Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Protection Planning

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TITLE 10
SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 7
WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE FIRE PROTECTION PLAN
SHORT FORM

The purpose of this short form is to provide a simplified Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fire protection planning option for smaller developments. It is intended to help applicants address basic wildfire risk considerations while supporting safe and resilient development practices in Valley County.

For more detailed guidance and requirements, please refer to the Valley County Wildland Urban Interface Fire Protection Plan Manual.

10-7-1: PURPOSE:

Valley County's community wildfire protection plan acknowledges that wildfire hazard areas exist throughout the county. Therefore, wildfire mitigation actions are prudent to enable safe habitation in these fire environments. The Valley County fire working group recommends that a requirement for the development and approval of a wildland urban interface fire protection plan be added as an addendum to the Valley County subdivision regulations ordinance. The existence of said plan will assist the Valley County planning and zoning commission and the structural fire districts in satisfying the current subdivision regulation, subsection 10-3-2-6D7 of this title. (Ord. 10-07, 8-26-2010)

10-7-2: DEFINITIONS:

APPROVED: Refers to approval as the result of review, inspection or tests by reason of accepted principles.

ASPECT: Generally, refers to the direction to which a mountain slope faces. For example: A slope that faces the sun in the afternoon has a westerly aspect or is a west facing slope.

DEFENSIBLE SPACE: Refers to that area between a building and an oncoming wildfire where the vegetation has been modified to reduce the wildfire threat and to provide an opportunity for firefighters to effectively defend the building.

FIRE-RESISTANT ROOF: There are four commercial roof fire ratings: Class A, B, C, and Unrated. Class A rating is obtained when material survives a severe fire test. Class B ratings are awarded after withstanding moderate fire exposure and Class C demonstrates survivability of only the lightest fire test.

FORESTED: Idaho Code title 38, chapter 1 (Idaho forestry act) defines "forestland" as meaning "any land which has upon it sufficient brush or flammable forest growth of any kind or size, living or dead, standing or down, including debris or growth following a fire or removal of forest products, to constitute a fire menace to life (including animal) or property".

FUEL BREAK: A natural or man-made barrier strategically located using topography to provide optimal fire control, typically to avoid vegetation or composed of vegetation arranged in such a way as to prevent fire spread.

PROFESSIONAL: Can include qualified professional forester, fire ecologist, or comparable experience. Professionals can be prequalified by the commission or recommended by the Valley County fire working group and kept on record at the planning and zoning office.

PROFESSIONAL FORESTER: An individual holding at least a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry from an accredited four (4) year institution. (This is consistent with Idaho state tax commission rule 960 of the Idaho administrative code, Idaho state tax commission, PDAPA 35.01.03, section 04.)

SLOPE: The variation of terrain from the horizontal; the number of feet of rise or fall per one hundred feet (100') measured horizontally, expressed as a percentage.

STRUCTURE: That which is built or constructed, an edifice or building of any kind or any piece of work artificially built up or composed or parts joined together in some manner.

VALLEY COUNTY FIRE WORKING GROUP: This group is given charter by the Valley County board of commissioners and is tasked with oversight of the community wildfire protection plan. This group is represented by local fire departments, SITPA, public land managers (USFS, IDL, BOR), Valley County Natural Resource Consultants, etc.

WILDFIRE: A wildland fire originating from an unplanned ignition, such as lightning, volcano, unauthorized and accidental human caused fire, and prescribe fires that are declared wildfires.

WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE AREA: The line, area or zone where structures and other human development meets or intermingles with wildland or vegetative fuels. (Ord. 10-07, 8-26-2010)

10-7-3: BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION:

Valley County adopted the International Fire Code, 2015, published by the building officials and Code Administrators International INC, adopted by the Idaho Fire Marshal. The adopted version of the foregoing codes shall be deemed superseded by successive versions of such codes as they ae adopted or approved by the Idaho Building Code Board and the State of Idaho (Ord. 10-07, 8-26-2010)

10-7-4: SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

A. General: All developers of proposed subdivisions shall provide a wildland urban interface fire protection plan (the plan) for review and then approval by the planning and zoning commission with their preliminary plat application or planned unit development submittal. The plan shall be submitted to the Wildfire Mitigation Director by Planning and Zoning Staff for review and comments to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

B. Content: The plan shall be based upon a site-specific wildfire risk assessment that includes consideration of location, topography, aspect, flammable vegetation, climatic conditions and fire history. The plan shall address water supply, access, fire protection systems and equipment, defensible space, and vegetation management.

1. Preparation: The plan shall be developed by a "professional" (see definition in section 10- 7-2 of this chapter). Professionals can be prequalified by the commission, and a list will be maintained at the Valley County planning and zoning office.

2. Format: The plan shall consist of two (2) sections:

a. Wildfire Risk Assessment:
b. Wildfire Risk Mitigation:

3. Submittal, Implementation and Verification:

a. The plan shall be submitted with the preliminary plat application to the Valley County planning and zoning office
b. Planned mitigation work must be completed or financially guaranteed prior to the recordation of the final plat. A schedule for the phased completion of mitigation work may be approved in conjunction with recordation of final plats.
c. Verification of completed implementation of mitigation actions will be the responsibility of the jurisdictional structural fire district. Where no structural fire district exists, the Valley County sheriff shall appoint a county representative. Each authority will act in conjunction with the office of the Wildfire Mitigation Director

4. Exceptions: Proposed administrative plats of less than five (5) lots and proposed subdivisions with lands less than twenty percent (20%) "forested" (see definition in section 10-7-2 of this chapter) are exempt from the professional requirement. For proposed subdivisions fitting these descriptions, the developer may complete the plan (see the fire protection form). The plan for an administrative plat can be approved by the administrator upon receiving an approval letter from the fire district.

5. Cost: The cost and implementation of the plan preparation shall be the responsibility of the applicant.

6. Plan Retention: The approved plan shall be retained at the Valley County planning and zoning office and the jurisdictional fire district or designated agency where no fire district exists. (Ord. 10-07, 8-26-2010)

Contact Information

*First Name

*Last Name

Company Name

Phone

Address

City

State/Province

Postal Code

Wildfire Risk Assessment: This portion of the plan includes a map and narrative describing the status of the land to be developed. At a minimum, the following must be included:

*Topographic map

Site description including discussion of slope(s), aspect(s), and significant topographic features.

Narrative describing existing vegetation and fuel hazards, distribution, and continuity.

Fire history, including historical occurrence, causes, typical wind and climatic conditions which influence fire behavior.

Existing roads and bridges, including a description of widths, grade percentages and weight limits.

Location of existing structures and an estimate of the proposed density, types and sizes of planned structures.

Infrastructure that may affect wildland fire risk (i.e., existing power lines, railroad lines, propane tanks, etc.).

Description of existing features that may assist in controlling a wildfire (i.e., fuel breaks, water sources, etc.).

Current structural and wildland fire jurisdictional agencies. Valley County WUI Fire Protection Plan 4

Effect of proposed development on current wildland fire risk within the development area and to adjacent landowners.

Wildfire Risk Mitigation: This portion of the plan includes a map(s) and narrative detailing planned wildfire hazard mitigation actions to be taken by the developer prior to individual lot development to mitigate risks to life and property from wildland fire. Specific items to be addressed include: