BY LWV OBSERVER CORPS
Editor’s note: Members of the League of Woman Voters of Los Alamos Observer Corps have been providing LWV members with reports on certain meetings in the County for many years. These reports have been included in the LWV’s monthly newsletter and now, at the invitation of the Los Alamos Reporter, will also be submitted to the Reporter for publication. The video of the full meeting may be seen at https://losalamos.granicus.com/player/clip/4919?view_id=2&redirect=true
Observer Corps Report – County Council – September 22
Homeowner Insurance and Wildfire, County Fiscal Participation in Local Commercial Projects: Pig and Fig Bakery and Café, Nambe Drugs Los Alamos, and 1735 Central Avenue (former CB Fox Building)
The session was attended by Chair Randall Ryti, Vice Chair Ryn Herrmann, and Councilors Theresa Cull, Melanee Hand, Suzie Havemann, Beverly Neal-Clinton, and David Reagor.
Homeowner Insurance and Wildfire
Council heard presentations about wildfire preparedness and the growing challenge of obtaining homeowners insurance in high-risk wildfire areas such as Los Alamos County.
Wildfire Preparedness
Wildland Fire Battalion Chief Van Leimer said Los Alamos has been classified as a high-risk community for about 20 years, sometimes making it increasingly difficult to obtain fire insurance. He listed initiatives taken by the County to increase the community’s resilience to future wildfires.
● Wildland Urban Interface Code. The County adopted a Wildland Urban Interface Code focused on defensible space and home hardening.
● Home inspections. The Los Alamos Fire Department (LAFD) conducts free home assessments to guide residents in making their properties more fire-resistant and thus improve the insurability of their homes. Recommended measures include Class A roofs, ember-resistant eaves and soffits, double-pane windows, and fire-resistant exterior materials.
● Clearing vegetation on private property. LAFD has run an extensive outreach campaign to educate and encourage homeowners to eliminate combustible vegetation within five feet of their home and to maintain well-spaced vegetation out to about 100 feet. Van Leimer said, “It makes it more defensible for us as firefighters to be able to go in and defend your home.”
● Reducing wildfire risk on public land. LAFD continues to reduce fire risk on County property along NM 502 opposite the airport and below the stables on North Mesa. Work is planned in White Rock and in Los Alamos Canyon below Fairway Drive.
Insurance challenges
Melissa Robertson of the New Mexico Property and Casualty Bureau said inflation and the increasing number of catastrophic losses are driving insurance costs higher. She said that in high-risk communities, insurance companies often refuse to renew home-owner policies. Robertson noted that, “Last year, Los Alamos had 41 non-renewals, with a 1.7 percent non-renewal rate.”
Robertson said that homeowners and business owners who are unable to secure insurance coverage in the private market can apply for coverage under New Mexico’s Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan. Under the FAIR Plan, property companies licensed in the State can provide coverage of up to $750,000 on residential properties, based on fire department protection, and up to $2M on commercial policies.
Robertson said that the State also promotes the Wildfire Prepared Home certification program, which is run by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. She said that property owners can apply for the program on the Wildfire Prepared website, work through a checklist, and then request a home inspection. She said that if the property gets certified, it may help the owner to maintain insurance coverage or to qualify for potential insurance discounts.
Community workshop
Robertson and representatives from insurance companies will participate in a community workshop on October 27 to provide information on the certification program, share the checklists, and answer questions from community members.
County Fiscal Participation in Local Commercial Projects
● Pig and Fig Bakery and Café redevelopment project. Council introduced a motion to adopt an MRA (Metropolitan Redevelopment Area) Project Agreement for Pig and Fig Bakery. The White Rock business proposes to renovate and improve access to an underutilized portion of its existing commercial space, allowing it to expand its services. Pig and Fig is requesting $106,000 from the Economic Development Fund in the form of an MRA grant and development agreement. A public hearing on the motion is scheduled for October.
● Redevelopment of former CB Fox building. Council introduced a motion to provide 1735 Central Development LLC with $6M through the County’s LEDA (Local Area Development Act) program, in the form of a $4M grant and $2M ten-year, zero-interest loan. The developers propose to renovate and convert the building to create small retail spaces, a commercial kitchen and food court, and a 20-room boutique hotel with a rooftop bar.
● Nambe Drugs Los Alamos redevelopment project. Nambe Drugs submitted a LEDA Retail application to support its expansion. The pharmacy proposes to relocate to the space vacated by Finishing Touch within Central Park Square, where it plans to expand the pharmacy and the services it offers. It is requesting County participation through the LEDA program as a grant that is subject to four-year performance terms.