*Accept and appropriate grant for $20,000 from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office for removal of debris collected from wildfire hazard zones within Portland Firewise communities
The City of Portland ordains:
Section 1. The Council finds:
- The Firewise Communities/USA program is designed to provide an effective management approach that ensures residents maximum protection from wildland fire and enable communities to achieve a high level of protection against Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fire loss while balancing a sustainable ecosystem.
- Portland Fire & Rescue’s Firewise Public Education Team attends community events to educate homeowners and residents about Firewise prevention, awareness, and escape plans.
- Community members and environmental specialists work collaboratively to assess the community and gather data when considering a community as a Firewise community candidate.
- This grant project will remove hazardous fuels within Firewise communities.
- There is no City match required.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:
- The Portland Fire & Rescue Chief is hereby authorized to negotiate, accept and execute a grant agreement on behalf of the City of Portland a grant from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office to fund the removal of hazardous fuels in Firewise communities, in a form substantially similar to Exhibit A, provided it is approved as to form by the City Attorney’s Office.
- The 2022/23 budget is hereby amended as follows:
GRANTS FUND
Fund 217
Business Area – FR
Bureau Program Expenses– $20,000
The Office of Management & Finance Grants Management Division is authorized to perform all administrative matters in relation to the grant application, grant agreement or amendments, requests for reimbursement from the grantor, and to submit required online grant documents on the Mayor’s behalf.
- The Portland Fire & Rescue Chief is authorized to negotiate and execute on behalf of the City of Portland any subsequent amendments to the grant agreement, including amendments that increase the funding provided to the city by Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office, provided such amendments do not increase the City’s financial obligation under the grant agreement.
Section 2. The Council declares that an emergency exists because the period of performance for these funds has started; therefore, this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the Council.
Official Record (Efiles)
An ordinance when passed by the Council shall be signed by the Auditor. It shall be carefully filed and preserved in the custody of the Auditor (City Charter Chapter 2 Article 1 Section 2-122)
Passed by Council
Auditor of the City of Portland
Simone Rede
Impact Statement
Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information
• Funding for removal of debris collected from wildfire hazard zones within and on the bordering areas of Firewise (FW) communities in the Portland area, including: Linnton FW Community, Forest Park FW Neighborhood – North, Forest Park FW Neighborhood – South, Thurman Bridge FW Neighborhood, Forest Heights FW Neighborhood, and Collins View FW Neighborhood.
• Partner with managers of forested areas to reduce hazardous fuels on the boundaries of natural areas that abut the surrounding communities at risk.
• Support fuels reduction and creation of defensible space around homes through volunteer fuel mitigation events, utilizing partners as resources for fuel mitigation event assistance from Neighborhood Emergency Teams (NET) and Team Rubicon.
• Create an agreement/partnership with local vegetation debris removal businesses to either pick up vegetation debris in the neighborhoods or allowing specific days for residents to drop-off truckloads of debris or provide dumpsters for fuel mitigation events.
• The grant funds of $20,000 will cover cost of providing debris removal for volunteer fuel mitigation events in the Firewise Communities in the Portland area.
• Will include purchase of supplies for vegetation removal: Purchase of equipment for fuel mitigation events noted above: vegetation removal tools, such as clippers, loppers, hand saws, gloves, hi-vis vests, caution signs, etc. = $2,500.00
• Will plan to host and complete 10 fuel mitigation events by July 31, 2023.
• Will plan to host up to 5 more fuel mitigation events before the end of 2023.
• Continue to educate landowners in the Wildland Urban Interface about reducing wildfire hazards.
• Continue to provide wildland-urban interface home assessments for residents that live within the wildfire hazard zones (WHZ) in the Portland area
• Reconvene a standing Wildfire Technical Committee (WTC)
Financial and Budgetary Impacts
No match is required for this grant.
Portland Fire & Rescue Firewise coordinators will manage the work of this grant.
Community Impacts and Community Involvement
Firewise Community residents will receive assistant to remove hazardous fire fuel in and around their property.
Two more communities are interested in becoming Firewise Communities and will join the effort in the first half of 2023. Will be total of 9 FW Communities in Portland.
100% Renewable Goal
Not applicable.
Budgetary Impact Worksheet
| Fund | Fund Center | Commitment Item | Functional Area | Funded Program | Grant | Sponsored Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
217007 | FRPR000013 | 441100 | PSPR00000000GS | 217006 | FR000043 | 0 | 20000.00 |
| 217007 | FRPR000013 | 532000 | PSPR00000000GS | 217006 | FR000043 | 0 | 20000.00 |
Agenda Items
280 Consent Agenda in April 12, 2023 Council Agenda
Passed
- Commissioner Dan Ryan Yea
- Commissioner Rene Gonzalez Yea
- Commissioner Mingus Mapps Yea
- Commissioner Carmen Rubio Absent
- Mayor Ted Wheeler Yea