One of the advantages of being a totally focused individual is that the decision makers sometimes share a little information as a way of encouraging your efforts.
Last Saturday, February the 23rd I attended Supervisor Sheila Kuehl’s listening session at Pepperdine’s Elkins Auditorium. She demonstrated that everyone who runs any government entity that had anything to do with the Fire or the Rebuilding process wants to fix the systems. She assembled over 30 of the decision makers to sit on the podium with her and listen to our stories and suggestions. Ventura Fire, LA Fire, Cal Fire, State Parks, District 29 Water, Las Virgenes Water, Mayor Jefferson Wagner, Joe Edmiston, Kim Lamorie and about 20 others all showed up and sat there and listened for over 4 hours.
If you missed it they will be doing it again next Sunday March 3rd at the Gillette Ranch. If you prefer to submit comments in writing the Supervisor has a website where you can submit words and pictures for the record.
In meeting with Supervisor Kuehl’s staff privately during the Feb. 23rd Listening meeting I learned that the LACO Fire Department has agreed, in principle, to reducing the LA County Fire flow requirement from 1250 gallons per minute for two hours to the statewide standard of 500 gallons per minute for one hour. Suddenly a 30,000 Gallon tank can meet the requirement vs. the 150,000 Gallon tank that was previously required.
If this change is made official, all of the burn areas will be able to meet the Fireflow requirement to rebuild except the La Chusa Highlands area at the bottom of Encinal Canyon. The small diameter (3 or 4 inches) Encinal pipes cannot deliver that quantity of water even though the old tank is large enough to meet the lowered requirement
Water District 29 is proceeding with the design work for the Encinal tank and the attendant larger diameter water mains. I do not currently know how long this is going to take or when the work will begin.
The next LACO Fire Department hurdle on the road to rebuilding is getting approval of the existing access and turnaround area. The current code requires a 20 foot wide access and a designated turnaround area. If your driveway or gate is less than 20 feet wide, you will have to widen the road, or get approval by doing some other fire resistant features like interior sprinklers or???
Let me know how your rebuild permit quest is going. If we share our experiences about the potholes and roadblocks we face, we may be able effect change and clear a path for all who are trying to rebuild. Email me Paul@MalibuRE.com or phone 310-505-5006
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