Held November 3, 2021 via webinar
Water and fire issues are not mutually exclusive – they are deeply connected to more extreme weather patterns. The devastating effects of seemingly never-ending fire seasons, drier winters and hotter summers are being felt across the state. We have stressed eco-systems, dried up reservoirs and wells, urban heat islands, hard hit farms and rural communities, and the state’s ever-present need for more housing is pushing development in more rural areas.
So, what’s a LAFCo to do? What is the outlook? What is the state doing in terms of planning and preparing for that outlook? What can local governments be doing to address and prepare for what seems like a bleak forecast? How can local governments partner with each other and the state to better prepare for and respond to these issues?
Join us for this highly informative session that will address these critical questions from several unique perspectives. We will hear from the Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board on state-level policies and trends related to the drought and water issues, and the impacts to communities. CAL Fire will share short-term and long-term projections given the ongoing drought and climate conditions, along with their perspective how local governments providing fire services, can collaborate and partner with each other and CAL Fire to deal with what is sure to be a bleak short-term future. The Governor’s Office of Planning & Research (OPR) will offer best practices for local governments in the areas of land use and resource planning given the current state of the State, and a perspective on how districts-cities-counties-LAFCos can partner and collaborate to address these issues. With the help of LAFCo legal counsel, we will then explore what specific LAFCo actions and perspective shifts are needed to support the “now and future new normal”.
Webinar is available for on-demand viewing for CALAFCO Members only.
