Quick hits

County settles price for billboard

The Board of Supervisors has reached an agreement to pay $285,000 for a billboard acquired to provide land for the future La Crescenta Public Library on Foothill Boulevard.

The library is now under construction and is due to be completed next year. The billboard was owned by CBS Outdoor, and was a single-sided bulletin type approximately 14 feet by 48 feet.

The county proceeded to acquire the property through eminent domain. Purchase price agreed to after mediation was $285,000.

County opposed state brush bill

The Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted to oppose Senate Bill 1618, which would give precedence to property protection over environmental and habitat protection in brush clearance policy in high fire risk areas.

Most particularly the bill, by Republican Dennis Hollingsworth of Murrieta, would allow local fire officials to authorize brush clearance on state or federal property to allow up to a 300 foot defensible area around privately owned dwellings.

The board voted 4-1 against the bill, with the no vote coming from Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who said the legislation would help protect homes from wild fires like those which occurred last year.

County fire officials said the 300 foot radius is unnecessarily broad, and is three times the current state law. The county enforces a 200-foot radius.

According to the department of public works, the bill would result in the loss of sensitive habitat, and current county rules provide a balance between protection of structures and habitat.