HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-9063 Update Safety Element Amending the City's General PlanRESOLUTION NO. 9063 (2000 Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
APPROVING A NEGATIVE DECLARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT,
ADOPTING A NEW SAFETY ELEMENT, AND AMENDING
THE GENERAL PLAN GLOSSARY (67 -96)
WHEREAS, the City Council conducted a public hearing on July 5, 2000, and has
considered testimony of interested parties, the records of the Planning Commission hearing and
action, and the evaluation and recommendation of staff; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered the draft Negative Declaration of
environmental impact as prepared by staff and reviewed by the Planning Commission.
BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows:
SECTION 1. Environmental Determination. The City Council finds and determines that
the project's Negative Declaration adequately addresses the potential environmental impacts of
the proposed element update, and reflects the independent judgment of the City Council. The
Council determines that the element update will have no significant effects on the environment.
The Council hereby adopts said Negative Declaration.
SECTION 2. Repeal of Previous Elements. The Seismic Safety Element adopted in
1975 and the Safety Element adopted in 1978 are hereby repealed, on the effective date of the
Safety Element adopted by this resolution.
SECTION 3. Adoption of New Element. The revised Safety Element, consisting of a
text dated June 2000, on file in the City Clerk's Office, as revised by the addition of a policy
concerning notification for buyers of subdivided lands near sources of electromagnetic fields, is
hereby adopted.
SECTION 4. Amendment of General Plan Definitions. Definitions of certain terms
used in the Safety Element are hereby amended as shown in the attached Exhibit A.
SECTION 5. Publication and Availability. The Community Development Director shall
cause the newly adopted element to be published and provided to City officials, concerned
agencies, and public libraries, and made available to the public at a cost not to exceed the cost of
reproduction.
SECTION 6. Effective Date. The newly adopted element shall be effective on the
thirtieth day after passage of this resolution.
On motion of Council Member Romero, seconded by Council Member Ewan, and on the
following roll call vote:
R 9063
i
Resolution No. 9063 (2000 Series)
Page 2
AYES:
Council Members Ewan, Marx, Romero, Schwartz, and Mayor Settle
NOES:
None
ABSENT:
None
The foregoing resolution was adopted this 5 day of July 2000.
Mayor Allen K. Settle
City Clerk Lee Price, CMC
O� VEER AS TO FORM:
City Attorney Jeff Jorgense8
O
Resolution No. '706- 5
Exhibit A: Page 1 of 5
CHANGES TO GENERAL PLAN DEFINITIONS
AS PART OF SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
Key: text not changed text text added
..
• -
Active Fault - A fault that has exhibited surface displacement within Holocene time
(approximately the past 11,000 years).
Alluvial = Deposited by a stream or running water.
Alluvium - A general term for clay, silt, sand, gravel, or similar unconsolidated deter material
deposited during comparatively recent geologic time by running water
Alquist -Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone -.A regulatory zone, delineated by the State Geologist,
within which site- specific ,geologic studies are required to identify and avoid fault rupture
hazards prior to subdivision of land and/or construction of most structures for human occupancy.
Amntfren ;1...«+en; "!'e nt + e additien (Webster-). A used 1 s
amplifieaa ien is the r augmentafien 1 wave amplitude a ..16ag &9fa +1.., 1 in t 1
prepeFfies in near- suffaee layers.
euvAwd and d _E often t s a pr-eey�sfift plaae s weakaess sueh as
Gellwwium (a) teFm applied
loose, heteFegeneus, inseheFeat
geneml
y and mass ef seg,
vauvv ,
base e f ....lepe (A GI 197-2)
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Resolution No. of o� 3
Exhibit A: Page 2 of 5
Critical Facility — A facility which either (1) provides emergency services or (2) houses or
serves many people who would be injured or killed in case of major damage to the facility.
Examples include hospitals, fire stations, police and emergency services facilities, utility
facilities, and communications facilities.
i
(Ardl, 1972)
Fault: A fracture or zone of closely associated fractures along which rocks on one side have
been displaced with respect to those on the other side. A fault zone is a zone of related faults
which commonly are braided, but which may be branching. A fault trace is the line formed by
the inter- section of a fault and the earth's surface.
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Fault system Time er- mefe k4er-eenaee6ag fi-wR sets. (AGI, 197-2)
f Wt gouge. A F k ze..e ..ay be as % de as hundreds of metef.. / GI, 197-2) see fault'
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Flooding - A rise in the level of a water'body or the rapid accumulation of runoff; including
related mudslides and land subsidence, that results in the_ temporary inundation of land that is
usuall y dry. Riverine flooding, coastal flooding , mud flows, lake flooding, alluvial fan flooding ,
flash flooding, levee failures, tsunamis, and fluvial stream flooding are among the many forms
that flooding takes.
of its elastie waves. Syn.- h"eeeater-; seismie feems; eentEum (see hi4eduefieR). (AGI, 1972)
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Resolution No. q o b 3
Exhibit A: Page 3 of 5
Hazards include landslides and soil creep, flooding, potentially active or active earthquake
faults, liquefaction areas, wildland fires, and dangers associated with locating too near to an
airport (aircraft crashes).
Ground Failure - Mudslide, landslide, liquefaction or soil compaction.
Hazardous Building - A building that may be hazardous to life in the event of an earthquake
because of partial or complete collapse. Hazardous buildings may include:
1. Those constructed prior to the adoption and enforcement of local codes requiring earth-
quake resistant building design;
2. Those constructed of unreinforced masonry,
3. Those which exhibit-any-of the following characteristics:
•. exterior parapets or ornamentation which may fall on passersby;
• exterior walls that are not .anchored to the floors, roof or foundation;
• sheeting on roofs or floors incapable of withstanding lateral loads;
• large openings in walls that may cause damage from torsional forces;
• lack of an effective system to resist lateral forces; or
• non- ductile concrete fi-ame construction.
Hazardous Material - An injurious, substance, including pesticides, herbicides, toxic metals and
d
chemicals, liquefied natural gas, explosives, volatile - chemicals, and nuclear fuels.
Landslide - A general term for a falling, sliding, or _flowing mass of. soil, rocks, water, _and
debris. Includes mudslides, debris flows, and debris torrents.
n.
Liquefaction - A process by which water - saturated granular soils transform from a solid to a
liquid state during strong ground shaking.
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whieh eallhquake intensity is
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Ground Failure - Mudslide, landslide, liquefaction or soil compaction.
Hazardous Building - A building that may be hazardous to life in the event of an earthquake
because of partial or complete collapse. Hazardous buildings may include:
1. Those constructed prior to the adoption and enforcement of local codes requiring earth-
quake resistant building design;
2. Those constructed of unreinforced masonry,
3. Those which exhibit-any-of the following characteristics:
•. exterior parapets or ornamentation which may fall on passersby;
• exterior walls that are not .anchored to the floors, roof or foundation;
• sheeting on roofs or floors incapable of withstanding lateral loads;
• large openings in walls that may cause damage from torsional forces;
• lack of an effective system to resist lateral forces; or
• non- ductile concrete fi-ame construction.
Hazardous Material - An injurious, substance, including pesticides, herbicides, toxic metals and
d
chemicals, liquefied natural gas, explosives, volatile - chemicals, and nuclear fuels.
Landslide - A general term for a falling, sliding, or _flowing mass of. soil, rocks, water, _and
debris. Includes mudslides, debris flows, and debris torrents.
n.
Liquefaction - A process by which water - saturated granular soils transform from a solid to a
liquid state during strong ground shaking.
Liquefaction - A process by which water - saturated granular soils transform from a solid to a
liquid state during strong ground shaking.
Resolution No. qq. 3
Exhibit A: Page 4 of 5
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410.01 014,11"W"411 IN
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Potentially Active Fault A fault which shows evidence of surface displacement during
Quaternary time (the last 2 million years).
Seiche - An earthquake- induced wave in a lake, reservoir, or harbor.
Seismically Induced Surface Rupture - A break in the ground's' mdace and associated
deformation resulting from the movement of a fault.
Seismic Hazard Zone - A regulatory zone, delineated by the State Geologist, within which site -
specific geologic, soils, and foundation engineering studies are required to identify and avoid
earthquake - caused ground - failure hazards, or selected other earthquake hazards, prior to
subdivision of land and for construction of most structures for human occupancy.
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410.01 014,11"W"411 IN
WIN
Potentially Active Fault A fault which shows evidence of surface displacement during
Quaternary time (the last 2 million years).
Seiche - An earthquake- induced wave in a lake, reservoir, or harbor.
Seismically Induced Surface Rupture - A break in the ground's' mdace and associated
deformation resulting from the movement of a fault.
Seismic Hazard Zone - A regulatory zone, delineated by the State Geologist, within which site -
specific geologic, soils, and foundation engineering studies are required to identify and avoid
earthquake - caused ground - failure hazards, or selected other earthquake hazards, prior to
subdivision of land and for construction of most structures for human occupancy.
Resolution No.
Exhibit A: Page 5 of 5
sip&iag ..lid Ea-&S swf .,e .,4; liAd L t 1 ti d di at d metien .,le.,.. ,, Aee sw . .,e (net the -.,..,,1• o f a landslide e- failure f 1 ) ( A (`T 1 072)
b ♦ ,
Subsidence - The gradual, local settling or sinking of the earth's surface with little or no
horizontal motion (subsidence is usually the result of gas, oil, or water extraction,
hydrocompaction, or peat oxidation, and not the result of a landslide or slope failure).
Tsunami -A wave, commonlycalled-a tidal wave, caused by-an underwater .seismmic disturbance,
such as sudden faulting, landslide, or volcanic activity:
Unconsolidated material - A sediment that is loosely arranged or unstratified or whose particles
are not cemented together, occurring either at the surface or at depth. (A61;- 1-97,)
Water- table The suFfhee between the zone ef savamfien and the zene of ;
of a b�__v__d$��un�een ined ground wafer- at whir i1• pr-essufe is Y 1 to that f the t i.
(AG__ pp�7
Vddland Fire Afire occurring in a suburban or rural area which contains uncultivated lands,
timber, range, watershed, brush or _grasslands. This includes areas where there is a mingling of
developed and undeveloped lands.
WA
sip&iag ..lid Ea-&S swf .,e .,4; liAd L t 1 ti d di at d metien .,le.,.. ,, Aee sw . .,e (net the -.,..,,1• o f a landslide e- failure f 1 ) ( A (`T 1 072)
b ♦ ,
Subsidence - The gradual, local settling or sinking of the earth's surface with little or no
horizontal motion (subsidence is usually the result of gas, oil, or water extraction,
hydrocompaction, or peat oxidation, and not the result of a landslide or slope failure).
Tsunami -A wave, commonlycalled-a tidal wave, caused by-an underwater .seismmic disturbance,
such as sudden faulting, landslide, or volcanic activity:
Unconsolidated material - A sediment that is loosely arranged or unstratified or whose particles
are not cemented together, occurring either at the surface or at depth. (A61;- 1-97,)
Water- table The suFfhee between the zone ef savamfien and the zene of ;
of a b�__v__d$��un�een ined ground wafer- at whir i1• pr-essufe is Y 1 to that f the t i.
(AG__ pp�7
Vddland Fire Afire occurring in a suburban or rural area which contains uncultivated lands,
timber, range, watershed, brush or _grasslands. This includes areas where there is a mingling of
developed and undeveloped lands.
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city of San tuts OBISp0
GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY ELEMENT
July 2000
12-00
city of sa►n Luis osispo
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
O+ I1RN[SStfli$IST�T1rMErT
Our mission is to serve all persons in a positive and courteous manner and help ensure that San
Luis Obispo continues to be a healthy, safe, attractive, and enjoyable place to live, work, or visit.
We help plan the city's form and character, support community values, preserve the
environment, promote wise use of resources, and protect public health and safety.
CTR'SER�ViTCE PIITL_OS�OYP,H;Y
The City of San Luis Obispo Community Development Department staff provides high quality
service when you need it. We will:
• Listen to understand your needs;
• Give clear, accurate and prompt answers to your questions;
• Explain how you can achieve your goals under the City's rules;
• Help resolve problems in an open, objective manner;
• Maintain high ethical standards; and
• Work to improve our service.
CITY COUNCIL
Allen Settle, Mayor
John Ewan
Jan Howell -Marx.
Dave Romero
Ken Schwartz
PLANNING COMMISSION
Jim Aiken
Allan Cooper
Alice Loh
Orval Osborne
Stephen Peterson
Paul Ready
Mary Whittlesey
ADMINISTRATION
John Dunn, City Administrative Officer
Ken Hampian, Assistant City Administrative Officer
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Arnold Jonas, Director
John Mandeville, Long-range Planning Manager
Glen Matteson, Associate Planner (Project Planner)
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Jim Gardiner, Chief
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Robert F. Neumann, Chief
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Mike McCluskey, Director
UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
John Moss, Director
Hazard information developed in conjunction with:
Fugro-West
Crawford, Multari, Clark, and Mohr
County of San Luis Obispo Department of Planning & Building
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Landscape Architecture Department
The City's General Plan is made up of sections called "elements." Each element focuses on
certain topics as required or allowed by State law. According to State law, each element has
equal weight in defining City policies. In November 1999, the following elements comprised the
City's General Plan.
'Revision in progress.
This update of the Safety Element was adopted July 5, 2000,
by City Council Resolution No. 9063..
Land Use
1994
Housing
1994
Open Space
1994
Circulation
1994
Noise
1996
Safety
2000
Conservation'
1973
Energy Conservation'
1981
Parks & Recreation
1995
Water & Wastewater Management
1994
'Revision in progress.
This update of the Safety Element was adopted July 5, 2000,
by City Council Resolution No. 9063..
SLO General Plan
CONTENTS
Introduction
Safety as a General Plan Topic 1
The Nature of Risk 1
Safety Goals 3
Flooding 3
Fire 7
Earthquakes and Other Geological Hazards
4
Overview
9
Surface Rupture
9
Ground Shaking
11
Settlement and Liquefaction
11
Slope Stability and Landslides
13
Damage -prone Buildings
13
Policies
15
Hazardous Materials
Radiation 15
Other Hazardous Materials 17
Policies 17
Electromagnetic Fields 18
Airport Hazards 19
Hazardous Trees 21
Avoiding and Preparing for Emergencies in General 22
Map Figures
Figure 1: Flood Hazards
4
Figure 2: Wildland Fire Hazard
6
Figure 3: Earthquake Faults — Local Area
14
Figure 4: Earthquake Faults — Regional
12
Figure 5: Ground Shaking & Landslide Hazards
10
Figure 6: Power Lines & Power Plant
16
Figure 7: Airport Hazards
20
Safety Element
SLID General Plan
Photo Credits
Safety Element
Cover, Bishop Peak prescribed bum: Tom Zeulner, City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department
Page 3, Marsh Street flooding: original photographer not known; file provided by Crawford, Multan, Clark
and Mohr
Page 7, Bishop Peak prescribed bum: Tom Zeulner, City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department
Page 9: Historical Museum retrofit: Glen Matteson, City of San Luis Obispo Community Development
Department
Page 13: Soil slippage: Glen Matteson, City of San Luis Obispo Community Development Department
Page 15: Diablo fuel rack: Jayson Mellom, The Tribune
Page 17: Hazardous materials incident: David Middlecamp, The Tribune
Page 18: Power lines: Glen Matteson, City of San Luis Obispo Community Development Department
Page 19: Airplane at roadside: David Middlecamp, The Tribune
Page 21: Fallen tree: Jennifer Metz, Crawford, Multari, Clark and Mohr
Page 22: CERT class: Rik Grencik, City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department
SLO General Plan • Safety Element
INTRODUCTION
Safety as a General Plan Topic
The City's General Plan guides the use and protection of various resources to meet community
purposes. It reflects consensus and compromise among a wide diversity of citizens'
preferences, within a framework set by State law. The General Plan consists of sections, called
elements, which focus on certain topics.
In 1975 the California Legislature made a safety element and a seismic safety element
mandatory parts of the General Plan. Cities and counties were to adopt, at a minimum, policies
concerning fire, flooding, and geologic hazards. San Luis Obispo adopted its first Seismic Safety
Element in 1975, and its first Safety Element in 1978. In 1984 the Legislature expanded the list
of hazards that were to be covered and encouraged their combination in a single element.
According to the legislation, the safety element should provide direction to help reduce death,
injuries, property and environmental damage, and the economic and social dislocation resulting
from. natural hazards. While the element is required to focus on fire, flooding, geologic, and
seismic hazards, jurisdictions may address any relevant safety issues that are considered
important.
This Safety Element focuses on achieving' acceptable levels of risk through decisions on land
use and the form of development, with consideration for the closely related factor of
transportation. Other public efforts deal with other types of threats to health and safety, such as
crime, use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, exposure to ultraviolet light, the use of
weapons, and the design and operation of vehicles. The Land Use Element of the General Plan
prescribes land uses within the planning area, as well as standards for population density and
building intensity. To avoid unacceptable risk, the Land Use Element must respond to the
hazard evaluation of the Safety Element. By limiting development intensity in areas that may be
subject to significant geologic and other hazards, risks can be minimized. One of the purposes
of the Open Space Element is to preserve open land for public health and safety.
This Safety Element provides a broad survey of hazards in the San Luis Obispo area, to be
used for general land use planning. This information does not take the place of site evaluations
by qualified professionals. Several of this element's goals, policies, and programs will be
implemented through City review of individual development proposals and site assessments.
In the General Plan, a goal is the desired end state or condition that the community would like to
achieve. A policy describes an approach to achieving the goals. A program is a specific action
the City intends to take to implement policies. Numbering of goals, policies, and programs is for
ease of reference, and does not imply relative importance.
The Nature of Risk
People living, working, or visiting in San Luis Obispo are subject to a variety of hazards. San
Luis Obispo wants to avoid the loss of life, property, and prosperity that can result from
disasters, and to accomplish a rapid recovery from unavoidable disasters. Some hazards are
caused by natural processes, some by people's activities, and many by a combination of both
factors. Natural hazards are processes such as earthquakes, landslides, flooding, and lightning -
set fires, which have been occurring for millions of years. They have helped create the
landscape of San Luis Obispo, and become disasters only when they disrupt people's lives.
Other hazards result from technology, such as -aircraft crashes and the use and transport of
1
SLO General Plan Safety Element
toxic materials. Many disasters result from a combination of natural processes and people's
choices: developing in flood -prone areas; grading that triggers landslides; building and
occupying structures that collapse in an earthquake. People have become so dependent on the
benefits of modem technology that it would be undesirable to eliminate man-made hazards.
Usually, little can be done to prevent natural disasters. (However, there is mounting evidence
that human activity is changing the atmosphere, resulting in global warming that may cause
more extreme weather conditions, and therefore risks of flooding and wildland fire, in Central
California. Reducing "greenhouse" gas emissions may therefore reduce the severity of some
disasters.)
To minimize loss from disasters, resources must be committed. While it would be desirable to
provide the maximum level of safety for all hazards, this is generally not feasible. Resources for
disaster avoidance, preparedness, and recovery compete with desires for other services.
Community efforts to avoid unacceptable risks may conflict with individual's desires to use land
in certain ways. So, risk -control standards must meet the constitutional test of proper regulation:
that there is a clear connection between regulation and the public purpose it serves.
The community can define acceptable risk levels and make choices to achieve them. Risk is
part of everyday life. Almost all activities have some degree of risk, and there is no hazard -free
environment. The cost of providing protection generally increases with the severity of the hazard
and the level of risk reduction that is desired. At some point; the cost of providing protection —
either in dollars or in opportunities foregone— becomes prohibitive when compared to the
benefits derived. "Acceptable risk" is the level of risk below which no specific action by
government is deemed necessary to protect life and property. "Unacceptable risk" is the level of
risk above which specific action by government is deemed necessary to protect life and
property.
An "avoidable risk" is one that can be eliminated while achieving other individual or public
objectives.
Scientific expertise can predict the magnitude of a disaster and its probable effects, and can
estimate the probability that it will occur. But the public ultimately decides what level of risk is
acceptable as well as the acceptable methods for avoidance and protection. In evaluating
acceptable risk, the following factors are considered:
Severity of loss: Will the loss from an event be large or small? Consequences include injury,
loss of life, property, and function, and environmental damage.
Probability of loss: How often is the event expected to occur? Many disasters have an
inverse relationship between magnitude and frequency: small losses occur frequently, large
ones less often.
Capacity to reduce risk: What methods and resources are available to reduce the risk?
Adequacy of knowledge: How well do we understand the magnitude of the loss -causing
event, its consequences, and the probability of it occurring?
Additional 'information on hazards in the San Luis Obispo area can be _found in the Technical
Background Report for the San Luis Obispo County and Cities Safety Element (June 1999).
r.
SLO General Plan
SAFETY GOALS
Goal 1: Minimize injury and loss of life.
Goal 2: Minimize damage to public and private property.
Safety Element
Goal 3: Minimize social and economic disruptions resulting from injury, death, and property
damage.
FLOODING
Flooding occurs in response to heavy
rainfall, when creeks and drainage channels
overflow. Flooding may also occur in low-
lying areas that have poor drainage, or
when culverts become blocked, even during
moderate storms. Flood severity can be
increased by fires in the watershed,
structures or fill placed in flood -prone areas,
and increased runoff resulting from
development of impervious surfaces (such
as parking lots, roads, and roofs). Flood
plains are usually described as the area that
has a one percent chance of being
submerged in any year, which is often
called the "100 -year flood."
In February 1995, floodwaters covered the
intersection of Higuera and Marsh streets and
damaged several businesses in the area.
The 100 -year floodplain in the San Luis Obispo area is shown by maps on file at the Community
Development Department and the Public Works Department, and is generally indicated in
Figure 1. San Luis Obispo Creek and several tributaries flow through San Luis Obispo. In the
San Luis Obispo area, floods cause damage by submerging structures, utilities, and vehicles,
and by eroding channels and undermining structures. Floods in 1969, 1973, and 1995 caused
substantial property damage. -Local waterways typically reach and then decline from flood stage
in a matter of hours.
San Luis Obispo is not subject to inundation from dam failure, beach erosion, or coastal or
lakefront flooding due to earthquake -induced waves (tsunami or seiche). However, the Whale
Rock pipeline that brings water to the city is potentially subject to damage from tsunami in the
vicinity of Cayucos and Morro Bay. Sudden failure of Whale Rock Dam (owned and operated by
the Whale Rock Commission) or Salinas Reservoir (owned by the Federal government and
operated by the County) could cause disastrous flooding for communities immediately
downstream, and would severely reduce the City's water supply.
3
city of San tuts oBispo safety eLement
Figure 1: Flood Hazards
ZZ's,
Hazard classifications based on
Federal Emergency Management
Administration flood mapping
100 -year flood area
500 -year flood,area
Other features based on city
resource mapping
40 Above -ground water tank
0 Below -ground water tank
0 Water tank with berm N
.,a., Urban Reserve Line
I kilometer 1 mile
This map is for general information. Not all localized flooding
areas are shown. The map by itself is not a statement of polig.
This map may be revised in response to new information, without
amending the Safety Element.
4
I
LA
0
3 nano
This map is for general information. Not all localized flooding
areas are shown. The map by itself is not a statement of polig.
This map may be revised in response to new information, without
amending the Safety Element.
4
I
SLO General Plan Safety Element
Several large tanks on hillsides around the city store treated water for domestic use and fire
suppression (Figure 1). A strong earthquake could damage the tanks. Sudden failure of such a
tank, which is very unlikely, would cause localized flooding and erosion immediately
downstream from the tank, in addition to interrupting water distribution. The tanks located on the
South Hills and on Islay Hill, which were set into the ground partly for esthetic reasons, pose a
minimal hazard.
The City's Flood Damage Prevention Regulations and Federal Flood Insurance standards
require new building floors to be above the 100 -year flood level, while not displacing floodwaters
in a way that would raise flood levels. They also are intended to keep floating debris and other
made -made obstructions out of floodways.
Policy S 1.1: Flood Hazard Avoidance and Reduction
A) The City will develop and carry out environmentally sensitive programs to reduce or
eliminate the potential for flooding in previously developed, flood -prone areas of the city.
B) The City should allow flood waters to move through natural channels. Flow should be
accommodated by removing debris and man-made obstructions. The City recognizes
that many natural channels cannot contain runoff from a storm greater than a 25 -year
event. Areas flooded by storms as large as a 100 -year event will be mapped.
C) No new building or fill should encroach beyond, or extend over, the top -of -bank of any
creek.
D) Within predominantly developed areas (such as downtown) infill, remodel, and
replacement projects should not displace more flood water than previous structures on
the site or in the vicinity. Commercial buildings may be flood -proofed where providing
floor levels above the 100 -year stonn flow is not appropriate due to adjacent
improvements. New infill buildings may be required to have greater setbacks than their
older neighbors.
E) Within new development areas, such as the potential expansion areas shown in Figure 2
of the Land Use Element, substantial displacement of flood waters should be avoided
by:
1) Keeping a substantial amount of flood -prone land in the vicinity as open space;
2) Enlarging man-made bottlenecks, such as culverts, which contribute to flood waters
backing up from them;
3) Accommodating in such places uses which have relatively low ratios of building
coverage to site area, for which shallow flooding of parking and landscape areas
would cause minimum damage.
4) Requiring new buildings to be constructed above the 100 -year flood level.
F) Creek alterations shall be considered only if there is no practicable alternative,
consistent with the Open Space Element.
G) Development close. to creeks shall be designed to avoid damage due to future creek
bank erosion. Property owners shall be responsible for protecting their developments
from damage caused by future bank loss due to flood flows.
Policy S 1.2: Water Impoundments
The design and review of proposed water reservoirs, ponds, and tanks, will conform to State
standards for seismic safety and will include an evaluation of potential inundation areas.
5
crty of san lid's oslspo safety Element
Figure 2: Wildland Fire Hazard
Hazard classifications based on
general slope and vegetation type
Not Classified
Low
Moderate
High
- Extreme
Fire stations
A City
* Statelcounty
****,Urban Reserve Line N
1 kilometer 1 mile
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This map is for general information. The map by itself is
no
new information, without amendingt a statement of policy. It maybe revised in response to
the Safety Element. :. .
6
SLO General Plan
FIRE
Fires cause significant losses to life,
property, and the environment. They occur
in both urban and rural settings. Urban fire
hazards result from the materials, size, and
spacing of buildings, and from the materials,
equipment, and activities they contain.
Additional factors are access, available
water volume and pressure, and response
time for fire fighters. Fire hazards in rural
areas, or on the edge between urban and
rural land, combine these factors with land
slope and natural and modified vegetation.
The mosaic of grassland, scrub and
chaparral, and oak woodland around San
Luis Obispo has been shaped by, and to
some extent depends on, fire. Where the
burning of natural vegetation is a threat to
people's lives and property, plant fuels are
often managed by replacement planting,
cattle grazing, plowing, or controlled bums.
Safety Element
At the start of the rainy season in Fall 1999, the
City conducted a prescribed bum on the Bishop
Peak natural preserve, to reduce fuel
accumulation and the risk of uncontrolled fire.
"Wildland" is a shorthand way of referring to conditions mostly resulting from natural
vegetation's properties as fuel and the steepness of the land, which affect how fast fire spreads
and limit fire -fighting methods. San Luis Obispo faces wildland fire hazards due mainly to its
climate and to the hills around and within the city. Areas with high wildland fire hazard include
the Irish Hills, Santa Lucia foothills, Cerro San Luis Obispo, Bishop Peak, and Islay Hill (Figure
2):
Urban fire hazards are increased by concentrations of wood -frame structures, particularly
multifamily developments, mobile homes, and older structures having outdated heating and
electrical systems and lacking fire -detection and suppression features.
Preventing the start and spread of fires was one of the original purposes of building and zoning
regulations. San Luis Obispo has adopted fairly typical zoning regulations for building size and
spacing, and standard codes that address fire safety in detail. In addition, the city has adopted
requirements for automatic fire sprinklers and fire -resistive roof materials that exceed minimum
statewide requirements.
Fire prevention and suppression services are provided by the City Fire Department, which
maintains four fire stations (Figure 2). A key challenge for the City is providing adequate fire
protection for the expansion areas identified in the Land Use Element, in particular the existing
development to be annexed as part of the Airport Area.
Policy S 2.1: Adequate Fire Services
Development should be approved only when adequate fire suppression services and facilities
are available or will be made available concurrent with development, considering the setting,
type, intensity, and form of the proposed development.
7
SLO General Plan
Policy S 2.2: Wildland Fire Safety
A) Wildland fire hazards shall be classified as follows:
Safety Element
Classification
Vegetation
Slope
Low
extensive urban development or vacant land with
any slope
minimal vegetation; most urban ornamental
landscaping; extensive surface water; perennial
wetlands; row crops; orchards and vineyards with
no understory grass or brush; irrigated or closely
razedpasture; extensive rock or sand
grasslands; oak woodland ("savannah" type,
0 to 46 percent
excluding chaparral); cactus scrub
riparian dominated by willows, sycamore, oak
0 to 40 percent
Moderate
grasslands; oak woodland ("savannah" type,
40 to 60 percent
excluding chaparral); cactus scrub
riparian dominated by willows, sycamore, oak
40 percent or more
riparian dominated by bay, conifers
0 to 40 percent
orchards and vineyards with some understory
0 to 60 percent
rass or brush
High
grasslands; oak woodland ("savannah" type,
excluding chaparral); cactus scrub
61 percent or more
chaparral and scrub (excluding cactus scrub)
0 to 40 percent
riparian dominated by bay, conifers
46 to 60 percent
orchards and vineyards with some understory
61 percent or more
grass or brush
extensive stands of eucalyptus or coniferous trees
0 to 60 percent
Extreme
grasslands
61 percent or more
chaparral and scrub (excluding cactus scrub)
41 percent or more
riparian dominated by bay, conifers
61 percent or more
extensive stands of eucalyptus or coniferous trees
61 percent or more
Notes: When classifying areas of several hectares (acres) having a strip, patch, or small-scale
mosaic of vegetation and slope types, the most severe classification that is generally
represented within the adjacent types shall be used.
Unusual conditions, such as a wetland's accumulation of dried reeds during a prolonged
drought, may result in a vegetation type temporarily having a higher actual hazard than
indicated by its classification, which reflects the typical cycle of seasonal conditions.
B) Development shall be excluded from areas of high and extreme wildland fire hazard.
C) Buildings that are in areas of moderate fire hazard and which are close to areas of high
or extreme fire hazard shall have non-combustible exteriors; noncombustible exteriors
are encouraged for all buildings in moderate fire hazard areas.
D) In areas of moderate or higher wildland fire hazard, defensible space —accessible space
free of highly combustible vegetation and materials— shall be provided around all
structures.
E) It is recognized that vegetation types, and therefore wildland fire hazards, may change
due to natural causes and human activity. Changes are expected to be minimal in areas
that the Land Use Element designates as Open Space. Substantial changes are
expected in areas that the Land Use Element designates for development. Any losses of
native plant habitat must be mitigated as required by the Open Space Element.
SLO General
EARTHQUAKES AND OTHER GEOLOGIC HAZARDS
Overview
Geologic conditions encompass the form of
the ground surface, the composition of soils,
rocks, and water at the ground surface and
below, and the long-term movement of the
Earth's crust and mantle. These conditions
determine the stability of the ground at a
site, and how that site will respond to
changes caused by people and by the
natural forces of earthquakes and weather.
The frequency and strength of earthquakes
depend on the number and type of faults
that pass through an area. San Luis Obispo
is located in a geologically complex and
seismically active region. Seismic conditions
here have the potential to result in
significant harm to people and property.
Some fault locations and characteristics
have been identified. However, recent
earthquakes in California have shown that
not all active faults are revealed by surface
features.
Safety Element
In February 2000, a City project was underway
to strengthen the Historical Museum against
earthquakes and to make other improvements.
Safety precautions should be based on known factors, as well as an awareness of the
limitations to current knowledge. The Safety Element must consider two of the direct effects of
an earthquake: rupture of the ground surface along a fault, and ground shaking that results from
fault movement. Other hazards associated with earthquakes are settlement, liquefaction,
landslide, collapse of structures, fires, and flooding from dam failure.
Surface Rupture
Surface rupture refers to the top of the ground moving unevenly along a fault: one side moves
horizontally, vertically, or both, with respect to the other side. It typically occurs within an area of
linear traces along previous ruptures, which mark a fault zone, and often in concert with
movement on adjacent or intersecting faults. Rupture of the ground surface along a fault trace
typically occurs during earthquakes of about magnitude 5 or greater. Surface rupture endangers
life and property when structures or lifeline facilities are located on, or cross over, a fault.
The Los Osos.Fault, adjacent to the City of San Luis Obispo, is identified under the State of
California Alquist-Priolo Fault Hazards Act (Figure 3). This fault's main strand lies near the
intersection of Los Osos Valley Road and Foothill Boulevard. It has been classified as active
within the last 11,000 years. Additional site-specific studies may find other segments of the fault,
in which case it would be appropriate for the California Department of Mines and Geology to
expand the zone. The Los Osos Fault presents a. high to very high fault rupture hazard to
development and facilities in the Los Osos Valley.
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Safety Element
Other faults in the vicinity of San Luis Obispo are the West •Huasna, Oceanic, and Edna faults.
These faults are considered potentially active and present a moderate fault rupture hazard to
developments near them. Figure 3 shows the locations of faults in the immediate San Luis
Obispo area.
Ground Shaking
Ground shaking refers to the vibration that occurs in response to displacement along a fault.
Typically, ground shaking has a side-to-side component as well as a vertical component, with
the actual movement depending on the type of fault, a site's distance from the fault, and the
rock and soil conditions at the site. Shaking endangers life and property by damaging or
destroying structures and lifeline facilities.
Several faults are capable of producing strong ground motion in San Luis Obispo. These are the
Los Osos, Point San Luis, Black Mountain, Rinconada, Wilmar, Pecho, Hosgri, La Panza, and
San Andreas faults (Figure 4). The San Andreas Fault and the offshore Hosgri Fault, which
present the most likely source of ground shaking for San Luis Obispo, have a high probability of
producing a major earthquake within an average lifespan. The highest risk from ground shaking
is found on deep soils that were deposited by water, are geologically recent, and have many
pore spaces among the soil grains. These are typically in valleys (Figure 5).
Engineering standards and building codes set minimum design and construction methods for
structures to resist seismic shaking. Model standards and codes are typically updated every few
years at the recommendation of professional advisors, in response to review of the performance
of structures and lifelines that have been subject to recent earthquakes. Local governments
then amend or replace their codes to reflect those required by State law or recommended.
Settlement and Liquefaction
In this context, settlement means the ground supporting part of a structure or facility lowers
more than the rest or becomes softer, usually because ground shaking reduces the voids
between soil particles (and often with groundwater rising in the process). The result can be
more strain on the supporting features than they were built to withstand, leading to cracked
walls or floors and broken water and sewer lines. Liquefaction is the sudden loss of the soil's
supporting strength due to groundwater filling and lubricating the spaces between soil particles
as a result of ground shaking. Soils with high risk for liquefaction are typically sandy and in
creek floodplains or close to lakes. In extreme cases of liquefaction, structures can tilt, break
apart, or sink into the ground. The likelihood of liquefaction increases with the strength and
duration of an earthquake.
The soils in the San Luis Obispo area that are most susceptible to ground shaking, and which
contain shallow ground water, are the ones most likely to have a potential for settlement and for
liquefaction (Figure 5). The actual risk of settlement or liquefaction needs to be identified by
investigation of speck sites, including subsurface sampling, by qualified professionals.
Previous investigations have found that the risk of settlement for new construction can be
reduced to an acceptable level through careful site preparation and proper foundation design,
and that the actual risk of liquefaction is low. (An example is the City's fire station at Madonna
Road and Los Osos Valley Road.)
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SLO General Plan Safety Element
The building code requires site-specific investigations and design proposals by qualified
professionals in areas that are susceptible to settlement and liquefaction.
Slope Instability and Landslides
Slope instability can occur as a gradual
spreading of soil, a relatively sudden
slippage, a rockfall, or in other forms.
Causes include steep slopes, .inherently
weak soils, saturated soils, and
earthquakes. Improper grading and man-
made. drainage can be contributing factors.
Slope instability may result in gradual or
sudden damage to buildings, roads, and
utility lines. Sudden movement can be a
threat to lives through immediate injury or
suffocation, or loss of access.
In the late 1990's, rain -saturated soil moved
above houses on the Santa Lucia foothills.
Much of the development in San Luis Obispo is in valleys, where there is low potential for slope
instability. However, the city contains extensive hillsides. Several a.re underlain by the rocks of
the Franciscan group, which is a source of significant slope instability. The actual risk of slope
instability needs to be identified by investigation of specific sites, including subsurface sampling,
by qualified professionals.
The building code requires site-specific investigations and design proposals by qualified
professionals in areas that are susceptible to slope instability and landslides.
Damage -prone Buildings
Any type of building can be damaged in an earthquake, but some types are much more able to
withstand quakes. In the past, many buildings were constructed of clay blocks, bricks, stone, or
concrete blocks, with few or no steel members to resist separation of the masonry units. The
weight and lack of connectivity within these unreinforced masonry buildings make them a
particular threat to safety in an earthquake. Because many unreinforced masonry buildings have
historic and architectural value, and contain viable businesses, there is reluctance to remove or
replace them quickly.
State law has required the City to identify unreinforced masonry buildings and implement a
locally devised program to reduce risks. The City has surveyed them and required owners to
evaluate their deficiencies and reinforcing needs. The City requires upgrades as buildings are
remodeled or uses change, and provides fee credits to help offset some of the cost. A City law
requires the owners to complete seismic upgrades or demolish the buildings by 2017. .
Some non -masonry buildings are especially prone to earthquake damage because they lack
connections to their foundations or resistance to side-to-side motion. Examples include wood -
frame buildings with apartments over garages that have one side occupied by a door opening,
and hillside houses with little or no bracing for tall supports on the downhill side. The City
participates in a rehabilitation loan program that helps correct such problems, along with other
measures such as bracing masonry chimneys and anchoring water heaters, mainly for older
homes.
13
SLO General Plan Safety Element
Policy S 3.1: Avoiding Faults
Development shall not be located atop known faults:,.,Applications for the following types of
discretionary approvals within 100 meters (330 feet) ' of any fault that is previously known or
discovered during site evaluation shall be subject to review and recommendation by a State -
registered engineering geologist., change to a more intensive land -use designation; subdivision
into five or more parcels development of multifamily, commercial, industrial, or institutional
buildings. (See also Policy S 8.3, Critical Facilities Locations.)
Policy S 3.2: Avoiding Slope Instability
Development shall not be located on or immediately below unstable slopes, or contribute to
slope instability. Any development proposed in an area of moderate or high landslide potential
shall be subject to review and recommendation by a State -registered engineering geologist.
Policy S 3.3: Avoiding Liquefaction Hazards
Development may be located in areas of high liquefaction Potentia only if a site -speck
investigation by a qualified professional determines that the proposed development will not be at
risk of damage from liquefaction. The Chief Building Oficial may waive this requirement upon
determining that previous studies in the immediate area provide sufficient information.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Radiation Hazards
Ionizing radiation damages tissues at the
molecular and genetic levels, causing a host
of illnesses and reproductive problems. The
particular type of damage depends on the
intensity and duration of exposure and the
part of the body that is exposed. People
have evolved in an environment that
includes very low-level exposure to natural
sources of radiation. Various sources can
cause exposure to much higher levels.
Reactors and used -fuel storage at the Diablo
Canyon power plant are only about five
kilometers (three miles) from the offshore
Hosgri earthquake fault.
The Diablo Canyon Power Plant is the primary hazard for ionizing radiation in the San Luis
Obispo area. Risks result from the potential for mistakes during day-to-day operations,
accidents associated with refueling, and damage from earthquakes or other causes. There is
added risk from on-site storage of spent fuel that remains radioactive for several generations.
Long-term, off-site storage facilities for spent fuel are not available. A release of radioactive
material could seriously damage health and make property unusable. The plant operator and
local .agencies have jointly prepared plans for warning, sheltering, evacuation, and other
responses to radiation emergencies. Updated information regarding the Emergency Response
Plan is distributed to the public each year. The plant is regulated by the Federal Government.
Land close to the plant, and downwind from it under prevailing conditions, is under County
jurisdiction.
Relatively low-level radioactive materials and waste result from some medical facilities and
other sources. The use, transportation, and disposal of these materials are governed by State
and Federal regulations.
15
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Safety Element
Radon is a naturally occurring gas produced by the breakdown of traces of uranium in certain
soils and rocks. This gas can accumulate inside structures where building materials emit or trap
radon, posing a significant health hazard. Soils and rocks in the San Luis Obispo area are not
known to be sources of radon, so it is not considered a substantial local hazard.
Other Hazardous Materials
Hazardous materials include a wide range
of solids, liquids, and gases that are
flammable, explosive, corrosive, or toxic.
Because large amounts of hazardous
materials are shipped through the San Luis
Obispo area daily, transportation accidents
pose the most significant hazardous
material risk to City residents and the
environment. Hazardous materials are
transported along highways, the railroad,
and pipelines, which pass through the city.
Public exposure to hazardous materials also
can result from their use by industry,
agriculture, and services. In 1999, there
were about 145 businesses in the City using
hazardous materials in sufficient quantities
to require filing a report with the Fire
Department, as required by the California
Health and Safety Code. Household use of
hazardous materials is also a threat to
health and the environment.
In 1995, members of the Hazardous Materials
Response Team collect samples following a
truck accident at Madonna Road and Los Osos
Valley Road.
Policy S 4.1: Minimizing Hazardous Materials Exposure
People's exposure to hazardous substances should be minimized.
Policy S 4.2: Hazardous Materials in City Operations
The City should avoid using hazardous materials in its own operations to the greatest extent
practical, and will follow all established health and safety practices when they are used.
17
SLO General Plan
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
The flow of electricity through a conductor
creates electromagnetic fields (EMF's).
These fields form around power
transmission and distribution lines, wiring in
buildings, and equipment and appliances
used at home and in businesses. The
strength of an electromagnetic field
depends mainly on the voltage in the
conductor, and declines with distance from
the conductor. Other EMF characteristics
depend on the type of current (alternating or
direct) and the frequency of alternation.
While an EMF from one conductor may
interact with and in effect "neutralize" an
EMF from another conductor, there is
generally no way to shield against EMF
exposure.
High-voltage power lines extend through parks, a
shopping center, and residential neighborhoods
in the southern part of the city.
Safety Element
i
Studies of the relationships between exposure to EMF's and illness have shown that there is
cause for concern, especially from long-term exposure to strong fields. The mechanisms for the
harmful effects have not been clearly defined. But it is known that all life processes involve
electromagnetic interactions at the cellular and molecular level, and fields from external sources
may interfere with these processes. The studies appear to show that there is not a clear dose -
response relationship. In other words, unlike ingesting a toxin, there is not a simple progression
of harm as the amount ingested increases.
The California Department of Health Services has recommended that, until information is
available to make better -informed decisions about possible health effects due to long-term EMF
exposure, people and local governments should consider keeping schools, dwellings, and
workplaces away from high-voltage power transmission lines. With this approach, exposure to
strong EMF's would be avoided through location choices when it is practical, inexpensive, and
simple to do so.
Figure 6 shows the high-voltage power transmission routes in the San Luis Obispo area.
Policy S 5.1: Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields
Land -use decisions should avoid prolonged exposure of people to strong electromagnetic fields.
Appropriate uses for areas under or next to high-voltage power transmission lines are
agriculture, floodwater detention, roads, parking, materials storage, and parks and greenways
with low -intensity use. Residential yards may be located along but outside of high-voltage power
transmission line easements. School buildings and playgrounds, residential buildings, and work
places should be set back from high-voltage power transmission lines. The amount of setback
will be a matter of judgment, considering the space available in which to locate uses within the
site being planned.
18
SLO General Plan Safety Element
Policy S 5.2: Notification to Buyers Near Electromagnetic Fields
When land containing major sources of electromagnetic fields, such as power transmission
lines, is subdivided, the City will determine if a condition will be imposed requiring notification of
prospective buyers that a source of electromagnetic fields exists and that studies have raised
concems about long-term exposure.
AIRPORT HAZARDS
The San Luis Obispo County Airport
provides commuter, charter, and private
service to the area (Figure). The primary
hazard associated with the airport is the risk
of aircraft crashing on approach and take -off
Aircraft flight operations are determined
largely by the physical layout of the airport
and rules of the Federal Aviation
Administration. Activities on the airport
property are managed by the County.
In April 1998, a private plane made an
emergency landing on Los Osos Valley Road
west of Foothill Boulevard, narrowly missing
power lines and cars.
Existing land uses under the approach and take -off paths include agriculture and businesses
close to the airport, and shopping centers, dwellings, and schools at greater distances. State
law requires the independent, countywide Airport Land Use Commission to adopt an Airport
Land Use Plan. This plan establishes zones based on flight patterns, with the aim of having
future development be compatible with airport operations, considering safety and noise
exposure. State and County policies encourage future development to be consistent with the
Airport Land Use Plan.
The City's General Plan Land Use Element designates land -use categories that are meant to be
consistent with the Airport Land Use Plan. When the City comprehensively updated its Land
Use Element in 1994, the Airport Land Use Commission was preparing an update of the Airport
Land Use Plan. When this Safety Element was adopted in 2000, the Airport Land Use Plan
update had not been completed. There were some discrepancies between the City's Land Use
Element and the Airport Land Use Plan, mainly affecting potential residential development in the
Margarita Specific Plan Area. Changes to one or both of the plans will be needed to resolve the
inconsistencies.
Policy S 6.1: Airport Land Use Plan
Development should be permitted only if it is consistent with the San Luis Obispo County Airport
Land Use Plan. Prospective buyers of property that is subject to airport influence should be so
informed.
19
city of san lws OBISPO safety Element
Figure 7: Airport Hazards
•
•
see
Compatibility zones based on
the County Airport Land Use Pan
Airport Building Areas
L_" Other Airport Property
uApproach & Climb -Out
Adjacent to'Airport,
Between Runway Extensions
Other Land Between
Runway Extensions
Other Land in Airport
Planning Area
.woes Urban Reserve Line
• 1 kilometer 1 mile
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SLO General Plan
HAZARDOUS TREES
Trees help make San Luis Obispo attractive
for people and wildlife. However, as trees
age, particularly massive or tall ones, they
pose a, risk from dropping limbs or toppling.
Strong winds, and saturated soils or erosion
around roots, contribute to the hazard.
Falling branches or whole trees can harm
people, damage property, and interrupt
access, storm runoff, and power and
communications. Particularly for some types
of pines in the San Luis Obispo area, pitch
canker is killing trees in a relatively short
time. The weakened or dead trees increase
the hazard.
Safety Element
In February 1998 a large eucalyptus tree fell
across Meadow Street, creating a clean-up
challenge but causing no injuries or serious
damage.
The City trims trees along streets and on City parks and grounds, with safety as one objective.
The City also notifies property owners of hazardous trees, and works with owners, the local
flood control district, and State programs to deal with trees along creeks.
Policy S 7.1: Hazardous Trees
Minimize danger to people and property from trees that are weakened and susceptible to falling
or limb loss during storms.
Program S 7.2: Hazardous Trees
The City will identify, and maintain or remove, trees on City property to minimize hazards,
and will work with property owners to do the same.
21
SLO General Plan
AVOIDING AND PREPARING FOR EMERGENCIES IN GENERAL
Even if the City did not have this Safety
Element, it would have in place many
programs and requirements intended to
avoid several kinds of emergencies and to
respond to those that occur. This element
does not repeat in detail those programs.
Instead, it contains broad policies and
programs reflecting the City's commitment
to achieving acceptable levels of risk.
Safety Element
Citizen volunteers learn how to remove a
victim trapped under a heavy object during
Community Emergency Response Training.
Policy S 8.1: Avoiding and Mitigating Hazards [reworded from the Open Space Element]
A. Development, including access and utility systems, shall be directed away from
hazardous areas, which should be designated for appropriate open space or park uses.
B. Where development, including access and utility systems, cannot avoid hazardous
areas, the development shall adequately mitigate the hazards.
C. Hazard mitigation measures shall not significantly impact the environment, including
wildlife habitats and views.
D. Development shall pay an equitable share of the costs to mitigate areawide hazards.
E. Hazard mitigation measures shall not burden taxpayers with high maintenance costs.
F. Development shall not increase hazards for other properties in the area.
Policy S 8.2: Emergency Preparedness and Response
There should be adequate planning, organization, and resources for emergency preparedness
and emergency response.
Program S 8.2.1: City Activities
The City's Disaster Preparedness Committee will be responsible for planning and
coordinating City preparedness activities. (This committee is comprised of the Fire Chief and
representatives of the police, public works, utilities, and administration departments.) With
direction from. the Disaster Preparedness Committee, the Fire Chief will maintain and
annually update a basic plan for emergency response.
Program S 8.2.2: Response Performance Standards
A. The City will evaluate fire -flow capacities and identify deficiencies through testing
and modeling of the water system. For identified deficiencies, the Utilities
Department will propose remedies to meet recommended service levels based on
Insurance Service Organization ratings and other objective criteria.
Discussion
To effectively fight fires, water must be available sufficiently close to the fire, at a
sufficient rate, for a sufficient duration. The City's water system is typically designed
and operated so the Fire Department personnel and equipment responding to a fire
22
SLO General Plan Safety Element
in one structure can at least prevent the fire from spreading to nearby structures.
Automatic fire sprinklers, which are required in nearly all new buildings, greatly
reduce the likelihood that a fire will consume a structure or threaten other structures.
First -response fire equipment often carries water or chemical extinguishes that can
be used to extinguish or contain small fires, especially where the fire is at the edge of
the city or where the water system may not meet recent standards. Land Use
Element policies discourage development beyond the area that can be served by the
gravity -supplied water system, because public or private pump -fed systems that may
be adequate for domestic use are usually not adequate for fire -fighting, and can
support a.sustained fire -fighting effort only if there is on-site water storage that fire
engines can pump from.
The City's water system is typically not designed to fight a wildland fire some
distance from the developed area, or approaching on a broad front and threatening
scores of buildings. The City relies on mutual and automatic aid, including special
equipment such as aerial tankers, in these situations.
An earthquake that damages many structures would probably start several fires and
cause some leaks in the water system. The City tries to avoid the injury and property
loss that could occur in this situation by:
• Replacing old watermains, valves, and hydrants. Newer materials and properly
back-filled trenches reduce the chances for breaks and leakage.
• Requiring looped water mains in new development areas, so leaks can be
isolated while preserving water service in most of the area.
• Requiring new buildings to have fire detection and suppression systems, and
fire -resistive construction.
• Training citizens to deal with emergencies at times when professional
responders would be overwhelmed.
The Water and Wastewater Management Element of the General Plan identifies the
annual water supply needed for the entire city currently and at build -out of the Land
Use Element. Municipal Code Chapter 2.44, "Development Impact Review
Procedures," requires that the adequacy of services, including water for fire fighting,
be addressed for each proposed development. In 2000, the City prepared a new
Water System Master Plan. This plan focuses on the facilities needed to correct
existing deficiencies and to serve new development. The draft plan recommended
the following safety-related items:
• For the Stenner Canyon Water, Treatment Plant, improved emergency standby
power, a seismic evaluation of the existing treated water storage and clearwell
facilities, and evaluation of means to protect the water treatment plant from
railroad accidents.
• To serve the Margarita and Airport areas, about 10 kilometers (six miles) of new
water mains.
• To serve the southwestern part of the city, a 6 -million -liter (1.6 -million -gallon)
water tank.
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SLO General Plan Safety Element
The following response -time programs are intended to apply to recurrent types of
emergencies, not rare, areawide disasters.
B. The Fire Department has set a response -time objective of four minutes. (The Fire
Department's standard of coverage recommends that a three-person engine
company, with paramedic, meet this standard 95 percent of the time.)
C. The Police Department has set a 30 -percent available -time objective for patrol
response. (°Available time" is the fraction of total time that a patrol unit is not
previously assigned or otherwise unavailable for response to a new emergency call
for service.)
D. The Public Works Department and the Utilities Department will set response -time
objectives, based on the values at risk and acceptable levels of risk, and will work to
achieve the objectives. (Typical incidents requiring timely response are water main
breaks and large trees down in the street.)
Program S 8.2.3: Staff Training
A. The City will train fire fighters, police officers, building inspectors, and public works
and utilities staff to levels appropriate for their tasks and responsibilities.
B. The City will provide training for those of its staff who apply its building regulations
and planning standards, emphasizing the lessons learned in locations that have
experienced disasters.
C. The City will conduct disaster -response exercises for the types of non-nuclear
disasters discussed in this element, coordinated with participation in required,
periodic nuclear -disaster response training exercises._
Program S 8.2.4: Specific Emergency -Response Information
The City will obtain information about the speck location and type of fire and toxics
hazards and values at risk, and use the information in its preparedness and response
actions.
Program S 8.2.5: Coordinated Emergency Planning
A. The City will work within the Standardized Emergency Management System, an
emergency response and coordination system used throughout California. The City
will participate in periodic disaster -response drills, on a regional basis with all
involved jurisdictions and involving the news media.
B. The City will review the hazard assessment studies and emergency response plans of
utilities and of transportation agencies and companies operating in the San Luis
Obispo area, and update the City's Emergency Plan, including evacuation routes, as
necessary.
D. The City will work with Caltrans to assure transport of hazardous materials follows
Caltrans -approved routes, with all necessary safety precautions taken to prevent
hazardous materials spills.
Program S 8.2.6: Emergency Operations Center
The City will maintain an Emergency Operations Center Plan, to prescribe the intended
activation and operation of a single facility from which disaster response will be managed.
The Headquarters Fire Station will serve as the Emergency Operations Center, with the
Corporation Yard and the Police Station serving as back-up emergency operations centers
or as department operating centers.
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SLO General Pian Safety Element
Program S 8.2.7: Information and Planning Updates
Working with other agencies in the area, the City will expand and keep current safety-related
information. The City will use sufficiently detailed analysis of hazards, and will update the
City's safety and emergency plans as new information becomes available.
Program S 8.2.8: City Emergency Plan
The City will keep current and implement its Multihazard Emergency Response Plans, as
required by the California Emergency Services Act, with the objectives of.
• Saving lives and protecting property
• Providing a basis for direction and control of emergency operations
• Assuring the continuity of government
• Repairing and restoring essential systems and services (such as water supplies)
• Providing for the protection, use, and distribution of resources that are available
immediately after a disaster
• Making the City as self-reliant as possible following a major disaster.
• Coordinating operations with other local jurisdictions
Program S 8.2.9: Mutual and Automatic Aid
The City will work with other jurisdictions to obtain and follow adequate mutual -aid and
automatic -aid agreements.
Program S 8.2.10: Disaster Recovery .
The City will prepare for post -disaster recovery, including measures to address:
• Prompt assessment of the condition of buildings and utilities,
• Temporary shelter for displaced residents, including the potential for sites on parks
or other public land,
• Temporary facilities for non-critical public services,
• Recovery of inventory and records from damaged commercial buildings,
• Temporary facilities for displaced businesses and not-for-profit organizations;
• Removal, reconstruction, or replacement of unsafe buildings, including historically or
architecturally significant buildings;
• High volumes of planning and building applications;
• High demand for public capital improvement spending to replace damaged facilities
or to take advantage of opportunities to implement longer -range plans.
Policy S 8.3: Critical Facilities Locations
A. The following City facilities that are necessary for community function and emergency
response will not be located in 100 -yeas floodplains, in areas of high or extreme wildland
fire hazard, on sites subject to liquefaction or landslide [as distinguished from areas with
potential for these hazards], atop earthquake faults or within State -designated special
studies zones, or in airport inner safety zones or outer safety zones:
fire stations
• police main station
• water treatment plant
• wastewater treatment plant
• public works and utilities corporation yards
• principal telecommunications facilities
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SLO General Plan Safety Element
B. The following facilities operated by entities other than the City, which are necessary for
community function and emergency response, should not be located in 100 -year
floodplain, in areas of high or extreme wildland fire hazard, on sites subject to
liquefaction or landslide [as distinguished from areas with potential for these hazards],
atop earthquake faults or within State -designated special studies zones, or in airport
inner safety zones or outer safety zones:
• hospitals
• Caltrans and utilities corporation yards
principal electrical substations
• principal natural gas transmission mains and pumping stations
• principal public -utility telecommunications and emergency broadcast facilities
Policy S &4: Emergency Access and Evacuation
Substantial development will be allowed only where multiple routes of road access can be
provided, consistent with other General Plan policies on development location and open space
- protection. "Substantial development" means industrial, commercial, and institutional uses,
multifamily housing, and more than ten single-family dwellings. "Multiple routes" include vehicle
connections that provide emergency access only, as well as public and private streets.
.Discussion
The City has determined that its roadway policies and standards provide adequate
opportunities for evacuation and emergency access, considering the conditions and types of
development planned for the city. Policies on connectivity are found in the Land Use
Element (policies 2.1.4 and 2.2.12). Design standards are found in the Circulation Element
(Part 5) and Subdivision Regulations (Municipal Code Chapter 16.36, Article II). When this
Safety Element was last revised, some areas that were developed before the current
policies and standards were adopted did not have the desired access. Those areas and
proposed access improvements are listed below.
Area
Deficiency
Proposed Improvement
Royal Way
One way out to Los Osos Valley
Emergency access only at Quail Drive,
Road for about 200 dwellings, 25 of
through the DeVaul Ranch project.
which are adjacent to an area of
moderate wildland fire hazard.
Margarita Avenue
One way out to South Higuera Street
Public streets and emergency -drive
for about 250 dwellings.
access through future development in
the Margarita Specific Plan Area.
Los Verdes tracts
One way out to Los Osos Valley
None proposed, due to "enclave"
Road for two tracts each with'88
design of tracts and creek channel.
dwellings, and one way out to South
Future development west of the Los
Higuera Street for one tract with 93
Osos Valley Road tracts may provide
dwellings, under an aircraft climb -out
an opportunity for emergency -only
path..
access.
Chumash Village
One way out to South Higuera Street
Potential for an emergency -only
mobile home
for 239 dwellings.
access to the east through the
park
Margarita Specific Plan Area is being
evaluated..
Villa Fontana
One way out to South Higuera Street
None proposed, due to "enclave"
for 54 dwellings.
design of tract, topography and
adjacent development.
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SLO General Plan
Element
Policy S 8.5: Preparedness Education
Citizens should be well informed of hazards and ways to minimize the effects of disasters.
Special attention should be given to children, seniors, and handicapped.
Program S 8.5.1: Citizen Information and Training
A. The City will help inform homeowners about local fire hazards, appropriate
responses to fire, and ways to prevent loss, including home improvements that can
reduce the impact of fire.
B. The City will promote the efforts of the Fire Safe Council.
C. The City will continue -the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training
as effective preparation for residents to aid themselves when needs exceed the
availability of professional emergency response workers.
D. The City will support education programs in the lower grades, using displays and
demonstrations to inform young children about fire safety, and in secondary schools,
demonstrating the dynamic aspects of fire, including major factors contributing to fire
hazard and the relationship of fire to the natural ecology. Fire prevention and
evacuation lessons will be included in each program.
Program S 8.5.2: Other Organizations
The City will help organizations that provide emergency outreach and education programs in
the area, will help schools teach children how to avoid dangers and how to behave during
an emergency, and will encourage other organizations dealing with large groups (such as
seniors and handicapped) to develop their own emergency education and response
programs.
Program S 8.5.3: Voluntary Inspections
The City will encourage and participate in programs to inspect individual houses, particularly
those occupied by the elderly or handicapped, including encouraging occupants to check
their own smoke detectors.
Policy S 8.6: Safety of Structures and Facilities
Existing and new structures and facilities should reflect adopted safety standards.
Program S 8.6.1: Reducing Structural Hazards
The City will identify and evaluate hazards in existing structures and work toward reducing
those hazards to acceptable levels of risk. The City will advocate that other organizations
and agencies do the same. Highest priority will be given to critical facilities (listed in Policy
8.3) and transportation facilities. This overall effort has five basic components:
A. The City's continuing steps to evaluate, maintain, and replace its own facilities, in
particular bridges, public assembly rooms, fire stations, water tanks, and water and
wastewater treatment plants.
B. Routine inspections for code compliance in commercial, industrial, public -assembly,
group -housing, and multifamily residential buildings.
C. Complaint -based inspections for code compliance in all buildings.
D. implementation of the City -adopted program to identify and mitigate hazards of
unreinforced masonry buildings.
E. Subject to adequate resources being provided through the budget process, outreach
for private, wood -frame buildings involving attachments to adequate foundations,
cripple -wall bracing, water -heater attachment, and bracing or attachment of masonry
chimneys.
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SLO General Plan Safety Element
Program S 8.6.2: Planning Standards
The City will maintain and administer its zoning and subdivision standards and architectural
guidelines in conformance with the General Plan. The standards and guidelines will be
consistent with the requirements and recommendations of City police and fire departments.
Program S 8.6.3: Development Review
City fire, police, public works, and utilities personnel will review applications for subdivisions
and development projects, for consistency with safety objectives.
Program S 8.6.4: Building and Fire Regulations
The .City will maintain and administer its building and fire regulations in conformance with
State requirements, including adoption of updated editions of uniform codes.
Program S 8.6.5: Required Inspections
The City will conduct safety inspections for fire and hazardous materials in commercial,
industrial, and multifamily residential buildings.
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