CC SR 20210216 02 - Quarterly Status Report on Wildfire Mitigation Action Items
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 02/16/2021
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 (EPC) 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
EPC’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 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
REVISED 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 60%
On October 8 and October 12, 2020, the Emergency Services Coordinator and Emergency Preparedness 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 18, 2020, the Emergency Services Coordinator presented Peninsula-wide wildfire mitigation
preparedness efforts on behalf of the Peninsula Cities during a virtual wildfire preparedness town hall meeting hosted
by Asm. Al Muratsuchi.
On November 11, 2020, the Emergency Services Coordinator conducted a hybrid Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
surprise exercise for City staff. This exercise was conducted with no advance notice to City Staff to assess our readiness
in the event of a real emergency. City Staff has drafted an After-Action Review report identifying lessons learned from
this exercise.
City Staff is currently in coordination with the cities of Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, and Rolling Hills Estates in the
development of a Peninsula-wide emergency preparedness exercise, which is currently scheduled to take place in mid-
February 2021 and will serve as a starting point in coordinating Peninsula-wide evacuation plans and routes.
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 45%
During the November 18, 2020 Palos Verdes Peninsula Wildfire Preparedness Town Hall Meeting hosted by Asm. Al
Muratsuchi, representatives from the California Department of Insurance presented on plans to collaborate with
government agencies, insurers, and communities to keep insurance rates fairly priced. The presentation encompassed
data on the number of non-renewed home fire insurance policies for the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Per the recommendation of the City’s Emergency Preparedness Committee, City Staff included insurance availability
questions on the recently-conducted Citizen Satisfaction Survey for residents.
In coordination with Asm. Al Muratsuchi’s Office, City Staff was provided with direct contact information for the
California Department of Insurance for any home fire insurance availability questions residents may have.
City Staff has launched a new dedicated fire insurance resources webpage page on the City website. Residents now
have the opportunity to access a centralized location of information and resources on home fire insurance premium
hikes and reduced availability. Current information includes the California Department of Insurance presentation on
insurance rates, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s Virtual Investigatory Hearing on Homeowners
Insurance Availability and a point of contact for the Department of Insurance for questions on fire insurance availability.
The dedicated information and resources page can be found at: rpvca.gov/fireinsurance. The City Council-adopted the
Hazardous Mitgation Plan that may provide discount insurance rates. Information has been posted on the City's website
and in the Weekly Report regarding this.
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 3/31/2021 30%
The Emergency Services Coordinator has reached out to the Los Angeles County Fire Department and has established
regular coordination meetings in accomplishing this task of leveraging all skills and expertise and sharing information
for wildfire mitigation. Additionallly, the Los Angles County Fire Department has confirmed its participation in the
upcoming Peninsula-wide emergency preparedness exercise which is currently scheduled to take place in mid-February
2021.
5 Establishing a Wildfire Rebuilding permit and streamlining
process.City Staff 12/31/2020 4/31/2021 30%
On December 2 and 4, 2020, City Staff met with the Environmental Sustainability Director for the City of Malibu and the
Chief Building Official for the City of Santa Rosa for information on lessons learned in establishing a streamlined
rebuilding permit process following a wildfire disaster. At these meetings, the City of Malibu and the City of Santa Rosa
shared with City Staff best practices, lessons learned, and community development issues in the rebuilding of homes
following the Tubbs and Woolsey wildfires. City staff will continue to outreach to cities that have been recently affected
by wildfires and or disasters to glean information on lessons learned on best practices in establishing a streamlined
wildfire rebuilding permit process before a wildfire incident. The Emergency Services Coordinator will draft procedures
for implementation of an emergency wildfire rebuilding permit streamlining process.
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