Neighborhood Chipping Reimbursement Program

What is the program?

Neighborhoods with a minimum of eight participating households who clear defensible space around their homes and roads then chip the material are eligible for reimbursement of chipping costs up to $250 per property and $1 per lineal foot of private road. Reimbursements can not exceed the cost of chipping services, do not include the cost of clearning work and must be performed by a California licensed contractor. There is a $10K maximum per neighborhood.

Who is eligible?

Reimbursements for chipping services is available to Santa Cruz County residential neighborhoods who have eight or more participating households that are within the Wildland Urban Interface and tge RCD Chipping Program boundaries (see map below). Residents who reside within the service area of the Bonny Doon Fire Safe Council or South Skyline Fire Safe Council are not currently eligible and should sign up for chipping services through their respective Fire Safe Council.

Property owners impacted by the CZU Fire who lost their home may participate in the program if:

1. Your new home will be rebuilt before the end of the current fire season OR
2. You are currently living on the property in a temporary dwelling (mobile home, RV, etc) as your primary residence and will be there through the current fire season OR
3. Vegetation on your property is within 100 feet of a neighbor’s occupied home.

How does the program work?

Reimbursement is only for chipping materials that originate within 100 feet of an occupied structure or within 10 feet on either side of a private road. Visit the Fire Safe Council of Santa Cruz County to learn more about how to effectively create defensible space.

There MUST be at least eight (8) participating properties. One neighborhood representative will complete the online application to reserve the funds and receive the reimbursment payment for the group. Once confirmed, you can hire a California licensed contractor or rent a chipper. All work MUST be completed, and reimbursement forms and receipts submitted within 30 days of application submittal BUT no later than September 30, 2022. If the chipping or the reimbursement form is not completed and submitted to the RCD within 30 days of your application, the neighborhood will not be eligible for reimbursement and funds will be made available to another applicant on the waiting list. NO LATE REIMBURSMENTS FORMS CAN BE ACCEPTED.

Grant funds for this program are dependent on in-kind contributions from landowners in the form of time spent clearing vegetation for defensible space, preparing piles and organizing chipping. Neighborhoods should keep track of their time and submit it with their reimbursement form.

How do we apply and get reimbursed?

Applications are first-come-first serve, and spots are limited. Be sure to coordinate with your neighborhood and schedule a California licensed contractor to come and chip your material before signing up to ensure you do not miss the 30-day spot holding period.

STEP 1: A Private Road Association or an individual representing your neighborhood (of at least 8 households) will submit one (1) Application for the Neighborhood Chipping Reimbursement Program. Once confirmation of your application is made, chipping must be completed, and the reimbursement forms (Step 2) submitted within 30 days.

STEP 2: You have 30 days from when you apply (but no later than October 30th) to submit the online Reimbursement Packet. The reimbursement check will be sent to the association or the individual who submits the application and W-9, and it is up to them to distribute funds accordingly.

The RCD will reimburse your neighborhood up to $250.00 of eligible costs per household participating and up to $1.00 per linear foot of private road vegetation chipped. Reimbursement CAN NOT exceed the cost of the chipping and/or $10,000 and participants cannot be reimbursed for their time. Reimbursements will not be accepted for public roads.

The Reimbursement Packet consists of:

1. A completed Reimbursement Request Form,
2. One set of before and after photos
3. In-kind hours or dollars spent preparing for chipping (clearning, hiring contractor, etc)
4. A completed and signed W-9 form, and for the association or individual who will receive the reimbursement (only ONE representative will receive payment).
5. A receipt from a Licensed Contractor. Reimbursment can not exceed the cost of chipping. Receipt must include dates of service and an itemized list of type of work and associated cost completed with chipping listed as a service. The RCD can only reimburse for chipping. No clearing or other preparation work is covered.
6. Attach at least one photo of the chipping work.

If your neighborhood is unable to complete the chipping or fails to submit the Reimbursement Packet within 30 days of applying you will NOT be ineligible for reimbursement and your spot will be available to the next neighborhood applicant.

Chipping MUST occur between July 15^th and October 30^th. Following this date, no neighborhoods will be eligible for reimbursement. Late applications will NOT be accepted. Reimbursement is designed to incentivize landowners to maintain their defensible space, and therefor may not cover all the cost to chip each households vegetative material.

To locate your property, type your address in the search box on the upper right-hand section of the map and choose your address from the options given OR hit the search button (magnifying glass). This will zoom the map to your property. Alternately, using your mouse and the plus or minus buttons on the upper left, navigate and zoom into your property location. Click on the colored region where your property is located to make sure you are eligible for the RCD's program. Links are provided directly to other local programs where available.

You can use zoom in/ out tools in the left corner of the map to adjust the map scale.