Volume 352 | March 2025

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President's Note

Dear Neighbors,

Thanks to the dozens of you who attended our Fire Safety Roundtable at our February 24th Board Meeting. Deputy Fire Marshall Pasero and Chief Pomi were on hand to discuss action the Kentfield Fire Department and other agencies are continuing to take to prepare for and minimize the impacts of fire to Kent Woodlands. This included discussions around potential size and timing of proactive and reactive responses to fire conditions, evacuation, defensible space inspections, shaded fuel breaks, and more.

One sobering fact they shared was that ONLY 27% of Kent Woodlands residents are signed up for Alert Marin! This is one of the main communication tools used to alert residents when it's time to leave — and any of us that have been stuck in after-school traffic know that leaving the Woodlands earlier is better.

Please sign up at https://emergency.marincounty.gov/pages/alertmarin and once you have, consider these helpful tips to make sure their alerts get to you at any hour of the day (note that instructions may vary, depending on your device):

Create a contact for “Alert Marin”
Add the phone number Alert Marin will call from (415-473-6376) to that contact
Add the mobile number Alert Marin will text from (88911) to that contact
For this contact change your ringtone sound to Beacon and turn the emergency bypass on
For this contact change your text tone sound to Pulse and turn the emergency bypass on

I also encourage all of you to get to know your neighbors, especially those that could use a little extra help during an evacuation.

Speaking of heavy traffic, the KWPOA board had a very productive discussion with our new Marin County Supervisor Brian Colbert about the tricky and dangerous intersection at Woodland and College. Fortunately, not only is this on his radar, but he's requesting much needed funding for a College Avenue corridor project that could very well include a solution to ease the confusion at this intersection, increase the flow of traffic, and improve safety. We greatly appreciate his attendance at our February board meeting and look forward to a productive working relationship with his team.

Finally, the board has implemented the overdue clean-up of the hazards that existed on our entrance property at the Acorn Lot. We're also in the midst of reviewing the health of the large pines on that lot which, if they fall, could cause destruction and disruption. While the membership voted against a special assessment for improvements to the lot (such as hardscaping and seating areas), you'll slowly start to see some relatively inexpensive low maintenance landscaping in the months to come. We very much welcome your input.

Thanks to all of our neighborhood volunteers and leaders in the community for their focus on Kent Woodlands — it's truly a special place.

Sincerely,

Jeff Leh, President

Seeking Volunteers for a Critical Kent Woodlands Project

Help Shape the Future of Kent Woodlands:

Join the Governing Documents Revision Committee!

As a community, we take pride in maintaining the character, integrity, and quality of life that make Kent Woodlands such a special place to live. With that in mind, the Kent Woodlands Property Owners Association (KWPOA) Board, upon the advice of legal counsel, is initiating a process to update our Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) and Bylaws.

At 29 years old, our current governing documents—originally adopted in 1995—are significantly outdated by industry standards. Over the past three decades, legal requirements have evolved, terminology has changed, and statutory revisions have been made annually. As a result, many provisions in our existing documents are now in conflict with current law. In addition, the needs, demographics, and priorities of our community have shifted over time, making it essential to review and modernize our governing documents to better serve our membership.

To ensure this process reflects the voices of our community, we are forming a Governing Documents Revision Committee and inviting interested members to participate. This committee will help guide the revision process, provide insight into what matters most to our residents, and ensure that our updated governing documents align with both legal requirements and community values. Upon completion of the revision, the new governing documents will be presented to the membership for a vote to approve and adopt.

If you would like to be part of this important effort, please reach out to info@kwpoa.com. Your participation will help shape the future of Kent Woodlands and ensure our HOA continues to serve and protect our community effectively.

Key Takeaways from our Kentfield Fire Roundtable and Other Critical Reminders:

Early preparation is essential to ensure a safe evacuation during a wildfire. Establishing critical defensible space and home hardening your home against wildfire threats will empower homeowners to evacuate safely while enabling first responders to defend your property and provide a fighting chance.
Please review your 2024 MWPA report and prioritize tackling any critical issues from a home-out (Zone 0) perspective.
Each member of our community must register with Alert Marin and Nixle. Chief Pomi highlighted that only 27% of Kent Woodland residents are registered with Alert Marin! We must significantly improve this statistic.
Deputy Fire Marshall Pasero discussed that Marin is a very proactive fire community thanks to MWPA, the shaded breaks, and the yearly inspections.
Now is the time to Identify neighbors needing assistance during an evacuation and ensure you have their contact numbers easily accessible.
Prepare your human and pet go-bags now, ensuring they are ready for departure at a moment’s notice.
Mark your calendars for the Emergency Preparedness Fair on March 29th from 11 to 3 at The Village in Corte Madera. Attendees will include Master Gardeners, the Central Marin Fire Department, the Central Marin Police Department, the Office of Emergency Management, and the California Highway Patrol. Don’t miss this opportunity to get informed and prepared!
As a consultant with KWPOA, I’m here to support you. I offer complimentary property inspections, assist in setting up your emergency go-bag, and can meet with landscapers if needed. Let’s take decisive action now to enhance our community’s safety. Please get in touch with me at tamalpais2015@gmail.com.

— Heather Hill, Hazard Mitigation Specialist

ACTION and HOPE

This month, Carbon Neutral Kent Woodlands is focused on Action and Hope! A big shout-out to Kiki Goshay, CNKW member, filmmaker, and passionate climate advocate, for graciously sharing her favorite climate-focused podcasts and newsletters with each of us! We’re excited to dive into these insightful recommendations. Happy listening and reading!!

PODCASTS

Zero: The Climate Race by Bloomberg

TED Climate

Climate Rising, Harvard Business School Business &

Environmental Economics Program

Climate One, from The Commonwealth Club

Curiosity Unbounded by MIT President Kornbluth

Open Circuit with Jigar Shah, former director of the U.S. Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office

NEWSLETTERS

Canary Media Daily, an independent, nonprofit newsroom covering the transition to clean energy and solutions to the climate crisis

The Climate Center, a California non-profit pushing lawmakers in Sacramento to enact policies to secure a climate-safe future for all.

CalMatters, a non-profit, non-partisan news organization. The only journalism outlet dedicated to covering America’s biggest state, 39M Californians, and the world’s 5th largest economy.

MIT Daily

MIT Weekly

Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan newsroom dedicated to climate.

Bloomberg Green, climate news and data driven insights from Bloomberg’s global newsroom covering science, environmental impact, zero-emission tech and green living

NY Times Climate Forward

Sierra Club

Visit us at www.carbonneutralkw.com

— Julie Johnson, CNKW Chair

Architectural Committee Application Notices