The Thomas Fire started on December 4, 2017, and covered approximately 282,000 acres. A portion of the burn area was within the Santa Paula Geologic Hazard Abatement District (GHAD). ENGEO, as the GHAD Manager, viewed the site’s slopes after the fire to determine what was needed to protect improvements within the GHAD from erosion, debris flows, and shallow slope instability. ENGEO was contracted to have silt fences and hay bales installed to enhance the existing splash walls and protect the existing surface drainage improvements. The GHAD has maintained these erosion control measures as the vegetation reestablished.
The Ridgeview at Vista Glen development (Subdivision 5605) is located to the north end of 10th Street in the City of Santa Paula. Seventy-five single-family homes with improvements have been constructed within the development. Due to the potential for geologic hazards and related required ongoing maintenance, the Conditions of Approval for the Ridgeview at Vista Glen development required that it be included within a GHAD. In 2008, the Santa Paula City Council formed the Santa Paula GHAD under the authority of the California Public Resource Code (Division 17, commencing with Section 26500). The Santa Paula City Council members serve as the Board of Directors (“Board”) of the Santa Paula GHAD.
Following the GHAD formation, an assessment was imposed by the Board of Directors of the Santa Paula GHAD with the approval on July 21, 2008, of Resolution No. 2008-1(G). The assessment was approved for 75 parcels on the Ridgeview at Vista Glen Property. The GHAD was established to pay for the maintenance and repair of the drainage, open space, and geologic slope stabilization facilities as described in the Plan of Control.
