SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2024 County supports water infrastructure bill

Funding for improvements will help further wildfire protection efforts

As part of its mission to help strengthen wildfire response efforts, the Inyo County Board of Supervisors extends its support to Senate Bill 1088, as currently written and as it aligns with fire prevention goals, including those identified in a draft countywide plan outlining ways to prepare for, reduce the risk of, and adapt to wildfire fire events.

Introduced by state

Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil, SB 1088 would provide more state matching funding for water system infrastructure improvements for wildfire defense within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).

Developing and/or upgrading water sources for fire suppression is listed as a key recommendation for safe and effective wildfire response in the draft 2024 Inyo County Community Wildfire Prevention Plan (CWPP), out for public review through April 15.

An in-person kickoff to the review period for the CWPP was held Thursday, at the Lone Pine PaiuteShoshone Reservation Tribal Wellness Center inn Lone Pine and all community members – full- and part-time residents, property owners, individuals in the workforce – were encouraged to participate.

The draft CWPP and related documents can be found at https://inyocounty-cwpp-inyocounty. hub.arcgis.com/, where feedback can also be submitted.

The draft plan was developed in collaboration with numerous community groups, agencies and tribal governments. The document reviews, verifies, and/or identifies potential priority areas where mitigation measures are needed to protect from wildfire the irreplaceable life, property, and critical infrastructure in the community.

High risk for fire Supporters of SB 1088 have pointed out that aging infrastructures, combined with insufficient resources to prepare for adequate wildfire response, has left many rural communities at high risk for further unchecked fire activity.

A 2023 Community

years.

The housing unit permits break down thusly: nine were for new singlefamily homes (five more than 2022), eight were for new manufactured homes (five more than in 2022), and 10 were for accessory dwelling units, or ADUs (one more than in 2022). Of these, nine Certificates of Occupancy were granted for completed projects – six for single-family homes and three for manufactured homes.

Upkeep and maintenance of the General Plan is a continuous process. The county implements the provisions found in its General Plan on a day-to-day basis in its many projects and strives to include the public in the decision-making process. The county’s General Plan and Amendments can be found at: https://www. inyocounty.us/services/ planning-department/inyocounty-general-plan.

Off to Southeast Inyo Board member and staff reports on Tuesday came with the reminder that the supervisors will be in Southeast Inyo for three meetings next week (the calendar of Board meetings is available at https://www. inyocounty.us/government/ board-supervisors/meetingcalendar).

The board will hold a special, joint meeting with the Inyo County Board of Education at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, at the Flower Building in Shoshone.

Agenda items include a “State of the Schools” report and opportunities for improved collaborative service delivery in Southeast Inyo.

Following the Shoshone meeting, the board will convene at 3 p.m. at the Tecopa Community Center, 405 Tecopa Hot Springs

Rd., for its annual Southeast Inyo meeting.

The next day, Wednesday, March 13, the board will travel to Furnace Creek for a meeting at the Visitor Center starting at 10:30 a.m.

All three agendas will be available online the afternoon of March 7, at https://www.inyocounty. us/government/publications-reports-plans-proclamations/meeting-agendasminutes.