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NEWS FROM CITY HALL <br />RESILIENT LOUISVILLE <br />Wildfire mitigation: home hardening and creating <br />defensible space <br />Wildfires have been a natural part of Boulder County's <br />ecosystems since long ago. Whether in the natural <br />environment or an urban setting, anywhere you have <br />heavy and continuous fuels (grass, shrubs, trees, fences, <br />buildings), fire can quickly become uncontrollable and <br />destructive. While we can't prevent the spread of every <br />fire, we can do our part by minimizing and breaking up <br />the fuels that our homes and landscaping elements <br />represent. These actions fall into two general categories: <br />home hardening and creating defensible space. <br />Home hardening means taking actions to reduce your <br />home's ignitability. For new construction, this could <br />mean choosing non/low-flammable materials for your <br />roofing, siding, and decking, as well as multi -pane <br />windows. For existing homes, you can retrofit vulnerable <br />areas, such as replacing unscreened with screened <br />vents (to keep embers out), caulking gaps in siding, and <br />swapping combustible fencing attached to the home <br />for noncombustible alternatives. The Colorado State <br />Forest Service has published a comprehensive Home <br />Ignition Zone guide that goes into more detail. <br />Creating defensible space is the process of modifying <br />vegetation around your home to slow or prevent the <br />spread of fire as it approaches. Research shows that this <br />is most effective when the final 3-5 feet up against the <br />house have only hardscape (gravel, pavers, concrete <br />walkways). The CSU Extension Low -Flammability <br />Landscape Plants guide is a great resource for those <br />interested in making adjustments to their landscaping. <br />A very important aspect of defensible space is using <br />noncombustible fencing products within five feet of a <br />building or deck. There are several noncombustible/ <br />fire-resistant options that can prevent the spread of fire <br />to your home, including corrugated metal, steel privacy <br />fencing, vinyl or hard plastic, steel wire, fiber cement <br />board, perforated metal sheeting, and more. Learn <br />more at NFPA.org/Firewise. These resources and <br />many more can be found on Boulder County's Wildfire <br />Resources and Information webpage. <br />For links to the resources mentioned <br />here, as well as our latest Marshall Fire <br />Recovery Update, visit LouisvilleCO.gov/ <br />ResilientLouisville OR scan this OR code. <br />UPCOMING ELECTIONS <br />The City will be holding two separate elections this <br />fall. An October 3 Special Recall Election for Ward 2 <br />residents only and the November 7 Regular Election. <br />Both will be non -partisan elections held by mail ballot. <br />October 3 recall election <br />The City will hold a special election ending on October <br />3 regarding the recall of Maxine Most from the office of <br />Louisville City Council (Ward 2). All eligible registered <br />electors of Ward 2 will receive a mail -in ballot the week <br />of September 18. Ballots must be received by the City <br />Clerk's Office no later than 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3. <br />November 7 regular election <br />The next regular City election will be November 7 and <br />will include four City Council seats: Mayor, one seat in <br />Ward 1, one seat in Ward 2, and two seats in Ward 3. The <br />ballot will also include one ballot question. Mail ballots <br />will come from Boulder County the week of October 16 <br />and must be returned to the Boulder County Clerk & <br />Recorder no later than 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 7. <br />If you have election questions, please contact the <br />City Clerk's Office at ClerksOffice©LouisvilleCO.gov <br />or 303.335.4536. <br />BOARD & COMMISSION VACANCIES <br />The City will be accepting applications for 2024 board <br />and commission vacancies beginning October 16. <br />Special skills are not required for most boards, but <br />communication skills, problem solving, teamwork, <br />community engagement, and a commitment to <br />transparency are beneficial characteristics to possess. <br />We are looking for a wide variety of viewpoints that <br />represent all aspects of the community. Becoming a <br />member of a board or commission is an excellent way to <br />become active in city government and offers citizens an <br />opportunity to provide expertise in areas of individual <br />interest. The City has a variety of boards that advise in <br />many different areas including the arts, land use, history <br />and historic preservation, parks and open space. <br />Visit LouisvilleCO.gov/Boards after October 16 for more <br />information. The application deadline is November 13. <br />If selected, new board members will take their seats <br />in January. If you have questions, please contact <br />City Clerk Meredyth Muth at 303.335.4536 or <br />MeredythM©LouisvilleCO.gov. <br />Page 4 • Fall 2023 <br />