Dear Cambrians,

As we head into another fire season with below-average rainfall, the Cambria Community Services District reminds all residents that wildfire preparedness is a shared responsibility. Living in a small coastal community with tightly packed neighborhoods surrounded by beautiful but highly flammable natural vegetation means that the actions of each property owner impact the safety of the community as a whole. Creating and maintaining proper defensible space, removing dead or overgrown vegetation, and completing weed abatement are critical steps we all must take to reduce the risk of wildfire.

Our Fire Department will be actively conducting inspections very soon and is available to provide guidance and resources to help you meet defensible space requirements. But true community safety takes all of us working together. The more we can do now to clear vegetation and maintain our properties, the better prepared we will be to protect our homes, our neighbors, and the entire community when fire danger is high.

Thank you for taking action to keep Cambria safe and resilient. Together, we can make a real difference this fire season.

Administrative & Finance Departments

Records Retention Project

During the month of April, my assistant and I began conducting a comprehensive review of all district records to determine which must be retained and which can be securely destroyed in accordance with the District’s records retention schedule.

In just a few short days, we’ve made significant progress. Once this process is complete, all district records will be stored onsite, eliminating the need for offsite storage with Vital Records Control (VRC).

This effort is aimed at enhancing efficiency, ensuring compliance with our retention policies, improving accessibility to important district records, and eliminating the ongoing monthly cost associated with offsite storage. Since 2020, the CCSD has spent approximately $47,000 to store and deliver records. 

Cambria Fire Department

Meet the Fire Chief

On Monday, April 7, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Fire Chief Michael Burkey will be working out of the Cambria Veterans' Memorial Hall and would love to meet you and hear your thoughts on anything related to the Cambria Fire Department. 

CCSD Summary of Ordinance an Ordinance Adding Chapter 6.05 to the CCSD Municipal Code Relating to Weed Abatement Standards

This Ordinance Summary is published in accordance with the provisions of Government Code Section 25124.

On March 13, 2025, the Board of Directors of the Cambria Community Services District introduced Ordinance 01-2025, adding Chapter 6.05 to the Cambria Community Services District Municipal Code regarding Weed Abatement Standards.

Cambria Community Services District Summary of Ordinance

Ordinance 01-2025 will add a new Chapter to the District’s Municipal Code to set forth standards for weed abatement to facilitate regulation and control of the growth and accumulation of weeds, grasses, and other combustible vegetation, in order to reduce fire risks and protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the community. The Ordinance includes definitions of “Weeds,” “Noxious Plants,” and “Hazardous Trees,” and provides standards for property owners to maintain their property in accordance with Chapter 49 of the California Fire Code Section 4906 and 4907, as well as for the abatement of weeds and hazardous trees. Exceptions are also specified in the Ordinance.

The Ordinance also declares that weeds, grass, and combustible vegetation growing or accumulating upon private property within the District, which do, or will when dry, create a fire hazard and which by virtue thereof constitutes a danger to the property and to neighboring property or the health or welfare of residents of the property and the people residing in the vicinity constitutes a public nuisance. The Ordinance includes provisions for enforcement and abatement of properties that constitute a fire hazard and public nuisance pursuant to the District’s Civil Administrative Citation procedures contained in Chapter 1.14 of the District’s Municipal Code. Costs of abatement can be recovered in accordance with Section 1.14.090 and Notices of Lien may also be recorded pursuant to that Section.

The Board of Directors must vote again to adopt the Ordinance. That action is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, 2025, at a regular meeting to begin at 10:00 a.m. Members of the public can submit written comments to the Confidential Administrative Assistant at boardcomment@cambriacsd.org and view and participate in the meeting as follows:

Please click this URL to join.

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In accordance with Government Code Section 25124, a certified copy of the full text of the proposed Ordinance is available for public review and inspection electronically below and at the following location:

Cambria Community Services District                     

2150 Main Street, #1-A                                

Cambria, CA 93428                                                  

For more information, please visit our website.

For questions, please call the Cambria Community Services District at (805) 927-6223.        

Fire Engineer Recruitment

The Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) is currently accepting applications for the Fire Engineer position. This recruitment will remain open until Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. For more information, please click here.

2025 Fire Hazard Fuel Reduction Program (FHFRP)

Each year, the Cambria CSD Fire Department conducts a Fire Hazard Fuel Reduction Program (FHFRP) to abate vegetation and hazardous wildland fire fuels. The FHFRP is carried out pursuant to the authority contained in Government Code Sections 61100(d) and (t) and Health and Safety Code Sections 14875 et seq. and is initiated by the CCSD Board of Directors adoption of a resolution declaring the vegetation and hazardous wildland fire fuels on the identified properties to be a public nuisance. In this respect, it should be noted that the definition of “weeds” in Health and Safety Code Section 14875 includes “Dry grass, stubble, brush, litter, or other flammable material which endangers the public safety by creating a fire hazard.”  

This annual requirement is an effort to reduce the fire hazard caused by the accumulation of combustible materials on vacant parcels. Keep in mind that the forest helps define Cambria, and it is important that we reduce the fire hazard without destroying its ability to regenerate. Make every effort to protect seedlings, young native trees, ferns, and bushes by marking them prior to cutting. Property owners are required to clear all combustible vegetation and/or debris from their property by the deadline of July 1, 2025.

For more information, please click here.

Water & Wastewater Departments

Please refer to the April 10, 2025, Board Meeting agenda packet to read the latest utilities report.

Understanding Your Badger Water Meter

Your Badger Meter provides four rotating screens of information:

1. 9-Digit Consumption Display (45 Seconds)
   • Displays your total water usage with the highest level of accuracy.
   • For your purposes, only the first 4 underlined digits are necessary to read.
2. 6-Digit Consumption Display with Leak Detector (5 Seconds)
   • Functions like the traditional mechanical dials with 6-digit readings.
   • Features a segmented leak detector on the top right corner that moves in a circular motion to indicate water flow, even at low levels.
   • You only need to read the first 4 underlined digits for your water usage.
3. Rate of Flow (5 Seconds)
   • Displays the current water flow in gallons per minute (GPM).
4. Meter Model (5 Seconds)
   • Identifies the meter type. This information is for internal utility use only.

When reading your water meter for billing purposes, focus on the first four digits displayed.

• Billing Units:
  • The first four digits have dotted lines above and below them.
  • These represent your total water consumption in billing units.

Your water meter provides real-time information about your water usage through a series of rotating screens. The meter will automatically cycle through these screens, giving you accurate and up-to-date information.

If you have any questions about reading your Badger Meter or noticing irregular water usage, please contact us at (805) 927-6223.

CCSD Board of Directors Meeting

Regular Board Meeting

📅 Date: Thursday, April 10, 2025
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428

Public Participation:
✉️ Written comments may be submitted via email to boardcomment@cambriacsd.org or through the submission portal at least 24 hours before the meeting.

Upcoming May Board Meeting Items (subject to change):

• Receive and File the Investment Report for the Quarter Ended March 31, 2025
• Receive and File the Independent Auditor's Report for Fiscal Year 2023/24
• Discussion and Consideration of Third Quarter Budget Report for FY 2024/25
• Discussion and Consideration of Adoption of a Resolution Confirming the Itemized Report of Water and Wastewater Standby or Availability Charges for Collection on the County Tax Rolls
• Discussion and Consideration of Acceptance of Funding from PG&E and APCD for the EV Fleet Charging Project

CCSD Standing Committee Meetings

Finance Committee Meeting

📅 Date: Monday, April 14, 2025
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: Veterans' Memorial Hall, 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428
💻 Zoom Webinar: Available for virtual attendance

Public Participation:
✉️ Members of the public can submit written comments to be read at Standing Committee meetings.

Resources & Infrastructure Committee Meeting

📅 Date: Monday, April 14, 2025
⏰ Time: 2:00 PM
📍 Location: Veterans' Memorial Hall, 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428
💻 Zoom Webinar: Available for virtual attendance

Public Participation:
✉️ Members of the public can submit written comments to be read at Standing Committee meetings.

Fire Protection Committee Meeting

📅 Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
⏰ Time: 10:30 AM
📍 Location: Veterans' Memorial Hall, 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428
💻 Zoom Webinar: Available for virtual attendance

Public Participation:
✉️ Members of the public can submit written comments to be read at Standing Committee meetings.

On Monday, April 7, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., I will be working out of the Cambria Veterans' Memorial Hall and would love to meet you and hear your thoughts on everything, Cambria. We will provide coffee and snacks; as always, we welcome your feedback and ideas. 

If you have any concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Thank you again for your support; I am at your service. 

Matthew McElhenie