Insider Edition 72 | August 8, 2024 | | |
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Hello Windsor!
Did you attend the National Night Out event on Tuesday at the Town Green?
What a great turnout we had to meet and mingle with our local police, fire, and other emergency preparedness partners.
Special thanks to all the deputies and firefighters who came out in force to show off their equipment to the kids and our community.
The Town’s new K9 Police Dog, Benji, was also on hand for his first public appearance with his handler Deputy McDonell. We welcome them both to the Town.
I want to call your attention to two articles in this edition of the Insider both announcing special meetings in August.
Next Wednesday, August 14, the Town Council and Planning Commission will hold a joint meeting to review the Town’s response to the DEIS for the KOI Nation Shiloh Resort and Casino project. The meeting agenda can be found online at: https://www.townofwindsor.com/721/Agendas-Minutes-Videos
Then on Monday, August 26, we hope you can join us for our first community workshop on the development of the new Economic Development Strategic Plan. For more information, please visit the dedicated webpage.
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In this edition of the Insider:
Town Hall Oak Grove
Shiloh Resort & Casino Project
Joint Meeting - August 14
Road Closure - Shiloh Road
Fall Guide Is Here
Community Workshop - August 26
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Development & Construction List
Open House - September 14
Free Wildfire Home Assessments
Helpful Tips & Tricks
National Night Out
Fire Season - Close to Home
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Notice of Upcoming Tree Removals | |
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The Mediterranean Oak Borer (MOB) is an invasive ambrosia beetle discovered in Sonoma County within the last 18 months. Windsor has been hit specifically hard by this infestation and has removed seven (7) trees from public land in the last year. MOB infests oak trees, mainly valley oak, blue oak, and Oregon white oak. The beetles initially attack the crown of the tree and create tunnels (or galleries) in the branches, eventually invading the trunk and killing the tree. The infested trees can become a hazard when widespread galleries weaken the tree’s limbs and upper trunk. Over the winter, the Town worked quickly to create a treatment plan for the heritage oak trees on public property. Any treatment is considered experimental in nature since little is known about how to treat this beetle in our climate, however expert guidance is aligned to deem this treatment worth considering.
In the spring of 2024, over 500 Town trees were treated with herbicide as a preventative measure. Unfortunately, this treatment was unable to save the trees which were already showing infestation signs, and more will need to be removed. Locations include the oak grove at Town Hall and along Windsor River Road. Additionally, other trees on private property are showing signs of decline. For more information, please visit the webpage dedicated to this local crisis: https://townofwindsor.com/388/Tree-Protection
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SHILOH RESORT AND CASINO PROJECT | |
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Public comments are due on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement by August 26.
On July 10, 2024, the County of Sonoma issued a Press Release letting its residents know that the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs is now accepting public comments on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Koi Nation of Northern California’s proposed casino resort project southeast of Windsor.
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The federal agency is inviting the public to identify potential issues, concerns, and alternatives that have not yet been raised during its review of the proposed Shiloh Resort and Casino Project.
Written comments will be accepted through Aug. 26.
Please include your name, return address, and note “EIS Comments, Koi Nation Shiloh Resort and Casino” on the first page of your written comments or in the subject line of emailed comments. They should be emailed to chad.broussard@bia.gov or
Mailed to:
Amy Dutschke
Regional Director
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pacific Region
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825
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SPECIAL JOINT MEETING - AUGUST 14 | |
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Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the
Koi Nation of Northern California’s Proposed Casino Resort Project
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On Wednesday, August 14, both the Town Council and Planning Commission will meet at 5:30 PM for a Special evening workshop to comment on the DEIS. Specific comments will address environmental resources within the document, including, but limited to land, water, air quality, biological, cultural and paleontological, socioeconomic and environmental justice, transportation and circulation, land use, public services and utilities, noise, hazardous materials and hazards, and visual resources. | |
ROAD CLOSURE - SHILOH ROAD | |
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SMART Windsor Extension – August 9 through August 12
The next phase of construction of the SMART Windsor Extension will take place this weekend on
Shiloh Road. The reconstruction of the railroad crossing will close traffic starting on
Friday, August 9 at 8 PM to Monday, August 12 by 4 AM.
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Registration Opens
Monday, August 12 at 10am!
The Windsor Parks & Recreation Department
is excited to share the
Fall 2024 Recreation Guide!
You can view and download
the Guide here:
https://www.townofwindsor.com/588/Activities
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COMMUNITY WORKSHOP - AUGUST 26 | |
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Economic Development Strategic Plan
The Town of Windsor is developing an Economic Development Strategic Plan to provide clear direction for economic growth while outlining specific goals, strategies, and measures to enhance our local economy and tax base. We aim to create a robust and comprehensive plan in partnership with Economic Development Growth Strategies and the Natelson Dale Group. Community input is essential for the plan's success.
Join us for our first community workshop on August 26. We invite all residents and local business community members to participate in a discussion about Windsor's economic future. This is your opportunity to provide input on the types of new developments and businesses you would like to see in Windsor in the coming years.
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Community Workshop on Economic Development
Date: August 26, 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Town of Windsor City Council Chambers
This workshop is part of a broader community engagement plan that will take place throughout the summer and fall. The plan includes meetings with key stakeholders, community workshops, and sessions with Council members and staff.
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For more information, please visit the dedicated webpage, which we will be updated regularly during the development of the Strategic Plan, or contact Economic Development Manager, Tim Ricard at tricad@townofwindsor.com or 707-838-5339. | |
DEVELOPMENT & CONSTRUCTION LIST | | |
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Town’s Major Development and Construction Project Status List
The Town updates the
Major Development and Construction Project
list quarterly.
The list is intended to represent
projects in either one of three phases:
- Under Review
- Approved
- Under Construction
To view the list of all the projects, visit the Major Development and Construction Project List.
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OPEN HOUSE - SEPTEMBER 14 | |
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NetZero Wastewater Program Open House
Join the Town of Windsor at a special
Wastewater Treatment Plant Open House
Saturday, September 14 from 10 AM to 2 PM
located at 8400 Windsor Road
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FREE WILDFIRE HOME ASSESSMENT | |
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Wildfire Adapted Sonoma County
Are you looking to take the steps of home hardening and create defensible space around your home? The Wildfire Adapted Sonoma County (SoCo Adapts) is providing free home hardening and defensible space assessments. The assessments will assist you in understanding how to reduce vegetation risk and lessen wildfire vulnerabilities around your home.
To take advantage of this free home assessment and to sign up visit SoCoAdapts.com.
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Thank you for joining us!
On August 6, the Windsor Police Department with the Sonoma County Fire District hosted the National Night Out event. This was a fun-filled community event promoting police-fire community partnerships with patrol cars, fire trucks, emergency response vehicles, and a water splash tower game for the kids. Multiple Town partners were on sight helping to educate our community members. A big thank you to Windsor Police, Sonoma County Fire District, and Castenda’s Market for the food and drinks!
We hope you can join us next year!
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FIRE SEASON - CLOSE TO HOME | |
It’s Been an Early Start to Fire Season – Sonoma County Fire District | | |
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The Flora fire while outside of the Town of Windsor town limits, was very close to home. The fire started on July 27 at 4:41 PM along Chalk Hill Rd due to sparks from a vehicle driving with no front tire.
Our crews arrived quickly and worked with our neighboring fire partners to extinguish it quickly and were able to keep it to just 36 acres.
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Strike Team Deployments
In recent weeks, several Strike Teams made up of our dedicated firefighters have been deployed as part of the State’s Mutual Aid System to combat the many wildfires that have already consumed thousands of acres. Their commitment and expertise have played a crucial role in protecting lives and properties. We extend our gratitude to our brave crews and their families supporting them from home as they selflessly put themselves on the line to keep our communities safe. We’re very proud of their hard work and hope they stay safe and come home soon. We want to assure you that while we have several units assisting out of county, our stations remain fully staffed and ready to respond to any emergency. The recent fires in Sonoma County, the Flora, and the earlier Father’s Day Point Fire are reminders to all of us of the dangers of wildfires here.
We are in an unprecedented early fire season, about 90% of fires are human-caused and we need everyone to be vigilant and do their part to reduce the risk of wildfires.
How You Can Help
As we work through an unusually early fire season here, the Sonoma County Fire District urges everyone in the Town of Windsor to remain vigilant and proactive in preventing wildfires.
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Clear Vegetation: Regularly clear dead leaves, branches, and other flammable materials against your home and fence.
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Be Cautious: Exercise caution with BBQs, campfires, and yard equipment. Ensure all fires are completely extinguished and tools are appropriate, in good working condition, and used safely.
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Report Suspicious Activity: If you see any signs of smoke or suspicious activity, report it immediately.
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Stay Informed: Check out our new electronic sign in front of Station 1 at the corner of Old Redwood Hwy and Hembree. We’ll put important safety messages and emergency alerts like red flag warnings to keep you in the know.
SCFD remains committed to community engagement and education. We recently conducted a series of fire safety workshops and evacuation drills, designed to equip Windsor residents with the knowledge and skills to respond effectively during emergencies. We encourage everyone to participate in our upcoming events and stay informed about fire safety best practices.
Your cooperation and awareness are vital in helping us prevent fires and keep our Windsor community safe.
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Come Join Us!
The Town of Windsor is active with events year-round.
The following Town links will provide you with dates and event details to "mark your calendar".
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The Town of Windsor is looking for talented people.
For information on open positions, click here for the full list. If you have questions about working for the Town, please reach out to our Human Resources team at hr@townofwindsor.com.
Join our team! Go here to apply.
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Here are some public meetings and workshops we would love for you to participate in. For more information on the agenda, view the meeting, or the recording click on the meeting link. | |
As always, if you'd like to get the Insider sent directly to your email inbox, go to our Notify Me page to sign up. Please let us know what you think -- we welcome your feedback. | |
Follow us on social media! | |
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Town of Windsor
9291 Old Redwood Highway
Windsor, CA 95492
(707) 838-1000
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