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ORD 691 ORDINANCE NO. 691 II AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA, TO ADOPT UPDATED FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTER, AND FIRE PROTECTION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 51178, AND REPEAL AND REPLACE SECTION 8.08.060 (VERY HIGH FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONE MAP) OF TITLE 8 OF THE RANCHO PALOS VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE WHEREAS, Government Code Section 51177 defines "Fire Hazard Severity Zones"to mean areas designated by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) based on consistent statewide criteria on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas; and WHEREAS, this designation requires the City of Rancho Palos to consider the potential fire risk implications of planning decisions in those areas; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes wishes to repeal and replace Section 8.08.060 (Very high fire hazard severity zone map) of Title 8, in accordance with changes made to the recommended Fire Hazard Severity Zones for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA, DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Findings. The City Council finds as follows: A. Pursuant to California Government Code section 51178, the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM), which is part of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), is directed to identify areas in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes (City) as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas. B. The City received an updated map of the proposed fire hazard severity zones for the City (Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map) from OSFM on March 24, 2025, and promptly made the updated Fire Hazard Severity Map available for public review and comment by posting it on the City's website, social media, and weekly reports, and holding an Information Session open to the public on April 30, 2025. C. The City Council has reviewed the updated fire hazard severity zones for the City recommended by OSFM, agrees with the recommendations, and desires to adopt II the updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map in accordance with California Government Code section 51179. Section 2. Environmental Findings. The City Council exercises its independent judgment and finds that this ordinance is not subject to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment), Section 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378), and Section 15308 (actions by regulatory agencies for the protection of the environment) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because the subject ordinance has no potential for resulting in any significant physical change to the environment, either directly or indirectly. Section 3. Adoption of Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map. The Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map entitled "City of Rancho Palos Verdes Fire Hazard Severity Zones" dated July 1, 2025, as set forth in Exhibit A, is hereby approved. The map will be posted and maintained electronically on the City's website and retained in the City Clerk's Office. Section 4. Modification of Title 8. Chapter 8.08.060 of Title 8 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code is hereby repealed and replaced to read as follows: "Section 8.08.060. Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps. The City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes hereby designates Very High, High, and Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zones, as recommended by the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM), Director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the County of Los Angeles Fire Department, as designated on the maps entitled Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which are on file in the City Clerk's Office." Section 5. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision will not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional. Section 6. Publication. The City Clerk is directed to cause this ordinance to be published in the manner required by law. Section 7: This Ordinance shall go into effect and be in full force and effect at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2026. I Ordinance No 691 Page 2 of 3 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 1st'day of July, 2025. Paul Seo, OW. Tern Attest: aetl-66:4ede,-6i4b-- reaoka, City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )ss CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES ) I, TERESA TAKAOKA, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, do hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of said City is five; that the foregoing Ordinance No. 691 passed first reading on June 17, 2025, was duly adopted by the City Council of said City at a regular meeting thereof held on July 1, 2025, and that the same was passed and adopted by the following roll call vote: AYES: Ferraro, Lewis, Perestam, and Mayor Pro Tern Seo NOES: None ABSENT: Bradley ABSTAIN: None CTeres -Takaoka, City Clerk I Ordinance No 691 Page_ 3of3 Rancho Palos Verdes The State of California and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy of data or maps. Neither the State nor the Department shall be liable under any circumstances for any direct, special, incidental, or consequential damages with respect to any claim by any user or third party on account of, or arising from, the use of data or maps. Obtain FRAP maps, data, metadata and publications on the Internet at http://frap.cdf.ca.govFor more information, contact CAL FIRE-FRAP, PO Box 944246, Sacramento, CA 94244-2460, (916) 327-3939. Jerry Brown, Governor, State of CaliforniaJohn Laird, Secretary for Resources,The Natural Resources AgencyKen Pimlott, Director,Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Government Code 51175-89 directs the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to identifyareas of very high fire hazard severity zones within Local Responsibility Areas (LRA). Mapping of the areas, referredto as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ), is based on data and models of, potential fuels over a 30-50year time horizon and their associated expected fire behavior, and expected burn probabilities to quantify the likelihoodand nature of vegetation fire exposure (including firebrands) to buildings. Details on the project and specific modelingmethodology can be found at http://frap.cdf.ca.gov/projects/hazard/methods.htm. Local Responsibility Area VHFHSZmaps were initially developed in the mid-1990s and are now being updated based on improved science,mapping techniques, and data. In late 2005 to be effective in 2008, the California Building Commission adopted California Building Code Chapter 7Arequiring new buildings in VH FHSZs to use ignition resistant construction methods and materials. These new codesinclude provisions to improve the ignition resistance of buildings, especially from firebrands. The updated very high firehazard severity zones will be used by building officials for new building permits in LRA. The updated zones will also beused to identify property whose owners must comply with natural hazards disclosure requirements at time of propertysale and 100 foot defensible space clearance. It is likely that the fire hazard severity zones will be used for updates tothe safety element of general plans. This specific map is based on a geographic information system dataset that depicts final CAL FIRE recommendationsfor Very High FHSZs within the local jurisdiction. The process of finalizing these boundaries involved an extensive localreview process, the details of which are available at http://frap.cdf.ca.gov/projects/hazard/btnet/ (click on "Continueas guest without logging in"). Local government has 120 days to designate, by ordinance, very high fire hazard severityzones within its jurisdiction after receiving the recommendation. Local government can add additional VHFHSZs.There is no requirement for local government to report their final action to CAL FIRE when the recommended zones areadopted. Consequently, users are directed to the appropriate local entity (county, city, fire department, or FireProtection District) to determine the status of the local fire hazard severity zone ordinance. California Teale Albers, NAD 1983Scale 1: 15,000at 36" x 36"September 2011 © 0 2Miles 0 3Kilometers This map was developed using data products such as parcel and city boundaries provided by local government agencies. In certain cases, this includes copyrighted geographic information.The maps are for display purposes only - questions and requests related to parcel or city boundary data should be directed to the appropriate local government entity. DATA SOURCESCAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZL06_1)CAL FIRE Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in LRA - Los Angeles (c19fhszl06_5) MAP ID: Rancho Palos Verdes Fire Hazard Severity Zones County Boundary Parcels City Boundary Local Responsibility Area State or Federal Responsibility Areas VHFHSZ Non-VHFHSZ VHFHSZ Non-VHFHSZ Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in LRAAs Recommended by CAL FIRE Ordinance No. 691 Exhibit A Page 1 of 1 w e tit t�v.'v `CC•J c k£>'y o T% 4 t 2` CITY OF „ RANCHO PALOS VERDES STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES ) The undersigned, being first duly sworn, deposes and says: That at all times herein mentioned, she was and now is the City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes; That on July 2, 2025, she caused to be posted the following document entitled: ORDINANCE 691, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA, TO ADOPT UPDATED FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTER, AND FIRE PROTECTION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 51178,AND REPEAL AND REPLACE SECTION 8.08.060 (VERY HIGH FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONE MAP) OF TITLE 8 OF THE RANCHO PALOS VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE a copy of which is attached hereto, in the following locations: City Hall Ladera Linda Community Park 30940 Hawthorne Blvd. 32201 Forrestal Drive Rancho Palos Verdes Rancho Palos Verdes Hesse Park 29301 Hawthorne Blvd. Rancho Palos Verdes I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is a true and correct affidavit of posting. City Clerk