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Laguna Hills council authorizes expanded vegetation management to reduce wildfire risk; staff to amend contract and budget
Summary
Following staff recommendations, the council unanimously authorized work on seven additional upslope areas, directed staff to prepare contract documents with Specialty Mowing Services, and approved a budget amendment path to fund roughly $333,000 in proposals drawn from general fund reserves if needed.
Laguna Hills City Council unanimously authorized city staff to proceed with expanded vegetation management on identified city-owned parcels intended to reduce wildfire risk and better align with Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) vegetation management guidelines.
Assistant City Manager Joseph Ames told the council staff identified seven additional areas (three along Cabot Road, three along La Paz Road and one along Oso Parkway) that would benefit from pruning, thinning and removal of debris. Staff showed before-and-after photographs of work completed June 11–25 on the south side of La Paz Road behind Red Corral and presented proposals for six remaining areas totaling approximately $333,000.
Staff said the FY 25–27 biennial budget does not contain sufficient funds for the additional work and recommended that funding come from general fund balance reserves if council desires to proceed. Staff also reported that Specialty Mowing Services holds an existing agreement with the city; the most recent amendment to that contract extended it and increased the maximum amount but did not contemplate the additional scope presented tonight. City staff recommended authorizing the city attorney to prepare contract documents, authorizing the city manager or interim city manager to execute an amendment or agreement in the proposed amount, and authorizing the finance director to amend the budget accordingly.
Council members discussed frequency of major thinning (staff estimated roughly every five to seven years), whether some maintenance could be absorbed into existing contracts going forward, and the potential to seek grants (staff said some grants exist but typically take two or more years to complete and may require designation the city does not meet). After discussion, the council moved and unanimously approved a motion authorizing staff to proceed with the work, directing preparation of contract documents with Specialty Mowing Services in the amount proposed in the staff report, authorizing execution of the agreement in a form approved by the city attorney, and authorizing the finance director to amend the budget.
