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Title: |
San Ramon Valley, CA -- , Fire Protection District
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Type: |
Education
Regulatory
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Jurisdiction: |
Fire District
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State: |
California
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Program Description: |
The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District's Vegetation Management Program is proactive in its implementation of fuel reduction standards to all properties within the district. Every year during the spring and summer the District conducts an extensive public outreach effort designed to educate property owners as to the vegetation management standards and to increase compliance. The goals of the program are to reduce the risk to health and property from catastrophic wildfire and to reduce or prevent the spread of fire within the District.
According to the District's web site, officials send "a mailing to several thousand properties prior to the start of the program to make sure that property owners understand the standards and purpose of the program. If a property owner does not comply within the time frame outlined in their letter, the District orders its contractor to perform the work....(In such a case) the cost of the work and administrative fees are placed as liens against the property."
Information concerning the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District's Vegetation Management Program can be viewed at this website.
The District standards contain minimum fuel reduction requirements for all property owners within the District as well as specific standards for residential, commercial, industrial, and rural areas. These standards and requirements have been in effect since March 1, 2001 and are presented below.
MINIMUM ABATEMENT STANDARDS
A. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
The following requirements apply to all properties within the district:
1. Problems with terrain, land use, growth, location, or the fire history of the area.
EXCEPTION: The Fire District MAY allow modifications to the standards based on special problems with terrain, land use, growth, location or other influencing factors. IT IS THE PROPERTY OWNERS RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTACT THE FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU TO DETERMINE ANY SUCH MODIFICATION PRIOR TO THE COMPLIANCE DATE.
2. Abatement of exterior fire hazards shall be maintained. Parcels may require additional abatement during the fire season due to re-growth of weeds.
3. All combustible weeds, brush, debris or growth which present a fire hazard shall be removed from the property and from public ways.
4. All combustible materials of value stored outside of buildings shall be neatly stacked and have all combustible growth cleared 30 feet around it.
5. Mowing: There are limitations where mowing is permitted, see specific requirements for your property. The maximum height is 3 inches.
6. Spraying: Remaining grass shall be no higher than 3 inches, either standing or lying down.
7. Abatement by burning within this jurisdiction is unlawful unless by permit, in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Fire Code, and all other applicable permits are obtained from appropriate governing jurisdictions. Burn permits are only issued to working agricultural properties. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to preclude the Chief from requiring more than the minimum specific requirements set forth above when the Chief determines that conditions exist which necessitate greater fire protection measures.
B. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
Each person who has any ownership or possessory interest in, or control of a parcel of land in residential, business, industrial areas, or land which is unused or vacant, shall:
1. Parcels one acre or less shall require complete abatement. Complete abatement may require a combination of discing, mowing, or spraying. Complete abatement must be in substantial compliance with items 2 through 6 of section A.
EXCEPTION: Individual property owners with large landlocked rear lots may contact the Fire Prevention Bureau regarding appropriate abatement requirements PRIOR TO COMPLIANCE DATE.
2. Parcels greater than one acre shall provide 30-foot firebreaks. Fire breaks are a continuous strip of disced or dozed ground, following as closely as possible to the property line and along one side of all fence lines.
3. All residential structures on parcels over one acre shall provide a 100-foot firebreak around the entire perimeter of the structure. Other structures require a 30-foot firebreak around them.
4. Maintain all weeds and other vegetation at a height of no more than 3 inches, except as otherwise provided herein. This requirement does not apply to the maintenance of trees, ornamental shrubbery or plants which are used as ground cover provided they do not provide a ready fuel supply to augment the spread or intensity of a fire; nor does it apply to native shrubbery provided the shrubbery does not provide a ready fuel supply to augment the spread or intensity of a fire and is cleared to a distance of 18 feet from any building or structure.
C. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
Each person who has ownership or possessory interest in or control of a parcel of land in a rural or rural residential area shall:
1. Parcels greater than one acre shall provide 30-foot firebreaks and crossbreaks. Crossbreaks should divide the parcel into approximately 5-acre sections. Firebreaks and crossbreaks are a continuous strip of disced or dozed ground, following as closely as possible to the property line and along one side of all fence lines, ditches, and on top of all ridges. When terrain is too steep or rugged for a tractor, a hand-mowed firebreak may be required.
EXCEPTION: Cropland, pastureland, and orchards see items # 4, 5, & 6.
1. All residential structures on parcels over one acre shall provide a l50-foot firebreak around the entire perimeter of the structure. Other structures require a 30-foot firebreak around them.
2. Public roadways require 30-foot firebreaks. Private driveways over 150 feet long OR that lead to multiple properties require 15-foot firebreaks.
3. Active Pastureland: 15-foot wide firebreaks and crossbreaks are required if a sufficient number of animals are present to steadily reduce height of grass during the summer months to 3 inches or less by the end of August. If not active, 30-foot width is required.
4. Active Cropland: 15-foot wide firebreaks and crossbreaks are required if crop is to be harvested by mid-June. If later, 30-foot width is required.
5. Orchards: Whether maintained or abandoned, require complete abatement, including grass under the tree branches. This may require pruning of lower branches to allow equipment access.
D. TREE REQUIREMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO ALL PARCELS
1. Remove from the property all dead trees deemed a fire hazard by the Fire District.
2. Maintain trees within 100 feet of any building or structure or within 10 feet of that portion of any highway, street, alley or driveway which is improved or used for vehicle travel or other vehicular purposes, so that no leafy foliage, twigs or branches are within 5 feet of the ground.
3. Remove any portion of a tree, which extends within 10 feet of the outlet of a chimney or stovepipe.
4. Keep all trees, shrubs and other vegetation or portions thereof adjacent to or overhanging any building or structure free of dead limbs, branches, and other combustible matter.
5. Maintain 5 feet of vertical clearance between roof surfaces and portions of trees overhanging any building or structure and keep the roofs free of leaves, needles, twigs, and other combustible matter.
The Program is designed to reduce or prevent the spread of wildfire from one property to another. The District sends a mailing to several thousand properties prior to the start of the program to make sure that property owners understand the standards and purpose of the program.
If a property owner does not comply, within the time frame outlined on their letter, the District orders its contractor to perform the work. In this case the cost of the work and administrative fees are placed as liens against the property.
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