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ORDINANCE NO. 2025 - _________
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING VERY HIGH,
HIGH, AND MODERATE FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY
ZONES BY AMENDING AND RESTATING IN ITS
ENTIRETY SECTION 9.02.400 OF THE CULVER CITY
MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING THE DESIGNATION OF
VERY HIGH, HIGH, AND MODERATE FIRE HAZARD
SEVERITY ZONES.
WHEREAS, pursuant to California Government Code Section 51178, the State Fire Marshal is required to identify areas in the State as Moderate, High, and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) based on consistent statewide criteria and the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas; and WHEREAS, the State FHSZ maps are being updated to more accurately reflect zones in California that are susceptible to wildfire through the incorporation of new science in local climate data and improved fire assessment modeling in determining hazard ratings; and
WHEREAS, on March 24, 2025, the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) issued the 2025 Recommended Local Responsibility Area (LRA) FHSZ map for Culver City - Los Angeles County , identifying certain Very High, High, and Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zones in the City’s LRA; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to California Government Code Section 51178.5, the City of Culver City (“City”) made the draft updated FHSZ map recommendations available for public review and comment within 30 days of receiving them; and
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WHEREAS, pursuant to California Government Code Section 51179(a), the City must designate, by ordinance, moderate, high, and very high FHSZs in its jurisdiction within 120 days of receiving recommendations from the State Fire Marshal; and WHEREAS, pursuant to California Government Code Section 51179(b)(3), the City is prohibited from decreasing the level of fire hazard severity zone s identified by the State Fire Marshal for any area within the City , for example by reducing areas designated as very high FHSZs by the State Fire Marshal to moderate or high fire hazard severity zones; however, pursuant to California Government Code Section 51179(b)(1), the City may increase the recommended levels of FHSZs following a finding supported by substantial evidence in the record that the requirements of California Government Code Section 51182 are necessary for effective fire protection within the area; and WHEREAS, t he Culver City Fire Departmen t (CCFD) is recommending increasing the State-recommended FHSZ designation for the Wrightcrest neighborhood, as well as for the lower Culver Crest neighborhood , which are currently already within Very High FHSZs; as such, property owners in those areas will not have new requirements; and WHEREAS, during Santa Ana wind events, when the hot, dry air is blowing in off the deserts, fueling potential wildfire starts, the aforementioned neighborhoods are among the most vulnerable within the City’s jurisdiction; thus, by continuing to attach the Very High designation to these areas, it will allow CCFD to better manage the City’s brush clearance and help CCFD enforce 100 feet of defensible space around structures; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to adopt the CCFD’s recommend ed FHSZ designations , which increase certain State-recommended FHSZs and adopt other State-recommended FHSZs, by amending and restating in its entirety Section 9.02.400 of
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the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC), which was previously adopted by the City in 2012 when only Very High FHSZs were required to be approved by ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE , the City Council of the City of Culver City, California, DOES HEREBY ORDAIN as follows:
SECTION 1. Pursuant to Government Code Section 51179(b)(1), and based upon substantial evidence in the record, t he City Council finds that t he requirements of Government Code Section 51182 are necessary for effective fire protection within the Wrightcrest neighborhood and the lower Culver Crest neighborhood in the City.
SECTION 2. Section 9.02.400 of the Culver City Municipal Code is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
VERY HIGH, HIGH, AND MODERATE FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES § 9.02.400 DESIGNATION OF VERY HIGH, HIGH, AND MODERATE FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES.
A. The City Council designates Very High, High, and Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZs) as recommended by the Culver City Fire Department on a map entitled, Very High, High & Moderate FHSZs – Culver City, and dated May 2025, increasing the levels of certain FHSZs and adopting other FHZS as identified by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
B. The Culver City Fire Department’s Very High, High, and Moderate FHSZ s designation map shall be kept on file in the City Clerk’s office and in the Fire Prevention Division offices.
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SECTION 3. In amending and restating in its entirety Section 9.02.400 of the Culver City Municipal Code, the City Council is hereby adopting the Fire Hazard Severity Zones of Very High, High, and Moderate, as recommended by the Culver City Fire Department, identified on a map dated May 2025, attached hereto as Exhibit “A.” This map increases the FHSZs for the Wrightcrest and lower Culver Crest neighborhoods to Very High and adopts the remaining FHSZs as identified by the State Fire Marshal on the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection ’s map dated March 24, 2025, attached hereto for comparison as Exhibit “B.”
SECTION 4. Pursuant to Section 619 of the City Charter, this Ordinance shal l take effect thirty (30) days after its adoption. Pursuant to Section 616 and 621 of the City Charter, prior to the expiration of 15 days after the adoption, the City Clerk shall cause this Ordinance, or a summary thereof, to be published in the Culver City News and shall post this Ordinance or a summary thereof in at least three places within the City . Further, pursuant to California Government Code Section 51179(c), the City shall transmit a copy of this Ordinance to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection within 30 days of adoption.
APPROVED and ADOPTED this _____ day of __________ 2025.
DAN O’BRIEN, Mayor
City of Culver City, California
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
JEREMY BOCCHINO, City Clerk HEATHER S. BAKER, City Attorney
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EXHIBIT A
City Boundary
2007-2011 FHSZ in Local
Responsibility Area
Very High
2025 FHSZ in Local
Responsibility Area
Very High
High
Moderate
µ
THE CITY OF CULVER CITY
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
9770 CULVER BL
CULVER CITY, CA 90232
TEL: 310-253-5976
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM
The City of Culver City makes no representation or warranties of any kind with respect to the accuracy of the information of claims furnished herein, as the data is a compilation of records and information obtained from various sources. The data displayed on this map is for representational purposes only. It is neither a legally recorded map nor a survey and is not intended to be used as such. No part of this map may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording systems except as expressly permitted in writing by the City of Culver City, Information Technology Department, Geographic Information Systems. © City of Culver City. All Rights Reserved.
DISCLAIMER
LEGEND
0 2,0001,000
US Feet
Very High, High, &
Moderate FHSZs – Culver
City
May 2025
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EXHIBIT B
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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 Protection Joe Tyler, Director/Fire Chief, CA Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Wade Crowfoot, Secretary for Natural Resources, CA Natural Resources Agency Gavin Newsom, Governor, State of CaliforniaThe State of California and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy of data or maps. Neither the State nor the Department shall be liable under any circumstances for any direct, special, incidental, or consequential damages with respect to any claim by any user or third party on account of, or arising from, the use of data or maps. and other relevant factors including areas where winds
have been identified by the Office of the State Fire Marshal as a major cause of wildfire spread.
statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas. Moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones shall be based on fuel loading, slope, fire weather, Government Code section 51178 requires the State Fire
Marshal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent Unzoned LRA
Incorporated City
Projection: NAD 83 California Teale Albers
Scale: 1:31,000 at 11" x 17"
0 1 2Km
0 1MiFire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) in Local Responsibility Area (LRA), as Identified by the State Fire Marshal
Culver City
405
90 187
UNINCORPORATED
LOS ANGELES CO.
INGLEWOOD
LOS ANGELES
LOS ANGELES
LOS ANGELES
SANTA MONICA
March 24, 2025
As Identified by the
State Fire Marshal
Local Responsibility Area
Fire Hazard Severity Zones
CITY OF CULVER CITY – LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Very High High Moderate