The Paso Robles City Council approved on July 16 a proclamation deeming the Salinas Riverbed and its surrounding area a local public health and safety emergency.
Paso Fire Chief Jonathan Stornetta proposed the proclamation and said a mitigation plan will rid the bed of brush and debris that pose a fire hazard and will remove the homeless population that adds to the fire risk.
“This truly is an imminent threat to public health and safety, with that I believe we can do this,” Stornetta said.
The riverbed encompasses more than 680 acres, much of it heavily forested. According to a staff report, the brush and dead branches provide a significant source of fuel that local entities haven’t been able to address by the city’s annual weed abatement activities, due to restrictive state regulations.
The mitigation plan will cost the city $361,600.
It proposes three phases of dealing with the material from the riverbed: hiring one sergeant and two police officer positions to assist in the cleanup; enacting a community action team; and retaining a biologist to conduct a habitat assessment of the project area.
The goal of the project is to create a roughly 150-foot buffer from the roadway along South and North River Road. According to the report, the buffer will help minimize the fire intensity along the roadway.
The proclamation comes on the heels of a June 10 fire in the riverbed, which shut down Niblick Bridge for more than an hour.
The Salinas Riverbed dissects the city, and there are three major transportation routes that cross the riverbed in the city: Niblick Bridge, 13th Street, and the Highway 46 bridge.
Stornetta said the neighboring community east of the river is at greatest risk of fire escaping the riverbed.
According to the staff report, the large number of homeless people living in the riverbed is a common source of ignitions.
“Most fires in any community are human caused, and Paso Robles is no exception. To date, 37 fires have already occurred in the riverbed,” the report states.
In 2018, 115 fires occurred in the riverbed, and many of the fires remained isolated within the homeless encampments or islands within the riverbed.
Mayor Steve Martin said he’s always been a champion of alleviating human suffering and will continue to do that.
“But I may have the right to walk the streets of Paso Robles. I do not have the right to walk the streets of Paso Robles and start fires. I may have the right to walk the streets of Paso Robles. I don’t have the right to pollute the landscape,” Martin said. “The fact that you’re homeless doesn’t relieve you of the responsibility that you have to your fellow human beings.”
Stornetta said the project is slated to begin after the Mid-State Fair, as the department’s personnel is currently focused on that event.
City Councilman John Hamon did not vote in favor of the proclamation because he said he didn’t believe reserve tax dollars are going to solve this homeless issue in the riverbed.
“We need to make policies here that make the riverbed an unattractive place to the homeless within the law,” Hamon said. Δ
This article appears in Jul 18-28, 2019.
This councilman thinks the solution is to make the riverbed a more unattractive place to live? It’s time for the state or federal government to step in to fix the housing crisis–local government has completely dropped the ball.
Well, that’s an interesting way to solve homelessness; make the world more unattractive. Sheesh, if you voted for this guy, what are you thinking about him today?
Just don’t tell the homeless go to residential areas just out of city limits!! Our neighborhood has spent months dealing with those evicted from the River Lodge and RVs parked adjacent. They claim Paso PD pointed them our way! Now we have vagrants with dogs camping and fouling the land and over-running the home of an elderly, mentally unstable single woman. The Sheriffs have helped but we can’t get Paso PD to handle crimes from within city limits.
Paso has failed to deal with panhandling, vagrants with animals off leash and RV’s being used as homes so now it’s become a bigger problem for the larger area.
For those that say they want government to do something about the homeless crisis, what have you brought to the table? Have you attended city council meetings, build or sign petitions? Are you willing to pay more taxes? Nothing is government funded! It’s all tax payer funded. Try starting a petition for rent control, it’s not easy because I tried in the 80’s, but with more effort and the current crisis, you might get somewhere. Maybe go after the drug dealers with harsher punishment so they will be less likely to deal in your state. Vote, attend council meetings, write your Congress, Govenor. You do something and make your government work for you, as this is what was intended. Cali is a shithole because of it’s so called leaders! Hold them accountable! We are in a recall effort to get our governor out before we end up like California. Rant over
People like Lisa really make me sick to my stomach! This may seem blunt and uncuth to some, but how dare you say something like that! Have you ever wondered when you’re going to get your next meal?! Where you were sleeping that night, Or not been allowed in some places because you’re mentally unstable, and truly felt bad about yourself because you couldn’t control those outbursts?! I think not! Ever wonder why there’s so many suicides? I personally think that since people like Lisa obviously have funds to live comfortably, happily ever after, blah blah blah, then they should try and cut back on their special vacations and cruise ship trips or whatever it is that they spend their extra cash on and maybe contribute to the city to start a program that will help get these people the help they need to get off of the streets, off the drugs etc… I realize there are resources to help them already, but the funds aren’t great enough because the folks who want to run their mouth about the fact that they exist are too snubby to help! And trust me I get that your extra cash may be hard earned money, maybe not either way that’s not my business! but think about this, Has anyone ever walked into an establishment for a job application and been shot down because of your appearance or your background? Chances are, not many! I’ve had a drug adiction problem in the past, I’ve been homeless, and hungry, and I’ve been shot down from potential jobs due to my past and appearance! I am one person who has been through all of that, but luckily for me, I had a few great friends and family members who WERE WILLING to help me get through the dark hallway and push me up the hill that I couldn’t make to the top on my own! I now am a proud mother of a healthy, happy, 3 almost 4 year old boy, an in home caregiver, bill and taxpayer, voter, etc. I still drown in bills and am stressed out 85% of the time about it, mind you I only make $13/hour but hey, I may be barely making it by, but I still do what I can to help better the community rather than complain about it on the internet! Ever heard the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” or “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” ??? I highly encourage you to stop and really think about what you’re saying and think to yourself how you would feel if you were one of them! Stay humble people! Have a nice day!
Katelyn,
Sick to your stomach huh? Take a second to pause from your one sided rant about your addiction and the problems it caused you and think about what it could of caused people like Lisa who have had their neighborhood over ran with homeless addicts, sexual predators and the mentally ill only to be given the cold shoulder by Paso PD. How comfortable would you feel raising your child with this type of element squatting in your back yard, loitering all day watching you come and go from your house, making drug transactions in your front yard, burning trash and dumping their RV waste onto the ground all the while getting little assistance from authorities.
Just a thought, maybe people like Lisa arent soo heartless as you believe, but rather lived it as you put it, but on the other side.
I have been homeless. I understand how people get trapped in this cycle of homelessness. The cost of living is unreal. Folks on SSI or other fixed incomes cannot afford to live here. SSI pays $900/month. These are PEOPLE. People who don’t know where their next meal or shower will come from. People who cannot get jobs because they don’t have access to regular showers and clean clothes. People who are looked down upon, judged, treated as less-than, and shuffled around by police. The shelter has huge waiting lists, and if you are lucky enough to have a bed, you are kicked out at 7am. These people have nowhere to go. They are PEOPLE. They deserve just as much compassion & respect as you and I. How about instead of “dealing with vagrants”, we pray for them and reach out a helping hand? Hire these people, feed these people, HELP these PEOPLE. These “vagrants” are veterans, mothers, fathers, sons, , friends, and just some regular folks who fell on hard times. Share your blessings. Remain open minded.
Ashley thank you I couldn’t have said it better! Lee I’m not saying they’re the most respectful and considerate people but what’s to be expected when they’re literally being treated like trash by the more fortunate??? You’re absolutely right! I wouldn’t want my son raised around that, but I’m not living in the problem! I’m living in the solution so let us all come together as a community, and do what we can to help them and show them the light so they can get out of the dark tunnel they’re in! Just a thought!