HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/7/2025 Item 8a, Bennett (3)
Tim Bennett <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Fwd: My Take: Oct.7 Public Study Session
Dear Mayor Stewart and Council Members:
I wanted to share with you how I saw the SLO Fire Department’s WUI presentation last night and how my
neighbor, Jay Walter, and I were in sync with Mayor Stewart’s subtle approach. For reference, we reside
in the Irish Hills/Prefumo Canyon area, which falls within the new Very High Severity Zone.
While you, Madame Mayor, were not taking a side, you got your points across about allowing the time
necessary to get more feedback from SLO citizens and not rushing, cautioning that approving the “as is”
code "might be a little fast.”
What follows is my note to our Castillo neighbors, with the hope of keeping them informed.
Sincerely,
Tim Bennett
1930 Castillo Court
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
312.804.1099 - c
This is our Castillo Court neighborhood email list:
Begin forwarded message:
From: Tim Bennett <
Subject: Viewpoint: Oct.7 Public Study Session
Date: October 8, 2025 at 11:25:20 AM PDT
To: Pat Auyong < , Karen Blum < ,
Pat Cano < , Raul Cano < , Rosa Couto
< , Greg & Maggie Kraft < , Maggie Kraft
<
, Mike & Karen Blum < , Mukta Naran
< , Gretchen Patti < , Phil & Gretchen
Patti < , Fiona Reichek < , Carol Russell
< , Sam & Eve Vigil < , Steve Schuman
< , The Couto Family < , The
Naran Family < , The Reichek Family < ,
Eve Vigil < , Dan & Leslie Woods < , Leslie
Woods <
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Cc: Connie Walter < , Jay & Connie Walter
< , Bruce Neushwander <
Good morning, Castillo neighbors…
I thought it might be helpful to provide a recap of last night’s city council meeting
(I’m focusing on our Irish Hills/Prefumo Canyon area) regarding the new High Fire
Severity Zones, including the steps our Fire Department is planning to implement for
regulatory alignment and enforcement, as well as the pursuit of statewide uniformity.
Jay Walter’s - Castillo Court neighbor comments:
"What I'm hopeful about is that you'll make a priority of vegetation management and
fuel management in your open space areas. That's a key element to helping those fires
not get out of control, and I know that's part of what's happened in other areas with severe
wildfires, so please prioritize that for us, as we have to be doing the work on our properties
and bear those expenses in that regard. So we appreciate that help from you guys."
"One of the things that I didn't hear tonight, that I had hoped to hear, was that staff had
done some work in checking in with other agencies and other areas that are facing the
same issues in order to try to develop really good, best practices that can be shared
and that the others we wouldn't have known about, perhaps if we hadn't reached out to try
to find out. So at this point, I would urge you not to rush into this, take some time and really
have staff study this and bring it back to you with real good, solid recommendations.”
Mayor Stewart also echoed that theme of “vegetation and fuel management" later on,
saying to the Chief and Fire Marshall, “I’d love to hear your responses,” as she had already
gotten six to eight responses from the community emails on that same topic.
Echoing Jay’s concern about taking more time, Steward also cautioned that approving the
“as is” code might be a little fast. Based on the sheer amount of community engagement,
she added that we may need more time, both in and beyond November, before approving
it.
To Jay’s second point, “checking in with other areas facing the same issues” here’s a
comparison between SLO’s Fire Department and LA’s Fire
Department regarding California’s new defensible-space and “Zone 0” rules.
My assessment of looking at LAFD and SLOFD in comparison...
Common ground: both reports support building hardening, public education, and
regional
defensible-space awareness.
Key difference: Los Angeles urges regional adaptation and ecological
balance. Example: letting irrigated oaks or native shrubs stay if they’re well-
maintained, instead of forcing bare gravel five feet from every wall.
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San Luis Obispo prioritizes regulatory alignment, enforcement, and uniform safety
standards. Example: These are the new state safety rules. Let’s adopt them fully,
educate the public, and work out how to inspect reasonably so people stay insurable
and safer.”
In essence: LAFD defends local ecological nuance; SLO enforces statewide
uniformity.
For context, attached is the link to LAFD’s 27-page: "Recommendations on the State’s
proposed landscape management regulations"
2025-09.08 LAFD CFAC report.pdf
dropbox.com
Here is Chief Tuggle’s Report:
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WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE
(WUI) CODE, BUILDING
HARDENING, AND DEFENSIBLE
SPACE REGULATIONS STUDY
SESSION.pdf
dropbox.com
Full City Council Meeting & Wildand Urban Interfact (WUI) Code,
Building Hardening, and Defensible SpaceRegulations
Study Session (Starts at 59:45; link below
10/07/2025 - City Council Meeting
youtube.com
Thanks again, Jay, for encouraging the city and county to take action on vegetation and
fuel management to help contain a fire before it reaches our community, and for
encouraging the study of “best practices” to learn from other areas. Several years ago, SLO
City had several dozen chainsaws and two “chippers” over three weeks travel the entirety
of Prefumo Canyon clearing chaparel, dead limbs, and dangerous low hanging branches
that looked like a death trap.
Please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or feedback. The next step for
us to consider might be hosting a FireWise meeting in our cul-de-sac to learn how we
can get that certification, setting ourselves up for a discount on our insurance policy. This
would entail a short presentation by Joe Little, Emergency Manager, SLO Fire Department.
Regards,
Tim Bennett
1930 Castillo Court
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
312.804.1099 - c
P.S. If anyone wants to be left off of these emails, just let me know.
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