Letters to the Editor: City should require Buck Gully-area residents to clear vegetation as fire-prevention measure

With the recent catastrophic fires in California, residents of Newport Beach should examine fire hazards that are present right here in our city.

A good example is Buck Gully in Corona del Mar. The southern end of Buck Gully is adjacent to homes in Corona Highlands, Shorecliffs and Corona del Mar village. Thick brush and trees from Buck Gully abut most of the homes on the perimeter of these neighborhoods.

If a fire started in Buck Gully on a day with high winds, flames from this vegetation could easily race down the canyon and spread to homes in these neighborhoods.

Homeowners adjacent to Buck Gully have property lines that go down to the bottom of the canyon, so it is the homeowners’ responsibility to clear vegetation from this land.

At the moment, the city can’t force homeowners to clear vegetation on their property in Buck Gully. In order to reduce the risk of a catastrophic fire in Corona Highlands, Shorecliffs and Corona del Mar village, I urge the City Council and the Fire Department to immediately begin studying an ordinance requiring homeowners to clear vegetation from their lots in Buck Gully.

Linda Oeth

Corona del Mar

Newport Beach should not add housing

Re. the proposed Koll Center residences project: Newport Beach only needs additional housing in order to expand. We do not want it to expand.

Nancy Kaufman

Newport Beach

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