Paradise officials are expected to walk a fine line when they meet at the Paradise Alliance Church this evening, balancing fire resistance with reasonable costs at the outset of a lengthy reconstruction process.
A total of 20 items will be considered, some pricey, some not. One proposal would require sprinklers inside new residential construction—at an estimated cost of six to eight thousand dollars. Another is totally free and eliminates the annoyance of repeatedly cleaning out roof gutters, by prohibiting them.
Most are purely fire related, such as requiring defensible space, prohibiting rooftop objects that collect debris—such as needles and leaves—and permanent masonry foundations.
Others are more aesthetic, such as a proposal regulating roof pitch, aimed at making manufactured homes look more like stick built ones. Another proposal would set a minimum house size at either 800, 900 or 1,000 square feet. While a separate proposal would require manufactured homes to at least fit the proportions of a doublewide trailer.
Officials representing the town say the goal is reducing the town’s vulnerability to wildfire without making reconstruction too costly. The proposals were developed through a series of public meetings.
Proposals approved Tuesday will be developed into ordinances and return to the town council for further consideration.
The meeting gets underway this afternoon at 6 p.m. at the Paradise Alliance Church, 6491 Clark Rd. in Paradise.