Agenda packet — Colfax City Council, September 9, 2026

Colfax City Council Meetings are ADA compliant. If you need disability-related modification or accommodation including auxiliary aids or services to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (530) 346-2313 at least 72 hours prior to make arrangements for ensuring your accessibility.

September 9, 2026
Colfax Council Agenda
CityCouncil Meeting
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 33 SOUTH MAIN STREET, COLFAX, CA
Mayor Caroline McCully ⋅ Mayor Pro Tem Larry Hillberg
Councilmembers Trinity Burruss ⋅ Kim Douglass ⋅ Sean Lomen

REGULARMEETINGAGENDA
September 9, 2026
Open Session 6:00 PM
You may access the meeting and address the Council by the following means:

ZOOM at
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84968570574
Dial in by calling one of the numbers listed below and enter the Webinar ID:
849 6857 0574
1 669 900 6833 / 1 669 444 9171 / 1 719 359 4580 / 1 253 205 0468 View Only on Facebook Live on our City of Colfax page: City of Colfax, California. You may also submit written comments to the City Clerk via email at [email protected], via regular mail to P.O. Box 702, Colfax CA 95713, or by dropping them off at City Hall, 33 S. Main Street, Colfax CA 95713. Comments received will be submitted to Council and made a part of the record.

While the City makes every effort to allow public participation in City Council meetings via Zoom and Facebook Live as described above, we cannot guarantee these services will be accessible. We encourage interested members of the public to submit written comments in advance of the meeting or attend the meeting in person. 1 OPEN SESSION
1A. Call Open Session to Order
1B. Pledge of Allegiance
1C. Roll Call
1D. Approval of Agenda Order
Thisis the time for changes to the agenda to be considered including removal, postponement, or change to the agenda sequence.

Recommended Action: By motion, accept the agenda as presented or amended. 1E. Statement of Conflict of Interest
2 CONSENT CALENDAR
Matters on the Consent Calendar are routine in nature and will be approved by one blanket motion with a Council vote. No discussion of these items ensues unless specific items are pulled for discussion and separate action. If you wish to have an item pulled from the Consent Agenda for discussion, please notify the Mayor.

Recommended Action: By motion, approve the Consent Calendar. 1 Colfax City Council Meetings are ADA compliant. If you need disability-related modification or accommodation including auxiliary aids or services to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (530) 346-2313 at least 72 hours prior to make arrangements for ensuring your accessibility.

September 9, 2026
Colfax Council Agenda
2A. City Projects Report
Recommended Action: Accept report.
2B. Minutes – August 26, 2026 Regular Meeting
Recommended Action: Approve the Colfax City Council minutes dated August 26, 2026 (Regular Meeting)
*** End of Consent Calendar ***
3 AGENCY REPORTS -
3A. Placer County Sheriff’s Office
3B. California Highway Patrol
3C. Placer County Fire Department/CALFIRE
3D. Caltrans
3E. Non-Profits
4 PRESENTATIONS - None
5 PUBLIC HEARING - None
6 PUBLIC COMMENT
Members of the public are permitted to address the Council orally or in writing on matters of concern to the public within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City that are not listed on this agenda. Please make your comments as succinct as possible. Oral comments made at the meeting may not exceed five (5) minutes per speaker. Written comments should notexceed 800 words. Written comments received before the close of an agenda item may be read into the record, with a maximum allowance of five (5) minutes in length. Council cannot act on items not listed on this agenda but may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed, request clarification, refer the matter to staff, or place the matter on a future agenda. 7 COUNCIL AND STAFF
The purpose of these reports is to provide information to the Council and public on projects, programs, and issues discussed at committee meetings and other items of Colfax related information. No decisions will be made on these issues. If a member of the Council prefers formal action be taken on any committee reports or other information, the issue will be placed on a future Council meeting agenda. 7A. Committee Reports and Colfax Informational Items – All Councilmembers 7B. City Operations Update – City Manager
8 COUNCIL BUSINESS
8A. 4Leaf Progress Report on the FEMA Home Hardening and Defensible Space Program Recommended action: Receive Report and Provide Direction to Staff 2 (Pages4-7)
(Pages 8-12)
(Pages 13-18)
Colfax City Council Meetings are ADA compliant. If you need disability-related modification or accommodation including auxiliary aids or services to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (530) 346-2313 at least 72 hours prior to make arrangements for ensuring your accessibility.

September 9, 2026
Colfax Council Agenda
I, Gabrielle Christakes, City Clerk for the City of Colfax, declare that this agenda was posted September 4, 2026 in accordance with the Brown Act at Colfax City Hall, Colfax Post Office United States. The agenda is also available on the City website at http://colfax-ca.gov/
Gabrielle Christakes, City Clerk
Administrative Remedies must be exhausted prior to action being initiated in a court of law. If you challenge City Council action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at a public hearing described in this notice/agenda, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Clerk of the City of Colfax at, or prior to, said public hearing.

LEVINE ACT WARNING: In certain instances, parties, participants, and their agents before the City Council are subject to the campaign disclosure provisions detailed in Government Code Section 84308, California Code of Regulations Sections 18438.1 through 18438.8, and Fair Political Practices Commission Opinion 0-22-002. All parties, participants, and their agents are hereby directed to review these sections for compliance. If you believe that these provisions apply to you or a Council Member, please inform the City Clerk at the earliest possible opportunity. 8B. Event Donations Policy
Recommended action: Review and Direct Staff
8C. Flock Cameras in Colfax
Recommended action: Receive Report and Provide Direction to Staff 8D. Adoption of City Council Policy Manual
Recommended action: Adopt City Council Policy Manual by Resolution 9 GOOD OF THE ORDER
Informal statements, observation reports and inquiries regarding the business of the City may be presented by Councilmembers under this agenda item or requests for placement of items of interest on a future agenda. No action will be taken.
9A. Public Comment on Good of the Order
Members of the public are permitted to address the Council on matters that relate to general welfare of the City that have not been previously discussed on this agenda. Oral comments may not exceed five (5) minutes.

Written comments should not exceed 800 words.
10 CLOSED SESSION (NONE)

ADJOURNMENT
3 (Pages 19-28)
(Pages 29-40)
(Pages 41-173)
City of Colfax City Project(s) Report
Staff Report September 9, 2026
Staff Report to City Council
FOR SEPTEMBER 9, 2026 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
From: Ron Walker, City Manager
Prepared by: Ron Walker, City Manager
Subject: City Projects Report
Budget Impact Overview:

N/A: √ Funded: Un-funded: Amount: Fund(s):

Summary/Background
The following is a list of projects, by department, which have either been completed or are in progress.

Week of August 16 -22, 2026
City Manager
• Inspected Skate Park progress.
• Met with City Clerk to discuss upcoming election.
• Met with staff to discuss the Caboose Move.
• Weekly staff meeting.
• Resolution Indexing.
• Met with maintenance to discuss Arbor Park rehabilitation project.

Planning Department
• City received a use permit application to establish a special events facility for outdoor entertainment, supported by 16 food trucks to operate every day from 10 a.m. To 10 p.m. To accommodate up to 500 people at 701 Highway 174.
o Distributed plan set to outside agencies for comment
o Followed up with the applicant on planning entitlement fees. • Responded to email requests.
• Review setbacks for proposed house on 15 Sunset.
• Continued work on the National Historic Register nomination.

Maintenance Department
• Worked with PCWA at Arbor Park to have them shut off the water at their meter so we can remove the old irrigation line and install new irrigation.
• Installed new irrigation valve at Arbor Park for both stations. • Set in new irrigation boxes and filled with wire and pea gravel. • Relocated irrigation timer for Arbor Park.
• Mowed all City Parks, except for Arbor Park.

Wastewater Treatment Plant/Sewer
• No issues in collection system.
• Weed abatement around the plant.
• Washer and dryer delivered.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Accept report.

Item 2A4
City of Colfax City Project(s) Report
Staff Report September 9, 2026
• Processing water out of pond 3. Pond has 8.6 Mg left
• Replacement Influent pump arrived Waiting to install next week.

City Clerk
• Tyler University training
• Agenda Prep
• Minutes 07/22/26
• Training on website
• Processed 3 Public Records Request (PRA’s).

Administrative Services
• Worked on bank reconciliation for July 2026. Remains out of balance, still researching to determine outage.
• Calculated quarterly LAIF interest allocation and posted journal entries. • Met with RGS conversion consultant, Heather and worked on filling out security roles for all Colfax Tyler users.
• Deposits for July 2026 were incorrectly backdated to June 2026 accounting period incorrectly.

Reversed all of these deposits and posted them into the correct accounting period, July 2026. • Posted 4Q LAIF interest allocation and set up receivable for year end. • Met with consultant, Heather regarding conversion and began filling out the spreadsheet for Tyler issuing Colfax users permission and settings and provided back to Tyler set up team. • Reviewed and approved payable batch focusing on making sure all invoices are posted into the correct fiscal year.
• Worked on reconciling the prepaid G.L. account for year-end audit. • Updated the newly approved employee handbook with language changes for new payroll pay date of Friday, and when pay changes for COLA’s and evaluations take effect. All language changes have been agreed upon by the Union and the updates can be handled administratively. • Attended Score teleconference BOD meeting Friday 8/21/2026.

Engineering
• Emails and general coordination; complaints.
• Skatepark construction coordination.
• CDBG – construction coordination.
• Sewer evaluations.
• Caboose relocation coordination.
• Encroachment permits and coordination with PW staff.

Building/Code Enforcement
• Many weed abatement complaints. Following up on the Notice of Violations. Majority have been completed.
• Working with the Foreman at the skate park. Next concrete pour on the 11th. Flatwork, steps, landing poured this week. Three pours next week. Mostly flatwork.

Item 2A5
City of Colfax City Project(s) Report
Staff Report September 9, 2026
• Working with contractor at 325 Hunter after he moved footings. Still met setbacks and footing inspection passed. Engineering submitted for the structural changes made. • Had 2 meetings about moving the Caboose. Contacted structural engineer to review and stamp the plans.

Week of August 23 -29, 2026
City Manager
• Inspected Skate Park progress.
• Weekly staff meeting.
• Met with maintenance to discuss Arbor Park rehabilitation project. • Attended City Council Meeting.
• Attended Prop64 Grant Training.

Planning Department
• 30-day incomplete letter for Special event facility.
• Review of proposals.
• Continued work on National Register nomination.
• Revision to the 2024 Annual Progress Report for HCD.
• Turned in final AFFH plan to HCD.

Maintenance Department
• Removed unlevel bricks at Arbor Park, added sand, and reset and leveled the bricks. • Completed installation of the drip irrigation line at Arbor Park. • Cody completed OSHA 10 certification.
• Completed the Church St. sidewalk repair.
• Cleaned up all trash and pallets in the upper Recology yard. Installed T-stakes and temporary fencing to help prevent future dumping.
• Filled potholes on S. Auburn St.
• Repaired sidewalks on Colver St.
• Repaired sidewalks on Grass Valley St., from the top of the hill to Colver St. • Repaired concrete at Arbor Park from the water meter to the deck. • Mowed all City parks.

Wastewater Treatment Plant/Sewer
• No issues in collection system.
• Weed abatement around the plant.
• Processing water out of pond 3. Pond has 7.6 Mg left
City Clerk
• Training on Website.
• 3 PRA’s processed.
• Coded AP invoices.
• Council script for Mayor.
• Researched Codified Ordinances.
• Staff meeting.

Item 2A6
City of Colfax City Project(s) Report
Staff Report September 9, 2026
Administrative Services
• Worked on bank reconciliation for July 2026. Remains out of balance, still researching to determine outage.
• Worked on the reconciling event deposits balance sheet account for events (100-000-2180), there is an undetermined balance that has been carried from previous fiscal years that will need to be journaled out of the account to get it in balance.
• Continued to work on balancing the prepaid account so that journal entries can be posted for prepaid payables. This account is also out of balance.
• Met with RGS consultant, Heather and worked on developing project categories and getting into Tyler Admin. Center to setup employee users.
• Reviewed and approved payable batch focusing on making sure all invoices are posted into the correct fiscal year.
• Reviewed and approved multiple cashiering batches.
• Reviewed and approved weekly deposit.
• Reviewed and approved bi-weekly payroll.
• Attended Proposition 64, Cohort 4 grant orientation 08/26 & 08/27/2026. • Worked on getting Shady Glen reimbursement #2 together for Wood Rodgers, as of 06/30/2026 reimbursement billing to SWRCB.

Engineering
• Emails and general coordination; staff meeting; complaints. • Public record requests.
• Skatepark construction and signage coordination.
• CDBG – construction coordination.
• Caboose relocation coordination.
• Encroachment permits and coordination with PW staff.

Building/Code Enforcement
• More weed abatement complaints, Noise complaints of the concrete plant. Worked with City attorney to issue cease and desist order and a letter with fines.
• Following up on the Notice of Violations. Majority have been completed. • Working with the foreman at the skate park. Checking forms and rebar before pours. Worked with designers to change plans to show retaining wall and swale as one unit. Had the retaining wall move away from the hillside to avoid tree damage.
• Caboose new landing. Structural engineer recommended using UP standards for static load. Asked designer to research and specify soil ballast equal to UP specs. • New home at 413 Rubicon: reviewed documents and BV approved plans. Issued permit. • Messaged owner of 7 N. Main St asking them to start deck repair and to take down rear non-compliant fence.

Item 2A7
Colfax City Council Meetings are ADA compliant. If you need disability-related modification or accommodation including auxiliary aids or services to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (530) 346-2313 at least 72 hours prior to make arrangements for ensuring your accessibility.

June 22, 2026
Minutes Approved 8/26/2026s
455884.1
CityCouncil Meeting
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 33 SOUTH MAIN STREET, COLFAX, CA
Mayor Caroline McCully ⋅ Mayor Pro Tem Larry Hillberg
Councilmembers Trinity Burruss ⋅ Kim Douglass ⋅ Sean Lomen

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
August 26, 2026
Open Session 6:00 PM
1 OPEN SESSION
1A. Call Open Session to Order
The August 26, 2026 City of Colfax City Council was called to order at 6:03 p.m. by Mayor McCully. 1B. Pledge of Allegiance
1C. Roll Call

Present: Councilmembers Kim Douglass, Councilmember Trinity Burruss, Councilmember Sean Lomen, Mayor Pro Tem Larry Hillberg and Mayor Caroline McCully

Absent: None
1D. Approval of Agenda Order
Thisis the time for changes to the agenda to be considered including removal, postponement, or change to the agenda sequence.

Action: The agenda order was approved unanimously.

Ayes: Councilmembers Kim Douglass, Sean Lomen, Trinity Burruss, Mayor Pro Tem Larry Hillberg and Mayor Caroline McCully
Noes: None
Abstain: None

Absent: None
1E. Statement of Conflict of Interest
No new conflicts were identified by the Council or the public. 2 CONSENT CALENDAR
Matters on the Consent Calendar are routine in nature and will be approved by one blanket motion with a Council vote. No discussion of these items ensues unless specific items are pulled for discussion and separate action. If you wish to have an item pulled from the Consent Agenda for discussion, please notify the Mayor.

Action: With a motion by Councilmember Sean Lomen and a second by Councilmember Kim Douglass,  Item 2B8
Colfax City Council Meetings are ADA compliant. If you need disability-related modification or accommodation including auxiliary aids or services to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (530) 346-2313 at least 72 hours prior to make arrangements for ensuring your accessibility.

June 22, 2026
Minutes Approved 8/26/2026s
455884.1
moved to approve the Consent Calendar, excluding Item 2(B). Councilmember Burruss seconded the motion, and the motion was adopted unanimously.

Item 2(B) – Minutes – July 22, 2026 Regular Meeting: Councilmember Hillberg requested that this item be pulled from the Consent Calendar for separate consideration. The Council discussed whether the minutes accurately reflected the discussion and action taken on Agenda Item 8(A), “Consideration to Recombine Economic Development — Community Support and Events Appropriations Into a Single Budget Line Item,” from the July 22, 2026 City Council meeting. Councilmember Hillberg questioned the accuracy of the minutes, and the City Council directed staff to review the recordings of the June 23 and July 22, 2026 meetings.

Later in the meeting, Councilmember Lomen stated that he had reviewed the recording of the July 22, 2026 meeting and confirmed that the minutes accurately reflected his motion. The City Attorney asked the Councilmembers to confirm the accuracy of the minutes for Agenda Item 8(A), and the Councilmembers confirmed that the minutes were accurate.

Action: Councilmember Burruss moved to approve the July 22, 2026 Regular Meeting minutes.

Councilmember Lomen seconded the motion, and the motion was adopted unanimously. 2A. City Projects Report
Recommended Action: Accept report.
2B. Minutes – July 22, 2026 Regular Meeting
Recommended Action: Approve the Colfax City Council minutes dated July 22, 2026 (Regular Meeting)
3 AGENCY REPORTS
3A. Placer County Sheriff’s Office
Sgt. Tobi Williams reported:
• 176 Calls for service, 20Transient, 19 Traffic, 12 Arrests • Robbery at Chevron – Suspect apprehended
• 2 New Deputies – Traffic and Search and Rescue
3B. California Highway Patrol
• None
3C. Placer County Fire Department/CALFIRE
• 29 Vegetation Fires, 1 structure fire, 8 vehicle fires, 13 false alarms • Zone 0 Defensible space
3D. Caltrans
• None.
3E. Non-Profits
Item 2B9
Colfax City Council Meetings are ADA compliant. If you need disability-related modification or accommodation including auxiliary aids or services to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (530) 346-2313 at least 72 hours prior to make arrangements for ensuring your accessibility.

June 22, 2026
Minutes Approved 8/26/2026s
455884.1
• Colfax Elementary School Superintendent Andy Giannini announced new Principal Valarie Buckingham
4 PRESENTATIONS
• None
5 PUBLIC HEARING
• None
5A. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Plan (AFFH)
Recommended Action: Conduct a public hearing and adopt a resolution adopting the City’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Plan.

Action: With a Motion by Councilmember Trinity Burruss and a second by Councilmember Sean Lomen, Council voted 5/0 to approve Resolution 2026-35
Ayes: Councilmembers Sean Lomen, Trinity Burruss, Kim Douglass, Mayor Pro Tem Larry Hillberg and Mayor Caroline McCully
Noes: None
Abstain: None

Absent: None
6 PUBLIC COMMENT
Members of the public are permitted to address the Council orally or in writing on matters of concern to the public within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City that are not listed on this agenda. Please make your comments as succinct as possible. Oral comments made at the meeting may not exceed five (5) minutes per speaker. Written comments should notexceed 800 words. Written comments received before the close of an agenda item may be read into the record, with a maximum allowance of five (5) minutes in length. Council cannot act on items not listed on this agenda but may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed, request clarification, refer the matter to staff, or place the matter on a future agenda.

No public comment received
7 COUNCIL AND STAFF
The purpose of these reports is to provide information to the Council and public on projects, programs, and issues discussed at committee meetings and other items of Colfax related information. No decisions will be made on these issues. If a member of the Council prefers formal action be taken on any committee reports or other information, the issue will be placed on a future Council meeting agenda. 7A. Committee Reports and Colfax Informational Items – All Councilmembers • Councilmember Lomen: Firesafe Meeting 8/27/26
• Councilmember Douglass: Nothing to report out
Item 2B10
Colfax City Council Meetings are ADA compliant. If you need disability-related modification or accommodation including auxiliary aids or services to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (530) 346-2313 at least 72 hours prior to make arrangements for ensuring your accessibility.

June 22, 2026
Minutes Approved 8/26/2026s
455884.1
• Mayor Pro Tem Hillberg: Sierra Vista Center Board Meeting, Central MAC meeting uneventful • Councilmember Burruss: Nothing to report out
• Mayor McCully: SACOG 2 different meetings w/ Ami Bera 7B. City Operations Update – City Manager
• Indexed all Resolutions from 1949-2006
• Building Permit Fees
• Prop 64 Grant
• Maintenance at Arbor Park
8 COUNCIL BUSINESS
8A. Consideration to Recombine Economic Development – Community Support and Events Appropriations into a single budget line item
Action: With a Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Larry Hillberg and a second by Councilmember Sean Lomen, Council voted 5/0 to the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement and Budget with PlaceWorks
Ayes: Councilmembers Sean Lomen, Kim Douglass, Mayor Pro Tem Larry Hillberg and Mayor Caroline McCully
Noes: None
Abstain: None

Absent: None
Public comment received from members of the public.
8B Council Policy Manual
Action: With a Motion by Councilmember Trinity Burruss and a second by Councilmember Sean Lomen to continue this item to the 9/9/26 Council Meeting with changes Ayes: Councilmembers Sean Lomen, Kim Douglass, Mayor Pro Tem Larry Hillberg and Mayor Caroline McCully
Noes: None
Abstain: None

Absent: None
No comment received from members of the public.
9 GOOD OF THE ORDER
Informal statements, observation reports and inquiries regarding the business of the City may be presented by Councilmembers under this agenda item or requests for placement of items of interest on a future agenda. No action will be taken.

Item 2B11
Colfax City Council Meetings are ADA compliant. If you need disability-related modification or accommodation including auxiliary aids or services to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (530) 346-2313 at least 72 hours prior to make arrangements for ensuring your accessibility.

June 22, 2026
Minutes Approved 8/26/2026s
455884.1
• Councilmember Lomen –
o None
• Councilmember Douglass –
o Discuss term limits
• Mayor Pro Tem Hillberg –
o Would like to agendize Flock cameras, Will give City Manager 5-10 questions to discuss at Flock meeting
• Mayor McCully –
o None
9A. Public Comment on Good of the Order
Members of the public are permitted to address the Council on matters that relate to general welfare of the City that have not been previously discussed on this agenda. Oral comments may not exceed five (5) minutes.

Written comments should not exceed 800 words.

No Public Comment received on Good of the Order.
10 CLOSED SESSION
No Public Comment received.
10A. Conference with Legal Counsel, Initiation of Litigation (Gov. Code § 54956.9(d)(4)) Number of potential cases: 1
No reportable action taken.

ADJOURNMENT
The July 22, 2026 City of Colfax City Council was adjourned at 7:16 p.m. by Mayor McCully. _________
Gabrielle Christakes, City Clerk
Item 2B12
Staff Report to City Council
FOR THE SEPTEMBER 9, 2026, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING From: Ron Walker, City Manager
Prepared by: Ron Walker, City Manager, and Mike Luken, 4Leaf, Inc., Program Manager Subject: Progress Report on the FEMA Home Hardening and Defensible Space Program, Phase 1 Time Extension to March 11, 2027, and Outstanding Program Issues Budget Impact Overview:

N/A: Funded: X Un-funded: Amount: See Below Fund(s):

Summary/Background
The City of Colfax (City) and its program manager, 4Leaf, Inc. (4Leaf), continue to work with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to implement the City’s Home Hardening and Defensible Space Program. The program is funded through a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) award (Disaster DR-4619, Cal OES Project AP00866). Its purpose is to implement defensible space and structure retrofit measures on existing residential homesites within the City limits to reduce wildfire losses. The program targets approximately 100 homes, with each participating property eligible for up to $60,000 in eligible costs, of which the grant pays 90 percent and the homeowner contributes 10 percent.

The project is structured in two phases. Phase 1 consists of environmental and historic preservation (EHP) clearance, program setup, outreach, homeowner intake, property assessments, and the preparation of propertyspecific scopes of work and “property packages” for FEMA review. Phase 2 consists of contractor procurement, FEMA and Cal OES approval of the individual properties, and construction. Phase 1 funding has been obligated by FEMA; Phase 2 funding has not yet been obligated and cannot be released until FEMA completes its programmatic and EHP review of the Phase 1 deliverables.

When the City Council last received an update on January 14, 2026, staff reported that FEMA and Cal OES had advised all jurisdictions to expect substantial delays in approvals, that the program was at risk of being placed on hold until 2027–2028, and that the City had completed the Phase I EHP review that sorted the City’s residential parcels into a “No Issue” list and an “Issue” list. This report updates the Council on what has happened since. In summary, the program has moved from planning into active implementation: homeowner assessments began in May 2026, the first two batches of homes have been submitted to FEMA, Cal OES approved a Phase 1 time extension to March 11, 2027, and community outreach is producing a steady pipeline of applicants. Two significant issues require the Council’s attention: the March 11, 2027, deadline cannot accommodate Phase 2 bidding and construction, and a group of parcels that were conservatively flagged for archaeological constraints appears might not have no actual archaeological impact and needs a path to eligibility.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receive a report from the City Manager and 4Leaf, Inc. on the status of the Home Hardening and Defensible Space Program; and direct staff to (1) begin preparing a request to Cal OES and FEMA for a time extension beyond March 11, 2027 to accommodate Phase 2 (contractor bidding and construction), working with the City’s state and federal representatives, the Placer County Legislative Affairs Director, and the Placer County Water Agency Director of Strategic Affairs, and securing letters of support from partner agencies; and (2) work with Cal OES and FEMA to reclassify parcels that were conservatively flagged for archaeological constraints but have no actual archaeological impact, through a separate, fully documented submittal that does not put the approved “No Issue” batches at risk.

Item 8A13
Program Progress
The table below summarizes program status as reported by 4Leaf on August 27, 2026 and confirmed by the City’s grant compliance consultant, Adams Ashby Group, on August 31, 2026.

Program Measure Status (as of August 31, 2026)
Home hardening and defensible space assessments
completed 53
Additional assessments scheduled (through September 15, 2026) 10
Preliminary Commitment Letters signed by homeowners 26
Batch 1 – homes submitted to FEMA 6 (completed and forwarded to FEMA by Cal OES)
Batch 2 – homes submitted to Cal OES 8 (Cal OES forwarding to FEMA the week of August 31)
Total homes batched to date 14
Batch 3 – homes in preparation for Cal OES 9 to 13
Contractors and vendors expressing interest in bidding 10 contractors, 2 vendors Assessments began on May 21, 2026. The pipeline has grown steadily since: 10 assessments were completed by mid-June, 25 by mid-July, 44 by August 14, 53 by August 27 and it is estimated that 60 will be completed by September 8th. Each participating property moves through a defined sequence: the homeowner requests an inspection through the City’s program webpage; 4Leaf screens the parcel against the EHP “No Issue” list and City boundary; 4Leaf field staff conduct an exterior assessment using the Fire Aside assessment platform and release a property report to the homeowner; 4Leaf prepares separate preliminary Defensible Space and Home Hardening scopes of work/preliminary cost estimates; 4Leaf conducts a walkthrough with the homeowner to review the scopes; the homeowner signs a non-binding Preliminary Commitment Letter that reserves a place in line; and the property package is assembled into a batch for Cal OES and FEMA review. Scope-of-work production is the pacing item in this sequence, and walkthroughs currently run a few weeks behind assessments. 4Leaf is also preparing to release a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for construction contractors. Because of the volume of contractor interest, the solicitation will be organized into two categories, defensible space contractors and general contractors. Contractor procurement must follow federal procurement standards (2 CFR Part 200) and prevailing wage requirements, and 4Leaf and Adams Ashby Group are structuring the solicitation accordingly. Ten contractors and two vendors have already contacted the program expressing interest.

Phase 1 Time Extension to March 11, 2027
FEMA’s original May 13, 2024, approval letter set a Phase 1 completion date of August 13, 2026, and provided that work performed after that date without an approved time extension would not be eligible for federal funding.

Because FEMA’s own review delays consumed much of the original 27-month Phase 1 schedule, the City Manager signed a time extension request on June 15, 2026. Cal OES advised that it would not consider the request until the City demonstrated progress by submitting its first batch of homes. Batch 1 was submitted to Cal OES in early July, and the revised extension request was processed after Cal OES’s review of that batch.

On August 14, 2026, Cal OES approved the Phase 1 time extension. The revised Phase 1 deadlines are as follows:

Item 8A14
Milestone Original Date Revised Date
Complete Phase 1 scope of work (assessments,
scopes of work, property packages) August 13, 2026 December 11, 2026 Submit Phase 1 deliverables and reimbursement
claims to Cal OES August 13, 2026 February 9, 2027
Phase 1 period of performance ends August 13, 2026 March 11, 2027 The extension gives the program the time needed to complete the Phase 1 pipeline of roughly 100 homes and to submit the remaining batches. It does not, however, provide time for Phase 2 activities, which is discussed under Outstanding Issues below.

Submittal of the First Two Batches of Homes to FEMA
Cal OES and FEMA review properties in batches rather than individually. Each batch consists of a property package for every home (the Fire Aside assessment report, the preliminary Defensible Space and Home Hardening scopes of work, and the signed Preliminary Commitment Letter), a submittal letter on City letterhead signed by the City Manager, a batch summary, an EHP checklist that ties each property to the Phase I EHP findings, and the EHP parcel map with the batch properties highlighted. Packages are delivered through a Cal OES SharePoint folder.

Batch 1 (6 homes). Batch 1 was assembled and submitted to Cal OES on July 3, 2026. On July 22, 2026, Cal OES transmitted its Phase I EHP review and reported that its EHP team concurred with the program’s environmental and cultural resources analysis, an important milestone because it validates the No Issue/Issue parcel approach for all subsequent batches. Cal OES then requested formatting and labeling revisions (deliverable labels matching the award letter, a table of contents on City letterhead, and a revised EHP checklist citing document names and page numbers). Those revisions were completed in early August, and Cal OES forwarded Batch 1 to FEMA on August 13, 2026.

Batch 2 (8 homes). Batch 2 was submitted to Cal OES with the same structure as Batch 1. By August 12, 2026, 4Leaf had revised the Batch 2 submittal letter and environmental checklist and added a table of contents consistent with Batch 1. At Cal OES’s request, the environmental checklist now includes latitude and longitude coordinates for each property and a statement that Issue parcels remain a secondary priority requiring future Cal OES and FEMA approval. Cal OES is forwarding Batch 2 to FEMA the week of August 31. With Batch 2, a total of 14 homes have been batched for FEMA review.

Batch 3 (9 to 13 homes). Batch 3 is being prepared for Cal OES now. Batches are treated as a rolling intake; homes are added as homeowners complete their walkthroughs and sign Preliminary Commitment Letters. Cal OES had asked the program to hold further submittals until Batch 1 reached FEMA; that hold has been lifted.

FEMA has not yet acted on Batch 1. Staff will report FEMA’s response to the Council when it is received, because the turnaround on Batch 1 will be the best indicator of how quickly the remaining batches, and ultimately Phase 2, can be approved.

Community Outreach and Marketing
Outreach has been targeted first at the 288 No Issue parcels, since those homeowners can proceed immediately, while owners of Issue parcels are placed on a waitlist rather than turned away. Outreach activities completed to date include:
• Direct mailers to all 288 No Issue parcels.
• 158 door hangers delivered to eligible homes.
• Facebook posts on the City’s page and by the Mayor, and a program flyer distributed to local merchants.

Item 8A15
• The Mayor’s television appearance on KCRA 3 in late July, which generated 31 applications in a single day (most from outside the City limits).
• Leads referred by City Council members, word of mouth from participating homeowners, the program webpage at colfax-ca.gov/homehardening, and the Colfax Connections newsletter. • An update to the Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council on August 27, 2026 (see below).

Colfax Railroad Days Booth, September 12–13, 2026
The City and 4Leaf will staff a program booth at Colfax Railroad Days on Saturday and Sunday, September 12 and 13, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Downtown Colfax. The booth will feature the program banner, flyers, and sign-up information, and 4Leaf staff will be available to answer homeowner questions, check parcel eligibility on the spot, and schedule assessments. Council members are encouraged to stop by the booth. Railroad Days is the largest community gathering of the year and is expected to be the single most productive outreach event for reaching No Issue parcel owners who have not yet applied.

Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council Update, August 27, 2026 On August 27, 2026, City staff and 4Leaf presented a program update to the Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council. The update covered program eligibility, the assessment and scope-of-work process, the No Issue/Issue parcel framework, current participation numbers, and the Phase 1 time extension. The Fire Safe Council is a key regional partner identified in the City’s Implementation Manual, and its members are trusted messengers to homeowners throughout the Colfax area. The Council was also briefed on the need for a further time extension for Phase 2 and on the archaeological parcel issue discussed below, both of which will benefit from the Fire Safe Council’s support with Cal OES, FEMA, and regional partners.

Cal OES Subrecipient Compliance Review
Cal OES is conducting a subrecipient compliance and monitoring review of the City’s administration of the grant (Cal OES Case CR#26-03819). The City transmitted its Compliance Assessment Response on August 4, 2026, and, with Adams Ashby Group, has responded to each follow-up request from Cal OES since then, including documentation of the City Council’s approval of the 4Leaf agreement (Resolution No. 7-2025), the City’s procurement process, and the City’s oversight of 4Leaf’s work. Final items were transmitted to Cal OES on August 31, 2026. One item identified during the review is that the City does not currently have an adopted digital security and information technology policy; the City Manager is working with the City Attorney on this and will bring a policy to the Council under separate cover.

Outstanding Issues

1. A Time Extension Beyond March 11, 2027 Will Be Needed for Phase 2 (Bidding and Construction) The Phase 1 extension to March 11, 2027, addresses only the completion of Phase 1 deliverables. Phase 2, which includes contractor solicitation and award, FEMA and Cal OES approval of the individual properties, obligation of Phase 2 funding, construction on up to 100 homes, and final inspections and closeout, cannot realistically be completed by that date. FEMA’s approval letter is explicit that Phase 2 activities may not begin until FEMA issues written approval, that any Phase 2 work performed before approval may be de-obligated, and that work performed outside the approved period of performance is not eligible for federal funding. FEMA has not yet acted on Batch 1, and in January Cal OES and FEMA advised jurisdictions to expect approval delays of one to two years.

Staff’s experience with the Phase 1 extension is instructive: Cal OES would not consider the request until the City demonstrated progress, and the approval took roughly two months from submittal. A Phase 2 extension will require a similar showing of progress, and it will be far stronger if the request is supported by the City’s regional partners and elected representatives. Consistent with the Council’s direction in January, 4Leaf will work with the City’s state and federal representatives on the extension, and will also coordinate with the Placer County Item 8A16
Legislative Affairs Director and the Placer County Water Agency Director of Strategic Affairs so that the City’s request is aligned with the County’s and the Agency’s legislative advocacy on wildfire resilience. In addition, Mike Luken of 4Leaf will attend the Placer County Business Alliance trip on November 17–20, 2026, which provides an opportunity to raise the City’s extension request directly with federal representatives and agency staff.

Staff therefore recommends that the Council direct staff to begin the groundwork now rather than waiting for FEMA’s action on the first batches. Specifically, staff proposes to:
• Raise the Phase 2 schedule with Cal OES at the program’s regular bi-weekly progress meeting and request Cal OES’s guidance on the timing and form of a Phase 2 time extension request. • Request letters of support for the extension from the Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council, CAL FIRE, the Placer Hills Fire Protection District, Placer County, the Placer County Water Agency, and the City’s State Senate, Assembly, and Congressional representatives, building on the preliminary discussions with Congressional staff reported to the Council in January. • Document the program’s progress (assessments, commitment letters, and batches submitted) in a form that can accompany the request.
• Brief the City’s state and federal representatives, the Placer County Legislative Affairs Director, and the Placer County Water Agency Director of Strategic Affairs on the program’s progress and the extension need ahead of the November Placer County Business Alliance trip. • Return to the Council with the extension request for authorization once the schedule for Phase 2 is better defined by FEMA’s action on Batches 1 and 2.

Delay is not cost-free. Every month of delay prolongs wildfire exposure for participating homeowners, and in other jurisdictions per-home costs for fire-resistant materials have already risen from roughly $40,000 to more than $60,000, the program’s per-home cap.

2. Parcels Flagged for Archaeological Constraints That Do Not Have Actual Archaeological Impacts The Phase I EHP review, which Cal OES’s EHP team concurred with on July 22, 2026, sorted every residential parcel in the City into either the No Issue list or the Issue list. The current parcel counts are as follows:

Parcel Category Parcels Share
Residential parcels within the City of Colfax 657 100%
No Issue parcels (Eligible to advance through the current review process) 288 44%
Issue parcels (deferred pending Phase II EHP review) 369 56% Archaeological constraint 62 9%
Historical (age of structure) constraint 271 41%
Biological (wetland proximity) constraint 36 5%
The three Issue categories are very different in nature. The 271 historical parcels were flagged because of the age of the structure, which requires review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act before exterior modifications such as vents, siding, or windows are made. The 36 biological parcels intersect a mapped wetland or a 150-foot wetland buffer. The 62 archaeological parcels were flagged by a desktop review conducted by the program’s archaeologist (EMC Planning Group) on the basis of proximity to recorded cultural resource sites and parcel topography; no field survey was conducted, and the flag was applied conservatively.

This conservative approach, mandated by FEMA, has produced a problem in at least one subdivision, where an entire cluster of parcels was flagged as archaeologically sensitive and neighboring parcels were not. Several homeowners in that area applied to the program, have been placed on the waitlist, and have raised legitimate questions about why some homes on their street are eligible and others are not. The program’s archaeologist has Item 8A17
since reviewed the area and believes the flag on some of the parcels may be applied in error and has noted that where the home hardening measures involve no ground disturbance (for example, vents, gutters, siding, and windows), the archaeological concern does not apply in any event. The program’s archaeologist has also recommended that the City provide the subdivision’s original environmental Initial Study, which may resolve the question.

The difficulty is procedural. Cal OES has advised that a parcel can be moved from the Issue list to the No Issue list only with separate written justification to Cal OES and FEMA, and that including a reclassified parcel in a regular batch could jeopardize approval of the entire batch. Staff therefore does not intend to mix these parcels into Batches 1 through 3. Instead, staff recommends that the Council direct staff to work with Cal OES and FEMA on a separate submittal for the affected parcels, consisting of a Subject Matter Expert property review by the program’s archaeologist under the 2019 Programmatic Agreement among FEMA, Cal OES, and the State Historic Preservation Officer, the subdivision’s prior environmental documentation, and a written justification for reclassification. This approach allows the affected homeowners to be served without putting the clean No Issue batches at risk. Because this issue has been raised directly with Council members by residents, staff wanted the Council to be aware of the approach before it is presented to Cal OES and FEMA. Staff will continue to waitlist, rather than decline, all Issue parcel applicants, and the remaining Issue parcels will be addressed in the Phase II EHP review as the program progresses.

Fiscal Impacts
The program is funded by the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program through Cal OES. Phase 1 funding totals $534,517, with the City providing $51,150 in matching funds as previously reported to the Council; the City also receives a Subrecipient Management Cost allowance of $23,017.50 for grant administration. Phase 2 represents the remainder of the grant, and Phase 2 funding has not yet been obligated by FEMA. Participating homeowners contribute 10 percent of the cost of their individual home hardening and defensible space project, and the grant pays the remaining 90 percent, up to the $60,000 per-property cap. Homeowners of single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and mobile homes within the City limits are eligible; apartments and commercial structures cannot be funded under the grant. There is no General Fund impact beyond City staff time to support marketing, the Cal OES compliance review, and financial management. Phase 1 costs incurred after March 11, 2027, without a further approved extension would not be eligible for reimbursement, which is the principal fiscal risk identified in this report.

Attachments:

None
Item 8A18
Staff Report to City Council
FOR THE SEPTEMBER 9, 2026 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
From: Ron Walker, City Manager
Prepared by: Ron Walker, City Manager
Subject: Draft City Policy Regarding Event Donation
Budget Impact Overview:

N/A: Funded: Un-funded: Amount: Fund(s):

Summary/Background
To ensure accountability, fairness, and consistency, City staff, under the direction of the City Council, will develop and implement a City policy governing event donations. Staff reviewed the City of Sacramento’s event support program and guidelines and used the documents as a template for the city.

City staff has attached draft Event Policies for the Council’s review, discussion, and direction. Following the completion of any requested revisions, staff will bring the special event program and guideline policies back to the Council for consideration and adoption.

Attachments:

1. Special Event Support Program Guidelines

2. Special Event Support Program Application
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Review, Discuss, and provide Direction to Staff Item 8B19
City of Colfax
Special Event Support Program Guidelines
I. Program Description
The City of Colfax Special Event Support Program is intended to incentivize the production of special events. The program assists special events from start-up through self-sufficiency within the Colfax downtown area (see Section VIII for boundaries).

Events must align with the City’s goals by:
• Offering family-oriented themes, entertainment or activities; • Showcasing Colfax’s Historic Downtown, and regional identity; • Promoting the City of Colfax, and/or;
• Generating substantial economic benefit as determined by the City Manager, or their designee(s) in their sole discretion.

Two types of support are available:

A. City Services: Direct services provided by City staff.

B. Financial support directly related to an event.

II. Award Criteria
Applications will be evaluated on the following factors:

A. Type of event – New; Free or ticketed; family-oriented.

B. Economic Impact – Hotel room nights, visitor spending, local spending, operational spending, other.

C. Community Involvement – Volunteer programs, sponsorship programs, and identified partnerships.

D. Media Exposure – Television, print plan, internet, and social media strategies.

E. Performance Rating – Participants, spectators, media plan, and City support plans.

F. Required Documents – Business, marketing, financial, and logistics plans.

G. Community Value – image/recognition, spectator attendance, designation as a signature event.

H. Event History – Past success, reliability, delivery of comparable events.

I. Type of Support Requested – Financial, City Staff, or both.

III. Program Parameters
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A. Only events within the designated geographic boundary (Section VII) are eligible in this program.

B. Unallocated funds may be reserved for future application or special opportunities.

C. Priorities of Awards
a. City Services through Program Funds;
b. Financial support directly related to an event.
c. Free admission events over ticketed events.

D. Funding may be revoked if:
a. The event fails to meet Program criteria; or
b. The event application falsifies information.

E. Additional information may be requested at any stage. Failure to provide information will result in rejection of the application for the funding cycle it was originally submitted.

F. Applicants must be registered and in good standing with the City of Colfax, California Secretary of State, Franchise Tax Board, and (if applicable) the Attorney General prior to applying. Applications will be denied if the applicant is in arrears with the City of Colfax or not current on their Business Operations Tax.

G. Funding may be awarded for one or more events depending on scale. Continued support requires demonstration of event growth and alignment with Program goals.

H. Application Review:
a. Media advertising of event and parking will be analyzed. b. Marketing plans must include media/public relations and provide pre and post event reporting. The applicant is responsible for the submission of a complete media report to the City.
c. Financial submissions will be evaluated for break-even performance, profit carryover, and City cost recovery.

I. A detailed business plan may be requested at any time during the application process. All elements will be carefully reviewed by the Committee, including cost, economic impact, and traffic, among other elements.

J. The City Manager, or their designee(s), may reject an application or reserve funds for events expected to deliver the greatest community or economic benefit to the City of Colfax, as determined by the City Manager, or their designee(s), in their sole discretion.

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IV. Application Process
a. Applicants must submit the required documentation during the designated application period prior to the desired event date. Applicants will be notified of their status following committee review.

Application announcements will be made via the City’s webpage; https//Colfax-ca.gov
V. Post-Event Review and Analysis
a. The approved applicants must submit a detailed post-event report within 30 days after the event, to include:
• Economic and/or social impact;
• Hotel occupancy levels;
• Incident logs;
• Financial summary) actual revenues and expenses);
• Spectator attendance
b. Approved applicants must maintain a media log and affidavit for all paid and unpaid advertising.
c. The City of Colfax may conduct an annual review/audit to confirm the event continues to meet Program criteria.

VI. Amendments. Program guidelines may be amended at any time by the City Manager to improve the program delivery.

Item 8B22
City of Colfax

CITY SPECIAL EVENT SUPPORT PROGRAM
City Hall
33 South Main Street
Colfax Ca, 95713
530-346-2313
Application Instructions
Applications will become the property of the City of Colfax. Incomplete applications may not be processed. Email a completed application to:
[email protected]
Include the event name in the email subject line
Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis. Applications must be submitted no less than 20 calendar days prior to the event date for consideration by the city. The City encourages interested parties to submit applications as soon as possible.

The City of Colfax reserves the right to limit the number of program awards at its sole discretion.

Questions concerning the program may be directed to
Gabrielle Christakes
City Clerk
[email protected]
STOP!
Review the program boundary map on the following page to verify that the location of your event is within the program boundary. Applications for events outside the program boundary cannot be accepted.

Item 8B23
Item 8B24
City of Colfax

CITY SPECIAL EVENT SUPPORT PROGRAM
City Hall
33 South Main Street
Colfax Ca, 95713
530-346-2313
Request for support application

PLEASE SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING WITH THIS APPLICATION

1. A full and complete Revenue and Expense Budget

2. A full and complete Business Plan

3. A full and complete Marketing plan

4. A full and complete Logistics Plan

5. A full and complete list of services requested by the City of Colfax staff.

6. Copy of 501(c) (3)(6) or other not-for-profit tax status, if applicable

7. Note: Past recipients must submit a post event report before any new applications will be reviewed.

8. Note: Incomplete application may not be processed.

The undersigned hereinafter referred to as the APPLICANT, hereby makes an application to request funding support to the CITY OF COLFAX SPECIAL EVENT SUPPORT PROGRAM as noted below on the dates(s) here specified for the purpose(s) indicated. All applications are subject to approval by the presiding panel of the CITY OF COLFAX SPECIAL EVENT SUPPORT PROGRAM.

1. Funding is awarded for the following:
a. Direct services provided by the City of Colfax staff; and/or, b. Eligible event costs that exceed City services support, as determined by a screening panel of the City of Colfax special event support program.

2. Funding for City Services are the first priority for funding through this program.

TODAY’S DATE: Click or tap here to enter text.

COMPANY/ORGANIZATION: Click or tap here to enter text.

CONTACT NAME: Click or tap here to enter text.

ADDRESS: Click or tap here to enter text.

TELEPHONE NUMBER: Click or tap here to enter text.

EMIAL ADDRESS: Click or tap here to enter text.

COMPANY/ORGANIZATION STATUS:

FORM OF BUSINESS ENTITY: CHECK MARK

BOX INSERT INFORMATION
Item 8B25
☐ NON-PROFIT (copy of 501 (c)(3)(6) OR

OTHER NOT FOR PROFIT TAX STATUS

REQUIRED
FEDERAL ID# Click or tap here to enter text.
☐ COMPANY STATE
REGISTERED ID# Click or tap here to enter text.
☐ PARTNERSHIP Business Operations
Tax Certificate ID#
or Exempt
Click or tap here to enter text.
☐ SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP DATE COMPANY
ESTABLISHED: Click or tap here to enter text.
☐ ASSOCIATION Click or tap here to enter text.

CITY OF COLFAX SPECIAL EVENT SUPPORT PROGRAM

EVENT INFORMATION
Event Title: