General Plan Introduction, Land Use, and Safety Element Updates Page 3 Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000
The LHMP was prepared pursuant to the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000).
The DMA 2000 amended the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) to require that local governments have hazard mitigation plans in place prior to receiving Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mitigation grants. The DMA 2000 also established criteria for LHMPs that must be complied with in order for local jurisdictions to qualify for federal disaster assistance and hazard mitigation funding under the Stafford Act. The LHMP was reviewed by FEMA earlier this year and was tentatively approved by FEMA pending adoption by the participating jurisdictions. Accordingly, once the LHMP has been adopted by Etna and the City has notified FEMA of its adoption, the City will be eligible for federal disaster assistance, including FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation. Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs, and Flood Mitigation Assistance Program. Access to FEMA assistance is of critical importance in preparing for and mitigating hazards, as well as during post disaster recovery.
AB2140 (2006)
Passed in 2006, Assembly Bill No. 2140 (AB 2140) allows California counties and cities to be considered for additional state cost-share on eligible Public Assistance projects by adopting their FEMA-approved LHMP into the Safety Element. This adoption, along with other requirements, makes the county or city eligible to be considered for part or all of its local-share costs on eligible Public Assistance projects to be provided by the State through the California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA). Among the requirements that must be met to qualify for additional funding under AB 2140, the local agency must include specific language in the Safety Element and make the LHMP easily accessible in its entirety as a weblink, appendices, or attachment. The required language is included in Section 7.4.1, Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, on page 7-3 of the draft Safety Element, and a weblink to the LHMP is provided in Section 7.8, References.
In accordance with state law, the draft Safety Element was submitted for review to the California Geological Survey (CGS) and State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (BOF). On September 24*'^, the BOF indicated by way of an email and checklist that the BOF had reviewed the draft Safety Element and that it addresses ail fire-related requirements of state planning law. The statutory timeline for comments from the CGS passed with no comments received. No late comments were received either.
Because the City has not yet adopted the Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map recommended by the State Fire Marsal, references to the VHFHSZ in the draft Safety Element have been revised from “designated" to “identified by the State Fire Marshal” or a similar rephrasing. No other substantive changes were made to the draft Safety Element following the August workshop.
The City's draft Safety Element update is included as Exhibit C to Attachment A, and the 2025 Siskiyou County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan is available online for download at:
https://siskivou.maps.arcqis.com/sharinq/rest/content/items/3c2d bd3ebfa74ff5bc87c95682767963/data.
ENVIRONMENTAL RECOMMENDATION
Planning staff is recommending that the project is exempt from environmental review pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3). Section 15061(b)(3) is better known as the “common sense exemption” in that it states CEQA only applies to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Staff recommends a Section 15061 (b)(3) exemption because the issues and concerns addressed by CEQA have been integrated throughout the City’s General Plan update and considerable attention has been given throughout the project to ensuring efficient use of land and resources, improving land use compatibility, and safeguarding the community and the environment. Further, the project does not provide for increased densities or intensities of development beyond what is presently provided for in the General Plan and/or Zoning Code; does not General Plan Introduction, Land Use, and Safety Element Updates Page 4 directly or indirectly allow any activity, land use, or conversion to occur with the potential to substantially impact the public or environment: does not have the potential to cause a significant adverse effect on the environment; and does not have the potential to:
● Have significant cumulative impacts in the same place over time; ● Have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances; ● Result in damage to scenic resources within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway:
● Occur on a hazardous waste site on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code; or
● Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.
If the City Council concurs with the environmental recommendation made by staff, it should make the finding that the project is exempt from CEQA prior to approving the project. As such, a finding to this effect has been included in the first suggested motion on page one of this staff report, and it has been incorporated into the draft resolution prepared for the City Council’s consideration.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Planning staff recommends that the City Council consider the totality of the record before it, including all comments presented at the public hearing, and should the City Council determine that the project as proposed would not have a significant impact on the environment, staff recommends the City Council consider the following actions:
Adopt the recommended CEQA Exemption; and
Adopt Draft Resolution 25-010, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Etna Amending the General Plan Introduction, Land Use Element, and Safety Element, and Adopting the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan by Reference.
General Plan Introduction, Land Use, and Safety Element Updates Page 5
ATTACHMENT A
Draft Resolution 2025-010
RESOLUTION 2025-010
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ETNA
AMENDING THE GENERAL PLAN INTRODUCTION, LAND USE ELEMENT, AND SAFETY
ELEMENT, AND ADOPTING THE LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN BY REFERENCE WHEREAS, the City of Etna was awarded a SB 2 Planning Grant (19-PGP-13888) and a Local Action Planning Grant (20-LEAP-14926) from the California Department of Housing and Community Development to prepare and update various planning documents to facilitate housing opportunities; and
WHEREAS, included in the grant awards was funding to update the City of Etna General Plan to ensure that it meets current state requirements, continues to represent the community’s vision for itself, and provides the guidance necessary to accomplish this vision; and WHEREAS, the City of Etna utilized its SB 2 and LEAP grants to prepare and adopt updates to the General Plan Housing Element, Noise Element. Circulation Element, and Open Space & Conservation Element, in addition to other projects; and WHEREAS, the City of Etna further utilized its SB 2 grant to prepare updates to the General Plan Introduction, Land Use Element, and Safety Element; and WHEREAS, updates to the General Plan make inclusion of the City’s Public Facilities Element (2004) no longer necessary; and
WHEREAS, draft updates to the General Plan Introduction and Land Use Element were presented for discussion at a public workshop on May 27, 2025; and WHEREAS, the draft update to the Safety Element was presented for discussion at a public workshop on August 25, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the draft Safety Element was prepared in coordination with the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update; and WHEREAS, Section 322 of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) requires state and local governments to develop and submit for approval to the President a mitigation plan that outlines processes for identifying their respective natural hazards, risks, and vulnerabilities; and WHEREAS, the City of Etna acknowledges the requirements of Section 322 of DMA 2000 to have an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan as prerequisite to receiving post-disaster Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds; and
WHEREAS, the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update was developed by the County of Siskiyou in cooperation with multiple local agencies, including the City of Etna, and the citizens of Siskiyou County; and
WHEREAS, a public involvement process consistent with the requirements of DMA 2000 was conducted to develop the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update; and
WHEREAS, the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update recommends mitigation activities that will reduce losses to life and property affected by natural hazards: and
WHEREAS, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has reviewed and determined that the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update is eligible for approval pending adoption by the County of Siskiyou and participating jurisdictions; and WHEREAS, the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update is mostappropriately adopted into the Safety Element of the City of Etna General Plan consistent with AB 2140 and California Government Code Sec. 65302.6; and
WHEREAS, the draft Safety Element incorporates the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update by reference; and
WHEREAS, a notice of public hearing of the City Council for the updates to the General Plan Introduction, Land Use Element, and Safety Element was provided in accordance with California Government Code Sec. 65090 et seq; and
WHEREAS, on November 3, 2025, planning staff presented oral and written staff reports on the project at a regular meeting of the City Council; and WHEREAS, on November 3. 2025, the Mayor of the City Council opened the duly noticed public hearing to receive testimony both oral and written, following which the Mayor closed the public hearing and the City Council discussed the updates prior to taking action on the project; and
WHEREAS, to allow for additional community input, the City Council tabled further consideration of the project until a regular meeting of the City Council on November 21, 2025; and
WHEREAS, following further consideration of the project on November 21, 2025, the City Council found that the project would not have a significant adverse effect on the environment, and that the project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061 (b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Etna adopts the amendments to the Genera! Plan Introduction, Land Use Element, and Safety Element contained in “Exhibit A,” “Exhibit B," and “Exhibit C" attached hereto and made a part hereof.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Councii of the City of Etna repeals the previously adopted Public Faciiities Eiement (2004).
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council adopts the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update by reference as the official hazard mitigation plan of the City.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the respective officials and agencies identified in the implementation strategy of the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update are hereby directed to implement the recommended activities assigned to them.
IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that the foregoing Resolution 2025-010 was duly adopted on a at a regular
meeting of the City of Etna City Council held on the 21st day of November 2025, by the following vote:
motion by and seconded by
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
CITY OF ETNA CITY COUNCIL
Cliff Munson, Mayor
WITNESS, my hand and seal this 21 day of November 2025
Pamela Eastiick, City Clerk
EXHIBIT A to RESOLUTION 2025-010
General Plan Introduction
Exhibit A to Resoiution 2025-010
City of Etna
Introduction to the General Plan
November 3.2025
City of Etna
442 Main Street
Etna, CA 96027
1.0 Introduction 1-1
1-1 1.1 Purpose of the General Plan
1.2 1.3
The
State
Planning
Mandates
Area
for
the General Plan ..
1.4 Scope of the General Plan
1.5 Use of the General Plan
1.6 Relation to the Zoning Code
1.7 Relation to the Subdivision Ordinance
1.8 Content of the General Plan Elements
1.9 Etna General Plan History
1.10 Future General Plan Amendments ....
1.11 Key Planning Strategies
1.12 References
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Tables
1-1 Table 1-1, City of Etna Planning Area
Figures
1-7 Figure 1-1, Aerial Overview
1.0 Introduction City of Etna General Plan
1.2 PURPOSE OF THE GENERAL PLAN
California state law requires that each city and county adopt a general plan “for the physical development of the county or city, and any land outside its boundaries which in the planning agency’s judgment bears relation to its planning" (Government Code Section 65300). General plans must also cover a wide range of topics of community importance, such as housing, safety, transportation, etc., with which to direct development of the city or county relative to those issues.
In doing so, the policies in general plans serve as the foundation upon which all city and county land use decisions are based. However, general plans are more than policy documents. They also reflect the vision, values, and priorities of a community. They define what is unique and special about the community that should be preserved, and they identify strategic ways to improve the quality of life for the community’s residents and businesses.
1.2 THE PLANNING AREA
The City of Etna is located in southwestern Siskiyou County along State Route 3 in northern California, approximately 27 miles south of the county seat of Yreka. The City covers an area of approximately 0.76 square miles, or 488 acres, in the Scott Valley, an approximately 64,000-acre pastoral valley known for its historic gold rush communities, agricultural heritage, and scenic vistas. The City is situated at the western edge of the Scott Valley at an elevation of 2,936 feet.
Rugged, heavily forested terrain borders the planning area to the west/southwest and fertile valley floor borders it to the east. The topography of the City slopes gently to the northeast. Johnson Creek cuts through a portion of Etna in the north and Etna Creek borders the City to the south.
An aerial overview of the City and its location in the State are shown in Figure 1-1 below.
According to the U.S. Census, Etna had 678 residents in the year 2020, or roughly 1.5 percent of the population of Siskiyou County at the time. Most recently, the California Department of Finance estimated the City's population to be 662 residents in 2025.’ A general plan must include all of the territory within the boundaries of the jurisdiction for which the plan is adopted. It should also include any area outside the jurisdiction which, in that jurisdiction’s judgment, bears a relation to its planning concerns. Since many planning and development issues cross over political boundaries, California planning law provides for extraterritorial planning. This is a process by which a city can indicate to neighboring jurisdictions its concern for the future use of land and resources adjacent to the city. As it pertains to the City of Etna’s planning area, the Siskiyou Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) has adopted a "sphere of influence” for Etna, which represents the City’s probable ultimate physical boundary and service area. The City’s sphere of influence includes approximately 555 acres or 0.87 square miles and is shown on Figure 2-15 in the Land Use Element. The planning area for Etna includes all area within the incorporated city boundaries as well as the City’s sphere of influence.
TABLE 1-1
CITY OF ETNA PLANNING AREA
Area Square Miles Acres
0.76 486 City Limits
0.87 555 Sphere of Influence
Total Planning Area 1.63 1,041
’ Each of the General Plan elements includesadditional background information pertinent to the topic being discussed. For a detailed description of the City’s demographics, please refer to the Housing Element.
1.0 Introduction City of Etna General Plan
1-1
1.3 STATE MANDATES FOR THE GENERAL PLAN
In addition to requiring that every city and county adopt a general plan, state law requires that each jurisdiction’s general plan be long-range, comprehensive, internally consistent, and that specific topics relevant to the physical development of the community be addressed. As specified in Government Code Section 65302, the specific topics that must be addressed are: land use, housing, circulation, noise, open space, conservation, and safety.^ Each topic has traditionally been treated to its own chapter, or element, of the general plan, however, general plans may be “adopted in any format deemed appropriate or convenient by the legislative body, including the combining of elements” (Government Code Section 65301). Some elements like the land use element encompass a number of planning issues while others, such as the noise element, address a more specific topic. Because conditions are likely to vary from community to community, the relevance and importance of each issue are likely to differ as well.
1.4 SCOPE OF THE GENERAL PLAN
Since general plans affect current and future generations, state law requires general plans to take a "long-term” perspective, typically 10 to 20 years into the future. This General Plan addresses planning for Etna through the year 2045. Some issues, however, are of such importance to the community and the State that certain elements must be reviewed and updated regularly. In particular, the Housing Element must be updated every eight years, the Safety Element is required to be updated following updates to the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (i.e., typically every five years), and the Land Use Element is to be revisited annually and updated, as needed, in response to changes to flood hazard maps. In addition, the City may determine in the future that, due to changing circumstances and opportunities, various amendments or a comprehensive revision of the General Plan may be warranted prior to 2045.
1.5 USE OF THE GENERAL PLAN
The City of Etna General Plan is intended to serve as a tool to assist the City Council, staff, and other city commissions and committees In their decision-making and when formulating and implementing community guidelines and policies. It is further intended to:
● Provide guidance on long-range development issues;
● Provide consistent city policy and direction over the life of the General Plan; ● Allow public agencies and private parties to design their projects consistent with city objectives:
● Provide a basis forjudging whether development proposals and public works projects are in harmony with the City’s long-range goals; and
● Facilitate agreement among different agencies as projects are proposed in the unincorporated portions of the City’s planning area.
While the State-mandated general plan requirements emphasize planning for the physical development of the City, the General Plan also endeavors to support the social and economic well-being of city residents and businesses. As such, in developing the General Plan’s goals policies, and programs, attention has been given to the effect they may have on Etna’s ^ Cities and counties that have “disadvantaged communities," as defined in Government Code Section 65302(h)(4)(a), are also required to address environmental justice concerns in their general plans. There are no “disadvantaged communities” within the City of Dorris’ planning area.
City of Etna General Plan 1.0 Introduction
1-2
households, its businesses, to future employment opportunities in the community, and to the City's costs and revenues. When utilizing the General Plan, it is important that such interests continue to be evaluated and weighed as part of the City's decision-making process.
1.6 RELATION TO THE ZONING CODE
The City’s General Plan is the foundation upon which all city land use decisions are based, and the Zoning Code is required by state law to be consistent with it. The General Plan’s land use classifications, as outlined in the Land Use Element, are related to the City’s zoning districts, but they serve separate purposes. For instance, more than one zoning district can occur within a single land use classification provided the densities and unit types allowed in each zoning district are consistent with the larger land use classification. Boundaries of land use classifications depicted on the Land Use Map may also be more generalized, while zoning boundaries are intended to be precise and parcel specific.^ Because general plans are long-range planning documents, they are also broader in scope than zoning regulations, which are more detailed and include development standards not included in the general plan (e.g., minimum setbacks, building height limits, off-street parking requirements, sign restrictions, etc.). Those standards, however, must still be consistent with and support implementation of the General Pan. Where there are inconsistencies between a city’s general plan and its zoning ordinance, state law allows a “reasonable time" for reconciling these differences following a general plan update. The City anticipates that any inconsistencies between the General Plan and Zoning Code will be addressed within the first two years following adoption of the General Plan update.
1.7 RELATION TO THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE
The California Government Code specifies that cities must not approve a proposed subdivision or parcel map unless the project, including its design and proposed improvements, is consistent with the General Plan. The City is required to deny approval of any tentative or final subdivision maps not consistent with the goals, policies, and programs of the General Plan.
1.8 CONTENT OF GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS
Each element of the General Plan contains: 1) a statement concerning the legal basis for the element; 2) a brief narrative of background issues to provide context for the topics being addressed: and 3) goals, policies, and/or programs to address the issues identified.
State planning law stipulates that specific background information be adopted for certain elements (e.g., housing elements and safety elements) as part of each general plan. Background information supporting the other elements may be adopted by reference or summarized, but it should be readily available to the decision-makers and citizens alike. Local hazard mitigation plans, for instance, are normally adopted by reference as part of a general plan’s safety element and made available on a jurisdiction’s website.
^ In developing both the City’s Land Use Map and Zoning Map, the City utilized information developed by the County of Siskiyou. The County notes that its maps are “prepared for informational purposes only.
Lines, roads, topography, culture, and other planimetric features shown on this mapping are compiled from many different sources and may not be, necessarily, current or reliable.’’ Neither the County of Siskiyou nor the City of Etna assumes liability for the accuracy of the data shown.
1.0 Introduction City of Etna General Plan
1-3
The following terms apply within this General Plan:
Goal: A declaration of the ideal future state of the community with regard to the issue being addressed (e.g., “An economicaily vibrant downtown”).
Policy: A specific statement that guides decision-making. It is based on and helps to achieve a goal (e.g., “The City offers a variety of Incentives to retain and attract businesses to the downtown, including low interest loans and fee waivers.”). For a policy to be useful, it should be clear and unambiguous.
Program: A measure or action that the City intends to take to support and/or carry out a policy of the General Plan (e.g.. Apply for CDBG economic development funds to support business retention and development along Main Street”). It has been observed that a few wellconceived measures will usually accomplish more than a long list of possibilities.
1.9 ETNA GENERAL PLAN HISTORY
The earliest general plan for the City consisted of a map depicting land use designations, and a zoning ordinance specifying permitted uses in each land use designation. In 1978, a new general plan was drafted with the intent of complying with state planning law in effect at the time. Although that draft was never adopted, much of the 1978 draft served as the background for development of the City’s 1987 general plan. In 2004, the City prepared a minor update to the 1987 general plan to reflect current issues, legal requirements, and community input. Regular updates to the Housing Element, as required by state law, were made along the way.
Due to the City’s use of multiple planning grants with differing timelines to prepare this General Plan, the most recent update occurred in phases between 2024 and 2025. The update consisted of a comprehensive overhaul and technical update of each element of the General Plan to ensure the Plan meets current state requirements, represents the community’s vision for itself, and provides the guidance necessary to accomplish this vision. Importantly, the General Plan was enhanced with additional background information, graphics, and diagrams to ensure the Plan remains useful well into the future.
1.10 FUTURE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS
It should be noted that the programs in the General Plan are not intended to be exclusive. That is. the City may undertake any activities that are consistent with and further implementation of the General Plan without needing to amend the Plan. At the same time, the General Plan is a living document, and it should be updated periodically (1) as circumstances change, (2) in response to changes to state or federal law, or (3) to modify policies that may become obsolete or unrealistic over time. For example, each year the City prepares a general plan annual progress report in accordance with Government Code Section 65400 that is presented to the City Council for review and acceptance prior to submittal to the State. The general plan annual progress report serves as a useful opportunity for the City to reflect upon the goals, policies, and programs contained in the General Plan to better assess where the City has been successful in meeting its objectives, where it could possibly do better, and if applicable, where changes to the General Plan or direction of the City should occur. At times like these, the City may identify the need for new programs or changes to existing programs that were not anticipated at the time the General Plan was adopted.
The fact that these measures were not identified prior to the Plan’s adoption does not make them inconsistent with it. The critical test for the inclusion of new or amended goals, policies, and programs is whether the changes are consistent with the remainder of the General Plan.
1.0 Introduction City of Etna General Plan
1-4
While the City anticipates little need for regular amendments to the General Plan, amendments to the General Plan may be made up to four times a year, and each amendment may include more than one change to the Plan. Minor changes or updates to background information that do not affect land use classifications or adopted goals, policies, or programs are not considered General Plan amendments.
1.11 KEY PLANNING STRATEGIES
The key planning strategies used in the development of the General Plan are as follows:
Compact Growth. The General Plan seeks to achieve the City’s growth needs for the current planning period entirely within the existing city limits. Thus, the Plan emphasizes infill development and mixed-use development in the historic town center.
Downtown Revitalization. The General Plan seeks to encourage a broad array of retail, professional, entertainment, residential, social, civic, and other uses that contribute to a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly environment in a centrally located area of the City through the introduction of a mixed use land use classification that provides for a compatible mixture of residential and nonresidential uses.
Accessible and Walkable City. The General Plan emphasizes a balanced, multimodal transportation system that includes expansion of the existing walking and bicycling network, and improved access to public transit and paratransit.
Diversity of Housing Choices. The General Plan provides for a wider range of housing types than previously permitted by right in the City, as well as areas of mixed-use development to facilitate production of a range of housing types to meet the needs of people of all incomes, abilities, and stages of life, with a focus on affordable housing and improved access to economic opportunities.
Preservation of Natural Resources. The General Plan introduces a Natural Resources Constraints map to help guide and assure a sensitive form of development that protects identified natural resources, preserves biodiversity and important natural habitats, and reduces hazards due to flooding.
Preparation, Adaptation, and Resiliency. The General Plan seeks to prepare for and protect the City and its residents from potential hazards, in part through the Plan’s strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and through programs that better prepare the community for natural hazards and the effects of climate change.
1.0 Introduction City of Etna General Plan
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1.12 REFERENCES
California Department of Finance. 2025. E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2020-2025. httDs://dof.ca.QOv/forecastinQ/demoQraDhics/estimates/e-5-DODulation-andhousinQ-estimates-for-cities-counties-and-the-state-2Q20-2025/ California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. 2024. General Plan Guidelines and Technical Advisories. https://lci.ca.qov/plannina/Qeneral-pian/q uidelines.html City of Etna. 2004. City of Etna General Plan.
EPLAN. 2024. Parcel Viewer, https://mapport.com/parcel-viewer/ Siskiyou Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo). 2021. City of Etna Municipal Services Review and Sphere of Influence Update, www.siskivoucountv.qov/si tes/default/ files/fileattachments/lafco/paqe/27346/laf2021 04 msr etna.pdf United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agriculture Imagery Program. 2024. "NAIP Image Services.” https://www.arcqis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html City of Etna General Plan 1.0 Introduction
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Figure 1-1, Aerial Overview
1-7
EXHIBIT B to RESOLUTION 2025-010
Land Use Element
Exhibit B to Resolution 2025-010
City of Etna
General Plan Land Use Element
November 3.2025
City of Etna
442 Main Street
Etna, CA 96027
2.0 Land Use Element 2-1
2.1 2.2
2.3 2.3.1
2.3.2 Statutory
Introduction
Population
Population
Population
Requirements
Trends
Past
Projections
to
Present
2.4 2.4.1
2.4.2 Land Use
Residential
Mixed-Use
Classifications
Land
Land
Uses
Uses
2.4.3 Nonresidential and Other Land Uses
2.4.4 2.4.5
Density
Land Use
and
Map
Intensity
Standards
2.5 2.4.6
Community
Land Use
Design
and
Zoning Consistency
2.6 2.7
Sphere
Disadvantaged
of Influence
Unincorporated
Communities
2.7.1 Disadvantaged Unincorporated Community Analysis
2.7.2 Potential Infrastructure Funding Sources
2.8 Correlation with Other Genera! Plan Elements
2.9 Land Use Element Goals, Policies & Programs
2.10 References
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Tables
Table
Table
2-1,
2-2,
City
City
of
of
Etna
Etna
Population:
Population Projections;
1990-2020
2025-2045
Table
Table
2-3,
2-4,
Density
Land Use
and
Classification
Intensity Standards
& Zone District
Consistency
Table
Table
2-5,
2-6,
Analysis
Potential
of
Infrastructure
Potential DUCs
Funding
Sources
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2-3
2-9
2-9
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2-14
Figures
Figure
Figure
Figure
2-1,
2-2,
2-3,
City
Main
Rural
of
Street
Residential
Etna
(ca
Historic
1910)
Population:
1880-2020
Figure
Figure
Figure
Figure
2-4,
2-5,
2-6,
2-7, Vertical
Low
Medium
High
Density
Density
Mixed
Density
Residential
Residential
Use
Residential
- Residential
Above Commercial
Figure 2-8, Horizontal Mixed Use - Adjacent Commercial and Residential 2-1
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2-4
2-5
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City of Etna General Plan 2.0 Land Use Element
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Figure
Figure
Figure
Figure
Figure
2-9,
2-10,
2-11,
2-12,
2-13,
2-14,
Commercial
Open
Industrial
Public
Public
Land Use
Space
Agency
Facilities
Map
and Flood Hazards
Figure
Figure
2-15,
2-16,
Sphere
Disadvantaged
of Influence
Unincorporated
Map
Communities Analysis
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2-8
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2.0 Land Use Element City of Etna General Plan
2.1 INTRODUCTION
The Land Use Element of the General Plan has the broadest scope of all seven required elements. The Land Use Element incorporates the issues, opportunities, and constraints identified throughout the General Plan in an effort to balance them with the community’s goals for its future development. Together the Land Use Element and the Land Use Map designate the planned location, distribution, and extent of land uses to shape the future physical development of the community. The Land Use Element sets forth specific goals, policies, and programs to guide land use for the City of Etna through 2045.
2.2 STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
The Land Use Element is one of seven state-mandated elements of the General Plan.
Specifically, California Government Code Section 65302(a) requires that a city's general plan include:
A land use element that designates the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land for housing, business, industry, open space, including agriculture, natural resources, recreation, and enjoyment of scenic beauty, education, public buildings and grounds, solid and liquid waste disposal facilities, greenways, . .. and other categories of public and private uses of land. . . The land use element shall include a statement of the standards of population density and building intensity recommended for the various districts and other territory covered by the plan. 1
Also, while certain land uses may be expressed generally, property owners must be able to identify their property’s land use classification on the General Plan Land Use Map.
2.3 POPULATION TRENDS
Population projections play an important role in the formulation of land use plans. The distribution and extent of land use classifications, including the need for supporting public facilities and services, is largely based on the
expected demands of the projected
population. And while population
projections are based on assumptions
about future demographic trends, they
are informed through changes in
population from past to present.
2.3.1 Population Past to Present
Following the development of a sawmill
and the first housing in Etna’s future
townsite in 1853, a flour mill in 1855, and
more housing in 1856, the settlement of
Rough and Ready was born. By 1858,
the community had grown to include a Figure 2-1, Main Street (ca 1910) ’ State law also requires that the Land Use Element considerthe potential impactof new growth on military readiness. Because there are no areas adjacent to military installations, military training routes, or underlying restricted airspace within the City’s planning area, the Land Use Element does not discuss these considerations.
City of Etna General Plan 2.0 Land Use Element
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general store, a hardware store, two flour mills, two blacksmith shops, two livery stables, two hotels, and other small businesses. When the nearby community and commercial center of Aetna Mills was badly damaged by a flood in 1861-62, its residences, businesses, and post office were relocated to Rough and Ready, fueling growth of the community. To accommodate a growing population, the area west of Main Street was drained, streets and blocks were mapped out, and new home sites were established. In 1874, the community of Rough and Ready changed its name to Etna, and not long thereafter the City of Etna incorporated (1878). By the time of the City's first census in 1880, Etna’s population had grown to 361. Etna’s population at the time of each decennial census since then is shown in Figure 2-2 below.
Figure 2-2, City of Etna Historic Population: 1880-2020 900
800
700
c
o 600
(0 500 3
Q.
o 400
CL
300
200
100
0 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 Year
Source: Department of Finance, Historical Census Populations: 1850-2020 As shown in Figure 2-2, the size of Etna’s population has fluctuated throughout the City’s history, occasionally with relatively significant swings. Due to the importance of gold mining in the Scott Valley from Etna’s beginning until World War II, it is anticipated that much of the change in population in Etna’s early years was tied to United States monetary policy relative to gold (e.g., adoption and abandonment of the gold standard) and the impact it and other significant global events had on gold mining in the region. Whatever the cause, following departure from the gold standard in the early 1930s, the City’s population experienced a period of mostly sustained growth that lasted until the mass closure of lumber mills in the region in the 1980s and 1990s. With the resultant impacts to the economy, many younger persons and families relocated. The size of the City’s population has continued to fall since then, the average age of the population is now older, and there are typically fewer persons per household as a result. Changes in population and household size since 1990 are reflected in greater detail in Table 2-1 below.
Table 2-1
City of Etna Population: 1990 - 2020
Percent
Change
Median
Age
Persons per
Household Year Population
1990 835 + 10.7 2.63
2000 781 -6.5 43.6 2.37
2010 737 -5.6 48.5 2.26
2020 678 -8.0 45.7 2.15
Source; U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census of Population and Housing (1990-2020)
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As shown in Table 2-1, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there were 157 fewer people living in Etna in 2020 than there were 20 years prior. This is equivalent to a population loss of 18.8 percent over the 20-year period and an annual loss of approximately 0.69 percent. Most recently, the California Department of Finance estimated the City’s population to be 662 in 2025.
2.3.2 Population Projections
Making population projections over the next 20 years is difficult when dealing with a population base as small as that of Etna, and the State does not publish projections for small cities.
Nevertheless, the California Department of Finance projects that the population of Siskiyou County as a whole will decrease by approximately 9.2 percent between 2020 and 2045. This is equivalent to an annual population loss of 0.384 percent. Should the projected population loss be experienced equally throughout the County, it would result in 79 fewer residents in Etna by the end of the planning period. The City’s population last reached this level in the 1930s.
Making population projections over the next 20 years is difficult when dealing with a population base as small as that of Etna. The State does not publish projections for Ena, however, the California Department of Finance projects that the population of Siskiyou County as a whole will decrease by approximately 9.2 percent between 2020 and 2045. This is equivalent to an annual population loss of 0.38 percent. Should the projected population loss be experienced equally throughout the County, the City of Etna would have a population of 619 in 2044.
While the State’s population projections for Siskiyou County are not favorable, and it is evident that the population growth that occurred in the past is unlikely to return without economic recovery, Etna remains an attractive place for families and retired persons seeking a rural, small-town lifestyle. Should new industries take hold and the region’s economy recover, Etna would make an attractive community for new businesses and their employees. Further, the addition of a small apartment complex or new subdivision could easily attract residents, potentially adding 30 to 50 people to the community within a few years. The addition of 50 people to a population of 678 would represent a growth spike of approximately 7.4 percent. Such changes are possible given the strong demand for housing, despite the scarcity of better-paying jobs in the region.
For the reasons noted above. Table 2-2 below projects two growth rates. The “positive" projection assumes a 0.85 percent annual growth rate over the planning period, while the “negative” projection assumes a 0.45 percent annual decrease. For perspective, between 1990 and 2020 the City's population decreased annually by approximately 0.69 percent. Based on the city’s historical growth rates and recognizing the still recovering condition of the regional economy, a
0.85 percent annual growth rate may not be reflective of actual future growth potential.
Nevertheless, planning for a slightly higher growth rate ensures that the City can accommodate the development when economic conditions in the region improve, and it helps to ensure the availability of land to accommodate future growth.
Table 2-2
City of Etna Population Projections: 2025-2045
Year 0.85% Annual Growth 0.45% Annual Decrease
2025 662 662
2030 691 647
2035 720 633
2040 752 619
2045 784 605
2.0 Land Use Element City of Etna General Plan
2-3
Over the planning period, the “positive” projection results in a population increase of approximately 18.4 percent, or 122 persons, and the “negative” projection results in a decrease of approximately 8.6 percent, or 57 persons. While it is reasonable to expect the population to increase or decrease within this range, for the reasons previously noted, making projections over the next 20 years is difficult at best. Nevertheless, under the “positive” growth projection above, the population of Etna would rebound to previous levels such that the City’s existing infrastructure should be able to accommodate much of the community’s foreseeable development needs.
However, should positive population growth occur at a significantly faster rate than noted above, the City will want to review the General Plan to determine if amendments to the Plan are needed to accommodate the greater population and the effects of accelerated growth. Should the population continue its decline, additional sources of funding will eventually be required to maintain the level of service provided by the City and expected by its residents.
2.4 LAND USE CLASSIFICATIONS
The City of Etna provides a range of land use classifications to meet the needs of the community, including various types of residential, mixed-use, commercial, industrial, public, and open space.
For each land use classification, this section includes representative images, typical uses, residential density ranges, and building intensities.
2.4.1 Residential Land Uses
Residential uses in the City of Etna consist predominantly of single-family dwellings. The California Department of Finance estimates that these units comprise approximately 79.7 percent of the City’s total housing stock in 2025. Single family dwellings are followed by mobile homes, which comprise approximately 17.7 percent of the housing stock. Although permitted in all zoning districts that allow single-family dwellings, most of the mobile homes are located in two of the City’s three approved manufactured home parks. Multifamily developments comprise the remainder of the housing stock and include one apartment complex with 13 units and nine small multifamily dwellings, such as duplexes and triplexes, scattered throughout the community.
Residential uses in the City of Etna are predominantly located in the following residential land use classifications:
Rural Residential
The Rural Residential (RR) land use classification is suitable for areas of the City developed with and/or capable of supporting low density residential development and limited, compatible agricultural use on larger parcels. Compatible agricultural uses include crop and tree farming and the pasturing of livestock provided there
is sufficient buffering from adjoining
residential lands and no use of municipal
water supplies for feed or irrigation. This
land use classification was established in
the City’s 2005 General Plan as
Residential Agriculture (RA) for the
purpose of mitigating flood risks within
Etna Creek’s 100-year flood hazard area
and preserving the open space and
agricultural uses afforded by it. However,
the land use classification was never
applied to lands within the City, and at
the time the RA designation was
●WvV
Figure 2-3, Rural Residential
!± A' 5 sVr
City of Etna General Plan 2.0 Land Use Element
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introduced, the City’s Flood Damage Prevention ordinance (2009) had not yet been adopted. This General Plan continues the RA land use classification as RR but expands the classification to other areas of the City used for agriculture that are outside of 100-year flood hazard areas.^ Low Density Residential
The Low Density Residential (LDR) land
use classification is suitable for areas of
Etna developed with and/or capable of
supporting low density residential
development and limited compatible
nonresidential uses. Typical uses in the
LDR land use classification include, but
are not limited to, single-family dwellings,
accessory dwelling units, home
occupations, childcares, and places of
worship and spiritual assembly.
Figure 2-4, Low Density Residential
Medium Density Residential
The Medium Density Residential (MDR)
land use classification is suitable for
areas of the City developed with and/or
capable of supporting either low density
or medium density residential
development and limited, compatible
nonresidential uses. Typical uses in the
MDR land use classification include
those uses described above in the LDR
land use classification as well as small
multifamily dwellings, such as duplexes
and triplexes.
V
V
.●i, ● ,● tk
I
'JS>:
a
■ Jfr T.’\
M
Figure 2-5, Medium Density Residential
High Density Residential
The High Density Residential (HDR) land
use classification is suitable for areas of
the City developed with and/or capable
of supporting low, medium, and high
density residential development and
compatible nonresidential uses. Typical
uses within the HDR land use classifica
tion include those uses described above
in the LDR and MDR land use
classifications, as well as apartment
complexes, manufactured home parks,
and community gardens. Figure 2-6, High Density Residential I More details on the housing stock are provided in the Housing Element of this General Plan. ] 2 FEMA is presently updating the flood hazard maps for Etna and the surrounding area. Should the revised maps become effective, the size and extent of 100-year floodplain in Etna would be significantly reduced.
2.0 Land Use Element City of Etna General Plan
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2.4.2 Mixed-Use Land Uses
In an effort to promote economic investment, redevelopment, and revitalization; improve access to jobs, housing, services, open space, and other destinations through non-vehicular transit modes; encourage a compact urban form; and safeguard the character of existing neighborhoods, the City has designated Etna’s town center for mixed-use development. The area includes a combination of mostly commercial uses at street level with residential uses on the upper stories {i.e., vertical mixed use), as well as nonresidential and residential uses occurring on the same lot or in close proximity to one another (i.e., horizontal mixed use). While the area has experienced a renewal in recent years, several properties remain vacant or underutilized and the City desires to promote infill
development and redevelopment of the
properties with a combination of
nonresidential and residential uses, in
part through the introduction of a mixeduse land use classification that has been applied to the area. Additionally, the
historic character of the town center is a
valuable community asset that the City
desires to protect and preserve as
properties are improved.
Central Mixed Use
Figure 2-7, Vertical Mixed Use - Residential Above
Nonresidential The Central Mixed Use (CMU) land use
classification provides for a compatible
mixture of nonresidential and residential 77?
uses in a centrally located area of the
city to encourage a broad array of retail,
entertainment, social.
civic, residential, and other uses that
contribute to a vibrant, pedestrianfriendly environment. Typical land uses in the CMU land use classification
professional
include retail sales, offices, banks, /;
personal services, grocery stores, public
and quasi-public uses, parks,
entertainment facilities, community
gardens, and similar nonresidential
uses, as well as low, medium, and high
density residential uses.
f" ^
●*v
'f
Figure 2-8, Horizontal Mixed Use-Adjacent Residential
and Nonresidential
2.4.3 Nonresidential and Other Land Uses
Nonresidential lands (i.e., properties designated for uses other than residential or mixed use) comprise approximately 121.4 acres, or 25 percent of the City's total land area. This includes 44 parcels designated for commercial development, roughly half of which are vacant. The parcels are generally located in the north part of the City near State Route 3. The City has three areas designated for industrial use, two small areas in the southeast corner of the City and one larger area north of State Route 3. One of the areas in the south is developed with a ministorage facility, the other includes a combination of residential and commercial uses, and the larger area north of State Route 3 is developed with Siskiyou Telephone Company, a ministorage facility, and a City of Etna General Plan 2.0 Land Use Element
2-6
contractor’s storage yard. Approximately five acres north of State Route 3 are undeveloped and have city utilities available in the nearby right-of-way.
Commercial Center
The Commercial Center (CC) land use classification provides for many of the same residential and nonresidential uses provided for in the CMU classification in addition to some “heavier” commercial uses than typically considered compatible with residential use. For this reason, the corresponding zoning does permit residential uses by right. Although the heavier uses provided for in the CC land use classification are generally automobile oriented, the CC classification provides for a variety of commercial uses, including uses capable of generating and sustaining local, non-vehicular traffic. As such, development of these areas should include sidewalks, bicycle facilities, and interconnected parking lots and pedestrian walkways, as appropriate.
Typical land uses in the CC land use classification include automobile service stations, banks, business and personal services,
entertainment facilities, business and
professional offices, restaurants, retail
sales, wholesale businesses, and similar
nonresidential uses.
Industrial
The Industrial (I) land use classification
is intended to be applied to areas
developed with and/or capable of
supporting heavier commercial and
manufacturing uses than permitted in
the commercial and mixed-use zoning
districts. Due to the rural nature of the
community, it is unlikely there will be
significant demand for conventional
industrial development. Typical uses in
the Industrial (I) land use classification
include ministorage facilities, business
and professional offices, and equipment
and material storage yards. Because
some manufacturing uses require a
large amount of area for outdoor
operations and storage and/or generate
impacts to surrounding parcels and uses
in terms of noise, vibrations, glare, dust,
and emissions. City Council approval of
the more intensive land uses is required.
Figure 2-9, Commercial Center
Figure 2-10, Industrial
Public Agency
The Public Agency (PA) land use classification is intended for larger properties developed with publicly owned and operated facilities, including but not limited to the schools and the water treatment plant. Smaller parcels in the downtown area developed with public facilities, such as City Hall, the police and fire departments, post office, museum, and library are provided for under the CMU land use classification and public parks are provided for under the Open Space
2.0 Land Use Element City of Etna General Plan
2-7
classification. Because of their
importance to the community, Figure 2-
13 illustrates the location of all public
and quasi-public facilities in Etna
separate from the underlying land use
classifications. Known flood and fire
hazards are also shown to assist in
planning for the expansion or relocation
of these essential public facilities.
Open Space
The Open Space (OS) classification is
comprised of public lands that provide
active and passive recreational
opportunities and/or that should be
preserved in a natural state for purposes
of resource or flood protection. These
areas buffer land uses, provide relief
from urbanization, and are an important
recreational, cultural, and visual
resource for the community. Typical
uses in the Open Space land use
classification include parks, picnic
areas, playgrounds, public facilities,
natural resources, and recreationrelated facilities. Periodic and intermittent uses, such as farmers’
markets, special events, concessions,
and similar uses may also occur within the Open Space land use classification with City approval.
Properties included in the Open Space land use classification include Johnson-Joss Memorial Park, the Scott Valley Community Pool, and the Ashcraft Little League Park.
Figure 2-11 Public Agency
♦
Figure 2-12, Open Space
2.4.4 Density and Intensity Standards
The term density in a land use context generally refers to the residential development capacity of the land. Residential density is expressed in terms of dwelling units per acre (du/ac). A dwelling unit is a building or part of a building used for human habitation. This can vary greatly in size from a live work unit to a multifamily apartment to larger single-family dwelling. For example, the density of a residential development with 24 townhouses on three gross acres of land is 8.0 du/ac.
Population densities, however, are not absolute limits.
Land use intensity is used to refer to the amount of development allowed on a given parcel of land. Land use intensity can be expressed in different metrics. For the purposes of the Land Use Element, land use intensity is defined by lot coverage, which is the percentage of a lot covered by development, excluding areas designated for parking, landscaping, etc. Lot coverage does not regulate building placement or form, only the spatial relationship between building size and lot size; it represents an expectation of the overall intensity of future development.
The maximums assigned to the land use classifications below do not constitute entitlements, nor are property owners or developers guaranteed that an individual project, when evaluated against General Plan policies, will achieve these maximums. The density and intensity metrics establish City of Etna General Plan 2.0 Land Use Element
2-8
a maximum development envelope or density range under appropriate conditions. Many factors, such as applicable zoning standards, state regulations, physical site conditions, and owner or developer choices may impact the final project design and overall density and intensity of development in addition to this Plan. In particular, it should be noted that state regulations allow specified land uses to exceed maximums established by the City or to provide for density averaging.
Table 2-3
Density and Intensity Standards
Land Use Designation Units/Acre Max. Lot Coverage
Persons/Acre*
Rural Residential (RR) 1 unit/acre 20%
1-3 person/acre
1-4 units/acre
3-9 persons/acre
Low Density Residential (LDR) 40%
1-10 units/acre 60%
3-22 persons/acre
Medium Density Residential (MDR)
High Density Residential (HDR) 1-20 units/acre 75%
3-43 persons/acre
1-20 units/acre 100%
3-43 persons/acre
Central Mixed Use (CMU)
1-20 units/acre 80%
3-43 persons/acre
Commercial Center (CC)
75% Industrial (I) N/A
50% Open Space (OS) N/A
N/A 100% Public Agency (PA)
* For the purpose of specifying population density in this table, an average of 2.15 people per household is assumed (U.S. Census Bureau. 2020). Calculations resulting in fractions of a person have been rounded accordingly.
2.4.5 Land Use Map
The land use classifications described above are largely consistent with the general distribution, location, and extent of the various land uses they provide for, as shown on the Land Use Map (Figure 2-14) below.
2.4.6 Land Use and Zoning Consistency
The land use classification described above provide a broad description of development expectations within the City of Etna. To implement these designations and provide more guidance for property owners, Table 2-4 identifies those zoning districts that correspond with the land use classifications. These zoning districts are not exclusive and zoning districts of similar nature may also be adopted and used in conformance with the General Plan. Zoning is a legislative act and can be amended within the parameters established by the land use classification. For example, when the City Council changes the zoning of property consistent with density and intensity limits for the broader land use classification.
2.0 Land Use Element City of Etna General Plan
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Table 2-4
Land Use Classification & Zone District Consistency
Land Use Designation Possible Zone Districts
Rural Residential (RR) Rural Residential (R-R)
Low Density Residential 10 (R-1-10)
Low Density Residential 12 (R-1-12)
Low Density Residential (LDR)
Low Density Residential 10 (R-1-10)
Low Density Residential 12 (R-1-12)
Medium Density Residential (R-2)
Medium Density Residentiai (MDR)
Low Density Residential 10 (R-1-10)
Low Density Residential 12 (R-1-12)
Medium Density Residential (R-2)
High Density Residential (R-3)
Mobile Home Residential (M-H)
High Density Residential (HDR)
Central Mixed Use (CMU) Town Center (T-C)
Commercial Center (CC) General Commercial (G-C)
Industrial (I) Manufacturing (M)
Public Agency (PA) Public Facilities (P-F)
Open Space (OS) Open Space (0-S)
2.5 COMMUNITY DESIGN
The general image of a community is significantly affected by the appearance of its commercial areas and street scenes. To maintain and enhance Etna's unique and attractive small-town image, attention should be given to the appearance of areas and buildings that are highly visible. If properly done, the development of commercial areas will enhance the overall community image.
A commercial area with pleasing architectural lines and use of natural materials, modest signing and effectively placed parking and landscaping will have a pleasing, positive effect. Alternatively, commercial development lacking a sense of design and surrounded by asphalt has little character and may present a negative image that reflects on the whole community.
Most developers realize the benefits of providing a well-designed project and will attempt to create an attractive project. However, it may be desirable for the community to establish design guidelines and/or create a design review process, especially for those commercial areas that are highly visible. For instance, the entrances to Etna along State Route 3 at Collier Way and Main Street are the "front doors" to the City. Attractively developed properties at these locations will provide a positive first image of the City for travelers and help support community pride.
The design review process is typically applied through an overlay zoning district and amendment to the zoning ordinance to establish the design review process. As such, the City should evaluate, in consultation with affected landowners and other members of the public, whether to develop and adopt objectives design guidelines that can be considered in reviewing projects, and which will encourage and help builders develop plans with a good understanding of the City's objectives.
In areas with historic structures, the City will want to consider design guidelines for new structures that will compliment, or at least not detract from, the historic character of existing structures.
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2.6 SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
In accordance with state law, the Siskiyou Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) has established a Sphere of Influence for the City of Etna (see Figure 2-15). The Sphere of Influence includes approximately 555 acres of land outside city limits and is intended to provide room for future expansion of the City when needed. Because properties must be included within a city’s SOI in order to be annexed, and because lands within a city's SOI are potentially critical to a city’s ability to expand, LAFCo is required to update each city’s SOI update every five years and the County's Planning Department refers development requests within the SOI to the City for review and comment prior to taking action on those requests.
Should expansion of the City of Etna and/or its SOI be considered during the planning period, most of Etna’s Sphere of Influence consists of land zoned by the County of Siskiyou for rural residential agricultural use, which allows for single-family dwellings, small acreage agriculture, crop and tree farming, greenhouses, and similar uses. There are no lands in the Sphere of Influence zoned for prime or non-prime agricultural use. Low density residential is the predominant land use in the Sphere of Influence with cattle ranching also occurring in the northeast, east, and south. Immediately adjacent to city limits to the north and south, but outside the City’s current sphere of influence, are prime and non-prime agricultural lands. Some of the lands to the north are irrigated by pivot and are under active cultivation.
Etna is now and has always been a city that values, supports, and complements the agricultural community that surrounds it. Due to the City’s location in an agricultural area, outward expansion of the City has the potential to transition the use of land from agriculture to urban development. As a result, the City wishes to pay particular attention to issues of land use compatibility and to ensure that new development minimizes the impacts of growth on the agricultural community that has long supported Etna. Through the use of land use buffers and transitions, sensible design, and a planned and methodical pattern of expansion, the impacts to surrounding agriculture can be minimized.
As noted above, the County of Siskiyou currently regulates land use in the City’s Sphere of Influence. In accordance with Government Code Section 65859, the City may pre-zone the unincorporated area in the Sphere of Influence or zone the land upon annexation consistent with the General Plan. The City General Plan Land Use Map does not propose land uses within the Sphere of Influence. Rather, the City of Etna Zoning Code states that “Territory annexed to the city and not shown as part of the city by the zoning map... shall upon the effective date of such annexation be classified and zoned as Rural Residential (R-R), unless the city council has prior to such effective date zoned said territory to another classification, subject to annexation." Annexation requests within the Sphere of Influence are initiated by the City at the request of those landowners who wish to obtain city services so that they can develop their land with urban uses and/or at urban densities. Annexation proposals must be evaluated carefully, taking care to ensure that the annexation and future service needs will not become a burden to the City. For this reason, the annexation process requires that the cost of providing services to the annexed territory be fully disclosed. The City's most recent annexation was a 0.52-acre addition annexed in 2006 for a small commercial development that ultimately did not occur. Due to the abundant supply of vacant land in Etna and limited development pressure within and adjacent to the City over the past 20-plus years, there have been no annexation proposals since then. Nevertheless, any changes proposed to the SOI or city limits during the planning period will need to be considered and the General Plan updated as appropriate.
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2.7 DISADVANTAGED UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES
In accordance with Senate Bill 244 (2011), the Land Use Element must address any disadvantaged unincorporated communities located within the City or its sphere of influence. For the purposes of SB 244, a ‘‘community" is defined as an inhabited area within a city or county that is comprised of no less than 10 dwellings adjacent or in close proximity to one another, and a ‘‘disadvantaged unincorporated community.” or DUG, is defined as a fringe, island, or legacy community in which the median household income is 80 percent or less than the statewide median household income. The three types of DUCs are further defined as follows: ‘‘fringe community" means any inhabited and unincorporated territory that is within a city’s sphere of influence: “island community" means any inhabited and unincorporated territory that is surrounded or substantially surrounded by one or more cities or by one or more cities and a county boundary or the Pacific Ocean; and a ‘‘legacy community" means a geographically isolated community that is inhabited and has existed for at least 50 years. SB 244 defines ‘‘inhabited territory” as an area where 12 or more registered voters reside (Government Code Section 56046); however, LAFCOs may also redefine ‘‘inhabited area" as determined by local commission policy.
When DUCs are present, cities must address fringe communities and island communities in their land use elements, and counties must address legacy communities in theirs. In particular, the city or county's land use element must address the sewer, water, storm drain, and structural fire protection service needs or deficiencies of the DUG and provide an analysis of potential funding mechanisms that could make the extension of services to the identified communities financially feasible.
The presence of DUCs within the City’s planning area would be of importance at the time LAFCo amends Etna’s sphere of influence and when annexing territory into the City. SB 244 requires that any city annexation proposal greater than 10 acres, or as determined by LAFCo policy, that is contiguous to a DUC cannot be approved without a companion annexation of the DUC unless a prior application for annexation of the same DUC area was received in the prior five years or LAFCo finds, based upon written evidence, that a majority of the residents within the DUC are opposed to annexation. It also requires that, for an update of a sphere of influence for a city or special district that provides public facilities and/or services for sewers, municipal and industrial water, or structural fire on or after July 1, 2012, a written statement of the present and probable need for those services within the DUC must be reviewed and considered by LAFCo.
2.7.1 Disadvantaged Unincorporated Community Analysis
DUCs may lack basic infrastructure, such as sewer, water, or stormwater drainage, because they may have been developed prior to infrastructure being installed in proximity to them. Therefore, to promote equality and environmental justice in accordance with SB 244, the proximity of any potential “community” to the City was analyzed to determine if any such community exists and whether an analysis of the water, wastewater, stormwater drainage, and structural fire protection needs or deficiencies of the community should be prepared. The City’s analysis was based on American Community Survey 2023 median househoid data developed by the U.S. Census Bureau, a review of Census Designated Places and Census Block Groups,^ an understanding of the community and surrounding area, the general distribution, location, and extent of existing and proposed infrastructure, and aerial photographs.
^ There are no Census Designated Places in the sphere of influence. The three Census Block Groups that comprise the City and its sphere of influence, while larger in area larger than the potential “communities” being assessed, provided the necessary Median Household Income data.
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As shown on Figure 2-16, the median household income for the entire planning area was less than 80 percent of the statewide median household income in 2023.'* Within the sphere of influence, the City identified 75 parcels and 78 residences in four clusters surrounding the City (see areas A, B, C, and D on Figure 2-16). Each cluster was assessed relative to the number of dwellings, registered voters, and residentially developed parcels within it. The neighborhood density of the residentially developed parcels in each cluster was then calculated using PolicyLink methodology to evaluate proximity of dwellings to one another.^ The City’s findings are summarized in Table 2-5 below.
Table 2-5
Analysis of Potential DUCs
Dwellings 12 or More Disadvantaged
in Close Registered Unincorporated
Proximity Voters Community
Less Than
Area Acres 80 Percent
State MHI
10 or More
Dwellings
A 73.7 Yes Yes No Yes No
B 40.8 Yes No No Yes No
C 60.9 Yes Yes No Yes No
D 111.3 Yes Yes No Yes No
As shown on Figure 2-16 and Table 2-5 above, it was determined through the City’s analysis that there are no inhabited, unincorporated territories surrounded by or substantially surrounded by the City (i.e., no island communities), nor are there any inhabited and unincorporated territories within Etna’s sphere of influence (i.e. no fringe communities).
Because none of the residential clusters surrounding the City met all of the criteria for a DUC, the City is not required to prepare an assessment of the service needs of the residents within these areas. However, conditions may change in the future such that an update of the Land Use Element could become necessary to address and plan for the extension of services outside city limits. Furthermore, even though no assessment is required at this time, it should be noted that there are no known service deficiencies within the sphere of influence. Most developed parcels in the sphere of influence are served by individual well and septic systems (a few receive city water service), and as discussed in the Safety Element, the City of Etna Fire Department currently responds to all calls for structural fire protection services in the planning area. While the unincorporated parcels lack complete storm drainage improvements, the City similarly lacks curb and gutter throughout much of the City, and the unincorporated properties are typically larger than city lots and more capable of accommodating stormwater.
2.7.2 Potential Infrastructure Funding Sources
Although the City is not required to provide an analysis of potential funding mechanisms that could make the extension of services outside city limits financially feasible, many of the funding sources available for extending infrastructure outside the City are the same sources that are available for developing infrastructure inside the City. For that reason, Table 2-6 summarizes the funding programs that may be available to the City for infrastructure development and is included as a resource.
In 2023, the Statewide Median Household Income was $95,521 (80% = $76,147). ® Consistent with the methodology used by the Siskiyou Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), the City utilized the methodology in PolicyLink’s 2013 "California Unincorporated: Mapping Disadvantaged Communities in the San Joaquin Valley Technical Guide” to evaluate neighborhood density.
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Table 2-6
Potential Infrastructure Funding Sources
Program Agency Description
California
Department of
Housing and
Community
(HCD)
These grants can fund the construction of sewer
and water facilities, street maintenance, and other
public work projects.
Community Development
Block Grants (CDBG)
This program provides funding to develop essential
community facilities in rural areas. An essential
community facility is defined as a facility that
provides an essential service to the local
community for the orderly development of the
community in a primarily rural area, and does not
include private, commercial, or business
undertakings.
United States
Department of
Agriculture
and Rural
Development
(USDA RD)
Community Facilities Direct
Loan and Grant Program
Development impact fees can be imposed at the
time of building permit application to provide the
funding for new capital facilities.
Local
Governments Impact Fees
In 1982, the California State Legislature enacted
the Community Facilities Act, commonly referred to
as Mello-Roos. The Act authorized local
jurisdictions to establish community facility districts that serve as a funding mechanism for financing
public work projectsand services.
Local
Governments
and Public
Agencies
Taxation
The CWSRF provides financial assistance for a
wide range of water infrastructure projects. It is a
partnership between the US EPA and states
governments. States have the flexibility to fund a
range of projects that address their highest priority
water quality needs. Using a combination of
federal and state funds, CWSRF provides loans to
eligible recipients to construct municipal
wastewater facilities and decentralized wastewater
treatment systems, among other projects.
The State
Water
Resources
Control Board
Clean Water State
Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Rural
Development
This program helps eligible communities prepare
for, or recover from, an emergency that threatens
the availability of safe, reliable drinking water for
households and businesses.
Emergency Community
Water Assistance Grants
The DWRSF program assists public water systems
in financing the cost of drinking water infrastructure
projects needed to achieve or maintain compliance
with Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
California
Department of
Public Health
Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund
(DWRSF)
City of Etna General Plan 2.0 Land Use Element
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Program Agency Description
Bonding is a funding mechanism that can be used
to fund large infrastructure projects. There are two
primary bond types: revenue bonds and general
obligations bonds. Revenue bonds are typically
ensured by the project being constructed. Once
the bond is paid, ownership is turned over to the
jurisdiction. General obligation bonds are issued
for the improvement and enhancement of real
property. Local governments can raise property
taxes to cover the costs of the bond and
infrastructure project. Unlike revenue bonds,
general obligation bonds require voter approval.
Local
Governments Bonds
The State Water Resources Control Board
authorized $5 million to assist individual
households and small water systems address
drought-related drinking water emergencies.
Funding is available as low interest loans and/or
grant based on recipient's income and affordability.
The IRWM grant programs include funding for
planning, community involvement, implementation,
and companion grant programs that support
sustainable groundwater planning and waterenergy programs and projects.
The Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and
Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal
Protection Bond Act (Prop 84) provides funding for
capital costs on projects addressing excessive
stormwater runoff, including projects related to the
collection of stormwater and treatment of water to
reduce contamination.
Household and Small
Water System Drought
Assistance Program
State Water
Resources
Control Board
California
Integrated Regional Water Department of
Management (IRWM) Water
Resources
State Water
Resources
Control
Board
Proposition 84
2.8 CORRELATION WITH OTHER GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS
The Land Use Element is often the most visible and frequently used element In the General Plan because it incorporates the issues, opportunities, and constraints identified throughout the General Plan and renders them into a comprehensive set of land use policies and a concise land use diagram. However, it is important to review all relevant goals, policies, and programs of the General Plan when evaluating discretionary projects, actions, and activities to ensure City decisions are consistent with and further the General Plan. For instance, a project proposed near the highway may be affected by transportation noise and be subject to the noise mitigation standards in the Noise Element, or if proposed adjacent to agricultural lands, the project may be subject to policies in the Open Space & Conservation Element.
The correlation between the Circulation Element and Land Use Element is especially important to the development of the City. This is because the City of Etna endeavors to maintain its small town character through sound planning, orderly growth, and good design that recognizes the City's compact, grid-based urban form. The City's compact form enhances non-vehicular circulation opportunities and supports the circulation system. Should Etna grow from a small city of under 680 people to become a city significantly larger than its current size, the movement of people in and around the City will become increasingly important. Streets will need to be designed
2.0 Land Use Element City of Etna General Plan
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to facilitate additional modes of travel, and transit options expanded to better serve the needs of the population. Land use and transportation planning will need to go hand in hand to ensure transportation decisions and infrastructure are an integral component of the City’s growth.
Additionally, although the information contained in the maps and diagrams throughout the General Plan has been incorporated into the policies and land use map contained herein, the maps and diagrams in the other elements should be referenced directly, the information they contain periodically reviewed, and the maps and diagrams updated as needed. When this occurs, the Land Use Element and Land Use Map should be evaluated and updated as necessary. This is particularly the case with changes to maps in the Open Space & Conservation Element and Safety Element showing the extent of 100-year and 500-year floodplains and fire hazard severity zones within and adjacent to the City.
City of Etna General Plan 2.0 Land Use Element
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2.9 LAND USE ELEMENT GOALS, POLICIES & PROGRAMS
GOAL LU-1: A sufficient variety and quantity of land uses to meet the housing, employment, service, and social needs of the existing and future population.
GOAL LU-2: Etna’s rural small-town character conserved and enhanced.
GOAL LU-3: A strong economic base that provides more job opportunities for residents of the city.
Sustainable planned growth in the planning area balanced with preservation and protection of the viability of agricultural areas surrounding the city.
GOAL LU-4:
GOAL LU-1: A sufficient variety and quantity of land uses to meet the housing, employment, service, and social needs of the existing and future population.
Policy LU-1.1: The City strives to ensure a compatible mix and quantity of land designated and zoned to serve the needs of the community.
Policy LU-1.2: The City maintains flexibility within the Zoning Ordinance by allowing development opportunities through the use permit process as well as through approval of similar uses not otherwise listed in the Zoning Ordinance.
Policy LU-1.3: The City supports the development of residential, mixed-use, commercial, and industrial areas where suitable land exists with good access, adequate infrastructure, and where such uses will have a minimum of conflict with current and future adjacent land uses.
Policy LU-1.4: The City encourages an integrated mix of housing types and sizes within residential areas to promote housing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.
Program LU-1A: Adopt the General Plan Land Use Map (Figure 2-14), as the official land use diagram for the City of Dorris.
Program LU-1B: Adopt zoning regulations that are consistent with and support implementation of the General Plan Land Use Element.
Program LU-1C: Review the General Plan’s residential and commercial capacities every eight years and modify, as necessary, to reflect development that has occurred, its impacts, evolving market and economic conditions, and consistency with community values.
Program LU-1D: Implement the programs of the Housing Element related to residential development.
GOAL LU- 2: Etna’s rural small-town character conserved and enhanced.
Policy LU-2.1: The City strives to maintain Etna’s small town character while allowing for population and business growth, as well as increased employment, shopping, cultural, and recreational opportunities, and other tax revenue generating uses.
Policy LU-2.2: The City applies land use classifications and zoning in a manner that is consistent
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with the prominent existing development, taking care not to encroach upon an established neighborhood with potentially incompatible uses.
Policy LU-2.3: The City protects existing neighborhoods from added noise, traffic, light, and other characteristics that may negatively affect them.
Policy LU-2.4: The City ensures that proposed uses will be compatible with existing land uses when approving discretionary development proposals.
Policy LU-2.5: The City avoids the overconcentration of land uses in any area of the City where the resultant increase in traffic, noise, and other impacts would adversely impact the public health, safety, peace, and general welfare of residents.
Policy LU-2.6: The City desires to keep commercial and industrial developments in scale with the small-town atmosphere, in part through controls on the size and height of structures and the scale and quantity of signs.
Program LU-2A: Include development standards in the Zoning Ordinance that provide adequate separation, buffering, landscaping, screening, and other provisions as needed to ensure compatibility between potentially incompatible land uses.
Program LU-2B: During review of discretionary proposals, require buffers when warranted between dissimilar land uses; urban uses and open space; environmentally sensitive areas and habitats: biological, historical, and cultural resources; and agricultural lands. Buffers may include additional setbacks, solid barriers, redesign, or other means to protect the resource.
Program LU-2C: Upon review of discretionary permits, add conditions to the project approval when warranted, to support the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare.
Program LU-2D: Evaluate, in consultation with affected landowners and other members of the public, whether to develop and adopt objectives design guidelines or other development standards for the Collier Way and Main Street intersections with State Route 3 (i.e., the “gateways” to the community).
Program LU-2E: Preserve and strengthen the character of existing residential neighborhoods by developing and maintaining sidewalks and encouraging property owners to maintain their properties.
Program LU-2F: Support neighborhood watch initiatives and partner with community and neighborhood organizations to combat crime and promote public safety.
Program LU-2G: Encourage the design of projects that enhance public safety and discourage crime by orienting homes and buildings toward the street, providing adequate lighting and sight lines, and selectively installing fencing and landscaping.
Program LU-2H: Encourage high standards of property maintenance and provide for rapid abatement of conditions contributing to blight.
GOAL LU-3: A strong economic base that provides more Job opportunities for residents of the city.
Policy LU-3.1: The City supports the expansion and retention of existing businesses and City of Etna General Plan 2.0 Land Use Element
2-18
facilitates business development in the City.
Policy LU-3.2: The City encourages infill development, adaptive reuse of existing buildings, and the restoration of historic structures to revitalize the downtown as a center of community activity.
Policy LU-3.3; The City promotes a mix of daytime and evening uses in the downtown, including restaurants, professional offices, entertainment, and housing to encourage activity throughout the day.
Policy LU-3.4: The City fosters redevelopment and revitalization of older and deteriorating portions of the City.
Program LU-3A: Reinforce the town center as the physical and cultural center of the City, recognizing its importance to the community's sense of place.
Program LU-3B: As resources permit, seek funding via grant and loan programs to aid business development through improvement and expansion of city services and facilities (e.g., roadway improvements, water and sewer infrastructure, streetscaping and other beautification efforts, etc.).
Program LU-3C: Deveiop and maintain an inventory of vacant and underdeveloped mixeduse, commercial, and industrial properties that are or can be served with city utilities to aid businesses in the site selection process.
Program LU-3D: Identify and actively promote development of key vacant or underutilized sites for commercial and mixed-use development in and adjacent to the downtown area.
Program LU-3E: Evaluate in consultation with residents, and the business community in particular, whether to develop and adopt an objective design review process for the downtown that compliments the City’s history and small-town feel and which could be applied to new development and to existing development at the time of fagade improvements, and as signs are proposed.
Program LU-3F: Allow home-based businesses in residential neighborhoods when there is no indication of a home-based business from outside the home, the nonresidential use is compatible with adjacent uses, and the home-based business is at a scale that is accessory to the residential use.
Program LU-3G: Provide for and encourage the development of a broad range of uses in the downtown area to reduce the need for travel to adjoining communities and to capture a greater share of local spending.
Program LU-3H: Support the formation of a merchants’ association to provide a forum for promoting heaithy local businesses.
GOAL LU-4: Sustainable planned growth in the City’s planning area balanced with preservation and protection of the viability of agricultural areas surrounding the city.
Policy LU-4.1: The City encourages, promotes, and facilitates infill development and phased extension of city services in an effort to discourage sprawl and maintain a compact urban form.
2.0 Land Use Element City of Etna General Plan
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Policy LU-4.2: The City protects agricultural land uses surrounding the City through maintenance of firm urban boundaries, incorporation of agricultural buffers, and support for the agricultural industry.
Program LU-4A: Establish, as a high priority, the conservation of existing residential and commercial structures through preservation and rehabilitation and support appropriate grant applications when they are proposed to aid this effort.
Program LU-4B: Update the General Plan Land Use Element, as needed, in response to proposed amendments and updates to the Sphere of Influence.
Program LU-4C: To minimize conflicts between urban uses within the City and agriculturai uses outside of the City, require a minimum 100-foot-wide physical separation between agricultural uses (not including agricultural support industries) and new residential dwellings.
The buffer may include roadways, pedestrian/bicycle routes, stormwater basins, open space, etc.
Program LU-4D: As vacant land in the city becomes limited, work with LAFCo to annex suitable land within the SOI that can be readily served with city utilities, where the relationship between existing and planned land uses moderates Vehicle Miles Traveled, and where impacts to agricultural lands would be minimized.
Program LU-4E: In response to annexation proposals, pre-zone lands within the Sphere of Influence as a means to maintain a variety of land uses that meet the needs of the community.
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2.10 REFERENCES
California Department of Finance. 2021. Historical Census Populations; 1850-2020, California Counties and Incorporated https://dof.ca.qov/wpcontent/uploads/sites/352/Reports/Demoqraphic Reports/documents/2020-1850 STCO IncCities.xIsx
Cities/Towns.
,. 2007. E-8 Historical Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State. https://dof.ca.qov/forecastinq/demoqraphics/estimates/e-8-histor icalpopulation-and-housinq-estimates-for-cities-cQunties-and-the-state-1990-2000/ 1990-2000.
. 2012. E-8 Historical Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, 2000-2010. https://dof.ca.qov/forecastinq/demoqraphics/estimates/estimates-e8-2000- 2010
. 2023. E-8 Historical Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, 2010-2020. https://dof.ca.qov/forecastinq/demoqraphics/estimates/estimates-e8-2010- 2020/
. 2025. E-5 City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 2020-2025. https://dof.ca.qov/forecastinq/demoqraphics/estimates/e-5-popula tion-and-housinqestimates-for-cities-counties-and-the-state-2020-2025/ California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. 2024. General Plan Guidelines and Technical Advisories, https://lci.ca.qov/planninq/qeneral-plan/q uidelines.html . 2013. SB 244 Technical Advisory. https://lci.ca.qov/docs/SB244 Technical Advisorv.pdf Campbell, L. and Young, D., eds. Native Daughters of the Golden West, Eschscholtzia Parlor No. 112. 1965. Etna: From Mule Train to Copter.
City of Etna. 2005. City of Etna General Plan.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 2025. “National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) Viewer." https://msc.fema.qov/portal
PolicyLink et al. 2013. California Unincorporated: Mapping Disadvantaged Communities in the San Joaquin Valley Technical Guide. www.policvlink.orq/sites/default/files/CA UNINCORPORATED FINAL.pdf
Siskiyou Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo). 2024. Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities SB 244 Analysis, https://siskivou2050.com/imaqes/docs/ SKYGP BR SB 244 PRD.pdf
U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau. .2002. 2000 Census of Population and Housing. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics https://data.census.qov/table/DECENNIALDPSF42000.DP1?a=etna+citv &v=2000 .2012. 2010 Census of Population and Housing. Summary File 1, Median Age by Sex (P13). https://data.census.aov/table/DECENNIALSF12010.P13?q=etna +citv&t=Aqe+ and+Sex&v=2010&d=DEC+Summarv+File+1
.2020. 2020 Census of Population and Housing. Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics (DPI). https://data.census.aov/table/DECENNIALDP 2020.DP1 ?q= etna+citv&t=Aqe+and+Sex&v=2020&d=DEC+Demoqraphic+Profile (DPI).
2.0 Land Use Element City of Etna General Plan
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Public/Quasi-Public Facilities
City Hall
Fire Department
Police Department
Water Treatment Plant
Wastewater Treatment Plant
Public Works Yard
Johnson-Joss Memorial Park
Community Pool
Little League Field
Museum
Etna High School
Medical Clinic
U.S. Post Office
Library
#
O
=Vemon'St<
.WoodlandiSt
FEMA Flood Hazard Areas I 93
100-Year Flood Hazard Area 500-Year Flood Hazard Area
<0
I
Figure 2>13, Public Facilities and Flood Hazards
2-22
A
N
Figure 2-14, Land Use Map
2-23
sa5
Figure 2*15, Sphere of Influence
2-24
iJ
Figure 2-16, SB 244 DUC Analysis
2-25
EXHIBIT C to RESOLUTION 2025-010
Safety Element
Exhibit C to Resolution 2025-010
City of Etna
General Plan Safety Element
November 3,2025
City of Etna
442 Main Street
Etna, CA 96027
7-1 7.0
7.1 Safety
7.2 7.3
7.3.1 Statutory
7.3.2 Introduction
Emergency
Element
Law
Fire
Requirements
Protection
Enforcement
Services
7.4 7.3.3
7.3.4 Emergency
Medical
Disaster
Preparedness
Services
Management
7.4.1 7.4.2
Local
Community
Hazard
Wildfire
Mitigation
Protection
Plan
Plan
7.4.3 7.4.4
Water
Evacuation
Conservation
and Preparedness
Plan
Plan
7.4.5 7.4.6
CAL
Other
FIRE
Disaster
Unit
Preparedness
Plans
Resources
7.4.6.1 Emergency Preparedness Guidebook
7.4.7 7.4.6.2
7.4.6.3 Evacuation
Genasys
ReadySiskiyou
Routes
Protect
7.4.7.1 Single-Access Roadways
7.4.8 Municipal & Emergency Water Supplies
7.4.9 Road Minimum Widths and Turnouts
7.4.10 7.4.11
Defensible
Fuel Breaks
Space
7.5 7.5.1
7.5.2 Hazards
7.5.2.1 Seismic
Climate
and
Volcanic
and
Setting
Geologic
Hazards
Hazards
7.5.2.2 7.5.2.3
7.5.2.4 Ground
Surface
Slope Instability
Shaking
Rupture
7.5.3 7.5.2.5
7.5.2.6 Wildland
Subsidence
Liquefaction
and Urban Fire
Hazards
7.5.3.1 Wildland Urban Interface
7-1
7-1
7-1
7-1
7-2
7-2
7-3
7-3
7-3
7-3
7-3
7-4
7-4
7-5
7-5
7-5
7-5
7-6
7-7
7-8
7-8
7-9
7-9
7-10
7-10
7-11
7-11
7-14
7-14
7-14
7-15
7-15
7-15
7-17
City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety Element
I
7.5.3.2 Wildfire Hazard Severity Zones
7.5.3.3 7.5.3.4
Wildfire
Existing
Risk
and
Future Development
7.5.3.5 Fire Prevention and Resident Safety
Flood and Dam Inundation Hazards
7.5.4.1 7.5.4.2
Flood
FEMA
Hazards
Flood Hazard
Zones
7.5.3.3 Dam Failure Inundation Hazards
7-17
7-18
7-18
7-19
7.5.4 7-19
7-19
7-20
7-21
7.5.5 Hazardous Materials 7-21
7.5.5.1 Hazardous Materials Sites
7.5.5.2 Hazardous Materials Transport
7.5.6 7.5.6.1
Climate
7.5.6.2 Change
Extreme
Drought
Heat
7.5.6.3 7.5.6.4
Wildfire
Extreme
Weather & Flooding...
7.6 Correlation with Other Plans and Elements
7.7 Safety Element Goals, Policies & Programs
7.8 References
7-22
7-22
7-22
7-23
7-23
7-24
7-24
7-25
7-26
7-35
Figures*
7-39 Figure
Figure
Figure
7-1,
7-2,
7-3, Single-Access
Evacuation
Evacuation
Zones
Routes
Roadways
Figure 7-4, Mount Shasta Volcanic Hazards
Figure 7-5, Medicine Lake Volcanic Hazards
Figure
Figure
7-6,
7-7,
Fault
Earthquake
Activity
Shaking
Map
Potential
Figure 7-8, Deep Seated Landslide Susceptibility.
Figure 7-9, Historic Wildfire Perimeters
Figure 7-10, Wildland Urban Interface
Figure 7-11, Wildfire Hazard Severity Zones
Figure 7-12, Public Facilities and Natural Hazards
Figure
Figure
7-13,
7-14, Hazardous
FEMA Flood
Materials
Hazards
Cleanup
Sites..
7-40
7-41
7-42
7-43
7-44
7-45
7-46
7-47
7-48
7-49
7-50
7-51
7-52
* The maps included herein are provided for information purposes only and are subject to change. Lines, roads, topography,and other planimetricfeatures shown on the maps are compiled from different sources and may not be current or reliable. The City of Etna assumes no liability for the accuracy of the data shown on the maps.
City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety Element
7.1 INTRODUCTION
The purpose of the Safety Element is to promote public safety and the protection of residents and property in the City through identification of natural and human-derived hazards with the potential to impact Etna, by incorporating identified hazard and risk considerations into the land use planning process, and through the inclusion of strategies to mitigate such hazards to the extent feasible.
7.2 STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
California Government Code Section 65302(g) requires that each city and county develop a Safety Element, for the protection of the community from any unreasonable risks associated with the effects of seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure, tsunami, seiche, and dam failure; slope instability leading to mudslides and landslides: subsidence; liquefaction: and other seismic hazards ... and other geologic hazards known to the legislative body; flooding: and wildland and urban fires." In accordance with Government Code Section 65302(g)(3), information regarding fire protection and emergency services agencies must be included along with information on fire hazards, such as historical wildfire data, fire hazard severity zone maps, wildfire hazard areas, and the general location and distribution of existing and planned uses of land in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The Safety Element must also identify residential developments in hazard areas lacking sufficient emergency egress; include mapping of known fire, flood, and seismic and other geologic hazards; and address evacuation routes, military installations, water supply requirements, and minimum road widths and clearances around structures as they relate to fire and geologic hazards.^ Climate change impacts and adaptation strategies must be addressed in the Safety Element or through adoption of a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan or other document that includes this information.
7.3 EMERGENCY SERVICES
7.3.1 Law Enforcement
Police protection services for the City are provided by the City of Etna Police Department. The Police Department is centrally located at 155 Diggles Street and is staffed between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dispatch services are provided under contract by the Siskiyou County Sheriffs Office (SCSO). As of 2025, the Etna Police Department includes a full-time chief, three full-time officers, one part-time detective, and one part-time Community Service Officer (CSO). The Department is presently looking to hire an additional full-time officer and another part-time CSO. The Department’s two volunteer reserve officer positions are currently vacant. Staffing is such that at least two officers are available to respond to calls. In addition to providing for law enforcement in the City, the Etna Police Department extends police protection services under contract to the nearby Town of Fort Jones, which allows both communities additional police coverage when needed. The Etna Police Department maintains mutual aid agreements with surrounding jurisdictions, including the SCSO, city police departments, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), and California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CAL FIRE).
' There are no military installations within 50 miles of the City of Etna. Consequently, the Safety Element does not discuss hazards relative to facilities.
City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
7-1
7.3.2 Fire Protection
Fire protection services for the City are provided by the City of Etna Fire Department. In 2025, the Fire Department is staffed by a chief, an assistant chief, and 10-12 voiunteer firefighters. Because there are presently fewer volunteer firefighters than there have typically been in the past, the Fire Department would like to add an additional 8-10 volunteer firefighters. The Fire Station is centrally located at 400 Main Street, and response times within city limits are routinely under five minutes.
Because older portions of the station are not designed to accommodate the Fire Department’s modern equipment and are in poor condition, the Department is looking to construct a new facility that can fulfill the Department’s operational needs.
In addition to protecting properties in the City, the Etna Fire Department maintains mutual aid agreements with nearby jurisdictions, including CAL FIRE, and automatic aid agreements with the Town of Fort Jones and the Scott Valley Fire Protection District (SVFPD). At present, the Department responds to all calls for fire and vehicle accidents in the Town of Fort Jones and SVFPD, which includes the City's sphere of influence, as well as to requests for assistance with medical calls. In recent years, the Etna Fire Department has been in discussions with the Town of Fort Jones, the SVFPD, and others to consolidate emergency response services throughout the Scott Valley, a move that is expected to increase efficiencies and improve the delivery of services for valley residents. Further beyond the Scott Valley, the Department assists the Salmon River Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company on a goodwill and as-needed basis due to the Company’s limited resources.
The Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) is a scoring system used by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) to rank a community's fire protection capabilities on a scale of 1 to 10. A high score of 1 is awarded to communities with superior lire protection capabilities and a classification of 10 is assigned to communities with fire protection capabilities that do not meet minimum criteria for ISO recognition. At the time of the most recent ISO rating in 2017, the Etna Fire Department received a Public Protection Classification (PPC) score of 5-5Y. A split rating was used to differentiate between areas that are within the City of Etna (5) and those areas that are within the Department’s response area but outside city limits (5Y).
7.3.3 Medical Services
The nearest hospital to the City of Etna is Fairchild Medical Center (FMC), located approximately 28 road miles northeast in the City of Yreka. FMC and its clinics provide a variety of healthcare services, including emergent, medical, surgical, and ancillary services such as laboratory and imaging. The 25-bed hospital includes a Level IV Trauma Center and FMC in the process of constructing a new emergency department to increase capacity. FMC’s Scott Valley Rural Health Clinic is located at 8 Commercial Street in Etna and is open during normal business hours Monday through Friday. According to FMC, its facilities meet the highest seismic rating and the organization maintains constant preparation and readiness for the next disaster. Located slightly further away in Mt. Shasta (62 road miles to the southeast) is Dignity Health’s Mercy Medical Center (MMC), a 25-bed hospital offering similar services as FMC in addition to a Level III Trauma Center. Patients brought to MMC requiring a Level II Trauma Center are taken by air ambulance to Dignity Health’s MMC in Redding. Medical air transport is provided by REACH Air Medical Services and PHI Air Medical, both of which operate air ambulances out of the Redding Municipal Airport. Depending upon the type of care needed, there are additional hospitals in Ashland, Medford, and Redding. For ground ambulatory services, the City of Etna Ambulance Service provides advanced life support and emergency medical transport services to all areas of the City and Scott Valley, as well as to the geographically isolated Salmon River area via mutual aid.
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Disaster Management
The Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services (OES), iocated in the City of Yreka, is the primary disaster management agency for Siskiyou County. Siskiyou County OES coordinates with local, state, and federal agencies to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters. This includes helping communities like Etna develop the resources to mitigate risks, such as emergency preparedness plans, and supporting training for first responders.
Through the Ready Siskiyou program, Siskiyou County OES makes resources for disaster preparation and response available to the public. During large-scale events, Siskiyou County OES activates and maintains the Emergency Operations Center that is used to coordinate and support responses among the various agencies. Following major incidents, Siskiyou OES facilitates postdisaster response and recovery by providing technical advice, assisting with emergency declarations, and working with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to obtain Presidential proclamations.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
7.3.4 7.4
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
In addition to the information contained herein, the City of Etna participated in the development of the Siskiyou County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP). The LHMP was developed in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) and followed FEMA's Local Hazard Mitigation Plan guidance. The LHMP incorporates a process where hazards are identified and profiled, the people and facilities at risk are analyzed, and mitigation actions are developed to reduce or eliminate hazard risk. The implementation of these mitigation actions, which include both short- and long-term strategies, involve planning, policy changes, programs, projects, and other activities. The current LHMP is incorporated into the City of Etna General Plan Safety Element by reference and is available on the City's website. A link to the current LHMP is included in Section 7.8, Resources.
7.4.1 Community Wildfire Protection Plan
The primary purpose of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan for Siskiyou County (CWPP) is to provide guidance that enhances protection of human life and to help Siskiyou County communities become more adaptable to wildfire, while reducing the wildfire threat to community values such as structures, critical infrastructure, businesses, and natural and historic resources.
The CWPP is designed to guide future actions by residents, property owners, business owners, homeowners associations, fire safe councils, agencies, and citizens. It provides an understanding of how to plan and implement specific actions to reduce wildfire threat, live more safely in a wildfire prone environment, and build more resilient communities.
Water Conservation Plan
7.4.2 7.4.3
As discussed in the Circulation Element, a diversion dam on Etna Creek is presently the sole source for the City’s domestic water supply. Because California law requires the City and other diverters to leave water instream for the benefit of other diverters and for wildlife, the amount of water the City can lawfully divert from Etna Creek decreases as instream flows diminish over the dry summer months and/or in response to droughts. To address the City’s limited water resources and ongoing drought-related shortages, the City Council adopted the City of Etna Water Conservation and Outreach Plan in 2021. The Plan, which was most recently updated in June 2024, promotes the wise and responsible use of water as a scarce and valuable resource by: (1) City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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encouraging programs to minimize waste; (2) supporting public education programs that promote water conservation and a better public understanding of water usage; and (3) working through the City Council to develop, adopt, and implement water conservation policies and ordinances that help the City meet its mandate of delivering an adequate supply of water for the needs of Etna’s residences, businesses, and schools and for fire protection in a manner consistent with state law.
Evacuation and Preparedness Plan
The Siskiyou County Local Transportation Commission (SCLTC) is presently developing the Siskiyou County Evacuation and Preparedness Plan in coordination with the County of Siskiyou, tribal governments, and the nine cities in Siskiyou County, including Etna. The objectives of the Evacuation and Preparedness Plan are to:
● Develop an understanding of current emergency preparedness plans and how transportation organizations, assets, and services are included in them. ● Analyze infrastructure deficiencies and recommend improvements to help mitigate risks related to natural disasters.
● Create and adopt a region-wide evacuation and preparedness plan detailing standardized practices and protocols for transportation services and evacuation centers for use by Siskiyou County OES, local and regional fire departments, local law enforcement personnel, transit and other transportation providers, the County, cities, and other local jurisdictions.
● Work to ensure regional cooperation, coordination, and capacity building with respect to emergency plans.
● Educate the public, with an emphasis on vulnerable communities, on related emergency protocols developed in the plan (e.g., designated locations for transportation evacuation, emergency shelters, etc.).
7.4.4 7.4.5 CAL FIRE Unit Plans
CAL FIRE utilizes strategic plans to guide its operations and resource allocation in wildfire prevention and suppression, as well as natural resource management. These plans are developed collaboratively with input from various stakeholders and focus on reducing wildfire risk, protecting lives and property, and managing California's forests. CAL FIRE’s unit plans are specific to each of CAL FlRE's administrative units and focus on pre-fire management, hazard reduction, and wildfire response within their respective areas. They complement other planning documents like community wildfire protection plans and general plan safety elements. Unit fire plans often address issues like ingress/egress routes, operational training, and fuels reduction.
The Unit Strategic Fire Plan for CAL FIRE’s Siskiyou Unit was most recently updated in May 2025 and includes the following goals:
● Identify and evaluate wildland fire hazards and recognize life, property, and natural resource assets at risk, including watershed, habitat, social, and other values of functioning ecosystems.
● Promote and support local land use planning processes as they relate to individual landowner objectives and responsibilities and the protection of life, property, and natural resources from risks associated with wildland fire.
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● Facilitate the collaborative development and sharing of all analyses and data collection across all ownerships for consistency in type and kind. ● Support and participate in the collaborative development and implementation of local, county, and regional plans that address fire protection and landowner objectives. ● Increase fire prevention awareness, knowledge, and actions implemented by individuals and communities to reduce human loss, property damage, and impacts to natural resources from wildland fires.
● Integrate fire and fuels management practices with landowner/land manager priorities across jurisdictions.
● Determine the level of resources necessary to effectively identify, plan, and implement fire prevention using adaptive management strategies.
● Determine the level of fire suppression resources necessary to protect the values and assets at risk identified during planning processes.
● Implement post-fire assessments and programs for the protection of life, property, and natural resource recovery.
Other Disaster Preparedness Resources
7.4.6.1 Emergency Preparedness Guidebook
The Siskiyou County Department of Public Health and Siskiyou County OES collaboratively developed The Siskiyou County Emergency Preparedness Guidebook to help prepare and keep Siskiyou County residents safe in the event of an emergency. The Guidebook includes a list of resources for staying informed prior to and during an incident, it details the steps to take when planning to evacuate, it describes the evacuation process, and it includes instructions for preparing for wildfires, smoke-related hazards, contaminated water supplies, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flood hazards, and power outages. Opportunities and programs for public involvement to increase a community's emergency response capacity are also identified. The Siskiyou County Department of Public Health prints and makes hardcopies of the Guidebook available to the public, and it publishes a digital version to the Department's website along with other resources, such as an Access and Functional Needs registry that is used to identify individuals who require additional assistance during emergencies or disasters.
1.4.6.2 ReadySiskiyou
ReadySiskiyou is a public notification system utilized by Siskiyou County OES that allows the public to sign up for and receive time-sensitive phone, text, and email alerts about emergencies and other important community information, including severe weather, evacuations, unexpected road closures, and missing persons.
7.4.6.3 Genasys Protect
Genasys Protect (formerly Zonehaven Aware) is an evacuation management tool utilized by Siskiyou County OES that helps first responders and communities more effectively plan, communicate, and execute evacuations through evacuation zones developed and approved in close collaboration with law, fire, and emergency service agencies. Using Genasys Protect, emergency responders and the public can identify Siskiyou County addresses and evacuation zones on an online map and view current evacuation information for the area. Evacuation zones in and around the City of Etna, as identified by Genasys Protect, are shown on Figure 7-1,
7.4.6 City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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Evacuation Zones at the end of the Safety Element. The evacuation zones shown are for informational purposes only and are subject to change.
7.4.7 Evacuation Routes
The City of Etna strives to be prepared for natural disasters or other emergency events requiring evacuation in partnership with surrounding jurisdictions and Siskiyou County OES. In accordance with California Government Code Section 65302.15(a), which requires that cities and counties identify evacuation routes and their capacity, safety, and viability under a range of emergency scenarios, the City of Etna has identified State Route 3 (SR 3) and Main Street/Saw/yer’s Bar Road/lsland Road as the City’s evacuation routes (see Figure 7-2, Evacuation Routes). These evacuation routes are consistent with the evacuation routes identified by the County of Siskiyou in its General Plan Safety Element. Although the City maintains control over Main Street oniy, with Sawyer’s Bar Road and island Road being county roads and SR 3 a state highway, these roadways were identified by the City due to their higher capacity relative to other streets in the City in accordance with the functional classifications assigned to them by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). As discussed in the Circulation Element, Caltrans has classified SR 3 as a minor arterial, Main Street and Sawyers Bar Road as major collectors, and Island Road as a minor collector. The areas adjacent to these roadways inside city limits are largely free of significant fuel loading and overhead vegetation, however, additional vegetation clearance and on-street parking restrictions should be implemented to improve public safety during emergency events. Ongoing coordination with the County and Caltrans will be necessary to ensure the evacuation routes under their ownership and control provide sufficient capacity, safety, and viability for evacuations under a range of emergency scenarios.
Which direction evacuations will proceed will depend upon the specific disaster, but in general evacuations are expected to move people north out of the City on SR 3. SR 3 has the highest capacity of any roadway in the Scott Valley and it leads directly out of the valley and to the City of Yreka to the north. The nearest hospital is in Yreka, and during emergencies in the past, the evacuation center has typically been established at the Siskiyou County Fairgrounds in Yreka.
Though significantly less direct and with lower capacity than SR 3, Island Road leads north through irrigated farmland and reconnects with SR 3 south of the Town of Fort Jones. Travelling SR 3 southeast from Etna toward Weaverville is a winding 75-mile journey along two rivers and through heavy forest. The journey southwest along Sawyers Bar Road from Etna to Forks of Salmon is a 40-mile drive through steep forested terrain that starts with a long climb over Etna Mountain and ends with a long twisting decent along the North Fork of the Salmon River. For this reason, most evacuations are expected to move northward.
The use of evacuation routes in the City under a variety of scenarios is discussed below. ● Following a volcanic eruption, or in advance of an eruption if there is sufficient warning, residents will be directed to either evacuate of shelter in place depending upon the nature of the eruption and distance to the hazard. For ash fall, the most likely direct impact to the City from an eruption of either the Mount Shasta or Medicine Lake volcanoes, sheltering in place is likely to be sufficient. However, if there are secondary effects, such as a fast moving wildfire sparked by a lateral blast or pyroclastic flows, the Incident Commander will make an assessment of areas at risk in close coordination with other agencies, and the Etna Police Department and Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office will direct the evacuation, if needed, accordingly.
● Earthquakes occur suddenly and for the most part without warning. Evacuation may be necessary post-disaster if the ground shaking causes a secondary disaster, such as a fire.
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hazardous materials spill, or landslide. The evacuation route(s) to follow would be determined by the Etna Police Department and Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office based on an assessment of which areas are at risk from secondary hazards. ● Wildfires in the area have historically occurred in the mountainous areas surrounding the Scott Valley with little fire activity on the valley floor. Nevertheless, the threat of wildfire to the City of Etna is of great concern. Should winds driven by an afternoon thunderstorm spread a wildfire into the City, evacuation of potentially affected neighborhoods is likely.
The evacuation route(s) would be determined based on an assessment of areas at risk and the evacuation directed by the Etna Police Department and Siskiyou County Sheriffs Office.
● Localized flooding due to storm events can and does occur within the planning area, typically where low spots in the topography capture storm water. Less often flooding occurs within the Etna Creek and Johnson Creek floodplains. The appropriate evacuation routes to use in the event of flooding will depend on where flooding is more severe and on the evacuee's destination. Evacuation may involve merely getting out of the low spots and onto higher ground. However, if flooding is widespread in the community, the evacuation route(s) to follow would be determined by the Etna Police Department and Siskiyou County Sheriffs Office based on an assessment of affected areas. ● Releases of hazardous materials, either as a result of a leak or due to an accidental spill, generally will require the evacuation of a relatively small area, generally within a one- to two-mile radius of the release. However, due to the small size of the City, that potentially encompasses all of Etna. The evacuation route(s) to follow would be determined by the Etna Police Department based on an assessment of the leak location, prevailing wind directions, traffic flow, and location of the emergency shelter, if any, opened for the event.
7.4.7.1 Single-Access Roadways
A key element of being able to safely evacuate is having access to multiple ingress and egress routes in case one roadway becomes blocked. While multiple access points are not presently required in the City’s Subdivision Ordinance, the City is located entirely within a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and as such, the City also enforces the State’s Minimum Fire Safe Regulations (Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Division 1.5, Chapter 7.
Subchapter 2, Articles 1-5). In accordance with 14 CCR Section 1273.08 (Dead End Roads), roads without more than one access point are limited to 800 feet in length when they serve parcels zoned for less than one acre, which are most lots in Etna. Accordingly, such a requirement is enforced during the City’s review and approval of subdivision maps, when needed, to ensure public safety. However, because older subdivisions may have been approved without such a requirement, and in an effort to eventually improve access to all areas of the City, an assessment of the dead-end roadways in Etna was prepared. These roadways are shown on Figure 7-3, Single-Access Roadways at the end of the Safety Element.
As determined through the City’s assessment, there are only two single access roadways in Etna that exceed 800 feet in length, Vernon Street and Callahan Street east of its intersection with Callahan Road. Vernon Street is an approximately 1,040-foot unpaved roadway that is restricted to a 15-foot right-of-way and serves the City’s water treatment plant and four residential lots, three of which are developed. Callahan Street east of its intersection with Callahan Road is an approximately 1,020-foot partially paved roadway located within a 50-foot right-of-way that serves 12 residential lots inside city limits and two parcels outside the City. Residential uses have been established on ten of the city parcels and one of the county parcels. An additional single-access.
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unpaved roadway, Pleasure Park Road, weaves in and out of city limits a total distance of approximately 1,500 feet and serves five parcels, two of which are developed with dwellings.
Other single-access roadways or road segments in the City, all of which are less than 800 feet in length include: Cleveland Street (350 feet) and Howell Avenue (350 feet) south of Woodland Street, Callahan Road east of Lovers Lane (300 feet), Commercial Street west of Industrial Parkway (90 feet). Telco Way north of Commercial Street (400 feet). Industrial Parkway north of Commercial Street (680 feet), and two segments of Pleasure Park Road, the longest of which is approximately 570 feet. Where feasible and appropriate, access should be improved for properties along these roadways.
Municipal & Emergency Water Supplies
The City obtains its water from a diversion on Etna Creek. From there the water is conveyed via gravity to the City's Water Treatment Plant where it is filtered and chlorinated before entering a 155,000-gallon in-ground reservoir and two above-ground steel tanks with a combined capacity of 338,000 gallons. To ensure the City maintains adequate water supply and fire flows for existing and future development, the City has an ongoing program of upgrading its water distribution system as funding allows, and the City has been successful obtaining grants for this purpose.
Most recently in 2022, the City was awarded grant funding through the State’s 2021 Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Grant program to increase the City’s water supply and storage capacity. Improvements approved for funding include replacement of water meters throughout the City with automated meter reading devices, installation of a 250,000-gallon water storage tank, and development of a secondary water supply for use during emergencies. The new water meters and storage tank have been installed and are in service, and the second phase of the project, which entails developing up to two groundwater wells at Johnson-Joss Memorial Park, is in process and scheduled for completion in 2025.
7.4.8 With the addition of the recently installed 250,000-gallon water storage tank, the City's storage capacity has been increased to 493,000 gallons. This allows the City’s water distribution system to deliver 1,000 gallons per minute (GPM) for 48 hours, including during those times when system demand is at its highest (i.e., peak load conditions).^ However, once the City’s water storage is depleted, the supply of water available to meet the City’s domestic water and firefighting needs drops to 800 GPM. This can currently be increased to 1,000 GPM and greater by means of a bypass valve at the City’s Etna Creek diversion that must be opened manually. Once the new emergency water supply is developed and in service, the ability to quickly increase flows during an emergency event will be greatly improved.
7.4.9 Road Minimum Widths and Turnouts
Minimum road widths and turnouts are essential for designing a safe environment so that emergency vehicles can access all areas of the City. The City of Etna requires that all new road widths and turnouts comply with the minimum street standards of Chapter 16.24 (Street and Highway Design) of the Etna Municipal Code, as well as Article 2 (Ingress and Egress) of the State Minimum Fire Safe Regulations. Where inconsistencies exist, the more restrictive standards apply. Where existing roadways do not meet either set of standards, improvements are scheduled in the Siskiyou County Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) as funding allows. The City’s Public Works, Engineering, and Fire Departments are responsible for implementing and ensuring public roads are designed to these standards.
^ There is expected to be some variability in pressure depending upon location within the distribution system.
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Defensible Space
Defensible space is the area around a structure where vegetation and other combustible materials are managed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire. Defensible space can protect structures from direct flame impingement and radiant heat, as well as reduce the number of burning embers. It also helps to safeguard fire fighters who may be attempting to save the structure during a fire. It is considered crucial for structure survivability during wildfires.
7.4.10 California Government Code Section 51182 requires that any person owning, leasing, controlling, operating, or maintaining an occupied structure in VHFHSZ maintain 100 feet of defensible space around that structure. In the immediate five feet surrounding the structure, the most intense fuel modification is required. This zone must be kept ember-resistant through use of non-combustible hardscaping, pruning overhead vegetation, removing branches within 10 feet of chimneys, regular debris removal, and relocating combustibles outside this zone. In the intermediate area surrounding the structure (5-30 feet or to the property line), grass must be kept short, trees kept trim, dead and dying plants and dry vegetation removed, and trees, shrubs, and other combustible items kept separate. In the extended zone surrounding the structure (30-100 feet or to the property line), grass must be kept short, dried vegetation removed, vertical and horizontal spacing established between lawn, shrubs, and trees, and the areas around wood piles, outbuildings, and propane tanks kept clear.
Because most of the City has only recently been designated as VHFSZ, the creation of defensible space, while advisory, has not been a citywide requirement. With recent changes to the Fire Hazard Severity Zone map for Etna, the creation and maintenance of defensible space has become mandatory throughout the City. Accordingly, the City is working to improve resident awareness of the defensible space requirements and to obtain grant funding for defensible space improvements.
7.4.11 Fuel Breaks
The Etna Shaded Fuel Break is an approximately 100 to 200-foot wide shaded fuel break that runs south and west of the City. The fuel break has been in existence since 1979 and has been maintained at various intervals over the years.^ The fuel break begins at Sawyers Bar Road south of Etna Cemetery, proceeds west approximately one-half mile along a dirt road until it intersects with another dirt road, turns north, and proceeds along this other dirt road one and three-fourths miles to the center of Section 20 where it shifts east and terminates at SR 3. Fuel reduction treatments within the Etna Fuel Break have included prescribed burns, mastication, thinning, pruning, and burning of brush piles. The City of Etna Fire Department uses the opportunities for training.
In 2021, CAL FIRE worked throughout Siskiyou County on fuel reduction projects, including within the Scott Valley. CAL FIRE worked with landowners and others to educate and assist them with fuel reduction projects utilizing broadcast burning to enhance agriculture production and fire safe landscapes. Opening and maintaining fire access roads was a priority. Work continued through cooperation with private timber companies and landowners to open previously impassable fire access roads.
^ Some landowners with property in the fuel break have been conducting fuel reduction treatments to enhancefire safety since the 1950s.
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Private timber companies have continued the fuel reduction efforts from Patterson Creek to Crystal Creek accounting for about 11 miles of treatment varying in width from 600 feet to onehalf mile. Timber companies have also thinned along Sniktaw Road above Shackleford Creek and continue to work on improving ingress and egress routes. These projects seek to bolster and extend the Etna Fuel Break to protect of stakeholders on the west side of Scott Valley from wildfires.
The Scott River Watershed Council and the Siskiyou Prescribed Burn Association have submitted grants for education and fuels reduction projects in the Scott Valley that connect previously completed fuel breaks and proposed Fire Safe Council grant fuel breaks.
7.5 HAZARDS
Emergency preparedness measures in the City of Etna and elsewhere are driven by the risks and potential hazards affecting the area. For Etna, vulnerabilities include the City’s climate and setting, seismic and geologic hazards, urban and wildland fires, flood hazards, hazardous materials spills, and the effects of climate change, such as drought, wildfire, extreme weather, and flooding.
7.5.1 Climate and Setting
The City of Etna is located at an average elevation of 2,936 feet above sea level in the approximately 100-square mile Scott Valley. The long, narrow valley sits in an approximately 814- square mile watershed drained by the Scott River and its tributaries. The Scott Valley is situated within and surrounded by the rugged and heavily forested Klamath Range approximately 28 miles west of Mount Shasta in the volcanic Cascade Range. Topography within the Scott Valley is relatively flat, gaining only 355 feet of elevation between Meamber Creek in the north and Sugar Creek roughly 25 miles to the south. The elevation change outside the valley is more sudden.
Because of the surrounding topography, road access in and out of the Scott Valley is limited and at times difficult.
The Scott Valley’s climate is classified as Mediterranean, which is characterized by high seasonal variability, including hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The average high temperature in the Scott Valley in July is 91.4® F and the average low temperature in January is 23.0® F. Most precipitation in the Scott Vailey falls over a roughly five-month period from late October/early November until late March/early April, with snowfall common between late November and early March. The Scott Valley receives 20.47 inches of total annual average precipitation and 19.5 inches of total average snowfall. The least amount of precipitation occurs during the summer months, with July receiving an average of 0.40 inch. When precipitation does fall during the summer, it typically arrives in a thunderstorm. Agricultural uses, particularly alfalfa production, are widespread in the Scott Valley, and much of the valley floor is irrigated between spring and early fall.
Like the topography of the Scott Valley, much of the City is relatively level, sloping gently to the northeast and the nearby Scott River. Two of the river’s tributaries, Etna Creek and Johnson Creek, and their floodplains are within the City’s planning area. Etna Creek borders the City to the south and Johnson Creek passes through Etna in the north. A short distance outside city limits to the west, the land ascends abruptly and the valley floor gives way to the Marble Mountains, a subrange of the Salmon Mountains, which are themselves a subrange of the Klamath Range. In addition to the forested slopes along the City’s western border, vegetative cover in or near the City includes irrigated farmlands, open land, dry farmland, and some brushy areas. Cover in the City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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brushy areas include thorn-apple thickets, willows, wild chokecherry, and cottonwoods. The understory vegetation is annual and perennial grasses, wild rose bushes, weeds, and hemlock.
Etna’s geographical setting presents several unique public safety concerns:
● The City of Etna is susceptible to impacts resulting from volcanic activity at the Mount Shasta and Medicine Lake volcanoes. The most likely impacts would be from tephra ash, which are fine fragments of volcanic rock formed in an explosive eruption. ● The Klamath Range that encompasses the City of Etna and the Scott Valley was formed through long, complex and ongoing geologic processes that continue to generate seismic activity in the region.
● Isolated areas of steeper slopes north and west of the City are potentially unstable and susceptible to deep-seated landslide activity.
● Wildfires are a regular occurrence in the mountains surrounding Etna, most of the City is considered Wildland Urban Interface, and all of Etna is designated as being in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
● Persistent drought in the region and/or a catastrophic wildfire in the Etna Creek watershed could adversely impact the City’s surface water supply. ● There are approximately 129.3 acres in the City that are within the 100-year floodplains for Etna Creek and Johnson Creek and an additional 30.6 acres in Etna within 500-year floodplains.
● The dominant soil types in Etna have moderately slow permeability, which can cause localized flooding during extreme weather events, particularly where stormwater drainage improvements are absent or otherwise inadequate.
● A toxic or hazardous chemical accident on SR 3 or elsewhere in the City could have serious and immediate implications in Etna.
Seismic and Geologic Hazards
The Klamath Range where Etna is located is noted for its complex geologic history, while the Cascade Range a short distance to the east is known for its large and recently active volcanos.
7.5.2 7.5.2.1 Volcanic Hazards
The two Cascade Range volcanoes nearest to the City of Etna are Mount Shasta and Medicine Lake. Though Mount Shasta has not been active for more than two centuries and Medicine Lake for almost a millennium, both volcanoes are only dormant and will almost certainly erupt again.
Experience with Cascade Range volcanoes, including Mount St. Helens (1980 to present) and Mt. Lassen (1911-1920), demonstrates that eruptive episodes can and do occur in present time involving volcanoes that are generally considered inactive. The Mount Shasta and Medicine Lake volcanoes and the potential hazards associated with them are discussed below.
Mount Shasta
Mount Shasta is a 14,163-foot-high stratovolcano located approximately 28 miles east of Etna.
The current volcano formed on the remnants of an older volcano that collapsed sometime roughly 380,000 to 330,000 years ago. The collapse created one of the largest landslides known on Earth, depositing volcanic rock and other materials across approximately 260 square miles of the Shasta City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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Valley to the northwest. Since then, Mount Shasta has had long lulls in eruptive activity punctuated by brief period of many eruptions. Eruptions around 11,000 years ago built nearby Black Butte and the Shastina dome on the west flank of Mount Shasta. In the last few millennia, there have been eruptions at the volcano’s summit and from vents on Mount Shasta’s east flank. The most recent well-documented eruption occurred around 3,000 years ago. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), small, short-lived blasts of steam and ash may have occurred as recently as 1,800 to 200 years ago, but additional field verification is required.
Research published to date suggest that Mount Shasta may have erupted about once every 800 to 600 years over the last 10,000 years. This corresponds to a 3.5 percent chance of eruption within the next 30 years. USGS seismometers and GPS receivers operated by EarthScope Consortium, formerly UNAVCO, form the monitoring network for Mount Shasta. The volcano has been relatively quiet for at least the past 15 years, with only a handful of small-magnitude earthquakes and no demonstrable ground deformation. Although geophysically quiet, periodic geochemical surveys indicate that volcanic gas emanates from a fumarole at the summit of Mount Shasta from a deep-seated reservoir of partly molten rock. According to USGS, Mount Shasta is the most likely Cascade Range volcano to produce an explosive eruption of very large volume.
Future eruptions, like those of the last 10,000 years, are likely to produce deposits of ash, lava flows, domes, and pyroclastic flows, and could endanger infrastructure and lives within several miles of the volcano. It is ranked by USGS as the fifth highest threat volcano in the United States.
Medicine Lake
Medicine Lake volcano is a large, shield volcano located roughly 63 miles to the east/northeast of Etna. Located at the volcano’s summit (elevation 7,913 feet) is a water-filled caldera formed by withdrawal of magma during eruptions. The caldera is eight miles wide and 14 miles across. The intermittent, mostly nonexplosive eruptions over the last half million years produced expansive lava flows, some covering as much as 100 square miles. The volcano has erupted nine times during the past 5,200 years, and seven of those eruptions began with an explosive phase. The two youngest eruptions produced ash clouds that drifted tens of miles downwind before explosions ceased and thick, glassy lava flows began oozing from the vents forming Little Glass Mountain (1,000 years ago) and Glass Mountain (950 years ago).
Overall, the pattern of eruptions over the past 12,500 years suggests the likelihood of a future eruption from Medicine Lake volcano is one in 3,600 annually, which corresponds to about a one percent chance of eruption within the next 30 years. Seismometers and GPS receivers provide a modest volcano monitoring network at Medicine Lake volcano. Volcanic gas emissions suggest that partly molten rock lies beneath the volcano, which provides heat for a robust geothermal system underlying the caldera. Sporadic earthquake swarms are detected by the monitoring network as well as ground subsidence owing to motions on regional faults and “sagging” of rock softened by volcanic heat. The character of a future eruption is most likely to be effusive, with fountains of lava potentially rising hundreds offset in the air. Over the course of weeks to months, a circular mound of cinder would form around the vent and slow-moving lava flows could impact areas many miles away. It is ranked by USGS as the 45‘'^ highest threat volcano in the United States.
Volcanic Activity
Several USGS reports describe the characteristics of volcanic activity likely to affect areas near each volcano, including Volcanic Hazards at Mount Shasta, California (1989), Volcano Hazards Assessment for Medicine Lake Volcano, Northern California (2007) and California’s Exposure to City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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Volcanic Hazards (2019). These characteristics are discussed below along with their possible impact to the City of Etna. The hazard areas associated with the two volcanos are shown on USGS's "Mount Shasta, CA Simplified Hazards Map" and USGS's “Medicine Lake, CA Simplified Hazards Map,” which have been incorporated into the Safety Element as Figures 7-4, Mount Shasta Volcanic Hazards and 7-5, Medicine Lake Volcanic Hazards. The maps do not show areas potentially affected by volcanic ash, which is often influenced by wind direction and distance from the source.
Pyroclastic Flows: Pyroclastic flows are streams of hot ash and rock fragments, mixed with hot air and other gases, that move rapidly along the ground surface during an eruption. These flows are especially dangerous due to their high temperatures and their high speeds which may be more than 100 miles per hour. Due to the speed of pyroclastic flows, escape is nearly impossible.
They are best avoided by evacuation of threatened areas before an eruption. Etna is located outside of the pyroclastic flow zones of both volcanoes.
Lateral Blasts: This type of blast is a sideways-directed volcanic explosion that carries large pieces of rock and ash at a very high speed along and above the ground surface. The rock debris carried by the lateral blast of Mount St. Helens in 1980 had an initial speed of more than 250 miles per hour, and it was still moving about 60 miles per hour near its outer limit about 15 miles from the volcano. Lateral blasts may cause fatalities as the result of impact, burial, or heat. Mount Shasta, like Mount St. Helens, is potentially subject to lateral blasts. Etna is located within an area potentially affected by lateral blasts at Mount Shasta but at the outer limits of that zone, such that the likelihood of the threat is reduced due to distance.
Lava Flows: Lava flows are rarely life-threatening because they move slowly enough for people to get out of their way and seldom occur at the outset of an eruption. Etna’s distance from both volcanoes is sufficient that lava flows are not considered directly life threatening: however, lava flows can affect critical transportation corridors, such as Interstate 5 and Highway 89, and ignite wildfires in the region.
LaharsA/olcanic Mudflows: A lahar, or volcanic mudflow, is a mass of water-saturated rock debris that moves downslope generally as a fluid. Lahars can form when lava flows, pyroclastic flows, or hot lateral blasts melt snow on the side of a volcano. Mudflows tend to follow stream valleys and can travel long distances generally at a rate of 10 to 20 miles per hour, but faster on steep slopes. Due to their slower speed and distance from Etna, as well as the intervening topography between Etna, Mount Shasta, and Medicine Lake, such flows are not considered life threatening should a mudflow occur.
Landslides: A volcanic explosion, severe earthquake or heavy rains could start landslides of rock debris from the side of Mount Shasta. A landslide triggered by an earthquake at Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, traveled about 14 miles beyond the volcano. Mount Shasta has also been subject to mudflows that have been triggered by heavy rains on top of snow, although this type of mudflow is not considered to be a threat to Etna.
Volcanic Ash: Ash resulting from an eruption could cover a large area and could reach a depth of two inches or greater, depending on the amount of ash released into the atmosphere and the direction of wind at the time. Given that the prevailing winds generally come from the northwest and southwest, it is likely that most ash would fall east of the volcanoes and away from Etna.
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Z.5.2.2 Surface Rupture
As shown on Figure 7-6, Fault Activity Map there are several faults in the region. The closest of these are the Scott Valley Fault located approximately two miles northwest of the City near Crystal Creek, the Mallethead Fault in the hills surrounding the Scott Valley approximately 2.5 miles east of Etna, and an unnamed fault approximately 5.8 miles to the south. Though the faults that surround Etna are potentially active (i.e., they show evidence of displacement during the past 1.6 million years), the closest active fault, one which has ruptured in the last 11,000 years, is located approximately 30 miles east of Etna in the Cedar Mountain Fault System. The City is not identified by the California Geological Survey as being located in an Alquist Priolo Fault Zone.
7.5.2.3 Ground Shaking
Regions of California near major active faults experience, on average, stronger earthquake shaking more frequently. According to USGS, the nearest recorded earthquake affecting Etna in the past 125 years was a magnitude 2.6 earthquake that occurred approximately 1.9 miles east/southeast of city limits on December 4, 1997. The earthquake, although close, had little impact. The largest recorded earthquakes to affect Etna were earthquakes with magnitudes of
7.2. The first earthquake occurred on November 8, 1980, approximately 77 miles west/southwest of the City, and the second occurred on April 25, 1992, approximately 106 miles west/southwest of Etna. While both earthquakes were of the same magnitude, the latter was felt throughout much of northern California and southern Oregon and as far south as San Francisco, was followed by an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 a little over an hour and a half later, another quake with a magnitude of 6.7 less than four hours later, and several large aftershocks. It also resulted in significantly more injuries in the areas that were hardest hit. Due to the distance from the epicenter to Etna, the earthquake had an observed Modified Mercalli Intensity of III at the USGS monitoring station in Callahan, which is classified as weak. While all of California is earthquake-prone, according to the USGS, the City of Etna has lower potential for more frequent, stronger shakes than possible and experienced elsewhere (see Figure 7-7, Earthquake Shaking Potential).
7.5.2.4 Slope Instability
Slope failure is the movement of soil, rock, or other earth materials downhill in response to gravity.
Slope failure includes rockfalls, debris flows, debris avalanches, earthflows, mudflows, landslides, and erosion. While slope failure can result from erosive activity, especially as climate change increases the occurrence of severe weather events, the planning area is relatively flat, such that slope instability is not a significant concern within the City. In the Marble Mountains west of the City, the potential for slope instability is much greater. Nevertheless, according to the California Department of Conservation, the nearest reported landslide to the City of Etna occurred on October 24. 2021, in the Bolam Creek drainage, which is on the north slope of Mount Shasta approximately 30 miles east of Etna. The landslide was a “shallow landslide,” a type of rapid debris flow caused by a period of intense rainfall and/or rapid snowmelt where the plane failure is located 10 feet deep or less below ground. Shallow slides typically follow a long saturation period punctuated by an intense burst of precipitation over several hours or a few days. Deep-seated landslides, on the other hand, are a type of slower moving landslide where the depth of the plane failure ranges from ten feet to several hundreds of feet below the surface. These types of slides tend to result from changes in the geologic and hydrologic processes in the area of the landslide, such as earthquakes and increased groundwater levels. Once formed, deep-seated landslides can persist for a few years or even centuries. The relative likelihood of deep-seated landslides based on estimates of rock strength and steepness of slopes in and around the City is shown on Figure 7-8, Deep Seated Landslide Susceptibility.
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7.5.2.5 Liquefaction
Liquefaction occurs when loose sand and silt that is saturated with water behaves like a liquid when shaken by an earthquake. Liquefaction can result in the following types of seismic-related ground failure:
● Loss of bearing strength - soils liquefy and lose the ability to support structures. ● Lateral spreading - soils slide down gentle slopes or toward stream banks. ● Flow failures - soils move down steep slopes with large displacement. ● Ground oscillation - surface soils, riding on a buried liquefied layer, are moved back and forth by shaking.
● Flotation - floating of light buried structures to the surface. ● Settlement - settling of ground surface as soils reconsolidate. ● Subsidence - compaction of soil and sediment.
Three factors are required for liquefaction to occur: (1) loose, granular sediment; (2) saturation of the sediment by groundwater; and (3) strong shaking. As discussed in the Open Space & Conservation Element, the soils underlying most of the City are well-drained loams. Although there are approximately 205 acres east of Howell Avenue south to Pleasure Park Road and Callahan Street where the soil types are comprised of somewhat poorly drained sand, silt, and clay, liquefaction has not been reported in the past nor has the City historically been subject to strong seismic activity.
To inform local governments about potential hazards, the California Geological Survey (CGS) designates areas of the State that are subject to potential liquefaction. The CGS does not identify Etna as being located in an area of potential liquefaction. The nearest liquefaction zones identified by CGS are located approximately 230 miles south of the City in the San Francisco Bay area.
7.5.2.6 Subsidence
Subsidence is the sinking of the ground due the underground movement of material. It is frequently caused by extracting water, oil, natural gas. and mineral resources by means of pumping, fracking, and mining activities. However, subsidence can also be caused by natural events, including earthquakes, soil compaction, glacial isostatic adjustment, erosion, sinkhole formation, and adding water to fine soils deposited by wind. It can happen over very large areas, such as a region of the State, or over very small areas, such as within a single parcel. The USGS identifies areas of recorded subsidence, both historical and current, across California. The City of Etna is not identified by USGS as being affected by current or historical subsidence. The USGS identifies an area located west of Sacramento as the nearest documented subsidence to Etna.'’
7.5.3 Wildland and Urban Fire Hazards
Wildfires are a regular feature of the landscape throughout much of California, including in the Klamath National Forest (KNF) and rugged mountains west of the City which typically experience dozens of new fire starts each year. The fires are primarily the result of the region’s hot, dry summer climate and recurrent afternoon and evening thunderstorms that form over the mountains ^ Although not presently shown on the USGS map, subsidence has recently been observed in the Upper Klamath Basin following years of curtailed water deliveries by the Bureau of Reclamation and increased reliance on groundwaterpumping.
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in the unstable air during the heat of summer and early fall. According to the US Forest Service, approximately 80 percent of the wildfires that occur in the KNF each year are sparked by lightning, while the remaining 20 percent are caused by other activities, such as unattended burn piles, improperly extinguished campfires, and mowing. Other potential wildfire ignition sources include downed power lines, vehicle accidents, equipment malfunctions, and arson. According to CAL FIRE, which annually reports on large (i.e., 300 acres or more) fires in the State, approximately 84 percent of California’s wildfires in 2024 were human caused, three percent had a natural source (e.g., lightning), and the source for 12 percent of the wildfires could not be determined.
Regardless of how a fire starts, once it has begun, strong winds can carry burning embers several miles from the main fire, allowing them to ignite new fires. This makes embers the primary cause of structural damage and home loss during wildfires, with some estimates suggesting they are responsible for up to 90 percent of homes destroyed. Structures within the wildland urban interface are particularly at risk.
When communities are impacted by wildfire, the destruction can be unimaginable. During the fire, residents may be given only moments to evacuate, and roadways can become blocked by flames and/or fallen debris, making it extremely difficult for residents to safely evacuate and for emergency responders to protect life and property. When residential, commercial, and industrial properties are damaged or destroyed by fire, a mess of dangerous debris and hazardous waste is left behind that must be cleaned up and removed before property owners can rebuild. Electrical transmission lines and communications equipment can be badly damaged or destroyed in a fire, leaving areas without power and/or phone service until facilities and equipment can be replaced and the power safely restored. Even when communities are spared from a fire’s destruction and the wildfire is limited to wildlands, the air quality over large areas is badly impaired with the toxic particulate matter found in smoke.
The record of wildfires in the immediate vicinity of the City since 1878 is shown on Figure 7-9, Historic Fire Perimeters. As shown on Figure 7-9, large wildfires near Etna have typically burned in the mountains west of Etna, whereas there have so far been no large fires on the irrigated valley floor. While it also appears wildfire activity on the valley floor has been less frequent, CAL FIRE cautions that the dataset reflected on the map is incomplete, and that users should be cautious when drawing conclusions based on the data. Regardless of past fire activity, increasingly warmer temperatures resulting from climate change are expected to generate more frequent thunderstorms along with more fuel for fires. As fire conditions worsen, the potential for winds generated by a thunderstorm to push burning embers or a wildfire directly into city limits will increase. Wildfires will remain a significant issue for the City, and will continue to require the coordination, dedication, and support of multiple agencies and landowners to address.
Recent large fires in the vicinity of the City of Etna include the 33,794-acre Whites Fire, which burned within 6.7 miles of city limits in 2014, the 63,785-acre Wallow Fire, which burned within
2.5 miles of Etna in 2017, the 13,441-acre Mountain Fire, which burned within 8.5 miles of the City in 2022, and the 15,520-acre Shelly Fire, which burned within 2.8 miles of city limits in 2024.
Several other recent wildfires in Siskiyou County {2016-2024) are identified in the Siskiyou County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. Areas outside of the boundaries of the map, including the rest of the State, are shown on CAL FIRE’s Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) website.
A link to the FRAP website and the most up-to-date fire perimeters map is included in Section
7.8, Resources.
It should be noted that the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan includes additional wildfire information for Etna beyond that provided in the Safety Element, including descriptions of fire behavior by City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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vegetation type; the National Fire Danger Rating System; consequences of fire; collaborative efforts that are underway in Siskiyou County to mitigate future fire risk and severity; and the City of Etna’s fire risk, vulnerabilities, expected losses, and risk reduction measures. Information regarding fire risks is summarized herein below.
7.5.3.1 Wildland Urban Interface
The Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) is the zone where houses and other development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland vegetation. The two types of WUI, interface and intermix, differ in whether there is a clear demarcation of wildland vegetation and development (interface) or whether the two are intermingled (intermix). Because of the convergence of humans and the environment in the WUI, the WUI is a zone in which fire can move readily between structures and vegetation, potentially resulting in massive fires, or conflagrations, that can lead to widespread evacuations.
In an effort to provide a framework for scientific inquiries into the effects of housing growth on the environment, as well as inform national policymakers and local land managers about the WUI and associated issues, the US Forest Service prepares detailed assessments of WUI across the United States. Figure 7-10, Wildland Urban Interface reflects the findings of the Forest Service's 2020 WUI assessment relative to the City of Etna. As shown on Figure 7-10, the Forest Service identifies almost all land within the City as Interface, the area south of Main Street principally as Intermix, and a small area north and south of Johnson Creek as non-vegetated or agricultural.
Wildfire Hazard Severity Zones
California law requires the State Fire Marshal to designate areas, or make recommendations for local agency designation of areas, that are at risk from significant fire hazards based on fuels, terrain, weather, and other relevant factors. The State Fire Marshal does so through the publication and regular update of Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) maps, which local agencies must adopt in compliance with state law.
7.5.3.2 According to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the FHSZ maps are developed using a sciencebased and field-tested model that assigns a hazard score based on the factors that influence fire likelihood and fire behavior, such as fire history, existing and potential fuel (natural vegetation), predicted flame length, blowing embers, terrain, and typical fire weather for the area. There are three levels of fire hazard assigned: moderate, high, and very high. Figure 7-11, Fire Hazard Severity Zones shows the designated fire hazard severity zone ratings within and surrounding the City. The Office of the State Fire Marsha! makes these maps publicly available on CAL FIRE'S FRAP website. A link to the FRAP website and the most up-to-date FHSZ maps is included in Section 7.8, Resources. As shown on Figure 7-11, the entire City of Etna is designated as being in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
It is important to note that the FHSZ maps evaluate “hazard,” not “risk". In doing so, they are like FEMA flood maps where the probability level of a particular area being inundated by floodwaters is shown, not the potential impacts of the flooding. The degree of "hazard” is based on the physical conditions that create a likelihood and expected fire behavior over a 30 to 50-year period without consideration of mitigation measures, such as home hardening, recent wildfires, or fuel reduction efforts. “Risk” is the potential damage a fire can have on an area under existing conditions, accounting for any modifications, such as fuei reduction, defensible space, and use of ignition resistant construction materials and methods.
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7.5.3.3 Wildfire Risk
To help communities better understand and reduce their wildfire risk, the US Forest Service developed Wildfire Risk to Communities, a publicly accessible online source of interactive maps, charts, and other information developed using the best available science. Wildfire Risk to Communities allows users to determine how likely wildfire is in their area relative to other communities in California and the nation, areas of their community where homes are most at risk of fire, which actions are most effective to reduce wildfire risk in the community, and where vulnerable populations exist in the community and how they can be reached.
According to the Wildfire Risk to Communities website, both the risk to homes and likelihood of wildfire in Etna are higher than 92 percent of communities in California and 99 percent of communities in the United States. In general, the areas of Etna with the highest risk and likelihood of wildfire are located west of Howell Avenue and south of Main Street with several high risk/high likelihood pockets throughout the City as well, including adjacent to and north of Johnson Creek and south of SR 3. No area of the City is identified as having a concentration of vulnerable residents. Roughly half of the homes in Etna (52%) are identified as being subject to direct wildfire exposure, or potential ignition by adjacent vegetation, flying embers, and nearby structures, and the other half of homes (48%) subject to indirect exposure, or possible ignition by embers or home-to-home ignition. In both instances, the Forest Service indicates that land use planning and use of wildfire-resistant building materials/landscaping should be employed to reduce fire risk. In areas of possible direct exposure, the Forest Service identifies hazardous fuel management and the ability to respond as also being critically important.
7.5.3.4 Existing and Future Development
When evaluating wildfire hazards relative to existing and future development in Etna, it is important to recognize that the entire City is designated as VHFHSZ and nearly all of the City is identified as WUI. Consequently, both existing and future development in the City will continue to be vulnerable to wildfire hazards, as well as ongoing efforts to mitigate wildfire risk and severity.
City enforcement of the State's Minimum Fire Safe Regulations in the Local Responsibility Area and County and CAL FIRE enforcement of same in State Responsibility Areas outside the City are part of that wildfire risk and severity reduction effort.
The existing and planned locations of residential, mixed-use, commercial, industrial, public agency, and open space development in the City are consistent with the land use classifications shown on the City’s General Plan Land Use Map (see Land Use Element Figure 2-14). The distribution of existing development in the City is also shown on the County of Siskiyou’s “Siskiyou County Map Viewer,” an online GIS resource of parcel ownership and other geographically referenced data. A link to the Siskiyou County Map Viewer is included in Section 7.8, Resources.
Residential and mixed-use lands in the City comprise roughly 75 percent of the City’s total land area, while nonresidential lands, such as commercial, manufacturing, public uses, and open space, comprise approximately 25 percent. As discussed in the Land Use Element, population growth in the City is not expected to increase or decrease significantly over the next 20 years. As such, outside of the current need for additional fire fighters and a new Fire Hall and the expansion and consolidation of emergency services in the Scott Valley, as discussed herein, emergency service needs in the City are not projected to change significantly over the planning period.
Because of their importance to the resilience of the community, and to assist in planning for the expansion, hardening, and relocation of these essential public facilities, the location of public facilities relative to FEMA Flood Hazard Zones is shown on Land Use Element Figure 2-13, City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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Public Facilities and Flood Hazards. The information included on that map is reproduced herein, along with information relative to VHFHSZ and WUI in and around Etna, as Figure 7-12, Public Facilities and Natural Hazards.
Fire Prevention and Resident Safety
Fire prevention, fire severity reduction, and resident safety are significant concerns for the City and region. Outside city limits, the Forest Service has been actively implementing strategies in the KNF to mitigate fire risks and create more resilient landscapes, such as prescribed fire and thinning. Recently, CAL FIRE initiated the Scott Valley WUI Fuel Reduction project through the State’s California Vegetation Treatment Program to create forested shaded fuel breaks within WUI adjacent to and near Etna and Fort Jones.
Presently key strategies being employed by the City to reduce fire risk and improve public safety in Etna include:
● Maintaining well-trained and staffed police and fire departments and working cooperatively with other public agencies with responsibility for public safety. ● Ensuring adequate infrastructure for new development, including safe access for emergency response vehicles, visible street signs, and water supplies for structural fire suppression.
● Locating, when feasible, new essential public facilities outside of high fire risk areas and/or identifying construction methods or other methods to minimize damage to these facilities. ● Working with the Siskiyou County Building Department and property owners to ensure building materials and landscaping reduce the potential for ignition. ● Creating and maintaining defensible space around structures to minimize fuels and fire spread.
● Identifying areas where there is significant fire risk and a history of losses. ● Avoiding or minimizing the wildfire hazards associated with new uses of land. ● Public education.
7.5.3.S
7.5.4 Flood and Dam Inundation Hazards
7.5.4.1 Flood Hazards
Flooding can cause significant harm to buildings, people, and infrastructure. Floodwaters can be deep and fast enough to prevent passage, erode roadways, and carry away people and large objects. Flooding can be caused by heavy rainfall, moderate rainfall over long periods, or even inadequate or clogged storm drains. In rarer instances, a break in a water main or breach of a dam can also cause flooding.
Flood events do occur in Etna, and people, properties, and infrastructure located within the Etna Creek and Johson Creek floodplains are particularly vulnerable to this hazard. Additionally, two other smaller drainage areas exist which could flood. These are located southerly of Woodland Street and along a drainage swale which lies mostly north of Butcher Street and crosses over Center Street. The greatest flood potential exists within the southeastern part of Etna near Etna Creek. This large area can flood to depths of 1 -3 feet over much of the identified floodplain. While most of this area is pastureland, there are numerous dwellings and a few businesses in this City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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location. Large floods occurred along Etna Creek in 1955, 1964, and 1974. The largest occurred in December 1964, with an estimated recurrence interval of 50 years.
The principal flood problem along Etna Creek is that the main channel capacity has become blocked by natural dams, shifting most of the flow out onto the floodplain. The dams are caused by debris lodging in the channel, followed by the buildup of cobbles and gravel. Etna Creek’s main channel must be cleared of debris, gravel, rocks, and vegetation after each major flood event.
The overbank flow is mainly on the left-bank floodplain between the creek and the low bank where the majority of the City is located. The overflows vary due to the location of vegetation and obstructions. During past flood events, efforts have been made to divert the creek back into the main channel by building levees of river rock and gravel. These efforts have so far been unsuccessful.
Localized flooding can also occur in or around the City’s limited stormwater drainage facilities or in low-lying, non-draining areas during intense rainstorms. The primary causes of localized flooding in Etna are excessive rainfall, particularly following a snow event, somewhat poorly drained soils throughout much of the City east of Howell Avenue south to Pleasure Park Road and Callahan Street, and the lack of a true storm drain network. Curb and gutter have yet to be constructed along several city streets and the storm drain system that exists consists of a discontinuous network of natural and man-made drainage features. To address the lack of storm drain improvements. City Code requires that property owners install curb and gutter at the time of construction and that post construction storm water run-off not exceed pre construction levels. While this approach has adequately served the City in the past, increased storm intensities resulting from climate change may eventually require that the City plan for and develop a true storm drain system to accommodate increased stormwater runoff.
7.S.4.2 FEMA Flood Hazard Zones
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Etna and the surrounding area to identify flood prone areas. By showing how likely it is for an area to flood, FEMA’s flood maps help mortgage lenders determine insurance requirements and help communities develop strategies for reducing their risk. Any location shown on a flood map with a one percent or higher chance of experiencing a flood each year is considered to have a high risk. Flood hazard areas affecting the planning area are shown in Figure 7-13, FEMA Flood Hazards at the end of the Safety Element.® The 100-year flood zones shown on Figure 7- 13 represent the areas with one percent chance of flooding in any given year, and the 500-year flood zone is expected to have a 0.2 percent chance of flooding in any given year. The regulatory floodway shown along Johnson Creek on Figure 7-13 is an area within the 100-year floodplain that must remain unobstructed to to carry the base flood discharge. To protect against flooding and ensure water can flow safely during a flood event, it is a zone where construction and development are heavily restricted.
Because areas within the 100-year flood hazard area have at least a one-in-four chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage, lenders require property owners to carry flood insurance as a condition of their loan. The rates for insurance are dependent on the floodwater depth on the affected parcel. When property owners can document that their property or structure is located ® FEMA conducted a detailed study of the Scott Valley which found substantial revisions are needed to the effectiveflood maps for Etna and the surroundingarea. Once the revised maps become effective, the size and extent of Etna Creek’s 100-year floodplain through Etna will be significantly reduced. When that occurs, maps in the Safety Element and Land Use Element will need to be updated accordingly.
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outside of the 100-year floodplain, they can request a Letter of Map Amendment from FEMA to revise the effective flood map to remove their property or structure from a special flood hazard area.
To minimize flood damage in the City, new construction and other improvements must comply with the City’s Flood Damage Prevention ordinance. The Flood Damage Prevention ordinance minimizes flood damage by:
● Restricting or prohibiting uses which are dangerous to health, safety, and property due to water or erosion hazards, or which result in damaging increases in erosion or flood heights or velocities.
● Requiring that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction. ● Controlling the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers, which help accommodate or channel floodwaters. ● Controlling fill, grading, dredging, and other development which may increase flood damage.
● Preventing or regulating the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert floodwaters or which may increase flood hazards in other area.
7.S.4.3 Dam Failure Inundation Hazards
Although dam failures are rare, when they do occur, they can result in significant damage and death since they may fail unexpectedly with little or no warning. To address this hazard. California Government Code Section 8589.5 mandates that owners of state-regulated dams develop and maintain Emergency Action Plans (EAPs). These plans are crucial for minimizing potential loss of life and property damage during dam failures or other emergencies. The EAPs must be based on inundation maps approved by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and include specific details on notification procedures, response actions, and roles and responsibilities. In accordance with state law, the EAPs and inundation maps must be updated no less frequently than every 10 years, and sooner under conditions that include, but are not limited to: a significant modification to the dam or a critical appurtenant structure as determined by DWR, or a significant change to downstream development that involves people and property.
For a dam to be regulated by the State, the dam’s height must be more than six feet, and it must impound 50 acre-feet or more of water, or if the dam is 25 feet or higher, it must impound more than 15 acre-feet of water. Dams meeting these criteria are considered to be low, significant, high, and extremely high hazard dams. The only dam in the vicinity of Etna is the City’s diversion along Etna Creek that supplies the City with its water. The dam, however, does not meet the height or volume criteria established by the State, is not regulated by DWR, and poses little hazard to the City. The dam was last substantially rehabilitated by the City in 2008.
7.5.5 Hazardous Materials
A material is considered hazardous if it appears on a list of hazardous materials prepared by a federal, state, or local agency, or if it has characteristics defined as hazardous by such an agency.
A hazardous material is defined in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 22, Section 662601.10, as follows:
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A substance or combination of substances which, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics, may either (1) cause, or significantly contribute to, an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible, illness; or (2) pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or environment when improperly treated, stored, transported or disposed of or otherwise managed.
Most hazardous material regulation and enforcement in Siskiyou County is managed by the Siskiyou County Community Development Department - Environmental Health Division, which refers large cases of hazardous materials contamination or violations to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DISC). When issues of hazardous materials arise, it is not at all uncommon for other agencies to become involved, such as the Siskiyou County Air Pollution Control District and both the federal and state Occupational Safety and Health Administrations.
7.5.5.1 Hazardous Materials Sites
Under Government Code Section 65962.5, both DTSC and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) are required to maintain lists of sites known to have hazardous substances present in the environment. Both agencies maintain up-to-date lists on their websites. According to the DTSC Envirostor and SWRCB GeoTracker databases, which were reviewed in May 2025, there are five SWRCB cases in the City of Etna associated with hazardous material spill sites, and no DTSC cases. All five of the SWRCB cases involve petroleum spilled from leaking underground storage tanks. Two of the leaks were remediated and their cases closed, one leak did not require remediation and its case was closed, and two leaks are in the process of being remediated and their cases are still open. The location of each case and its status in 2025 is shown on Figure 7-14, Hazardous Materials Cleanup Sites at the end of the Safety Element.
Hazardous Materials Transport
Concerning the transport of materials on SR 3, the California Vehicle Code assigns the California Highway Patrol the responsibility for serving as statewide information, assistance, and notification coordinator on all hazardous material spill incidents occurring on state highways. Because the City is located off major transportation routes, heavy truck traffic through Etna on SR 3 is intermittent and the risk of a hazardous material spill is considered low. Nevertheless, to direct heavy truck traffic and possible hazardous materials transport away from residential areas and other sensitive land uses, the City has established a system of designated truck routes and penalties for noncompliance that are enforced by the Etna Police Department. There have been no reported hazardous materials in Etna spills resulting from improper transport or a vehicle accident.
7.S.5.2
7.5.6 Climate Change
Over the past two hundred years, the Earth's climate has slowly been changing in response to increasing levels of heat trapping gases in the atmosphere. This long-term shift in temperature and weather is now well documented, as is the need to prepare for and adapt to the anticipated effects of climate change. Most people experience climate change as warmer temperatures and extreme weather events. This is true for residents of Etna and elsewhere in Siskiyou County as well, however, climate change has also been intensifying the impacts of other the climate-related hazards in the region, including drought, wildfire, storm severity, and flooding. Potential impacts to water supply, water quality, public health, infrastructure, wildlife, and nearby critical habitats also exist.
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Because the level of impact from climate change-related events varies and is largely beyond the control of the City of Etna, a vulnerability assessment was prepared as part of the Siskiyou County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan for each climate change-related impact. The assessment was completed using data available from California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment, FEMA’s National Risk Index, and the California Energy Commission’s Cal-Adapt data center. The vulnerability assessment estimates the impact of climate change and the City's capacity to adapt to and moderate the impacts climate change, known as “adaptive capacity.” The impacts of climate change and adaptive capacity are combined to determine climate change vulnerability and prioritize mitigation actions consistent with the California Adaptation Planning Guide. The results of the assessment are summarized below.
7.5.6.1 Extreme Heat
Heat-related illnesses are a concern when it comes to extreme heat forecasts. That’s because without the ability to stay cool and adequately hydrated during periods of prolonged heat exposure, health impacts that begin with fatigue and cramping can quickly escalate to heat stroke and death. Exposure to extreme heat can affect everyone, however, health risks are greater for vulnerable members of society, including pregnant women, persons with a pre-existing chronic disease, the elderly and very young, and persons who are economically disadvantaged. Further, because of increased exposure to the environment, persons who work outdoors are also at elevated risk.
Cities with highly modified urban landscapes may also be disproportionately affected during periods of extreme heat. That’s because in addition to typically having fewer shade trees and less evapotranspiration than surrounding less developed areas, urban landscapes also tend to have higher concentrations of dark, thermally absorptive surfaces, such as roads, rooftops, parking lots, and buildings. After absorbing the sun’s heat throughout the day, the asphalt and concrete used in urban areas continue to radiate heat long after sundown, such that nighttime temperatures are generally warmer in cities. This phenomenon, known as urban heat island effect, can result in temperatures in cities that are as much as 10“F warmer than in surrounding areas.
According to the vulnerability assessment prepared for the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, the extreme heat risk index for Etna is in the 47.9 percentile relative to elsewhere in the nation, which is considered low. Nevertheless, due to current and projected summer temperatures for the City and region, which could increase by as much as 5.5°F over historic conditions by the middle of the century, both the Circulation Element and Open Space & Conservation Element recommend tree planting in the City, where appropriate, as an effective, low technology means of staying cooler during summer, reducing energy demand, and achieving other social, environmental, and economic benefits.
7.5.6.2 Drought
It is the forecast of drought that generates more concern than any other climate change impact.
This is because droughts can diminish water levels in lakes, reservoirs, streams, and groundwater basins, and have the potential to rapidly spread fire, create food shortages, hurt economies, and dramatically alter the living environment and people’s lives. Further, despite little variability in the frequency of droughts around the world for several decades, this century has already seen record droughts on every continent outside of Antarctica. However, not all droughts are the result of climate change. In many areas of the world, such as California, droughts are a natural part of the climate's inherent variability. In fact, climate scientists believe that the prolonged drought that City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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gripped California between 2011 and 2017 was not due to climate change, but a recurring natural phenomenon that entailed a high-pressure ridge parking over the Pacific similar to historic droughts, albeit for an extended period of time. A study by climate scientists with the University of California Los Angeles and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, however, found that during California’s 2020-2022 drought, “the higher temperatures caused by anthropogenic climate change made an ordinary drought into an exceptional drought.” As temperatures in the region continue to rise throughout the 21st century, they are expected to influence the frequency and severity of droughts in several ways, such as extended dry seasons, decreased snowpack, earlier snowmelt, increased evapotranspirati on, greater variability in runoff and recharge, and increased water demand. Although nobody knows for certain how much more often droughts will occur, droughtfrequency in the region could increase approximately 50 percent by the end of the century. Further, it is not the incidence of drought-like conditions alone that matters when it comes to understanding how this could affect Etna and the region. This is because some droughts aren’t as severe or long lasting as others, and it is the persistent strain of a drought or sequential droughts on communities, the environment, and agriculture that is so potentially detrimental.
Due to the City’s reliance on surface water from Etna Creek for its municipal water supply, the City has received curtailment orders from the State during past droughts, which have historically required volunteer rationing by city residents to comply with. To address this issue and better ensure public safety during future droughts, the City is presently developing two groundwater wells to serve as an emergency water supply. The improvements are scheduled for completion in 2025.
7.S.6.3 Wildfire
There are several factors that affect the size and frequency of wildfires. The progressively warmer temperatures and associated drought stress projected for the City and region are expected to contribute to an increase in wildfire size and frequency that climate models predict wiil worsen over time, with some scientists noting that the probability of fire over a 30-year period is expected to increase across the region on average by 40 percent by the end of the century. Given that 19 of California’s 20 largest wildfires on record have occurred since 2000, it is not surprising that climate scientists believe that the combined effects of increased heat and drought are already contributing to larger and more frequent wildfires in California. Nevertheless, a 2012 study of the Klamath, Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity, and Six Rivers National Forests found that despite wildfire size and frequency trending upward, the severity of wildfires has not been. This led the study’s authors to conclude that, under appropriate conditions, fire could be more extensively used in the region to achieve management objectives. While the use of prescribed fire may not be appropriate inside city limits due to the proximity of people and structures, it is being successfully used to reduce fuels on large, forested parcels adjacent to and west of Etna.
7.S.6.4 Extreme Weather & Flooding
Extreme weather events are often cited as a likely outcome of climate change. This is because for each TC (1.8°F) of warming, the atmosphere can hold approximately seven percent more water vapor, and with increased warming there is more water evaporating from the Earth’s surface for the atmosphere to hold. Because this water vapor contains energy in the form of latent heat, more water in the atmosphere means there is more energy to feed the atmospheric instability that drives large storms. The effect of a warming climate on extreme weather is not consistent around the globe. This is because wetter areas of the planet have more water available to feed storms City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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than drier areas. For this reason, the greatest observed increases in storm severity in the United States have been in the wetter areas of the country.
Extreme winter weather encompasses multiple effects caused by winter storms and conditions, including strong winds, ice storms, heavy or prolonged snow, sleet, and extreme cold. In areas and regions that only see intermittent winter storms, such as Siskiyou County, winter storms may become increasingly hazardous. According to climate models, Etna is likely to experience normal to slightly wetter winters as a result of climate change. While that alone is not expected to result in substantial increases in extreme weather, as the climate warms, more of the precipitation that does fall is expected to fall as rain. Further, climate models project less precipitation for the region during the spring and fall, essentially condensing the period of time that the region receives its annual precipitation. When these predicted shifts in the timing of runoff are combined with atmospheric rivers that already deliver most of the state’s annual precipitation during relatively few days each year, increased flooding in the City due to severe winter weather events becomes more likely. Due to shifts in precipitation from snow to rain, diminishing snowpack, and earlier snowmelt and runoff, peak natural flows have already increased on many California rivers during the past 50 years. According to the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, the severe winter weather (e.g., snow, sleet, and freezing rain) risk index for Etna is relatively moderate (71.4 percentile nationwide), while the flood risk index for the City is in the 96.6 percentile, which is relatively high.
7.6 CORRELATION WITH OTHER PLANS AND ELEMENTS
Many Safety Element policies are interrelated with topics in the Land Use, Circulation, Housing, and Open Space & Conservation Elements. For example, the Land Use Map seeks to minimize impacts as a result of future development in hazard-prone areas and to separate sensitive land uses, such as residential neighborhoods, from incompatible uses. It is important to remember, however, that policies in the Safety Element are tailored to address health and safety-related issues. The Safety Element is also closely related to the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, which plans for mitigation of hazards in more detail and is required for access to federal and state financial assistance programs. The LHMP and this element discuss specific hazards with a high likelihood of occurrence or high impact severity that could potentially affect the City of Etna, including geologic hazards, wildfire, flood, and climate change. For these reasons, the most recent LHMP is incorporated as part of the Safety Element by reference.
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7.7 SAFETY ELEMENT GOALS, POLICIES & PROGRAMS
GOAL S-1: A city prepared for necessary action, including evacuation if needed, due to disasters, and primed for recovery following a disaster.
A city that has reduced, to the extent feasible, the threat to life and property caused by fire.
GOAL S-2:
GOAL S-3: A city that has minimized, to the extent feasible, potential impacts to people, structures, and the environment resulting from flood.
A city that has minimized, to the extent feasible, potential impacts to life and property caused by geologic and seismic hazards.
GOAL S-4:
A city that has minimized, to the extent feasible, risks to life and property resulting from hazardous materials spills.
GOAL S-5:
A city that has minimized, to the extent feasible, the risks to life and property resulting from climate change.
GOAL S-6:
GOAL S-1: A city prepared for necessary action, including evacuation if needed, due to disasters, and primed for recovery following a disaster.
Policy S-1.1: The City creates and maintains a safe environment for its residents.
Policy S-1.2: The City plans for and strives to provide adequate facilities, equipment, and personnel to respond to emergencies.
Policy S-1.3: The City takes appropriate measures to prepare for natural and human-caused disasters and to protect residents should one occur.
Policy S-1.4: The City endeavors to minimize impacts to life, structures, and the environment should a disaster strike.
Policy S-1.5: The City takes appropriate measures to ensure that critical and essential city facilities remain operational during emergencies.
Policy S-1.6: The City participates in agreements for automatic and mutual aid with other local, state, federal, and nongovernmental emergency service providers to improve protection services and emergency response throughout the county.
Policy S-1.7: The City coordinates with and encourages the use of community-based networks to aid vulnerable populations prepare for emergencies and provide assistance with evacuation and recovery.
Policy S-1.8: The City engages with the community to increase awareness of and preparedness for emergencies and natural disasters.
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Policy S-1.9: The City commits to the goals, objectives, and actions in the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and subsequent amendments thereto.
Policy S-1.10: The City continues to assess and improve evacuation capacity, safety, and viability under a range of emergency evacuation scenarios.
Policy S-1.11: The City requires new development that requires additional levels of law enforcement and fire protection services to participate in offsetting costs for the additional services.
Policy S-1.12: The City strives to maintain adequate emergency response times for all existing and planned development within city limits, and for lands proposed for annexation.
Program S-1A: Coordinate with state, county, and other local agencies to build mutual aid capacity for emergency events, especially through disaster preparedness training.
Develop and maintain mutual aid agreements with appropriate agencies.
Program S-1 B: Periodically review, and update as necessary, plans that advise city staff, first responders, and residents on actions that should be taken in the event of an emergency. Plans should be distributed to and made readily available to the public.
Program S-1C: Expand emergency training and local expertise for emergency event response and recovery, including through volunteer roles.
Program S-1 D: Locate essential public facilities outside of natural hazard areas, such as the 100-year floodplain, Wildland Urban Interface, and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, when feasible. If it is not possible to locate facilities outside of these natural hazard areas, reduce vulnerabilities to essential public facilities to the maximum extent feasible by identifying and implementing construction methods and/or other methods to protect and minimize damage to these facilities.
Program S-1 E: Establish minimum levels of service thresholds for fire protection and law enforcement services and maintain services at or above those thresholds.
Program S-1F: Provide rapid and timely response to all law enforcement, fire, and other emergencies. Work to maintain minimum average response times.
Program S-1G: Work with SCLTC and other partners on the development of the countywide evacuation and preparedness plan and educate the public on related emergency protocols developed in the plan.
Program S-1 H: Coordinate with SCLTC, Caltrans, the County Road Department, Siskiyou County Sheriffs Office, Siskiyou OES, CAL FIRE, and other local, state and federal agencies to identify strategies that ensure the maintenance and reliability of evacuation and supply transportation routes potentially compromised during an emergency.
Program S-11: Provide for adequate evacuation routes in areas of high fire hazard, flooding, and other natural disasters.
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Program S-1J: Identify and publicize emergency shelters and sign and control evacuation routes for use during emergencies, working with Caltrans as appropriate for signs along State Route 3 and the County for signs along evacuation routes outside the City.
Program S-1K: Continue to promote and support the use of eariy warning notification systems, such as text messages, telephone calls, etc., to notify residents by wireiess emergency alert of the need to evacuate in the event of an emergency and the location of evacuation routes, points, and critical facilities such as schools and day care centers, particularly residents of vulnerable areas and neighborhoods with constrained emergency access.
Program S-1L: Where practical, improve emergency access to dwellings that are isolated due to narrow dead-end roads. Development on vacant lots in such areas should be limited until basic safety standards have been satisfied.
Program S-1M: Ensure that applications for projects that will house infirmed, non ambulatory persons, seniors, and children in high hazard areas include adequate provisions to mitigate known hazards.
Program S-1N: Work with community groups, faith-based organizations, and other institutions to develop a network of conveniently located community resilience hubs (e.g., public facilities, businesses, and community-oriented facilities) that are centrally located, accessible, and equipped to provide aid to vulnerable populations during emergency events, periods of poor air quality, utility disruptions, and/or climate change-related hazards.
Program S-10: Coordinate with the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services, the County of Siskiyou, and other cities in Siskiyou County to implement and regularly update the LHMP and stay in compliance with relevant FEMA and state requirements.
Program S-1P: Forward all applications for building permits, tentative parcel maps, tentative maps, and use permits for development in the VHFHSZ to the Etna Police Department, Etna Fire Department, and CAL FIRE for review.
Program S-1Q: Ensure developed properties are easily identifiable by emergency responders from the street.
Program S-1 R: Work with utility companies to determine the feasibility of undergrounding utility lines during construction of new developments and in the most at-risk areas, and to identify funding mechanisms to support undergrounding activities.
Program S-1S: Prioritize the needs of at-risk, vulnerable, and disadvantaged populations during emergency response and disaster recovery efforts, including increasing awareness of defensible space requirements and promoting understanding of evacuation routes.
Program S-1T: Establish standards for the development of public and private roadways to require more than one point of ingress/egress in residential areas.
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A city that has reduced, to the maximum extent feasible, the threat to life and property caused by fire.
GOAL S-2:
Policy S-2.1: The City endeavors to prevent fires, reduce fire severity, and safeguard residents, in part by:
Maintaining well-trained and staffed police and fire departments and working cooperatively with other public agencies with responsibility for public safety.
Ensuring adequate infrastructure for new development, including safe access for emergency response vehicles, visible street signs, and water supplies for structural fire suppression.
Locating, when feasible, new essential public facilities outside of high fire risk areas and identifying construction methods or other methods to minimize damage to these facilities.
Working with the County Building Department and property owners to ensure building construction materials and methods and landscaping reduce the potential for Ignition.
Creating and maintaining defensible space around structures to minimize fuels and fire spread.
Identifying areas where there is significant fire risk and a history of losses.
Avoiding or minimizing the wildfire hazards associated with new uses of land.
Public education.
Policy S-2.2: The City desires to sustain and grow the ability of the City of Etna Fire Department to respond to fires in and around the City.
Policy S-2.3: The City considers fire-related hazards in the review of discretionary project proposals and ensures that new development in VHFHSZ is carefully sited and configured.
Policy S-2.4: The City promotes the creation of an Etna Fire Safe Council and continues to coordinate with and support the efforts of Fire Safe Councils throughout the region.
Policy S-2.5: The City supports programs to prevent and prepare for urban fires and wildfires.
Program S-2A: Take appropriate measures to support a well-trained, equipped, and staffed volunteer fire department.
Program S-2B: In cooperation with the Siskiyou County Building Department and Cal Fire, ensure new dwellings, structures that will be occupied, and rebuilding of occupied dwellings and structures damaged by fire in VHFHSZ comply with all applicable state and local building standards, including defensible space and fire-resistant building material and design requirements.
Program S-2C: Identify existing public and private roadways in VHFHSZ and WUI that are not in compliance with current fire safety regulations, including road standards for evacuation and emergency vehicle access, vegetation clearance, and other requirements of the California Fire Safe Regulations to the extent resources are available. Work at retrofitting city-owned roadways as needed to meet current standards and require private City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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property owners to do the same, to the extent feasible and given the absence of other site constraints.
Program S-2D: Require proposed development and to the extent feasible, nonconforming development, to provide adequate access for fire and emergency vehicles and equipment, adequate infrastructure, proper vegetation clearance and maintenance on public and private roads that meets or exceeds the standards in the California Fire Safe Regulations.
Program S-2E: Reduce the risk of wildfires in the wildland urban interface in and around Etna through cooperative and timely implementation of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
Program S-2F: Require proactive vegetation management/hazard abatement to reduce fire hazards on existing public and private properties, along evacuation routes, and other land where applicable.
Program S-2G: Work with private property owners, Siskiyou County, and Caltrans to conduct roadside vegetation clearance along public and private roadways in VHFHSZ in and around the City. Ensure that fuel reductions provide an appropriate fuel buffer for evacuees should the roadways become congested during an emergency incident.
Program S-2H: Continue to monitor fire flow capabilities throughout the City and make improvements at any locations with flow considered inadequate for fire protection.
Program S-21: Ensure adequate fire flow is maintained within city limits through ongoing maintenance, capital improvement public infrastructure upgrades, and improvements required in association with development projects and in compliance with applicable California Fire Safe Regulations.
Program S-2J: Maintain adequate fire flow during scheduled and unscheduled power outages and interruptions through incorporation of power source resiliency and redundancy within the City’s water supply, treatment, and distribution infrastructure.
Program S-2K: Analyze known fire hazard information during the review of discretionary development applications and approve those applications only after ensuring there are adequate water storage capacity and fire flow for fire protection.
Program S-2L: Approve discretionary development proposals only when adequate fire suppression services and facilities are available or will be made available concurrent with development, considering the setting, type, intensity, and form of the proposed development.
Program S-2M: Identify streets and neighborhoods that are at increased risk of wildfire and restrict on-street parking, where needed, when fire risks are elevated to ensure full access for fire trucks and emergency vehicles and to increase roadway accessibility during evacuation events. Conduct community outreach to neighborhoods affected by the program and provide detailed information on how and when the parking restrictions will be implemented.
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Program S-2N: Continue to inform residents about fire hazards, appropriate responses to fire, evacuation routes, plans to reach at-risk populations, and ways to prevent loss, including defensible space, home hardening, and landscaping improvements that can reduce the impact of fire.
Program S-20: Identify residential areas that do not have at least two routes for emergency egress, lack adequate emergency water supply, or need vegetative fuel modification to reduce risk. Work with affected residents and the Etna Fire Department to identify potential area-specific solutions to ensure risk reduction.
Program S-2P: Work with the Siskiyou County Department of Public Health and Siskiyou County Air Pollution Control District to ensure residents are educated on wildfire smoke hazards and how to protect themselves and their homes from smoke impacts.
Program S-2Q: Ensure that new development projects include adequate measures to minimize fire hazards while remaining in compliance with housing laws regarding objective design standards and discretionary review.
Program S-2R: Strive to improve the City’s current Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating for public safety and associated benefits.
Program S-2S: Following revisions to the fire hazard severity zones maps by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, maintain compliance with Government Code Sections 51179 and 65302(g)(3) by updating fire hazard severity zone designations and the Safety Element, as needed.
Program S-2T: Amend Title 15, Buildings and Construction, of the Etna Municipal Code to establish standards for development in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone that meet or exceed Title 14, CCR, Division 1.5, Chapter 7, Subchapter 2, Articles 1-5 (commencing with Section 1270) (State Minimum Fire Safe Regulations) and Title 14, CCR, Division 1.5, Chapter 7, Subchapter 3, Article 3 (commencing with Section 1299.01) (Fire Hazard Reduction Around Buildings and Structures Regulations).
Program S-2U: Require that discretionary development projects in VHFHSZ prepare and submit a fire protection plan that includes the following, at a minimum:
● A wildfire hazard assessment that considers location, topography, aspect, climate, and fire history.
● Conformance with applicable wildfire protection regulations, statutes, and ordinances.
● Fire safety requirements, including defensible space, infrastructure, and building ignition resistance, fire department access, egress, road and address signage, and water supply.
● Mitigation and design considerations for non-conforming fuel modification. ● Wildfire education, maintenance, and limitations.
● Fire response capabilities.
● Evacuation planning.
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Program S-2V: Continue to work with CAL FIRE, local Fire Safe Councils, the Scott River Watershed Council, timber companies, and other private landowners to regularly maintain and improve the Etna Shaded Fuel Break.
GOAL S-3: A city that has minimized, to the extent feasible, potential impacts to people, structures, and the environment resulting from flood.
Policy S-3.1: The City controls development within special flood hazard areas identified by FEMA to reduce potential damage from floods.
Policy S-3.2: The City supports efforts to protect public health and safety from flooding through sustainable and environmentally responsible floodplain management.
Policy S-3.3: The City strives to minimize localized flooding through ongoing improvements to the City’s storm drain network.
Program S-3A: Continue to coordinate with local, regional, state, and federal agencies to maintain an adequate flood management information base, prepare risk assessments, and identify strategies to mitigate flooding impacts.
Program S-3B: Support and participate in the preparation of a countywide flood control plan to minimize impacts from existing and future flooding in the region.
Program S-3C: Work with the Siskiyou County Flood Control District, resource conservation districts, watershed councils, and landowners to design or approve flood control measures that avoid, to the extent feasible, the alteration of creeks, wetlands, and riparian buffer areas.
Program S-3D: In designing flood control facilities, ensure the protection of special-status species and downstream ecosystems.
Program S-3E: Continue to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Program S-3F: Continue to enforce the City’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance in FEMA-identified special flood hazard areas.
Program S-3G: Require new lots or subdivisions partially in, and any new development partially or entirely in 100-year flood zones to provide detailed floodplain mapping for 100- year storm events as part of the development approval process.
Program S-3H: Continue to improve and to apply for funding to improve the City’s storm drain network.
Program S-31: Ensure proposed developments will not create or result in unacceptable exposure to flood hazards.
Program S-3J: Encourage residents within the floodplain to take all practical steps to floodproof their dwellings, including the use of low interest loans and grants when available for this purpose.
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A city that has minimized, to the extent feasible, potential impacts to life and property caused by geologic and seismic hazards.
GOAL S-4:
Policy S-4.1: The City strives to ensure a high level of safety and minimize the loss of life injury, and property damage from earthquake, landslide, volcanic activity, erosion, and other geologic hazards.
Policy S-4.2: The City requires that new development be designed to minimize the risk of damage from seismically induced ground shaking, ground failure, slope instability, and other seismic hazards.
Program S-4A: Identify and prioritize seismic retrofits needed on existing public buildings.
Program S-4B: Encourage upgrading of privately-owned, unreinforced masonry buildings to prevent earthquake damage.
Program S-4C: In coordination with the County Building Department continue to enforce regulations and programs to reduce geologic and seismic hazard vulnerability.
Program S-4D: Areas known to be susceptible to landslides should be evaluated, protected, and stabilized as necessary, including through cooperation with regional stakeholders to ensure evacuation routes, such as State Route 3, remain open and safe for passage.
Program S-4E: Limit development in areas subject to landslides or other geologic threat and undertake efforts to limit erosion from new development.
Program S-4F: Coordinate with county, state and federal agencies monitoring volcanic activity and hazards.
A city that has minimized, to the extent feasible, risks to life and property resulting from hazardous materials spills.
GOAL S-5:
Policy S-5.1: The City takes necessary steps to prevent and prepare for hazardous materials spills, as well as protect its residents should one occur.
Policy S-5.2: To diminish the likelihood of hazardous materials spills along State Route 3, the City advocates for its concerns regarding highway safety.
Program S-5A: Maintain an open dialogue with Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol to ensure those agencies are aware of and responsive to the City’s concerns about vehicle safety and hazardous materials transport along State Route 3.
Program S-5B: Continue to enforce designated truck routes for the transportation of hazardous materials through the City and prohibit routes that pass through residential neighborhoods to the maximum extent feasible.
Program S-5C: Identify necessary steps to be taken to protect residents in the case of a hazardous materials spill and be prepared to quickly implement these measures in the event of an accident.
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Program S-5D: Maintain an up-to-date list of emergency contacts that are to be notified in the event of a hazardous materials spill, make the list readily available to city staff and first responders to facilitate a rapid response, and work with the California Highway Patrol to ensure rapid notification of residents in the event of a spill on State Route 3.
Program S-5E: Continue to promote the training of, and the provision of appropriate protection equipment for, local “first responders" who would respond to hazardous material spills in the Etna area.
A city that has minimized the risks to life and property resulting from climate change.
GOAL S-6:
Policy S-6.1: The City integrates regional collaboration as a key component of the City’s climate adaptation planning strategy, recognizing the regional nature of climate impacts and climate adaptation strategies.
Policy S-6.2: The City incorporates climate change considerations into city processes and planning efforts, utilizing best available data to understand climate predictions and the potential impacts on community resources and facilities.
Program S-6A: Actively participate in regional discussions on infrastructure improvements and adaptation strategies related to climate resiliency and addressing potential community impacts.
Program S-6B: Continue to collaborate with Siskiyou County, other local communities, and community organizations to establish and maintain shelters in the City and Scott Valley to reduce public exposure to extreme heat, cold, and smoke.
Program S-6C: Assess existing public infrastructure systems vulnerable to changes in key climate variables and incorporate upgrades to critical infrastructure in the City’s Capital Improvement Program planning process.
Program S-6D: When updating the Capital Improvement Program, engineering specifications and standards, and planning documents, incorporate climate projection data, risk modeling, and adaptive management, as appropriate, to account for future changes in key climate variables (e.g., changes in precipitation and flooding behavior, fire and smoke risk, maximum daily temperatures, etc.).
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7.8 REFERENCES
California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. 2023. State Minimum Fire Safe Regulations (unofficial
minimum-fire-safe-reaulations-aDril-1-2023-ada.docx
copy). https://calfire-umb05.azurewebsites.net/media/na2hevQt/stateCalifornia Department of Conservation (DOC), California Geological Survey. 2024. “California Earthquake Hazards Zone Application." www.conservation.ca.qov/cq s/Qeohazards/eq- . 2025a. “Fault Activity Map of California.” https://maDS.conse rvation.ca.aov/cqs/fam/ 2016. Map Sheet 48: Earthquake Shaking Potential for California. https://qis.data.ca.aov/items/6c4b37155b6a40e1 b40f8211f8d8dde7 ●. 2000. Map Sheet 49: Epicenters of and Areas Damaged by M > 5 California Earthquakes 1800-1999.
MS 049.pdf
vmw.conservation.ca.qov/cqs/Documents/Publications/Map-Sheets/ 2011. Map Sheet 58: Deep-Seated Landslide Susceptibility. https://qis.data.ca.qov/maps/cadoc::cqs-map-sheet-58-deep-seated -{andslidesusceptibilitv/ . 2025b. “Reported California Landslides.” www.conservation.ca.q ov/cgs/landslides California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), Fire and Resource Assessment Program. 2025a. “Fire Hazard Severity Zones.” https://osfm.fire.ca.qov/whatwe-do/communitv-wildfire-preparedness-and-mitiaation/fire-hazard -severitv-zones . 2025b. “Historical Wildland Fire Perimeters.” www.fire.ca.Qov/what-we-do/fire-resourceassessment-proqram/fire-perimeters . 2025c. Unit Strategic Plan: Siskiyou Unit. https://34c031 f8-c9fd-4018-8c5a4159cdff6b0d-cdn-endpoint.azureedqe.net/-/media/osfm-website/what-wedo/communitv-wildfire-preparedness-and-mitiqation/2025-siskivou-unit-fireplan.pdf?rev=a9ab4b4a753748bc9b343722239be893&hash^DBFAADAE6B658 FDE0D 49DC34FB0D613D
●. 2024. 2024 Wildfire Activity Statistics. https://34c031 f8-c9fd-4018-8c5a-4159cdff6b0dcdn-endpoint.azureedqe.net/-/media/calfire-website/our-impact/fi restatistics/2024 redbook final.Ddf?rev=d0681f53a38b40dc968658ab88 52a920&hash=B5 8220QD6531921DC40B3AB1976D1180
California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DISC). 2025. “Envirostor Database. www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.qov/public/
California Department of Water Resources (DWR), Division of Safety of Dams. 2025. “Dam Breach Inundation Map Web Publisher.” https://fmds.water.ca.aov/webqis/?appid= dam prototype v2
California Energy Commission. 2025. "Cal-Adapt.” httPs://cal-ada pt.ora City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. 2025. “Dam Safety Pianning. www.caloes.ca.qov/office-of-the-director/operations/pianninq-pre parednessprevention/planninq-preparedness/dam-safetv-planninq/ California Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Initiative. 2023. General Plan Guidelines and Technical Advisories, https://lci.ca.qov/planninq/qeneral-pl an/ouidelines.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Undated. Climate Change and Extreme Heat Events. www.cdc.qov/dimate-health/media/pdfs/ClimateChanqeandExtremeHeat Events.pdf Christianson, Robert L. 1982. Volcanic Hazard Potential in the California Cascades: Status of Volcanic Prediction and Emergency Response Capabilities in Volcanic Hazard Zones of California. California Division of Mines and Geology, Special Publication 63, pp. 41-59.
City of Etna. 2025. Draft Zoning Code Update, https://storaqe.qo oqleapis.com/iuniper-medialibrarv/60/2025/05/Citv of Etna Draft Zoning Code Update.pdf . 2009. Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance. https://www.codepubli shinq.com/CA/Etna/ - !/Etna14/Etna14.html
. 2004. General Plan Safety Element.
. 1976. Subdivision Ordinance. www.codepublishino.com/CA/Etna/ - !/Etna16/ Etna16.html County of Siskiyou. 2019. Community Wildfire Protection Plan for Siskiyou County. https://firesafesiskivou.eom/wp-content/uploads/2019/Q5/CWPP SiskivouCountvApprovedFINAL 05.21.2019.pdf . 2023. Community Wildfire Protection Plan for Siskiyou County Addendum. https://firesafesiskivou.eom/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/final-fo r-website-CWPPCombined-for-Siqnature.pdf Mitigation Plan.
www.siskivoucountv.qov/emerqencvservices/paqe/local-hazard-mitiq ation-plan 2025a. Siskiyou County Local Hazard
2025b. “Siskiyou County Map Viewer.” https://experience.arcqis .com/experience/ c9a297953b9745198a47ac596aacece6
Crandell, Dwight R. and Nichols, Donald. R., 1989. Volcanic Hazards at Mount Shasta. https://pubs.usqs.qov/qip/70039409/reDort.pdf
Donnelly-Nolan, J., Nathenson, Manuel. Champion, D., Ramsey, D., Lowenstern, J., and Ewert, J. 2007. Volcano Hazards Assessment for Medicine Lake Volcano, Northern California:
U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5174-A, 26 p., 1 plate. https://pubs.usqs.qov/sir/20Q7/5174/a/sir2007-5174a text.pdf Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 2025. “National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) Viewer.” https://msc.fema.qov/poiial City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
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Micheli, L., C. Dodge, and L. Flint. Dec. 2016. Draft Climate and Natural Resources Analysis and Planning for the North Coast Resource Partnership; A Technical Memorandum Summarizing Data Products.
Miller, C. Dan. 1980. Potential Hazards from Future Eruptions in the Vicinity of Mount Shasta Volcano, Northern California. U.S. Geological Survey, Bulletin 1503, 43 p. httDs://pubs.usqs.qov/bul/1503/pdf/b1503 report.pdf
National Interagency Fire Center. 2023. 'WIGS Interagency Fire Perimeters." https://datanifc.opendata.arcqis.com/datasets/nifc::wfiqs-interaaencv-fire-p eri meters/explore North Coast Resource Partnership. 2018. North Coast Regional Climate Adaptation Report. https://northcoastresourcepartnership.orq/site/assets/uploads/20 18/06/NCRP Report A daptionPlan v2.pdf
Siskiyou County Fire Chiefs Association. 2023. 2022 Siskiyou County Fire Departments Annual Report. https://bosaqenda.co.siskivou.ca.us/450362/450371/452671/452672/452674/ 2452674.pdf
Siskiyou Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo). 2021. City of Etna Municipal Services Sphere
http://www.co.siskivou.ca.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/lafco/paqe/27346/laf2021 04 msr montaque.pdf
Review and of Influence Update.
. 2024. Fire Protection Municipal Service Review and Sphere of Influence Update. www.siskivoucountv.qov/sites/default/files/fileattachments/lafco/paqe/27346/laf2021 04 msr etna.pdf
State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). 2025. “GeoTracker Database. http://qeotracker.waterboards.ca.qov/
United States Army Corps of Engineers. 2025. National Inventory of Dams. https://nid.sec.usace.armv.miI/#/
2020.
https://usfs.maps.arcqis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?lavers=454bddfa18784660a47 2685ac7965881
USDA Forest Service. 2020. Wildland Urban Interface:
. 2021. Wildfire Risk to Communities, https://wildfirerisk.org United States Geological Survey (USGS). 2019. California’s Exposure to Volcanic Hazards Report 2018-5159 Version 1.1. Scientific Investigations https://pubs.usqs.qov/sir/2018/5159/sir20185159ver1.1 .pdf ●. 2025a. “Areas of Land Subsidence in California.” https://ca.water.usqs.gov/land subsidence/california-subsidence-areas.html
. 2025b. “Earthquakes.” www.usqs.qov/proqrams/earthquake-hazards/ earthquakes . 2023a. “Hazards Summary for Medicine Lake." www.usqs.qov/volcanoes/medicinelake/science/hazards-summarv-medicine-lake City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
7-37
. 2023b. “Hazards Summary for Mount Shasta.” www.usqs.qov/volcan oes/mountshasta/science/hazards-summarv-mount-shasta . 2025c. “Interactive U.S. Fault Map.” www.usqs.qov/tools/intera ctive-us-fauit-map . 2017. “Medicine Lake, CA Simplified Hazards Map." www.usqs.qov/media/imaqes/ medicine-lake-ca-simplified-hazards-map
. 2014. “Mount Shasta, CA Simplified Hazards Map." vww.usqs.qov/media/imaoes/mountshasta-ca-simplified-hazards-map Western Regional Climate Center. 2025. Fort Jones Ranger Station, California (049866) - Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary (1936-2016). https://wrcc.dri. edu/cqibin/cliMAIN.pl?ca3182 City of Etna General Plan 7.0 Safety
7-38
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Figure 7-1, Evacuation Zones
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Figure 7-2, Evacuation Routes
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Figure 7-3, Single-Access Roadways
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Figure 7-6, Fault Activity Map
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Figure 7-10, Wildland Urban Interface
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Figure 7-11, Wildfire Hazard Severity Zones
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Police Department
Water Treatment Plant
Wastewater Treatment Plant
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Community Pool
Little League Field
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Etna High School
Medical Clinic
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Figure 7-12, Public Facilities and Natural Hazards
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Figure 7-14, Hazardous Materials Cleanup Sites
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RESOLUTION 2025-010
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ETNA
AMENDING THE GENERAL PLAN INTRODUCTION, LAND USE ELEMENT, AND SAFETY
ELEMENT, AND ADOPTING THE LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN BY REFERENCE WHEREAS, the City of Etna was awarded a SB 2 Planning Grant (19-PGP-13888) and a Local Action Planning Grant (20-LEAP-14926) from the California Department of Housing and Community Development to prepare and update various planning documents to facilitate housing opportunities: and
WHEREAS, included in the grant awards was funding to update the City of Etna General Plan to ensure that it meets current state requirements, continues to represent the community’s vision for itself, and provides the guidance necessary to accomplish this vision; and WHEREAS, the City of Etna utilized its SB 2 and LEAP grants to prepare and adopt updates to the General Plan Housing Element, Noise Element, Circulation Element, and Open Space & Conservation Element, in addition to other projects; and WHEREAS, the City of Etna further utilized its SB 2 grant to prepare updates to the General Plan Introduction, Land Use Element, and Safety Element; and WHEREAS, updates to the General Plan make inclusion of the City’s Public Facilities Element (2004) no longer necessary; and
WHEREAS, draft updates to the General Plan Introduction and Land Use Element were presented for discussion at a public workshop on May 27, 2025; and WHEREAS, the draft update to the Safety Element was presented for discussion at a public workshop on August 25, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the draft Safety Element was prepared in coordination with the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update; and WHEREAS, Section 322 of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) requires state and local governments to develop and submit for approval to the President a mitigation plan that outlines processes for identifying their respective natural hazards, risks, and vulnerabilities: and WHEREAS, the City of Etna acknowledges the requirements of Section 322 of DMA 2000 to have an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan as prerequisite to receiving post-disaster Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds; and
WHEREAS, the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update was developed by the County of Siskiyou in cooperation with multiple local agencies, including the City of Etna, and the citizens of Siskiyou County; and
WHEREAS, a public involvement process consistent with the requirements of DMA 2000 was conducted to develop the Siskiyou County. California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update:
and
WHEREAS, the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update recommends mitigation activities that will reduce losses to life and property affected by natural hazards; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has reviewed and determined that the Siskiyou County. California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update is eligible for approval pending adoption by the County of Siskiyou and participating jurisdictions; and WHEREAS, the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update is mostappropriately adopted into the Safety Element of the City of Etna General Plan consistent with AB 2140 and California Government Code Sec. 65302.6; and
WHEREAS, the draft Safety Element incorporates the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update by reference; and
WHEREAS, a notice of public hearing of the City Council for the updates to the General Plan Introduction, Land Use Element, and Safety Element was provided in accordance with California Government Code Sec. 65090 et seq; and
WHEREAS, on November 3. 2025, planning staff presented oral and written staff reports on the project at a regular meeting of the City Council; and WHEREAS, on November 3, 2025, the Mayor of the City Council opened the duly noticed public hearing to receive testimony both oral and written, following which the Mayor closed the public hearing and the City Council discussed the updates prior to taking action on the project; and
WHEREAS, to allow for additional community input, the City Council tabled further consideration of the project until a regular meeting of the City Council on November 21. 2025; and
WHEREAS, following further consideration of the project on November 21, 2025, the City Council found that the project would not have a significant adverse effect on the environment, and that the project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Etna adopts the amendments to the General Plan Introduction. Land Use Element, and Safety Element contained in “Exhibit A,” “Exhibit B,” and “Exhibit C” attached hereto and made a part hereof.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Etna repeals the previously adopted Public Facilities Element (2004).
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council adopts the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update by reference as the official hazard mitigation plan of the City.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the respective officials and agencies identified in the implementation strategy of the Siskiyou County, California Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update are hereby directed to implement the recommended activities assigned to them.
IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that the foregoing Resolution 2025-010 was duly adopted on a at a regular
meeting of the City of Etna City Council held on the 24‘^ day of November 2025, by the following vote:
motion by and seconded by
AYES;
NOES;
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
CITY OF ETNA CITY COUNCIL
Cliff Munson, Mayor
WITNESS, my hand and seal this 24'^^ day of November 2025 Pamela Eastlick, City Clerk
City of Etna
Agenda Request
11/24/2025 Date of Meeting:
Spokesperson[s):
Is this for Discussion S or are you requesting an Action S . Clint Whitchurch
Subject/Request: Chief position
Please provide a description of the request and attach supporting documentation:
Swearing in of Jacob Deegan as the new Etna Fire Chief and Chief Clint Whitchurch resigning as the current fire chief. Clint Whitchurch will remain as a firefighter on the department.
Will there be a financial impact to the City? □ Yes □ No IfYes, $.
Please describe:
NOTE: Agenda requests must be received no less than four working days before the date of meeting. Return this form and supporting documentation to address below. 442 Main Street ♦ P.O. Box 460 ♦ Etna, CA 96027
P: 530-467-5256 ♦ F: 530-467-3217
City of Etna
Agenda Request
11242025 Date of Meeting:
Spokesperson[s);
Is this for Discussion S or are you requesting an Action □ . Teresa Arrwood
Subject/Request: ambulance replacement
Please provide a description of the request and attach supporting documentation:
Continued discussion from 11/3/25 on seeking a new ambulance Will there be a financial impact to the City? □ Yes □ No IfYes, $.
Please describe:
NOTE: Agenda requests must be received no less than four working days before the date of meeting. Return this form and supporting documentation to address below. 442 Main Street ♦ P.O. Box 460 ♦ Etna, CA 96027
P: 530-467-5256 ♦ F: 530-467-3217
City of Etna
Agenda Request
11.24.25 Date of Meeting:
Spokesperson[s]:
Is this for Discussion S or are you requesting an Action S . Fire Chief & Ambulance Director
Subject/Request* Surplus of E1412 and Ambulance M56
Please provide a description of the request and attach supporting documentation:
The engine is out of compliance with current standards. Request to surplus the engine and sell it. Then use the funds toward a newer, in compliance engine. M56, 2006 Ford is in need of repairs that exceed it's worth to it's value
Approve designating both vehicles as surplus and sell them.
Will there be a financial impact to the City? □ Yes □ No IfYes, $.
Please describe:
NOTE: Agenda requests must be received no less than four working davs before the date of meeting. Return this form and supporting documentation to address belov/. 442 Main Street ♦ P.O. Box 460 ♦ Etna, CA 96027
P: 530-467-5256 ♦ F: 530-467-3217
Primary Unit Case# inc It Type bate Day of Week Time Location Piace City 10/02/2025 ETNA ETNAS 2510020013 DP Thursday 11:51:04 133 MAiN ST 2510030040 ASST 10/03/2025 17:30:21 2333S KiDDER CREEK RD ETNA ETNAS Friday 2510060008 ATL 10/06/2025 ETNA ETNA1 Monday 07:17:42 525 CHURCH ST 2510060017 RO 10/06/2025 223 HARRiSON ST ETNA ETNA10 25-0115 Monday 09:52:57 SEXO 10/06/2025 ETNA CITY POOL ETNA ETNA10 25-0116 2510060039 Monday 12:51:33 401 HOWELL AVE 2510060051 TS 10/06/2025 ETNA ETNAS Monday 15:46:00 N HWY 3/HOLZHAUSER LN 2510110004 10/11/2025 ETNA ETNA1 DP Saturday 02:39:53 161 E CALLAHAN RD 2510120015 ALARM 10/12/20258 COMMERCIAL ST SCOTT VALLEY RURAL HEALTH ETNA ETNA1 Sunday 10:55:58 2510120043 DV 10/12/2025 833 BRYAN ST ETNA ETNA1 Sunday 19:56:08 2510130015 ANIMAL 10/13/2025 ETNA ETNA1 Monday 10:28:50 COLLEGE ST 2510130035 ANIMAL 10/13/2025 131 CALLAHAN ST ETNA BREWERY ETNA ETNA1 Monday 17:29:39 2510140006 Wl 10/14/2025 ETNA ETNA1 Tuesday 07:42:20 829 HIGHLAND ST 2510150035 Wl 10/15/2025 134 CHURCH ST ETNA ETNA1 Wednesday 20:09:19 2510160031 FU 10/16/2025 ETNA HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT OFC ETNA ETNAS Thursday 12:57:15 501 HOWELL AVE 2510160034 FU 10/16/2025 501 HOWELL AVE ETNA HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT OFC ETNA ETNAS 25-0119 Thursday 13:33:05 2510160045 CIST 10/16/2025 16:57:07 243 FREDRICK ST ETNA ETNA10 25-0120 Thursday 2510200022 CITASST 10/20/2025 448 MAIN ST ETNA POLICE DEPARTMENT ETNA ETNA1 Monday 10:32:51 2510200023 MMIS 10/20/2025 11:13:17 226 COLLEGE ST ETNA ETNA10 25-0123 Monday 10/20/2025 ETNA ETNA1 2510200043 FU Monday 15:56:29 243 FREDRICK ST 10/21/2025 ETNA ETNAS 2510210028 ANIMAL Tuesday 14:19:33 720 BRYAN ST ALARM 10/21/2025 124 COLLIER WAY RAYS FOOD PLACE ETNA ETNA1 2510210055 Tuesday 22:33:42 10/25/2025 ETNA ETNA1 2510250025 ANIMAL Saturday 17:24:38 955 CALLAHAN WAY 2510260007 SUSP 10/26/2025 445 MAIN ST FARMHOUSE BAKERY ETNA ETNA1 Sunday 06:22:39 SCOTT VALLEY RURAL HEALTH ETNA ETNA1
ETNA
2510270045 ALARM 10/27/2025 Monday 19:26:06
8 COMMERCIAL ST
TRSP 10/28/2025 625 HOWELL AVE ETNA CITY PARK ETNAS 2510280034 Tuesday 12:24:38 ETNA ETNA1
ETNA
2510280077 PTRL 10/28/2025 Tuesday 22:31:53 632 BRYAN ST ETNA5 25-0125 2510290029 FU 10/29/2025 Wednesday 15:21:50 625 HOWELL AVE ETNA CITY PARK 10/30/2025 RAYS FOOD PLACE ETNA ETNAS 2510300011 FU Thursday 11:45:06 124 COLLIER WAY 10/30/2025 226 COLLEGE ST ETNA ETNAS 2510300024 ANIMAL Thursday 13:41:32 2510300042 Wl 10/30/2025 525 CHURCH ST ETNA ETNA1 Thursday 17:02:39 10/31/2025 INSIDE OF ETNA CITY LIMITS ETNA ETNA1 2510310008 CODE Friday 09:37:20 32 ISLAND RD 2510310014 ATC 10/31/2025 511 MAIN ST DENNEY BAR ETNA ETNAS Friday 12:11:02 11/03/2025 ETNA ETNA1 2511030027 CITASST Monday 15:13:40 243 FREDRICK ST 11/06/2025 INSIDE OF ETNA CITY LIMITS ETNA ETNAS 2511060049 ASST Thursday 16:56:30 32 ISLAND RD INFO 11/09/2025 536
S HWY3 CREEKSIDE MOBILE ESTATES ETNA ETNAS 2511090017 Sunday 11:55:10 11/10/2025 ETNA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ETNA ETNA1 2511100037 JV Monday 17:16:04 220 COLLIER WAY 2511140012 Wl 11/14/2025 12:03:31 226 COLLEGE ST ETNA ETNAS Friday 11/14/2025 SHELL STATION ETNA ETNAS 2511140019 ANIMAL Friday 14:47:42 10 INDUSTRIAL PKWY TS 11/18/2025 10 INDUSTRIAL PKWY ETNA ETNAS 2511180024 Tuesday 11:46:02 11/18/2025 ETNA ETNAS 2511180038 TS Tuesday 14:49:30 HWY 3/HAMMOND HILL INFO 11/19/2025 220 COLLIER WAY ETNA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ETNA ETNAS 25-0127 2511190036 Wednesday 16:28:08 11/20/2025 ETNA ETNAS 2511200021 TS Thursday 15:56:24 N HWY 3/HOLZHAUSER LN 42 Incidents
Etna Fire Department Monthly Council Meeting Update 11/24/2025 October 2025 Data October 2024 Data
24 total 15
Structure Fires
Other Fires
MVC
Medical
Lift Assist
Other Assist
Missed-ln town
Missed Mutual Aid
total
Structure Fires
Other Fires
MVC
Medical
Lift Assist
Other AssistHazard
Missed-ln town
Missed Mutual Aid
3 0
1 1
2 0
12 11
5 2
1 1
1 3
0 1
Etna calls
Out of town Calls
Etna calls
Out of town Calls
18 10
6 5
Key: MVC- Motor Vehicle Collision
Other Assist/Hazards: Consists of smoke detector check, smoke check, carbon monoxide detector, flooding in a residence, etc.
BUILDING
Ongoing cleaning, repairs and updates.
EQUIPMENT
1410: First out engine in town. Stocked and ready to respond 1411: Stocked and ready to respond
1412: Stocked and readyto respond.
1413: MVC’s, wildland, medicals. Stocked and readyto respond. 1414: Stocked and readyto respond.
1430: Watertender. Drained and parked at the city yard.
GRANTS
-SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) V\/ebsite shut down due to government shut down.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING 11/24/2025 AMBULANCE DIRECTORS MONTHLY UPDATE October Numbers
Total: 40 Etna 11 ALS 17
FJ 5 BLS 6
Billable; 24 SV 22
Mil 2
CXL 6
AMA billable:
AMA non billable :
BLSD
MSAS rendezvous
Missed
1 3
Days w/o calls: 0
8 1
6 CCP 1
October Total: 37 Billable: 24 Days without calls: 8
2024
Key:
ALS: Advanced Life Support (paramedic level)
BLS: Basic Life Support (EMT level)
BLSD; Deceased on scene, no transport
AMA; Against Medical Advice (No transport)
CXL; Cancelled
MSAS: Mount Shasta Ambulance Service (we req them for a paramedic if needed) Mil; Salmon River Fire/Rescue (they req us for transport) Etna; City limits of Etna
FJ: Fort Jones Town Limits
SV: Scott Valley outside of city/town limits
Ambulances/ORV:
In Service/ALS
In Service/ALS
In service,
M54; 4x4
M55; 2x4
Expedition:
M56: 2x4 with drop chains Out of service.
MISC
*Continuing to research new, leased, used and donation ambulances. *Continue assisting the fire and police departments as needed/requested.