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LETTER. From Larry de Young, Ph.D, RAMMB Chair of Red Alert Montara, Moss Beach Steering Committee. NOTE: Caltrans Org Chart.
For the last 10 weeks, we have been corresponding with Caltrans District 4 regarding the very high fire hazard designated by CalFire that is posed by the 100-acre Devil’s Slide Bypass right-of-way (ROW), which Caltrans owns. This property abuts neighborhoods and often makes it impossible for homeowners to establish 100 feet of defensible space around their homes. We estimate that a fire in the ROW could cause a Pacific Palisades-like fire and destroy 2400 homes in Montara and Moss Beach, and the infrastructure of the Montara Water and Sanitary District. Furthermore, the ROW’s geographical location makes it possible for a fire in the ROW to ignite the entire San Mateo County Coastside.
Our goal is to have Caltrans make the ROW fire-safe. Historical aerial photos clearly show that before Caltrans acquired the property, it was not a dense forest of nonnative trees. Both as the property owner who failed to maintain their property and the current property owner who is required by law to make the ROW fire safe, we hold Caltrans liable for any fires originating in the ROW or exacerbated by the ROW.
San Mateo County is legally obligated to require Caltrans to make the ROW fire safe. Failure to require this also makes the County liable.
From our conversations with CalFire, we know making the ROW fire safe requires removing brush, downed trees, and other debris from the ground. CalFire has also stated that numerous large trees would have to be removed. Our correspondence with Caltrans District 4 has been confusing and contradictory. We do not believe Caltrans intends to make the entire ROW fire safe. So, the letter I’ve attached has been sent to Director Tavares. A similar letter has been sent to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
RAMMB (Red Alert Montara, Moss Beach) Makes Contact with Caltrans District 4 Resulting in Caltrans ROW Meeting with Calfire; RAMMB to Present at Coastside Fire Meeting;
Author: mdrag
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