WELCOME!
This website contains current information about Carmel Views including the agendas and minutes of Board meetings, project status reports, the Association’s governing documents (CC&R’s/Bylaws), and notices of upcoming events. We intend to update the website frequently as new information becomes available. Comments and suggestions are welcomed at: cvcaboard@gmail.com
GENISTA FUELS WILDFIRES
Join the Carmel Views campaign to eradicate genista from our neighborhood!
- SEE it in your yard
- PULL it out by the roots
- PUT it in your green waste bin
Did you know that the yellow-flowering plant now blooming along our roadsides is a serious fire hazard? It’s a highly invasive weed called Genista (scientific name Genista monspessulana) – or “French Broom.”
Carmel Views is calling on YOU to help to eradicate Genista from our neighborhood. Become a “Genista Warrior” today in three easy steps!
(1) Understand the Genista Threat
It’s hard to imagine how such an attractive plant can be so destructive. But allowing Genista to grow in your yard intensifies wildfire risks to your home and property and to our community.
Genista burns easily and intensely, spreading wildfires and providing ladder fuels that enable fire to reach tree canopies. Because Genista produces prolific seed and grows rapidly, it rapidly invades new areas and establishes dense stands.
Don’t take our word for it. Genista has been declared a fire hazard and weed threat by (among many others) Monterey County, The California Invasive Plant Council, The Santa Lucia Conservancy, and numerous California Counties and municipalities (e.g., Marin and Santa Barbara).
(2) Learn How to Identify Genista (French Broom)
Genista is a green shrub with bright yellow flowers that ranges from a few inches to more than 8-feet high. Its leaves are less than an inch long and come in clusters of three. The flowers look like pea blossoms.
To learn how to identify Genista, watch this YouTube Genista Video made by our neighbor Maureen McEachen or take a look at this handy French Broom Identification Card provided by the California Invasive Plant Council.
(3) Eliminate Genista from Your Yard
While the ground is still damp from recent rains – seize the opportunity (literally!) to easily pull-out Genista. It will become much more difficult as things dry up and the ground hardens.
Hand pulling works well for small to medium sized plants. But for bigger or deeply rooted plants, you can borrow a special tool called a “PullerBear” from CVCABoard@gmail.com. Watch this YouTube PullerBear Video to see how the PullerBear works.
If you want to use chemical herbicides to control extensive or dense Genista infestations, take a look at these Best Practices for Using Roundup compiled by our neighbor Alexis Speidel.
Make sure to remove all Genista plants that you see – large and small. And, because Genista seed can stay dormant in the ground for years, stay vigilant! Routinely monitor your yard for new Genista seedlings and remove them promptly before they become a bigger problem.
Willing to act but need more help? During April and May, a team of knowledgeable Carmel Views community members will be available to talk with you, upon request, about how to identify and remove Genista. Contact CarmelViewsFirewise@gmail.com if you would like to schedule a visit by a member of our volunteer team.
CHIPPER DAYS
The Cypress Fire Protection District has announced its chipper program for 2023. The dates for the program will be:
- March 6 – 17, 2023
- July 10 – 21, 2023
- September 11 – 22, 2023
- October 30 – November 10, 2023
See the Cypress Fire Chipper Program website for more information.
Please call Josh Silveira at 831-601-8540 if you think that Cypress Fire’s contractor worked in Carmel Views but missed a pile of branches. Josh is a Battalion Chief at Cal Fire. Please call promptly while the contractor is still in the area.
Please do not put out anything to be chipped more than two weeks before the start of the next chipper program. Piles of cuttings left next to the road for long periods of time are unsightly, and they could become a fire hazard as they dry out.
The chipper contractor will not accept genista. Please put it in your green yard waste container.