Title
REF240002 - COUNTY OF MONTEREY (REBUILD OF PROPERTIES AFFECTED BY FIRE)
Continued from April 24, 2024; Public hearing to review information regarding properties affected by Wildfires.
Project Location: Big Sur Coast Land Use Plan
Proposed CEQA action: Not a project pursuant to Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Planning Commission receive a report from Housing and Community Development, Environmental Health Bureau and Public Works regarding the hurdles to rebuilding properties affected by Fire (Referral 18.11).
SUMMARY:
On April 24, 2024, staff presented a report on properties affected by wildfires from 2015 to current. Although the Planning Commission appreciated all the work that had been done to recover from the 2020 fires, the Planning Commission was still concerned for the property owners affected by the Pfeiffer fire and Soberanes/Chimney fires that have not been able to rebuild. Specifically, the obstacles from septic system replacements and the roads that were affected by the Big Sur fires.
For each fire, the Board of Supervisors had adopted a Resolution for fire recovery which specified criteria intended to reduce hurdles to rebuilding. Each resolution varies slightly but the criteria contained in the resolutions and the process for rebuilding after a fire are discussed in more detail in each report. This includes timeframes for property owners to submit rebuild applications to HCD. Those reports are attached as Exhibit A.
* The Fire Recovery Guidelines for the 2020 River, Carmel and Dolan fires have a ten-year timeframe not to exceed September 15, 2030.
* The Fire Recovery Guidelines for the 2016 Soberanes/Chimney fires have a ten-year timeframe not to exceed August 31, 2026.
* The Fire Recovery Guidelines for the 2013 Pfeiffer fire had a three- year timeframe not to exceed December 23, 2016.
DISCUSSION:
After review of the initial report and response to the referral on A...
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