA CHAMBERLIN, Assistant Director
Parks, After School, Recreation, and Community Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION - Approving the Application for the State of California State Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for Fire Prevention Grant Program at Camp Fresno (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council adopt the Resolution to authorize application of grant funds through the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Climate Investment Fire Prevention Grant Program
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The California Climate Investment Fire Prevention Grant Program allocates funding to address Tree Mortality. CAL FIRE’s Fire Prevention Grants Program provides funding for local projects and activities that address the risk of wildfire and reduce wildfire potential to forested and forest adjacent communities. The specific project is for hazard tree removal at Camp Fresno.
The attached Resolution is a requirement of the State Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as means by which the grantee’s Governing Body (Fresno City Council) approves the filing of the application, and confirms that the grantee has funding to complete, operate and maintain projects associated with the contract. The Resolution also designates the position title of the Governing Body’s representative authorized to manage all matters relating the identified projects (PARCS Interim Director).
BACKGROUND
Under a special use permit granted by the Sierra National Forest (U.S. Forest Service), the City of Fresno operates Camp Fresno and Camp Fresno Junior. Each season, Forest Service staff conducts inspections of trees within the camp areas to determine and mark deceased and dying trees requiring removal. Due to excessive drought and bark beetle infestation, hundreds of trees within the Camp have died and continue to die. Most of these trees are Ponderosa Pine, Sugar Pine, and White Fir Trees over 50 feet tall.
The grant funds solicited will be used to cover the cost of contracted services and include all operations related to the safe, legal, efficient removal and distribution of dead and dying trees and processing of related slash.
Camp Fresno logging activity is conducted annually with each year varying in the total number, height, and size of trees removed. Logging activities include, but are not limited to, felling, bucking, skidding, loading and hauling, and stump grinding, as well as removal and clearing of related debris. Typically, logging activities occur prior to formal camp opening (April/May) and can occur just prior to formal camp closure (September/October).
There has not been a specific funding source allocated for this required maintenance. In the past, the City has utilized funds from both the Improvement Fee collected with each reservation and General Fund fund-balance.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the resolution and approved as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
A resolution for applying for grant funding is not a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not implicated because the resolutions do not include a bid or award of a construction or service contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact at this time as the above action is authorizing the submission of grant applications.
Attachment:
Resolution: CAL-FIRE Fire Prevention Program