To: Board of Supervisors
From: Lewis Broschard, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: Purchase of Property Located at 1015 and 1019 Garcia Ranch Road, Briones Valley in unincorporated Martinez
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief or designee to execute, on behalf of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, a purchase and sale agreement to purchase the real property at 1015 and 1019 Garcia Ranch Road, Briones Valley, in unincorporated Martinez (APNs 365-030-013 and 365-030-092) from the Nunes Family Trust at a purchase price of $2,495,000 for Fire Station 19, subject to approval by the County Administrator and Approval as to Form by County Council.
2. DETERMINE that the purchase of the property is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to Article 5, Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this activity will have a significant effect on the environment.
3. ACCEPT the Grant Deed from Seller for the purchase of the property.
4. AUTHORIZE the Auditor-Controller to wire approximately $2,495,000, plus associated escrow and closing fees, payable to Chicago Title, for credit to Escrow Number FCLA-3862501877.
5. AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief or designee to file a Notice of Exemption (NOE) with the County Clerk and the State Clearinghouse.
6. AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief or designee to arrange for payment of a $50 fee to the County Clerk for filing the NOE.
7. DIRECT the Real Estate Division to have this staff report and a certificate of acceptance delivered to Chicago Title Company for recording in the Office of the County Recorder.
8. APPROVE Budget Amendment No. BDA-26-00013 appropriating fund balance of $2,595,000 for the purchase price and estimated closing costs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% Fire District Operating Fund balance.
BACKGROUND:
Fire Station 19 is in the Briones Valley and has been leased from the Nunes Family Trust for decades. Its origins date back to the Briones Fire District, which was merged into the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (CCCFPD) in 1971. CCCFPD operates a reserve firefighter program and uses reserve firefighters to staff this facility on both a scheduled and as-needed basis. When emergencies occur in the vicinity, both the reserve firefighters from Fire Station 19 and 24-hour fully staffed resources are dispatched. The closest staffed station comes from Lafayette (FS16), Pleasant Hill (FS5), Martinez (FS13), or Pinole (FS74). In some cases, the area may receive automatic aid from the Moraga Orinda Fire District. The building itself is more of a garage than a typical fire station. This facility does not have sleeping quarters, meal preparation facilities, or shower facilities.
While this remote area of the County has a relatively low call volume, it is at significant risk for wildland fire. CALFIRE classifies the Fire Station itself in a high fire hazard severity zone, and within ½ mile of the station is a very high fire hazard severity zone. Many areas of our County have experienced insurance cancellation notices, and the Briones Valley is no exception. In 2002, a fire burned 200 acres in the vicinity along Alhambra Valley Road. The lack of significant fire history actually increases risk due to the buildup of available vegetative fuels. Many insurance companies want to know the distance to the nearest fire station. This is one of the many reasons maintaining a presence in this community is important to the District and to our ability to protect it.
Fire District leadership has periodically explored and investigated several options to secure a permanent location in the area over the last decade. One of the challenges is the rugged topography of the Alhambra and Briones valleys. When parcels become available, they are not usable because they lack flat, buildable land.
A standard, “in-town” fire station uses one to two acres. The Fire District is interested in the entire 9.86 parcel because it offers multiple future options. It immediately secures the location and eliminates the risk of losing a lease to new ownership. Future options for use include:
● Permanent Fire Station with 24-hour quarters allowing seasonal or red flag upstaffing on high-threat days.
● Permanent full-time staffing (5-10 year range / $4 million annual ongoing costs and currently unfunded).
● Work Center for Crew 12 to perform fuel mitigation projects in the immediate area
● Places wildland fire resources in position to respond to wildland threats in the West County Hills.
● Fire Staging Area to be utilized for significant wildland fire events in the area.
● Helicopter Landing Zone for wildland fire and emergency medical events.
All of these future potential uses would require further planning and additional discretionary approvals before they could be implemented, at which time the Fire District will take any applicable actions required under CEQA. Currently, the Fire District is not committing to any uses of the property other than to continue existing uses on the property
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The Fire District would not be able to purchase this property and would have to identify an alternative site to provide fire protection services.