Napa Vision 2050 has sent the following letter to Supervisor Ryan Gregory, Chair, Napa County Board of Supervisors

Dear Supervisor Gregory,

We are writing to express our concern about staff recommendations for interpreting the Board of Forestry state minimum Fire Safe Regulations for the areas in the State Responsibility Area and the Local Responsibility Area (LRA) Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ).

It is obvious that staff disagrees with the policies embodied in the SRA regulations, which have been in effect, albeit heavily mitigated, since 1991. But the regulations are clear. Their enforcement is particularly important in Napa County in which seventy-three percent of the land is in either the SRA or LRA VHFHSZ. We urge local officials to abide by the requirements supported by firefighters and approved by the Board of Forestry (BOF). BOF plans state-wide training regarding the implementation of the state fire safe regulations, but until then, local officials still need to follow the basic requirements of the state Fire Safe Regulations.  

Of particular concern is the definition of “access,” which impacts the ability of first responders to reach a site even as people are evacuating. Staff’s proposed definition is in direct conflict with the Cal Fire Code (CFC), PRC 4290 and the state Title 14 Fire Safe Regulations (FSR).

· The CFC requires that access from a fire station to a structure must be on roads at least 20 ft wide. New development on dead-end roads longer than ½ to 1 mile, depending on the smallest parcel size served, is prohibited.

·  County staff has proposed “access” to be evaluated only on the private driveway to the nearest public right-of-way. This threatens the safety of the building, the surrounding area, the safety of first responders, and everyone around in the event of an emergency.

We have already experienced the tragic results of mitigating these regulations (same practical effect) during the 2017 fires on substandard Soda Canyon Road. Residents needed to be evacuated by helicopter under heroic, dangerous conditions near the end of the 6 ½ mile dead-end road. Large commercial projects such as Mountain Peak Winery near the end of Soda Canyon Road should not be permitted. This threatens the lives of visitors to the winery, residents along the substandard road, and first responders trying to gain access to firefighting or evacuation efforts.

Many structures that have been built are now in designated SRA or VHFHSZ zones. As we look to the future, fire danger will only get worse. The SRA regs are kind to those rebuilding after fires. We residents who built in these areas now deemed high or very high fire danger must take responsibility for the risk of living where we do.  But developing more structures, particularly commercial structures in the VHFHSZ zone, should be highly regulated. Some areas simply should not be developed, given the dangerous nonlinear heating and drying underway.

You have wisely declared Napa County to be in a climate emergency. Now take the next step of following regulations made by the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Please act to protect the safety of all concerned: residents, commercial properties, and first responders.

We urge you to not accept the recommendations by staff that undercut the intent of the BOF and Fire Protection regulations.

Sincerely,
 

Eve Kahn, Co-President
Napa Vision 2050