Defensible space ordinance

An Amador Pines resident said that after two years of asking, the county produced only a 'good neighbor letter' with no enforceable rules for vacant lots, noted the existing ordinance contains a 'no duty to enforce' clause, and cited Merced County's disc-or-mow firebreak ordinance as a model.

He argued the 'no duty to enforce' language doesn't preclude enforcement, said his insurance jumped from about $500 to $3,000 in two years, and asked for official violation notices rather than a good-neighbor letter he doubts 1 percent of recipients would act on.

An Amador Pines resident called the good-neighbor letter 'offensive' to homeowners who've cleaned their own property, noting vacant-land owners bear no responsibility, and cited surviving the Butte Fire on 40 acres in Calaveras as proof defensible space works.

A Pioneer resident agreed with prior speakers, said she maintains her own yard while neighbors spray but leave dead weeds, and insisted each owner must be responsible for their own property with the county using its authority to compel cleanup.

A Pioneer resident and Workers Firewise community member, on Zoom, said overgrown vacant properties that would violate rules if they had houses need some form of weed-abatement pressure on owners.

The Amador fire prevention officer explained the good-neighbor packet is an olive branch, not a replacement for enforcement, and clarified it only seeks clearance of the difference needed to reach 100 feet of defensible space, not entire lots.