RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - The community’s perimeter emerged as a common thread in three key reports at the Rancho Murieta Association Board meeting on April 15.

Greg Pryor, president of the Rancho Murieta Fire Safe Council, renewed his call to automate the Escuela Gate during evacuations and apologized for coming on too strong at previous meetings.

Traffic Engineer John Long provided an update on a CALTRANS grant to fund a study to improve Jackson Highway. The goal is to enhance emergency evacuation routes from Rancho Murieta and ensure better access for emergency vehicles during heavy flooding.

Director Chris Childs, the chair of the Perimeter Security Ad Hoc Committee, reported that the group has identified serious vulnerabilities along the gated community’s boundaries. He also commended a Rancho Murieta Community Services officer for stopping a trespasser attempting to fish at Laguna Joaquin.

The most significant development was the public disclosure of a rift between Director Danny Carrillo and the rest of the board. (See "RMA Board Rift Emerges at Contentious Meeting".)

As president of the Fire Safe Council, Greg Pryor has spent years advocating for the automation of the Escuela Gate and the Bent Grass Court gates so they can be opened along with the two main gates during emergency evacuations. In his most recent presentation to RMA in January, Pryor focused solely on the Escuela Gate. That shift occurred because the Fire Safe Council decided to seek approval to automate the Bent Grass gates from the Rancho Murieta Community Services District (CSD), which owns them. The CSD Board has not yet discussed the proposal.

Speaking during public comments at the April meeting, Pryor opened with an apology. He explained that his passion about the gate and safety issues came from his role as president of the Fire Safe Council and his background as a former fire captain, but he acknowledged that his approach may have strained communication with the board.

“I’ve probably come on pretty strong, and I apologize for that,” he said. “I believe we have accomplished a lot together.”

Pryor also apologized for insisting that the board had voted to fund the gate but failed to follow through. After further research, he realized he had been mistaken.

Pryor highlighted several community accomplishments in fuel mitigation and fire safety, including securing a $4.4 million ladder fuel reduction grant, establishing a shaded fuel break on Scott Road, achieving the FireWise Community designation—which has helped lower insurance premiums—and obtaining a CALTRANS grant to study ways to improve evacuation routes along Jackson Highway.

Pryor said if communication could be opened and the gate automated in the next year, “I want to say to the community and the board that I will personally pay for the automation of Escuela Gate because I really believe in it.”

Pryor also provided each director with a handout: a copy of the minutes from a stakeholders meeting convened last year by former Supervisor Sue Frost to focus on automating the remote gates for evacuation. 

“We had the chief and a fire marshal in the stakeholder group, who agreed this was a real issue,” Pryor said. “Their conclusion was that it was the best idea that anyone could come up with, and they said they wouldn’t stand in the way of us getting it done.”

Two audience members, Patrick and Marji Salo, also advocated for the automation of Escuela Gate.

John Long, a retired engineer, updated the board on a CALTRANS grant obtained by Sacramento County that will fund a study to improve Jackson Highway infrastructure. The goal is to make it safer and more accessible during wildfires or flooding emergencies.

The impetus for the grant was the extensive flooding during the 2023 New Year’s storm, which temporarily cut off access to Rancho Murieta. In response, three Rancho Murieta residents affiliated with the Fire Safe Council—John Long, Greg Pryor and John Merchant—began conferring with former County Supervisor Sue Frost. She and Merchant put together a bus tour for county staff and elected officials to view the flood-prone areas firsthand, followed by a roundtable meeting a few days later that included representatives from law enforcement, fire services and CALTRANS.

Long said the participating Sacramento County staff recognized the critical safety concerns about evacuating during a wildfire and ensuring Jackson Highway remains open during floods so emergency vehicles can access the community. As a result, they decided to pursue grant funding to address both issues, with Long assisting in the application process.

“Our application convinced CALTRANS of these safety risks, and they awarded the county a grant last summer,” Long said.

However, CALTRANS took some time to process the grant, which delayed the county’s ability to go out to bid until February. A consultant has been selected to conduct the study, and the county is expected to sign a contract soon. Long added that he will serve as a volunteer advisor for the project, which will evaluate Jackson Highway from the Amador County line to Grant Line Road. The final product will be a comprehensive plan presented to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors for approval.

“The important outcomes I see from this effort is, one, we will know how long it will take this community to evacuate under various scenarios, and two, it should lead to an agreement with CALTRANS on a set of needed improvements to their highway,” Long said. 

Long told the board he attended the meeting to give them a heads-up. 

“Probably by next month, the RMA will be asked by the county or its consultants to participate in this important study,” he said.

Director Chris Childs, chair of the Perimeter Security Ad Hoc Committee, reported on the group’s activities, including a field survey of the community’s western boundary. He described walking through wet grass and marshlands while wearing safety vests to assess security risks.

During the walk, the committee identified a significant vulnerability in the northwest corner of the community, where there is no fence and individuals can easily enter from Stonehouse Road.

Childs also noted that they observed a mountain biker effortlessly crossing the fence near a radio tower—indicating unauthorized access to the community.

Childs emphasized that the perimeter security vulnerabilities are “staggering” and said the committee is actively working on potential solutions. That effort will include collaborating with Mark Parsons, RMA’s architectural review manager, to clarify property ownership and maintenance responsibilities along the boundary.

He added that the committee plans to present “really substantive suggestions” for the board to consider and their associated budget impacts. 

“I think we owe it to the residents to make this place as safe as we can,” he concluded.

Childs also shared a story about a trespasser who was caught in the act, thanks to the quick response of a CSD security officer. Childs was waiting at the signal to turn onto Murieta Parkway when he noticed a pedestrian in the crosswalk carrying two fishing poles and pulling a Yeti cooler stacked with two tackle boxes.

A CSD security officer approached the man as he ducked under the trees and attempted to enter through the Lago Drive gate. When Childs identified himself to the officer a short time later, he learned the man was not a resident but claimed he was meeting someone at Laguna Joaquin. He couldn’t provide a name but attempted to call someone. The officer told Childs he would wait to confirm the resident’s identity if one showed up—or escort the trespasser out of the community if not.

Childs praised the officer’s conduct. 

“I would like to commend the CSD Security Department for doing a really good job,” he said.

During his general manager’s report, Rod Hart announced that Tractor Supply will host the National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day event on May 3 from noon to 3 p.m. He emphasized the importance of resident participation in helping to maintain Rancho Murieta’s FireWise Community certification, which has contributed to reduced insurance premiums. Hart noted that first responders, the Fire Safe Council and other key stakeholders will participate in the event.

Director Danny Carrillo, chair of the Communications Committee, reported that his group is still working to obtain a Meta Verification subscription, which would enhance RMA’s visibility on its website and Facebook page. 

“We are still on the waiting list,” he said. “Evidently, it is a popular feature.”

Board President Pat O’Hern, who chairs the Maintenance Committee, reported that the Pickleball Club has approached RMA requesting three additional courts. He also noted that the Entertainment, Theatre, and Culture Committee (ETC) is seeking more concrete work at the Lake Clementia Amphitheater.

Director John Haviland, chair of the Recreation Committee, said the spray park will open May 24 and that planning is underway for July 4 celebrations.