City Manager's Weekly Update

Week Ending February 8, 2019

Wildfires between 2017 and 2018, including the November ‘Camp Fire’ are now considered the most destructive wildfires in California’s history. In particular, the ‘Camp Fire’ burned an area the size of Chicago, killed 86 people, razed 14,000 homes, and caused nearly $7 billion in damages. While unfortunate, this is an important reminder that we must be vigilant and take precautions to protect our communities, properties, and loved ones.

Did you know that Cal-Fire is responsible for developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for Santa Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties? The 2018 Plan, which will be updated again by 2020, includes the City of Scotts Valley and identifies risks and hazards associated with wildland fires in the wildland urban interface (WUI) areas of San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties. It also provides suggested actions to reduce the risk to people, property, and the environment. Over the next year, the City will work closely with local stakeholders to raise awareness about wildfire prevention and engage with Cal-Fire as part of the 2020 CWPP update process.

Jenny Haruyama, City Manager

Town Center Community Meeting

Two interactive Town Center community meetings were held on Thursday, February 7, 2019 at the Community Center. Presentations slides will be available on the developer's website this weekend.

Scotts Valley Middle School Open House

The Scotts Valley Middle School open house is scheduled for Sunday, February 10, 2019 from 3 pm – 4:30 pm. Come check out our beautiful new school and gym!

Street Sweeping Scheduled

Street sweeping is scheduled to occur next week on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 and Wednesday, February 13, 2019. Streets to be swept include, but are not limited to: Scotts Valley Drive, Mount Hermon, Lockwood, and Whispering Pines.

Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency Community Meeting

The Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency (SMGA) has scheduled a community meeting on Saturday, February 9, 2019 at 9 am at Felton Community Hall (6191 Highway 9). The community meeting will provide information on water budgets and how it relates to water supply and demand.

General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC)

The next GPAC meeting will be held on Monday, February 11, 2019 from 6 pm to 8 pm in the Scotts Valley City Hall Council Chambers. The agenda includes a discussion regarding current mobility conditions and issues and opportunities in Scotts Valley, and analysis methods for addressing traffic congestion.

PG&E Wildfire Safety Plan

This week, PG&E submitted a Wildfire Safety Plan to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and what it could mean for our community. The plan describes actions that the company is taking to help further reduce wildfire risks and keep customers and communities safe.

The Wildfire Safety Plan includes additional measures to reduce risk, given the 2017 and 2018 wildfires. Some of these initiatives include:

Enhancing vegetation management around power lines
Conducting accelerated safety inspections of electric infrastructure in high fire-threat areas
Further strengthening and upgrading our electric system to make it more resilient
Increasing real-time monitoring by adding new weather stations and high-definition cameras

Beginning with the 2019 wildfire season, PG&E will also expand its Public Safety Power Shutoff program to include all electric lines that pass through high fire-threat areas – both distribution and transmission. While customers in high fire-threat areas are more likely to be affected, any of PG&E’s more than 5 million electric customers could have their power shut off for safety only as a last resort when forecasted fire danger conditions warrant.

For more information on PG&E and its wildfire reduction efforts, go to: pge.com/wildfiresafety.