** The 2023 Chipping Events will be on May 22 and August 21, 2023.

Please note, there will be TWO events for 2023. 

Here is the link to the CSFD Home Page: https://www.coswildfireready.org/

Here is the link to the CSFD Chipping Page: https://www.coswildfireready.org/neighborhood-chipping-program

Here is the direct link to the Chipping Sign-Up Page: https://www.coswildfireready.org/sign-up-for-chipping#RKBcoZ

 

Note about the website: There is a new feature. About halfway down the form, you will see a map. If you have a resident that is unsure of what neighborhood they fall into (I know the boundaries we use are odd), they can use this tool. At the top of the map is a box that says “Find Address or Place”. They can type their address into this box, which will pull up the neighborhood they are in (according to our Neighborhood Chipping Program).  

Couple of notes I want to touch on for this year:

1. Residents can sign-up at any time. If your chipping date isn’t until October, that is completely fine. Residents are still welcome to sign-up today. Better chance they won’t forget to do it then.
2. Please remind residents that they must sign-up if they want their piles chipped. If they do not sign-up, their piles will not be chipped by us. I know in the past we have been lenient with residents if they forgot to sign up. However, that will not be the case this year. With the program expanding and the number of people that we now service, we simply do not have time and we are not allowed to pick up piles that aren’t registered.
3. Piles must be within 5’ of the road, stacked in 5’x5’x5’ dimensions, with the cut ends facing the road. They can do as many piles as they want, but they can’t do a single, 20’ long pile of slash. We will not chip that.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Melissa Hoffman

Wildfire Mitigation Program Coordinator, Colorado Springs Fire Department

719-385-7493 / Melissa.Hoffman@coloradosprings.gov 

Please note: this chipping event is coordinated through the Fire Department, and they will do their best to support our request. However, it is a CSFD-sponsored event based on chipper and CSFD personnel availability. The UP HOA cannot guarantee the date.

---

Congratulations!  The HOA has been recognized each year since 2015 as a Firewise Communities USA by the National Fire Protection Association.  Every community benefits in different ways from being recognized as a Firewise Communities/USA site.  Some insurance companies may grant a discount in the cost of their premiums to University Park homeowners if presented with a current Firewise Community renewal certificate (please view the PDF below).

    

Please click on and review the YouTube video link below to get an idea of what a Wildfire Risk Assessment of your property can provide you.  Then also click on the other links that will provide you with wildfire mitigation reporting guidelines, and acceptable work, time, and costs.     

Video:  https://youtu.be/pfbEcMeYFFA

Report Submission Guidelines:  https://universityparkpoints.com/WildFire/Firewise_Community_Info&Mitigation_Effort_Data_Submission_Guidelines.pdf

Time & Expense Examples:  https://universityparkpoints.com/WildFire/Firewise_Time_Expense_Investment_Examples.pdf 

To view historical Wildfire Mitigation videos of early mitigation activities in our community, click on the following links:

• Representative Potential Wildfire Fuel Before Mitigation http://vimeo.com/63196175
• CSFD/FEMA Grant Wildfire Mitigation Project (After), Feb/Mar 2013  http://vimeo.com/63686880
• City Forestry/UP HOA WMC Wildfire Mitigation Project, Feb/Mar 2013  http://vimeo.com/63686881

---

University Park WM Committee members:

Lloyd Nordhausen-Chair                       lloydnbarb@gmail.com

Russell Butts                                           russelll_1029@msn.com

Todd James                                             jenniejames109@msn.com

Dan Webb                                               mdanwebb@gmail.com

Cathy Scharff                                         cmscharff@gmail.com 

Judith Walton                                         waltojk@comcast.net 

Randy Geoghan                                     regeoghan@hotmail.com 

Yolanda Mason                                                                 

---

The UP HOA WMC works closely with the City of Colorado Springs in planning and conducting wildfire mitigation projects within the community. The CSFD offers the following information:  

The Wildfire Mitigation section is part of the Division of the Fire Marshal. Ashley Whitworth is the Wildfire Mitigation Program Administrator, and Melissa Hoffman is the Wildfire Mitigation Program Coordinator. Together, they work with homeowners, neighborhood associations, contractors, and other organizations to reduce the wildfire risk within the city’s wildland-urban interface (WUI).

Maintaining your Wildfire Mitigation Landscaping - the area around your home needs periodic maintenance similar to the inside of your home. Follow these tips to make your home FireWiseAnnual Checklist - Remove dead, dying, or diseased trees and shrubs - Trim low branches of evergreen trees - Remove highly flammable vegetation from window area - Remove trash and debris accumulations from the area around your home - Remove overhanging branches from the roof and chimney - Mow grass and weeds to a low height - Attach a hose that can reach to all parts of the house - Post house numbers that are visible from all directions of travel - Discuss evacuation routes and meeting points so they are understood by all family members - Check that chimney screens are in place and in good condition.                                          

See Homeowners_Guide_to_Wildfire_Mitigation.pdf below for further guidance.

---

Homeowners of University Park work together to make a safer neighborhood through fire mitigation.

Mission Statement

On behalf of the University Park Homeowners Association and residents, the Wildfire Mitigation Committee (WMC) will act as an information and coordination conduit between our community and the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) and other pertinent stakeholders deemed necessary by the committee:

• to gather wildfire mitigation educational information and materials
• to facilitate the scheduling of property wildfire risk assessment inspections by CSFD fire mitigation officials
• to program and coordinate community wildfire mitigation and cleanup dates; and
• to communicate wildfire mitigation information and matters to UP residents and other stakeholders that will assist them in properly performing their property wildfire mitigation responsibilities

 The UP HOA WMC is Chartered:

• to operate under the auspices of the HOA bylaws and the Board of Director's guidance
• to focus committee priority of effort on coordination and dissemination of information so that homeowners can perform appropriate wildfire mitigation on THEIR properties
• to facilitate the promulgation of HOA wildfire policy for the Board of Directors
• to request approval for HOA funding attendant to wildfire mitigation projects
• to recommend enforcement to Board when deemed necessary
• the WMC IS NOT chartered to perform wildfire mitigation work for any resident or agency.