All upcoming meetings for this Committee are listed below in chronological order. Screenshot from March 1, 2022, wildfire committee meeting. February 1, 2022 Tip The Never Ending Wildfire Season, February 8, 2022 Tip The Insurance Industry Moves Towards Mitigation, February 15, 2022 Tip Importance of Reducing Ignitions, February 22, 2022 Tip Do a DIY Wildfire Home Risk Assessment, March 1, 2022 Tip Inside your Home: Smoke Alarms, Fireproof Safes, Go Bag, March 8, 2022 Tip ABAG Workshops, March 14, 2022 Tip Understanding Wildfire Hazard and Risk, March 22, 2022 Tip Fire Resistant Vents, March 29, 2022 Tip PV Ranch Leads the Way on Redwood Trees, April 5, 2022 Tip Time to Clean Your Roof and Gutters, April 12, 2022 Tip Wildfire Safety is a Two-Way Street, April 19, 2022 Tip Upcoming Activites in Town, April 26, 2022 Tip Greenwaste Wants Your Yard Trimmings, May 3, 2022 Tip Q&A from the April 28, 2022 Listening Session, May 10, 2022 Tip The Cost of Not Mitigating; Come to the Fair, May 17. How can we de-escalate? A Portola Valley Political Action Committee (PAC) aimed at unseating present Town Council members has announced it is endorsing three candidates for council: Planning Commissioner Judith Hasko, former council candidate Mary Hufty and Emergency Preparedness Committee Chair Dale Pfau. Chiariello replaced her, according to meeting minutes. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. In recognition of the growing awareness of racial and economic inequities in our culture, and of the critical need to address those inequities, the Portola Valley Town Council has approved the formation of a new standing Town committee. Portola Valley, CA Ron Eastman Council Liaison: Mary Hufty, Portola Valley, CA
June 20, 2023 Tip-EPC Communications & Radio Day this Saturday! Were all in the same boat. It's NOT fine to text other members of the committee you are sitting on, and other town committee, or text members of the town council, or text the town manager. It's making it difficult for the committee to operate. She said she had to step away to care for a family member and because she's taken a new job. Each and every volunteer's service, irrespective of the level, is critical to this incredible community's continued success! This community is lucky to have you as a reporter. Building & Planning permit counter hours:M-F: 8 am to 12 pm, Created By Granicus - Connecting People and Government. Please subscribe to PV eNotices to make sure you dont miss the WPC discussions. Adopted minutes for prior meetings are available by clicking on "All Past" link below. The new Race and Equity Committee will address systemic barriers to inclusion that may exist within the Town's policies, regulations and practices. The residents, who have voiced an ongoing lack of trust in town officials, said the district is the most equipped to make the best decisions to protect them against wildfires. The Town's Conservation Committee is a resource to help residents to preserve and nurture the natural environment of the Town. Portola Valley, CA
Koch said she was resigning from the wildfire committee because "she does not have the extra time she had when she took this on," according to Dec. 13, 2021, meeting minutes from the Architectural and Site Control Commission, which she sits on. Whether it was unclogging culverts during winter rainstorms or clearing trails, this group of intrepid founding fathers (and mothers!) M-F: 8 am to 12 pm, 1 pm to 5 pm
willingly . Mary Hufty has decades of experience working to balance progressive values in Portola Valley with conservation of irreplaceable natural and rural environments. Place a Legal Notice There is too little transparency, too much playing fast and loose with the truth, instances of "skirting" of the Brown Act, nasty name calling and innuendo by members of the government and the manager of the PV Forum, and importantly very little progress on the important issues of town planning and fire safety. on Oct 3, 2022 at 1:07 pm Meg is a registered user. Unhelpful to whom? It's making it difficult for the committee to operate. I appreciate community activists working on these issues but, please, lets try and see the bigger picture (that the youth already does see and will inherit) and figure out how to do this work more skillfully without acting antagonistic and adversarial. Mr. Phau has only been trying to get the town to put fire safety building standards and safe evacuation plans in place before building very high density housing in this very high fire area. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. This winter, residents started an online petition urging council members and staff to cede some of their control over development to the Woodside Fire Protection District, in light of new state housing laws that encourage building. The Portola Valley Town Council approved a settlement Monday to resolve a lawsuit against the town claiming its committee members violated the Brown Act, calling the decision an unfortunate but necessary move to stave off expensive litigation. The committee consists of up to nine members of the public, drawn from Portola Valley and its sphere of influence--Los Trancos, Ladera, etc. "This means that I have to waste my time (frequently) approving all their new postings before they are allowed to reach the PVForum. Two law firms representing residents Rusty and Kristen Day, Ron Eastman, Bruce and Shirley Roberts, James Rooney and Jim and Ellen Vernazza, brought forward the allegations. Share & Bookmark, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option, Founders Award for Lifetime Contributions, Construction and Landscaping Hours in Town, State Legislation Reports from Town Lobbyist, Bicycle, Pedestrian & Traffic Safety Committee, Cable & Utilities Undergrounding Committee, Open Space Acquisition Advisory Committee, Wildfire Laws and Regulations in Portola Valley, Woodside Highlands Road Maintenance District Residents Advisory Committee. Portola Valley's mayor reveals why fellow council candidate was fired Uploaded: Mon, Apr 11, 2022, 1:57 pm To rate this tip or submit questions or concerns, please fill out this Google Form. No, Dale has rightly and consistently insisted that the Safety Element be given highest priority, and that residents be given access to and allowed to participate in the process. Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below. Without volunteer effort, the unique characteristics of our Town that we can all too often take for granted, will be lost. The Town of Portola Valley was founded in 1964 by a group of civic-minded residents, who donated countless hours performing the necessary tasks to support the operation of a small municipal government. At issue are multiple messages between committee members and town staff sent during a public meeting. Conservation Committee | Portola Valley, CA We need to dig deeper and find the right way to disagree and reach consensus on how to solve the issues we face. The Town of Portola Valley was founded in 1964 by a group of civic-minded residents, who donated countless hours performing the necessary tasks to support the operation of a small municipal government. April 18, 2023 Tip - What is Defensible Space?
The committee did not make a recommendation to the council to institute a building setback in November. In the forward to the Town's Committee Handbook, former mayor and founding father Bill Lane writes, "Today, with demands from a growing population, we have seen more traffic, the need for development controls, increased use of our schools, library, trails, playing fields, and so forth, not only by our own residents, but also our neighbors. All these grown-ups yelling about and hurling insults. All upcoming meetings for this Committee are listed below in chronological order. ", "It's super frustrating," she said. If the mayor is the council liaison, as Mayor Craig Hughes is for the wildfire committee, then the vice mayor, Wernikoff, acts in place of the mayor. Fire prevention has been a lightning rod issue in town, with some members of the community calling for the town government to do more. Whether it was unclogging culverts during winter rainstorms or clearing trails, this group of intrepid founding fathers (and mothers!) That behavior might make us feel powerful, but its demoralizing for everyone and actually makes communication harder. Become a member today. The Portola Valley Open Space Acquisition Advisory Committee's objective is to assist the Town Council in implementing the Open Space objectives spelled out in the Town's Master Plan. M-F: 8 am to 12 pm, 1 pm to 5 pm
Building & Planning permit counter hours:M-F: 8 am to 12 pm, Created By Granicus - Connecting People and Government. . Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic. Angela Swartz joined The Almanac in 2018 and covers education and small towns. Encourage all adult members (18 and older) of your family to subscribe. "He is a strong proponent of wildfire prevention and safety for our community," they said in a statement. M-F: 8 am to 12 pm, 1 pm to 5 pm
All Five are non-native species that contain resin and are highly flammable. Judith Hasko. Dubious attacks on committee members and members of the public using the Almanac has become the norm for PV Town government. Without volunteer effort, the unique characteristics of our Town that we can all too often take for granted, will be lost.". Kim Marinucci -Vice Chair
At times it initiates fund raising programs for open space projects in the town. Obituaries, Send News Tips The petition also asked the town to require that all future buildings in Portola Valley be spaced at least 30 feet apart until the Woodside Fire Protection District fire marshal comes out with the new fire code later this year. Adopted minutes for prior meetings are available by clicking on "All Past" link below. Wildflower Bingo. Tensions between residents and town officials have intensified, with some hiring attorneys in recent weeks to investigate actions by town committees and council members, including one "massive" Public Records Act request filed by attorney and former San Jose mayor Chuck Reed related to the Ad Hoc Housing Element Committee and its consideration of changing the zoning of the Nathhorst Triangle neighborhood for denser housing development. Community Calendar City Council Town of Portola Valley | California General Election ", She goes on to write, "frankly, if you are going to dish out crazy mud, you can't expect not to get a little dirty. Portola Valley resident's lawsuit over town's environmental reviews is The objectives of the Cultural Arts Committee are to: Bring together the various cultural interests in the community in order to facilitate communication, interaction and mutual support; Are you interested in donating art to Town Center? June 27, 2023 Tip - Join the Discussion on the 2023 WFPD Ordinances. Marianne Plunder resigned from the committee sometime before the Conservation Committee's Jan. 25 meeting where she announced it. Frankly, if you are going to dish out crazy mud, you can't expect not to get a little dirty. Express / Weekend Express Lecture 1 - Deputy Commissioner Julia Juarez of the California Department of Insurance (CDI) spoke on the new Safer from Wildfires . Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. Whether it was unclogging culverts during winter rainstorms or clearing trails, this group of intrepid founding fathers (and mothers!) Participants in the PV Wildfire Preparedness Fair, May 31, 2022 Tip Home Fire Sprinklers Control Fires Quickly, June 7, 2022 Tip PetPreparedness and Weed Abatement in June, June 14, 2022 Tip Be Ember Aware and Fight Fire Spread, June 21, 2022 Tip Enforcement of 0-5 Foot Regulations in Very High Fire Zones, June 28, 2022 Tip Lessons from the Edgewood Fire, July 12, 2022 Tip Learn From the Past The 1961 Bel Air Fire, July 19, 2022 Tip Eucalyptus and Wildfire Danger, August 9, 2022 Tip Right of Way Mitigation in 2022, August 16, 2022 Tip Wildfire and Preparedness Apps, August 23, 2022 Tip Preparedness for Older Adults, August 30, 2022 Tip Website changes for the Wildfire Preparedness Committee, September 6, 2022 Tip Record Heat This Week, September 13, 2022 Tip September is National Preparedness Month (2022). M-F: 8 am to 12 pm, 1 pm to 5 pm
Chet Wrucke, Secretary
"It takes an enormous amount of time but it doesn't help the community. "The meetings are longer and more frequent than she was prepared for with her other commitments and conflicts to deal with," according to the meeting minutes. Regardless of any post hoc excuse given to justify Dale's removal from Wildfire Preparedness, it is clear to many that Dale's crime was simply his insistence that the Safety Element update be completed before moving forward with the Housing Element update. The Woodside Highlands Road Maintenance District was formed in 1972 to support the maintenance of the area's roads. Building & Planning permit counter hours:M-F: 8 am to 12 pm, Created By Granicus - Connecting People and Government. Angela Swartz great article! Former Portola Valley Wildfire Preparedness Committee Vice Chair Dale Pfau. Building & Planning permit counter hours:M-F: 8 am to 12 pm, Created By Granicus - Connecting People and Government. Wildflower Bingo | Portola Valley, CA Vahtra resigned on Nov. 2, 2021, according to meeting minutes. . At times it initiates fund raising programs for open space projects in the town. Unfortunately, several of them CONTINUE to attempt to post offensive messages that either spuriously attack people in town or in government without providing facts or legitimate sources or they send messages full of misinformation, conspiracy theories, gross inaccurate generalizations, or disrespect. Through volunteerism, we not only provide support for our Town; we obtain the rich rewards of friendship and of truly making a difference, while setting a meaningful example for future generations." M-F: 8 am to 12 pm, 1 pm to 5 pm
Complaints about misinformation, lack of civility. Building & Planning permit counter hours:M-F: 8 am to 12 pm, Created By Granicus - Connecting People and Government. TheSixFifty.com I would like to volunteer on this committee! Rezoning would be catastrophic for the residents of that neighborhood, who are at risk of losing their homes and the equity theyve built up. "He is a strong proponent of wildfire prevention and safety for our community," they said in a statement. Building & Planning permit counter hours:M-F: 8 am to 12 pm, Created By Granicus - Connecting People and Government. Jerry Shefren. Rebecca Flynn, who runs the town's online social network PVForum, posted on the site that a few people in town are on a moderated status "because they have shown themselves to be unable to post respectful messages. Geologic Safety Committee | Portola Valley, CA He is trying to save lives and property after witnessing the killing wildfires the last few years. Our town has benefited greatly from his outspoken candor and his sound guidance will be sorely missed.". Portola Valley reluctantly settles lawsuit alleging Brown Act Second Monday of each month at 10:00 AM,Historic Schoolhouse. We can't claim to be a great community if we don't do this. It's amazing how perfectly nice people can flip to become instruments of their own personal agendas when elected or selected for a position in power. In regard to the first comment by PV Lover, who feels that texting during a meeting is just fine----and is a member of several town committees---it's NOT just fine. Our commission and committee volunteers, working in concert with the Town Council, ensure the unique quality of life we all enjoy in this very special place continues. The committee, which originally formed in 2019 under the name Ad Hoc Wildfire Preparation Committee, needs five members to reach a quorum; only four were at the April 5 meeting. Watch on Portola Valley Mayor Craig Hughes addresses Dale Pfau's removal as vice chair of the Wildfire Preparedness Committee. Mary Hufty. Portola Valley, CA 94028, Town Hall hours of operation:
On April 5, the wildfire committee was set to discuss alleged Brown Act violations by a committee member on March 1. "The meetings are longer and more frequent than she was prepared for with her other commitments and conflicts to deal with," according to the meeting minutes.Marianne Plunder resigned from the committee sometime before the Conservation Committee's Jan. 25 meeting where she announced it. Town Attorney Cara Silver said texting during a meeting is permitted, provided a member does not send text messages to a quorum, which Wernikoff didn't do. "He has spoken up clearly for prioritization of wildfire safety as a necessary precondition for future development of fire-prone hazardous areas of town. To rate this tip or submit questions or concerns, please fill out this Google Form. The town of Portola Valley removed the Wildfire Preparedness Committee's vice chair on April 5, the latest in a spate of members to leave the committee in recent months. Mission Portola Valley Neighbors United (PVNU) works to increase understanding of local public policy issues such as fire and seismic safety, affordable housing, and natural habitat, to encourage informed and active participation in governance, and to influence public policies through education and advocacy. About. Sustainability Tip - EVs: Why go electric, and why I did. Using the excuse that it doesn't violate the letter of the Brown Act is a way of rationalizing your own behavior. Pfau, who was one of the founding members of the wildfire committee, could not be reached for comment. In the forward to the Town's Committee Handbook, former mayor and founding father Bill Lane writes, "Today, with demands from a growing . Mountain View Voice Examples given include repeated failure to attend meetings, violation of ethical standards, disruptive behavior and repeated failure to abide by commission/committee handbook rules. Portola Valley: PAC aimed at unseating council members announces Terms of Use 2023 Almanac Online. "Wernikoff said that over the last four months, town staff and council members have "spent an inordinate amount of time debunking misinformation. Courtesy Judith Hasko. September 20, 2022 Tip What's Your Fire Rating?