HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2022-3410,
KENAI
CITY OF KENAI
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-34
Sponsored by: Administration
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE UPDATED 2022 KENAI PENINSULA COMMUNITY WILDFIRE
PROTECTION PLAN.
WHEREAS, the City is vulnerable to damage from wildfire events which pose a threat to public health
and safety and could result in property loss and economic hardship of individuals, business owners, as
well as damage to critical infrastructure; and,
WHEREAS, the City participated as one of the 17 communities along with Division of Forestry and
Department of Natural Resources to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)
encompassing all lands within the Kenai Peninsula Borough (KPB); and,
WHEREAS, the 2022 plan aligned with the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy and
the 2018 All Lands All Hands Action Plan; and,
WHEREAS, the plan addresses 3 goals of Collaboration, Prioritized Fuel Reduction, and Treatment of
Structural Ignitability and provides recommended projects designed to greatly reduce wildfire risk to
residents, and provides guidance to fire and emergency managers, as well as agencies who manage
large land holdings; and,
WHEREAS, the Kenai Peninsula Borough adopted the CWPP by Ordinance 2022-04 on April 51h, 2022;
and,
WHEREAS, the City of Kenai Planning and Zoning Commission has reviewed the plan at their regular
meeting May 11 th, 2022 and recommended the adoption of the plan by the City; and,
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the City as one of the communities within the KPB CWPP, to adopt
the Updated 2022 KPB CWPP by Resolution.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA:
Section 1. That the document entitled Kenai Peninsula Borough Community Wildfire Protection Plan
is hereby adopted by the City of Kenai.
Section 2. That this Resolution takes effect immediately upon passage.
PASSED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, THIS 18TH DAY OF MAY, 2022.
ATTEST:
lc elle '3aa r, MMC, City Clerk
Cv s
Brian Gabriel Sr., Mayor
New Text Underlined; [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
KENAI
City of Kenai 1210 Fidalgo Ave, Kenai, AK 99611-77941907.283.7535 1 www.6naixity
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Gabriel and Council Members
THROUGH: Paul Ostrander, City Manager
FROM: Tony Prior, Fire Chief
DATE: May 10, 2022
SUBJECT: Resolution 2022-34 Adopting the Updated 2022 Kenai Peninsula
Borough Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
The City of Kenai participated as one of the 17 communities to develop a single Borough -wide
Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). I was one of the Core Team Members who
participated in putting together the plan over a two-year period. The plan combined the 17
individual plans into one all-encompassing plan that addresses the landscapes across the
peninsula.
The CWPP project was driven by a dedicated core team made of local, state, federal agencies
as well as non-government agencies and residents. The team was tasked with decision making,
data sharing, experience and communication with the communities. The core team conducted
five meetings in addition to regular emails or conference calls. The project was broadly promoted
throughout the borough, including public venues, comprehensive meetings with individual fire
departments, tribal entities, and critical infrastructure utilities and transportation agencies. The
core team participated in a six-week review period to comment on the working draft. We finished
with what we feel is a very comprehensive plan that will guide us with mitigation efforts and future
planning to make our City and other communities on the Peninsula prepared for the potential of
future fire events resulting in communities that are Firewise.
The following information is specific for the City of Kenai and was composed of a previous CWPP
in 2006, as well as needs from the changing dynamics of our landscape today, post beetle kill.
These items are based on Wildland Firefighting concerns and recommendations are as follows.
Some of the areas of concern include the following:
• Kenai River Delta (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Treed gullies (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Hilly terrain (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• ROW - north end of city (along Spur Road) (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Historic portion of town (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Areas behind Sears Elementary and Mtn View Elementary (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Auk Subdivision (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Beaver Creek Drainage (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
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• State land north of Spur Highway (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006)
Recommended mitigation efforts include:
• Support individual property owners making properties Firewise:
o Targeted and coordinated public outreach campaign focused on defensible space,
structure hardening etc. Utilize community events. Repeat messaging.
o Initiate a community program for hazardous fuel reduction- chipper days, subdivision
cleanup etc.
o Develop home assessment program using an NFPA 1144 methodology or similar.
o Consider monetary reimbursement to support landowners with costs associated with
clearing property.
• Make escape route a priority for North Kenai. Consider paving.
• Create fire breaks using mechanized approaches:
o Create 300 -foot fuel break around Kenai refinery. Remove beetle killed trees.
o Identify and implement (in conjunction with oil and gas operators) strategic fuels
treatments around oil and gas infrastructure and Right of Ways throughout Kenai Gas
Field areas.
o Create fuel breaks along edges of existing subdivisions.
• Remove hazardous fuels along Beaver Creek Road
• Clear dead and dying trees out of creek gullies.
• Provide incentives (tax break, insurance reduction) to homeowners for implementing Firewise
techniques (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Establish new slash disposal site (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Identify contractors who can carry out tree removal (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Pursue adoption of the International WUI Code (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Educate land developers, realtors etc., on Firewise techniques (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Provide fire prevention education at the Kenai Visitors Center (targeting tourists) (Kenai Area
CWPP, 2006).
• Improve public notifications of emergency situations (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Educate residents on evacuation district procedures (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Address concerns related to smoke on highway as part of education campaign (Kenai Area
CWPP, 2006).
Fire Department Concerns:
• Equipment needs- tanker and wildland engine with a CAFS unit (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Increase water supply to air retardant base (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Expand number of firefighting water storage or drafting sites (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Recruit and train more personnel (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Build a substation in Beaver Creek Area (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
• Provide National Incident Management training (NIMS) (Kenai Area CWPP, 2006).
We have already begun efforts that will help individual homeowners to begin their work of Firewise
and enable them to remove slash from their property. This slash, if not removed from around
homes, has the greatest potential to contribute to a fast spreading wildfire with potential loss of
homes and subdivisions. The opening of the slash disposal site adjacent to the soccer fields will
begin this process for homeowners.
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The City of Kenai I www.6nai.city
We have also identified the gully between N and S Spruce Street and N and S Forest that borders
multiple subdivision as one of the first gullies that we will begin mitigation efforts to remove beetle
kill trees.
We anticipate an agreement between the City and the Alaska Division of Forestry that will support
our efforts in the areas listed above through financial reimbursement along with assistance in
contract development for tree removal. We hope to have further legislation for your approval very
soon on this and our goal is to provide opportunities for homeowners while moving the City
forward in a way that protects our infrastructure and protects personal property of businesses and
individuals. In conclusion, all of these efforts result in the safety of everyone who lives, works, and
plays in the City of Kenai and on the Kenai Peninsula and we are asking your support by adopting
the updated 2022 KPB CWPP as a plan that directly affects the City of Kenai.
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