Mayor Borowsky salutes proactive move from Scottsdale Fire Department
Staff Writer | Mayor of Scottsdale
Scottsdale City Council has unanimously approved a significant text amendment to the city’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands Ordinance, aiming to bolster wildfire prevention and adapt to evolving environmental conditions.
“This crucial update reinforces Scottsdale’s long-standing commitment to preserving its unique desert character while ensuring the safety of its residents and natural resources,” said Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky following the July 2 City Council approval.
“Wildfire mitigation is a crucial priority for me and learning our ESL ordinance hadn’t been updated recently to better protect homeowners — and their property — from wildfire dangers I asked Fire Chief Tom Shannon to take a look at how we could improve local protections.”
Originally adopted in 1977 as the “Hillside Ordinance,” and later updated and renamed the “Environmentally Sensitive Lands Ordinance” (ESL) in 1991, this foundational regulation has been highly effective in safeguarding natural and visual features, wildlife habitat, unstable slopes, and areas prone to erosion and flooding.
While previous versions of the ordinance addressed fire prevention, notably with updates in 2001, 2003, and 2004 that introduced fire defensible space parameters, this latest amendment represents a comprehensive review and modification of those parameters. The updated ESL Ordinance directly addresses several critical objectives:
- Responding to Increased Wildfire Threat: The amendment directly confronts the growing threat of wildfires and extended fire seasons, implementing more adaptive defensible space strategies.
- Updated Defensible Space Requirements: It refines fire defensible space requirements specifically in relation to Natural Area Open Space (NAOS), establishing clearer guidelines for development within these sensitive areas.
- Compatible Maintenance Techniques: The ordinance now identifies compatible maintenance techniques and buffer strategies for NAOS areas, promoting responsible land management.
- Avoiding Non-Conforming Conditions: The updates are designed to avoid creating non-conforming conditions for previously approved developments, providing clarity and consistency.
- Ensuring Consistency with Fire Code: This amendment ensures consistency between the ESL Ordinance and the Scottsdale Fire Code, streamlining regulations for improved enforcement and understanding.
- Maintaining Environmental Protection: The core objective of protecting and preserving the city’s environmentally sensitive lands remains paramount.
- Optimizing Regulatory Framework: The update also evaluates whether certain regulations are more appropriately addressed within the Scottsdale Fire Code, promoting efficiency and clarity in municipal codes.
“This forward-thinking amendment underscores Scottsdale’s proactive approach to environmental stewardship and public safety, ensuring the city’s unique natural landscape remains protected for generations to come,” Mayor Borowsky said.
