When we bought our home on Rambla Pacifico 15 years ago, the R.O.R. Group was in the final stages of losing its battle to re-open Rambla. We didn’t fully comprehend the problem until two years later when the 1993 fire destroyed our neighborhood. Why was there such devastation and loss? When we finally evacuated and drove through the smoke and flames to get out (risking our lives, by the way), we finally made it to the top near Fire Station 8, where dozens of fire trucks were parked and firemen just standing around. Curious and a bit angry, we asked them why they weren’t trying to save some of the homes we saw burning and soon maybe our own. They said they had been told there was no way out, that Rambla Pacifico was a dead-end and they couldn’t risk equipment and men. Understandable, perhaps; acceptable, most definitely not. Especially since we learned days afterwards that there was a private, non-permitted road nicknamed “Pop’s Pass” just off Sumac Ridge, that went down to Las Flores, which could have been used by homeowners and firefighters. Why didn’t the firefighters know this?
Shortly thereafter, a group of homeowners up here decided we needed to take action and put in our own permitted private road, using our own money. The City seemed to think it was a great idea and would try to help us in every way possible. How long ago was that? Maybe 9, 10 years!! Why are we still without a safe access? Now that Hume Road is gone, and the detour around Briarbluff is certainly not accessible to fire equipment, why are we homeowners left to live in fear? Even if it’s a medical emergency, there’s still confusion on how to get EMT’s and ambulances up here. Why doesn’t the City feel some responsibility? Is it going to take the unfortunate death of one our neighbors (or us) for the City to finally take action?
Never mind the ensuing lawsuit that would probably bankrupt the City. What’s going to happen if a major fire starts? The only people who feel safe are those few homeowners who were granted use of non-permitted “Pop’s Pass.” And some of those are the very same homeowners who have continually stalled the progress of our private, permitted road. We’re at risk of total devastation to our neighborhood, again! We will then definitely hold the City responsible.
One final question: Why isn’t the City aggressively assisting our group in achieving the goal for a safe access to our homes?
Joe and Barbara Yarman