HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 6c. Acceptance of California State Coastal Conservancy Grant Funds for Vegetation Management Plan5c Item 6c
Department: Administration
Cost Center: 1005
For Agenda of: 5/6/2025
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Greg Hermann, Deputy City Manager
Prepared By: Robert Hill, Sustainability and Natural Resources Official
Freddy Otte, City Biologist
SUBJECT: ACCEPTANCE OF STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY GRANT FUNDS
FOR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt a Resolution entitled, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of San Luis
Obispo, California, Approving the Grant Funds from the State Coastal Conservancy
for the ‘City of San Luis Obispo Vegetation Management Plan’”; and
2. Authorize the Mayor to sign the Resolution supporting the partnership between the
City of San Luis Obispo and the State Coastal Conservancy (SCC) and delegating
authority to the City Manager to accept the grant funds and sign the grant agreement
and any other necessary instruments to carry out the terms of the grant; and
3. Create Project number 2001077 and transfer $50,000 from the Office of Sustainability
and Natural Resources Contract Services account to the project budget in the Capital
Outlay Fund for the required City matching funds.
POLICY CONTEXT
Staff’s recommendation is in support of the following policy objectives:
1. Conservation and Open Space Element
8.5.4. Fire prevention activities. Except in an emergency, fire prevention
activities such as fuel clearance or thinning, grading, prescribed burns or other
activities shall be conducted pursuant to an approved Conservation Plan, and
under the supervision of the Natural Resources Manager and Fire Marshal.
Habitat preservation shall be given equal priority with fire prevention.
2. Climate Adaptation and Safety Element
Policy FI-5.1: Reduce Wildfire Risk – The City shall reduce the risk of wildfires in
city open spaces and in the wildland urban i nterface through timely
implementation of the City’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan and the
Vegetation Management Plan (VMP).
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Item 6c
Program FI-5.13: Implement the Vegetation Management Plan – Continue to
implement the City’s Vegetation Management Plan, conducting fuel reduction
projects at the 12 large open space lands included in the plan, using vegetation
management techniques appropriate for each open space including manual
vegetation removal; tree removal; mechanical treatment, prescribed burning,
livestock grazing, and chemical treatment. Update the Vegetation Management
Plan, as needed, to incorporate regulations regarding new best practices, and
new funding opportunities for vegetation management projects. Develop an Urban
Creek Vegetation Management Plan as part of the Waterway Management Plan
update. The plan shall set forth a holistic vision to address excessive and noxious
vegetation and dead material in the creeks and waterways in San Luis Obispo
and surrounding areas. Work with private property owners and San Luis Obispo
County to review and conduct vegetation management to ensure dead trees and
vegetation are reduced to prevent fire from spreading to adjacent lands.
3. Draft 2025-27 Financial Plan, Major City Goal for Open Space, Climate Action,
and Resilience
Work Program 2c: Complete the Vegetation Management Plan (VMP)
DISCUSSION
Background
The City of San Luis Obispo has been successful in acquiring and protecting over 4,000
acres of open space that is owned and managed by the City. Working with partners and
securing grant funding to leverage General Fund dollars, the City is now the steward of a
significant amount of land for habitat and sensitive species conservation and protection.
With the property acquired over the years comes the need for protective management as
some of the open space properties form the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), defined as
where natural open space meets the built environment.
For each of the open space properties acquired by the City, a Conservation P lan is
prepared with different required elements, as identified in the Conservation Guidelines for
Open Space Lands of the City of San Luis Obispo. W ildfire preparedness is a required
element of the conservation plans that have been developed for each open space;
however, these plans are high level and do not provide more detailed site-specific tactics
for management of vegetation present in each open space.
The City also owns and manages, or has management responsibilities, for numerous
creek properties and the proposed update to the VMP will also help to address vegetation
management in the City managed creek areas to reduce the potential for creek corridors
and canyons becoming fire pathways into the urban environment and for human caused
ignitions from starting in the creek system and threatening the surrounding community.
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Item 6c
With climate change, increased wind events and prolonged drought requires more
attention to the vegetation in City open space and creeks to ensure a diligent approach
to fuels management and defensible space requirements. With the recent adoption of the
Climate Adaptation and Safety Element (2023) and in support of the Conservation and
Open Space Element (2006) policy sections listed above, the existing VMP should be
updated to include more site-specific actions, monitoring, and tracking of vegetation
management efforts. This work will take on increased importance given the new Fire
Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) maps recently released from Cal Fire. The proposed
update to the VMP will form the basis for the City’s work to be in compliance with new
FHSZ maps and anticipated standards for defensible space within City open space
properties.
Work under the current VMP is generally completed using California Conservation Corps
crews. City Open Space Technicians, contract staff in Ranger Service, have been
assisting in smaller vegetation management projects based on capacity and availability.
This grant funding from the SCC, through the Wildfire Resilience Program, will allow staff
to work with a consultant to develop site specific t reatment activities based on the
vegetation and habitats present for tailored vegetation management in compliance with
the new FHSZ maps.
Existing resources will continue to be used to implement projects identified in the updated
VMP and staff will continue to work with partners like the Fire Safe Council, SCC and
other organizations to request additional grant funding as needed.
Previous Council Action
Prior City Council actions pertaining to wildfire management and preparedness include
the Conservation Guidelines for Open Space Lands of the City of San Luis Obispo (2002),
the Conservation and Open Space Element (2006), the Open Space Maintenance Plan
(2015), which included the City of San Luis Obispo Vegetation Management Plan: The
Wildland-Urban Interface as a technical appendix, and the Climate Adaptation and Safety
Element (2023). Other pertinent actions have included adoption of various property-
specific open space conservation plans, and periodic updates to the Community Wildlife
Protection Plan and Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Public Engagement
As part of the grant scope of work, if accepted, there will be informational sessions
conducted in accordance with the Public Engagement and Noticing (PEN) Manual in the
neighborhoods where City Open Space forms the WUI border to discuss the findings of
the VMP and what activities are to be performed on the City property to reduce the risk
of wildfire. Community members will be invited to neighborhood workshops supported by
other City staff to discuss the vegetation and habitat types encountered in the Open
Space and creek areas along with vegetation management techniques. Focus areas will
include the areas identified in the FHSZ maps, where management and priority
treatments will be assigned based on the VMP findings.
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Item 6c
CONCURRENCE
The Fire Department and Parks and Recreation Department concur with the
recommendations in this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) does not apply for the development of
a plan as these actions do not constitute a “project” under CEQA guidelines sec. 15378.
However, if recommended actions of this Council Agenda Report are approved , an
environmental document will be prepared by SCC’s on-call environmental consultant, at
no cost to the City, that will be presented for Council’s future consideration, together with
the VMP when it is completed.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: No Budget Year: 2024-25
Funding Identified: Yes
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
General Fund $50,000
State $200,000
Federal $0
Fees $0
Other: $0
Total $250,000 N/A N/A N/A
The City applied to the SCC under the Wildfire Resilience Program and was awarded
$200,000 in grant funds for the development of the VMP on April 17, 2025. Because this
grant funding will be paid on a reimbursable basis, and grant funds will be used to support
a contract with a third-party vendor to complete the technical portions of the work scope,
this Council Agenda Report requests the creation of Project 2001077 and transfer of
$50,000 from the Office of Sustainability and Natural Resources (OOSNR) Contract
Service account representing the required matching funds. Staff time will also be used
from the OOSNR operating budget as in-kind match for grant agreement administration
and reporting requirements. Modest staff time from the Fire Department and Ranger
Service will also be utilized to support and review the findings and recommendations in
the VMP.
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Item 6c
ALTERNATIVES
1. Council could request additional information or request changes to the grant
agreement with SCC. It is unlikely however, that SCC is willing to entertain
substantive changes to its standard, template form of agreement.
2. Council could decide not to approve entering into agreement with SCC. This
would require alternative planning to identif y another approach for vegetation
management in City Open Space and creek areas. It should also be noted that this is
an opportunity for the development of a site-specific vegetation survey and treatment
strategy that could be used to solicit subsequent grant funds with a “shovel ready”
approach to physical implementation of vegetation management and wildfire
mitigation on City owned and managed lands.
ATTACHMENTS
A - Draft Resolution adopting “City of San Luis Obispo Vegetation Management Plan”
B - State Coastal Conservancy Typical Grant Agreement Terms
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R ______
RESOLUTION NO. ____ (2025 SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE GRANT FUNDS FROM THE
STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY FOR THE “CITY OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN”
WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of California has established the State
Coastal Conservancy (“Conservancy”) under Division 21 of the California Public
Resources Code, and has authorized the Conservancy to award grants to public agencies
and nonprofit organizations to implement the provisions of Division 21; and
WHEREAS, the Conservancy awards grants for projects that it determines are
consistent with Division 21 of the Public Resources Code and with the Conservancy’s
Strategic Plan and that best achieve the Conservancy’s statutory objectives, in light of
limited funding; and
WHEREAS, at its April 17, 2025 meeting, the Conservancy adopted a resolution
authorizing a grant to The City of San Luis Obispo (“grantee”) for The City of San Luis
Obispo Vegetation Management Project (“the project”). The resolution was adopted by
the Conservancy pursuant to and is included in the Conservancy April 17, 2025 staff
recommendation, a copy of which is on file with the grantee and with the Conservancy;
and
WHEREAS, the Conservancy requires that the governing body of the grantee
certify through a resolution that it approves the award of Conservancy grant funding and
designates a representative to negotiate and execute a Grant Agreement with the
Conservancy.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis
Obispo, in its capacity as grantee, hereby:
1. Approves the award of grant funding from the Conservancy for the project.
2. Acknowledges that it has or will have sufficient funds to complete the project
and, if any property is acquired as part of the project to operate and maintain
the property, and, if any facilities are constructed as a part of the project, to
operate and maintain the facilities for a reasonable period, not less than the
useful life of the facilities.
3. Agrees to be bound by all terms and conditions of the grant agreement and any
other agreement or instrument as may be required by the Conservancy and as
may be necessary to fulfill the terms of the grant agreement and to complete
the project.
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Resolution No. _____ (2025 Series) Page 2
R ______
4. Authorizes the City Manager to negotiate and execute on behalf of the grantee
all agreements and instruments necessary to complete the project, and the
Sustainability and Natural Resources Official and City Biologist to act as a
representative of the grantee, to carry out and comply with the Conservancy's
grant requirements and scope of work, including, without limitation, the terms
of the grant agreement:
Whitney McDonald, City Manager
Robert Hill, Sustainability & Natural Resources Official
Freddy Otte, City Biologist
Upon motion of Council Member ___________, seconded by Council Member
___________, and on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
The foregoing resolution was adopted this _____ day of _______________ 20 25.
___________________________
Mayor Erica A. Stewart
ATTEST:
______________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________
J. Christine Dietrick
City Attorney
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the
City of San Luis Obispo, California, on ______________________.
___________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
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Typical Grant Agreement Terms
Once the Conservancy has approved a grant at a public meeting, Conservancy staff will prepare a grant
agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of the grant. The grantee must sign the grant agreement
and comply with all of its conditions in order to receive funds. The grant agreement describes
requirements in greater detail and will be the controlling document. Close review of and compliance
with the grant agreement is essential and is the grantee’s responsibility.
•The Conservancy usually limits overhead to 20%.
•Expenses incurred before the grant agreement with the Conservancy is executed cannot be billed
to the grant.
•All Conservancy grantees should expect to be audited by the State of California. It is the
grantee’s responsibility to maintain all necessary records to substantiate and document all
payments made pursuant to a Conservancy grant. If a grantee cannot provide adequate records
when they are audited, they may be required to repay grant funds.
•The Conservancy reimburses grantees for expenses after they are incurred. This means the
grantee will have to cover the costs of the project between the time the expenses are incurred and
they get paid by the Conservancy.
•Grantees are typically responsible for operation, maintenance and monitoring of completed
projects for 20 years.
•For grants to nonprofit organizations to construct improvements, the Conservancy will require a
recorded agreement between the nonprofit, the Conservancy, and landowner if the property is not
owned by the nonprofit, to protect the public interest in the project.
•Federal tribes will be asked to sign a limited waiver of sovereign immunity when entering into a
grant agreement with the Conservancy.
•Grantees are typically required to maintain general liability, automobile, and other forms of
insurance during the term of the grant agreement.
•Grantees may be required to pay prevailing wages for their project in compliance with the Labor
Code. General information on prevailing wage requirements can be provided upon request.
•For wetland and watershed restoration and protection projects, applicants will be required to
conduct a baseline report utilizing the California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) within the
year prior to project construction, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the Conservancy
and the grantee (http://www.cramwetlands.org/). Applicants will also be required to provide a
plan for Completion of Post-Construction CRAM Assessment, including a budget and timeline
for the collection of at least one CRAM assessment following construction of the project and
prior to the completion date of the grant agreement in order to document the change in wetland
condition at the project site. Costs associated with CRAM assessment should be included in the
proposed project budget.
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