Board of Supervisors workshop scheduled July 19 for public input on evacuation zone access policy

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The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will conduct a public workshop beginning at 8:45 a.m. during its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 19 to collect input toward possible development of an evacuation zone agricultural and livestock access program.

Members of the public can find out more information on how to attend in person or view the workshop via Zoom, as well as see instructions on how to provide public comment, by clicking on the July 19 meeting agenda here: https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. 

The meeting agenda and materials will be available 8 days prior to the meeting on July 11. Public comment may be made live during the Zoom meeting or live, in person, within the Board Chambers.

Following regional wildfire disasters in 2017, 2018 and 2019, the county invited 43 different stakeholder groups to provide input and held 18 stakeholder meetings to address concerns related to access to agriculture and livestock operations during mandatory evacuation, including the safety of operators and workers. 

On February 1, the Board of Supervisors established an Ad Hoc Committee to support a collaborative policy development process and to ensure that state law AB 1103, which was passed in 2021 and authorizes counties to establish an evacuation zone access program, is implemented in a way that supports the needs of local workers and operators.

The Ad Hoc Committee includes:

• Supervisor Chris Coursey
• Supervisor Lynda Hopkins
• Christopher Godley, Director of Emergency Management
• Andrew Smith, Agricultural Commissioner
• Alegria de la Cruz, Director of Office of Equity
• James Naugle, Sonoma County Assistant Sheriff
• Stephanie Larson, UC Cooperative Extension

Spanish-language interpretation will be available for those attending the meeting in person as well as those attending via Zoom.

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 Media Contact: 
Dan Virkstis, Communications Specialist 
publicaffairs@sonoma-county.org 
(707) 565-3040 
575 Administration Drive, Suite 104A 
Santa Rosa, CA 95403