May 15, 2019
Dear Red Rock Ranch Resident,
In support of Red Rock Ranch HOA’s FireWise program, we have partnered with El Paso County Department of Public Works to prioritize HOA roads to begin improving emergency access and evacuation routes. The County’s Right of Way (ROW) Maintenance Team will be cutting, trimming, and thinning trees and shrubs to 1) improve safety by extending intersection sight distances, 2) clear trees and branches crowding the ROW, 3) remove limbs that could interfere with emergency vehicles and resident evacuation, and 4) reduce shady areas for better snow and ice melt.
In coordination with the FireWise Committee, and before any trees or shrubs are cut or trimmed, the County will first have their surveyors locate and then stake the ROW with ORANGE and WHITE ribbon. County ROW clearing and trimming will focus on RED ROCK DRIVE, RED FOREST ROAD and FOREST VIEW ROAD.
The County ROW Maintenance Team plans to conduct necessary ROW work in phases as schedules permit, with the first phase scheduled for the month of May. The ROW Team will be removing limbs that are less than 19 feet high and hanging out/above the ROW and over the traveled roadway. County work will also include cutting back shrubs/scrub oak that intrudes onto the front side of ditch and improving intersection sight lines and distances.
The FireWise Committee strongly supports the County’s proactive ROW cutting and clearing, as their efforts will measurably improve resident safety and survivability in the event of a wildfire event. The Committee will continue working with the County’s ROW Maintenance Team to plan for additional phased ROW clearance in our HOA.
For questions, please contact Dave Betzler, Chair FireWise Committee,
Respectfully,
Beth Lonnquist
President, Red Rock Ranch HOA
