TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: David Shew, Fire Administrator
REPORT BY: J.R. Rogers, Assistant Fire Administrator
SUBJECT: Agreement with Napa Communities Firewise Foundation
RECOMMENDATION
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Approve and authorize Agreement No. 250339B with Napa Communities Firewise Foundation to implement the Defensible Space/Ignition Resistant Construction program under the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. (Fiscal Impact: $3,229,600 Expense; Fire Fund; Budgeted; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
Napa County applied for a Building Resilience for Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 2022. This grant was awarded to Napa County on March 26, 2024. The BRIC grant award was for $35 Million, with local matching funds from Napa County in the amount of $15 Million. The collective total of $50 Million is targeted for the Napa Community-Wide Comprehensive Wildfire Mitigation Program, which is designed for both hazardous fuels reduction and defensible space/ignition resistant construction projects. These projects will span a total of three years, with two potential extensions of twelve months each.
BRIC is designed into two primary phases. Phase 1 will extend through the initial twelve to fourteen months and serve as the Planning Phase. Phase 2 will then include the activities for hazardous fuels reduction and provide reimbursements for homeowners to improve defensible space around their property, as well as reduce wildfire ignition risk to structures. These efforts will ultimately create more fire resilient communities around the County and reduce the impacts from future wildfire events.
As part of Phase 1, a Request for Proposals was created to select a consultant to facilitate public outreach to promote a Defensible Space/Ignition Resistant Construction (DS/IRC) cost share programs to property owners and will obtain right-of-entry agreements and contracts as needed. Napa Communities Firewise Foundation (NCFF) was the lowest responsive bidder. For Hazardous Fuels Reduction, the consultant shall work with the Napa County Fire Administration (NCFA) to facilitate public outreach to promote the projects and will obtain right-of-entry agreements and contracts as needed. The project will be divided into two phases spread over three years.
Requested Actions:
1. Approve and authorize an agreement with Napa Communities Firewise Foundation to project manage and implement the Defensible Space/Ignition Resistant Construction program under the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program for a contract maximum of $3,229,600 through March 26, 2027.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Fire Fund 2100 |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
This Agreement will help meet County goals to improve wildfire preparedness and prevention efforts. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
This Agreement will set the stage for expenditure of future funding to help homeowners reduce wildfire risk to structures and property. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
Without this Agreement, the risk of wildfire impacts in the County will continue to increase, potentially resulting in larger impacts from future wildfires. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The action is not a project as defined by California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and/or exempt under sections 15301 and 15304, subds. (a) and (i), [See Class 1 (“Existing Facilities”) and Class 4 (“Minor Alterations to Land”)] and, therefore, CEQA is not applicable.