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Home My WebLink AboutStaff Report 2508-5091CITY OF PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL Monday, September 08, 2025 Council Chambers & Hybrid 5:30 PM Agenda Item 14.SECOND READING: Ordinance Adopting the 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map Issued by the State Fire Marshal (FIRST READING: August 11, 2025 PASSED 6-0-1, Lythcott- Haims Absent) City Council Staff Report Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR Lead Department: City Clerk Meeting Date: September 8, 2025 Report #:2508-5091 TITLE SECOND READING: Ordinance Adopting the 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map Issued by the State Fire Marshal (FIRST READING: August 11, 2025 PASSED 6-0-1, Lythcott-Haims Absent) BACKGROUND The City Council heard this item on August 11, 2025 for a first reading and approved it on a 6-0- 1 vote. No changes were made to the ordinance, and it is now before the City Council for a second reading. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A - Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto adopting the 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map Issued by the State Fire Marshal APPROVED BY: Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk NOT YET APPROVED Attachment A 1 027072325 Ordinance No. ____ Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto adopting the 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map Issued by the State Fire Marshal The Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follows: SECTION 1. Findings and Declarations. The City Council finds and declares as follows: A. To better prepare for wildfires, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is required to periodically review its recommended classifications of fire hazard severity zones throughout California. The state legislature has found that the prevention of wildfires is a matter of statewide concern, not a municipal affair. B. The State released updated 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) maps, and requires all local jurisdictions, including Palo Alto, with moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zone recommendations to designate those zones by ordinance. C. State law also requires that the City post the maps indicating CAL FIRE’s FHSZ recommendations publicly for comment within 30 days of receipt, which the City conducted from March 26 - April 30, 2025. D. After consideration of public comments, the City will rely on the latest recommendations of CAL FIRE in its published FHSZ maps, notwithstanding local discretion to impose more restrictive fire and public safety requirements. SECTION 2. Adoption of 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map for Palo Alto. The City hereby designates the Fire Hazard Severity Zones as recommended by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Government Code Section 51178. The map, approved by the Council of the City of Palo Alto, is hereby incorporated by reference, and entitled, “Fire Hazard Severity Zones in Local Responsibility Area - City of Palo Alto”, dated February 24, 2025 (Exhibit A). The official map is also located electronically on the following website: https://www.paloalto.gov/wildfire SECTION 3. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be effective on the thirty-first date after the date of its adoption. // // // NOT YET APPROVED Attachment A 2 027072325 SECTION 4. CEQA. The City Council finds and determines that this Ordinance is not a project within the meaning of section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines because adoption of the state FHSZ map and updating a statutory definition involves no action with potential for resulting in physical change in the environment, either directly or ultimately. In the event that this Ordinance is found to be a project under CEQA, it is subject to the CEQA exemption contained in CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty to have no possibility of a significant effect on the environment in that this Ordinance simply clarifies existing local regulations. INTRODUCED AND PASSED: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTENTIONS: ATTEST: __________________________ _____________________________ City Clerk Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED: __________________________ _____________________________ City Attorney or designee City Manager _____________________________ Fire Chief, Palo Alto Fire Department City and County boundaries as of 10/22/24 (CA Board of Equalization)CAL FIRE State Responsibility Areas (SRA25_1)CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZSRA23_3, FHSZLRA_25_1)Data Sources: Daniel Berlant, State Fire Marshal, CA Department of Forestry and Fire ProtectionJoe Tyler, Director/Fire Chief, CA Department of Forestry and Fire ProtectionWade Crowfoot, Secretary for Natural Resources, CA Natural Resources AgencyGavin Newsom, Governor, State of CaliforniaThe State of California and the Department of Forestry and FireProtection make no representations or warranties regarding theaccuracy of data or maps. Neither the State nor the Department shallbe liable under any circumstances for any direct, special, incidental,or consequential damages with respect to any claim by any user orthird party on account of, or arising from, the use of data or maps. and other relevant factors including areas where windshave been identified by the Office of the State Fire Marshalas a major cause of wildfire spread. statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that isexpected to prevail in those areas. Moderate, high, and very high firehazard severity zones shall be based on fuel loading, slope, fire weather, Government Code section 51178 requires the State FireMarshal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high,and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent Waterbody Federal ResponsibilityArea (FRA)Unzoned LRA Incorporated City Projection: NAD 83 California Teale AlbersScale: 1:97,000 at 11" x 17" 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Km 0 1 2 3 4Mi Very High High Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zones in State Responsibility Area(SRA), Effective April 1, 2024 Very High High Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) in Local ResponsibilityArea (LRA), as Identified by the State Fire Marshal Palo Alto UNINCORPORATEDSAN MATEO CO. UNINCORPORATEDSANTA CLARA CO. elCamino Real 101 82 35 ATHERTON CUPERTINO EAST PALOALTO FREMONT LOS ALTOSLOSALTOS HILLS MENLO PARK MOUNTAIN VIEW NEWARK PORTOLAVALLEY REDWOOD CITY SAN CARLOS SAN JOSE SAN JOSE SANTACLARA SARATOGA SUNNYVALE WOODSIDE ALAMEDACO. SANTACLARACO. SANMATEO CO. SANTA CLARACO. February 24, 2025 As Identified by theState Fire MarshalLocal Responsibility AreaFire Hazard Severity Zones CITY OF PALO ALTO – SANTA CLARA COUNTY Exhibit A