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| OHCC LIVING | MARCH 2025 | 11 Balancing our Desires and Plantings – Be Safe. Our hearts are certainly heavy for those Los Angeles residents and businesses especially who lost all and are struggling to nd a balance for the future. It is not surprising that the situation has raised uneasiness for our own OHCC environment. We are thankful being in an HOA community to know there are environmental conditions that are on watch, and we want to address at least two of them. One is understanding what area(s) is(are) available to us as HO/residents and the other is increasing our knowledge of defensible space around our homes that can help to defend our homes against wildres by creating a perimeter. First, while our homes are under the City of Oceanside, a signicant portion of our slopes are also under the watch of the City of Carlsbad. Our large area along the southwestern axis from the front entrance of Cannon towards our park, known as the Carlsbad Calaveras Preserves, is managed by the City of Carlsbad. ese areas are not designed for public access, nor for any residential plantings or transport. Of particular concern for the HOA management and MB Landscape Committee are the slopes along the backs of homes on Arcadia Way over and up to the OHCC Park. is area provides a good understanding of the importance of the Master Common Areas, because they are the areas behind HO/resident's personal back yards and abut up to the Preserve areas. HOs or residents should not put any personal plantings in these Master Common Areas. Should some plantings be desired, the HO/resident must contact the Landscape Operations Director or place a work order request which is available on the OHCC website. And under no condition should any plant debris from HO or resident back yards be thrown over into the Preserve areas. ese steps and policies fall under the OHCC CC&Rs and Handbook Rules. Second, defensible space is creating a buer zone – space - between your property and surrounding plants that can help to slow or stop the spread of re, protecting homes from embers and ames or heat. is is considered re-resistant landscaping. e City of Oceanside recently noted, "Fire resistant landscaping involves more than basic yard maintenance. It combines plant selection that with smart planning and regular care, one can create a beautiful, water ecient, and re-resistant landscape. e buer zones, as noted above, are to create defensible space between the property and surrounding plants and divided into three zones: Zone 0 is 0-5 feet should be ember resistant; Zone 1 is 5-30 feet, Zone 2 is 30 to 100 feet. See a recent publication by City of Oceanside webpage, Feb 1, 2025* and a detailed article from 2023 in San Diego Union Tribune that instructs to choose re-wise plants and those to avoid.** *https.//readyforwildre.org/prepare-for-wildre/defensible- space; City of Oceanside, customercare.org@oceansidedca.org; Feb. 1, 2025 **What you should do when a major wildre erupts, San Diego Union Tribune, Sept.3, 2023 Landscape Committee

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