HomeMy WebLinkAboutr10337amendfirehazardgenplansafetyelementRESOLUTION NO . 10337 (2012 Series )
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO AMENDING THE CITY'S
FIRE HAZARDS CHAPTER OF THE GENERAL PLAN SAFETY ELEMENT T O
IMPLEMENT THE GOVERNMENT CODE GP/ER 77-1 0
WHEREAS,the Planning Commission of the City of San Luis Obispo conducted a
public hearing in the Council Chamber of City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo ,
California, on September 22, 2010 to review proposed updates to the General Plan Safet y
Element to implement new Fire Maps and associated policies GPA/ER 77-10 ; and
WHEREAS,the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo conducted a public hearin g
in the Council Chamber of City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, o n
November 9, 2010, and March 6, 2012 for the purpose of considering the amendments to the Fir e
Hazards Chapter of the General Plan Safety Element ; and
WHEREAS,the proposed amendments are necessary to implement changes to th e
Government Code and fire hazard map changes adopted by Cal Fire ; an d
WHEREAS,the City Council considered the Initial Study and Negative Declaration o f
Environmental Impact (ER 77-10) for the project, and determined that the document adequatel y
addresses the potential environmental effects of the proposed project ; an d
WHEREAS,notice of intent to adopt these amendments has been given ; an d
WHEREAS,the City Council has duly considered all evidence, including the testimony
of the applicant, interested parties, and the evaluation and recommendations by staff, presented a t
said hearing .
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of San Lui s
Obispo as follows :
SECTION 1 .Findings .Based upon all the evidence, the City Council makes th e
following findings :
1.The proposed General Plan Amendment is consistent with the Government Code i n
providing updated fire hazard maps and policies for the City .
2.The proposed amendments to the Safety Element Policies and Maps are consistent wit h
objectives of Cal Fire to provide uniform maps and policies for the State of California .
3.The proposed amendments to the Policies will enhance the safety between the urba n
environment and the wildland interface by providing updated building and safety standard s
for properties that are within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and other areas of th e
City, consistent with adopted amendments to the California Building Code .
R 10337
Resolution No . 10337 (2012 Series )
Page 2
4 . A draft Negative Declaration was prepared by the Community Development Departmen t
on September 16, 2010 . The Planning Commission finds and determines that the project's
Negative Declaration adequately addresses the potential significant environmental impacts o f
the proposed project .
SECTION 2 .Environmental Review .The City Council does hereby adopt a Negativ e
Declaration for the project .
SECTION 3 .Action.The City Council does hereby adopt revisions to the General Pla n
Safety Element as shown in Exhibit A .
Upon motion of Council Member Carter, seconded by Council Member Smith, and o n
the following vote :
AYES :Council Members Carter and Smith, and Mayor Mar x
NOES :Non e
ABSENT :Non e
RECUSED :Council Member Ashbaugh and Vice Mayor Carpente r
The foregoing resolution was passed and adopted this 6th day of March, 2012 .
ATTEST :
Elaina Cano
City Cler k
APPROVED AS TO FORM :
Exhibit A
Safet ycity O f~~sanIUISoBispo
THE GENERAL PLAN
FIR E
Fires cause significant losses to life, property, and the environment . They occur in both urban an drural settings . Urban fire hazards result from the materials, size, and spacing of buildings, an dfrom the materials, equipment, and activities they contain . Additional factors are access, availabl ewater volume and pressure, and response time for fire fighters . Fire hazards in rural areas, or o nthe edge between urban and rural land, combine these factors with land slope and natural an dmodified vegetation . The mosaic of grassland, scrub and chaparral, and oak woodland aroun dSan Luis Obispo has been shaped by, and to some extent depends on, fire . Where the burning o fnatural vegetation is a threat to people's lives and property, plant fuels are often managed b yreplacement planting, grazing, plowing, or mechanical clearing .
"Wildland" is a shorthand description for areas characterized by low density development,concentrations of natural vegetation and steeper slopes . Wildland areas may be subject t osignificant fire hazard due to natural vegetation's properties as fuel, and the steepness of the land ,which affect how fast fire spreads and may limit access for fire-fighting . San Luis Obispo face swildland fire hazards due mainly to its climate and to the steeper hillsides around the city . Area swith high wildland fire hazard include the Irish Hills, Santa Lucia foothills, Cerro San Luis Obispo ,Bishop Peak, and Islay Hill (Figure 1). Fire hazards in wildlands are often compounded by thei rdistance from firefighting resources .
Fuel modification in conjunction with appropriate construction techniques may reduce the risk o fwildland fires spreading to the urban environment . In 2009 the City Fire Department i ncooperation with the Natural Resource Manager contracted with the Cal Fire Cuesta Camp Han dCrew to clear or modify natural fuels in the Cerro San Luis, Irish Hills, and Bowden Ranch Ope nSpace. Currently the City has contracts with the Cuesta Crew to modify fuels in open space area sby French Hospital and the Johnson/Fixlini areas . The fire department aims to reduce fire ris kthrough its weed-abatement program, which covers all wildland areas within the city's jurisdiction .The department also works with the County, which has a State and locally approved fir emanagement plan that coordinates among a number of State, regional, and county agencies .
Construction techniques, including the use of ignition resistant materials and building design tha tcan resist the intrusion of flame or burning embers projected by a vegetation fire (wildfir eexposure) reflect other efforts California communities have made to avoid the repeating cycle o finterface fire disasters .
Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone s
Government Code Sections 51175 through 51189 require identification of land within very high fir ehazard severity zones so that public officials are able to identify measures that will mitigat euncontrolled fires that threaten to destroy resources, life, or property, and to require that thos emeasures be taken . Property within these zones is required to utilize Wildland-Urban Interfac eFire Area Building Standards to minimize the threat of property damage in the event a wildfir eoccurs in close proximity to these properties . The objective of the Wildland-Urban Interface FireArea Building Standards is to establish minimum standards for materials and construction t oprovide a reasonable level of exterior wildfire exposure protection for buildings in Very High Fir eHazard Severity Zones and other areas designated by the City Council after a public hearing . Th eCity has decided not to create Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Zones within its jurisdiction .
SanUISOBISpO
Safetyname
THE GENERAL PLA N
Policy 3 .0 : Adequate Fire Service s
Development should be approved only when adequate fire suppression services and facilities ar e
available or will be made available concurrent with development, considering the setting, type ,
intensity, and form of the proposed development .
Policy 3 .1 : Wildland Fire Safet y
A.Wildland fire hazard severity zones shall be classified as prescribed by Cal Fire .
Areas within the City, including "Very High" Fire Hazard Severity Zones, if any ,
shall be classified by the City's Fire Code Official based on findings supported b y
substantial evidence in the record as required by Government Code Section
51179 and considered by City Council at a public hearing . Meaningful, earl y
notification and input shall be obtained from nearby neighborhoods which may b e
affected .
B.New subdivisions shall be prohibited in areas of "Very High" wildland fire hazar d
as shown in Figure 2 unless part of conservation or open space acquisitio n
program . Development of existing parcels shall require a development plan t o
manage fuels, maintain a buffer zone, and provide adequate fire protection t o
the approval of the Chief Building Official . The development plan must b e
consistent with Policies required by the City's Conservation and Open Space
Element .
C.The City of San Luis Obispo is considered a "Community at Risk" due to the threa t
of wildfire impacting the urban community . The City shall continue to enhance th e
fire safety and construction codes for new buildings in order to reduce the risk o f
urban fires that may result from wildfires . Citywide building code enhancement s
should include : Fire resistant exterior wall coverings ; Sprinkler protection in atti c
areas ; and Ember resistant vent systems for attics and under floor areas an d
other provisions identified in the California Building Code Chapter 7A .
FIGURE 1 : FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES
Cal Fire
Fire Hazard
Severity Zone s
—City Limit
- Railroad Track s
Local Area of Responsibilit y
-Very High
State Area of Responsibilit y
-Very High
J Hig h
Cl Moderate
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