Monday, November 4, 2024

Fire Safety, Cannabis Controversy, and County Budget Highlight Redwood Valley Meeting

June Flowers in Redwood Valley [Photos by Monica Huettl]

At the June 12, 2024, Redwood Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting, key topics included fire safety tips from Eva King of the Firesafe Council, concerns over county cannabis ordinance changes voiced by Ellen Drell of the Willits Environmental Center, and important updates on the county budget, water issues, and a potential noise ordinance from Supervisor Glenn McGourty. Sheriff Matt Kendall reported on crime and community safety, while Marybeth Kelly detailed efforts to establish a Redwood Valley Community Recreation Center at the local school campus. The meeting underscored the community’s proactive approach to fire season, environmental regulations, and local development.

The guest speaker for June was Eva King, Community Outreach Coordinator, Mendocino County Firesafe Council. The Firesafe Council website puts a wealth of information at your fingertips. They offer programs for neighborhood chipping and home hardening, assistance to low-income seniors with keeping a defensible space around their homes. The income requirements are flexible. King urged any senior who needs help with clearing a defensible space to contact the council. The Firesafe Council is currently working on a large field reduction project, to remove grass and brush along roadways. 

There are over 60 FireSafe neighborhoods in Mendocino County. This is where groups of neighbors organize phone trees, identify and abate fire hazards, mark the location of gas lines, and other tasks to prepare for an emergency. FireSafe neighborhoods are eligible for micro grants to abate fire hazards. The next level would be forming a FireWise Community, which are eligible for more grants. FireWise Communities are eligible for a 10% discount on the FAIR home insurance, and possibly an additional 15% discount if certain goals are reached. 

There are 4 FireWise Communities in the County. King hopes to have 15 by the end of the year that are eligible for grant money. Parts of Black Bart Trail are certified as FireWise. A minimum of 8 homeowners are needed to form a FireWise Community. Info is available at the website link above.

Redwood Valley resident Gizmo Henderson devotes much volunteer time to keeping Mendocino County fire safe. Thanks to Henderson’s lobbying of Caltrans, the electronic freeway signs now contain messages about preventing fires caused by dragging tow chains. 

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Ellen Drell of the Willits Environmental Center asked the MAC Members and the Redwood Valley community to join her in protesting a new interpretation of Section 10.A.17.070(D) of the County Cannabis Ordinance. At the April 24 General Government Committee Meeting, Cannabis Department staff recommended a re-interpretation of Section 10.A.17.070(D) to allow up to 22,000 square feet of cultivation with two different licenses, if one of the licenses was for nursery and seed production. Here is a link to the staff recommendation. Drell is vehemently opposed to any expansion of the cannabis cultivation footprint on a single parcel. She wants the Cannabis Department to perform a CEQA review of cannabis license applications, as CEQA is “one of our strongest environmental laws to protect neighborhoods and environments.” CEQA has a long questionnaire that forces reviewers to systematically go down the list of potential impacts. CEQA also requires public involvement in the application process. MAC Vice Chair Jini Reynolds suggested that the MAC Cannabis Committee review the position of the WEC, and if they agree, to prepare a draft letter to the Supervisors for the MAC Members to review. The MAC will vote whether or not to send that letter to the BOS at next MAC meeting.

Sheriff Matt Kendall announced that retired Sheriff Tony Craver passed away in Idaho at the age of 85. Craver is fondly remembered by many residents of Mendocino County. Mendocino Search and Rescue located a lost 70 year old woman, who spent two nights and three days alone in the coastal forest. SFGate.com, online partner to the San Francisco Chronicle, posted an article on SAR’s successful outcome. Fire season is here, with hot afternoon winds creating dangerous conditions. The Broiler, Hopkins, and River fires were all super fast-moving fires that started on windy days. Stay alert.

There were 26 calls for service in Redwood Valley in the past 30 days. Some resulted in arrest. MAC Member Chris Boyd wanted to know if any of the 26 calls were related to cannabis or drugs. Kendall said at least one was, and the District Attorney is reviewing that case.  

Kendall said a “perfect trifecta of conditions” creates danger at Lake Mendocino: hot weather, alcohol, and a lake full of water. The Sheriff’s Department patrols Lake Mendocino by boat, and will issue DUIs on the water.

Supervisor Glenn McGourty said the County has balanced its budget, using one-time funds from various reserves in order to do so. It is expected that funds from the delayed property tax assessments will bring in $1 to $3 million. Labor contracts are in place for all bargaining groups in the County. The In-Home caregivers finally got a raise.

The Interim Assessor-Auditor-Treasurer-Tax Collector managed to close the books on 2021-2022 fiscal year. The 2022-2023 fiscal year is close to being finalized. McGourty said the turnaround in the finance department is “amazing.” The County brought in two consultants who helped staff learn to use the finance software. “We will actually know what we have in the bank.”

The County has a new tax sharing agreement with all cities in the county. Over a 15-year period, the County will gradually lose sales and TOT revenue from areas that will be annexed into Ukiah. 

The new Highway 20 bridge over the Russian River in Redwood Valley will be named after the late legendary grape grower, Charlie Barra, local son of Calpella. Barra served two terms on the Planning Commission, and he also served as a County Supervisor. He was a founder of the Redwood Valley County Water District and the Saint Mary’s School Foundation. McGourty thanked the community members for suggesting potential names for the bridge. 

McGourty attended the June 7 press conference at Lake Mendocino with Congressman Jared Huffman, who announced that a $2 million grant has been received from the Bureau of Reclamation to design the new diversion facility that will replace the Potter Valley Project There is more money available in the pipeline for Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration funding. The group then traveled to Van Arsdale Reservoir to view the Cape Horn Dam that is slated for removal and to hear plans for the redesign of the diversion that moves water from the Eel River to the Russian River. McGourty also explained that Coyote Dam at Lake Mendocino needs to be modernized to release less silt into the Russian River downstream of the dam. At the time Coyote Dam was built, it was thought that releasing silt would prevent silt build up behind the dam. Years later, it is now understood that releasing silt into the river is harmful to the ecosystem.

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McGourty said one of his goals before leaving office is to work on a County noise ordinance. Redwood Valley generates a huge amount of noise complaints. This will most likely be handled by Code Enforcement, who will counsel and, if necessary, issue citations, so as not to tie up the Sheriff’s patrol deputies. There was discussion whether 10 pm or 11 pm should be the time limit for shutting down noisy parties. 

McGourty said the Ukiah Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency fees will probably be subject to change. This county does not have a well inventory, and the UVBGSA needs to raise enough money to pay for an inventory to satisfy state requirements. People who use water should pay for it. If we don’t manage our water in a sustainable way, the state will step in. Redwood Valley water domestic customers should only see a few dollars more on the monthly bill. The next UVBGSA meeting to authorize the fee structure is set for June 18 at 1:00 pm in the County Board of Supervisors’ Chambers. Sign up for a Zoom link here if you cannot attend in person. Supervisor-elect Madeline Cline pointed out that Madera County’s GSA fees are much higher than Ukiah’s, due to over-pumping. Read about Madera County’s GSA problems in this SJVWater.org newsletter. We need to pay attention to local groundwater issues to keep fees low.

McGourty reported that the Planning Commission is attempting to find a solution for what to do with plastics, fertilizers, and other waste left behind by cannabis grows that were shut down. Many of these properties were rentals, and the cannabis-growing tenants are long gone. He favors having the property owners put their efforts into cleaning up the mess, rather than chasing down and fining the tenants. 

Boyd provided an update from the Redwood Valley-Calpella Fire Department. She urged everyone to buy tickets for the July 20 BBQ. This annual event is the biggest fundraiser for their volunteers. They have 20 to 25 volunteers, and many spend their own money on equipment. 

Alternate MAC Member Marybeth Kelly reported on Grange matters. The kitchen plumbing is mostly complete. Electrical work continues. When finished, the kitchen will be a commercial kitchen, available to rent. The Grange Hall was insulated for the first time in 100 years, and it is noticeably cooler inside the building. A repainting project will be funded by the ongoing sale of See’s Candy. Sample paint colors have been applied on the outside of the building, if anyone wants to look at them and give their opinion. The Grange will host a road cleanup on East Rd., June 22nd at 9 AM. Volunteers will walk along the road picking up trash. The flea market takes place every second Saturday, now with an expanded snack bar. The Grange also offers a free library, hosts Meals on Wheels, a drop box for used eyeglasses that go to the Lions Club, and a scholarship program. The rental committee needs help to facilitate rentals, and they need a Grange member to step up for this.

The Grange will enter a float in the Black Bart Parade. The MAC Members will ask the Grange if a MAC banner can be hung on the Grange’s float, as the MAC will not enter a separate float this year. 

Kelly reported on the efforts to create a Redwood Valley Community Recreation Center at the abandoned school property. The steering committee is meeting every Monday at 10:00 am at the Grange. They want to have a proposal for the Ukiah Unified School District Board of Trustees ready by the August 8 school board meeting. Ideally, 100 people will show up at the school board meeting to urge the Trustees to accept their proposal. If the Trustees agree, the campus would be rehabbed in three phases. Phase 1, immediately work on the playing fields. Phase 2 would be rehabbing the gym, and Phase 3 would be the classrooms, ground cleanup, and landscaping. The steering committee envisions this as the Northern Campus of the Alex Rorabaugh Center. The goal is to raise $100,000 by August 8. Dr. Marvin Trotter is working on grant funding. The steering committee also needs to find a lawyer willing to work pro bono for this effort. 

No news on the Faizan application to put in a large gas station on North State Street that is opposed by most Redwood Valley residents. Caltrans needs to review and opine on the traffic studies submitted by Faizan.

Reynolds and MAC Chair Dolly Riley will meet with Julia Krog of the Planning Department on July 8, to hopefully finalize the Community Action Plan. 

The MAC members briefly discussed whether to urge the BOS to prohibit new gas stations in Mendocino County. Boyd will study Sonoma County’s ordinance to see how they handled it. Existing gas stations that go out of business would be able to be replaced, so that small communities would not be left without a gas station. 

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Reynolds announced that United Disaster Relief, the organization headed by Danilla Sands, is looking for a new home. They are looking at two possible spaces and will put in a bid on one of them. 

There’s an opening on the MAC for one Alternate Member and a Secretary.

Kelly announced that the County Grand Jury is looking for new members. If interested, here is a link to the application form.

The MAC will take a break in July. The next meeting will be August 14 at 5:30 pm, at the Redwood Valley Grange.

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6 COMMENTS

  1. Code enforcement doesn’t work nights and weekends. Parties are on nights and weekends. Does anyone think a code enforcement officer has the ability to shut down a huge gathering of drunk people? Not a chance. This ordinance HAS to be enforceable by the Sheriff’s office. It HAS to have real penalties or the party will just consider it a $100 party-tax where all the partiers just chip in $2 each. Easy. Glen knows this, so I don’t think he’s putting real effort into this.

    • Glenn sucks, horrible job during tenure as supervisor. He should be embarrassed of the carnage he leaves behind. Delusional old man entitlement. Doesn’t truly care, never has, never will. It’s all performative.

  2. Ellen Drell really needs to move on. There already like 1/10th of the cannabis farms in the permitting system that there were at the start, and she wants to fight tooth and nail to stop the remaining ones from expanding to a half acre? its retarded. Please find something more important to do

  3. McGourty “before he leaves office” plans to make changes but my count is he has to leave office by July 14th. Primary residence requirement on his home purchase requires him to live in Fort Bragg after that date so can’t represent district 1 anymore when his primary residency changes. Or does he just sign legal bank documents and ignore their legal requirements? Or did he not read what he signed? Time to step down and out McGourtey. We can live without you for 5 months until new supervisor is sworn. Or swear her in sooner!

  4. McFlurry is a clown. He can’t represent as he now will be living outside our district borders. Why do all our officials insist on lying cheating and stealing in our county?? The entire county needs an FBI audit.

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Monica Huettl
Monica Huettl
Mendocino County Resident, Annoying Horse Girl.

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