October 2023 Update
SEAR (Southern Emergency Access Route) Update - October 2023 FAQs Related to Evacuation, Feasibility Study Results, & Financing
The Genesee Fire Protection District (GFPD), as is true for much of the Western U.S, is at high risk for high-severity wildfires due to overgrown vegetation exacerbated by dry and hot weather, and strong, gusty winds. The GFPD has limited egress routes and potential for extreme congestion, and numerous non-survivable roadways. Models suggest that under our present egress structure estimated evacuation times are 3.5 to 4 hours for most of the approximately 4000 residents of GFPD (includes GF and surrounding HOAs), while impeding access for first responders entering the fire protection district.
If our current evacuation route is closed, we may have no other option then to shelter in place. Based on GFPD analysis, there are currently no areas within the GFPD that could serve as a fully safe, designated area for wildfire evacuation emergencies under conditions of 10-20 mph winds and especially winds greater than 20 mph due to steep slopes and heavy fuel loads. (2021 CWPP 3F, page 59). Survivability is highly uncertain if you elect to shelter in place or delay your evacuation.
Additional emergency access/egress route increases GFPD survivability by establishing a secondary egress. With that goal in mind, a study was commissioned to investigate the possibility of constructing an emergency access route (EAR) in the southern area of Genesee. Baseline Engineering was contracted by the Genesee Foundation to provide an analysis of the feasibility of constructing an EAR. Their report has now been completed and is available on the Genesee Foundation website (Emergency Access Route tab) and on the Genesee Fire Protection District website. The following FAQs were recorded in the Genesee Community meeting held April 20, 2023, to update the GFPD on progress toward the Southern EAR.
Meeting Audio
12.07.23 SEAR Meeting Update
April 20 SEAR Meeting Update
Questions Related to the Emergency Evacuation:
We cannot assume fires will come from a particular direction. The winds are variable and depending on the season can come from almost any direction. The SEAR is an important tool for fire fighting that gives emergency equipment the ability to enter Genesee from the north (I70) and the south (Highway 74). It also allows evacuation in both these directions. This will improve both emergency response time and evacuation times.
The SEAR benefits all the GFPD communities. The SEAR is a tool for evacuation in both directions and for emergency ingress from the south. Without the SEAR, if there were an event on the north side of the GFPD that closes one or both roads (Genesee Trail and/or Genesee Ridge roads) to I70, we would all be trapped with nowhere to shelter in place and no way for supporting Fire Departments, like Indian Hills or Evergreen, to come to our rescue.
With our current constriction of only being able to exit to the north, if I70 is closed, we would have to shelter in place. This is certainly not an optimal strategy. There are no areas within GFPD that could serve as a fully safe area for wildfire evacuation emergencies, due to steep slopes and heavy fuel loads, and under conditions of greater that 10 mph winds.
At the personal level, it is important to develop a personal family plan for evacuation, what personal items and documents will you take, do you have a Go Bag in case you are away from home for several days, what plan do you have for your pets, and what plan is there for possible disabled or physically limited relatives who live with you? Have you made defensible space around your home (figure below)? Fire experience in the Boulder area shows creating defensible space makes a big difference in survivability of homes.
See Home Hardening and Defensible Space Infographic.
Genesee Foundation efforts include prioritizing fire mitigation in open space along our current evacuation routes (e.g., Genesee Ridge and Vista roads, Foothills North and South, Montane Drive) to enhance survivability during evacuation (slides 5-9 of presentation). HOAs should also look at mitigation of common areas around HOA buildings. The GFPD continues its efforts at encouraging community preparedness, enhancing readiness for emergency operations, and supporting the SEAR effort.
The diagram below illustrates how fire protection can be thought of as a three-pronged communitywide effort, (1) your personal effort, (2) efforts by each of our HOAs, and (3) efforts by the GFPD.
At the personal level, it is important to develop a personal family plan for evacuation, what personal items and documents will you take, do you have a Go Bag in case you are away from home for several days, what plan do you have for your pets, and what plan is there for possible disabled or physically limited relatives who live with you? Have you made defensible space around your home (figure below)? Fire experience in the Boulder area shows creating defensible space makes a big difference in survivability of homes.
Genesee Foundation efforts include prioritizing fire mitigation in open space along our current evacuation routes (e.g., Genesee Ridge and Vista roads, Foothills North and South, Montane Drive) to enhance survivability during evacuation (slides 5-9 of presentation). HOAs should also look at mitigation of common areas around HOA buildings. The GFPD continues its efforts at encouraging community preparedness, enhancing readiness for emergency operations, and supporting the SEAR effort.
The Fire District is divided into Plan Units for optimizing emergency response. Know your Plan Unit, as we will be notified by Plan Unit through Lookout Alert, and we will evacuate by Plan Unit. Please access the GFPD website for your Plan Unit.
Yes, all the GFPD HOAs have been invited to participate in this community meeting. The Genesee Foundation Working Group is planning to meet with the adjoining HOAs in the District to engage them in the SEAR process and encourage them to support the SEAR.
Questions Related to Technical Aspects of the SEAR:
The preferred Route A (see map below) plus the extension to Montane Dr. is approximately 1.25 miles long. The road is proposed to be 24 feet wide, consisting of two 9-foot travel lanes with 3-foot-wide shoulders on either side. The proposed road is a two-lane natural surface road designed to allow both two way and one way traffic in and out of Genesee. Three lanes were not considered because of cost (i.e., much more material to excavate, both rock and soil), a two-lane is considered more than adequate for ingress and egress by cars and fire equipment, and maintenance of speed at choke points. Curves will be widened to accommodate fire apparatus. The design accommodates a 20-mph speed and fulfills Jefferson County standards.
Referring to the Plan and Profile from the Study Report, the preferred Route A (Green line) starts at elevation 7100 at the tennis courts and intersects Highway 74 at elevation 6636, a vertical drop of about 464 feet. The approximate distance along the Route A alignment is 5900 feet. If we add the section that goes up to E. Montane (dark blue line), the route starts at almost elevation 7200 and adds another 1200 feet of road length. Extending the SEAR to E. Montane (Blue segment) adds an estimated half million dollars to the cost, and results in two drive accesses within 100 feet of each other, which is not ideal or desirable.
Yes, the Genesee Fire and Safety Committee completed an extensive study of multiple route possibilities. Their analysis is posted on the EAR tab and includes an EAR matrix and an analysis of the EAR matrix. The owner of the dirt jeep trail off the southern end of Pine Drop is not interested in making it a two-lane road, making it unlikely to have capacity to improve evacuation times. Under present conditions this route has a higher risk of accidents, and vehicles exiting down would be on a nonsurvivable road without significant mitigation by Pine Drop owners. The southern EAR led in all categories related to emergency access, evacuation value, fire prevention value and probability of success. The SEAR preferred route A almost entirely traverses Genesee open space, requiring less mitigation than any route traversing forested and narrow county or private drives, can accommodate a two-lane road for both ingress of fire equipment and egress of Genesee Fire District residents, and can serve as a fire break for west-east directed fires.
This route was rejected because of proximity to Genesee Water and Sanitation facilities at the upper end and Reservoir 2 at the lower end. In addition, the terrain was too steep at either end, i.e., greater than 10% grade, for fire equipment. In addition, the current road over the dam is only 15 feet wide and is not expandable to the 24 feet required for a safe two-lane road. As Reservoir 2 is covered by Federal standards and safety requirements, it is unlikely any road near the dam would satisfy Federal safety standards. Importantly, the preferred Route A (Green line) provides clear lines of sight for both ingress and egress.
Genesee Fire Protection District and the SEAR Working Group favor an unpaved, natural surface road. An unpaved road does not affect fire apparatus usage. There are unpaved roads throughout Jefferson County that take heavy daily traffic (the SEAR will not) with only infrequent maintenance (typically grading and compacting every several years). We have excellent soil conditions, so a properly designed and constructed unpaved road and drainage system is a viable option. Paved roads, particularly on slopes, required annual crack filling to protect them from freeze-thaw. Unpaved roads, with less impervious surfaces, result in less stormwater runoff than paved roads. Paving the road adds about an estimated quarter million dollars to the cost. Finally, unpaved roads are aesthetically more compatible with our mountain community.
We attempted to stay as far away from private property lines as we could. Referring to the map above from the Study Report, the narrowest point along Route A is between the expanded Reservoir 1 and Daisy Lane, with no feasible way to get further away from private property. Depending on the exact alignment, the SEAR will be between 75 and 100 feet from the western point of Parcel 40-303-01-028, 2397 Daisy Lane. Since this area is heavily forested, there must be additional mitigation (tree cutting) on Genesee Foundation Open Space property to make the route survivable. This is in a cut section (the road will be lower than the existing ground surface), so that may make the road a bit less noticeable from Daisy Lane.
Yes, the reservoir does present an asset to accommodate, but the feasibility study indicates that there is enough open area next to the reservoir and we can safely avoid any impact on the reservoir.
There will be gates at either end of the SEAR, controlled by the Genesee Fire Protection District and the Jefferson County Sheriff Department. In the event of an emergency, the Jeffco Sheriff would control usage and the exit to Highway 74.
At this point, none, since the design is not final enough to submit for a permit, however, Highway 74 is not a restricted access road. There are numerous private driveways, public intersections, and parking lots that abut Highway 74 between Evergreen and Morrison. We have sited the intersection on the straightest section of the Highway in the Study Area, with the longest lines-of-sight. It is inconceivable that CDOT would not permit an intersection that is so much in the public interest as the SEAR. We have been informally told by CDOT that Genesee Fire Protection District will get a permit for the SEAR.
Under the recently agreed upon easement, the Genesee Fire Protection District is responsible for constructing and maintaining the road. The road design includes mitigation to make it survivable during an evacuation event. Since the route is largely on Genesee Foundation open space, fire mitigation along the road is likely to be handled by the Foundation.
We have not discussed this with the Water District, but it is certainly worth investigating.
Yes, during final design, we will coordinate with both Jefferson County and the State of Colorado on permit requirements. There will certainly be a Jeffco Land Disturbance Permit requiring grading plans, and a CDOT permit for the intersection at Highway 74. We expect that we will be required to demonstrate adequate storm water management provisions, so we don’t impact areas downstream. These permits, which are normally the responsibility of the Owner and Engineer, will take some time and effort, but we are confident that the project will be permitted. Permitting needs to be accomplished well before submittal of the project for a TABOR election in November 2024.
General consideration was given to environmental impact, but no specific study was undertaken. Since there are no wetlands, cultural history, or unique vegetation present in this area, no real environmental constraints are recognized currently.
Questions Related to Financing and Timing of the SEAR:
The current plan is to have a TABOR election to request approval for a mil levy increase to fund the SEAR. The entire Genesee Fire Protection District would have the opportunity to vote on the measure.
Using the engineers estimate of an approximately $6 million cost and a 4% interest rate over 30 years, there would be a 4.177 mil levy increase. This translates to about $30/$100,000 valuation/year.
An industry standard RFP was sent out to three engineering firms and Baseline Engineering responded with a reasonable bid for the feasibility study. Going forward the plan is to contract for a full design, including full Geotech analysis in late 2023 and early 2024. This is necessary to obtain the necessary County and State permits and an accurate cost estimate prior to the election. If the project is approved by the GFPD, the GFPD would bid out to construction firms. Both qualifications and cost will be considered in the competitive bid process.
Due to the timing for full design and developing a more realistic cost estimate, a TABOR election could be held in November 2024. Upon approval construction could commence in early 2025.
Where I can I find more information about the CWPP?
Where can I find more information about preparing for a wildfire?
Where can I find more information about the Emergency Access Route (EAR), and the EAR and Risk/Priority Matrices?
How can I get more involved with wildfire preparedness?
Jason Puffett, Chief, Genesee Fire Protection District: jpuffett@geneseefire.org
Genesee Foundation EAR Working Group (Diane Davies, Rick Sarg and Wayne Ackerman: board@geneseefoundation.org
SEAR (Southern Emergency Access Route) Update – October 2023
FAQs Related to Concept & Support, SEAR Working Group, & Original Design Concept
In the interest of the widest distribution of information to the Genesee Fire Protection District (GFPD) community and the Genesee Foundation SEAR and GFPD Working Group have compiled the following FAQs pertaining to the potential emergency access route in the southern area of the Genesee Fire Protection District. These FAQs are based on questions that have come from residents, the Genesee Fire & Safety Committee (GFSC), the Genesee Foundation Board, and from community meetings held on September 27 and December 8, 2022, and which included a representative from the Jeffco Sheriff’s Office. These FAQs are posted on the Genesee Foundation and GFPD websites and will be updated as the project proceeds and more information is available. Additional Community meetings are planned as the project progresses.
FAQs to the Genesee Fire District:
Yes. It was recommended in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) that was developed in 2008 and revised in 2021. The addition of a secondary ingress/egress route is a critical tool that, when coupled with roadway mitigation, increases roadway survivability for both citizens and first responders and provides a secondary means of egress when a primary evacuation route is compromised. The GFPD Board of Directors supported Genesee Foundation’s conducting an engineering study to evaluate the feasibility of and formulate a cost estimate for a purpose-built road in the southern part of the GFPD. The GFPD has recently agreed upon and signed two easements with both the GF and the Genesee Water & Sanitation District that will allow the GFPD to build and maintain the proposed SEAR.
In 2021, a household survey was conducted for the GFPD and one of the questions asked was, ‘Would you support the construction of a new emergency evacuation road?’ Those results are depicted below:
The proposed emergency access route would be designed and constructed to be safely navigated by passenger vehicles, law enforcement vehicles, and fire apparatus during an emergency. The SEAR will not be used for public transport, recreational, or other day to day use by any person or entity and is intended to be used only for emergency ingress and egress, maintenance/mitigation, and as well as periodic training for firefighters and law enforcement personnel. The SEAR will be access controlled with appropriate gates and security, as well as appropriate signage, locks, and monitoring.
The proposed emergency access route is a tool that can allow other fire departments to enter the Genesee Fire Protection District to assist in firefighting operations and/or allow GFPD residents to evacuate. Decisions would be made and implemented on a case-by-case basis. There are an infinite number of emergency scenarios that would each dictate a unique strategy and a set of corresponding tactics but, for the sake of illustration, the following three examples illustrate how the SEAR might be utilized during a wildfire:
- A wildfire approaching from the south or southwest: residents would be evacuated to the north and the SEAR would be utilized for ingress/egress of firefighting resources and potentially as a firebreak. Law enforcement may elect to allow residents to use one or two lanes on Genesee Ridge and Genesee Trail Roads for egress and, if needed, they may shut down I-70 to allow for the high volume of vehicles entering the
- A wildfire approaching from the west or east starting at the midpoint of the district and traveling either east or west: a fire here would likely cut the district in half in terms of fire operations and evacuation. As such, residents would evacuate both to the north and to the south on the SEAR and first responders would enter both from the north and the south.
- A wildfire approaching from the west, northwest, north, northeast, or east in the upper portion of the district: residents would evacuate to the south on the proposed SEAR. First responders would enter the community from the north.
Again, there are numerous scenarios but, when possible, residents would be routed to the north. The reason for this is that during high stress/low visibility situations, following a familiar path is safer and much more likely to get residents out of harm’s way in the most efficient manner.
Based on our analysis, there are currently no areas within the GFPD that could serve as a fully safe, designated area for wildfire evacuation emergencies under conditions of 10-20 mph winds and especially winds greater than 20 mph due to steep slopes and heavy fuel loads (2021 CWPP 3F, page 59). Survivability is highly uncertain if you elect to shelter in place or delay your evacuation.
FAQs to the Genesee Foundation SEAR Working Group:
The Genesee Foundation SEAR Working Group was created by the Genesee Foundation Board in early 2022 to explore the development of an emergency access route in the southern area of Genesee. They began working with representatives of the boards of GFPD and Genesee Water & Sanitation District (GWSD) and this three-group combination was named the Tri-Board Working Group. This group has since compiled a summary of objectives and key parameters necessary for any purpose-built road. The Tri-Board Working Group has currently paused its meetings and activities.
To explore the design and construction of an emergency access route within the corridor generally bounded by Montane Drive, Bitterroot Lane, Daisy Lane, and CO Highway 74. The SEAR is to be designed and constructed to be safely navigated by passenger vehicles, law enforcement vehicles and fire apparatus during an emergency. The SEAR will not be used for public transportation, recreational or other day-to-day use by any person or entity and is intended to be used only for emergency ingress and egress, maintenance/mitigation, and training. The SEAR will be access-controlled with gates and other security measures, including appropriate signage, locks, and monitoring. The ownership, maintenance and use of the SEAR will be governed by an easement agreement entered into between the GFPD and the GF. The agreed upon route crosses GF Open Space and GWSD property and does not cross private residential property.
The Genesee Foundation SEAR Working Group has made use of both the EAR and CWPP Risk/Priority Matrices developed by the Genesee Fire & Safety Committee (GFSC). GFSC undertook two major projects in 2021-2022 following publication of the CWPP. The first was an evaluation of additional potential egress routes; the second was development of a risk/priority matrix based on the risks identified in the CWPP and the possible mitigation strategies for each. The EAR Matrix compiled and evaluated possible evacuation routes in addition to current egress routes (i.e., Genesee Ridge, Vista, and Trail Roads). The southern EAR was deemed to have the highest evacuation value, the highest fire protection value, and the highest chance of success. Other possible emergency access routes were identified in the western, eastern, and southern directions. The alternate routes remain under consideration and may be pursued in the future.
The Genesee Foundation SEAR Working Group has also adopted the top three mitigation priorities identified by the GFSC using the CWPP Risk/Priority Matrix they developed. They are: 1) improve survivability along existing egress routes through fuel reduction; 2) pursue additional access routes; and 3) reach out to local law enforcement to understand evacuation procedures. The Genesee Foundation EAR Working Group will continue to build on the GFSC’s work and draw on resident, community, and committee expertise.
The EAR and CWPP Risk/Priority Matrices may be found using the Emergency Access Route tab on the opening page of the Genesee Foundation website (geneseefoundation.org). Also, see the article in the December 2022 issue of The Genescene by Dan Krygowski, a GFSC member, on the CWPP Risk/Priority Matrix and how you can use it to identify and communicate your priorities.
As currently envisioned, the SEAR would be a two-lane road, allowing access to emergency vehicles for the purpose of emergency response into the community (e.g., for wildfire containment) and evacuation of residents from the community. Both ingress and egress would be on an as-needed emergency basis, as determined by law enforcement and firefighters (see also FAQ #4).
As per Jefferson County requirements, the SEAR is presently conceived of as a road controlled by GFPD, in accordance with the terms of easement agreements entered into between GFPD and Genesee Foundation and Genesee Water & Sanitation District. Under the terms of the easement agreements, the SEAR will only be used for ingress and egress by emergency vehicles, community residents in case of a wildfire emergency, and periodic fire department and law enforcement training.
The anticipated source of funding is a bond-offering by GFPD. The ability of GFPD to issue bonds is conditioned on the approval of a mill levy increase by GFPD voters. An election to approve a mill levy increase will be held if the GFPD Board adopts a resolution to place the issue on a ballot.
The cost to Genesee Fire Production District residents will depend upon the project costs (see also FAQ #11).
If a feasible and cost-effective route is identified, construction could commence after the necessary funding is obtained and a full design is approved, most likely in 2025.
We are. The Genesee Foundation Open Space budget has been increased from $55k in 2022 to $96k in 2023, a 75% increase. The contractor budget has been increased from $1k to $50k to employ more seasonal help. The bulk of these increases will be dedicated to mitigation in Genesee Foundation Open Space along our current egress roads. The challenges here are paying a competitive wage to seasonal workers and finding contractors in a competitive business environment. Additionally, approximately 25% of the high-priority evacuation routes that need mitigation (as identified in the CWPP) abut private property and would require the agreement of the owners to allow roadside mitigation on their property. We are doing roadside thinning on Genesee Foundation Open Space and encourage every resident to complete defensible space on their own property, which should include removing trees along their personal evacuation route which, in turn, would increase the efficacy of our efforts.
This effort to mitigate along current evacuation routes is not a substitute for providing an alternative route for emergency vehicles to access the community, to reduce evacuation time for residents of the greater Genesee area, or to provide alternative egress if access to I-70 is compromised during an emergency.
The 2021 Baseline conceptual study was intended to answer one question: Is it possible to build a road from Genesee to Highway 74? To answer that question five deliverables were agreed upon: Site Visit, Preliminary Roadway Alignment and Grading, Roadway Section Detail, Construction Cost Estimate, Written Narrative of Findings, Assumptions, and Observations. The total cost to the community for this conceptual study was $6,500, split between the Genesee Fire Protection District and the Genesee Foundation, each paying $3,250. Baseline Engineering’s 2021 study included the agreed upon deliverables, which are typical of a conceptual road study.
The concept of building an emergency access road has been discussed for decades without any meaningful progress. The 2021 Baseline conceptual study was an important first step to move the process forward. It provided an answer to the question of whether it was possible to build an emergency road, but it was also limited in terms of scope. Baseline Engineering was given a starting point, an ending point, and a general outline of the route rather than being provided with a wider geographic area to explore as does the current project. Since the 2021 Baseline study, the project has proceeded, albeit slowly until recently. Some assumptions that were thought to be operative when the 2021 study was performed have changed, and conditions have also evolved. For example, the Marshall Fire of December 2021 heightened awareness of our vulnerability to wildfires. In addition, in 2022 the Genesee Water and Sanitation District reached the decision to proceed with their Reservoir #1 in the middle of the study area. We now understand that the road may connect to Highway 74 at locations other than the access to GWSD’s Reservoir #2, giving us additional flexibility. Conditions are now right to proceed with this project, which is so essential to Genesee residents’ survivability in the event of a major fire event.
The 2021 Baseline Engineering Study was a limited conceptual study that was restricted to assessing the feasibility of building an emergency evacuation route to CO Highway 74 over property owned by the Genesee Foundation and GWSD. A full engineering study exploring various other potential routes within the Southern Corridor was needed to adequately assess the viability of building an evacuation route. The more detailed study was completed in April 2023 and addresses a broader range of issues, including geologic hazards, drainage issues, potential ingress/egress volume and speed, and protection of GWSD facilities. Baseline Engineering, with the advantage of their previous work, responded to our October 2022 Request for Proposal with a comprehensive and cost-effective proposal for an engineering study to identify a viable emergency access route or routes within the Southern Corridor. The completed study also includes an estimated project timeline, cost estimate and risk matrix for each identified option that is of sufficient quality to support financing and construction decisions.
Links to additional information.
Where I can I find more information about the CWPP?
Where can I find more information about preparing for a wildfire?
Where can I find more information about the Emergency Access Route (EAR), and the EAR and Risk/Priority Matrices?
How can I get more involved with wildfire preparedness?
Jason Puffett, Chief, Genesee Fire Protection District: jpuffett@geneseefire.org
Genesee Foundation EAR Working Group (Diane Davies, Rick Sarg and Wayne Ackerman: board@geneseefoundation.org