Program # Program Description Responsible Party Schedule Current Status PS 9.1.5 Facilitate location of pre-school and day-care facilities in appropriate areas throughout the community, so as
to meet the child-care needs of the working population
and provide for early childhood educational
opportunities.
Planning Division to update
Development Code
Code update FY 1999-
2000; implementation
ongoing
Standards for large family day care are included in the Development Code update. This needs to be updated in 2022 to comply with 2020 state law changes.
PS 9.1.6 In order to encourage development of educational facilities, permit development of private educational
uses which are found to meet the general educational
needs of the community within residentially-designated
zones, subject to the approval of a Conditional Use
Permit.
Planning Division to update
Development Code
Code update FY 1999-
2000; implementation
ongoing
Included in Development Code update in 2003.
PS 9.2.1 Evaluate and monitor response times for ambulance services in the City, and seek available methods of
reducing response times to the extent feasible.
Fire District, City Manager's
Office
Ongoing The Fire Department implemented Paramedic services in 2000 to reduce emergency response times. Ongoing.
PS 9.2.2 Encourage development of health care services in the City and maintenance of existing services.
Reviewing authority; City
Manager's Office
Ongoing The City Council holds joint meetings annually with the Bear Valley Community Healthcare District to discuss health care issues.
PS 9.3.1 Cooperate with the San Bernardino County Library System to assure that quality library facilities and
resources are available to all residents within the
Community.
San Bernardino County Library
System, City Manager's Office,
Planning Division
Ongoing The City installed directional signs to the Library in 2001. City administering CDBG grant for ADA upgrades in Library. City also provides annual funding for the local adult literacy program through its CDBG allocation.
PS 10.1.1 Evaluate all City facility development proposals to ensure compliance with applicable standards.
Development Review Committee
and reviewing authority
Ongoing All City projects are subject to City standards; they are implemented through the development review process.
PS 10.1.2 Evaluate City facility needs annually in conjunction with review of the budget and Capital Improvement
Program, and program improvements and facility
expansions as needed.
City Manager, City Council Annually The Capital Improvement Program includes facility needs and is updated annually during the budget process.
PS 11.1.1 Revise the Emergency Preparedness Plan to comply with the State's Standard Emergency Management
System (SEMS), and update the plan from time to time
as needed to stay current with State guidelines and
local needs.
Fire Department Revise Plan 1999;
Implementation and
updates ongoing
Plan prepared and updated by local fire agency.
PS 11.1.2 Provide for backup power generation in the event of power outages due to local or regional disasters to
support the City's Emergency Operations Center and
other critical municipal facilities.
Fire District; Building and Safety
Division
Ongoing Generator at City Hall, which is tested monthly.
PS 11.1.3 Coordinate the City's Emergency Preparedness Plan with plans of the County and State's Offices of
Emergency Services, to ensure ongoing compatibility
of response plans.
Fire District Ongoing Monthly meetings with Operational Area and quarterly meetings with Mountain Mutual Aid.
PS 11.1.4 Train City staff on SEMS procedures and emergency response.
City Manager's Office and all
departments/divisions
Ongoing Trainings occcurred annually for City staff 4 and Fire agency continues trainings.
Big Bear Lake General Plan
Annual Report
March 8, 2023
Program # Program Description Responsible Party Schedule Current Status PS 11.2.1 Appoint a liaison with Caltrans, the Sheriff's Office, the County Road Department and the California Highway
Patrol to facilitate the establishment of emergency
evacuation routes, and to provide for the development
of an emergency response plan that assures the timely
repair of state highways and other major thoroughfares
damaged by a natural or manmade disaster.
City Manager's Office,
Engineering Division
Ongoing Ongoing coordination with the Mountain Mutual Aid agencies.
PS 11.2.2 Consult with Caltrans, the Federal Highway
Administration, FEMA and the Army Corps of
Engineering regarding potential funding assistance,
grants, and/or loans for the construction, repair and/or upgrading of bridges, floodways, dams, cut slopes and
other structures to minimize the potential isolation of the community and surrounding facilities.
City Manager's Office,
Engineering Division, Caltrans
Ongoing Coordinated with FEMA on flood damage and road reconstruction from prior years. Future coordination as needed.
PS 11.3.1 Coordinate with San Bernardino County, Municipal Water District, BBARWA, and other agencies and
utilities in the development and dissemination of
information and instruction on how to prepare for an
emergency and on appropriate actions in the event of
a local disaster.
Fire District Ongoing Coordinate through community outreach programs.
PS 11.3.2 Evaluate the feasibility and fiscal impact to the City of participating in the nationwide CARES program
(Community Assistance and Response to Emergency
Situations), and implement the program as funding
allows.
City Manager's Office, Fire
Department, City Council
As funding permits Joint partnership with Big Bear Valley Fire agencies to provide three classes per year was ongoing as funding allowed.
PS 11.4.1 Contact, coordinate and integrate public and private broadcast operators in the maintenance of an Amateur
Radio Civil Emergency Service (RACES) system to
provide coordinated communication in the event of an
emergency.
Fire Department Ongoing RACES Radios are installed at the Fire Station Headquarters facility.
PS 11.5.1 Develop contingency plans to utilize the Big Bear Airport in the event of a local disaster, and provide for a coordinated plan of response, when it becomes
necessary to place the airport in an emergency
response mode.
Fire District Ongoing The City continues to actively participate with member agencies for emergency planning, including use of the Big Bear Airport.
Big Bear Lake General Plan
Annual Report
March 8, 2023
Program # Program Description Responsible Party Schedule Current Status Community Design Element
CD 1 For all development projects which require design
review, the reviewing authority will ensure compliance
of the project with the design guidelines contained in
this element through a finding that the project
conforms to the General Plan.
Planning Division, Development
Review Committee, the Planning
Commission, and the City Council
Ongoing Implemented by the DRC through the development review process.
CD 2 The City will update its Development Code and all
other applicable ordinances to reflect and implement
the guidelines contained in this element.
Planning Division with the
assistance of other departments,
the Planning Commission, and
the City Council
2003 Comprehensive Development Code update adopted in 2003. Over time additional comprehensive amendments have been adopted.
CD 3 The City will update its Sign Ordinance to reflect and implement the guidelines contained in this element.
Planning Division, Planning
Commission, City Council
2000 Adopted updated Sign Ordinance in 2000. Another comprehensive updated occurred in 2011.
CD 4 The City will amend the Development Code to
strengthen property maintenance provisions to
address unmaintained properties, graffiti, litter,
abandoned signs and vehicles and other forms of
blight which detract from Big Bear Lake's appearance
and lifestyle.
Planning Division, Planning
Commission, City Council, Code
Enforcement Division
2001 and ongoing Standards included in Development Code update.
CD 5 The City will commit funding to the extent feasible, and will seek available funding from other sources, to
implement city beautification programs, including but
not limited to undergrounding of utility lines, planting of street trees, installation of gateway monumentation,
improvement of lakefront parks, installation of
decorative directional signs and street furniture, and
other measures as appropriate.
City Council, Improvement
Agency, City Manager and
applicable departments
Ongoing Improvement Agency (IA) funded Big Bear Boulevard Beautification Program in 2000. Veterans Park was constructed in 2001. Bartlett Avenue and parking lot expanded and improved in 2001. Boulder Bay Park constucted in 2005 and updated in 2012. Undergrounding of utility lines (on Big Bear Blvd.) was completed in 2017.
Knickerbocker Trail constructed in 2014, Happy Hill Trail in 2016, and phase 1 of Rathbun Creek Trail in 2018. The Village was reimagined in 2010 and the Moonridge Road Corridor
Improvements are underway as of 2021.
CD 6 The City will evaluate structures which may have
historical or cultural significance and access the
feasibility of preserving, rehabilitating and/or relocating these structures
Planning Division and Building
and Safety Division
Ongoing City evaluates projects proposing changes or demolitions to historic structes with the Bear Valley Historical Society and through CEQA, when applicable. Ongoing as needed.
CD 7 City staff will provide assistance to owners of historic properties in obtaining a historic designation from
appropriate state or federal agencies, and will assist
qualified project proponents to seek available funding
from outside sources for preservation and
rehabilitation of these structures, to the extent feasible and appropriate
Planning Division Ongoing No proposals for historic designation received to date.
Big Bear Lake General Plan
Annual Report
March 8, 2023
Program # Program Description Responsible Party Schedule Current Status CD 8 Working with the local historical society and other appropriate entities, the City will identify sites of historic significance which may be commemorated by
monuments, signs or other appropriate means, and will
assist in this effort.
Planning Division Ongoing Planning Division met with Tom Core of the Bear Valley Historical Society and received training on potentially historic building types.
CD 9 The City will create and distribute clear,
understandable handouts, illustrated with examples of
desired design characteristics, to explain its community design goals and policies to applicants and members
of the public.
Planning Division 2001 and ongoing Handouts for signs and building colors completed in 2001 and updated in 2012.
MEETING
DATE: March 8, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Erik Sund, City Manager
SUBJECT: 2023 Extreme Cold Winter Storm Event – Emergency Operations Overview
BACKGROUND
On Thursday, February 23, the National Weather Service issued a Blizzard Warning for the San Bernardino Mountains. At that time, the San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services began issuing “Flash Reports” providing relevant public agencies pertinent information related to the event they titled the 2023 February Extreme Cold Winter Event. As a result, immediately the City staff began operating under non-stop emergency operations. On February 27, 2023, as the mountain communities continued to be besieged by several severe snow storms, San Bernardino County issued a Proclamation of Existence of a local Emergency, followed by Governor Gavin Newsom signing a Proclamation of a State of Emergency on March 1, 2023.
DISCUSSION
As a result of the 2023 Extreme Cold Winter Storm Event, the City staff began operating under 24/7 emergency snow conditions beginning Thursday, February 23. During these emergency operations, City officials engaged in collaborative snow removal efforts and life safety protection actions with all relevant agencies, such as the San Bernardino County Sheriff Department, Big Bear Fire Authority, California Highway Patrol and the team at Caltrans District 8. In addition, staff was in constant communication with all of the pertinent emergency agencies, including the San Bernardino County’s Office of Emergency Services, that had formed an incident command to manage this massive snow removal operation. All of these round the clock, collaborated efforts helped to safeguard Highway 18 through Lucerne as the Big Bear Valley’s “lifeline” for emergency access and essential deliveries. Throughout the emergency event, the City’s snow removal operations were primarily focused on maintaining at least one passable lane on all roads throughout Big Bear Lake, in an effort to ensure lifesaving emergency services could provide help to those in critical need.
This extremely significant one-week storm activity brought approximately 4 feet of snow accumulation in most areas of the City, which is not accustomed to these heavy snow fall totals, especially occurring over a one-week timeframe. City staff and City contractors did an outstanding job providing snow removal services 24 hours a day and working hard to maintain all of our equipment in good working order to help facilitate the snow plowing efforts. In addition, City employees’ continued operation of the City’s phone lines in an effort to address the community’s concerns. We have also utilized the City’s social media outlets as an effective tool to communicate timely and often with the public, by providing important updates related to the City and local agencies emergency operations. There are several more emergency operations and important collaborative efforts that were occurring “behind the scenes” as the City worked to support the community and provide assistance (i.e. providing snow plowing services on portions of Big Bear Blvd.) to our agency partners. Therefore, City staff and representatives from local government agencies will be providing the City Council and the public a detailed presentation regarding the recent emergency operations and engaging the City Council in a discussion related to these emergency actives.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact related to this discussion item. Although, in the coming weeks as all of the storm related expenses are submitted and calculated, City staff will identify all labor, professional services and material/supplies emergency operation expenses and work with State and County representatives in an effort to seek any available reimbursements for eligible expenses.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
Per section 15061 (b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, this item is exempt under the “common sense exemption” and, therefore, no environmental review is required.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council receive a presentation from City staff and representatives from local agencies that collaborated with City officials throughout the emergency storm operations. Furthermore, City Council is encouraged to engage in a discussion with City staff and local agency representatives regarding the City’s emergency response efforts related to the 2023 Extreme Cold Winter Storm Event.
ATTACHMENTS
1. California Proclamation of a State of Emergency
2. San Bernardino County Proclamation of Existence of a Local Emergency ATTACHMENT 1
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY
WHEREAS severe winter storms struck California beginning in late February bringing damaging winds and historic precipitation, including snowfall in areas unaccustomed to snow; and
WHEREAS these storms damaged and forced the closure of federal and state highways and roads, and continue to threaten critical infrastructure; and WHEREAS these storms resulted in and continue to threaten power outages, have forced evacuations, and have stranded residents and motorists in impacted counties; and
WHEREAS it is forecasted that additional storms will continue to threaten counties across California, bringing strong winds, blizzard conditions across the Sierra Nevada mountains, above normal precipitation, and unusually cold temperatures; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8558(b), I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist due to these storms; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8558(b), I find that the conditions caused by these storms, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to appropriately respond; and WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8625(c), I find that local authority is inadequate to cope with the magnitude of the damage caused by these storms; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8571, I find that strict compliance with various statutes and regulations specified in this Proclamation would prevent, hinder, or delay the mitigation of the effects of these storms.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, Government Code section 8625, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist in Amador, Kern, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Sonoma, and Tulare counties.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1. All agencies of the state government utilize and employ state personnel, equipment, and facilities for the performance of any and all activities consistent with the direction of the Office of Emergency Services and the State Emergency Plan. Also, all residents are to obey the direction of emergency officials with regard to this emergency in order to protect their safety.
2. The Office of Emergency Services shall provide assistance to local governments, if appropriate, under the authority of the California Disaster Assistance Act, Government Code section 8680 et seq., and California Code of Regulations, Title 19, section 2900 et seq.
3. The California Department of Transportation shall formally request immediate assistance through the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief Program, United States Code, Title 23, section 125, in order to obtain federal assistance for highway repairs, reconstruction, or restoring access.
4. As necessary to assist local governments and for the protection of public health and the environment, state agencies shall enter into contracts to arrange for the procurement of materials, goods, and services necessary to quickly assist with the response to and recovery from the impacts of these storms. Applicable provisions of the Government Code and the Public Contract Code, including but not limited to travel, advertising, and competitive bidding requirements, are suspended to the extent necessary to address the effects of these storms.
5. The provisions of Unemployment Insurance Code section 1253 imposing a one-week waiting period for unemployment insurance applicants are suspended as to all applicants who are unemployed as a direct result of these storms, applied for unemployment insurance benefits during the time period beginning February 21, 2023, and ending on the close of business on August 21, 2023, and are otherwise eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
6. As directed by the Office of Emergency Services, the California National Guard may be mobilized under Military and Veterans Code section 146 to support disaster response and relief efforts and to coordinate with all relevant state agencies and state and local emergency responders and law enforcement within the impacted areas. Sections 147 and 188 of the Military and Veterans Code are applicable during the period of participation in this mission, exempting the California Military Department from applicable procurement rules for specified emergency purchases, and those rules are hereby suspended.
I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this Proclamation be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this Proclamation.
This Proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or benefits, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, against the State of California, its agencies, departments, entities, officers, employees, or any other person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have
hereunto set my hand and caused
the Great Seal of the State of
California to be affixed this 1st day
of March 2023.
GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California
ATTEST:
SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.
Secretary of State
ATTACHMENT 2