|
Agenda Item
ASR
Control 25-000682 |
||
|
MEETING
DATE: |
12/16/25 |
|
|
legal entity taking action: |
Board
of Supervisors |
|
|
board of supervisors district(s): |
All
Districts |
|
|
SUBMITTING Agency/Department: |
OC
Public Works (Approved) |
|
|
Department contact person(s): |
Hugo
Pineda (714) 955-0302 |
|
|
|
Trevor
Richardson (714) 955-0234 |
|
Subject: Adopt County of Orange
Unincorporated Areas Disaster Debris Management Plan
|
ceo CONCUR |
County Counsel Review |
Clerk of the Board |
||||||||
|
Concur |
Approved
Resolution to Form |
Consent
Calendar |
||||||||
|
|
|
3
Votes Board Majority |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
Budgeted: N/A |
Current Year
Cost: N/A |
Annual Cost: N/A |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
Staffing Impact: |
No |
# of Positions: |
Sole Source: N/A |
|||||||
|
Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A
|
||||||||||
|
Prior Board Action: 2/8/2022 #2 |
||||||||||
RECOMMENDED
ACTION(S):
|
1. |
Find that the activities, policies and
procedures of the 2025 County of Orange Unincorporated Area Disaster Debris
Management Plan are statutorily exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15269
(a) through (c) of the CEQA
Guidelines. |
|
2. |
Adopt a Resolution to adopt the 2025
County of Orange Unincorporated Area Disaster Debris Management Plan. |
|
3. |
Authorize the Director of OC Public
Works to amend the County of Orange Unincorporated Area Disaster Debris
Management Plan, as deemed necessary, and after review by County Counsel, to
ensure continued County of Orange compliance and eligibility for federal and
state disaster cost recovery. |
SUMMARY:
Adoption of a Resolution to adopt
the 2025 County of Orange Unincorporated Areas Disaster Debris Management Plan
establishes policies and procedures to guide disaster response, protect public
and private assets and maintain the County of Orange’s eligibility for federal
and state disaster relief funding.
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION:
A systematic approach to debris
management is critical to ensure efficient response and recovery efforts
following a disaster. This was underscored in January 2025, when the Palisades
and Eaton wildfires in Los Angeles County burned 47,900 acres, destroyed over
16,250 structures and generated approximately 4.5 million tons (18 million
cubic yards) of debris. Locally, the 2024 Airport Fire destroyed 160
structures, 89 of which were in Orange County. This fire burned 23,500 acres
and generated significant debris that continues to create hazardous conditions
during significant weather events due to mudflows and land instability. In
California, debris management accounts for 45 percent of the total disaster
cost, totaling approximately $662 million since 2020. In Orange County, $3.6
million has been obligated for disaster debris management projects since 2000.
The County of Orange (County)
developed its Unincorporated Areas Disaster Debris Management Plan (DDMP) in
2019 to improve preparedness and streamline recovery operations in response to
debris-generating events. The 2019 DDMP was approved by the California Office
of Emergency Services (Cal OES) on December 26, 2019. On February 8, 2022, the
Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted Resolution No. 22-017, approving the 2019
DDMP.
Since the adoption of the 2019
DDMP, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Cal Recycle have
issued updated guidance and policy, including FEMA Policy FP 104-009-2 (Public
Assistance Program and Policy Guide, Version 5.0 Amended, effective January
6, 2025), FEMA Policy 9523.13 (Debris Removal from Public Property) and the Cal
Recycle Disaster Debris Management Plan Guidance – January 2024 Update. These
updates require revisions to the DDMP to ensure continued County compliance and
eligibility for disaster cost recovery.
The proposed 2025 DDMP improves the
County’s ability to manage debris removal operations in the unincorporated
areas and on County-owned facilities. It incorporates the latest federal and
state regulatory requirements, introduces a Geographic Information System
(GIS)-based debris zone framework, clarifies contractor coordination procedures
and integrates current FEMA documentation standards to expedite reimbursement
following declared disasters.
The proposed 2025 DDMP continues to
align with FEMA’s Debris Management Plan Guidelines, focusing on the following
core components:
|
a. |
Developing a
comprehensive debris management strategy; |
|
b. |
Establishing
prioritization for debris clearance, collection and disposal; |
|
c. |
Outlining
private property debris removal policies and procedures; |
|
d. |
Coordinating
efforts among federal, state, local and private partners; |
|
e. |
Optimizing use
of available resources and equipment; |
|
f. |
Promoting
environmentally responsible debris management practices; |
|
g. |
Providing
updated technical guidance and staff training frameworks; and |
|
h. |
Supporting
faster reimbursement through standardized documentation and cost-tracking
procedures. |
OC Public Works, in coordination
with the OC Sheriff-Coroner’s Department Emergency Management Division and the
County Emergency Management Council, recommends Board adoption of the 2025 DDMP
to ensure continued compliance with FEMA and Cal OES requirements and maintain
readiness for future disaster recovery operations.
Compliance
with CEQA:
The activities, policies and procedures of the 2025 DDMP are statutorily exempt
from review under CEQA pursuant to Section 15269 (a) through (c) of the CEQA
Guidelines as an emergency project, as it focuses on proactive emergency
response planning to protect public health and safety by prioritizing access to
and clearance of critical infrastructure following a catastrophic event.
FINANCIAL
IMPACT:
N/A
STAFFING
IMPACT:
N/A
REVIEWING
AGENCIES:
OC
Sheriff-Coroner
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment
A - 2025 County of Orange Disaster Debris Management Plan
Attachment B - Resolution
Attachment C - Redline to County of Orange Disaster Debris Management Plan