CAMBRIA FOREST COMMITTEE
TO CONSERVE AND MANAGE THE NATIVE FOREST OF CAMBRIA
Minutes, November 12, 2014. Download pdf here Minutes November 2014
TIME: 6:30 PM
LOCATION: Rabobank, 1070 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428
1.0 Call to Order and Establish a Quorum: Crosby Swartz, Laura Swartz, Mark Miller, Bruce Mumper, Amanda Rice, Christine Heinrichs
2.0 Guest Speaker – Vari MacNeil, President, Beautify Cambria Association
Vari MacNeil’s presentation inspired an hour-long discussion of Cambria’s issues. The Monterey Pine Forest should be a unique identifying symbol of Cambria and central to its vision and branding. New trash cans have been designed that incorporates a planter. A prototype is being built. Amanda Rice is planning town meetings to encourage discussion of changes that could make Cambria more welcoming to tourists and comfortable for residents.
3.0 Approve Minutes of Previous Meeting: approved as corrected.
4.0 Treasurer’s Report” Laura Swartz reports $910.56, a $10 reduction for bank fees.
5.0 Sub-Committee Reports
5.1 Education/Planting/Mitigation/Operations
Review Invitation Letter and Address List: Crosby Swartz will continue to update the list of agencies and organizations previously involved with the Forest Committee and invite them to send a representative to meetings.
Pine Forest Interpretive Sign Location: Ms. Rice has not received approval from CSD General Manager Jerry Gruber for sign placement yet. The water project is taking all his attention. She suggests individual Forest Committee members may contact him. She has a meeting scheduled with him next week.
Cambria Community Council Grant Application: Laura Swartz is sorking on the application. A second location for a sign could be on FFRP or in the Santa Rosa Creek corridor. The sign could also be used as a tri-fold brochure.
PG&E Reliability Program – County Information: Crosby Swartz has been unable to make contact with PG&E’s new representative, Eric Daniels. No one has seen any cutting yet being done.
Highway 1 Shoulder Clean-up – Director Miller: Cal Trans’ representative Bruce O’Hagen did not attend a scheduled meeting with Chief Miller. Chief Miller is also working with Mike Anderson of the CCC and Dan Turner of Fire Safe. He welcomes Forest Committee members to oversee the project when it comes to fruition. No trees will be cut down. Plantings are possible in the cleared area.
Ecology and Cambria Forum – Director Heinrichs: Ms. Rice has contacted the Unitarian Universalist congregation for permission to use their building for public meetings. Various Cambria groups would have the opportunity to share information about their programs and hear from residents.
5.2 Forest Management
2014/15 Cap & Trade and SRA Grant Programs: Chief Miller will work with Dan Turner, who wrote the original grant application, to submit it to the new programs for funding. Ms. Rice is willing to consult. Chief Miller and Ms. Heinrichs will attend the November 20 Fire Safe meeting and discuss with Mr. Turner.
6.0 New Business
Cambria Water Project: Ms. Rice reported that the project will require screening from the State Park Campground and would be a good place to plant trees. The committee will approach District Engineer Bob Gresens for tree planting within Cambria before adding trees at the project site.
Ms. Rice is unhappy about the many cigarette butts along Highway 1 at the bus stop on Moonstone Beach Drive.
6.1 Set date for next meeting – holiday schedule
No meeting in December. Next meeting January 14. 2015
7.0 Unfinished Business
7.1 Recommend Locations for 40 Mitigation Trees: Approach CSD for sites in Cambria where trees can be planted.
8.0 Public Comments:
Vari MacNeil reported that she is in contact with Neil Ingraham of Fresno State University, who has conducted research on fog drip as a source of grand water recharge. He is willing to do a study in Cambria’s Monterey Pine Forest. Two volunteers and about $1,000 for collection equipment are needed. Rick Hawley has offered to supply these needs from Greenspace. The first results will record data from a year.
9.0 Adjournment
