PEBBLE BEACH COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Field Trip, September 26, 2005

MINUTES

The Board of Directors of the Pebble Beach Community Services District assembled at the District Boardroom on September 26, 2005 at 9:00 a.m. and thereafter participated with District staff and visitors in a fire protection and emergency preparedness field trip within the District.

DIRECTORS PRESENT

All Directors were present, including Jeffrey B. Froke, Ph.D., Gary D. Hornbuckle, Ph.D., Board President, Leo M. Laska, Nancy D. McCullough and Richard D. Verbanec, Board Vice President.

STAFF & VISITORS

Richard Andrews, General Manager, PBCSD

Sam Mazza, Fire Chief, PBCSD and San Benito-Monterey Unit, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (“CDF”)

George Haines, Assistant Fire Chief, CDF

Dennis Carreiro, Battalion Chief, Fire Prevention, CDF

Jackie Scoggin, Battalion Chief, Operations, CDF

Michael Niccum, District Engineer, PBCSD

J.T. Rethke, Engineering & Maintenance Assistant, PBCSD

June Duran-Stock, Chair, Del Monte Forest Open Space Advisory Committee (“OSAC”) and Director, Del Monte Property Owners (“DMFPO”)

Shawn Casey, Director of Operations, Pebble Beach Company (“PBCo”)

Eric Love, Forester, PBCo

Gerald Verhasselt, Director, DMFPO

Rick Kernoll, resident

Jennifer Valdez, Apparatus Engineer, CDF

Stephanie Rodriguez, Firefighter, CDF

PURPOSE OF FIELD TRIP

The purpose of the Board of Directors’ field trip was to view the condition of emergency preparedness and vegetation management measures relating to fuel breaks, fire access roads, vacant lots, open space areas and potential tsunami inundation zones within the District.

ITINERY AND ACTIVITIES

1. Huckleberry Hill: On the first part of the field trip, the Board traveled to the Huckleberry Hill visitor overlook on 17-Mile Drive, where Battalion Chief Carreiro and other staff reviewed the condition of the Los Altos Fuel Break on Huckleberry Hill between Haul Road and Los Altos Drive. Chief Carreiro indicated the fuel break is a continuing cooperative project of the Fire Department and the PBCo, with the objective being to create a defensible fire fighting space immediately below the residences along Los Altos Drive, Costanilla Road and other structures at the top of Huckleberry Hill. He said fire crews and the PBCo are working together to extend the depth of this fuel break from its original depth of 150 feet to a depth of 250 feet below the edge of the roadway. District Engineer Niccum also described the water system improvements for fire protection that have been constructed by the District to improve water available for fire protection in the upper Huckleberry Hill area. General Manager Andrews briefly explained that because of the tremendous carpet-like forest regrowth after the 1987 Huckleberry Hill Fire the Board had adopted District Ordinance 19 in 1995 to provide additional discretion to the Fire Chief to identify and declare “potentially dangerous” fire hazards. He said prior to Ordinance 19 a fire hazard could only be identified and ordered to be mitigated if it was an “existing” dangerous condition.

2. Haul Road Reconfiguration: Directors next observed the condition of the PBCo Haul Road Reforestation Project, which was recently completed by the PBCo to meet a condition of approval of the Spanish Bay Project by the California Coastal Commission. Directors observed potentially hazardous areas of combustible forested growth above and below Haul Road. Chief Carreiro explained that should those areas catch fire the recently reconstructed narrower and reforested Haul Road would not provide an adequate fire road or fuel break, which will pose a hazard to controlling fires burning uphill to Los Altos Drive. He said that while the PBCo believed it was required to comply with the Coastal Commission’s original condition PBCo has agreed to cooperate with the District in the future to gain approval for reconstructing Haul Road to create a modified fire road and fuel break that will provide a 24-foot wide roadway that may be used for emergency egress.

3. Huckleberry Hill Fire Road System: The Board proceeded to fire roads 7, 6 and 4, stopping in the vicinity of the proposed new Equestrian Center. Chief Carreiro explained the impacts of the project on the fire road system would be positive, providing improved access and water capacity for fighting fires on Huckleberry Hill. He noted that the entrance to the new equestrian center would follow existing fire road 3.

4. S.F.B. Morse Drive Vegetation Management: The Board observed how vegetative fuel fire hazards were being reduced in the wooded area between SFB Morse Drive and the Pacific Grove boundary by the use of goats. Chief Carreiro noted that the use of special goats that have voracious appetites for many types of vegetation growing in the area appears to be highly acceptable to many environmentally concerned residents.

5. Tsunami Inundation Zones: Directors were then transported to the Spanish Bay public picnic and parking area where Assistant Fire Chief Haines reviewed the status of the District’s emergency planning for response to tsunamis. He indicated that he is serving as the District’s lead person in cooperative efforts with Monterey County Office of Emergency Services to develop tsunami response plans throughout the Monterey County coastal area. In addition, he said the District has formed an internal planning team that is also working with the PBCo. Chief Haines called the Directors attention to a series of comprehensive tsunami preparedness maps that have been prepared by District Finance Officer / Information Technology Coordinator, Suha Kilic and Administrative Assistant, Richard Farfan. He said the maps identify a red-lined 40-foot (10 meter) zone of potential inundation, as well as all of the structures and addresses of property within the inundation zones. It was also noted that the maps have been posted to the District’s website at www.pbcsd.org and final versions of the maps might also include a 100-foot blue contour line to provide a guideline for the public to follow in evacuating to a safe elevation. Chief Haines indicated that the maps have been examined by Monterey County OES staff members, who have said they may provide a useful format for developing similar maps in other coastal jurisdictions. Directors then viewed potential inundation zones as the field tour proceeded south along 17 Mile Drive to Cypress Point.

6. Examples of Vacant Lots, Open Space and Residential Fire Hazard Clearance Parcels: Directors observed and gained information about the condition of vacant lots in the Del Monte Forest and the methods used to achieve compliance with the District’s fire protection clearance requirements. In particular, Directors viewed an exemplary example of fire hazard clearance at a residence located on the corner of Sombria and Drake Roads. Nearby examples of vacant parcels of more than one acre were also viewed where in one case compliance was achieved by perimeter clearance and in another case the parcel had been completely cleared and trees limbed up. A parcel was also viewed at 4026 Sunset Lane, where the fire department had made a discretionary decision to allow an alternative method of compliance negotiated between the property owner and the fire department.

7. Carmel Hill Fire Station / Ford Meadow: Directors toured the CDF Carmel Hill Fire Station on 17-Mile Drive, below the Highway One Entrance Gate. Operations Battalion Chief Scoggin reviewed the history of this facility and the arrangements whereby CDF meets its wildland fire protection responsibilities within State responsibility areas and also provides contractual fire protection services from this fire station for PBCSD and the Cypress Fire Protection District. She noted that the facility was constructed in 1995 under a unique public-private cooperative financing plan that involved the PBCo, Monterey Peninsula Community Hospital Foundation, CDF, Cypress Fire Protection District and PBCSD. Chief Carreiro also provided a visual orientation of the new fire protection access easement located in Carmel Woods above Ford Meadow, which was recently acquired from Monterey County. He said the easement is the only access available to the Ford Meadow area from the Carmel Woods area above it. Mr. Andrews further clarified that a memorandum of understanding between the Del Monte Forest Foundation and PBCSD regarding the use of the easement would be presented to the Board for approval in the near future.

8. Pescadero Canyon: The Board was next transported to the northwest portion of the Pescadero Canyon area, where directors viewed the condition of forest and fire roads 21, 22 and 23. Directors observed the recently completed extension of fire road 23 and its entrance/exit and gate to and from 17-Mile Drive across from the CDF Carmel Hill Fire Station.

9. Midwood Drive Access to Fire Road 20: Concluding the tour, Directors observed the existing access gate to fire road 20 on Midwood Drive. It was noted that a project may be proposed by District staff, which would involve the District improving the entrance to this fire road in a manner similar to the project that was recently completed on fire road 23 across from the Carmel Hill Fire Station. The proposed improvements would include a wider more perpendicular approach to the entrance gate, with a minimum gate setback distance of 30 feet from the edge of Midwood Drive.

The PBCSD Board Field Trip concluded at 12:45 p.m., followed by an informal lunch for directors, staff and guests at the Poppy Hills Restaurant in the Del Monte Forest. Directors Laska and Verbanec were in attendance. Directors Froke, Hornbuckle and McCullough were not able to attend due to other commitments. No actions were considered or taken by the Board during the Field Trip or during the informal lunch.

Richard Andrews

District Secretary