A MESSAGE FROM CPOA FOR THOSE WHO LIVE NEAR THE LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST

You are encouraged to attend a public meeting on Congressman Farr's proposed Big Sur Forest Service Management Unit Act (BSMUA).  The meeting will be on March 19, 2011, 10 am to noon in the Lodge conference room at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

Congressman Farr or his staff will be present to hear your views.

You can download CPOA's open letter to Congressman Farr by clicking here. The letter highlights important issues regarding Big Sur community viability that CPOA and other community members feel the BSMUA has an opportunity to address.  

You can download information on the bill from Congressman Farr's website by clicking here. 

The bill was introduced in the last session of Congress.  It has not been reintroduced in this session of Congress.  Congressman Farr says he wants to hear from the public before reintroducing the bill.  The bill is subject to change.

CPOA urges you to inform yourself, attend the meeting, and speak your mind.  CPOA believes it is important that the bill be changed to help solve problems in the area, including some that have been caused by other federal legislation. 

For example, wilderness has been moved up to and over firebreaks, interfering with their maintenance and use.  The US Forest Service has acquired thousands of acres of private land outside the boundaries of the Los Padres National Forest, contributing to the buyout of Big Sur.  

Again, you can download CPOA's open letter to Congressman Farr for more information on these and other issues with the bill by clicking here. 

The California Coastal Trail (CCT) continues to be an important issue for communities along the coast from the Carmel River on the north to San Carpoforo Creek in San Luis Obispo County. Click here for a brief local history of this issue, including our community’s effort to shape a positive outcome, and a request for your input.

Following are links to a  letter and maps from the United States Geological Survey, showing potential for winter debris-flow hazards for up to five years following the 2008 Basin Complex Fire.

Letter to the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services from the United States Geological Survey (PDF)

Map: Projected Volume of Debris Flow (PDF)

Map: Projected Probability of Debris Flow (PDF)

Map: Projected Combined Relative Hazard Ranking (PDF)

VIEW THE ABOVE DEBRIS FLOW MAPS in Google Earth - NOTE: this may take some time to open as it is a large file. You must have Google Earth installed and a 3D-capable video card installed to view the file.

Hazards identified by the SEAT team after the Basin Complex fire.  Many are hazards predicted with winter rains.

Download the SEAT report (PDF)
(Text only, does not include the data below, requires Adobe Reader - NOTE: this may take some time to open as it is a large file.)

View  hazards with locations in Google Earth
(Requires that you have Google Earth  installed on your computer, click on data points for information).

View hazards with locations in Google Maps
(Be patient, many data points to load, click on data points for information).

A 2008 ruling by the California Coastal Commission effectively broadened the definition of the "central maritime chaparral" plant community (CMC) and declared CMC to be environmentally sensitive habitat area (ESHA). This decision has the potential to dramatically affect a wide range of activities in the Big Sur coastal planning area...

Continue reading this article and more in the most recent CPOA newsletter