I am thrilled to announce that, after a long-term effort, on June 6th the Board of Supervisors approved plans to lease the offices at the Nelson Building on Lomita Avenue on the border of the Springs and the City of Sonoma for a future hub for county services. 

I have long advocated to my fellow board members that essential county services, most critically health and human services, are not sufficiently accessible to vulnerable residents in the Sonoma Valley. Due to its geographic isolation and lack of public transportation, most services centered in Santa Rosa are not utilized by eligible residents of the Sonoma Valley despite the desperate need. This hub will bring important services like economic assistance, child support, and health services to this underserved community.

The regional services hub will be a partnership between the county and the community. We are well aware that local nonprofits and community groups offer a bounty of resources in the Sonoma Valley that compliment county services. We are working with the Catalyst Fund in planning for community organizations to locate offices in the other part of the Nelson Building, producing incredible synergy and opportunity with the community.

Due to tenant improvements, the hub is anticipated to open in the fall. While from my perspective it can’t open soon enough, I will lead with patience and encouragement as this long-needed front door to county services moves to debut in the Valley. Stay tuned!

In my June column, I also want to share information on the upcoming fire season. After three years of extreme drought and early starts to the fire season, we are looking at a much different forecast for 2023 than in recent years, though not unlike ones we’ve seen before. This year, significant fire potential is Near to Below Normal through July, and then Normal from August through September. While we can still expect severe fire conditions in the fall, the slower start to fire season this year gives our fire professionals more time to prepare for the peak of the season. In the First District, the CalFire Hood Mountain Fire Center on the campus of Los Guilicos is in its second year, providing great work and additional peace of mind to communities along the Highway 12 corridor.

I also want to provide an update on vegetation management initiatives at the county. Over the last several years, the county has invested millions of dollars from PG&E settlement funds awarded after the 2017 fires towards vegetation management through a grant program administered by the Ag + Open Space District. On June 12 the board approved the 2023 Vegetation Management Grant Program Recommendations, funding 19 projects (out of 36 applications submitted) totaling $3,161,502 from the PG&E funding with funded projects in the Wind Creek Community, Calistoga Road, Diamond Mountain, Jack London State Park and Sonoma-Napa border.

The grant program is now in its third year, and I’m very impressed by the work the grantees have accomplished across our county maintaining defensible space, creating shaded fuel breaks, implementing grazing projects, and more. And another round of grants may be awarded early next year.



Additionally, Permit Sonoma was awarded $37 million in federal Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grants in 2021 for vegetation management, defensible space, and structural hardening work. 

After the Board of Supervisors vote on April 18th of this year, the project team will begin Phase 1 of the project, which is planned to last until 2025 and will include community engagement, education, and stakeholder coordination. There are three identified project areas, one of which is the Penngrove/Sonoma Mountain area bordering the First and Second Districts, and I look forward to getting this work started in its first phase.

How can you prepare for fire season? This month, Permit Sonoma’s Fire Prevention Division began accepting applications for its seasonal Chipper Program. The Chipper Program is a free service accepting applications on a first-come, first-serve basis to help residents of the unincorporated county make their property more wildfire safe by improving defensible space. I encourage community members to take advantage of this program by reviewing the guidelines and applying on Permit Sonoma’s website:

Given our unfortunate experience with catastrophic fires over the last six years, Sonoma County residents are incredibly knowledgeable about fire preparedness. That said, I will close with a few helpful reminders even if we’ve heard them many times before: sign up for alerts, know your evacuation zone, pack your go-bag, and make a plan! Resources and guides for all these preparedness activities and more can be found on SoCoEmergency.org:

Even though we are out of drought and are experiencing a temperate start to the summer, we must remain vigilant in the face of fire season, particularly when October rolls around. We have learned a lot over the last six years, but climate change all but guarantees we will see fire again in this county at some point in the future. Please be safe and stay prepared.

Gold Resolutions - In June, we celebrate Pride Month and Juneteenth. On June 6th, the Board of Supervisors presented a Gold Resolution proclaiming June 2023 as Pride Month in Sonoma County, and another Gold Resolution recognizing June 19, 2023, as Juneteenth Independence Day. I hope you have been able to attend events for both Pride and Juneteenth around Sonoma County this month, and thank you to our local organizations and activists for all they do in our communities!

SoCoAdapts - Wildfire season is coming! Are you thinking about ways you can protect your home from wildfire and just not sure where to start? Talk to an expert!

Sign up now for a free home risk assessment provided by the Wildfire Adapted Sonoma County Program and Madronus Wildfire Defense. After the assessment, owners receive a personalized and prioritized report of risks and recommended solutions. These free assessments are available to landowners who live in the program’s 14 project areas. There are a limited number of assessments available for each project area. Don’t miss out and lose your FREE assessment. Check if you qualify and schedule your assessment as soon as possible at SoCoAdapts.org!

People that participate in receiving assessments will be eligible for rebates in 2024 on approved defensible space and/or home hardening projects. Up to $10,700 of rebates may be approved for wildfire risk reduction projects with long-lasting benefits. We anticipate rebate awards of up to $3,700 (or 75% of job cost) for defensible space and vegetation management projects and/or up to $7,000 (or 75% of job cost) for home hardening projects. All work must have a signed contract with the County and be completed by an approved contractor to be eligible for rebates. The rebate program is first-come, first-served.

Sign up for the Wildfire Adapted email list to stay up-to-date on new information.

Learn more about the program at SoCoAdapts.org. For further inquiries, contact Permit Sonoma at WildfireAdapted@sonoma-county.org.

2023 Living With Fire Conference - The Sonoma County Forest Conservation Working Group, in partnership with the County of Sonoma and the Santa Rosa Junior College, is excited to invite you, our community’s forestland owners, managers, and stakeholders, to a two-day conference centered on managing forestland in these new and challenging times.

The conference will take place June 23-24, 2023 at SRJC Shone Farm in Forestville. Learn more and register at the link below.

Redwood Trails Alliance - I am so glad to be able to support the Redwood Trails Alliance work on North Sonoma Mountain Park. The photos below are from a volunteer day earlier this month, where they guided a group of women volunteers who performed maintenance tasks on the Sonoma Ridge Trail. Keep up the good work!

Springs MAC - Join the Springs Municipal Advisory Council on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 12th at 6:30pm.

North Sonoma Valley MAC - Join the NSV MAC on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30pm.

Next Meeting: Tuesday, June 20th at 5:30pm.

Sonoma Valley Citizen's Advisory Committee - The Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission advises on local planning projects in the Sonoma Valley, and hears informational items on other areas of interest. Join the SVCAC on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 28th at 6:30pm.