Approve the North Fork Putah Creek Fuel Risk Reduction project, affirm that the Project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), direct staff to file the Notice of Exemption with the County Recorder and the State Clearinghouse and approve the project and authorize the Director of Community Services, or his/her designee, to sign the agreement with the California Conservation Corps. (No general fund impact) (Echiburu/Sabatini)

The project area is located on the southern boundary of the City of Davis’s WIillowcreek subdivision, just north of the Willowbank and Old Willowbank subdivisions in unincorporated Yolo County.  The existing drainage channel is a remnant of the Putah Creek system, which was realigned to divert floodwaters into the South Fork of Putah Creek in the late 19th century. The North Fork of Putah Creek (“NFPC”) is currently used by the City of Davis for storm water conveyance, though most of the project area is on county-owned property.  This project will reduce the risk of wildfire to the adjacent residential subdivisions (Willowcreek, Willowbank, and Old Willowbank) between Drummond Avenue on the west and Mace Boulevard on the east (see map provided below).  The project area is approximately nine (9) acres in size and has been the subject of abatement orders from the City’s Fire Marshall since at least 2018.  County-owned parcels are provided in the table, below. 

Prior to 2008, the City of Davis engaged in channel and vegetation maintenance activities within and along the NFPC channel.  In 2008, the City adopted channel maintenance plan for this project area called the “North Fork Putah Creek Channel Maintenance Plan: Drummond Ave. to Mace Blvd.”  Minor maintenance activities and emergency tree removals to protect public safety have been undertaken by the County since 2018.  Downed or dangerous trees have been removed on an as-needed basis, and minor maintenance activities have been undertaken annually in response to abatement orders issued by the City’s Fire Marshall.  It has been determined, via consultation with the City’s Fire Marshal, that additional maintenance and vegetation removal is necessary to reduce the risk of wildfire to the surrounding suburban neighborhoods.

The project will be implemented by the California Conservation Corps ("CCC"), at no cost to the County, to remove wildfire fuels such as dead trees/vegetation, downed woody debris, ladder fuels, and dense dry stands of shrubbery.  Mature healthy trees will not be affected by this project, unless structural issues are identified that could jeopardize public safety, such as cracked or dead limbs.  In such cases where an otherwise healthy tree may have a hazardous limb or limbs, all reasonable efforts will be made to prune the tree and preserve its overall health and integrity.  The County will provide a chipper for the project so that the vegetation removed can be chipped and placed along the channel banks as ground cover.  

 
Yolo County and City of Davis staff have worked together with the City of Davis Fire Marshal to mark the subject vegetation with color-coded non-toxic, washable paint to identify which vegetation should be removed and what should be left as is.   A certified wildlife specialist, trained and certified in California wildlife and bird spotting and surveying, will survey the entire project area not less than three (3) days prior to work by the California Conservation Corps ("CCC") commencing and make any necessary adjustments to the field markings.  County staff have confirmed that no permits are necessary from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.   

Yolo County will be the lead agency for this project.  The County has identified three sections within the Public Resources Code ("PRC") and California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") that exempt this wildfire risk reduction project from further environmental review:

 A “Notice of Exemption” will be filed with the County Clerk-Recorder and the State Clearinghouse prior to the commencement of work by the CCC.  

Staff have collaborated with Supervisorial District 4, the County Administrator's Office, County Counsel, City of Davis staff, the East Davis Fire Protection District, the Willowbank County Service Area, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California Conservation Corps on this item.