Some of the heaviest rainfall and snow totals in years has hit Saunders Meadow and the hill communities. Since October, over 25 inches of rain has fallen. Snow totals have exceeded averages, with February storms leaving behind 2 to 3 feet of snow. The much needed moisture has filled hill water storage facilities, but in its wake has damaged key roads into the area. Major connections from Banning and Hemet have been closed due to road washouts, with CalTrans working hard to re-open both 243 from Banning and 74 from Hemet. The road from Hemet is expected to open in early September, with 243 not expected to re-open until mid to late November. Until then the only way up the hill is the eastern side of 74, coming up from the desert or Anza and with pilot cars and special hours on the western side of 74. In Saunders Meadow, the heaviest damage to roads occurred on Tanglewood and Macteckelwood, with plans underway to repair the damage.
Prior to the rainy season, Saunders Meadow private roads were trimmed back to meet the Fire Department requirements. After the Cranston fire, we received notification that some of our roads had overgrown trees/shrubs that would prohibit access to fire trucks. To insure the safety of our residents, the board reacted quickly to trim vegetation to meet the Department’s requirements.