Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: JUNE 16, 2026
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: adam loeser, fire chief
PREPARED BY: andrew yang, administrative analyst ii
SUBJECT: 2026 CITY OF FULLERTON LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN ADOPTION
SUMMARY
The Fire Department requests City Council adopt a resolution approving the 2026 City of Fullerton Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP). The California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reviewed the plan and determined it eligible for final approval, pending City Council adoption.
PROPOSED MOTION
Adopt Resolution No. 2026-XXX.
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-XXX – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING THE 2026 CITY OF FULLERTON LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Approve the Proposed Motion
Do not approve the Proposed Motion
Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
None.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Fiscal and Organizational Stability
Public Safety.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Adoption has no fiscal impact. A Hazard Mitigation Grant Program award, accepted by City Council on March 18, 2025, funded Plan preparation. A current, adopted LHMP keeps the City eligible for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants, such as Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities and Flood Mitigation Assistance, which can fund future projects that reduce future disaster losses.
DISCUSSION
The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan profiles hazards that threaten Fullerton, ranks each by likelihood and potential impact and sets a strategy to reduce long-term risk to people, property and infrastructure. The plan rates four hazards as high priority: seismic hazards, wildfire and urban fire, extreme weather and human-caused hazards such as hazardous-material spills and transportation incidents. Some of these concentrate in mapped parts of the City, such as the flood, wildfire and landslide zones, while others, including earthquakes, extreme heat and Santa Ana winds, are not confined to one area and could affect the entire City at once. The risk assessment overlaid the hazard zones on parcel data and evaluated 167 critical City facilities and 69 facilities of concern, including police and fire stations, utility systems, schools and hospitals, against each hazard.
The City hired Michael Baker International, Inc. in June 2025 to prepare the update. The firm developed the plan with a planning team of roughly 60 City staff and outside stakeholders that met seven times. Residents shaped the plan through three community events, a 14-day public review period and a survey that drew more than 280 responses, with outreach to residents with access and functional needs. Respondents ranked power outages and extreme heat as their leading concerns and also flagged future wildfire. This input helped shape the final plan hazard rankings. The plan carries forward existing City mitigation goals and adds a sixth goal to ensure planning reflects the needs of the entire community.
The mitigation strategy sets 60 actions across four types: local plans and regulations, structural and infrastructure projects, natural systems protection and education and awareness programs. Ten of these are new actions and the rest carry forward from the previous plan. The City completed five actions and initiated work on another 36 actions including capital projects, such as storm drains and flood-control channels upgrades and adding backup power at critical facilities and programs such as the updated Community Forest Master Plan which builds drought and wildfire vulnerability into City tree planting.
The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and FEMA reviewed the plan. FEMA determined the plan eligible for final approval on May 1, 2026, pending City Council adoption. Staff must forward adopted City documentation to FEMA Region 9 by May 1, 2027, otherwise the City must update and resubmit the Plan. FEMA would issue final approval after receiving the adopted City documents.
The LHMP does not supersede current City plans or strategies. It guides and coordinates City mitigation activities. Staff will post the adopted plan on the City website following FEMA approval.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Resolution No. 2026-XXX
Attachment 2 – 2026 City of Fullerton Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Attachment 3 – FEMA Approvable Pending Adoption Notice dated May 1, 2026 cc: City Manager Eddie Manfro
2026 City of Fullerton Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
June 16, 2026 - Page 2