DEPARTMENlS COMMUNITY SERVICES Horne> Oepartrrents > Puolte Worics I Hazardous. Tree Removal M1tigabon Grant Hazardous Tree Removal Mitigation Grant The City of Poway is moving forward with a three-year project aimed at making emergency evacuation routes safer for residents in the event of a wlldfire, while improving the overall health of trees along two of Poway·s main traffic corridors. August 2024: Phase 2 Update FEMA issued an Environmental Histonc Preservation. Request for Information (EHP RF!) for the Hazardous Tree Removal Mitigation Grant project. The Supplemental Environmental Assessment 1s provided to City of Poway to publish as a requirement for Phase II approval. FEMA is required to evaluate and consider potential environmental impacts before funding or approvsng actions. and projects. This document 1s to be available for Qubhc revtew on the Crty of Powax webs1te with a notice-in the-local newspaper. A hard copy for pubt1c review 1s available 1n the City Clerk's office at Crty Hall (13325 Civic Center Drive) and at the Public Works Administration bu1ld1ng (14467 Lake Poway Road). FEMA has provided a link to the fEMA NEPA RepoS1tory: .fu/.QQtemental Environmental Assessment for City of Poway Hazardous Tree Removal (Phase 2}. San Diego Count),' Cahforrna, HMGP-4382-199-012, 2024 I FEMAgQY. The National Emergency Policy Act (NEPA) is one of the environmental planning and historic preservation laws FEMA must comply with. The link is this grants record of the Supplemental Environmental Review and will five in a repository for FEMA's Environmental Assessments. Environmental Impact Statements and related NEPA documents. This webpage will be updated as the SEA progresses. Grant Overview After an extensive application and review process. Poway was awarded a matching $1.4 million hazardous mjtigation grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The City's match ts $500.000, for a total proJect cost of $1.9 million. Congress approved the disaster reltef and recovery funds following the devastating 2018 northern Cahfom,a wildfires. The award comes after an extensive application and rev1ew process. The city's mitigation efforts will focus on the strategic removal of hazardous trees along the right of way of two maJor evacuation routes (Espola and Twin Peaks Roads). as well as an open space area of Green Valley, just west of Espola Road_ Although the emphasis of this project ts mitigating hazards, by removing unhealthy trees the city is creating a healthier environment for the vegetation along Poway's major corridors.
Project Phases Tho first phase of the project began m April 2021 with a oomprchc-osfve tree inventory and property survoying within Gre.en Vat!ey .. Certified arborists conducted an on-tho-ground assossment to i-dantify vulnerable and h'9h-risk trees based on industJy standafds such as spacing. health, and age. Surveyors set stakes to mark property lines. Boforo any of the identified trees can be removed. there is an extonsive process to ensure compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act {CEQA) and regulatory ilgencies. Once this is aocomplishod, tho City will bid out ,3 cointract and subsequently begjn removal of uoes identified in the phaso one assossm<int. AU vogetation, ospccialty -wood waste. wlll be chipped and either reused or recycled. Wildfire is a significant nazard m the Poway area, witn major fires impacting residents. in 2003 and 2007. Recent doadfy wildfkos tn C:,tifornia have underscored tho importance of maintaining -safe routes in the event of an evacuatfon. Along the project area for this grant, there are more than 1,000 structures and just unde:r 3,300 residents, plus tho roads provide critica1 north/south and cast/wost ae,coss for other high-risk neighborhoods. SAN DAG statistics from 2015 show that heavily traveled Twin Peaks and Espola Roads see JVe!'agc daily traffic counts In the range of 26,000 to 46,000 and 15.000 to 22,000 v~hicles. rcspcctively_ Arborist Reports iho first phase of tho grant project was to identify the ha,z<'Jrdous trees within the project areas. To do that, tho City contractod ""ith a ce1tified arborist to perfo1m a field survey of aJI street trees (those in tho public right-of-way and in open space). Tho Arborist Repo,ts identifies trees that arc a po~entinl h,nard and provtdcs recommendations for removal. Twin Peaks Road Arbodst RCP.:Ort • LSP.:ola Rood Arboris.t ReQQrr. Green Valley_QQen SQaco Arborist ReQort Resources • Rcs0iut1on A12Qrovin-g the Subm1ttJI of a Hazard Mit19at1on Gr.1r.t (Match 19. 2019) • tandsC3QO Maintenance District (LMD) Advisory GrouQJ.!eoate (Aprit 20, 2021) Contact For questions about the Hazardous Tree Removal Miti9ation Grant, please email t<eCQ!'.Qj~.QOWa"t.Qtg or contact Community Outreach Coordinator Rene-Ctumichael at 858-668-4 506. Poway Tree Talk: October 26, 2021. Community Meeting The City of Poway hostod an informative look at what the City i:s doing to mitigate wildfire risk in the community, protect critical evacuation routos, and proservo and enhance the overall health of mature native trees within project limits.
5.2. Public Participation On October 26, 2021, the City of Poway hosted "Poway Tree Talk," an informational meeting about the Hazardous Tree Removal Project. The city gave a 30-minute presentation on the project and then opened the floor for questions. A recording of the community meeting and additional project information can be found on the city's website at https://poway.org/1065/Hazardous-Tree-Removal-Mitigation-Grant (City of Poway 2023). In accordance with FEMA's NEPA procedures, FEMA is releasing this draft SEA to the public and resource agencies for a 30-day public review and comment period. Comments on this draft SEA will be incorporated into the final SEA, as appropriate. This draft SEA reflects the evaluation and assessment of the federal government, the decision-maker for the federal action; however, FEMA will take into consideration any substantive comments received during the public review period, to Inform the final decision regarding grant approval and project implementation. If no substantive comments are received from the public or agency reviewers, this draft SEA will be adopted as final and a FONSI will be issued by FEMA. If FEMA receives substantive comments, it will evaluate and address comments as part of the FONSI documentation or in a Final SEA. This draft SEA will be made available on FEMA's website at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/environmental-historic/nepa-reposltory . The City of Poway will also make the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program City of Poway Hazardous Tree Removal (Phase 2) Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment 5-1 Agency Coordination, Publlc Involvement, and Pennlts .... draft SEA available on its website at: httos://poway.org/. The comment period for the draft SEA will start when the public notice of SEA availability is published in the Poway N~ws Chieftan at https://www.sandlegouniontribune.com/pomerado-news/ . A hard copy of the SEA will be available for review at the City of Poway City Hall building at 13325 Civic Center Drive, Poway, CA 92064. Comments on the draft SEA may be submitted to FEMA at [email protected] (please include "Poway Hazardous Tree Removal' in the subject line). Comments also may be submitted via mail to: Federal Emergency Management Agency Region 9 Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200 Oakland, CA 94607 Attn: Poway Hazardous Tree Removal Project SEA Comments
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