Consideration and Adoption of Resolution No. 2024-47:  A resolution of the Flagstaff City Council, approving the adoption of the 2024 City of Flagstaff Forest Management Plan. 
 

1. Read Resolution No. 2024-47 by title only
2. City Clerk reads Resolution No. 2024-47 by title only (if approved above)
3. Adopt Resolution No. 2024-47

Flagstaff, Arizona is surrounded by the largest continuous ponderosa pine forest in the world. It is flanked by sacred peaks and canyons. The ponderosa pine forests of northern Arizona have existed for thousands of years and evolved to benefit from frequent fires ignited by both seasonal monsoonal weather patterns and cultural burning practices. Unfortunately, more than a century of management based on excluding cultural burning and suppressing lightning-based ignitions has left the forest in an altered condition. These changes threaten Flagstaff’s natural resources, economy, built environment, water resources, municipal infrastructure, and quality of life.  

Frequent, low intensity fire is required for a healthy ponderosa pine ecosystem. These fires do not pose a community wide threat. Reintroduction of such fires requires the re-creation of a forest environment that will burn in a healthy, nonthreatening, manner, and a built environment that properly considers science based defensible space and home hardening strategies. 

This intent of this updated Forest Management Plan is to provide generalized guidance in planning and implementing forest treatments to achieve a Desired Future Condition of our forest that is focused on enhancing community well-being by:

1. Protecting the community from undesirable wildfire by mitigating or reducing hazards.
2. Ensuring forest sustainability by improving long-term forest health, and maintaining wildlife habitat, native plant diversity, carbon storage, recreational opportunities, and other natural benefits of the forest.
3. Providing standardized resource management guidance to the customers we serve.
4. Permitting consistent implementation standards for all forest management activities within the community.

No funds are impacted if the Fire Management Plan is adopted as written.

The management recommendations in the updated Forest Management Plan will better align the desired conditions of our natural and built environments with the best available science. 

If the resolution is not adopted by Council, we will continue to have conflicts with desired conditions across jurisdictions within city limits.

Priority Based Budget Key Community Priorities and Objectives
High Performing Governance: Implement innovative local government programs, new ideas and best practices; be recognized as a model for others to follow
Safe and Healthy Community: Ensure built environment is safe through the use of consistent standards, rules and regulations, & land use practices
Environmental Stewardship: Promote, protect & enhance a healthy, sustainable environment & its natural resources
Environmental Stewardship: Strengthen Flagstaff's resilience to climate change impacts on built, natural, economic, health, & social systems
Livable Community: Support the development of attainable and accessible housing
Livable Community: Achieve a well maintained community through comprehensive and equitable code compliance

Regional Plan
Environmental Planning & Conservation – Vision for the Future: In 2013, the long-term health and viability of our natural resource environment is maintained through strategic planning for resource conservation and protection.
Policy E&C.3.3 – Invest in forest health and watershed protection measures.
Policy E&C.6.1 – Encourage public awareness that the region’s ponderosa pine forest is a fire-dependent ecosystem and strive to restore more natural and sustainable forest composition, structure, and processes.
Policy E&C.6.3 – Promote protection, conservation, and ecological restoration of the region’s diverse ecosystem type and associated animals.
Policy E&C.6.2 – Encourage all landowners and land management agencies to emphasize forest ecosystem restoration and catastrophic fire risk reduction for the lands under their respective jurisdictions.
Policy E&C.6.6 – Support collaborative efforts for forest health initiatives or practices, such as the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI), to support healthy forests and protect our water system.
Policy E&C.10.2 – Protect, conserve, and when possible, enhance and restore wildlife habitat on public land.
Policy PF.3.1 – Maintain high-quality effectiveness and efficiency in law enforcement, fire, and emergency services to the extent that is consistent with governmental operations, plans, public policies, population served, and monies available.

Carbon Neutrality Plan
HF-1: Protect existing forests, resources, and meaningful open spaces. 
HF-2: Restore and maintain the natural fire-adapted structure and pattern of the forests of the greater Flagstaff region through collaboration with partners.
HF-3: Educate the public on forest health and wildfire risk reduction. 

Consolidating carbon stocks in fewer, larger trees reduces the risk of carbon loss from fire. The natural forest structure provides the best target for maintaining sustainable carbon stocks and ecological function. 

10-Year Housing Plan

The Forest Management Plan does not impact Flagstaff Zoning Codes, but this plan will improve how the resource protection overlay is implemented. 
 

Create 4.5	Evaluate and amend the Resource Protection Overlay standards to ensure that the minimum densities can be met on most sites, including making the requirements for residential sites to be similar to those for a commercial site.
Create 4.6	Evaluate Resource Protection Overlay standards in terms of consistent application across each zone and allow for greater maximum densities.

The Forest Management Plan aligns with the FFD 2023-2024 Strategic Plan service level goal: Reduce risks through Prevention & WFM efforts