[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6152445,"mediaKeyId","5498449-084d40b55b736668d1a1ecd0a4ba9963","parentId",5498449,"title","Fish Camp road-widening moves ahead; culverts, parking and winter access remain key concerns","audioSeconds",976,"startMs",784000,"endMs",1760000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5498449-084d40b55b736668d1a1ecd0a4ba9963&start=784&end=1760","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5498449-084d40b55b736668d1a1ecd0a4ba9963/thumbnail_784000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6152445/Mariposa-County/California/Fish-Camp-road-widening-moves-ahead-culverts-parking-and-winter-access-remain-key-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152445-f9a09340dddd417fb6b26c334a7b831c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770431049&Signature=RMNYzJ0DX3uh-UheS~qn6UrT~-J7L5n9qyXLPOax8CN3wh6qFWaNZUnnlrtceykrlN6eGNbpkXBiTNUOue~nbXm3DP537hTLQYFKKkfgW0OfGelubaZIYvUKKbL6e2ZEh-R7ZObkIis0J8Mbafb4hKQBpXcLOTEf9U02jWWpRwzc0sVfsmKu64SE5bHDKB4iyfNK0Q2MvlN3mZqwvkKnT7T~rXCrNR6ToJV3MsdLQjFj5HBhk7i-sM4ddB4o3i~acSzMWt5p6gQxDqGbnbXOqeIgLkL8Zk0gyKm429bg9HP8quxYTwEVc0U6mAjJ9CjftEZvPzJKMw3lgRR4L~UMZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mariposa County, CA","date","2025-07-26T00:00:00Z","article","Construction and safety: County and Caltrans representatives updated the Fish Camp Planning Advisory Council on the SilverTip highway widening project, saying underground utilities and culvert replacements are finished and that grading and base work will start soon as crews build up the road section.
The update matters because the work changes traffic patterns, moves the general-store entrance and parking, and shifts winter maintenance responsibilities — all of which affect residents’ access and public safety.
Officials said crews replaced two culverts with assistance from Caltrans, finished most underground work and have graded Fish Camp Lane, including a new right-turn lane and a new parking lot north of the general store. County staff said the new store entrance will be on the north side and the store site will be raised about 18 inches; the existing parking in front of the store will not be available from the highway once the project opens the Fish Camp Lane entrance.
Project staff told the council the Army Corps of Engineers–related wetland work is planned to begin in mid-August and finish in September or October, with a larger site grading push expected next spring. Archaeological monitors and tribal monitors were on site for ground-disturbing work and that monitoring recently finished; staff said they will remobilize monitors if further excavation occurs. When asked whether historic foundations exposed on the site would be preserved, officials said they are conducting analysis and the current plan would remove some exposed foundation remains but design adjustments are still possible pending findings.
Residents asked about dust and rock debris from blasting and rock work. Staff said they will repurpose and spread some rock on site and use material for retaining features; some rock will remain on site but crews will clean up where practical. On local drainage, project staff said they installed a French drain and replaced leaking culverts in problem areas, including a new 36-inch culvert under one gas-station area to reduce leaks onto the highway.
Parking and winter operations drew sustained discussion. County and contractor representatives said the new parking lot will have about 16 stalls in an L-shaped paved area; a dirt area north of the lot will remain as snow storage and will not be plowed by state crews. After construction the county will no longer be responsible for parking-area snow removal on the store’s private parking lot; snow removal and signage will be the responsibility of the new lot owner or the entity the county contracts with. Speakers asked that signage for no-parking seasons and speed warnings be reviewed and potentially relocated; officials said responsibility depends on the sign location (Caltrans for state right-of-way, county for county roads, private property owner otherwise).
Council members and residents urged clearer signage and coordination on winter safety; county staff offered to convene a meeting with Caltrans, county roads, the store owner and local stakeholders before winter. Several residents reported short-duration traffic delays at one-lane traffic control (seven to eight minutes), and project staff said they expect the work to accelerate and visible changes to appear over the next weeks.
Public-safety and enforcement issues around the new layout — including where vehicles might back up on grades and where people will park in winter — were repeatedly raised. County staff said enforcement (for speed or illegal parking) falls to law enforcement agencies such as CHP; SCOPE volunteers and county staff discussed limits on citation authority for volunteers and emphasized safety and de-escalation rather than enforcement.
Where this goes next: project staff asked stakeholders to send specific GIS or map issues to county staff, and agreed to provide updates as wetlands permits and final grading proceed.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fish Camp Planning Advisory - July 26, 2025 ","oneSentenceSummary","Construction and safety: County and Caltrans representatives updated the Fish Camp Planning Advisory Council on the SilverTip highway widening project, saying underground utilities and culvert replacements are finished and that grading and base work will start soon as crews build up the road section.","taxTitle","Mariposa County, California","taxId",26732,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6152431,"National Park Service: visitation, reservation data and Wawona Hotel assessment highlight staffing and infrastructure strains",981,4089000,5070000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5498449-084d40b55b736668d1a1ecd0a4ba9963&start=4089&end=5070","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5498449-084d40b55b736668d1a1ecd0a4ba9963/thumbnail_4089000.jpg","/articles/6152431/Mariposa-County/California/National-Park-Service-visitation-reservation-data-and-Wawona-Hotel-assessment-highlight-staffing-and-infrastructure-strains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152431-d25292c09602d403233d2cdff07cf734/orig.mp4?Expires=1770431049&Signature=ZFccHveCM6gIoCPS1DmJAvMxmWLqL9zTTVd29z~tAACzhWxs7nPx4y4sIPYeKQWmHm7j~NRE3-RBqPkufdMGOr6dSLmJXC5iKACWUsLEKdDh5tK--gKlmrjOTqXPyykD9MMelSg1FoLaieFuwAqAXp~zjtyPVufYWwG3skdU89d8ZuX063PcIicCQTwG-d58PQk3o6Pm9n6957hwN42jEDjLZhEFW7vFKhfyNwxx5bRhjWKK7KSu6nueUyVClpVj1fUp0KK7iIKI1IM7-vbru1flQJbnPeZED-PjFqy~HcERsOQqt2UCTWb-kITVa6xOB8X9Kbzcb0Ujs1v1JjPNGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","NPS incidents and reservation system: National Park Service and county representatives briefed the Fish Camp Planning Advisory Council on visitation trends, reservation‑system data, gate cameras and staffing. NPS said the park’s first‑quarter incident count is roughly 600 calls higher than a decade average for the same quarter, citing increases in calls for service, search and rescue and medical responses.
Park and county staff described how the park is using reservation data, gate cameras and an adaptive‑management approach to shift capacity and parking: cameras monitor wait times and traffic flows and reservation counts inform adjustments to reservation availability. Park staff said the reservation data are used to “adapt” limits and try to smooth arrivals; county and park officials said the system is producing operational data that will be used to tune the program over time.
Staffing and operations: NPS said seasonal staffing is below historical levels and that short staffing has reduced some capacity (seasonals are employed only for limited months). Park seasonal and permanent staffing shortfalls have increased workloads and may have contributed to higher incident rates.
Wawona Hotel assessment: Park staff reported the Wawona Hotel is undergoing structural assessments that include partial wall removals and other inspections to determine needed roofing, seismic and structural repairs. Officials said the park plans a comprehensive assessment across outbuildings and the main lodge, and that the intent is to evaluate repairs holistically rather than piecemeal; park staff said the full rehabilitation will likely take multiple years and contract planning is underway.
Implications and next steps: County and park staff said they will continue to use camera and reservation data to inform traffic and gate operations and that the park is pursuing a ‘global’ assessment approach for Wawona Hotel to limit inefficiency from repeated short repairs. County staff emphasized coordination with the park on visitor management and recommended continued information sharing on staffing, reservation data and operational plans.
","A National Park Service representative told the council the park logged roughly 600 more incidents in a recent quarter than in previous years and described staffing shortfalls; NPS and county staff said the park’s reservation system and newly installed cameras are being used to manage traffic and gather adaptive-management data. Officials also",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6152436,"Residents report aggressive, food‑habituated bear; county sets traps and urges prevention",1607,4660000,6267000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5498449-084d40b55b736668d1a1ecd0a4ba9963&start=4660&end=6267","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5498449-084d40b55b736668d1a1ecd0a4ba9963/thumbnail_4660000.jpg","/articles/6152436/Mariposa-County/California/Residents-report-aggressive-foodhabituated-bear-county-sets-traps-and-urges-prevention","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152436-48dacd754dd71141f7b9ebb8395b86ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1770431049&Signature=K5CEBw1TsHQSAvpN34laXOn1fRwOSu3kNPz8sBvJ8PnUNQ-r~2WCKllpnIJn~kmu5Ks2KadA~QHeoGTtJlOIDsOBrSQm-zXGFLCaWaZHdqP5~LEgMrweGHm8X-0KQmXqAzcAH22uRsh4x89vJvYWjpfucDxuZzD4GLAgRc6ZA41XJl67GV73sWgP2LHelkiAw4rY9ak1G3cUo7hKCQaAIovmsgDA0lEUtcHWsU8U~j9nMsTOeYfKaitUY~oy9EljvBRVt5egDeCuddgLxWTRFJAhAsBSSeC1bPT7E1rYVLZysxlgFR9xhsEww8vbw2uT8SSJK4fL2D07T9foyyzZ2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents and council members told the Fish Camp Planning Advisory Council they have encountered a food‑conditioned, aggressive black bear locally and described property damage and close encounters.
Why it matters: a habituated bear that associates humans with food presents immediate risks to people and property and may require wildlife management actions.
Several speakers said the bear repeatedly returned after relocation attempts and that its mother had previously been captured and euthanized. Residents reported the bear entered cabins and refrigerators, tore open bear‑resistant garbage cans and approached people near homes. County and wildlife sources told the council that traps have been placed (with landowner permission) to capture the animal; a county official said traps are on county property with owner consent. Council members said Fish and Game and other wildlife authorities will use trapping and other tools when a bear is deemed habituated and a public-safety risk.
County and residents stressed prevention: remove or secure bird feeders, pet food, trash and other attractants; secure vehicles and doors; post renter‑notices in vacation rentals. Several residents volunteered to circulate flyers and asked the county to send outreach material to vacation‑rental owners and renters. A county speaker said the park and county have reduced human–bear incidents in prior years through prevention and public education but that once a bear learns to find food in human areas, it is much harder to stop.
No lethal action was announced in the meeting transcript; officials described trapping and monitoring actions and urged prevention as the primary tactic. Residents described the animal’s aggressive behavior and said they fear it will harm people if it continues to seek human food.
","Council members and residents reported repeated sightings and aggressive behavior by a food‑habituated bear in Fish Camp. County and wildlife contacts placed a trap with landowner permission; residents described close encounters and damage to property. Officials urged residents and vacation‑rental owners to secure attractants, and requested the",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6152440,"Fish Camp advisory council weighs bylaws, Brown Act and whether to continue under county auspices",2616,6049000,8665000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5498449-084d40b55b736668d1a1ecd0a4ba9963&start=6049&end=8665","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5498449-084d40b55b736668d1a1ecd0a4ba9963/thumbnail_6049000.jpg","/articles/6152440/Mariposa-County/California/Fish-Camp-advisory-council-weighs-bylaws-Brown-Act-and-whether-to-continue-under-county-auspices","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152440-36ffac2a312e7cc0eba68e02221ac86a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770431049&Signature=deSj5vtpUVbQxpHQjtPLC5ljK2FcPCqXOh7amSQ~fXOvhY67oejOrCAfffvSUE7QHMAQmvtNAMzETn2WT4FSwPgxqNaUIdQf5WRkbOUxFfBY~k7Z1dk1s81ZrZxA82IfBdlAG~7EurQ0RwT4w33WggbhVFjvgf3Cisgsm8H~GS4zHJ92P8uM~hRDLHelTRtIDIIAhgjkfklGEHgpz6oWv1MW6P6CpHGCgjpoDd6QAOOOSIQ6TggLIkWf~OHlKDx4Qz5jaLk~6Wg-QV5acGPProKkWhJJk1R0KVUsloVfraEJE~jZ-AxqcLqFXWpkgalp2NjM95TV1DRwtasqBhj1UA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Fish Camp Planning Advisory Council and Mariposa County staff discussed whether the council should remain a board‑appointed advisory body subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act or dissolve and re-form as an independent neighborhood organization with looser meeting rules and social-media flexibility.
Why it matters: remaining a county advisory body keeps an established channel to the board of supervisors, county departments and interagency contacts but brings Brown Act requirements — posted agendas, limits on off-agenda discussions and quorum rules. Dissolving and forming a private organization would free members from many Brown Act limits but change how the body formally interacts with county staff and reduces the council’s status as a board-appointed conduit.
Mariposa County staff explained the differences: under the county’s bylaws template an appointed council must post agendas at least 72 hours before a meeting; meetings require a quorum and, if a quorum is not present within ten minutes of the scheduled start, the meeting must disband. County staff said the county’s template generally prohibits remote participation except under narrow circumstances and that public records (agendas and minutes) must be posted so anyone can see what the council discussed. Staff also said the county administrative officer will present a code‑enforcement proposal to the board within roughly 90 days, and planning‑code updates (subdivision and zoning) were scheduled for Planning Commission consideration in early August.
Several residents and council members said they value being a county advisory body because it provides a direct line to supervisors, county staff and external agencies (Caltrans, Forest Service, National Park Service). Others said the Brown Act restricts everyday conversation and outreach (including via social media) and can discourage broader participation because remote attendance is restricted under the template. County staff suggested the council should hold a dedicated meeting to review the county-approved bylaws template and a sample set of neighborhood‑association bylaws so the community can decide its purpose and whether to keep the county relationship or reconstitute independently.
Practical next steps agreed in the discussion included: county staff will provide the current Fish Camp bylaws and the county template bylaws to the council ahead of the next meeting; the council should define its purpose (for example: community updates, fire‑safety coordination, planning input) and identify what level of county resources it needs to achieve that purpose; and staff said they would circulate contact information for county code‑enforcement staff for neighborhood follow-up.
","Council members, county staff and residents debated whether the Fish Camp Planning Advisory Council should continue as a board‑appointed advisory body under the Brown Act or dissolve and reconstitute as a neighborhood organization with different rules. County staff said adopting the county's updated bylaws template would preserve formal access to","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fish Camp road-widening moves ahead; culverts, parking and winter access remain key concerns

National Park Service: visitation, reservation data and Wawona Hotel assessment highlight staffing and infrastructure strains

Residents report aggressive, food‑habituated bear; county sets traps and urges prevention

Fish Camp advisory council weighs bylaws, Brown Act and whether to continue under county auspices