Those are the questions that many residents hope they would never have to confront, but as seen by the damage done from the infamous fire that swept the Oakland hills in 1991, destroying many homes and changing several lives, anything is possible. That's why residents are pushing the city and neighbors to approve the construction of an emergency access pathway connecting Norton Road to the road adjacent to artist residency studios at Montalvo.

The proposed road, which would ultimately lead to Piedmont Road, would be used only by residents in emergency situations, freeing the current pathway for firefighters to make their way up to the flames.

Currently, there are two main routes people can take to evacuate the Bohlman Road area—Bohlman Road to Oak Drive or Bohlman Road to Montevina Road, which leads to Highway 17.

"These roads are substandard," said Chief Gordon Duncan of the Saratoga Fire District. "I've had to back my vehicle up four times to get to the point of destination."

Duncan said that the key to making the proposed road effective is to make sure residents understand that it is not to be used on a daily basis and that all neighbors have a good understanding of where the road is located.

Beverly Phipps, who first suggested building an emergency access road and has been working with the city on establishing the road for the past two years, said that the road needs to be built as soon as possible before a large fire breaks out.

"The potential for a fire is high," he said. "This area shares the same characteristics of the Oakland hills, including narrow and windy roads on steep terrain, limited evacuation routes and a heavy canopy of trees."

Phipps said he solicited feedback from owners of properties that would most directly benefit from the proposed road and found that out of 32 responses, 30 were in favor of the road.

Pat Lofgren, who sits on the Montalvo board of trustees, said he supports the idea of creating an emergency access road, but is reluctant to have it run through the Montalvo property, particularly through the cottages reserved for artists.

"The purpose of the cottages is to allow artists some peace and quiet," he said.

Lofgren added that privacy would be difficult to maintain with cars driving down the road. However, he said he would be willing to compromise with the city if the privacy concerns are mitigated.

At the meeting, Councilman Norman Kline brought up the possibility of annexing the properties on the hill, some of which are under county jurisdiction, into Saratoga's purview.

According to Public Works Director John Cherbone, it would cost between $75,000 and $100,000 to construct the 600-foot road.

Staff will be discussing further options with Lofgren and fellow board members in the coming months to try to reach a compromise. The issue will be back on the table at a later date.