Montecito Association Latest

Earlier this week, the Montecito Association’s new ad hoc committee met to discuss insurance woes and debris flow zones. “We heard from our members that they really feel a need for more information about getting and keeping insurance, as many of them are being hit with non-renewals from their insurance companies,” said Sharon Byrne, the Executive Director of the MA. The ad hoc committee was formed at last week’s standing room only board meeting, where several residents voiced concern over staggering price increases on their insurance policies, as well as concern over the status of their properties on the Debris Flow Risk Map.

The new committee is comprised of Byrne, MA board members Robert Kemp, Marshall Miller, Aimee Miller, Houghton Hyatt, Montecito Fire District’s Kevin Taylor, Montecito resident Patty Swenson, and Lisa Valencia from Supervisor Das Williams’ office. The first order of business is to gather info from Montecito residents who have had their policies canceled from their insurance companies; stay tuned to the Association’s website for the survey in the coming weeks. Once the info is gathered, a public forum will be held in the coming months, to give residents an opportunity to talk to public officials, get information, and voice concerns. 

The committee will also be facilitating a discussion regarding the Debris Flow Risk Map; it’s expected the map will be revised later this year to account for re-vegetation of the chaparral in our hillsides, and increased rainfall thresholds. The committee is looking into how the new Swiss-made ring nets will affect the potential debris flow risk, as well as how a proposed new debris basin on Randall Road could also heavily affect the red zones. “We know the debris basin could have an incredibly positive impact on areas below it, including in the Hedgerow. We want those residents to know that they would directly benefit from the basin being built,” Byrne said. 

We’ll have more on the committee and its efforts in future editions. For more information, visit www.montecitoassociation.org.