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Consent-General Government # 9.
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| Board of Supervisors |
County Administrator |
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| Subject |
| Adopt budget resolution increasing the 2020-21 Cache Creek Resources Management Plan budget to $4,195,156 (increase of $65,000) to purchase emergency response equipment for public safety response in and along Cache Creek. (No general fund impact) (Cook/Sabatini) |
| Recommended Action |
| Adopt budget resolution increasing the 2020-21 Cache Creek Resources Management Plan budget to $4,195,156 (increase of $65,000) to purchase emergency response equipment for public safety response in and along Cache Creek. |
| Strategic Plan Goal(s) |
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Safe Communities |
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| Reason for Recommended Action/Background |
Background
At the July 21, 2020, Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board approved the use of revenues from the Cache Creek Resources Management Plan fund (CCRMP) to secure a County-owned property adjacent to the Esparto Bridge, established "no parking" zones on County Roads 85, 87, and 94B, and authorized staff to place signage necessary for enforcement. These actions were taken as interim measures to respond to impacts from the continued use of off-highway vehicles (OHVs) in and along Cache Creek.
One item left unresolved was the affected fire districts' (Esparto, Madison, Willow Oak, and Yolo) ability to physically respond to public safety incidents in and along Cache Creek. Due to difficult terrain and topography, the fire districts are unable to get traditional emergency response equipment into Cache Creek. County staff have been working collaboratively with the fire chiefs of the affected districts and the Yolo County Sheriff's Office (OHV/Search and Rescue team) on both short and long-term solutions.
Current Request
Proposed Short-Term Measures
Staff proposes two short-term measures to enhance the abilities of the affected fire districts to respond to public safety events in Cache Creek:
- Staging two (2) Yolo County Sheriff's OHVs with associated equipment (trailers, litters, etc) at either end of the accessible portion of Cache Creek (roughly Capay in the west to the Cache Creek Settling Basin in the east). One staging area is proposed to be located at either the Madison or Esparto fire station and another staging area is proposed to be located at Willow Oak Station #7, located on County Road 94B. The Sheriff's Office and the fire districts would then enter into a joint-use agreement allowing fire district staff to utilize the OHV equipment. This proposal will decrease response times to public safety events in and along Cache Creek by both Sheriff personnel and fire district personnel. This proposal can be fully funded by existing grant funds obtained by the Sheriff's Office from State Parks.
- Authorizing use of fund balance from the Cache Creek Resources Management Plan fund, a restricted funding source derived from gravel mining fees, for the purchase of two specialized OHV side-by-side response units for two of the affected districts. The affected fire chiefs are proposing these response units be housed at Esparto Fire and Willow Oak Fire based on location, call volume, and storage space available. The cost for these response units is estimated to be approximately $60,000 (roughly $30,000 per unit).
Proposed Long-Term Measures
Staff has committed to work with the affected fire districts to assist them with applying for grant funds for OHV public safety response from California State Parks. These grants applications are typically due in March of each year, with awards announced in June of each year. Natural Resources Division staff will assist the affected fire districts with compiling necessary financial information, writing and submitting grant applications, and work with fire district staff on submittal of any monitoring or reporting required, if grant funds are awarded. State Parks OHV grants are funded by "green sticker" registration fees and grants are available on an annual basis.
As described above, the Board authorized staff to install fencing and secure the County-owned property adjacent to the Esparto Bridge at their July 21, 2020, meeting. The Sheriff's Office has suggested that implementing formal parking regulations will assist them in their enforcement efforts related to this property. Staff is working with Yolo County Sheriff's Office and County Counsel on an ordinance amendment to regulate parking at the subject property. The proposed regulation will be consistent with Ordinance #1465 which prohibits OHV recreation within the channels and banks of Cache Creek year-round from 7:00 pm to 6:00 am. This proposed ordinance amendment is anticipated to be ready for Board consideration in September 2020.
Finally, staff will continue to work with the OHV Park Steering Committee, Sheriff's OHV Enforcement Unit, and various stakeholders (emergency responders, landowners, non-profit organizations, environmentalists, and OHV riders) to identify and analyze other potential measures that could mitigate the impacts of OHV use in and along Cache Creek. |
| Collaborations (including Board advisory groups and external partner agencies) |
| Staff has collaborated with various fire districts (Esparto, Madison, Willow Oak, and Yolo), the Sheriff's Office, the Cache Creek Conservancy, and various landowners, concerned citizens, and OHV enthusiasts on this item. |
| Competitive Bid Process |
| N/A |
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| Fiscal Impact |
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| Source of Funds for this Expenditure |
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Explanation (Expenditure and/or Revenue) |
| Further explanation as needed: |
| The Cache Creek Resources Management Plan fund, whose revenues are derived from the Gravel Mining Fee Ordinance, specifically allows for expenditures related to recreational activities within the Cache Creek Resources Management Plan area. Matching funds for State OHV grants obtained by the Yolo County Sheriff's Office are provided via this fund on an annual basis. |
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