HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.08.20 Public Comment 12_8_20 Item 4.05 - FW_ 4.05 Chapter 53 enforcement
From:Schuman, Amy
To:Alpert, Bruce;Bennett, Robin;Clerk of the Board;Connelly, Bill;Cook, Holly;Lambert, Steve;Lucero, Debra;
McCracken, Shari;Paulsen, Shaina;Pickett, Andy;Ring, Brian;Ritter, Tami;Rodas, Amalia;Sweeney, Kathleen;
Teeter, Doug
Cc:Daneluk, Paula;Hatcher, Casey
Subject:Public Comment 12/8/20 Item 4.05 - FW: 4.05 Chapter 53 enforcement
Date:Tuesday, December 8, 2020 9:44:40 AM
Good morning,
The following public comment was submitted for Item 4.05 from John Stonebraker.
Amy Schuman
Associate Clerk of the Board
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965
O: 530.552.3300 |D: 530.552.3308 | F: 530.538.7120
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-----Original Message-----
From: John S. <john@upperridge.info>
Sent: Tuesday, December 8, 2020 9:07 AM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: 4.05 Chapter 53 enforcement
.ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening
attachments, clicking on links, or replying..
The longstanding lack of code enforcement on the Upper Ridge and the widespread substandard living conditions
following the Camp Fire are separate issues. All of the yellow dots on the windshield survey are outside the fire
perimeter. The current code enforcement process here is more likely to lead to escalation than relief, deterring
complaints to the detriment of the quality of life in our neighborhoods. But this is unrelated to Chapter 53 interim
housing.
Inside the fire perimeter, more than 2000 homes with Magalia addresses were destroyed. No earthquake shacks were
provided to survivors of this disaster. Response has been a patchwork. Many survivors are waiting for manufactured
homes to be delivered or readied for occupation. Others are waiting for the perpetrators' bankruptcy settlement or for
CDBG-DR Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation and Reconstruction funding to let them finally replace their homes.
Which won't come until well into 2021.
Meanwhile, they are living in temporary dwellings on their own lots to remain part of this community.
The depopulation, absentee ownership, and long-term neglect of this area now allow opportunists who do not
qualify under 53-57C or 53-34E3 to occupy temporary dwellings in Magalia. Requiring Administrative Permits and
placards on legitimately occupied RVs or accessory structures would be one step forward.
Note that Code Enforcement has historically been unable to deal with people living in RVs outside official HCD
parks. When the halfway house in De Sabla was renting out an RV in their driveway, Code Enforcement said they
would have to go out there every day for more than two weeks to document a section 24-75 violation. This is
something the Board might want to give Code Enforcement better tools to address.
People legitimately occupying RVs and other temporary dwellings should be allowed to continue to do so,
especially given the failure to provide fire survivors more adequate housing. Yet they should also comply with the
same standards for noise, junk, and sewage as other neighborhood residents.
I support Option 3 and oppose Option 4. I support educational outreach to the parcels identified in the windshield
survey but expect few to voluntarily come into compliance. The Magalia area, and especially the Camp Fire area,
will need further patrols and enforcement action to address public nuisances. If that requires additional staffing, this
direct impact from the fire would be an appropriate use of the County's PG&E settlement funds.
John Stonebraker
Magalia, CA