Town manager: Housing element found in compliance; town roofs replaced and solar permits issued; new Cal Fire map due Feb. 24

Town Manager Kevin reported three items of townwide significance at the Feb. 11 meeting:

1) Housing element compliance: The town received a letter from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) dated Jan. 26 stating the town’s housing element — after the Jan. 14 council action to amend zoning language — is substantially compliant. Kevin credited staff and community participants for the work to reach that milestone.

2) Solar-ready roofs: The town has replaced the roofs on Town Hall and Independence Hall in preparation for installation of solar photovoltaic systems. Staff said permits for the solar installation have been issued and that the roof work cost about $85,000 in total; staff expects installation to begin within the next couple of months.

3) Cal Fire map and next steps: Cal Fire will provide an updated fire-hazard map to Bay Area jurisdictions, including Woodside, on Feb. 24. By statute, the town must publish the map for public comment and adopt an ordinance incorporating the map within 120 days of receipt. Town and fire-district staff said they will coordinate public outreach, and the town manager and mayor said they are pursuing state and county funding and other resources for hazard reduction, hazard-tree removal on town property and for a townwide evacuation drill planned for 2026.

Councilors asked technical questions about the zoning language and the timetable for comment and ordinance adoption; staff said the update will likely have limited immediate regulatory effect in Woodside because the town already applies enhanced wildfire-building-code standards townwide, but staff and council said they will review the map and make recommendations if necessary.