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Agenda Item
ASR
Control 25-000458 |
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MEETING
DATE: |
08/26/25 |
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legal entity taking action: |
Board
of Supervisors |
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board of supervisors district(s): |
All
Districts |
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SUBMITTING Agency/Department: |
OC
Public Works (Approved) |
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Department contact person(s): |
Justin
Kirk (714) 667-1627 |
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Cindy
Salazar (714) 667-8870 |
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Subject: Adopt General Plan Amendment S19-01
- Safety Element
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ceo CONCUR |
County Counsel Review |
Clerk of the Board |
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Concur |
Approved
Resolution to Form |
Public
Hearing |
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3
Votes Board Majority |
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Budgeted: N/A |
Current Year
Cost: N/A |
Annual Cost: N/A |
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Staffing Impact: |
No |
# of Positions: |
Sole Source: N/A |
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Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A
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Prior Board Action: 2/11/2025 #33, 6/25/2024 #74,
9/27/2022 #45 |
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RECOMMENDED
ACTION(S):
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1. |
Conduct public hearing. |
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2. |
Consider the matter and
adopt Resolution to adopt General Plan Amendment S19-01 - Safety Element. |
SUMMARY:
Adoption of General Plan Amendment
S19-01 - Safety Element will provide updates to comply with recent state
mandates, incorporate requirements regarding the risk of fire in State and
Local Responsibility Areas and very high Fire Hazard Severity Zones and make
technical amendments.
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION:
The County of Orange (County)
General Plan includes both state-mandated and optional elements that establish
goals, policies and objectives on a range of planning topics. In accordance
with Senate Bill 1241 (2012), local jurisdictions are required to update the
Safety Element of their General Plan to address wildfire risks in State
Responsibility Areas (SRA) and very high Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) upon
the next revision of the Housing Element.
On October 23, 2019, the Orange
County Planning Commission (Commission) authorized OC Public Works to initiate
the General Plan Amendment S19-01 - Safety Element (Amendment). Following the
County’s adoption of its Housing Element Update on February 11, 2025, a
corresponding update to the Safety Element became a statutory requirement. The
proposed Amendment has been prepared to meet state fire safety regulations and
to incorporate necessary technical revisions.
The County’s Safety Element has
been reviewed and revised to address statutory requirements related to wildfire
risk, reflect current conditions in both Local Responsibility Areas and SRAs,
as well as very high FHSZs. The proposed Amendment also includes technical
updates unrelated to fire safety to ensure accuracy and consistency.
Key
Revisions Included in the Proposed Amendment:
Wildfire Safety Updates:
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1. |
Updated very high FHSZ
maps from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). |
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2. |
Updated historical wildfire data for
Orange County. |
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3. |
Added wildfire hazard area data from the
United States Geological Survey (USGS). |
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4. |
Added new and updated existing maps
depicting the general location and distribution of existing and planned uses
of land in very high FHSZs and in SRAs, including structures, roads,
utilities and essential public facilities. |
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5. |
Updated information regarding the local,
state and federal agencies responsible for fire protection, including special
districts and local offices of emergency services, in accordance with
Government Code (CGC) §65302 (g)(3)(A). |
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6. |
Updated goals and policies that protect
the community from the unreasonable risk of wildfire. |
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7. |
Updated references to County-adopted
fire safety plans and related risk-reduction documents. |
Technical
Revisions:
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8. |
Updated information
regarding the County of Orange and Orange County Operational Area - Unified
Emergency Operations Plan. |
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9. |
Updated information
regarding the Orange County Operational Area Emergency Operations Center. |
As required by CGC §65302, the
proposed Amendment was submitted to the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection -
Resources Protection Committee (Committee) for review on April 11, 2025. On May
13, 2025, the Committee approved the Amendment with two minor revisions. These
changes have been incorporated into the final version (Attachment A).
On May 28, 2025, the Commission
held a public hearing, considered the Amendment and voted to adopt Resolution
No. 2025-04 (Attachment B), which recommends the Board of Supervisors (Board)
adopt the Amendment.
Compliance
with CEQA: The
circumstances of the proposed Amendment are substantially the same as Initial
Study/Negative Declaration (IS/ND) No. IP 22-0133, previously adopted by the
Board on September 27, 2022, and Addendum No. 1 adopted by the Board on June
25, 2024, for the Housing-Related Updates to the OC General Plan and
Comprehensive Zoning Code. These documents include minor changes or additions
necessary, and both documents adequately address the effects of the proposed
Amendment. No substantial changes have been made in the project, no substantial
changes have occurred in the circumstances under which the project is being
undertaken, and no new information of substantial importance to the project
which was not known or could not have been known when IS/ND No. IP 22-0133 and
Addendum No. 1 were adopted have become known; therefore, no further
environmental review is required.
FINANCIAL
IMPACT:
N/A
STAFFING
IMPACT:
N/A
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment
A - Resolution
Attachment B - Planning Commission Resolution No. 2025-04
Attachment C - Senate Bill 1241 (2012)
Attachment D - California Government Code 65302