Landscape and Fire Abatement

General Information

The Landscape Committee for Wildfire Abatement and Maintenance is responsible for creating a fire-safe neighborhood for our association and follows current guidelines set by local fire officials. Our responsibilities include maintaining common areas and providing homeowners with information to help them ensure their properties are in compliance with local ordinances.

As a community where neighbors have shared ownership of property, it is important to work together to fire-harden our neighborhood. Southern Marin Fire District and Fire Safe Marin are both excellent sources of information on how to harden your home and create defensible space, answering questions about:

  • How to prune/remove vegetation to reduce the risk of fire spread
  • The best trees and plants to install
  • How to prevent hot embers from entering your home
  • Which mulch is most fire-resistant

For questions about hardscaping, including fences, retaining walls and drainage, click The Architectural Review Committee page.

Firewise Information

All homes in the Marina Vista HOA and the Kendell Court HOA are now recognized as part of FireWise USA. The FireWise network of communities is designed to help homeowners and residents be as fire smart as possible through information and action. The nationwide program supports neighbors helping neighbors to learn about and implement fire safe strategies.

Defensible Space

DEFENSIBLE SPACE REPORT

The Landscape Committee recommends utilizing the “Home Ignition Zone” concept to create defensible space. Three zones make up the required 100 feet of defensible space:

  • Zone 0: Ember resistant zone, 0-5 feet from building. Remove all combustible materials
  • Zone 1: Lean, clean and green zone, 5-30 feet from building. Eliminate dead or decaying vegetation and maintain proper spacing between trees and shrubs.
  • Zone 2: Reduce fuel zone, 30-100 feet from building. Reduce the amount of fuel a fire has to feed on as it approaches your home.

The Committee also recommends that homeowners get a free fire-safety assessment from Southern Marin Fire. SMFD will evaluate your home and create a detailed assessment describing and prioritizing each area on the property that needs attention. Homeowners can then upload photographs via SMFD’s interactive online portal to show steps they’ve taken to address each issue. To schedule your free assessment, call 415-388-8181 or visit their website.