Page 28 - Sonoma County Gazette August 2019

Last month Supervisor James Gore was chastised for saying he was “p____d” when discussing people who have not cleared their properties of fire prone vegetation. This writer happens to agree with Mr. Gore! The danger is too great for polite platitudes.
That day there were six or seven uniformed men standing in the stream dismantling the stone dams. I asked, “What’s happening?”
The general rule is clear 100’ from your home and 10’ from a neighbor’s property and/or fuel tanks.
Before receiving an answer a fellow burst onto the beach carrying his dog yelling, “Stop! You are ruining the creek!” A tall worker came over and stood guard as a yelling match ensued between the runner and the apparent fellow in charge. The scene had the appearance of madness with grown uniformed men wading in Sonoma Creek moving boulders about, a fellow yelling at them, and the officer in charge confronting the dog owner. I departed.
However, 10’ is hardly enough in the case of an actual fire with flying embers
and overhead tree limbs. See photo.
Watch for detours—“Men At Work!” Boyes Blvd. Bridge to be Restructured!
The County Department of Transportation and Public Works informed citizens by mail last month that a lengthy reconstruction of the Boyes Blvd. bridge will disrupt traffic for up to two years.
This property in the Springs has a 10’ clearance (foreground) but high grasses and thistles beyond. It adjoins a series of nearby homes. This is hardly a safe situation.
It’s called a “wildfire” because the flames, smoke and chaos are truly WILD! In a community like the Springs where homes are extremely close to one another special precautions should be required.
Two days later the small dams and pools were reconstructed. The engineers had been at work again. Officers knee deep in Sonoma Creek? The whole scene was much ado about nothing. Hope the young fellow with dog is OK.
Detours Expected... When the Boyes bridge is closed residents will need to use either Verano Avenue or Agua Caliente Road to move east and west
of Sonoma Creek. Student bicycle and foot traffic to Flowery and El Verano Elementary, and Altimira Middle School may be affected. Hopefully the closure periods will not interrupt business at the Creekside Restaurant, the neighborhood’s best
Walking my dog along Sonoma Creek at Maxwell Park in late June I observed a weird scene! Young and old play engineer at this particular location and move rocks and boulders to redirect the flow as well as build small dams to create lakes and pools.
Be alert... Be Prepared... Clear Your Property!
Fire Season Is With Us From Now Until The Rains Come!
A bizarre event at Maxwell Park!
Springs Community Alliance On The Move...!
Rich Lee, Chair of the Springs Community Alliance, reported that SCA met at the Community Health Center in mid-July to discuss reorganization. There was a follow up meeting July 29. Lee reported, “It’s apparent that there are many folks ... who are passionate about the Springs and want to see the community become the best that it can be.”
Attendees discussed improvement of public transportation, adding new bike lanes, and working with the schools. To join SCA activities and promote your project, contact Rich Lee (richlee@comcast.net).
a helpful and instructive website on Hazardous Vegetation Management. (sonomacounty.ca.gov/PRMD/Fire-Prevention/Vegetation-Management- Services/Hazardous-Vegetation/) It includes the Fire Department rules, recommendations, and a question and answer discussion if your property has been cited as deficient.
City of Sonoma residents and local business owners have formed the
As early as 2010 the bridge was considered in poor condition and the deck and superstructure were considered “fair.” The substructure was listed as “critical.” By April 2016 the structural appraisal was called “Basically intolerable requiring high priority of replacement.”
In other Sonoma County cities, existing UGBs were renewed without changes for 20 years or more through ballot measures placed by each City Council and approved by a large majority of voters.
The County letter indicates reconstruction will be done in two phases beginning this month. Phase 1 will be the installation of a temporary pedestrian bridge with temporary lane closures on the main bridge. In Phase 2 (2020) the vehicle bridge will be replaced.
“Our town of Sonoma is beautiful and a special place,” said Jack Ding, a business owner and community leader who is volunteering as treasurer for the Citizens to Renew the City of Sonoma’s Urban Growth Boundary. A 10- year resident of Sonoma, Ding serves on several local non-profit boards and commissions. “We want to grow the right way inside the city with no need to sprawl into the countryside.”
28 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 8/19
INFO: 707 343 1898, RenewSonomaUGB@gmail.com
Arielle Kubu-Jones, Supervisor Susan Gore’s Field Representative, recommends people read
Sonoma Citizens Launch Urban Growth Boundary Renewal Campaign Committee
“Citizens to Renew the City of Sonoma’s Urban Growth Boundary”
committee to advocate for renewal of the City of Sonoma’s existing Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) with a vote before it expires in December 2020.
If the voter-approved Urban Growth Boundary expires and is not renewed with a ballot measure, then the City Council can expand the boundary into the greenbelt for new development at any time with a simple 3-2 majority vote. A renewal measure can be placed on the ballot by the City Council or by citizens gathering signatures. The Citizens to Renew the City of Sonoma’s Urban Growth Boundary intends to partner with the city to pass a renewal measure or gather signatures if needed.
“The Urban Growth Boundary has protected open space around the city of Sonoma and prevented sprawl into the greenbelt for 20 years,” said Teri Shore, North Bay Regional Director for Greenbelt Alliance and a 30-year resident of Sonoma Valley. “Now it’s time for us to join together and renew this essential open space protection and visionary growth policy for the next generation of Sonomans.”
The voters of the City of Sonoma passed Measure S in November 2000 to adopt an Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) with a 64% “yes” vote. It expires December 31, 2020. The Urban Growth Boundary is simply a line around
the city beyond which development is not allowed without approval of the voters, with a few narrow exceptions. It protects open space and farm lands from sprawl and encourages climate-smart growth in the city center near jobs, shops and schools.