RES 2025054 - Laserfiche WebLink

5. Economic Considerations The City recognizes that maintaining trees in the WUI areas of the City to meet the Livermore -Pleasanton Fire Department vegetation management guidelines and the recommendations in this section can require more effort and expense than elsewhere in the City. This can include additional or more frequent tree trimming to ensure that the trees retained on the property have crowns with adequate clearance from the ground, buildings, chimneys, and roads. It can also include managing the number of trees on the property to maintain an ideal spacing of at least 20 feet between tree crowns and removing dead trees as soon as possible. This section summarizes the costs associated with the additional tree work and is compared with the costs associated with the suppression of a large wildfire. It also includes opportunities for funding vegetation management work, including tree care, that is available for the public and agencies and discusses tree maintenance practices and property insurance. Costs Associated with Tree Maintenance Completing the tree maintenance recommendations in this section incurs a cost in both dollars and effort. It is highly recommended that an ISA -certified and experienced tree service professional perform tree maintenance activities on all but the smallest trees or simplest maintenance activities due to the risk to personal safety and the effort involved in disposing of a large volume of cut woody debris. Costs to perform the recommended tree maintenance activities vary based on tree size and location. Funding Opportunities Funding is available to local government agencies and non-profit organizations to perform wildfire risk reduction work in the WUI area, including tree trimming and removal, mainly through grants. There are fewer opportunities for individual property owners and HOAs. However, individual property owners and HOAs can find opportunities for funding and assistance through their local Firewise community or fire safe council. Diablo Fire Safe Council represents the Pleasanton area and has a cost -share program, which is described below. CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grants CAL FIRE's Wildfire Prevention (WP) Grants Program provides funding for wildfire prevention projects and activities in and near wildfire -threatened communities that focus on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. Funded activities include Hazardous Fuels Reduction, Wildfire Prevention Planning, and Wildfire Prevention Education, emphasizing improving public health and safety while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The WP Grants Program funds three types of activities: Hazardous Fuels Reduction, Wildfire Prevention Planning, and Wildfire Prevention Education (CAL FIRE, 2023). Hazardous fuel reduction is the most relevant to the UFMP of these three activities. Hazardous fuel reduction grant funds can be used for the following activities. ■ Creation or maintenance of fuel breaks in strategic locations, as identified in CAL FIRE Unit Fire Plans, a Community Wildfire Protection Plan, or similar strategic planning document ■ Removal of ladder fuels to reduce the risk of crown fires ■ Creation of community -level wildfire prevention programs, such as community chipping days, roadside chipping, and green waste bin programs APPENDIX A -WILDFIRE 26 of 219