Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Jim Eggemeyer, Director, Office of Sustainability
Subject: Resource Conservation District Agreement Amendment
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an amendment to the agreement with the San Mateo Resource Conservation District to increase the amount by $175,500 to an amount not to exceed $938,335 to reduce risks from wildland fires.
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BACKGROUND:
The San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) is a special district within San Mateo County that provides comprehensive and integrated services around wildlife, water, climate, and agriculture to the local community. Its service area encompasses a significant part of the county, mostly along the coast. On July 1, 2017, your Board approved a contract with the RCD for an amount not to exceed $385,243 for services related to water quality improvement and natural resource protection.
On August 8, 2017, your Board approved an amendment to the agreement for work related to the Butano Channel Restoration and Resilience Project which increased the amount by $150,000 for a total of $535,243. Then on September 25, 2018, your Board approved an amendment to the agreement for work related to waste diversion and reduction which increased the agreement’s not-to-exceed amount by $227,592. On February 12, 2019 your Board approved an additional amendment to the agreement to address a clerical error and reflecting the current not-to-exceed amount of $762,835.
DISCUSSION:
The RCD has experience working in San Mateo County on wildland fire risk reduction. It has also been a strong County partner in providing assistance with various water quality and resource protection projects throughout its service area. RCD is well positioned to provide these wildland fire risk reduction services due to their technical expertise and relationships with many of the communities and the Fire Safe Council in the area.
The recommended amendment with the RCD includes the addition of various projects around wildland fire risk reduction. This includes:
• Coordinating and facilitating Fire Safe Council (FSC) work on local initiatives and priorities identified by FSC stakeholders, the CAL FIRE Unit Plan, and the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
• Expanding the FSC chipping program, which includes outreach to residents on topics including defensible space, home hardening, evacuation routes, and neighborhood fuel/vegetation risk reduction efforts.
• Supporting project development and efforts to secure grants to further fuel reduction and forest health projects, including watershed health/sediment load reduction, to improve critical trails, fire roads, emergency access/evacuation roads, and related bridges and culverts.
• Researching and developing programmatic permitting tools and environmental documentation for projects including: fuel reduction, removal of large trees like eucalyptus, defensible space, large scale forest health projects, strategic fuel breaks, and sediment load reduction improvements for emergency access/evacuation routes and other fire risk reduction projects.
Given that the RCD is a governmental entity with the sought-after level of expertise and experience in the area of wildland fire risk reduction, the Office of Sustainability is requesting a sole source waiver of the RFP process. In addition, the RCD is subject to transparency and accountability laws requiring public meetings, open records, annual audits, and financial reporting, which makes them a trusted County partner.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolution as to form.
Approval of the resolution contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of an Environmentally Conscious Community through the implementation of various wildland fire risk reduction strategies. Approval of this resolution also contributes to the 2025 Shared Vision outcome of a Collaborative Community by developing relationships with various organizations and communities throughout the county on wildland fire issues.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Appropriations for the services related to the amendment to the Agreement will be made via an Appropriation Transfer Request and will be included in future fiscal years as needed.