Camarillo City Council
AGENDA REPORT
Date: January 8, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Subject: Extension of Proclamation of Local Emergency and Direction on Waiver of City Fees to Rebuild Fire Damaged Property
BACKGROUND
California Government Code section 8630 and Camarillo Municipal City Code Chapter
2.32 empower the City Manager, acting as the EOC Director, to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency when conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist within the territorial boundaries of the City, and the City Council is not in session.
On Wednesday November 6, 2024, a fast-moving brush fire (now known as the Mountain Fire) broke out in the Somis area, just west of Balcom Canyon Road. The intense Santa Ana wind event, already in progress, quickly spread the fire south and west across Hwy 118 and into the Camarillo Heights area. Mandatory evacuation orders were in place in parts of Camarillo and surrounding Ventura County areas. The fire burned over 20,000 acres, injured multiple people, and destroyed 132 structures. In the City of Camarillo, the fire damaged or destroyed four (4) homes and red-tagged, declaring the building or structure UNSAFE. Five (5) properties were yellow-tagged, indicating RESTRICTED OR LIMITED ENTRY, and twenty-one (21) were green-tagged indicating INSPECTED - LAWFUL OCCUPANCY PERMITTED with no apparent hazard found.
On November 7, 2024, the EOC Director proclaimed that a local emergency existed within the City due to the Mountain Fire. On November 13, 2024, the City Council ratified the EOC Director’s proclamation of local emergency by adopting Resolution No. 2024-83 by a unanimous vote. Section 8630 of the Government Code requires the City Council “review the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every 60 days until the City Council terminates the local emergency.”
Extension of Proclamation of Local Emergency
January 8, 2025
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DISCUSSION
On November 7, 2024, Governor Newson declared a State of Emergency for Ventura County to enable the County to deploy all available resources, actions and measures deemed necessary to ensure the safety of the residents, property and infrastructure. The Governor’s State of Emergency provides in part that 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. The Mountain Fire’s impacts are ongoing and beyond the control of local resources, services, local emergency personnel, equipment, and facilities, and these ongoing conditions warrant and necessitate the Extension of the Proclamation of a Local Emergency.
Activities that are still ongoing related to the Mountain Fire and Local State of Emergency including the City recently adopting a Local Debris Removal Program and Ordinance to allow City property owners to obtain necessary permits to clean up their properties from fire debris consistent with state law as the debris may contain hazardous materials.
Further, as is often the case with fires in Southern California, the City is preparing for rains and the high potential for debris flows and mudslides from the burned mountain sides.
As with the Proclamation of a Local Emergency, any extension thereof requires a 4/5 vote of the City Council.
Additionally, on December 17, 2024, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors approved the waiver of certain Planning, Building & Safety, Environmental Health, Land Development Services, Roads and Transportation, and Fire Protection District fees related to rebuilding structures damaged in the Mountain Fire Disaster for residents of the unincorporated area. This is the only grant of funds that the County is currently providing affected county residents. On November 20, 2024, the City Council approved a City of Camarillo Local Debris Removal program in addition to participation in the Consolidated Debris Removal program administered by the County. As part of the Local Debris Removal program, City Council also approved a rebate program, providing financial relief to impacted residents for the reimbursement of debris removal costs that are not covered by insurance or other financial programs. If a reduction or waiver of similar rebuilding fees for impacted property owners within the City’s jurisdiction is an action the City Council wishes to consider implementing, Staff requests direction to bring an item back to Council for consideration for adoption.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no budget impact adopting the resolution extending the Proclamation of Local Emergency.
Extension of Proclamation of Local Emergency
January 8, 2025
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CEQA DETERMINATIONS
Not applicable
RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Camarillo, California, proclaiming and affirming the continued existence of a Local Emergency, and extending the Proclamation by the City’s EOC Director of the Existence of a Local Emergency, in response to the Mountain Fire.
2. Provide direction to staff on whether to return with an agenda item with information on options for the reduction or waiver of City fees related to approvals and permits for the rebuilding of structures damaged by the Mountain Fire.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution - Extension of Proclamation of Local Emergency for an Additional 60 Days
2. Resolution 2024-83 Proclaiming and Affirming a Local Emergency REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL None