Sisters City Council approved Ordinance 543, Defensible Spaces, aimed at enhancing wildfire safety in the growing community
Tracee Tuesday
(update: ordinance 543 approved, new video)
SISTERS, Ore. [KTVZ] — The City of Sisters held their City Council meeting Wednesday night.
On the agenda was a significant topic, that Sisters’ residents said, may well protect their homes and town.
The vote was unanimous by: Mayor Jennifer Letz, Council President Sarah McDougall, Council Member Cheryl Pellerin, and Council Member Gary Ross, who was not in attendance but was seen on Zoom.
The Sisters City Council has officially adopted Ordinance No. 543, Defensible Spaces, an amendment to the Sisters Development Code, aimed at enhancing wildfire safety in the growing community.
Ordinance No. 543 include properties, structures, all buildings, and detached accessory structures, whether individually or cumulatively, lot coverage, of 200 square feet or greater.
The defensible space area standards vary based on the species of grasses, shrubs, and trees and types of combustible materials with species on the prohibited Flammable Plant List, restricted further than those not listed.
The defensible space area standards also vary, based on distance from the new buildings ranging from: 0-5 feet, 5-30 feet, and beyond 30 feet from the new building. No vegetation should be within those specified distances from the structure.
However, this Ordinance only applies to new development, said Principal Planner, Matthew Martin.
“So right now we have standard landscaping standards, setbacks from, other property lines and other buildings on properties, but this goes a step further, and really right now, we’re focusing in this effort to apply it to new construction.”
Marting goes on to say: “Now, is there an effort and an opportunity to increase the defensible space and opportunities for resilience of existing built environments? Sure, but we’re limited in what we can do with the Development code, so we’re looking at other opportunities to address the existing built environment too.”
City officials say the change is a proactive step to protect homes and infrastructure, particularly as wildfire seasons grow longer and more intense across the west.
But what about updating a defensible space code with existing homes and structures.
“Yeah, it will be code changes. I think it’s really difficult for a city, but also citizens to have different codes and different parts of the community. We’d like to have it as homogenous as possible,” said Sisters Mayor, Jennifer Letz.
The City of Sister says there are existing Municipal Codes on the books to protect existing structures.
Defensible Spaces has been a hot topic these past few years. But, as wildfires continue to evolve, it’s important that the public get out and educate themselves on how to protect their homes.
Previous Information:
The Sisters City Council will convene Wednesday evening to discuss several agenda items, including adopting Ordinance 543, which will amend the city’s development code to implement defensible space standards.
The council previously approved the defensible space text amendments two weeks ago and on Wednesday evening is holding a public hearing on the associated ordinances.
Among other changes, a Fire Prevention and Control Plan will be required for new subdivisions and site plan reviews. Some highly flammable plants and trees would be prohibited within 30 feet of new buildings, while allowing shrubs and trees that are more fire-resistant.