CC SR 20201201 03 - Wildfire Mitigation Quarterly Status Report
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 12/01/2020
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to receive a quarterly status report on wildfire
mitigation action items.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive and file a quarterly status report on the Emergency Preparedness
Committee’s recommended wildfire mitigation action items.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no direct fiscal impact associated with the recommended
wildfire mitigation action items. However, implementation of the
Emergency Preparedness Committee’s recommended wildfire
mitigation action items may include items requiring funding
allocations in the FY 2020-21 budget and beyond.
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Jesse Villalpando, Emergency Services Coordinator
REVIEWED BY: Karina Bañales, Deputy City Manager
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Quarterly Status Report on Wildfire Mitigation Action Items (page A-1)
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
On May 5, 2020, the City Council approved the implementation of wildfire mitigation
action items based upon recommendations presented by the City’s Emergency
Preparedness Committee (EPC). The presentation, as summarized below,
encompassed the following:
• Financial consequences of wildfire risk to residents
• Steps to take to mitigate wildfire risks
• Programs for minimizing wildfire risk
• Hardening against wildfire impacts
• Overhead utilities
1
That evening, the City Council expressed its appreciation and agreement with the
recommendations presented by the EPC. The City Council also agreed to receive
quarterly updates on the implementation of the wildfire recommendations by the EPC.
Tonight, the City Council will receive its second quarterly status report on the
implementation of these recommendations. The six current recommended wildfire
mitigation action items are as follows:
1. Drafting a letter to residents expressing the City’s commitment to risk reduction,
and measures residents can take to safeguard or “harden” their home from a
wildfire.
2. Implement EPC-recommended action items to mitigate wildfire risk in RPV,
including: Enhanced emergency communication; emergency evacuation
plan/Peninsula-wide and school district emergency preparedness plan; wildfire
hardening; Public Safety Power Shutoff response; and CalFire Risk Assessment
and insurance rates.
3. Outreach/dialogue with insurance companies on what can be done to change the
City of Rancho Palos Verdes’ classification of a Very High Fire Hazard Severity
Zone.
4. Outreach to the Los Angeles County Fire Department to ensure we are
leveraging all skills and expertise in identifying areas throughout the City at high
risk for a wildfire.
5. Establishing a Wildfire Rebuilding permit and streamlining process.
6. Providing the City Council with quarterly updates on progress.
The attached quarterly status report table reflects the target date for completion,
completion status, and comments/status update (Attachment A). Staff created a status
color spectrum that indicates if the goal is at risk of falling behind the target date, on
schedule to meet the target date, near completion, or completed.
Color Description
0% - 25% - behind schedule/at risk
26% - 55% - on target/on schedule
56% - 99% - accelerated/near completion
100% - completed
Staff continues to work closely with the EPC, the three Peninsula cities, and other
agencies to achieve target dates for completion.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative action is available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Provide direction to Staff on potential modifications and clarifications of the
wildfire mitigation action items and continue this matter to a future meeting.
2
Number PROJECT / OBJECTIVE/OUTCOME/TASK Coordinating
Organization
TARGET DATE
FOR
COMPLETION
ACTUAL DATE
OF
COMPLETION
STATUS (%)COMMENTS/STATUS UPDATE
1
Drafting a letter to residents expressing the City’s
commitment to risk reduction, and measures residents can
take to safeguard or “harden” their home from a wildfire.EPC & City Staff 8/31/2020 8/18/2020 100%On August 18, 2020, the City Council authorized sending a letter, on behalf of the Council, to residents expressing the City’s
commitment to risk reduction, and measures residents can take to “harden” their home from a potential wildfire.
2
Implement EPC-recommended action items to mitigate
wildfire risk in RPV, including: Enhanced Emergency
Communication; Emergency Evacuation Plan/Peninsula-wide
& school district emergency preparedness plan; Wildfire
Hardening; Public Safety Power Shutoff response; and CalFire
Risk Assessment and Insurance Rates
City Staff 6/30/2021 50%
On August 20, 2020, Emergency Preparedness Committee members formed a Subcommittee dedicated to accomplishing the
Committee’s Work Plan Goal of incorporating key lessons learned from the Woolsey Fire After Action Report regarding
emergency communications, emergency playbook, resources, and drills/training into all four surrounding Peninsula cities'
emergency planning. On October 8 and October 12, the Emergency Services Coordinator and Committee Members met with
representatives from the City of Malibu and the Topanga Coalition for Emergency Preparedness (T-CEP) for guidance on
communication systems best practices and lessons learned. On November 9, the Emergency Services Coordinator hosted an
initial planning meeting with the Cities of Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, and Rolling Hills Estates to discuss the development
of a Peninsula wide emergency preparedness exercise. During this initial planning meeting, the Peninsula Cities agreed to use
this exercise as a starting point in coordinating Peninsula wide evacuation plans and routes. On November 11, the Emergency
Services Coordinator conducted a hybrid EOC Surprise Exercise for City staff. This exercise was conducted with no advanced
notice to City Staff to assess our readiness in the event of a real emergency.
3
Outreach/dialogue with insurance companies on what can be
done to change the City of Rancho Palos Verdes classification
of a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
City Staff 5/5/2021 40%
On August 20, 2020 Emergency Preparedness Committee members formed a Subcommittee dedicated to accomplishing the
Committee’s Work Plan Goal of outreaching with insurance companies on what can be done to coordinate a wildfire
risk‐reduction program to avoid premium hikes and reduced homeowner insurance availability in the City. On September 9, the
Emergency Services Coordinator met with this Subcommittee to discuss accomplishing this goal, during this meeting the
Subcommittee agreed to include insurance availability questions for residents in the upcoming Citizen Satisfaction Survey for
residents. On October 19, City Staff attended a Virtual Homeowners Insurance Investigatory Hearing, hosted by California
Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to glean how the City can avoid premium hikes and reduced insurance availability for
residents and neighborhoods interested in fire hardening homes. On December 3, 2020, the Emergency Services Coordinator
will be meeting with a field representative from Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi's office to begin the conversation on a
potential collaboration with the California Department of Insurance, Assemblymember Muratsuchi, insurance companies and
the City of Rancho Palos Verdes in implementing a community mitigation level program for rate reductions and guaranteed
coverage.
4
Outreach to the Los Angeles County Fire Department to
ensure we are leveraging all skills and expertise in identifying
areas throughout the city at high risk for a wildfire.
City Staff 12/31/2020 25%
The Emergency Services Coordinator has reached out to the Los Angeles County Fire Department regarding establishing regular
coordination meetings in accomplishing this task of leveraging all skills and expertise and sharing information for wildfire
mitigation.
5 Establishing a Wildfire Rebuilding permit and streamlining
process.City Staff 12/31/2020 25%
The Emergency Services Coordinator is coordinating with the Community Development Department to accomplish this task. City
staff is reviewing state and local guidelines in regard to wildfire rebuilding permits and processes, as well as other jurisdictions
that have gone through this process (i.e. Malibu, Venture, and Santa Rosa). The Emergency Services Coordinator will draft
procedures for implementation of an emergency wildfire rebuilding permit streamlining process.
A-1