No preview available
HomeMy WebLinkAboutC03-071 Eagle County Wildfire Mitigation MOU~ ~ Gv3-7i-~a EAGLE COUNTY WILDFIRE MITIGATION THROUGH HAZARD RATING MAPPING, MONITORING, AND EDUCATING Memorandum of Understanding This Memorandum of Understanding is made and entered into on the dates set forth below, by and between the County of Eagle, State of Colorado, by and through its Board of County Commissioners (hereinafter referred to as "Count'); the Town of Vail Fire Department; the Basalt & Rural Fire Protection District; the Gypsum Fire Protection District; the Greater Eagle Fire Protection District; and the Eagle River Fire Protection District (hereinafter collectively referred to as "Local Fire Authorities"). PURPOSE To address and mitigate the threat of wildland fire upon new development and construction located within the Wildland/LTrban Interface, the County has made amendments to its Eagle County Land Use Regulations and the Building Resolution. The amendments require that all new development in Eagle County and some additions to existing construction be required to incorporate wildfire mitigation measures dependent on the development's particular wildfire hazard rating. Mitigation measures include, but are not limited to: creating defensible space around the perimeter of new development, creating fire breaks within new developments, on-site management of fuels or vegetation, strategically locating building sites to avoid high or extreme hazard areas, imposing minimum standards for emergency vehicle access and turnaround areas, and imposing minimum standards for fire fighting water supply. The degree of required mitigation is dependent upon the level of wildfire hazard rating assigned to a particular parcel. Hazard ratings include low, moderate, high, and extreme. The County is desirous of assigning a hazard rating to all parcels during the implementation of the above mentioned amendments and to ultimately place all rated parcels on an Eagle County Wildfire Hazard Rating Map. The Local Fire Authorities are desirous of helping assign hazard ratings to parcels in their respective jurisdictions for the mapping process. In addition, the Local Fire Authorities are desirous of helping to monitor compliance with the Eagle County Land Use Regulations by informing Eagle County ofnon-conforming parcels in their respective jurisdictions and cooperating with Eagle County to educate owners of said parcels to help achieve voluntary compliance. The Constitution and laws of the State of Colorado permit and encourage local governmental entities to cooperate with each other to make the most efficient and effective use of their powers and responsibilities. This Memorandum of Understanding is intended to set forth the commitments of the parties to the mapping, monitoring, and educating endeavors. • RESOURCES • Participating Local Fire Authorities agree to donate One Hundred (100) man-hours per yeaz to perform wildfire hazazd ratings for the mapping process in their respective jurisdictions. Salaries, overtime compensation, and other payment of benefits shall be paid by the Local Fire Authorities own agencies in accordance with the individual agency's normal procedures. In order to ensure productivity from assigned personnel, it is recommended that the terms of this mapping commitment shall be no less than one yeaz and anticipated that the commitment shall extend to the completion of the mapping process. Local Fire Authorities aze encouraged to commit more annual man-hours according to the ability of the individual agency. In addition to the commitment of man-hours identified above, the Local Fire Authorities agree to notify the County of properties within their respective jurisdictions that are not in compliance with those portions of the Eagle County Land Use Regulations applicable to wildfire mitigation. Although no specific man-hour commitment is given for this monitoring endeavor, the Local Fire Authorities will strive to make County aware of any non-conforming properties that maybe discovered through their day-to-day operations. Said notification shall be in writing and shall indicate the property address and owner of record, if known. Upon notification to County of anon-compliant parcel, County and the Participating Local Fire Authorities shall cooperate jointly to inform and educate property owners on types of wildfire mitigation necessary for compliance with Eagle County Land Use Regulations. As manpower is available, the Local Fire Authorities shall provide guidance to non-complaint property owners to make them awaze of their wildfire mitigation responsibilities and information on how to meet these responsibilities. It is the intent of this endeavor to make property owners awaze of the dangers of wildfire and achieve voluntary compliance prior to further enforcement action by County. The County and Local Fire Authorities may pursue these educational efforts jointly or separately as the situation may warrant. The Local Fire Authorities agree to keep County informed of their educational efforts and notify County if voluntary compliance of a particulaz pazcel cannot be achieved within a reasonable time. County shall be responsible for all enforcement actions beyond these educational endeavors. Local Fire Authority employees performing the above-mentioned mapping, monitoring, and educational procedures shall not be deemed employees of County, but will remain employees of their own agencies. The commitment of personnel by the Local Fire Authorities herein maybe altered to accommodate changes in the budget and operational requirements of the participating Local Fire Authority. TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT The County will provide the necessary tools and equipment to perform the hazazd rating and mapping process. The Local Fire Authorities will provide their own vehicles to be used in performing the above. 2 The County will provide or make available the necessary training to the Local Fire Authorities to ensure that all agency employees performing the rating and mapping process are competent to do so pursuant to County standards and criteria. Only those agency employees with the requisite degree of training and qualification as determined by the County will be allowed to conduct the hazard rating and mapping process. Additionally, the County will provide or make available the necessary training to the Local Fire Authorities to ensure that all agency employees providing education and guidance on compliance with the Eagle County Land Use Regulations are familiar with said regulations and are providing consistent guidance in relation to the same. The County shall provide the educational material to be distributed to property owners by the Local Fire Authorities. AAZARD RATING CRITERIA AND PRIORITY To ensure continuity in the development process, the County shall determine the priorities of rating and mapping for particular parcels within the various Local Fire Authority jurisdiction. Absent special circumstances, the highest priority of rating and mapping shall go to platted, unbuilt lots in order to address future building permits for new homes and structures. Platted built lots shall follow in priority in order to address building permits for improvements to existing structures. Finally, unplatted private lands will receive the lowest priority in order to address eventual development. To ensure uniformity in the rating and mapping process, participating Local Fire Authorities shall utilize County's adopted rating criteria. The following is an example of the rating criteria to be utilized by the Local Fire Authorities. This criteria maybe amended by the County from time to time. Any subsequent amendments will be delivered to the Local Fire Authorities and implemented by the same upon receipt. Local Fire Authorities will not deviate from these criteria absent County approval. Wildfire Hazard Rating Criteria 1. WILDFIRE HAZARDS Add points for categories A and B A. Predominant Vegetation TXpe (on lot, or within 100 foot radius of proposed structure) Definitions Fortis - herbaceous perennial plants other than grasses (wildflowers). Crown - the edge of a tree or shrub's outer most growth, a tree or shrub's "drip line" "x ht" - indicates a spacing between shrubs and trees based on the average anticipated mature height of the specific plant. " 3x ht" for a shrub with average anticipated mature height of 4 feet indicates a crown spacing of 3 x 4 =12 feet. Ladder Fuel - live or dead plant material that facilitates or supports the movement of fire from the surface 3 • • of the ground into the canopy or crown of larger shrubs or trees. Isolated - a single plant with significant spacing (> 4x ht) from other similar plants. Very low density. Dispersed - widely spaced individual shrub or trees (crowns spaced > 2x ht) or widely spaced small clusters of plants, evenly distributed across the site. Low to medium density. Clustered -two or more plants (maximum number allowed per cluster would be relative to the size of the site) growing in close proximity to one another, but significantly spaced from other similar plants or clusters of plants. Low to medium density. Discontinuous -Plants touching but in "bands" separated by significant spaces, resulting in a "patterned" rather than uniform coverage on the site. Medium density. Continuous - plants touching or in very close proximity to one another, resulting in uniform coverage of the site. High density. Understory - plants or mix of plants growing below a stand of taller plant species. Desert shrub - rabbit brush and other woody xeric species commonly found with sage, < 4 feet tall. Tall shrubs - sage (>4 feet), oak, service berry, choke cherry, mountain mahogany, skunk bush (sumac), bitter brush, etc. Mixed shrub - sage, desert shrubs within and beneath tall shrub species, 50/50. Mixed coniferous stand - lodgepole with spruce/fir understory. Low DensitYFuels or Low Combustion Potential 0 Ll no vegetative cover 0 L2 irrigated pasture, manicured lawn, golf course 5 L3 riparian zone/wetland grasses, shrubs, trees (willow, alder, dogwood, aspen cottonwood, etc), no coniferous trees 10 L4 dryland native grasses and fortis < 2 feet, no shrubs or trees 15 LS dryland native grasses, fortis < 2 feet + dispersed shrubs < 4 feet w/ crown spacing >2x ht., no trees 20 L6 dryland native grasses, fortis <2 feet + dispersed shrubs <4 feet and isolated coniferous trees, crown spacing > 3x ht. 10 L7 native grasses, fortis <2 feet + isolated healthy aspen, little dead wood, no shrubs or widely dispersed deciduous shrubs. 15 L8 native grasses, fortis <2 feet + clustered or dispersed healthy aspen, little dead wood, no shrubs or widely dispersed deciduous shrubs. 20 L9 native grasses, fortis <2 feet + continuous healthy aspen, little dead wood, no shrubs or widely dispersed deciduous shrubs 25 L10 native grasses, fortis <2 feet under continuous healthy aspen stand, little dead wood, no shrubs or widely dispersed understory deciduous shrubs, with widely dispersed single coniferous trees, crowns spaced > 3x ht. Additional Hazard 20 Ll l homesite/structure within 200 feet of medium density fuel zone, add points to above. 40 L12 homesite/structure within 200 feet of heavy density fuel zone, add points to above. 4 Medium Density Fuels 30 M1 sage /desert shrub, < 4 feet, dispersed or clustered with native grasses. 35 MZ sage /desert shrub, < 4 feet, discontinuous with native grasses. 40 M3 sage /desert shrub, < 4 feet, uniform/continuous (many branches touching). 40 M4 continuous sage /desert shrub, < 4 feet, with isolated tall shrub (>4 feet). 45 MS continuous sage /desert shrub with isolated tall shrub + isolated coniferous. 30 M6 isolated tall shrub, crown spacing > 3x ht, with native grass/forb understory. 35 M7 mixed tall shrub /aspen, with native grass. 35 M8 continuous aspen stand, dense, poor condition, dead branches, dead fall, few shrubs. 35 M9 continuous healthy aspen stand with spreading juniper understory. 45 M10 mixed coniferous /deciduous stand. 45 M11 uniformly dispersed pinion/juniper. 45 M12 uniformly dispersed spruce/fir. Additional Hazard 20 M13 homesite, structure within 200 feet of heavy density fuel zone, add points to above. Heavy Fuels 50 H1 mixed desertltall shrub, continuous. 50 H2 mixed desertltall shrub, continuous, with isolated coniferous. 60 H3 continuous dense tall shrub. 60 H4 continuous dense tall shrub with isolated coniferous. 70 HS mixed tall shrub /coniferous. 70 H6 pinion/juniper, continuous. 70 H7 spruce/fir, continuous. 60 H8 lodgepole with deadfall, little or no ladder fuels. 70 H9 lodgepole with significant ladder fuels. 70 H10 mixed coniferous stand, continuous. B. Average Slope (of lot, 1 acre or less in size or, on larger lots, slope of area defined as within 100 foot radius of proposed structure) 5 less than 8%. 15 8% to 20%. 30 21% to30%. 40 31 % or greater. Additional Topographic Hazards (pre-determined by GIS and/or site visit, add points to above) • • 20 Lot/homesite is within 50 feet of chimney feature, v-canyon or ridge top. Total Points, Wildfire Hazards (A+B) 2. IMPROVEMENTS/NIITIGATIONS Add points for categories C, D, E, F and G C. Access 5 Al two or more primary roads, in and out, 20 foot + width. 4 A2 two or more primary roads, in and out, <20 foot width. 3 A3 one primary road, one emergency access (limited capacity). 2 A4 one primary road, 20 foot + width. 1 AS one primary road, <20 foot width. D. Access Surface 5 AS 1 paved. 3 AS2 maintained road base, gravel. 2 AS3 poorly maintained, weathered surface. 0 AS4 primitive, 4 wheel drive. E. Access Grade 5 AGl 0% to 5%. 4 AG2 6% to 8%. 2 AG3 9% to 12%. 0 AG4 over 12%. F. Electric Service Lines 3 ES 1 all underground. 2 ES2 mixed above/below (may be below within subdivision, but above along primary access). 0 ES3 all above ground. G. Water supply 5 WS1 250 gpm - 31 + minutes. 4 WS2 250 gpm - 21 to 30 minutes. 3 WS3 250 gpm - 10 to 20 minutes. 0 WS4 < 250 gpm or 250 gpm for less than 10 minutes. 6 • Total Points, Improvements/Mitigations (Add C, D, E, F, G) Hazard Rating Points subtract 2. WILDFIRE IlVIPROVEMENTS/1VIITIGATIONS points from 1. WILDFIRE HA7.ARDS POINTS = Hazard Ratin4 < 20 points 21 to 40 points 41 to 60 points > 60 points GRANT FUNDING LOW MODERATE HIGH EXTREME It is anticipated that County will receive grant monies to help fund the hazard rating and mapping process. These funds shall be in addition to the man hour commitments made by the Local Fire Authorities and shall be used for equipment purchase, training, and the hiring of rating and mapping personnel in addition to those being donated by the Local Fire Authorities. PROGRAM EVALUATION This Memorandum of Understanding shall be reviewed annually for content and applicability. The undersigned resolve to enter into this Memorandum of Understanding. COUNTY OF EAGLE, STATE OF COLORADO, By and Through Its BOA By: ATT By: Date: ~ ~~ 'O~ r: TOWN OF VAIL FIRE DEPARTMENT By: ~ ~ ~ ~' ~ ~' .~ GREATER EAGLE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT By: hie EAGLE RIVER FIRE PROTECTION D TRICT By: hie Date: rJ,~ J~ ~,q~ Date: ~~ ~ ~ Date: ~ ` ~d Date: ~ !~ P 3 Date: /O,a~ 8 r • EAGLE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE 500 BROADWAY P.O. BOX 850 EAGLE, CO 81631 Ph®ne: 970-328-8685 DATE: March 21, 2003 MEMORANDUM .Fax: 970-328-8699 TO: Barry Smith, Emergency Management FROM: Bryan Treu SUBJECT: Eagle County Wildfire Mitigation Through Hazard Rating Mapping, Monitoring, and Educating -Memorandum of Understanding Enclosed are one original and five copies of the above noted agreement. Please distribute the copies to the Fire Departments/Districts listed on the last page of signatures. lag Enc.