Portola Valley Update April 18, 2024

This week's update:

• Opt-In Housing Diversification Program FAQ Now Available
• 2024 Chipper Program
• Free Compost Give Away for Portola Valley Residents – April 18th
• Wildfire Preparedness Tip – Meet the Fire Marshal; Prepare for Ordinance 24-01
• Conservation Committee Tip of the Month
• Neighborhood Clean-Up April 27th
• Register for the Sudden Oak Death (SOD) Blitz
• San Mateo County Youth for Climate Policy - April 30th 5-6pm
• Upcoming Events

Opt-In Housing Diversification Program FAQ Now Available

The Opt-In Housing Diversification Program is a Program in the Town's Housing Element. It was created to satisfy the State housing element law requirement that the Town provide housing opportunities dispersed throughout the community. The main goal of the Opt-In Housing Diversification Program is to help encourage diverse housing development and types across Portola Valley.

Note the program is not currently available and is targeted to go into effect in September 2025. Before the program can go into effect, objective design and development standards, incentives, and process to implement the program needs to be established, which is anticipated to be completed by June 2025.

Please view the FAQs here. Scroll down to the Opt-In Housing Diversification drop-down.

2024 Chipper Program

The Towns of Portola Valley and Woodside and the Woodside Fire Protection District (WFPD) are once again offering the neighborhood Chipper Program. This collaborative fuel reduction program helps residents reduce the wildfire threat to their homes and the community-at-large. The Program runs from May 6, 2024 - October 28, 2024

The Fire District asks that you stack your materials by 7:00 a.m. along the roadside no more than 14 days prior to your scheduled chipping day (2024 Chipper Schedule). Please bring the materials you would like chipped to the roadside, and the Woodside Fire Fuel Mitigation Crew. will take care of the rest. Fuels such as brush and tree limbs are accepted, and branches with diameters up to 8" are acceptable. For full details and restrictions, please see WFPD Chipper Program website:

No eucalyptus bark or poison oak

No nails, wires or screws

Branches must be stacked in a neat pile with all of the cut ends facing the road

Do not stack more than a 10' x 10' pile of branches

No signup or registration is required. For more information, please contact WFPD at (650) 851-1594 or visit www.woodsidefire.org .

Free Compost Give Away for Portola Valley Residents – April 18th

The Town of Portola Valley, in collaboration with GreenWaste, is offering free compost for residents of Portola Valley. The giveaway will take place at the Schoolhouse parking lot starting in the morning of April 18th. You can come by early or stop by when you come to the Farmers Market.

Portola Valley households are entitled to one bag each, available on a first-come, first-served basis until supplies run out. This initiative aims to promote sustainable waste management practices. And the positive impact composting has on our soil and environment.

Derived entirely from recycled green and yard waste, this compost is designed to benefit soil health. However, it's important to note that you can't just stick seeds directly into it – it's more like a soil booster than a planting medium.

So, what makes this compost so special? Well, it's packed with benefits. It helps soil retain water better, improves its structure, boosts organic matter content, and enhances microbial activity. Plus, there are different ways to apply it, whether by mixing it into the soil, blending it with other materials, or using it as a top dressing. With GreenWaste's compost, gardens can thrive and flourish like never before.

Learn more about the composting facility used by Greenwaste.

GreenWaste Z-Best Composting Facility

GreenWaste Z-Best Facility Virtual Tour

Wildfire Preparedness Tip – Meet the Fire Marshal; Prepare for Ordinance 24-01

Fire Marshal Kim Giuliacci continues to work hard on the fuel mitigation ordinance now known as Ordinance 24-01. FM Giuliacci is manning a Fire Safety Corner table to answer the public’s questions, please take advantage of her remaining outreach:

Thursday Apr-18-2024 @ 4:00-6:00 PM at Roberts Market in Portola Valley

Thursday Apr-25-2024 @ 4:00-6:00 PM at Bianchini's Market in Ladera

Please tell your neighbors about the changes coming with this ordinance, because everyone will be affected. Also, please join the WPC meeting this Wed Apr-17-2024 @ 4:00 PM to get the latest updates. As part of enforcing the new ordinance, WFPD will inspect all parcels over 3 years. In 2024, WFPD will start the inspections with Woodside properties in Zones 1,2, and 3 as shown on this map.

Conservation Committee Tip of the Month

Purple Invasive Thistles

Non-native thistles are unsightly, fire-prone, spread aggressively, and many can render land unusable. They also have very annoying spines that can penetrate leather gloves. Now is a great time to get them out while they are small and the soil is wet – but be sure to get the root.

Large areas can be managed with mowing, but it needs to be done multiple times to get all the flower heads. Once they blossom they spread their seed to your neighbor’s yard and our open spaces.

Photos of seedlings and adults of four of our most prevalent purple invasive thistles: