HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5e. Authorize the Fire Department to apply for Public Safety Grants (Fuel Reduction Project Grant and SLO County Off-Highway Vehicle Grant Program) Item 5e
Department: Fire
Cost Center: 8506, 8599
For Agenda of: 11/7/2023
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Todd Tuggle, Fire Chief
Prepared By: James Blattler, Emergency Manager & Nicole Vert, Business Analyst
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO APPLY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
GRANTS
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize the Fire Department to apply to the 2023 Ready, Set, Go! Program’s Fuels
Reduction Project Grant Funding for a grant to conduct fuel reduction work along the
Islay Creek; and
2. Authorize the Fire Department to apply to the San Luis Obispo County Off-Highway
Vehicle Grant Program to replace UTV-2;
3. Authorize the City Manager, or their designee, to execute the grant documents and
approve the budget changes necessary to appropriate the grant amount upon
notification that the grant has been awarded.
POLICY CONTEXT
The recommended actions are consistent with the City of San Luis Obispo’s Financial
Management Manual, Section 740 - Grant Management Policy. The policy states that
Council approval is required for all grant applications in excess of $5,000. Council may
delegate receipt and contract execution to the City Manager.
The work conducted under the grants is in line with the City’s Major City Goal of Climate
Action, Open Space, and Sustainable Transportation by pro actively addressing the
climate crisis through fire and flood hazard mitigation efforts and improved resilience and
improved accessibility to open space areas, maintaining the ability to provide rapid
emergency services in remote areas.
DISCUSSION
State, federal, and non-profit grants are occasionally offered to assist local governments
with the financial impacts associated with daily operations and/or mandated programs.
The Fire Department actively seeks out these opportunities to enhance the effectiveness
of the department while contributing to the fiscal sustainability of the city. Recently, two
grant opportunities were identified, which address current needs for the city: the 2023
Ready, Set, Go! Program Fuels Reduction Grant and the San Luis Obispo County Off-
Highway Vehicle (OHV) Grant Program.
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Item 5e
Background
Off-Highway Vehicle Grant
Off Highway Motor Vehicle’s (OHMV) operating on publicly accessible land in California
must pay registration fees to the state. A portion of the fees collected are distributed to
counties. The San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors has approved a competitive grant
program for the distribution of sixty percent (60%) of the County’s annual receipts of Off -
Highway Vehicle In-Lieu Fees to other governmental agencies and non -profit
organizations for several eligible uses, including law enforcement entities and related
equipment.
The City of San Luis Obispo is home to some of the busiest open space areas in the
county. Over 200 people enjoy the mountain bike, hiking and off-highway trails every day.
These areas are difficult to reach by traditional motor vehicles and sometimes only
accessible on foot or by helicopter. Routinely there are incidents where individuals
become injured, trapped, or lost and require prompt life saving measures and need
extrication from these limited access areas where every minute is critical. The department
is requesting grant funds to replace an aging UTV. The UTV has increased the ability to
access these difficult areas and reach critical patients quickly, however, as a result of the
frequent use, repairs on the UTV are increasing in both cost and time out of service.
Fire Fuel Reduction Grant
The Ready, Set, Go! (RSG) Program is managed by the International Association of Fire
Chief’s (AIFC) and has funding available through the USDA Forest Service with the goal
to facilitate on-the-ground fuels reduction projects in communitie s across the country to
assist them with implementing or expanding community fuels reduction projects in their
jurisdictions. A maximum of $20,000 per agency is available and requires a minimum in -
kind match of 25% of the award total.
Staff is scoping out a fuel reduction project aligned with the grant program’s goals and
have identified Islay Creek in the southeast portion of the City. The project scoping
includes the removal of dead and downed vegetation, hazard trees, and vegetation
categorized as “ladder fuels” which can carry fire from the understory to tree canopies
where fire can spread faster and produce more significant ember cast. This area is a high
priority due to its proximity to the Cal Fire designated Very High Fire Severity Zone and
transverses residential neighborhoods.
Previous Council or Advisory Body Action
On January 3, 2017, Council Authorized the Fire Department to submit a grant application
to San Luis Obispo County Off Highway Vehicle grant program.
Public Engagement
This item is on the agenda for the November 14, 2023, City Council meeting and will
follow all required postings and notifications. The public will have an opportun ity to
comment on this item at or before the meeting.
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Item 5e
CONCURRENCE
The Parks & Recreation Department and Office of Sustainability and Natural Resources
concur with the report and proposed application.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in
this report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines
Sec. 15378. If the work associated with the grant funding requires environmental review,
staff will not proceed with the project until a review has been completed.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: Yes Budget Year: 2023-24
Funding Identified: Yes
Fiscal Analysis:
Off-Highway Vehicle Grant
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
General Fund $ $0 $ $500.00
State
Federal
Fees
Other:
Total $0 $500.00
The OHV grant program does not require any City matching funds. The department has
requested funds to fully fund a new UTV plus necessary accompaniments for use as a
rescue vehicle. If the grant is awarded to the City, the department estimates costs of
$500.00 annually for ongoing maintenance which can be absorbed by the mechanic’s
current budget, as repairs are already budgeted and a new UTV would require fewer
repairs than the current UTV.
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Item 5e
Fire Fuel Reduction Grant
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
General Fund $6,750 $0 $ $0
State
Federal
Fees
Other: RSG! $0
Total $6,750 $ $0
The RSG! Program Fuels Reduction Funding 2023 does not require any City hard-
matching funds, but rather a 25% in-kind match which staff recommends meeting with
staff time dedicated towards the project. The in-kind match can be met through
appropriated operating budgets. Awards are expected to be announced in Winter
2023/2024. If the project is not funded by the Ready, Set, Go! Program, the department
will look for other external funding opportunities to accomplish unfunded climate-related
wildfire & disaster prevention and preparedness projects.
ALTERNATIVES
Council could decide not to pursue the grant monies or approve only one grant
application. This action is not recommended by staff as fire service grant opportunities
are limited and the grant funds would only serve to enhance the City’s safety and
resilience while increasing fiscal sustainability for the City.
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