Orange County Firesafe Council CAR Community Hardening Phase 1 Project, Part 2

The Orange County Firesafe Council CAR Community Hardening Phase 1 Project, Part 2, is a vegetation management initiative led by the California Sustainability Group and approved by the Orange County Fire Authority. Located in the Robinson Ranch and Trabuco Highlands neighborhoods of Rancho Santa Margarita, California, the project focuses on reducing fire risk across 7.50 acres within three treatment zones. The primary objective is to remove fuel and vegetation that no longer meet OCFA Vegetation Management Guidelines, specifically targeting areas within 100 feet of structures and along Robinson Ranch Road, which serves as the sole access road for these communities in the Wildland Urban Interface. The scope of work includes the removal of acacia, dead vegetation, and volunteers, as well as the thinning of up to 50 percent of shrubs to satisfy Zone C requirements. Additionally, trees will be skirted up to 6 feet to ensure minimum vertical clearance within the 100-foot defensible space buffer, targeting both native and non-native plants. The project is classified under CEQA Guidelines Categorical Exemption Class 4, as it involves only above-ground vegetation removal without ground disturbance, thereby avoiding impacts on endangered species and surface waters. Due to its status as a fire-safe project, it is also exempt from the CAL FIRE cultural resources review.