The ongoing budget negotiations between Mayor Todd Gloria and the City Council have made the disorganized approach to brush management a hot topic in San Diego.
City officials are increasingly frustrated that meaningful changes to the management of flammable brush haven’t been made since a 2023 audit recommended reform.
In light of this winter’s catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles, members of the City Council assert that the time has come to adopt a more coherent and effective strategy for clearing such hazardous vegetation.
Councilmember Raul Campillo expressed urgency during last month’s budget hearings, stating, “Despite a majority of council members supporting this in our budget priority memos, it wasn’t included in the proposed budget.
This is a moment we have to meet with urgency to follow through with the recommendations we received from the auditor.”
The 2023 audit called for proactive measures from the Fire-Rescue Department, particularly in high-risk areas, including ongoing inspections of brush on city-owned land.
Moreover, it highlighted the need for Fire-Rescue officials to evaluate brush management efforts executed by other departments, aiming for transparency with publicly available reports on these evaluations.
A systematic approach is needed, where Fire-Rescue would develop work plans incorporating brush management goals for all departments overseeing land with flammable materials.
To support this initiative, fire officials proposed hiring five new employees, including a dedicated “wildfire prevention specialist,” at an annual cost of approximately $1.1 million.
Additionally, the audit recommended implementing new policies within the Parks and Recreation Department, which manages a large portion of the city’s open spaces, though cost estimates for new personnel in that department remain unclear.
Despite these pressing recommendations, Mayor Todd Gloria did not include the additional positions in either the draft budget released in April or the subsequent revisions introduced in May.
The budget proposal also overlooked crucial fire-prevention resources beyond brush management, as thousands of buildings remain overdue for fire inspections due to understaffing and a lack of new hiring.
Aides to Mayor Gloria explained that during a challenging budget year, with an estimated $350 million deficit, prioritizing brush management alongside other urgent city needs proved difficult.
“There were other operational priorities included in this budget — it’s the same answer we have for a lot of the other cuts,” stated Khota Zaiser, the mayor’s council affairs and public safety advisor.
Zaiser did highlight that fire crews are still active in addressing brush management, emphasizing their visits to private properties for inspections related to brush hazards, including 46,000 parcels near canyon rims last year.
Addressing council concerns, Zaiser reassured members that brush management is a priority within the mayor’s office.
“If there were more resources, this would be one of the first things that gets added (to the budget),” he said.
He also pointed out opportunities for funding, noting significant state grants available for fire prevention work, as well as potential revenue from increased parks user fees.
Andy Field, the city’s parks director, introduced a community-focused interim solution, wherein the department is engaging local residents to participate in voluntary brush management.
Field explained, “We’re trying to really work with neighbors to find interest in voluntary brush management, where we can give access to neighbors into city property.
That’s an excellent way to help us out and save a couple bucks by having that be done on a faster rotation.”
Councilmember Marni von Wilpert expressed support for this initiative, considering it a positive way to involve community members, including scout troops.
However, she also raised concern about the potential risks associated with unregulated volunteer efforts, citing a recent incident in Rancho Peñasquitos where a resident removed sensitive brush without a permit.
“We don’t want what happened in Rancho Peñasquitos to ever happen again,” she cautioned. “We need to ensure that actions taken on wildland habitats follow the necessary regulations.”
As the City Council moves forward, members have submitted requests for alterations to the budget via the city’s independent budget analyst, scheduled to release a summary of these proposals just one week before the council finalizes the budget on June 10.
In last month’s hearings, at least six of the nine council members expressed strong support for allocating additional funds toward brush management.
Council President Joe LaCava emphasized the urgency of addressing fire risks, noting the implications of the recent wildfires.
“We have to talk about brush management with the increasing realization of the risk of fire,” he asserted.
However, securing funding for brush management will necessitate trade-offs, requiring council members to either implement cuts in other areas of the budget or discover new revenue sources to support these initiatives.
Councilmember Vivian Moreno stressed the critical need for resources dedicated to brush management within the final budget.
“We have the auditor telling us there are problems we need to fix, and we have the department making the request for the necessary resources,” she stated firmly.
“It’s imperative that we provide these resources so we can make progress in addressing problems we know exist.”
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