Storm Preparation
Storms can cause extensive damage for homes and around the community. It's important to prepare your family and home for storms. The Public Works Department works diligently throughout the year to keep Belvedere residents safe.
Prepare your home for winter storms:
- Clean gutters and storm drains of leaves and debris regularly.
- Secure all outdoor furniture.
- Review an escape route in case you need to vacate your home because of a slide above or below you. Learn the safest routes to adjacent property or city streets.
Trees:
High winds and heavy rains can cause limbs to fall and impact tree stability. This cannot always be predicted, for trees you are concerned about, ask an arborist for a risk assessment. Report fallen trees to the Belvedere Police Department 415-435-3266.
Flooding
Flooding on the Tiburon Peninsula could occur when heavy rainfall is combined with high tides. Storm runoff can also cause flooding to hillside homes.
- If your house is in the path of heavy runoff, keep plywood, plastic sheeting and lumber on hand to divert water.
- If your house is in a low-lying flat area consider installing a sump pump with generator backup.
- If you need sandbags to keep water out of your home or garage, the city has three stations stocked with free sandbags: Community Road across from City Hall, lagoon Road at Maybridge Road, and West Shore Road across the street from #71. Locked to prevent theft at other times, the stations are unlocked prior to expected storms.
Preparation for landslides
- Inspect your property for land movement, retaining wall failure and blocked drainage ditches, storm water pipes or downspouts. Clean out ditches and drains for proper water flow away from the structure.
- If you suspect the potential for a landslide, contact an engineer to look for signs of land movement and review and, if necessary, repair any retaining walls.
- Meet with your neighbors to discuss mutual drainage problems and find solutions to the avert problem.
How the Public Works Department prepares for storms:
- During the leaf drop season, following wind events, and prior to rain events, our Public Works crew inspects all storm drains and cleans inlet grates to ensure the city drainage system is prepared for increased water flow.
- Year round, dead trees are removed and trees with structural weaknesses are pruned or removed.
- Throughout the rainy season, in addition to scheduled Friday sweeping, the street sweeper targets specific areas around town to remove leaf and debris that could possibly wash onto the grates and into storm drains.
- Prior to rain events, Public Works makes sure that our three Sandbag Stations (Community Road, Lagoon Road and West Shore Road) are inspected stocked at capacity. If a storm is predicted, they unlock the stations so residents will have access.
- Prior to and during rain events, the Public Works crew patrols the drainage system to ensure leaf and debris accumulations are removed to prevent flooding.
- Additionally, staff monitors “hot spots” that require more frequent maintenance during peak rain events to avoid flooding. To be ready to respond to storm-related emergencies, Public Works makes sure that its chainsaws and other equipment are fueled and prepared; that emergency generators and pumps are in working order; and that city vehicles are fueled up and ready to respond.