Print Staff Summary Report

7.F.

CITY OF FLAGSTAFF

STAFF SUMMARY REPORT

To:

The Honorable Mayor and Council

From:

Neil Chapman, Wildland Fire Captain

Co-Submitter:

Nicole Antonopoulos

Date:

05/14/2024

Meeting Date:

05/21/2024

TITLE:

Consideration and Approval of Agreement: Grant Agreement between the City of Flagstaff and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to initiate a comprehensive, collaborative, and cross-sector initiative to change conditions such that community capacity, awareness of the benefits of fire to forest health, and community-wide smoke readiness have all increased, advancing wildfire resilience and public health.

STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Ratify year one of a Grant Agreement with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation in the amount of $249,850.

Executive Summary:

The City's Fire Department's Wildland Fire Management program (WFM) and Sustainability Division have been working with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation on national wildfire risk reduction efforts since 2021. In December 2023, discussions were initiated to include WFM in the Moore Foundations Wildfire Resilience Initiative (https://www.moore.org/initiative-strategy-detail initiative=wildfire-resilience-initiative).

The Wildfire Resilience Initiative aims to support a transformation in the role that fire plays and is perceived to play in Western North America, from an unwanted, destructive threat to a vitalizing element in our landscapes. This new partnership will increase the Sustainability Division's and WFM's level of service in the City of Flagstaff's natural and built environment. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation will benefit from the City of Flagstaff providing significant experience and local lessons learned to their Wildfire Resilience Initiative. This is year one of a ten-year initiative.

Grant Outcome: By April 2025, a comprehensive, collaborative, and cross-sector initiative will have been launched to change conditions such that community capacity, awareness of the benefits of fire to forest health, and community-wide smoke readiness have all increased, advancing wildfire resilience and community health.

Objective 1. Improve Wildfire Resilience in the Greater Flagstaff Region by increasing community knowledge of resilient landscapes and beneficial fire-focused management, through staff training and expanded planning efforts.
Objective 2. Identify and utilize a novel system of parcel-level data collection that has been identified and used for community-level wildfire risk reduction and is informing statewide partnerships to address the emerging insurance crisis.
Objective 3: Wildfire resilience capacity has improved locally and statewide by launching a new forum for collaboration to provide support and leadership for the use of prescribed fire across Arizona.
Objective 4. Public knowledge of and access to forest health, wildfire, and smoke data has increased, helping to reduce risk to community health and safety.
Objective 5: Community resilience to smoke event-related health impacts has increased.

Financial Impact:

Project Name: Fire Adapted Flagstaff: Reconnecting the health of the people with the health of the land
Cost: $249,850
Account Number Budgeted:214-12-170-6397-0-XXXX
FY Budgeted Amount: $250,000
Grant Funded: $249,850
Funding Source: Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Policy Impact:

Funding supports existing programs and community-wide plans.

Previous Council Decision or Community Discussion:

This is a novel program and grant to support the Sustainability and Wildland Fire Management programs as identified in the Carbon Neutrality Plan and the 2023-2024 Fire Department Strategic Plan. While the City Council and the Flagstaff community are familiar with the ecological, economic, and public health benefits of effective forest and fire management, no previous discussions about this specific partnership or grant have taken place.

Options and Alternatives to Recommended Action:

The City Council has the option to not ratify this agreement. This will delay implementation and could result in the potential loss of Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation funding commitments. Year 1 funding includes financing to support an update to the critical Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The current Sustainability and Wildland Fire Management level of services would be maintained, but not increased.

Connection to PBB Priorities and Objectives:

Priority Based Budget Key Community Priorities and Objectives

High Performing Governance: Implement innovative local government programs
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

Connection to Regional Plan:

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.6.6 – 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.

Connection to Carbon Neutrality Plan:

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.

Connection to 10-Year Housing Plan:

Connect 3.2

Encourage neighborhoods, housing types, and building practices that increase health.

Connection to Division Specific Plan:

Connection to FFD 2023 - 2024 Strategic Plan:
Service Level Goals: Increase community outreach & Reduce risks through Prevention& WFM efforts
Standardization and Improved Partnership Goals: Advance Community Risk Reduction measures

Attachments:

Grant Agreement #12623