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Monterey Council unanimously accepts CAL FIRE grant to expand fuel‑reduction work
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Summary
The Monterey City Council unanimously approved acceptance of a CAL FIRE grant to expand a citywide fuel‑reduction project, authorizing staff to sign the grant agreement and appropriate $100,000 in local matching funds; staff said the award will leverage existing NCIP funds to extend work across priority areas.
The Monterey City Council voted unanimously Jan. 28 to accept a CAL FIRE grant to support a citywide fuel‑reduction project and to authorize a grant agreement and required local match.
The grant award, described by staff as $950,000, will be paired with a city match of $100,000, officials said. Staff told the council the award builds on a similar CAL FIRE grant the city received in 2023 and will allow the city to stretch NCIP funds further to address high‑priority vegetation management and defensible‑space work.
"We were successful back in 2023 in acquiring the same amount," said Tice (staff), who presented the item. "This has been very worthwhile to help us make this money go further, to make our forests a little bit safer as we go through each area at a time."
Public commenters offered mixed reactions. A representative of the Monterey County Association of Realtors urged the council to prioritize neighborhoods with residents on fixed incomes so homeowners can document risk‑reduction for potential insurance savings. "I would just plead that the city do what they can to help folks out," the representative said.
Caller Nina Beatty opposed accepting the grant and questioned CAL FIRE’s approach, saying that the agency’s methods could increase fire danger by thinning and limbing that expose vegetation to higher winds. "CAL FIRE practices increase fire danger to Monterey," Beatty said.
City staff disputed that the grant would reduce safety. "We go by the guidance of CAL FIRE," said Tice, describing the program’s focus on ladder fuels to prevent ground fires from transitioning to crown fires. The fire chief added that vegetation management is only one part of prevention; the city also conducts defensible‑space inspections, uses early recognition cameras and relies on the speed and weight of its attack resources.
Councilmember [mover] made the motion to approve the grant acceptance; the motion was seconded and passed with a unanimous vote.
The motion authorizes the grant agreement, increases FY27 and FY28 estimated revenues associated with the award, and appropriates the $100,000 match. Staff said they will coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions and publish maps showing completed and proposed projects to improve public transparency.
The council did not identify a timeline for when specific neighborhood projects would be scheduled; staff noted scheduling can depend on biological surveys and seasonal restrictions.
The council moved on to the next agenda item after the vote.
