CC 2008 03-05 Special Meeting
CITY OF POWAY, CALIFORNIA
MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING
MARCH 5, 2008
The March 5, 2008, Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of Poway was called to
order at 7'03 p.m. by Deputy Mayor Emery at the Poway Community Park Auditorium, 13095
Civic Center Drive, Poway, California.
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT
Merrilee Boyack, Bob Emery, Don Higginson, Betty Rexford
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT
Mickey Cafagna
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT
Rod Gould City Manager
Penny Riley Assistant City Manager
Diane Shea City Clerk
Bob Manis Director of Development Services
Kevin Kitch Division Chief, Safety Services
Mark Sanchez Director of Safety Services
Patti Brindle City Planner
Jennifer Lewis Sr Management Analyst
Kristen Crane Water Conservation Administrator
Shelley Collins Records Technician
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Deputy Mayor Emery led the pledge of allegiance
PUBLIC ORAL COMMUNICATION:
All public speakers expressed their views during the workshop as listed below
WORKSHOP
Deputy Mayor Emery welcomed the attendees and said the purpose of this special meeting
was to collect ideas, thoughts and suggestions to begin setting into place a practical action
that the City can take to reduce our significant risk to wildfires.
1 Workshop presentation on Wildfire Defensible Space Program relating to
vegetative fuel management.
Kevin Kitch, Division Chief of Safety Services, made the presentation. The proposed
Wildfire Defensible Space Program is the most cost effective, efficient and practical
action that we, as a community, can take to reduce the significant wildfire risk, The
proposed program incorporates vegetative fuel management practices. It includes
identifying structures that require additional clearing to meet a 100-foot defensible
space standard and ongoing annual maintenance
Page 2 - CITY OF POWAY - March 5, 2008
A defensible space is a 100cfoot buffer around a structure includes a thoughtful
landscape design, considering the types of plants used and their arrangement, and
requires the removal of dead, dying or diseased trees and shrubs. Planted trees and
shrubs in healthy condition would not have to be removed, A defensible space helps to
prevent a fire from igniting a structure, reduces the risk of burning embers penetrating a
structure, and provides for firefighter safety
The first year of the program implementation would include the City clearing 24 acres of
City-owned land, providing public education, and working with property owners to
develop the most cost effective options for clearing their property The program
implementation in the following years will be ongoing maintenance of the defensible
space,
In a workshop format, the following people expressed concerns, ideas and suggestions
on the Wildfire Defensible Space Program, Staff recorded their comments to use in
future hearings and consideration on the development of the program,
Rich Halsey, California Chaparral Institute
Dale Davis, Poway
Ricky Buan, Poway
Mike Fry, Poway
Aurele Gilleran, Poway
Joe SI. Lucas, Poway
Lynnette Perkes
Grace Lieberman, Poway
Martyn Whittaker, Poway
Phil Stone - San Diego
Dee Fleischman, Poway
Marge Knothe, Poway
Tom Moore, Poway
Larry Simpson, Poway
Paul Rexford, Poway
Barbara Woodhill, poway
Carol Funk, Poway
Gerold Firl
The City Council received the information presented by staff and the community at this
workshop meeting, and took no formal action. More public hearings will be held on this
program.
ADJOURNMENT Deputy Mayor Emery adjourned the meeting at 9:25 p.m
~~e~
City of Poway, California