Title
Ad hoc Code Enforcement Advisory Committee recommending the Board receive and file an update on the committee’s work to date and future plans in regards to vegetation management. (Est. Time: 1 Hr.)
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The April 9, 2019 presentation is a proposal for a vegetation management program. This presentation will allow for the Board of Supervisors to have the information on the program before the first Board of Supervisors budget workshop on April 22, 2019. If the vegetation management program is a high budget priority then the first reading of the ordinance will be planned for April 23, 2019.
Additional Background
On January 23, 2018, the Board of Supervisors approved the Ad hoc Code Enforcement Advisory Committee to look at amending County Ordinance Code, Chapter 09.02 - Code Enforcement, pursuant to Board Policy A-3, to direct staff to study more defined code enforcement process timelines and evaluate services provided, which does not include Vacation Home Rentals (Legistar Item #18-0033).
Since the Board’s approval, the ad hoc advisory committee has identified different Code Enforcement topics: vegetation management, building codes, minimum housing, vehicle abatement and solid waste. Analysis of all of these topics together would provide an overwhelming amount of information. Due to the large amount of information, the ad hoc committee decided to study different code enforcement topics separately.
The first topic the ad hoc committee decided to work on is vegetation management. The ad hoc committee met with community stakeholders numerous times to discuss vegetation management issues around the County. These meetings included county stakeholders (e.g. county fire districts, CAL FIRE, El Dorado County Fire Safe Council, County Department of Transportation, County Facilities Division, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc.). In addition, the ad hoc committee held four public meetings in different locations around the County to discuss what vegetation management changes would help make the County’s communities safer. Likewise, the committee has been collecting information from other counties around the state to see what they are doing to make their communities safer. Lastly, the ad hoc committee has provided two update presentations to the Board Supervisors (Legistar Item #18-1462 and Legistar Item #19-0038) on the information gathering process regarding vegetation management. The Board of Supervisors gave conceptual approval to amend County Ordinance Code, Chapter 08.08.010 - Fire Prevention, pursuant to Board Policy A-3, to direct staff to begin working on draft vegetation management changes to the ordinance (Legistar Item #19-0197). The presentation on April 9, 2019 is the new proposed ordinance.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose to not receive the update.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
El Dorado County fire departments/districts, CAL FIRE, different counties’ fire districts around the state, and fire safe councils.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
It is recommended that the Board hear this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact associated with this item at this time.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
There is no follow up action.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure and Public Safety
CONTACT
Creighton Avila
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer