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Council allocates $20,000 for hillside weed abatement 

Paso Robles resident Steve Rath, standing behind the lecturn in white, represents his neighborhood at the Oct. 21 meeting. The majority of the people in attendance were from the neighborhood. Photo by Heather Young

Paso Robles resident Steve Rath, standing behind the lecturn in white, represents his neighborhood at the Oct. 21 meeting. The majority of the people in attendance were from the neighborhood. Photo by Heather Young

City council deems issue not the fault of the residents

The Paso Robles City Council assumed the costs of fire hazard abatement for the Landscape and Lighting Maintenance District 10, sub areas 72A, B, C and D for $20,215. City staff had recommended that the abatement of the hillside around city water tanks at Rolling Hills Road, Golden Hill Road and Woodland Plaza be paid for out of the district’s general fund. The council also had alternate options: to pay for it all from city reserves or amend, modify or reject the above options.

Citizens started meeting with staff when they noticed the greenery on the hillside was dying due to lack of water because the installed irrigation system was not working. Public Works Director Doug Monning said the dead refuse on the hill was a combination of frost, the drought, the broken irrigation system and extreme heat.

“We had brought this to the staff’s attention: this is all dying because it’s not getting water,” said Steve Rath, who represented the sub area at the meeting. “We just became totally frustrated … after it dies, it doesn’t come back. That’s what it did on the hill, it died and became a fire danger. If the water system was working, we wouldn’t have a problem out there. This is squarely not the fault of the homeowners.”

He said that the initial bid received from the California Conservation Corps was $9,000 for weed abatement on the hill. The corps came in as the lowest bid at $18,000, which would be covered by a Fire Safe Council grant. An additional $20,215 is needed for civil engineering/erosion control, chipper rental, porta-potties and hillside irrigation. The next phase is to convert the hillside to a drought tolerant landscape.

One hundred and seventy-five homes are located in Tract 2350 and each pay an average of $1,200 per year to cover all work not included in the regular maintenance contract that includes mowing, edging, weed control, etc. As fiscal year 2014 has not yet closed, it is estimated that the sub area has approximately $32,000 in accumulated reserves. The sub area is not assessed the maximum allowable amount, but the homeowners are assessed what is projected will cover costs.

“We want the city to take responsibility for the maintenance issues and all costs associated for abatement of the fire hazard and potential soil erosion issues and repair district irrigation infrastructure,” Rath said.

“We feel that the city has let us down in this regard,” sub area resident Perry Destro added.

The council agreed. Councilman Fred Strong suggested that the city pick a portion of the costs, leaving the cost of the hillside irrigation for the residents. After Martin moved that the city pick up the whole bill, both Mayor Pro Tem Ed Steinbeck and Mayor Duane Picanco said they would have supported Strong’s suggestion, but were not opposed to the city picking up the whole tab.

“This is our city property, we failed. Period,” Councilman John Hamon Jr. said.

“We as a city designed that system. We the city caused that to happen,” Martin said. “If the system starts to fall apart, it needs to be replaced. … I think we do have some responsibility here, which I think is different from other districts we have dealt with.”

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