Attachment 3
From: Vonne Barnes
Sent: Monday, March 31, 2025 3:47 PM
To: Babbitt Nathan <[email protected]>; Knoblock Steve < >; Hall, Andy <HallA@sanclemente.org> Cc: Campbell Kari <[email protected]>; Sharp Sheryl <[email protected]>; Enmeier Mark < >; Cabral, Victor <[email protected]>; Rebensdorf, David <RebensdorfD@sanclemente.org>; Loeffler, Rick <[email protected]>; Atamian, Adam <[email protected]>; Ferguson, Robert <[email protected]>
Subject: RSC• Flawed• Cal Fire Proposed "Very severe Fire Zone Hazard Zone Map" RSC• Flawed• Proposed 'Very severe Fire Zone Hazard Zone Map" Honorable Mayor, OCFA Nathan Babbitt, City Manager, City Council members, Please contact Cal Fire & Department of Forestry to review/ & resubmit the proposed Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) zones and boundaries.
Many of our residents may lose insurance coverage due to inaccuracies in the proposed FHSZ map which fails to take into account RSCCA's history of extensive fire-prevention measures. Please request a redrawing of the map such that the lower loop along Vista Montana is more appropriately assigned as a "moderate" (yellow) FHSZ.
There is no comparison between RSCCA's highly maintained 100 foot defensible zones and many poorly maintained, non-regulated areas where recent and past wildfires have occurred.
On the new map, "Very Severe High Fire Hazardous Zones" include areas where recent wildfires have occurred. Such fires appear to have a long-standing history lacking maintenance of 100 feet defensible fire zones in non- irrigated areas, some with nearby forests of non- maintained trees.
RSCCA has provided wildfire mitigations costing$ millions for decades including but not limited to the list below, and there have been no wildfires on the west side of lower Vista Montana which Cal Fire has currently diagramed as a (Very Severe Fire Hazard Zone Area).
OCFA's Nathan Babbitt may verify that RSCCA homes have:
• fire prevention sprinklers in their homes;
1 From:
To: Ferguson, Robert
Subject: San clemente fire map
Date: Thursday, April 03, 2025 6:54:07 AM
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Sharing feedback:
The new map being provided I feel is too excessive… basically everyone is going to either lose their insurance or have to spend insane amounts through Calfire.
This would not be needed if the City and State invested in fire mitigation. There should be fire breaks, brush clearing, prescribed burns and tax credits provided to homeowners who invest in fire protection upgrades. …..
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From:
To: Ferguson, Robert
Cc:
Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025 11:57:38 AM
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Mr. Ferguson
Wanted to comment on the Cal Fire Hazard Severity Zone map dated 3-24-2025.
Per this map my home is in the new defined zone. Can you provide guidance on how best to deal with the Talega HOA and their refusal to remove the vegetation and overgrown trees that have become a major problem in the area around my home and many others.
We purchased our house in May of 2012, and I have been told by the different managers who are responsible for the common area maintenance, that they would cut back the slope vegetation every 5 years, because of the dead wood beneath the visual green of the plants, which can be a fire hazard. Well here we are almost 13 years later and still all I get is more promises and no action .
The HOA is absolutely derelict in not removing the overgrown trees and slope vegetations that is creating the Fire Hazard Severity Zone in my neighborhood, as well as others. There isn’t one homeowner in Talega that would choose overgrown trees and slope vegetation over the safety of their home. With the updated Cal Fire Severity Zone , which includes much more of the Talega development , most of the homeowners will be facing home insurance cancellation this year.
Would like to know what the City of San Clemente is going to do to enforce fire safety in the Talega HOA? Everyone got a clear picture from the Palisades Fire as to what overgrown trees and vegetation can do to a whole community.
Look forward to hearing from you.