Thousands of Santa Rosa homeowners could soon face stricter fire safety rules as the City Council considers a major update to its “wildland urban interface” map this Tuesday.
Per the Press Democrat, the proposal would add roughly 3,100 properties—mostly around Taylor Mountain and Oakmont—to the city’s high-risk zones, requiring residents to follow rigorous weed abatement and vegetation clearing ordinances.
While Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal says the move aligns with new state safety data, some neighbors in Bennett Valley are pushing back, calling the designations arbitrary and fearing impacts on their insurance. Protesters have launched a petition asking the city to delay the vote and conduct ground-level assessments instead of relying on state models.
The council is set to take up the issue at 5:00 p.m. at City Hall.