CC RES 2026-078 RESOLUTION NO.. 2026-78
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES., CALIFORNIA,
PROCLAIMING. THE EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL
EMERGENCY IN ANTICIPATION OF THE 2026-2027
EL NINO EVENT
WHEREAS, in the past several years., the City of Rancho Palos Verdes (the "City")
has experienced increasingly severe and destructive storms, including atmospheric river
events, that have caused flooding, high winds, power outages, road closures, damage to
critical infrastructure, disruption of essential services, and the accelerated movement of
the Greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex (Landslide Complex); and
WHEREAS, the City is,facing imminent and proximate threat to safety of persons
and property, due to the developing and likely historic 2026-2027 El Nino event in the
Pacific Ocean adjacent to the City's coastline; and
WHEREAS, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAH)
National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, in.its September 17, 2026 diagnostic
report, found that the El Nino event is strengthen'ing, with a greater than 90 percent
chance of becoming a very strong event during the fall and winter of 2026-2027; and
WHEREAS, the Climate Prediction Center also projected a 75 percent chance that
the event will reach historic strength between October through December 2.026 and
exceed the strength of all prior El Nino events in the historical record beginning, in 1950;
and
WHEREAS, the City has already begun to experience effects attributed to this El
Nino event, including unusual precipitation and weather patterns., as well as high surf and
coastal shoreline erosion, throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, the City can anticipate that atmospheric rivers and storms caused by
the forecasted El Nino have the potential to yield similar impacts seen with past storm
events, such as flooding, high winds, other weather-related impacts; power outages, road
closures., damage to homes and critical infrastructure (in particular to Palos Verdes Drive
South); disruptions to essential services; and the acceleration of the Landslide Complex..
WHEREAS,, these anticipated impacts demonstrate the importance of procuring
and positioning emergency response resources and taking additional actions to prepare
in advance for and respond to the forecasted El Nino event; and
WHEREAS, in light of that experience, the City Council deems it essential to take
action_ now to enable the City to facilitate the process of quickly preparing for, preventing,
an'd responding to the potential impacts of the anticipated,El Nino event; and
WHEREAS, on September 21, 2026, the Governor of the State of California
proclaimed a state of emergency statewide due to the developing 2026-2027 El Nino
event and directed State agencies to take early actions to protect vulnerable communities,
critical infrastructure,, and emergency response, capabilities; and
01203'.0023.2198392.1 9/26/2026
WHEREAS, as of September 23, 2026, the County of Los Angeles also proclaimed
a local emergency countywide due to the impending 2026-2027 El Nino event; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code Chapter 2.24 and
Government Code §§ 8630, 8680.9, and 8558, the City Council has the authority to
proclaim the existence of a local emergency to protect and preserve public welfare when
the City is affected or likely to be affected by a public emergency; and
WHEREAS, the City has a responsibility to take such proactive measures to
protect life and property and maintain essential services before, during, and after
significant storm events, including preparing and positioning personnel, equipment,
supplies, emergency response resources, and other materials in advance of anticipated
impacts; and
WHEREAS, the potential impacts of the anticipated El Nino event may exceed the
City's normal day-to-day operational capabilities and may require extraordinary
preparedness measures, expedited procurement, additional personnel and contractual
resources, and enhanced coordination with neighboring jurisdictions, regional agencies,
Los Angeles County, the State of California, federal agencies, utility providers,
transportation agencies, and other public and private partners; and
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS
VERDES, CALIFORNIA, HEREBY FINDS, DETERMINES, AND RESOLVES AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Recitals. The City Council hereby determines that the above recitals
I
are true and correct,and incorporate the same as the findings of the City Council.
Section 2. A Local Emergency Exists. The City Council finds, pursuant to
Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code Chapter 2.24 and Government Code §§ 8630,
8680.9, and 8558, there exists a condition of peril to the safety of persons and property
exiting within the City due to the predicted very strong or historic strength El Nino event.
Section 3. Coordination and Preparation are Ordered. City departments shall take
all appropriate actions to identify, procure,, stage, and pre-position equipment, supplies,
materials, services, personnel, and other resources necessary to prepare for and respond
to the potential impacts of the developing 2026-2027 El Nino event and winter storm
season, consistent with the emergency purchasing and contracting authorities
established by applicable law and the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code.
Section 4. Local Resources May Be a Inadequate. The City Council further finds,
pursuant to Government Code § 8625(c), the El Nino event is likely to cause conditions
that, by reason of their magnitude, are likely to be beyond the scope and control of City
services, personnel, equipment, and facilities and will require the City to seek mutual aid
from the State of California, the County of Los Angeles and other regional agencies to
appropriately respond to the same.
01203.0023/1003066.1 Resolution No. 2026-78
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Section .5. A Local Emergency is Hereby Proclaimed. Based on the foregoing,
the City Council hereby proclaims that a state of local emergency exists within the City
because of the predicted very strong or historic-strength El Nino event for 2026-2027._
Section 6. Authority Granted. Based on the foregoing, the. City Council further
proclaims and orders that, during the existence of said local emergency, the powers,
authority, functions and duties of the Disaster Council, Director, and the City's emergency
services organizations shall be those prescribed by State Law, City ordinances,
Resolution No. 2023-47, and any other applicable resolutions, and approved plans of the
City in order to address the predicted impacts on the City from the very strong or historic-
strength El Nino event for 2026-2027.
Section 7. Immunity Invoked. To the maximum. extent permitted by law, and
pursuant to Government Code §.§ 866 and 8655, the City Council hereby invokes the
immunities afforded to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes in adopting and implementing the
proclamation of local emergency because of the extreme peril to the safety of persons
and property due to the developing El Nino event.
Section 8. Duration & Continuing Proclamation. The local emergency shall be
deemed to continue to exist until its termination is proclaimed by the City Council in
accordance with Government Code § 8630. Government Code § 8630 further requires
the City Council to review the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every
60 days.
Section 9. Severability. If any subsection,, sentence, clause,, phrase, or word of
this Resolution or any application of it to any person, structure, gathering, or circumstance
is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of a court of competent jurisdiction,
then such decision will not affect the validity of the remaining portions or applications of
this Resolution.
Section 10. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The City Council finds
that this Resolution is proposed to allow the City to continue to address and mitigate an
imminent threat to public health and safety and therefore is exempt from CEQA pursuant
to Public Resources Code.§ 21080(b')(4) and CEQA Guidelines:§ 15269.
Section 11. Effectiveness. This Resolution shall take effect immediately. A copy
of this Resolution shall be forwarded to the California Office of Emergency Services ("Cal
OES") and Los Angeles. County, Office of Emergency Services ("LACOEM"). The City
Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this resolution.
01203.0023/100.3066.1 Resolution No. 2026-78
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PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED on this 6th day of October, 2026,.
Paul Seo, ay
ATTEST:
eresa Ta oka, 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, hereby certify that
the above Resolution No. 2026-78 was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the
said City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on October 6, 2026.
esa a, City Clerk111
111
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