Sonoma County Gazette August 2019

AUGUST 2019
Cotati Quietly Why Don’t They CBD from Hemp Teach Children to
Pushes Back ~ 14 - 16
Come the Right Way ? ~ 22
vs CBD from Marijuana ~ 26
Read to Inspire them to Learn ~ 60
Fire Risk Assessments
Clearing the Path for Power
sending out crews to remove trees
in large swathes under power lines. In neighborhoods, tree inspectors are tagging trees for trimming and removal. What used to be a required 18” clearance has become a 4-foot to 12-foot clearance since fires raged across our state and electric power lines have been identified as a source for several of these fires.
But many are not happy and
Property owners are reporting
that tree crews are coming through neighborhoods without warning, advance notice, documentation, or permits. Most disturbing are parcels of land with absentee owners who don’t have a clue trees are being removed until a neighbor alerts them
Local fire departments and state inspectors have been coming on
to private and public property, unannounced, to inspect for potential fire risk. Yes, this is legal and it’s necessary. People still aren’t getting the message that fire risk is REAL and every person is responsible for where they live and work.
By Vesta Copestakes
All across the state, PG&E is
Sonoma County passed Ordinance 13A requiring property owners to:
• Trim up trees to 6 feet from the
ground to reduce fire fuel.
• Increase horizontal spacing between
With thousands of acres of forest at risk, homes and lives lost, and thousands of people‘s lives disrupted or destroyed, you’d think people would be supportive of these efforts to prevent future fires.
trees, which may not be feasible in
densely-forested properties.
• Mow grass fields to less than 8” tall • Reduce “ladder fuels” by trimming
trees and bushes of dead branches • Mulch with non-flammable material
within 5 feet of a structure.
• Clean roofs and gutters of debris.
are adamantly complaining.
$500,000 was available to fund these inspections, and now that they are complete, property owners will be receiving reports on what they must do to comply. If you do not receive a report, it’s because not EVERY property was inspected...just a random sample in especially fire-
to the activity. PG&E cont’d on page 10 Everything To Do CALENDAR: pgs 50 - 71
prone areas. FIRE cont’d on page 8
Your Home Town: 28-44