CPMS
Agenda Item C.1
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEM
Meeting Date: May 20, 2025
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
SUBMITTED BY: Peter Imhof, Planning and Environmental Review Director JoAnne Plummer, Neighborhood Services Director
PREPARED BY: Anne Wells, Advance Planning Manager
Stephanie Spieler, Building Official
Jason Levy, Emergency Services Coordinator
SUBJECT: Ordinance to Add Chapter 15.22 to Title 15 of the Goleta Municipal Code to Adopt the Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map and Regulations and Determination that the Ordinance is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
RECOMMENDATION:
Introduce and conduct first reading (by title only) and waive further reading of Ordinance No. 25-_ entitled, “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Goleta, California, Adding Chapter 15.22 Goleta Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map to Title 15 of the Goleta Municipal Code, Designating Fire Hazard Severity Zones Within the City of Gol eta in Accordance with Government Code Section 51179 and Determination that the Ordinance is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act." BACKGROUND:
Senate Bill 63 (Stern, 2021) introduced new legislative requirements mandating the adoption of three Fire Hazard Severity Zone classifications —Moderate, High, and Very High—within Local Responsibility Areas (LRAs). Prior to this legislation, only Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones were required for adoption in LRAs. In response to this change, th e Office of the State Fire Marshal (C al Fire) developed updated Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps that utilize the same modeling data as the State Responsibility Area maps. These maps now incorporate all three-fire hazard classification schema (Moderate, High, and Very High) within LRA areas. The updated maps expand LRA fire hazard severity zones in two significant ways: (1) incorporating designations for additional area as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, and (2) adding two new categories—Moderate and High Fire Hazard Severity Zones —that were not previously included in LRA designations.
1 Meeting Date: May 20, 2025
The Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps reflect hazard rather than risk. Hazards are based on physical factors , such as fuel, topography, and climate, along with expected fire behavior over a 30 -50-year period. The maps do not consider mitigation measures like defensible space, community fuel reduction efforts, or home hardening. Insurance companies use risk models , which differ from hazard models, because insurance risk models consider the susceptibility of a structure to damage from fire and other short-term factors that are not included in hazard modeling. Insurance risk models incorporate many additional factors that change more frequently than those that Cal Fire includes in its hazard mapping, which is built to remain steady for the next 10+ years.
The Goleta Municipal Code (Chapter 15 .01) adopts the California Building Code, including Chapter 7A. The California Building Code (CBC) Chapter 7A establishes construction standards to mitigate the risk of embers from wind -driven wildfires igniting buildings. CBC Chapter 7A Section 701A.3.1.(2) specifies that land designated as a Very High Fire Hazard Sev erity Zone by cities and other local agencies must adhere to the standards outlined in Chapter 7A of the building code, which enforces stricter requirements for the design and construction of new structures in these zones.
In addition to compliance with CBC 7A, areas designated as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones are subject to the requirements outlined in California Government Code 51182. This regulation mandates a 100 -foot defensible space clearance around structures. However, this requirement applies only within the property owner’s perimeter.
Pursuant to Section 13146 of the Health and Safety Code, the Fire Chief of Santa Barbara County enforces within its jurisdiction, including the City of Goleta, the building standards and other regulations of t he State Fire Marshal. These new building standards (Chapter 7A) in the California Building Code automatically apply to any City parcels that have been designated in the maps put forth by the State Fire Marshal. The City does not currently have to amend its local building code but must adopt an ordinance adopting the fire maps.
DISCUSSION:
California Government Code 51179 stipulates that (1) local jurisdictions are prohibited from reducing the fire hazard severity zone classification assigned by the State Fire Marshal for any area within their jurisdiction, and (2) within 120 days of receiving the State Fire Marshal's recommendations regarding fire hazard severity zones, local jurisdictions must adopt these recommendations through an ordinance.
The State maps released on March 10, 2025, identify areas within the Goleta LRA that fall into three fire hazard severity categories: Very High, High and Moderate. Cal Fire’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map (March 2025 version ) identifies Goleta’s Local Responsibility Area has all three fire hazard categories present.
To comply with California Government Code 51179, the adoption of the proposed ordinance incorporates the Office of the State Fire Marshal's Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map. This results in the following effects:
2 Meeting Date: May 20, 2025
1. New structures within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone as identified in Cal Fire’s LRA Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map of March 2025 must adhere to CBC Chapter 7A; and
2. All existing and new structures in the Very Hi gh Fire Hazard Severity Zone are required to create a 100-foot defensible space perimeter from a structure.
To align with California Government Code 51179, staff have prepared an ordinance to add Cha pter 15.22 Goleta Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map to Title 15 of the Goleta Municipal Code. This addition adopts by reference the CalFire Office of the State Fire Marshal LRA Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map of March 2025.
This item aligns with the City of Goleta’s Safety Element 7: Urban and Wildland Fire Hazards. The objective of this policy is to reduce the threat to life, structures, and the environment posed by urban and wildland fires. Adoption of this ordinance reinforces the City's commitment to mitigating fire hazards within the local responsibility area. Given Goleta’s proximity of natural landscapes and residential areas, fire hazards present a challenge to both human life and infrastructure. This policy aims to proactively minimize fire hazards through strategic planning, regulations, and community engagement.
GOLETA STRATEGIC PLAN:
City-Wide Initiative: 7. Maintain a Safe and Healthy Community Strategic Goal: 7.2 Participate in regional public safety collaboration.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT:
Based on the whole record before it, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(2) of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines, the Ordinance will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and theref ore is not subject to the CEQA. Additionally, the Ordinance does not authorize construction, and in fact imposes greater restrictions on certain development in order to protect the public health, safety and general welfare, and therefore pursuant to CEQA G uidelines Section 15060(c)(3) the activity is not a “project” as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
A draft of the proposed Notice of Exemption is provided as Attachment 3. Staff will seek the Council’s direction to file this at the second reading of the proposed ordinance.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with the adoption of this ordinance. The proposed action implements state-mandated requirements and adopts Cal Fire’s March 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone map for the City’s Local Responsibility area.
3 Meeting Date: May 20, 2025
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council is required by Government Code section 51179 to adopt the proposed ordinance designating the fire severity zones identified by the State Fire Mashal. The City Council could choose to expand the fire hazard s everity zones to include additional geographic area(s) within the Local Responsibility Area. More specifically, Council could consider designating areas not identified as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones by the State Fire Marshal, as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones following a finding supported by substantial evidence in the record that the requirements of Government Code Section 51182 are necessary for effective fire protection within the area. Council could also consider similarly expanding Moderate and/or High Hazard Severity Zones, respectively.
LEGAL REVIEW BY: Isaac Rosen, City Attorney
APPROVED BY: Robert Nisbet, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Ordinance No. 25-_ entitled, “ An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Goleta, California, Adding Chapter 15.22 Goleta Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map to Title 15 of the Goleta Municipal Code, Designating Fire Hazard Severity Zones Within the City of Goleta in Accordance with Government Code Section 51179 and Determination that the Ordinance is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act”
2. Map of Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones, City of Goleta (dated March 10, 2025)
3. Notice of Exemption
4. Staff Presentation
4 Attachment 1
Ordinance No. 25-_ entitled, “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Goleta, California, Adding Chapter 15.22 Goleta Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map to Title 15 of the Goleta Municipal Code, Designating Fire Hazard Severity Zones Within the City of Goleta in Accordance with Government Code Section 51179 and Determination that the Ordinance is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act”
5 Ordinance No.25-XX Building Code Amendments for Fire Hazard Severity Zones ORDINANCE NO. 25-__
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GOLETA, CALIFORNIA, ADDING CHAPTER 15.22 GOLETA FIRE HAZARD
SEVERITY ZONE MAP TO TITLE 15 OF THE GOLETA MUNICIPAL
CODE, DESIGNATING FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES WITHIN THE
CITY OF GOLETA IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTION 51179 AND DETERMINATION THAT THE ORDINANCE IS
EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
WHEREAS, the Legislature has declared in Government Code section 51175, subdivision (a), that: fires are extremely costly, not only to property owners and residents, but also to local agencies; fires pose a serious threat to preservation of public peace, health and safety; it is necessary for cities, counties, special districts, state agencies and federal agencies to work together to bring raging fires under control; and preventative measures are needed to ensure preservation of the public peace, health and safety; and WHEREAS, the Legislature has declared in Government Code section 51175, subdivision (b), that prevention of fires is not a municipal affair, but instead is a matter of statewide concern; and
WHEREAS, Government Code section 51175 et seq. authorizes the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (“CAL FIRE”) to recommend Fire Hazard Severity Zones in the City of Goleta (“City”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code section 51179, on March 10, 2025, the State Fire Marshal has published maps depicting areas designated as Moderate, High, and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, has recommended that local agencies adopt these zones through local ordinance and Government Code section 51179, subdivision (a) requires the City to designate by ordinance Moderate, High, and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in its jurisdiction within 120 days after receiving recommendations from CAL FIRE; and
WHEREAS, on April 9, 2025, the City of Goleta made the information, including the CAL FIRE map specific to the City of Goleta, available for public review and comment on the City’s website in compliance with Government Code section 51178.5.
WHEREAS, on May 20, 2025, the City Council held a duly noticed public meeting and introduced the Ordinance;
WHEREAS, all legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Ordinance have occurred.
6 Ordinance No.25-XX Building Code Amendments for Fire Hazard Severity Zones
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GOLETA DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Recitals. The recitals above are true and correct and are incorporated herein by reference and adopted as findings by the City Council.
SECTION 2. CEQA. Based on the whole record before it, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(2) of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines, the City Council finds that this Ordinance will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and therefore is not subject to the CEQA. Additionally, the Ordinance does not authorize construction, and in fact imposes greater restrictions on certain development in order to protect the public health, safety and general welfare, and therefore pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) the activity is not a “project” as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
SECTION 3. Designation of Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The City hereby designates the Fire Hazard Severity Zones as recom mended by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Government Code section 51178. The map, entitled “City of Goleta Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map,” dated March 10, 2025, is hereby adopted, approved, and provided in Exhibit “A,” attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 4. Amendment. Chapter 15.22, entitled “ Local Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map,” of Title 1 5 of the Goleta Municipal Code, entitled “Buildings and Construction,” is added to read:
Chapter 15.22. GOLETA FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONE MAP
Sec. 15.22.010. Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map
The City of Goleta hereby designates the Fire Hazard Severity Zones as recommended by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Government Code Section 51178 as identified in the map entitled “City of Goleta Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map,” adopted in Section 3 of City of Goleta Ord. No. 2025-___.
This map is available to the public on the City’s website, and available to the public and on file with the City Clerk’s Office.
7 Ordinance No.25-XX Building Code Amendments for Fire Hazard Severity Zones SECTION 5. Submittal to State and Posting. The City Clerk shall submit a copy of this Ordinance to the Department of Housing and Community Development and the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection within 30 days after adoption and take any necessary actions to post all notices required under Government Code section 51179.
SECTION 6. Savings Clause. Neither the adoption of this Ordinance nor the repeal of any other ordinance of this City shall in any manner affect the prosecution for violations of ordinances, which violations were committed prior to the effective date hereof, nor be construed as a waiver of any penalty or the penal prov isions applicable to any vi olation thereof.
SECTION 7. Severability . If any section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Ordinance is, for any reason, held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have adopted this Ordinance and each section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, subdivisions, sentences, clauses, phrases, or portions thereof be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 8. Effective Date . This Ordinance shall take effect and be in full force and operation thirty (30) days after its final passage and adoption.
SECTION 9. City Clerk’s Certification. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and cause the same to be posted at the duly designated posting places within the City and published once within fifteen (15) days after passage and adoption as required by law; or, in the alternative, the City Clerk may cause to be published a summary of this Ordinance and post a certified copy of the text of this Ordinance in the Office of the City Clerk five (5) days prior to the date of adoption of this Ordinance, and, within fifteen (15) days after adoption, the City Clerk shall cause to be published the aforementioned summary and shall post a certified copy of this Ordinance, together with the vote for and against the same, in the Office of the City Clerk. 8 Ordinance No.25-XX Building Code Amendments for Fire Hazard Severity Zones
INTRODUCED ON the ___ day of ________, 2025.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this ________day of ______ 2025.
_________________________
PAULA PEROTTE
MAYOR
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
__________________________ _________________________
DEBORAH S. LOPEZ ISAAC ROSEN
CITY CLERK ACTING CITY ATTORNEY
9 Ordinance No.25-XX Building Code Amendments for Fire Hazard Severity Zones
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA ) ss.
CITY OF GOLETA )
I, DEBORAH S. LOPEZ, City Clerk of the City of Goleta, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance No. 25-__ was introduced on _______, and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Goleta, California, held on the _______, by the following roll-call vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
(SEAL)
_________________________
DEBORAH S. LOPEZ
CITY CLERK
10 Attachment 2
Map of Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones, City of Goleta (dated March 10, 2025)
11 City and County boundaries as of 10/22/24 (CA Board of Equalization) CAL FIRE State Responsibility Areas (SRA25_1)
CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZSRA23_3, FHSZLRA_25_1) Data Sources:
Daniel Berlant, State Fire Marshal, CA Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Joe Tyler, Director/Fire Chief, CA Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Wade Crowfoot, Secretary for Natural Resources, CA Natural Resources Agency Gavin Newsom, Governor, State of CaliforniaThe State of California and the Department of Forestry and Fire Pr
otection make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy of data or maps. Neither the State nor the Department shall be liable under any circumstances for any direct, special, incidental, or consequential damages with respect to any claim by any user or third party on account of, or arising from, the use of data or maps. and other relevant factors including areas where winds
ha
ve been identified by the Office of the State Fire Marshal as a major cause of wildfire spread.
statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is e
xpected to prevail in those areas. Moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones shall be based on fuel loading, slope, fire weather, Government Code section 51178 requires the State Fire
Mar
shal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high,
and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent Waterbody
Federal Responsibility
Area (FRA)Unzoned LRA
Incorporated City
Projection: NAD 83 California Teale Albers
Scale: 1:45,000 at 1
1" x 17"
0 1 2 3Km
0 1 2Mi
Very High High Moderate
Very High High Moderate
Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) in Local Responsibility Area (LRA), as Identified b
y the State Fire Marshal
Goleta
101
2171
UNINCORPORATED
SANTA BARBARA CO.
SANTA BARBARA
S A N T A B A R B A R A C O .
March 10, 2025
As Identified by the
S
tate Fire Marshal
Local Responsibility Area
Fire Hazard Se
verity Zones
CITY OF GOLETA – SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Fire Hazard Severity Zones in State Responsibility
Area (SRA), Ef
fective April 1, 2024
12 Attachment 3
Notice of Exemption
13 NOTICE OF EXEMPTION (NOE)
1 To: Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation From: City of Goleta Via https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/ 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B Goleta, CA 93117
Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
County of Santa Barbara
105 E. Anapamu Street, Room 407
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Subject: Filing of Notice of Exemption
Project Title: Ordinance to Designate the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map in the City of Goleta
Project Applicant: City of Goleta
Project Location (Address and APN): Citywide
Description of Nature, Purpose and Beneficiaries of Project: To comply with California Government Code 51179, the adoption of the staff-recommended ordinance incorporates the Office of the State Fire Marshal's Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map. This results in the following effects: (1) New structures within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone as identified in Cal Fire’s LRA Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map of March 2025 must adhere to CBC Chapter 7A; and (2) All existing and new structures in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone are required to create a 100-foot defensible space perimeter from a structure.
Name of Public Agency Approving the Project: City of Goleta
Name of Person or Agency Carrying Out the Project: City of Goleta
Exempt Status: (check one)
Ministerial (§15268)
Declared Emergency (§15269 (a))
Emergency Project (§15269 (b) (c))
Categorical Exemption: (Insert Type(s) and Section Number(s)) Statutory Exemption: Public Resources Code, §21083.3; CEQA Guidelines, §15183) Other: CEQA Guidelines, §15060(c)(3); §15378(a); §15378(b)(5); §15061(b)(3)
Reason(s) why the project is exempt:
Based on the whole record before it, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(2) of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines, the Ordinance will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and therefore is not subject to the CEQA. Additionally, the Ordina nce does not authorize construction, and in fact imposes greater restrictions on certain development in order to protect the public health, safety and general welfare, and therefore pursuant to CEQA G uidelines Section 15060(c)(3) the activity is not a “pro ject” as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
14 NOTICE OF EXEMPTION (NOE)
2 City of Goleta Contact Person:
Peter Imhof Director, Planning & Environmental Review Date 15 Attachment 4
Staff Presentation
16 GOLETA
Fire Hazard Severity Zones –
Local Responsibility Areas
17 What are the Fire Hazard Severity Zones?
• The maps are required by
Government Code 51178 & 5117
9 • Identify levels of fire hazard
• • 3 levels (Moderate, High, & Very High)
Fire Hazard Severity Zone RemapFire Hazard Severity Zones - Goleta
18 How are the Zones determined?
• CAL FIRE used the best available science and data to
develop, and field test a model that serv
ed as the basis of
zone assignments. The model evaluated the probability of the area burning and potential fire behavior in the area. • Factors: fire history, vegetation, flame length, blowing embers, proximity to wildland, terrain, and weather.
Fire Hazard Severity Zone RemapFire Hazard Severity Zones - Goleta
19 New Updates
• Updated burn probabilities for wildland areas
(inclusive of 2020 fires)
• Updated fire environment footprints (urban/developed) • Updated Vegetation density for urban areas
• Inclusion of slope in the urban zoning model
• Localized fire weather used in both wildland and urban models
• New firebrand production and transport model using
discrete local wind vector distributions
Fire Hazard Severity Zones -
GoletaNew Updates
20 Wildland vs. Non-wildland Zones
• Zones are areas with relatively
homogeneou
s slope and vegetation
• Hazard map is produced at 30-meter
resolution
• Scores are averaged within a zone
• Wildland is scored independently of urban
and agricultural
• Urban zones scored using additional
model steps
Fire Hazard Severity Zone RemapFire Hazard Severity Zones - Goleta
21 Wildland FHSZ
• Minimum size of 200 acres
•
Burn probability
– Based on fire occurrence from 1991-
2020
• Fire intensity
– Vegetation type
– Slope
– Local fire weather – how hot/dry/windy
are the worst conditions at a given
location (based on 2 km data from
2003-2018)
Fire Hazard Severity Zone RemapFire Hazard Severity Zones - Goleta
22 Urban FHSZ
• Minimum size of 20 acres for isolated islands of vegetation embedded in non-wildland.
• Based on distance to wildland and hazard level of adjacent wildland
• Ember production based on vegetation type and fire weather • Ember transport based on wind speed/direction observed under the most extreme fire weather at a given location • Width of moderate, high and very high bands in urban are based on ember load, urban tree cover and slope
Fire Hazard Severity Zone RemapFire Hazard Severity Zones - Goleta
23 What is the map for?
• Building standards for new construction in the
Wildland-Urban Interface (California Building Code
Chapter 7A)
• Property development standards such as road
widths, water supply and signage (Fire Safe
Regulations)
• Defensible Space Requirements (Government
Code 51182)
• Natural hazard real estate disclosure
Fire Hazard Severity Zone RemapFire Hazard Severity Zones - Goleta
24 New UpdatesFire Hazard Severity Zones -
Goleta
What’s Impacted…
25 Adoption Timeline:
Fire Hazard Severity Zone Remap
Fire Hazard Severity Zones -
Goleta
• Distribute to the public within 30 days of receipt of maps • Adopt and designate by ordinance within 120 days of receipt of maps • Transmit a copy to the Board of Forestry within 30 days of ordinance 26 Questions?
Comments To:
[email protected]
osfm.fire.ca.gov/fhsz
27