June 24, 2025
Fire Department
DATE: June 24, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Aaron Osorio, Fire Chief
Subject:
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to Develop a
Firewise Demonstration Garden at Fire Station 63
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The City of Richmond would be responsible for covering the cost of water and electric utilities at the site.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The purpose of this MOU is to collaboratively develop,
support, and maintain a Firewise Demonstration Garden
at Fire Station 63 to be used to educate the community in evidence-based best practices in landscaping,
sustainability, and home hardening for landscape space
in wildfire prone areas through hands-on demonstrations.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution to AUTHORIZE the city manager to
execute a three-year Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) between the City of Richmond, The Regents of
the University of California, and West Contra Costa Fire Safe Council to support and maintain a Firewise
Demonstration Garden at Fire Station 63 – Fire
Department (Chief Aaron Osorio 510-307-8021).
AGENDA
REPORT
June 24, 2025
DISCUSSION:
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is for the City of Richmond (City), the Regents of the University of California on behalf of U.C. Agriculture and Natural Resources and its U.C. Cooperative Extension Contra Costa County for its Master Gardner Program (U.C. Master Gardener), and West Contra Costa Fire Safe Council (WCCFSC) to establish and maintain the Richmond Firewise Demonstration Garden at Richmond Fire Station 63, 5201 Valley View Road, Richmond CA 94803. This MOU will remain in effect for three years from the date of the last party’s signature.
Purpose
The purpose of the Richmond Firewise Demonstration Garden is to showcase evidence-based best practices for sustainable Firewise gardening to residents of Richmond and West Contra Costa. The garden’s design will be based on Defensible Space principles. In addition, trained U.C. Master Gardeners and WCCFSC will offer educational talks, hands-on demonstrations and discussions with the public community about Firewise plant selection and siting, ember mitigation approaches, wildfire and disaster preparedness, preparing for evacuation, home hardening, and Firewise communities.
Fiscal Impact
While electrical and water costs will increase since the City will provide these as an in- kind contribution to the garden, these expenses will be more than offset by the City’s savings through the volunteer maintenance provided by U.C. Master Gardeners and WCCFSC members. In addition, the project offers significant community benefits.
Residents will learn how to implement Firewise practices at home, helping to reduce the risk of property loss from wildfires and embers, and improving their ability to retain home insurance coverage. This, in turn, reduces the City’s long-term risk of property tax revenue losses due to declining property values or the high costs of rebuilding infrastructure after a major disaster.
Responsibility
The following are some of the responsibilities of the City:
Provide water and electricity
Remove green waste debris
Deliver mulch
Ensure that the public has access to the site during daylight hours Provide secure space on site to store garden tools, supplies and educational materials
Provide support in the event of damage, vandalism or theft at the garden Promote the garden on media (website, social media, community TV) Provide restroom access located at the Fire Station to garden volunteers and class participants (but only when Fire Station personnel are present)
June 24, 2025
Similar projects around the SF Bay Area
During 2023-2024, several new Firewise demonstration gardens conceived and initiated across the region. The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (funding source behind Firesafe Marin, their outreach component) funded the majority of the projects, while several Marin fire districts funded others. The U.C. Master Gardeners in Marin and Sonoma provided guidance and often volunteered in these gardens.
See https://www.marinij.com/2024/02/09/fire-smart-landscaping-and-earth-friendly- gardening-on-display-in-marin/. Similarly, two other fire districts in Sonoma County are installing Firewise demonstration gardens at some of their fire stations. One was funded by a $20,000 grant from the California Fire Foundation. Another was designed by Sonoma Ecology Center, with a landscaping company donating labor.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – MOU