The Safety Element is divided into nine sections addressing required or supplementary issues identified in California Government Code Section 65302(g). Each section provides an overview of the issue as well as goals and policies to respond to the associated public safety issue. These sections are the following:
1. Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
2. Seismic Hazards
3. Geologic Hazards
4. Flooding and Dam Inundation
5. Fire Hazards
6. Hazardous Materials and Waste
7. Airport Safety
8. Public Safety
9. Additional Climate Change Hazards
RREGULATORY FRAMEWORK
Under state law, all counties and incorporated communities in California must prepare a General Plan that addresses several topics, one of which is safety. The Safety Element addresses this topic in accordance with state requirements, which are primarily laid out in California Government Code Section 65302(g). State law requires that the Safety Element address the following:
Protect the community from risks associated with a variety of hazards, including seismic acti vity, landslides, flooding, and wildfire, as required by the California Government Code Section 65302(g)(1).
Map and assess the risk associated with flood hazards, develop policies to minimize the flood risk to new development and essential public facilities, and establish effective working relationships among agencies with flood protection
responsibilities, as required by California Government Code Section 65302(g)(2).
Map and assess the risk associated with wildfire hazards, develop policies to reduce the wildfire risk to new land uses and essential facilities, ensure there is adequate road and water infrastructure to respond to fire emergencies, and establish cooperative relationships between fire protection agencies, as required by California Government Code Section 65302(g)(3).
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Assess the risks associated with climate change on local assets, populations, and resources. Note existing and planned
development in at-risk areas and identify agencies responsible for providing public health and safety and environmental protection. Develop goals, policies, objectives, and feasible implementation measures to reduce the risks associated with climate change hazards, including locating new public facilities outside of at-risk areas, providing adequate infrastructure in at-risk areas, and supporting natural infrastructure for climate adaptation, as required by California Government Code Section 65302(g)(4).
Identify residential developments in any hazard area that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes, as required by California Government Code Section 65302(g)(5).
Identify new information relating to flood and fire hazards and climate adaptation and resiliency strategies applicable to the city or county that was not available during the previous revision of the safety element, during each revision of the housing element or local hazard mitigation plan, but not less than once every 8 years, as required by California Government Code Section 65302(g)(6).
RRELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANS AND PROGRAMS
Federal, state, and local regulations and policies such as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the California Government Code, the Uniform Building Code, and th e Palm Springs Municipal Code regulate and/or influence land use and development in Palm Springs.
Not only do they help to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Palm Springs residents, visitors, and businesses by ensuring that proper analyses are conducted, sound construction practices are implemented, and uses are appropri ately sited within the city, but they can also help to minimize the recovery time following a disaster .
Other General Plan Elements
The Safety Element is one of seve ral elements of the Palm Springs General Plan. Other social, economic, political, and aesthetic factors must be considered and balanced with safety needs. Rather than compete with the policies of rela ted elements, the Safety Element provides policy direction and designs safety improvements that complement the intent and policies of other General Plan elements.
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what regulations limit development in these areas, and how hazards are reduced for existing development, are all among issues that tie the elements together . For instance, Land Use Element diagrams and policies must consider the potential for various hazards identified in the Safety Element and must be co nsistent with the policies to address those hazards. The Recreation, Open Space, and
Conservation Element is also clos ely tied to the Safety Element.
Floodplains, for example, are not only hazard areas, but often serve as sensitive habitat for threatened or endangered species or provide recreation or passive open space opportunities for residents and visitors. As such, flood and inundation policies balance the need to protect public health and safety with the need to protect habitat and open space. Safety Element polic ies, especially those concerning evacuation routes and critical facilities, must also be consistent with those of the Circulation Element. Interstate 10 is the primary evacuation route in the region, which is supported by major arterial routes such as State Route 111, Palm Canyon Drive, Ramon Road, and Sunrise Way shown in the City’s Transportation and Circulation Element. Policies and information in this Safety Element should not conflict with those in other elements.
Palm Springs Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
Palm Spring’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) is a plan to identify and profile hazard conditions, analyze risk to people and facilities, and develop mitigation actions to reduce or eliminate hazard risks in in the city. The City prepared the LHMP in accordance with the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) LHMP guidance, and FEMA has certified the City's most recent LHMP . The mitigation actions in the LHMP include bo th short-term and long-term strategies, and involve planning, policy changes, programs, projects, and other activities. The LHMP and Safety Element address similar issues, but the Safety Element provides a higher-level framework and set of policies, while the LHMP focu ses on more specific mitigation actions, often short-term. The City ’s LHMP focuses on mitigation- related actions, while the Safety Element also includes policies related to emergency response and recovery activities. The current LHMP is incorporated into this Safety Element by reference, as permitted by California Government Code Section 65302.6. The current version of the LHMP can be accessed here:
https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/emerge ncy-management/local-hazard-mitigation-plan-lhmp
Hazard Mitigation
Actions to reduce or eliminate loss
of life and property damage by
minimizing the impact of disasters.
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Palm Springs Emergency Operations Plan
The Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) provides procedures for City staff that address readiness, mobilization, and contingency planning to allow for uninterrupted delivery of essential City functions during disasters. The EOP aims to saves lives, prevent property damage, protect and assist the public wi th emergencies, and facilitate recovery after a disaster . The City is prepared to maintain its core level of service during emergency situations, such as fire, earthquake, or other hazardous events through implementation of the EOP .
CCLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY
Climate change is expected to affe ct future occurrences of natural h a z a r d s i n a n d a r o u n d P a l m S p r i n g s . M a n y o f t h e s e h a z a r d s w i l l likely become more frequent and intense in coming years and decades. In some cases, these tren ds have already begun, such as droughts, extreme heat, and wildfires. According to California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment ,
1 Palm Springs can expect to
experience various changes to climate change hazards.
Both droughts and floods are expected to become more
frequent because precipitation is expected to occur in fewer , more intense storms. Although Palm Springs is likely to experience only a slight increase in overall annual
precipitation levels, the region is expected to see an increase in the number of extreme precipitation events. As a result, floods are expected more often in Palm Springs, and climate change may expand the parts of the city that are considered flood prone. Climate change is also expected to increase the
frequency and severity of droughts, straining aquatic habitats and water supplies in the city.
Warmer temperatures are projected to cause an increase in extreme heat events, which are days when the high
temperature significantly exceeds normal levels. The number of e xtr eme heat da y s is e xpect e d t o rise in P alm Springs, i n addition to an increase in the average daily high temperatures.
Extreme heat poses a significant human health risk, especially
1 Bedsworth, Louise, Dan Cayan, Guido Franco, Leah Fisher, Sonya Ziaja. (California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California Energy Commission, California Public Utilities Commission). 2018. Statewide Summary Report. California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment. Publication number: SUMCCCA4- 2018-013.
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to children, outdoor workers, seniors, persons experiencing homelessness, and undocu mented persons. Some
infrastructure and community services may be damaged by very high temperatures, constraining their ability to meet community needs.
Climate change can increase the rates of infection for various diseases because many of the animals that carry diseases are more active during warmer weather . There are several
diseases that are linked to climate change and can be harmful to the health of Palm Spring s community members, such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Lyme disease, and West Nile virus. Many of these diseases ar e carried by animals, such as mice and rats, ticks, and mosquitos, which are usually seen as pests even if they do not cause infections. Warmer
temperatures earlier in the spring and later in the winter can cause these animals to be active for longer periods, increasing the time that these diseases can be transmitted.
Severe weather events, such as high winds, sandstorms, and heavy rainfall, may become more frequent and intense. Climate change is expected to cause an increase in intense rainfall, which can cause flash flooding. In Palm Springs, most severe weather is linked to high winds. These winds can also pick up dust and other particulate matter from the desert or dry lakebed of the Salton Sea, causing sandstorms that lower visibility and cause toxic particulate matter to get into buildings and cause respiratory illnesses. The types of dangers posed by severe weather vary widely and include injuries or deaths, damage to buildings and structures, and roads blocked by debris or sand.
Wildfires can be sparked by lightning, malfunctioning equipment, vehicle crashes, and many other causes. Warmer temperatures, an increase in drought conditions, and extreme wind events are likely to create more fuel for fires in natural and rural areas, leading to a greater chance that a spark will grow into a dangerous blaze. Climate change is also expected to extend the fire season throughout much (or even all) of the year . Because wildfires burn the trees and other vegetation that help stabilize a hillside and absorb water , more area burned by fire may also lead to an increase in landslides and debris flows.
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Under California Government Code Section 65302(g)(4), the Safety Element is required to include a vulnerability assessment that looks at how people, buildings, infrastructure, and other key community assets may be affected by climate change. The City conducted a Climate Vulnerability Assessment in Spring 2022 to analyze Palm Springs’ susceptibility to climate change hazards. The City of Palm Springs’ vulnerability assessment, prepared in accordance with the most recent available guidance in the California Adaptation Planning Guide, assesses how eight different climate-related hazards (air quality, drought, extreme heat an d warm nights, flooding, human health hazards, landslides, severe weather, and wildfire) may affect 66 different population groups and community assets. Each population or asset received a score of V1 (minimal vulnerability) to V5 (severe vulnerability) for each climate change hazard. The Vulnerability Assessment indicates that Palm Springs populations and assets are most vulnerable to flooding and wildfire. The Vulnerability Assessment Report provides an overview of the methods; summary of the climate change hazards, populations, and assets included in the assessment; and the full list of results, which can be found in Appendix X. The results of the Vulnerability Assessment are integrated into the hazard and other safety sections below.
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GGOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
This section contains background information and policy direction related to hazards and safety provisions within the city. The hazard and safety items addressed in this element should be given careful consideration when new development, roads, parks, critical emergency facilities, infrastructure, or other projects are designed.
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND
RECOVERY
The Palm Springs area is subject to significant natural and human- caused hazards that pose risks to life and property. Advance preparation for potential disasters can prevent losses of life and property, improving the City’s ability to respond to and recover from emergency situations created by hazardous events. Due to the large number of public, quas i-public, and private ag encies involved in disaster preparedness planning, cooperation and coordination between agencies are essential.
Depending on the type of incident, several different agencies and disciplines may be called in to assist with emergency response, including emergency medical, heal th, fire and rescue, police, and public works. The challenge is to accomplish the work at hand in the most effective manner, maintaining open lines of communication between the different responding agencies to share and disseminate information, and to coordinate efforts. This is primarily accomplished through implementation of the Emergency Operations Plan during a disaster . Once a disaster has occurred, the capability of the City to respond to the situation at hand affects how quickly it can recover from impacts.
The City of Palm Springs participates in the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), which is required by the California Government Code and was developed to provide a “common language” for emergency response personnel to request resources and equipment from other agencies. In addition to resource allocation, SEMS was established to minimize the duplication of efforts during em ergency response by defining common tactics and identifying a clear chain of command. The Standardized Emergency Management System adopted the California Item 2A - Page 388
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Master Mutual-Aid Agreement, desi g n e d t o e n s u r e t h a t a d e q u a t e resources, facilities, and other support are provided to jurisdictions whenever their own resources are insufficient to cope with a given emergency. The City of Palm Springs participates in the California Master Mutual-Aid Agreement. The State Office of Emergency Services, Southern Region (Mutual Aid Region VI), serves the mutual- aid region that encompasses San Diego County, Imperial County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Inyo County, and Mono County. Automatic aid pacts with the Riverside County Emergency Management Department and local fire departments in nearby cities provide additional emergency management and response services in Palm Springs. Palm Springs Fire Department provides a variety of public safety services, including fire protection, medical aid, rescue, hazardous materials response, and educational safety programs such as Community Emergency Response Team training. Other services include emergency alerts, the Community Risk Reduction program, fire plan review and inspection, and wildfire preparedness.
The City of Palm Springs utilizes an Everbridge emergency alert mass notification system to notify the community of a disaster and distribute emergency information and instructions before, during, and after a disaster . This system alerts residents throughout the city about disasters, major emergencies, and other urgent information via text messages, email, phone, landline, and other means of communication.
The Palm Springs Emergency Management Department participates in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) program, a series of classes that train residents to effectively respond in dangerous situations if emergency services are delayed in responding. In the CERT program, citizens learn to manage utilities and put out small fires, perform CPR, control bleeding, provide basic medical aid and treatment for shock, search for and rescue victims safely, organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective, and collect disaster intelligence to support first-responder efforts. Additional educational resources are provided to the public via disaster-preparedness presentations, flyers, and a telephone information-retrieval system.
Essential, Sensitive, High-Occupancy Facilities
Essential facilities are infrastructure and buildings whose continued functioning is necessary to maintain public health and safety following a disaster . These include water , sewage, electrical power , CERT trainees practice fire
control.
(Source: City of Palm Springs Fire
De
partment)
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communication, transportation (highways, bridges, railroads, and airports), natural gas, and liquid fuel systems as well as police stations, fire stations, and emergency operation centers. These facilities are critical to the health and welfare of Palm Springs and are especially vital following hazard events. Essential facilities are particularly important for emergency response and recovery after a disaster that causes considerable citywide damage.
Sensitive facilities manufacture, store, or sell hazardous materials or are socially significant facilities such as schools, nursing homes, housing for the elderly, and those serving people with access and functional needs. These facilities should be designed to remain functional during and immediately after a disaster; however , they may provide limited services if the essential facilities they depend on are disrupted.
High-occupancy facilities house or support the assembly of large groups of people, such as conference centers, libraries, multifamily housing, or similar facilities. These facilities could serve as gathering spaces during a disaster and should be protected from hazardous events.
Because essential facilities deliver critical services to the community, it is important to consider the impacts to society from their disruption or failure in a disaster . The loss of essential infrastructure can have far-reaching, long-term effects on businesses, jobs, environmental quality, health, and people displaced from their homes. The severity of these effects often increases if services take a longer time to restore.
Evacuation
With advanced warning, evacuation can be effective in reducing injury and loss of life during a catastrophic event. Figure 6-1, Evacuation-Constrained Residential Parcels, shows the evacuation routes and evacuation-constrained residential parcels throughout the city. Primary emergency access and evacuation routes include I-10, Indian Canyon Drive, Highway 111, Palm Canyon Drive, Sunrise Way, Farrell Drive, Gene Autry Trail, Da te Palm Drive, San Rafael Drive, Vista Chino, Tahquitz Canyon Way, Ramon Road, and Dinah Shore Drive. All evacuation routes in Palm Springs face a potential disruption from a flood, earthquake, or severe weather event, which may block roadways, damage the roadway surface, or collapse overpasses. In the event of widespread disruption to local evacuation Essential Facilities.
Facilities whose continued
functioning is necessary to
maintain public health and safety
following a disaster, and facilities
where damage or failure could
pose hazards to life and property
well beyond their immediate
vicinity.
Sensitive Facilities.
Facilities used for manufacturing,
storage, or sale of hazardous
materials; socially significant
facilities such as schools, nursing
homes, housing for the elderly, and
those with access and functional
needs, or have mental health
conditions.
High Occupancy Facilities.
Public or private structures for
housing or assembly of large
groups of people (i.e., libraries,
auditoriums).
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routes, remaining evacuation routes may become congested, slowing down evacuation of the community or specific neighborhoods. This issue may be compounded since evacuation routes for Palm Springs will also likely serve as evacuation routes for surrounding communities in the Coachella Valley, and so potential disruptions may have regional effects.
An analysis of the city’s roadway network and parcels conducted as part of the Safety Element Update, as shown on Figure 6-1 , shows that there are several evacuation-constrained residential parcels throughout the city. The evacuation-constrained parcels in western Palm Springs could be subject to wildfire and landslide hazards, and evacuation-constrained parcels in northern and southern areas of the city could be subject to flood ha zards. All evacuation-constrained parcels are in at least one hazard-prone area and may have only one emergency evacuation route. The lack of multiple emergency access points limits roadway access for these properties, which may create difficulties if there is a need to evacuate.
GGOAL SA1:
Minimized risk to life, property, and essential facilities from disasters through emergency preparedness, response, and recovery.
Policies
SA1.1 Locate new essential facilities outside of hazard prone areas, including Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, 100- year and 500-year floodplains, moderate to high landslide susceptibility areas, and Al quist-Priolo Fault Zones to ensure that they remain in operation during and after
hazard events.
SA1.2 Collaborate with agencies and organizations that own and operate essential structures to ensure, to the fullest extent possible, that in the event of a major disaster , essential structures and facilities remain safe and functional,
including but not limited to, retrofitting existing essential facilities to withstand hazardous events.
SA1.3 Incorporate the current Local Hazard Mitigation Plan into this Safety Element by reference, as permitted by California Government Code Section 65302.6 to ensure that
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emergency response and evacuation routes are accessible throughout the city.
SA1.4 Coordinate disaster preparedness and recovery with other governmental agencies and continue to cooperate with
surrounding cities, Riverside County, the State of California, and the various federal and tribal agencies to provide
cooperative emergency preparedness and response in
emergency situations.
SA1.5 Continue to participate in Master and Automatic Mutual Aid Agreements for long-term fire, police, medical
response, public works, building inspection, mass care, and heavy rescue planning and response.
SA1.6 Continue to prepare the community to respond to
emergencies by conducting public outreach programs such as CERT .
SA1.7 Enlist the cooperation of the business community to develop its own disaster response plans and have
provisions for food, water , first aid, and shelter for employees who may not be able to return home for several days following a major disaster .
SA1.8 Formulate and maintain police, fire, evacuation,
hospitalization, and recovery programs in response to all types of natural and human-caused hazards.
SA1.9 Plan for and facilitate the rapid and effective recovery of the city following a disaster , prevent the recurrence of specific problems and hazards encountered during a
disaster , and plan for alternative sources of financing for reconstruction.
SA1.10 Ensure interoperability of cellular and radio networks before, during, and after a disaster for emergency
responders.
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Figure 6-1 Evacuation-Constrained Residential Parcels
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SA1.11 Include procedures for traffic control, emergency evacuations and housing, and security of damaged areas in all disaster response plans.
SA1.12 Evaluate new developments for their ability to provide proper police and fire protection and allow for effective evacuations. Project review should include, but is not
limited to, adequacy of internal circulation systems and provision of project directories, street names, and
numbering systems.
SA1.13 Ensure that new development does not result in a reduction of law enforcement or fire protection emergency response services below acceptable levels.
SA1.14 Require that all new buildings have at least two points of ingress/egress in project design.
SA1.15 Work with property owners to create at least two points of access for existing development within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone or the Wildland-Urban Interface.
SA1.16 Ensure adequate dissem ination of public emergency information to residents and businesses on actions to
minimize damage and facilita t e r e c o v e r y f r o m a n a t u r a l disaster , in a variety of language and formats that are appropriate for the demographics of residents.
SA1.17 Integrate climate change hazards into emergency
preparedness and response plans.
SA1.18 Establish a network of equitably located resilience centers throughout Palm Springs and ensure that resilience centers are situated outside of areas at risk from hazard impacts to the extent possible; offer refuge from extreme heat and poor air quality due to regional wildfire smoke or severe wind events; and are equipped with renewable energy
generation and backup power supplies. Such facilities
should be in easily accessible locations and be available to all community members, with set temperature, air quality, or other triggers for when they will be open.
SA1.19 Identify, assess, and re assess evacuation routes and develop a multi-hazard evacuation plan to ensure
evacuation routes remain open and functional during
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emergencies. Reassess the effectiveness of the evacuation routes with the update of the Palm Springs Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
SA1.20 Ensure emergency evacuation routes are constructed and maintained to remain open during and after disasters.
SEISMIC HAZARDS
The City of Palm Springs is in an area subject to substantial seismic hazards, such as earthquakes, liquefaction, and earthquake-induced slope failure and landslides. These seismic hazards can affect the structural integrity of buildings and utilities and, in turn, cause property damage and potential loss of life. Although it is not possible to prevent earthquakes, their destructive effects can be minimized through comprehensive hazard-mitigation programs and efforts.
Earthquakes and Fault Zones
The City of Palm Springs is in an area with numerous active faults. At least two active faults, the San Andreas and Garnet Hill Faults, depicted on Figure 6-2, Regional Faults, extend through the northern portions of the city. Both fault zone s, along with other faults in the greater region, such as the San Gorgonio Pass and San Jacinto Faults, also have the potential to produce strong seismic shaking in Palm Springs.
Seismic Shaking: Lateral
movement, or acceleration, of the
ground during an earthquake.
Surface Rupture: Occurs when
movement on a fault deep within
the earth breaks through to the
surface. Although surface rupture
typically results in a small
percentage of the total damage in
an earthquake, being too close to a
rupturing fault can cause severe
damage to structures.
Surface Trace: Commonly
referred to as a “fault line,” it is the
intersection of a fault plane with
the surface of the earth.
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Figure 6-2 Regional Faults
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The potential for ground rupture due to fault movement is commonly related to the seismic activity of known fault zones. Active faults are present along the northernmost reaches of the city, where the traces of the Garnet Hill and San Andreas Faults have been mapped. These faults have the potential to generate surface rupture or ground deformation in Palm Springs. As shown on Figure 6-2, Alquist-Priolo Fault Zones occur along the Garnet Hill Fault north of the city, the San Andreas Fault north and east of the city, and the Hot Springs and Thomas Mountain Faults southwes t of the city. Under the Alquist- P r i o l o E a r t h q u a k e F a u l t Z o n i n g A c t, t h e l o c a t i o n o f s t r u c t u r e s f o r human occupancy across the surface trace of an active fault is restricted. A Riverside County Fault Management Hazard Zone has been assigned to the portion of the Garnet Hill fault that extends to the north of the city. Riverside County has established Fault Management Hazard Zones in order to require subsurface investigations of the Garnet Hill Fault to determine, over time, if the traces of the fault are active. This designation for the Garnet Hill Fault allows Palm Springs to regulate future development across the trace of the fault.
Historically, major earthquakes affecting Palm Springs included the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake with a magnitude (M
W) of 7.9; the 1992
Landers-Big Bear earthquakes of M W 7.3; the 1986 North Palm Springs earthquake of a MW of 6.0; the 1999 Hector Mine earthquake of MW 7.1; and the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake of MW 7.1.
Laws to Mitigate Earthquake Hazards
The State of California regulates development in potentially seismically active areas through a variety of tools that reduce or mitigate potential hazards from earthquakes or other geological hazards.
The California Building Standards Code (BSC) contains provisions to safeguard against major structural failures or loss of life caused by earthquakes or other geologic hazards and identifies zones of seismic activity subject to varying degrees of potential impact and frequency of large earthquakes. The City of Palm Springs is potentially subject to the highest changes in speed or velocity due to seismic shaking.
Enacted in 1986, the Unreinforced Masonry Law required cities and counties to identify potentially hazardous unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings in their jurisdictions, establish a URM loss-reduction program, and notify the owners of such buildings of the potential earthquake hazard their buildings pose. Although this law sunset in Item 2A - Page 399
2009, the California Building Code contains specific requirements to ensure the seismic safety of URM buildings.
The primary purpose of the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act is to prohibit the location of structures for human occupancy across active surface traces of fault lines until geotechnical investigations determine that a potential building site is safe for habitation. The Act also requires cities to disclose to the general public, through the use of maps and other appropriate materials, areas that are subject to seismic hazards.
The Seismic Hazards Mapping Act (SHMA) of 1990 addresses nonsurface fault rupture earthquake hazards, including strong ground shaking, liquefaction, and seismically induced landslides. The California Geological Survey (CGS) has not yet mapped the Palm Springs area under the SHMA. However, performing geological studies in those areas identified as having a liquefaction or slope- instability hazard would reduce the potential for damage from these hazards.
Liquefaction
Liquefaction occurs when loose, soft, unconsolidated, or sandy soils that are saturated with water are subjected to ground vibrations during a seismic event. Significant ground shaking causes soil to lose strength and “liquefy,” triggering structural distress or failure due to the settling of the ground or a loss of strength in the soils underneath structures.
As shown on Figure 6-3, Liquefaction Potential, the northern and eastern areas of the city have the possibility of being affected by liquefaction. However , this hazard is considered low in the Palm Springs area because the approximate depth to groundwater is greater than 50 feet. Research and historical data indicate that loose, granular materials saturated with groundwater and at depths of less than 50 feet, with silt and clay contents of less than 30 percent are most susceptible to liquefaction . Shallow groundwater is in the downtown area immediately surrounding the Agua Caliente Springs, which can increase the potential for liquefaction. A strong earthquake could cause liquefaction in this area, most likely expressed as “sand volcanoes” immediately surrounding the spring. Seasonal fluctuations in groundwater levels and the introduction of residential irrigation increase liquefaction risk.
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Figure 6-3 Liquefaction Potential
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Earthquake-Induced Slope Failures and Landslides
Strong ground motions can worsen existing unstable slope conditions, particularly if coupled with saturated ground conditions.
Earthquake-induced slope failures generally include rock falls, landslides, and debris flows that can overrun structures, people, or property; sever utility lines; or block roads, which can hinder rescue operations after an earthquake. After the 1986 North Palm Springs earthquake, numerous landslides consisting primarily of debris slides and rockfalls were reported over an area of 232 square miles.
The southern part of Palm Springs is most vulnerable to seismically induced slope failure due to the steep terrain of the San Jacinto Mountains. The areas at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains or below hills covered with large boulders are most susceptible to rockfall. In areas where there is development at the base of steep slopes, dislodged boulders can roll down to roadways, damaging roadways and destroying homes.
Earthquakes are likely to continue on an occasional basis and are likely to be moderate to severe based on the close proximity of the Garnet Fault, San Andreas Fault, and San Jacinto Fault. According to the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, some earthquakes may cause moderate or complete damage to nearly 25 percent of the structures in the city. According to the United States Geologic Survey, there is a 25 percent chance of a 6.7 M
W or greater earthquake occurring from
the San Andreas Fault and a 7 percent chance of a similar-size earthquake along the San Jacinto Fault by 2044. While liquefaction potential is low in most areas of the city, large earthquakes from faults such as the San Andreas Fault and San Jacinto Fault may cause significant damage to homes and businesses, and subsequently cause rockfalls or landslides.
Climate Change and Seismic Hazards
There is no substantial evidence of a link between climate change and seismic activity, so climate change is not expected to meaningfully change the frequency or intensity of hazards associated with seismic activity.
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GGOAL SA2:
Minimized physical and environmental effects of seismic hazards in the city.
Policies
SA2.1 Require geologic and geotechnical investigations in areas of potential seismic hazards such as fault rupture, seismic shaking, liquefaction, and slop e failure, as part of the environmental and/or development review process for all structures, and enforce structural setbacks from faults that are identified through those investigations in accordance with the Seismic Hazards Mapping Act. Require subsurface investigations of the Garnet Hill Fault if and as that area of northern Palm Springs is developed.
SA2.2 Coordinate with the National Earthquake Hazard
Reduction Program of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, United States Geologic Survey, and the California Geologic Survey to identify earthquake risks and available mitigation techniques.
SA2.3 Enforce the requirements of the California Seismic Hazards Mapping and Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Acts when siting, evaluating, and constructing new projects
within the city.
SA2.4 Disallow the construction of buildings designed for human occupancy within 50 feet of an active fault and prevent new critical, sensitive, and high-occupancy facilities from being located within 100 feet of a potentially active fault.
SA2.5 Require that engineered slopes be designed to resist earthquake-induced failure.
SA2.7 Maintain an ordinance for upgrading unreinforced
masonry buildings and removing hazardous or
substandard structures that may collapse in the event of an earthquake, in accordance with the Unreinforced Masonry Law that is tailored to the local conditions of Palm Springs.
SA2.8 Ensure that the highest and most current professional standards for seismic design are used in the design of
Essential, Sensitive, and High-Occupancy facilities.
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SA2.9 Require liquefaction-mitigation measures in the
construction of bridges, roadways, major utility lines, or park improvements (e.g., bridges and trails) in potentially liquefiable areas, such as the Whitewater riverbed or at the mouths of canyons.
SA2.10 Encourage the local gas and water purveyors to review and retrofit their main distribution pipes, with priority given to the lines that cross or are near the mapped traces of the Banning and Garnet Hill Faults, in order to maintain
essential facilities.
SA2.11 Participate in local, county, and State-sponsored earthquake preparedness programs.
GEOLOGIC HAZARDS
Geologic hazards generally consist of land movement processes not linked to seismic activity that have the potential to cause harm to people and property. In Palm Springs, these hazards include landslides and debris flows, gr ound subsidence, erosion, and windblown sand.
Landslides and Debris Flows
Landslides occur when a mountain side becomes unstable, causing soil and rocks to slide downslope. Landslides can include rock falls, deep failures of slopes, and shallow debris flows. Landslides are most common on steep slopes and mountainsides made up of loose soil or other material where excavation and grading, drainage alterations, or changes in vegetation have occu rred. Intense rainfall and other environmental factors can also cause boulders to fall or roll down from these steep slopes, posing a threat to structures and people.
Mountainsides commonly absorb water , which increases instability of the slope and may increase the risk of slope failure. Steep slopes made of loose or fractured material are more likely to slide. Planning for developments and infrastructure in these areas should be supported by site-specific geotechnical analyses for slope stability.
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Figure 6-4, Landslide Susceptibility, shows the areas most susceptible to landslides in the city. Steeper slopes in the San Jacinto Mountain range are in high landslide susceptibility areas, and the flatter , urban area of Palm Springs is outside of this zone. Areas of high topographic relief, such as steep canyon walls, are most likely to be impacted by rockfalls, rockslides, soil slips, and to a lesser degree, large landslides.
Likewise, locations in the Garnet Hill and Whitewater Hill areas have unstable soil types along which slope failures could occur.
During exceptional storm periods or prolonged rainfall, the risk of debris flows increases. Debris flows are the most dangerous and destructive type of slope failure, generally consisting of a rapidly moving slurry of water , mud, rock, vegetation, and debris. This type of slope failure usually occurs during an intense rainfall event following saturation of the soil by previous rains.
Rockfalls are free falling or tumbling masses of bedrock that have broken off steep canyon walls or cliffs. Rockfalls can happen wherever fractured rock slopes have become steep from stream erosion or human activities. This hazard is present in the hills that frame the southern part of the Coachella Valley along the southwestern portions of Palm Springs. Rockfalls can occur suddenly and without warning but are more likely to occur in response to earthquake-induced ground shakin g, during periods of intense rainfall, or as a result of human activities such as grading and blasting.
Ground Subsidence
Ground subsidence is the gradual settling or sinking of the ground surface with little or no horizontal movement. In the areas of southern California where ground subsidence has been reported, this phenomenon is usually associated with the extraction of oil, gas, or groundwater or the organic decomposition of peat deposits. Ground subsidence can also occur as a response to natural forces such as earthquake movements.
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Figure 6-4 Landslide Susceptibility
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Ground subsidence can cause earth fissures, sinkholes, depressions, and disruption of surface drainage. Permanent (irreversible) subsidence can occur if groundwater is removed from clay and silt layers in an underlying aquifer. The Indio Subbasin of the Coachella Valley Groundwater Basin is managed by water service agencies in the region, and the portion under Palm Springs is managed by the Desert Water Agency to minimize ground subsidence. Since 2010, the Indio Subbasin has had rises in groundwater—from 7 to 40 feet— due to groundwater management practices and reductions in overall water use. This trend has minimized subsidence throughout the city.
Erosion and Sedimentation
Erosion, the removal of earth materials by moving water, wind, or ice, is a significant geologic hazard in the Palm Springs area due to topography and weather conditions. Erosion and sedimentation are influenced by several factors, including climate, topography, soil and rock types, and vegetation. Natural erosion processes are often accelerated through human activities—agricultural or related to land development. Grading increases the potential for erosion and sedimentation by removing protective vegetation, altering natural drainage patterns, compacting the soil, and constructing cut-and-fill slopes, which may be more suscepti ble to erosion than the natural condition.
Because of the high topographic relief in and around Palm Springs, erosion and sedimentation are significant elem ents of the natural setting. Erosion may eat away at the mountains of western Palm Springs, and sedimentation may deposit the eroded material into eastern Palm Springs via water or wind. Erosion and sedimentation are also important factors to consider when developments are adjacent to slopes and drainage channels, not only during the design of a project, but also during construction and long-term maintenance of the developed site. Developmen t can minimize the impacts of sedimentation by increasing permeable surfaces on a project site to decrease flooding and sedimentation downstream of the project.
Windblown Sand
Strong winds are endemic to the Palm Springs area due to the tunneling effect of air through the narrow San Gorgonio Pass. Wind can damage land and vegetation, and in this region, where surface sediments are predominantly dry and granular , windblown sand and Sedimentation: The depositing of
sand and other earth materials
carried b
y erosion processes.
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Windblown sand hazard along Indian Canyon
Drive.
dust can impact surface improvements, air quality (creating health hazards), and visibility. These winds can also pick up dust and particulate matter from the desert or dry lakebed of the Salton Sea, causing sandstorms with toxic particulate matter.
Wind erosion commonly occurs in flat, bare areas; dry, sandy soils; or anywhere the soil is loose, dry, and finely granulated. Wind erosion damages land and natural vegetation by removing soil from one place and depositing it in another . Since high winds blow down the center of the Coachella Valley, recreational and resort communities that first developed in the upper Coachella Valley were generally
in areas sheltered from these winds, tucked in coves at the base of the mountains. However , as the area has
grown, development has had to move into the central
axis of the valley and into the high-wind areas. Most of the urban development in Palm Springs lies in an area
of high susceptibility to wind erosion. Recreational
land uses, especially use of off-road vehicles, can also accelerate erosion in the area.
Wind and windblown sand pose an environmental
hazard throughout the Coachella Valley. Buildings,
fences, roads, crops, automobiles, trees, and shrubs can all be damaged by abrasive blowing soil. In some
places, windblown sand has actually forced the
abandonment of dwellings and subdivided tracts in the central Coachella Valley. In Palm Springs, windblown sand has repeatedly caused the closure of roads, costing the City thousands of dollars in cleanup. The roads with the most frequent closures include Indian Canyon Drive, Gene Autry Trail, and Vista Chino.
Climate Change and Geologic Hazards
Geologic hazards may increase due to increases in severe weather and heavy precipitation events du e to climate change. Scientists project that climate change will increase the frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall in Palm Springs, which will likely increase landslides, debris flows, erosion, and sedimentation. More frequent drought conditions could lead to a heavier reliance on groundwater , increasing the probability of ground subsidence. As described in the Inland Desert Summary Report from the California Fourth Climate Change Assessment, the connection between climate change and severe winds is not as well established as other hazards, but new Item 2A - Page 410
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evidence suggests that these forms of severe weather may occur more often than in the past.
GGOAL SA3:
A city protected, to the greatest extent possible, from geologic hazards.
Policies
SA3.1 Minimize grading and other changes to the natural topography to protect public safety and reduce the
potential for property damage as a result of geologic
hazards.
SA3.2 Limit the development of permanent slopes to the
inclinations permitted by building codes.
SA3.3 In the areas of Palm Springs susceptible to landslide hazards (see Figure 6-4), require geotechnical
investigations that include engineering analyses of slope stability, surface and subsurface drainage specifications, potential impacts of slope failure to downslope properties, and detailed recommendations for fill placement and
excavation as part of the environmental and/or
development review process for all new or significant
alterations to structures.
SA3.4 Prohibit the reconstruction of structures meant for human habitation that are damaged or destroyed by failed slopes unless the applicant can prove that the remedial measures proposed will improve slope conditions and make the site suitable for redevelopment.
SA3.5 Construct protective devices such as barriers, rock fences, retaining structures, or catchment areas in areas
susceptible to rockfalls and/or landslides.
SA3.6 Participate in regional programs designed to protect groundwater resources and the regional groundwater
basin from the hazard of regional ground subsidence.
SA3.7 Protect slopes from the effects of erosion by directing surface water away from slope faces and planting slopes with drought-resistant, ground-covering vegetation.
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SA3.8 Prohibit the construction of hilltop homes or structures above natural slopes at the head of steep drainage channels or gullies.
SA3.9 Ensure that structures plac ed near the bases of slopes or the mouths of small canyons, swales, washes, and gullies are protected from sedimentation.
SA3.10 Encourage the incorporation of wind barriers,
architectural design or features, and drought-resistant ground coverage in new development site designs to
mitigate the impacts from erosion and windblown sand.
FLOOD AND DAM INUNDATION HAZARDS
Flooding
T h e C i t y o f P a l m S p r i n g s , l i k e m o s t c o m m u n i t i e s i n s o u t h e r n California’s desert climate, is subject to unpredictable seasonal rainfall. Most years the scant winter rains are barely sufficient to turn the hills green for a few weeks, but every few years the region is subjected to periods of intense and sustained precipitation that results in flooding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cites that flooding is one of the most destructive natural hazards in the world, responsible for more deaths per year than any other hazard. Major flooding occurred in Palm Springs in 1938, when the Whitewater River flooded the Coachella Valley. Overflow from the Tachevah Creek caused major flooding in Downtown Palm Springs and people in the city were isolated for nearly a week. Similarly, in the winter of 1965, the Cottonwood Creek overflowed Interstate 10 east of Highway 111, blocking traffic and isolating the City of Palm Springs. More recently, heavy rainfall created major flooding events in December 2010, September 2014, and February 2019. Therefore, the potential for flooding is a safety concern that Palm Springs continues to address.
Portions of Palm Springs are susceptible to storm-induced flooding of the San Gorgonio River , Whitewater River , and other drainages that extend across the city. Palm Springs is susceptible to flash flooding, since the local mountains are very steep and consist of rock types that are fairly impervious to water , meaning that little precipitation is absorbed into the ground. Instead, rainwater and snowmelt flow across the surface as runoff, collecting in the major drainages that Flash Flooding: Occurs during
periods of heavy precipitation or
snowmelt when rapidly moving
high volumes of water flow
downward from the mountains into
the valley, often carrying mud,
sand, and rock fragments.
100-Year Floodplain: Land that
is subject to flooding by a 100-year
flood or the flood elevation that has
a 1 percent chance of being
equaled or exceeded each year.
500-Year Floodplain: Land that
has the potential to be flooded in
a storm that has a 0.2 percent
chance of occurring each year.
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pass through the city. Because of the steep terrain and scarcity of vegetation, water from major storms can collect rapidly and run off quickly, overcoming human-made and natural channels and resulting in flash flooding.
Flooding is also expected to occu r on the alluvial fans that the developed part of the city occu pies, primarily from stormwater .
Flood-control structures built and maintained by the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (RCFCWCD) have helped reduce flood damage in the city since they were installed. Outside of the developed area of the city, most drainage channels are still in their natural state. Due to the construction of flood-control structures, sheet flow in most of these areas is estimated to be infrequent in occurrence and less than one foot deep.
FEMA and the California Department of Water Resources has identified 100- and 500-year flood zones, which are shown on Figure 6-5, Flood Hazards. These include the Whitewater and San Gorgonio River floodplains and areas along Snow Creek, Blaisdell Creek, Chino Creek, Palm Canyon Wash, and Tahquitz Creek. Some developed areas in southern Palm Springs are within the 100-year and 500-year floodplain, as are several areas outside of the highly developed portion of the city. The mounta ins surrounding the developed portions of Palm Springs have the potential to increase flood pr oblems b y filling or plugging structur es meant t o con v e y w at er through the city.
Figure 6-5 identifies areas within the city that have the potential to be impacted in the event of a 100- or 500- year flood. FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)
provide more detailed flood hazard map information.
FIRMS are available for reference from FEMA.
The National Flood Insurance Program makes
federally subsidized flood insurance available in
communities that agree to adopt and enforce floodplain
management ordinances to reduce future flood
damage. Owners of all structures within the FEMA-
mapped 100-year flood hazard areas are required to
purchase and maintain flood insurance as a condition
of receiving a federal mortgage or home equity loan on
that structure. National flood insurance is available in the City of Palm Springs; homeowners within the 500-
year flood zones, and even outside these zones, should be encouraged to buy flood insurance. Chapter 8.68, Flood Damage Prevention, of Flood damage to Indian Avenue by the 1965
Whitewater River floodwaters caused the road
to be closed for 30 days, adding to the isolation
of Palm Springs. (Source: RCFCWCD)
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Flood damage to Highway 111 from 1965
storms.
(Source: RCFCWCD)
the City Municipal Code contains additional regulations designed to reduce the impacts of flood hazards. The City has also adopted and is implementing a master drainage plan developed and adopted in conjunction with RCFCWCD.
Major flood control structures in the Palm Springs area include the Whitewater River Levee, the Chino Canyon Levee and Channel, Tahquitz Creek Levee, and the Palm Canyon Wash Levee. The levee between Palm Canyon Wash and Indian Drive, maintained by the RCFCWCD, protects the portion of the city south of the Whitewater River from flooding. The Chino Canyon Levee and Channel protect the northern part of the highly developed Palm Springs area from 100- and 500-year flooding from Chino Creek and the Whitewater River .
The Palm Canyon Wash levee directs flows from Palm Canyon and Arenas Canyon northeastward to the Tahquitz Creek, then eastward to the Whitewater River . It provides 100-year storm protection on the north side of the channel down to Tahquitz Creek and on the south side of Tahquitz Creek channel to the Whitewater River.
Dam Inundation
Flooding resulting from dam failure is a potential
hazard for the city. The Tachevah Creek Detention
Reservoir and the Tahquitz Creek Debris Basin are two
flood-control structures in the Palm Springs area
required by the California State Water Code to be
monitored for structural safety and that have the
potential to pose a flooding risk to the city. General
limits of flood hazard due to dam failure are shown on
Figure 6-6, Dam Inundation Areas.
The Tachevah Creek Detention Reservoir, about 1,200
feet downstream from the mouth of Tachevah Canyon,
is formed by a 42-foot-high embankment constructed
of compacted earth fill and has a capacity of
approximately 650 million gallons. This dam was built
in 1964 and protects the highly urbanized central part
o f t h e c i t y f r o m f l o o d s a n d d e b r i s f l o w s . F i g u r e 6 - 6 shows the inundation path that would most likely
occur in the event of dam failure at this facility.
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Figure 6-5 Flood Hazards
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Figure 6-6 Dam Inundation Areas
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The Tahquitz Creek Debris Basin, which is a considerably smaller structure, was designed and cons tructed to reduce the risk of flooding that the Tahquitz Creek has historically posed to Palm Springs. Completed in May 1991 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the basin consists of a natural channel and dam with a debris storage capacity of about 33 million gallons and a two-mile reach of grass- lined channel used as a golf course and bicycle and equestrian trails.
Inundation from Aboveground
Storage Tanks
Inundation from aboveground storage tanks is another safety consideration for the City of Palm Springs. Flooding can occur if strong ground shaking causes structural damage to aboveground water tanks. Sloshing water can lift a water tank off its foundation or break the pipes leading to the tank, releasing water to surrounding areas. All water tanks in the City of Palm Springs are owned and operated by the Desert Water Agency and meet or exceed the design standards and safety requirements applicable at the time the tanks were constructed.
Seiche Potential
A seiche is an earthquake-generated wave occurring in an enclosed body of water, such as a lake, reservoir, or harbor. Ground shaking caused by earthquakes can cause oscillations, or sloshing, in enclosed bodies of water , forming a wave that may spill over and flood adjacent land uses. In the Palm Springs area, seiching is not anticipated to pose a significant risk to facilities such as recharge basins and human-made lakes due to their shallow nature and the quick absorption of water into th e sandy underlying surfaces. The C i t y o f P a l m S p r i n g s d o e s n o t h a v e o p e n r e s e r v o i r s . H o w e v e r , sloshing within a steel water storage tank can cause damage or failure of the structure. Seiching in swimming pools can also occur, and since pools are relatively deep, it is not unusual for pool owners to report a loss of one or more feet of water due to sloshing during an earthquake.
Climate Change and Flood and Dam Inundation
Hazards
Although climate change may not change average precipitation levels significantly, scientists expect that it will cause more years with Flooding along Indian Canyon
Drive, January 11, 2005.
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extreme precipitation events. This means that more years are likely to see intense storm systems that drop precipitation over a short enough period to overwhelm storm drain systems and flood protection infrastructure, leading to more frequent flash flooding.
Because of this, floods are expected to occur more often in Palm Springs, and climate change may expand the parts of the city that are considered flood prone. Although there are no specific flooding projections for the city, flood events are expected to become more frequent, and it is possible that the areas subject to flooding will expand.
While the risk and associated short- and long-term impacts of climate change are uncertain, experts in this field tend to agree that among the most significant impacts include those resulting from increased heat and precipitation events that cause increased frequency and magnitude of flooding. Increases in damaging flood events will cause greater property damage, public health and safety concerns, displacement, and loss of life. Displacement of residents can include both temporary and long-term displacement, increase in home and renters’ insurance rates, or restriction of insurance coverage in vulnerable areas.
GGOAL SA4:
Minimized risk to life, property, and essential facilities from flooding and other hydrological hazards within the city.
Policies
SA4.1 Evaluate all development proposals located in areas that are subject to flooding for consistency and compliance with the flood damage prevention standards in the Municipal
C o d e t o m i n i m i z e t h e e x p o s u r e o f l i f e a n d p r o p e r t y to potential flood risks.
SA4.2 Require that future pl anning for new development consider the impact of incr eased pervious surfaces on
downstream flooding as well as the impact of flood control structures on the environment, both locally and regionally.
SA4.3 Continue to work with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, Riverside County Flood Control and
Water Conservation District, the Coachella Valley Water District, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers to Master Drainage Plan: Addresses
the current and future drainage
needs of a given community. The
plan includes an inventory of
existing and proposed drainage
facilities, and an estimate of facility
capacities, sizes, and costs. The
plan provides a guide for the
orderly development of the plan
area, provides an estimate of costs
to resolve flooding issues, and can
be used to establish Area Drainage
Plan fees.
Area Drainage Plan: A financing
mechanism used to offset taxpayer
costs for proposed drainage
facilities by which fees are imposed
on new development within the
plan area.
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The Tahquitz River is an example of a
watercourse along which there are recreational
opportunities for the City.
receive and implement updated flood-control measures
and information.
SA4.4 Coordinate with Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to provide drainage controls and
improvements that enhance local conditions and are
consistent with and complement the Regional Master
Drainage Plan and ensure that updated and effective
Master Drainage Plans are implemented in a timely
fashion.
SA4.5 Provide direction and guidelines for the development of on-site stormwater retention facilities consistent with local and regional drainage plans and community design
standards.
SA4.6 Use nature-based solutions and green
infrastructure to the extent feasible to design
flood-control facilities so that biological
impacts are minimized and locally significant
habitat is either avoided or replaced.
SA4.7 Discourage the introduction of flood-control
measures in the undeveloped areas of Palm
Springs at the expense of environmental
degradation.
SA4.8 Continue to leave existing watercourses and
streams natural wherever possible by
developing them as parks, nature trails, or
passive or active recreation areas that could
withstand inundation and provide for their
enhancement as wildlife habitat.
SA4.9 Ensure that design opport unities for enhanced open space and recreation amenities, including habitat enhancement, hiking, and equestrian trails, are fully explored and
incorporated when designing and constructing channels,
debris and detention basins, and other major drainage
facilities, to the greatest extent practical, in coordination with the Coachella Valley Water District and the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District.
SA4.10 Require xeriscape in open space areas in new
development, provide the maximum permeable surface
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The Blaisdell Canyon Fire came
close to the Palm Springs Aerial
Tramway on August 28, 2005.
(Source: Jay Calderon, The Desert
area to reduce site runoff, and prohibit unnecessary
paving.
SA4.11 Continue to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program.
SA 4.12 Minimize impervious areas by requiring development to include low impact development and green infrastructure that increase pervious surfaces to absorb impacts from
stormwater and flooding.
URBAN FIRE AND WILDFIRE HAZARDS
Wildfires
Wildfires are a significant hazard in California, where they have always been part of the natural environment. Large areas of southern California are particularly susceptible to wildfire due to the region’s weather , topography, and native vegetation. The typically mild winters characteristic of the region’s Mediterranean climate result in an annual growth of grasses and pl ants that dry out during the hot summer months. This dry vegetation provides fuel for wildfires in the autumn, when the area is intermittently impacted by Santa Ana winds—the hot, dry winds that blow across the region in the late fall.
Although dangerous, wildland fire is a natural process and a necessary part of the natural ecosystem of southern California.
Relatively few wildland fires have occurred in the urbanized areas of Palm Springs within the past ten years. However , as shown on Figure 6-7, Historic Wildfire Perimeters, there have been six major fires near Palm Springs in recent decades. Between 1980 and 1994, three very large wildfires occurred in the San Jacinto Mountains and foothills along the western border of Palm Springs and its sphere of influence—the Dry Falls fire of 1980, the Tram Fire of 1985, and the Palm Fire of 1994. The Blaisdell Canyon Fire of 2005 burned more than 5,000 acres in the mountains above Palm Springs proper , threatening the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway area. In 2014, the Mountain Fire burned land directly to the east of the city in the San Jacinto Mountains, and in 2020, the Snow Fire burned areas in northern Palm Springs near the San Gorgonio Pass. Fortunately, these fires were mostly limited to undeveloped areas of mountainous terrain.
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Figure 6-7 Historic Wildfire Perimeters
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As shown on Figure 6-8, Fire Hazard Severity Zones, the western and southwestern portions of the city , specifically the neighborhoods along the foothills and canyon mouths, are in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The areas with more vegetation—such as in the lower canyon reaches draining the San Jacinto Mountains, including Tachevah Canyon, Tahquitz Creek, Andreas Canyon, and Palm C a n y o n — w h e r e w a t e r m a y b e m o r e p l e n t i f u l , a r e a l s o h i g h l y susceptible to wildfires. The Pa lm Springs Fire Department is responsible for fire protection, planning, and response within these areas. The San Jacinto Mountains to the west of the city limits are in State Responsibility Areas for fire protection and contain lands within Very High, High, and Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) provides fire protection services in these areas. Figure 6-8 also shows the Federal Responsibility Areas in hatched lines, indicating lands owned and managed by Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, U . S . F o r e s t S e r v i c e , o r B u r e a u o f L a n d M a n a g e m e n t . T h e A g u a Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is the largest single landowner in Palm Springs, and therefore the Federal Responsibility Area overlaps with the State and Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
The wildland-urban interface (WUI) is an area where buildings and infrastructure (e.g., cell towers, schools, water supply facilities) mix with areas of flammable wildland vegetation. The WUI is composed of interface, intermix, and infl uence communities. The distinction between these is based on the char acteristics and distribution of houses and wildland vegetation across the landscape. Hundreds of homes now border flammable vegetation areas in California.
According to a publication in the International Journal of Wildfire, the interface WUI in California contained 50 percent of buildings destroyed by wildfire, whereas intermix WUI contained only 32 percent. Human-caused fires are the leading cause of wildland fires, and with thousands of people living near and visiting wildland areas, the probability of human-caused fires is growing. Figure 6-9, Wildland-Urban Interface, shows the WUI areas in Palm Springs.
Interface areas are located along the mountainside generally south and west of Palm Canyon Drive. The influence zone is just to the west of the Interface zone, going up into the San Jacinto Mountains.
In the WUI, efforts to prevent ignitions and limit wildfire loss hinge on hardening structures and creating defensible space through a multi-faceted approach, which includes engineering, enforcement, education, emergency response, and economic incentive. Different Defining the Wildland-Urban
Interface
As shown on Figure 6-9, the
wildland-urban interface is made
up of three distinct zones:
1. Intermix Zone. Housing
development or improved parcels
interspersed in an area dominated
by wildland vegetation subject to
wildfire.
2. Interface Zones. Dense
housing next to vegetation, but not
dominated by wildland vegetation,
that can burn in a wildfire.
3. Influence Zone. Wildfire-
susceptible vegetation within 1.5
miles from the wildland-urban
interface or wildland-urban intermix
zones.
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strategies in the defense and threat zones of the WUI help to limit the spread of fire and reduce the risk to people and property.
Increasing local and regional fire frequency can create recurring air quality degradation events leading to respiratory health effects.
Wildfire smoke consists of a mix of gases and fine particulate matter from burning vegetation and materials. The pollutant of most concern from wildfire smoke is fine particulate matter (PM
2.5). PM2.5
from wildfire smoke is damaging to human health due to its ability to deeply penetrate lung tissue and affect the heart and circulatory system. Although wildfire smoke presents a health risk to everyone, sensitive groups may experience more severe acute and chronic symptoms from exposure to wildfire smoke, such as children, older adults, people with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular disease, or people experiencing low socioeconomic status.
Wildfire will continue to be a high-risk hazard for personal safety and property damage in Palm Springs, and smoke impacts from local and regional wildfires are likely to continue to be problematic.
Urban Fires
Palm Springs is also at risk from urban fires. These fires occur in built-up environments, destroying buildings and other human-made structures. Structural fires are often due to faulty wiring or mechanical equipment and combustible construction materials. The absence of fire alarms and fire sprinkler systems are often conditions that exacerbate the damages associated with a structural fire.
Structural fires are largely from human accidents, although deliberate fires (arson) may be a cause of some events. Older buildings that lack modern fire safety features may face greater risk of damage from fires. In newer residential areas where construction includes fire- resistant materials and interior fire sprinklers, most structural fires can be confined to the building or property of origin. To minimize fire damage and loss, the City’s Fire and Building Codes, based on the California Fire and Building Code s, set standards for building and construction. They require the pr ovision of adequate water supply for firefighting, fire-retardant construction, minimum street widths, and defensible space requirem ents, among other things. The likelihood of structural fires in the city is lower than wildfires since these fires are usually associated with human accidents or mechanical issues in buildings that rarely happen.
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Figure 6-8 Fire Hazard Severity Zones
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Figure 6-9 Wildland-Urban Interface
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Climate Change and Fire Hazards
Changing climate conditions are expected to increase the fire risk in and around Palm Springs. Warmer temperatures brought on by climate change can exacerbate drought conditions. Droughts can kill or dry out plants in the mountainous areas of the city, creating more fuel for wildfires. Hot, dry spells may also increase disease and insect infestations resulting in higher fuel loads in juniper woodlands.
Increased winds may result in more erratic fire behavior, making fires harder to contain. Warmer temperatures are also expected to occur during more of the year , extending the wildfire season, which is likely to begin earlier in the year and extend later than it has historically.
Wildfires occurring later or earlier in the year are more likely to occur during Santa Ana wind events, which can cause wildfires to move more quickly and increase the likelihood of burning in the WUI areas.
Earthquake-Induced Fires
Although wildland fires can be devastating, earthquake-induced fires have the potential to generate the worst-case fire-suppression scenarios for a community because an earthquake typically causes multiple ignitions over a broad geographic area. If fire fighters are involved in search and rescue operations they are less available to fight fires, and the water distribution system could be impaired, limiting fire-suppression efforts even further. If earthquake-induced fires occur during Santa Ana wind conditions, the results can be far worse.
There are some areas in Palm Springs where breaks in gas mains and the water distribution system caused by an earthquake could lead to a significant fire danger . A moderate to strong earthquake on any of the faults that affect the city could trigger multiple fires, disrupt lifelines services (such as the water supply), and trigger other geologic hazards, such as landslides or rockfalls, which could block roads and hinder disaster response. Therefore, the capacity of water systems to provide sufficient water to fight fires is a significant issue.
Earthquake-Induced Fires in
Palm Springs: Two earthquake-
induced fires in Palm Springs were
caused by the 1992 Landers/Big
Bear Earthquake.
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GGOAL SA5:
Palm Springs residents, business owners, and visitors protected from urban fire and wildfire hazards.
Policies
SA5.1 Support brush removal and weed abatement in developed a r e a s t o m i n i m i z e f i r e r i s k , a n d c o o r d i n a t e w i t h t h e Riverside County Fire Department Hazard Reduction Office for brush removal in areas outside of the city limits.
SA5.2 Require property owners of existing and new development in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones or the Wildland- Urban Interface, as shown on Figure 6-8 and Figure 6-9, to create and maintain community fire breaks and defensible space around structures that is free from dry brush and other flammable materials and to comply with the 100-foot Defensible Space Requirement in the Public Resources
Code (PRC 4291), the 200-foot defensible space
requirement of Fire Department Ordinance No.2009, and
Government Code (GC 51182) for fuel modification to
reduce fire danger.
SA5.3 Continue to refine procedures and processes to minimize the risk of fire hazards by requiring new and existing
development to:
y Utilize fire-resistant building materials.
y Incorporate fire sprinklers as appropriate.
y Incorporate defensible-space requirements;
y Comply with Riverside County Fuel Modification
Guidelines.
y Comply with CAL FIRE Fire Safe Regulations and
Fire Hazard Reduction Around Buildings and
Structures Regulations.
y Provide Fire Protection Plans.
y Comply with the California Building Code and
California Fire Code.
y Allow for adequate access of emergency vehicles.
y Develop fuel modification in naturalized canyons
and hills to protect life and property from wildland
fires, yet leave as much of the surrounding natural
vegetation as possible.
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SSAFETY ELEMENT
y Use selective trimming and obtain permits when
necessary in designated areas to preserve
environmentally sensitive native plants.
SA5.4 Encourage owners of unsprinklered properties, especially midrise structures and high-occupancy structures, to
retrofit their buildings and include internal fire sprinklers.
SA5.5 Ensure that public and private water distribution and supply facilities have adequate capacity and reliability to supply both everyday and emergency firefighting needs.
SA5.6 Utilize reservoirs, tanks, and wells, as needed, for emergency fire suppression water sources.
S A 5 . 7 E n s u r e t h a t f u e l m o d i f i c a t i o n i s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h a n y adopted habitat-conservation plans.
SA5.8 Coordinate with Riverside County Fire Department, CAL FIRE, and the U.S. Forest Service to conduct fuel
modification projects.
MSA5.9 Continue public education efforts to inform residents, business owners, and visitors of fire hazards and measures t o m i n i m i z e t h e d a m a g e c a u s e d b y f i r e s t o l i f e a n d property.
SA5.10 Analyze the site plan layout for new projects to ensure they provide an adequate amount of defensible space around
structures.
SA5.11 Develop an ongoing fire protection water system program that will provide adequate water supply for firefighting purposes within the city.
SA5.12 Require all new commercial and multiple-unit residential development to install fire protection systems and
encourage the use of automatic sprinkler systems.
SA5.13 Require all new construction to use noncombustible roofing materials.
SA5.14 Developers of property on or abutting hillsides shall implement, with consultation and approval from the City Fire Department, a safety buffer zone, otherwise known as a fuel-modification zone, between natural open space and Item 2A - Page 433
planned development to lessen the fire hazard potential in these interface areas.
SA5.15 Obtain a Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Fire Risk Reduction Community designation.
SA5.16 Avoid new residential development in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
SA5.17 Require new nonresidential development within a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and the Wildland Urban
Interface to have at least two egress and ingress options, visible street signs that identify evacuation routes, visible home numbering, and adequate water supply for structural suppression.
SA5.18 Require redevelopment after wildfires to meet current California Building Code, California Fire Code, and
California Fire Safe Standards to reduce future
vulnerabilities to fire hazards through site preparation, layout design, fire-resistant landscaping, and fire-retarding building design and materials.
SA5.19 Coordinate with local, state, and federal agencies to stabilize burned slopes after a wildfire.
SA5.20 Require new development within Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones or the Wildland-Urban Interface to prepare a fire safety plan.
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HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND WASTE
Palm Springs has many businesses that manufacture, transport, store, use, and dispose of hazardous materials. The city, therefore, has the potential to be affected by a major hazardous material emergency or affected in general by hazardous materials and waste.
In Palm Springs are several identified hazardous or toxic materials sites associated with commercial, industrial, quasi-industrial, and medical operations and processes, which have the potential for accidental spills, purposeful illegal dumping, air emissions, and other uncontrolled discharges into the environment. Only one transporter of hazardous waste is listed by the EPA in the Palm Springs area.
Most of the hazardous materials generators within the city are within five miles of the Garnet Hill and Banning Faults, which have a relatively high probability of generating an earthquake in the next 30 years. Several of the hazardous materials facilities have been identified as being located between the 100- and 500-year floodplain for the Whitewater River. Therefore, all of the hazardous materials sites within the city could be subject to moderate to severe seismic shaking or flooding.
Transport of Hazardous Materials
State Highway 111, Interstate (I-)10, and the Union Pacific Railroad corridor are all used to transport hazardous materials through the city. These areas have the highest likelihood of potential spills or leaks. The California Highway Patrol coordinates response to spills in or along freeways, with Caltrans, local police departments, and fire departments responsible for providing additional enforcement and routing assistance. Additionally, natural gas transmission pipelines extend across the city and sphere of influence north of I-10. Rupture of any portion of these pipelines would adversely impact the area.
Surface and Subsurface Groundwater Contamination
Other potential hazards to Palm Springs include groundwater and drinking-water pollution, leaking underground fuel tanks, household hazardous waste, and old landfill sites.
The City of Palm Springs is a co-permittee and the local enforcing agency for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Item 2A - Page 435
(NPDES). The NPDES requires the development, adoption, and implementation of plans and programs for stormwater management which prohibits non-stormwater runoff into storm drains and seeks to reduce and eliminate the di scharge of pollutants to local groundwater and nearby bodies of water .
The Desert Water Agency (DWA) provides drinking water to the City of Palm Springs. According to the EPA Safe Drinking Water Violation Report, the DWA has not had a health violation since 1993, the earliest date for which records are available.
In accordance with the California Integrated Solid Waste Management Act of 1989, the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health, Hazardous Materials Management Division (DEH-HMMD) adopted a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)
program, called ABOP (antifreeze, batteries, oil, and paint) to promote the recovery and recycling of hazardous materials and prevent groundwater contamination. The City of Palm Springs participates in the program and has an HHW drop-off facility at the Palm Springs Fire Department Training Center , 3000 East Alejo Road.
There are no active landfills in the Palm Springs area. Solid waste generated in Palm Springs is collected by the Palm Springs Disposal Service and deposited in the Edom Hill Transfer Station. Once sorted, solid waste is taken to the Lamb Canyon Landfill in Beaumont.
Hazardous Materials Management Plan
In response to the need for safe management of hazardous materials and waste products, Riverside County, along with Palm Springs and other cities in the county, have jointly developed the Riverside County Hazardous Waste Management Plan (HWMP) to address the disposal, handling, processing, storage, and treatment of local hazardous materials and waste products. The Riverside County HWMP ensures that adequate treatment and disposal capacity will be available to manage the hazardous wastes generated within each jurisdiction.
The Riverside County Department of Environmental Health, Hazardous Materials Division is the designated Certified Unified Program Agency for Riverside County and is responsible for coordinating hazardous material planning and response efforts with city departments as well as local and state agencies. The goal is to improve public and private sector readiness, and to reduce local impacts from hazardous materials and waste. The Hazardous Residents of Palm Springs can
safely dispose of hazardous
household materials at the
ABOP Collection Center at the
Palm Springs Fire Department
Training Facility, 3000 East
Alejo Road.
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Materials Division of the Riverside County Fire Department deals with the hazardous materials c oordination, hazardous materials business plans, and inspection in the city.
Climate Change and Hazardous Materials
Climate change is unlikely to directly affect hazardous materials transportation incidents. However , increases in the frequency and intensity of hazards such as floods, wildfire, landslides, and severe storms may create an indirect gr eater risk of hazardous materials releases during these events.
GGOAL SA6:
Minimized risk of exposure of life, property, and the
environment in Palm Springs to hazardous and toxic materials and waste.
Policies
SA6.1 Promote the proper disposal, handling, transport, delivery, treatment, recovery, recycling, and storage of hazardous materials in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
SA6.2 Require businesses to utilize practices and technologies that will reduce the generation of hazardous wastes at the source.
SA6.3 Confer with Riverside County Environmental Health Department and the California Department of Toxic
Substances and Control to determine the need for , and the appropriateness of, developing a permitting process for the establishment of facilities which manufacture, store, use, or dispose of hazardous and toxic materials within the
community or adjacent areas.
SA6.4 Follow the response procedures outlined within the Riverside County Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials
Area Plan in the event of a hazardous materials emergency.
SA6.5 Establish transportation management and contingency emergency procedures and training programs for police,
fire, medical, and other or ganizations that would be
Item 2A - Page 437
involved in an airborne release or ground spill of
hazardous and toxic materials or waste.
SA6.6 Ensure Fire Department staff has properly trained personnel and appropriate equipment to handle hazardous materials spills.
SA6.7 Cooperate with the California State Water Board and gasoline station owners and operators in monitoring the conditions of subsurface gasoline tanks, tracking leaks that may occur, and requiring the prompt removal of hazardous tanks.
SA6.8 Coordinate with the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health to regulate and limit the use of
herbicides, pesticides, and other hazardous chemicals
associated with the maintenance of landscaped areas in the city.
SA6.9 Work with the Riverside County Department of
Environmental Health and Riverside County Fire
Department, in coordination with the Emergency
Operations Plan, to impl ement effective emergency
preparedness and emergency-response strategies to
minimize the impacts to health and safety that can
result from hazardous materials emergencies such as spills or contamination.
SA6.10 Prohibit the transport of hazardous waste materials through the city except along Highway 111, Interstate 10, and the Union Pacific Railroad.
SA6.11 Continue to partner with the County of Riverside to provide needed programs such as the Household
Hazardous Waste ABOP Program to provide disposal of
household hazards at no cost to Palm Springs residents
and participating agencies.
SA6.12 Prohibit the location of facilities using, storing, or otherwise involved with substantial quantities of on-site hazardous materials in flood zones, unless all standards of elevation, anchoring, and flood-proofing have been
satisfied and hazardous materials are stored in watertight containers that are not capable of floating.
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AIRPORT SAFETY
Safety considerations for land uses immediately adjacent to the Palm Springs International Airport are especially important to the city.
Figure 6-10, Airport Compatibility Plan, shows “compatibility zones,” or areas where take-off and landing patterns create risks for people living and working in the area. The Riverside County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (RCALUCP) designates zones of airport influence in the city and offers policies and criteria to ensure compatibility between airports and surrounding land uses. The RCALUCP provides Basic Compatibility Criteria, which include such considerations as the prohibition of tall structures, hazardous materials storage, siting of high -occupancy buildings and facilities, and critical infrastructure within compatibility zones, as well as limits on dwelling units per acre and regulatory procedures for approval of land uses. The Palm Springs International Airport Master Plan guides future development within the airport itself and offers useful information for determining aircraft-related risks and hazards.
In addition, considerations for development around airports include the potential for noise nuisance, th e intensity of development, and the height of structures. Refer to Figure 6-10 for areas impacted by height-review overlay zones and land use compatibility zones surrounding the Palm Springs International Airport. Goals and policies related to potential noise impacts created by the airport, as well as noise contours for the airport facility, can be found in the Noise Element.
The Palm Springs Fire Department has provided Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) services to the Palm Springs International Airport for over 60 years. Services provided include emergency medical services, fire protection services, fire protection planning, fire prevention, hazardous materials response, and public education.
Climate Change and Airport Safety
Climate change is unlikely to substantially affect airport infrastructure safety. However, increase in the number of extreme heat days of 115 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit can decrease the density of the air, making it difficult for larger aircraft to take off. Higher temperatures can also warp the runway surface, making it difficult to land, and preventing electronic equipment from cooling, preventing aircraft from taking off. Therefore, extreme heat is likely to cause more frequent delays and closure events of the Palm Springs International Airport.
Part of the Aircraft Rescue Fire
Fighting fleet, an ARFF 151.
(Source: City of Palm Springs Fire
Department)
Item 2A - Page 439
GGOAL SA7:
Minimized risk to life and property in Palm Springs associated with air transportation.
Policies
SA7.1 Prohibit land uses in airport influence areas that are incompatible with airport uses or may create potential
hazards to aviation.
SA7.2 Continue to coordinate development project review with the Airport Land Use Commission and FAA as required by
the Riverside County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan.
SA7.3 Maintain an Airport Emergency Operations Plan as
required by FAA regulations.
SA7.4 Building heights within the airport clear zones shall conform to runway approach surfaces and ASR critical
areas as stated in the Airport Master Plan.
POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES
Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention
The Palm Springs Police Departme nt offers response service, criminal investigation, traffic enforcement, and preventive patrol for the City. Although many private, gated communities have internal security for their residents, the Police Department still provides all law enforcement services .
The Police Department’s two divisions, Operations and Support Services, employ 100 sworn and 49 civilian personnel. Operations include patrol, jail, and airport operations. Support services include investigation, records, animal control, and communications.
Although National Census Bureau figures indicate that the Palm Springs population is approximately 44,575, the population increases significantly to approximately 75,000 when part-time residents and tourists are included in the winter months. In 2021, the department responded to 75,395 calls for service, an increase of approximately 35,000 calls since 2010.
Palm Springs Police Department
Mission Statement
The men and women of the Palm
Springs Police Department,
empowered by and in partnership
with the community, are dedicated
to providing professional, ethical,
and courteous service to all.
Airport Influence Area: Areas
affected by airport operations.
Noise, fumes, or hazards to aerial
navigation are examples of factors
that may define such an area.
Generally defined, the airport
influence area includes land within
two miles of the airport boundary
(California Public Utilities Code
Section 21675.1 (b)).
Clear Zone: Area off the end of
a runway used to enhance the
protection of people and property
on the ground.
Airport Surveillance Radar
(ASR): A radar system that allows
air traffic controllers to identify an
arriving or departing aircraft's
distance and direction from an
airport.
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SSAFETY ELEMENT
Figure 6-10 Airport Compatibility Plan
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.
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The desired response times for priority one calls (emergencies) and priority two calls (nonemergencies) are 5 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively. The Palm Springs Po lice Department has mutual-aid agreements with other local law enforcement agencies in the event of a major incident that exceeds the department’s resources.
There are currently six patrol beats (geographical patrol areas) serving the city and its sphere of influence in the northern portion of Palm Springs. As the city continue s to grow, it will be necessary to expand the existing beat system and possibly add additional satellite field offices. Because of the mountains to the south and west of the city, communications between patr ol units and officers using handheld radios can be poor Additional relay towers and communications equipment, particularly in the Palm Hills area and in the City’s northern Snow Creek area, would improve communications between patrol units and officers.
The Department’s Community Policing Program seeks to enhance involvement with residents of Palm Springs to further promote public safety. The Citizens on Patrol (COP) Program extensively trains volunteers in such areas as traffic control, safe patrol techniques, CPR, and first aid. The Departme nt’s Community Policing Program also operates the Citizen’s Police Academy, Alarm Diversion School, LGBTQ+ Outreach Committee, and the volunteer-based horseback Mounted Enforcement Unit, which consists of sworn police officers offering their time for high-visibility public events.
Fire Protection and Emergency Services
The Palm Springs Fire Department, established in 1931, provides for fire, paramedic, and emergency services within the city limits and through mutual agreements in the City’s sphere of influence. The Fire Department is authorized and directed to enforce the provisions of the Fire Code throughout the city. Its responsibilities also include plan reviews for new construction and additions, coordination with the City for disaster preparedness programs, vegetation management, high fire area inspections, and the Hazardous Materials Business Program.
The Palm Springs Fire Department, with a rating of ISO Class 3 , protects 96 square miles of the Palm Springs area, constantly monitors fire hazards in the city, and has ongoing programs for investigation and alleviation of hazardous conditions. Firefighting resources in the Palm Springs area include five fire stations Members of the Palm Springs
Mounted Enforcement Unit.
(Source: City of Palm Springs
Police Department)
ISO Rating System
The Insurance Services Office
(ISO) evaluates fire protection
needs and services in communities
across the country. Each
community evaluated is rated on a
point scale from 1 to 10, with a
Class 1 rating representing
excellent fire protection services.
The City of Palm Springs currently
has a Class 3 ISO rating.
A Palm Springs Firefighter
responds to a two alarm
structure fire in downtown
Palm Springs on September 28,
1998.
(Source: City of Palm Springs Fire
Item 2A - Page 443
Automatic-aid agreements:
Obligate the nearest fire company
to respond to a fire regardless of
the jurisdiction.
Mutual-aid agreements:
Obligate fire department resources
to respond outside of their district
upon request for assistance.
throughout the city so that the response time to any resident is under five minutes, the standard used by the department for maximum first-response time.
In addition, the Palm Springs Fire Department strives to meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1710 requirements for response time. NFPA 1710 requires that fire departments establish a six-minute response time for the first-due engine company 90 percent of the time, which includes one minute for dispatch, one minute for “turnout” in the station, and four minutes for travel to the incident. NFPA 1710 also requires an eight-minute response 90 percent of the time for a full-alarm assignment.
There are a total of 21 on-duty firefighting personnel available during each 24-hour period. The Fire Department’s five stations responded to approximately 12,000 calls for service in 2021. Their records indicate that the number of responses has increased every year by approximately 5 to 7 percent. If needed, additional fire assistance can be provided by the following agencies and municipalities with whom Palm Springs has automatic- and mutual-aid agreements:
Riverside County Fire Department (RCFD) – mutual aid
United States Forest Service (USFS) – mutual aid
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) – mutual aid
Bureau of Land Management – mutual aid
Cathedral City – automatic aid
The USFS, RCFD, CAL FIRE, and Bureau of Land Management generally respond to fire emergencies outside the city’s boundaries and in the sphere of influence. The Palm Springs Fire Department is primarily a structure-oriented protective force—these automatic- and mutual-aid agreements ensure an appropriate response to both urban and wildland fires.
GOAL SA8:
Efficient and effective police an d fire protection services to residents, businesses, and visitors of the city.
Policies
SA8.1 Maintain adequate resources to enable the Police
Department and Fire Department to meet response-time
A Palm Springs paramedic
firefighter and a member of the
Palm Springs Mounted Police
return from a successful canyon
rescue.
(Source: City of Palm Springs Fire
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SSAFETY ELEMENT
standards, keep pace with growth, and provide high levels of service.
SA8.2 Maintain a well-trained, well-equipped police force to meet changing needs and conditions by continually updating and revising public safety techniques and providing for
effective evaluation and training of personnel.
SA8.3 Combat crime and increase public safety through
community education programs, including active
involvement in the Neighborhood Watch Program, and
coordinate crime prevention programs at local schools and other meeting locations.
SA8.4 Maintain adequate fire training facilities, equipment, and programs for firefighting and inspection personnel and
educational programs for the general public, including fire safety and prevention and emergency medical information.
SA8.5 Maintain and/or upgrade water facilities to ensure adequate capacity to respond to fire hazards.
SA8.6 Require that all buildings subject to City jurisdiction adhere to fire safety codes.
SA8.7 Continue uniform reporting of all fire emergency data, including type and cause of fire alarm, response time, and damage/injury data.
SA8.8 Promote public education regarding fire safety to address issues such as storage of flammable material and other fire hazards.
SA8.9 Continue to regulate and enforce the installation of fire protection water system standards for all new construction projects built within the city . Standards shall include the installation of fire hydrants providing adequate fire flow, fire sprinkler systems, and wet and dry on-site standpipe systems.
SA8.10 Ensure adequate firefighting resources are available to meet the demands of new development, including the
construction of midrise structures, by ensuring that:
y Fire-flow engine requirements are consistent with
Insurance Service Office (ISO) recommendations.
Item 2A - Page 445
y The heights of truck ladders and other equipment
are sufficient to protect multiple types of
structures.
y Fire stations have adequate capacity and resources
to keep pace with growth and are outside of hazard-
prone areas.
SA8.11 Use percentage of completion goals as the standard for the distribution and concentration of fire crews throughout the city, as recommended in the Standards for Response Cover D e p l o y m e n t A n a l y s i s f o r t h e C i t y o f P a l m S p r i n g s F i r e Department.
CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE
In Palm Springs, climate change hazards include air quality, drought, extreme heat and warm nights, flooding, human health hazards, landslides, severe storms, and wi ldfires. This section provides background information, goals, an d policies on the climate change not discussed previously in the Safety Element. Appendix X provides additional details about climate change hazards and the vulnerable populations and community assets in Palm Springs.
Air Quality
The dominant sources of air pollu tion in Palm Springs are ozone pollution from vehicle exhaust and agricultural soils, fine particulate matter and dust from the Salton Sea, and smoke from wildfires in the region. Higher future temperatures will likely increase the production of ground-level ozone, especially in desert cities like Palm Springs, which already experience high levels of this pollutant.
Ground-level ozone is associated with a variety of negative health outcomes, including reduced lung function, pneumonia, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, and premature death. As more frequent and severe drought and extreme heat occur in the region, the playa on the Salton Sea is expected to dry, increasing dust production and creating toxic airborne emissions in the region. Smoke from wildfires in the region can also increase air pollution levels and create a significant health risk in the region.
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Drought is a recurring pattern in
California’s climate. The State
recently experienced the 5-year
drought event from 2012 to 2016.
Other notable historic droughts in
California include 2007 to 2009,
1987 to 1992, 1976 to 1977, and
off-and-on dry conditions spanning
more than a decade in the 1920s
and 1930s.
Source: California Department of
Water Resources. N.d.
https://water.ca.gov/water-
Drought
A drought occurs when conditions are drier than normal for an extended period, making less water available for people and ecosystems. Drought is different than many of the other natural hazards in that it is not a distinct event and usually has a slow onset.
Drought can severely impact a region both physically and economically, affecting different sectors in different ways and with varying intensities. Adequate water is the most critical issue for commercial and domestic use. As the population in the city continues to grow, so will the demand for water.
Based on historical information, the occurrence of drought in California, including the Coachella Valley, is cyclical, driven by weather patterns. Drought has occurred in the past and will occur in the future. Periods of actual drought with adverse impacts can vary in duration, and the period between droughts is often extended.
Although an area may be under an extended dry period, determining when it becomes a drought is based on impacts to individual water users. The impacts from drought include reduction in water supply and water quality.
Palm Springs receives water from the Coachella Valley Water District, Desert Water Agency, and Mission Springs Water District through groundwater, purchased water, and recycled water sources. Based on the 2018 Coachella Valley Integrated Regional Water Management Plan, the Coachella Valley obtains most of its water from the Colorado River, with small amounts from groundwater and recycled water sources. The water agencies have State Water Project allocations, but due to infrastructure limitations, these allocations are exchanged as part of an agreement with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for Colorado River water. The Colorado River experiences a reduction in water supply during drought conditions.
This can cause water shortages and heavier reliance on groundwater supplies to meet the needs of Palm Springs residents and businesses.
Each water district and agency providing water to Palm Springs has a Water Shortage Contingency Plan with specific demand reduction actions to conserve water and ensure reliable supplies. The price of water could, however, increase through drought rate surcharges, increasing the economic instability of low-income residents.
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Extreme Heat and Warm Nights
While there is no universal definition of extreme heat, California guidance documents define extreme heat as temperatures that are hotter than 98 percent of the historical high temperatures for the area, as measured between April and October of 1961 to 1990. Days that reach this level are called extreme heat days. In Palm Springs, an extreme heat day occurs when temperatures reach above 107.1 degrees Fahrenheit citywide. However , this threshold is approximately 113 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit in the more urbanized city center . According to Cal-Adapt, the number of extreme heat days in Palm Springs is projected to increase from a historic annual average of 4 extreme heat days per year to an average of 28 extreme heat days per year by midcentury and an average of 50 extreme heat days per year by the end of the century.
Extreme heat can also occur in the form of warmer nights when temperatures do not cool enough overnight to provide relief from the heat. In Palm Springs, a warm night occurs when the temperature remains above 74.2 degrees Fahrenheit citywide. Similar to extreme heat, this threshold would be higher in the more urbanized city center of Palm Springs. The number of warm nights in Palm Springs is projected to increase from a historical annual average of 4 warm n i g h t s p e r y e a r t o a n a v e r a g e o f 3 2 w a r m n i g h t s p e r y e a r b y midcentury and an average of 64 warm nights per year by the end of the century.
Although Palm Springs is accustomed to warmer temperatures, prolonged extreme heat and warm nights can cause heat-related illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, in addition to exacerbating respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.
Some homes in Palm Springs may lack central air conditioning, and as a result people living in these homes may be more susceptible to harm from extreme heat events. If homes have air conditioning, residents may find increased use cost prohibitive, especially for older or less efficient systems. Indirectly, extreme heat puts more stress on power lines, causing them to run less efficiently. The heat also causes more demand for electricity (usually to run air conditioning units), and in combination with the stress on the power lines, may lead to brownouts and blackouts.
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Human Health Hazards
There are several diseases, such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Lyme disease, West Nile virus, and influenza, that are linked to climate change and can be debilitating or fatal for some of the population. Pests such as mice, rats, ticks, and mosquitos carry these diseases. Climate change can increase the rates of infections because many of the animals that carry diseases are more active during warmer weather , and their populations may expand in size due to higher levels of rainfall during storm events and stagnant water after flooding, increasing the time for disease transmittal. Some diseases and illnesses have the potential to become epidemics or pandemics if they spread within communities, regions, or over multiple countries.
Epidemics and pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can worsen existing health conditions as well as cause economic disruptions in the city and region. Mental health and stress-related disorders also increase following natural disasters such as flooding or severe weather events.
Severe Storms
Severe weather can include high winds, sandstorms, hail, and lightning, which are usually caused by intense storm systems, although high winds and sandstorms can occur without a storm, as discussed above in the Geologic Hazards section. While the connection between climate change and severe storms is not as well established as other hazards, new evidence suggests that these forms o f s e v e r e w e a t h e r m a y o c c u r m o r e o f t e n t h a n i n t h e p a s t d u e t o climate change.
Severe winds, such as the Santa Ana winds, tend to be most frequent during October to April and can have average speeds of 40 miles per hour . These winds can destroy buildings, knock over trees, damage power lines and electrical equipment, and fan small sparks into large wildfires in the region. These winds can also pick up dust and other particulate matter from the desert or dry lakebed of the Salton Sea, causing sandstorms that lower visibility and cause toxic particulate matter to get into buildings. In sev ere instances, road w a ys can be blocked and other infrastructure damaged by a sandstorm. Severe storms can also bring heavy rainfa ll, which can lead to flash floods and ponding in areas of the city not protected by a levee. Though less common in the city, hail and lightning can damage the buildings and infrastructure supporting economic sectors and key services.
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Key Population Vulnerabilities
Climate change hazards that create the most vulnerabilities in Palm Springs include wildfire, extreme heat, and air quality. The most vulnerable populations include households with financial instability such as households in poverty; persons that spend an extended amount of time outdoors such as children and outdoor workers; persons with existing health conditions or limited mobility such as seniors or persons with chronic illnesses; and persons with language barriers and citizenship uncertainty.
Persons with financial instability are more likely to live in older homes with poor or inefficient insulation, less structural stability, or lack of efficient or reliable air conditioning. These conditions can increase exposure to unsafe living conditions due to mold and mildew damage from flooding, high indoor air temperatures from extreme heat and warm nights, and poor indoor air quality from air pollution and severe weather. Persons that spend an extended amount of time outdoors could be directly exposed to poor air quality, extreme heat, human health hazards, and smoke from wildfires, causing illnesses or economic hardship.
Persons with existing health conditions or limited mobility may have difficulty preparing for or recovering from hazards, especially if evacuations are needed.
Persons with language barriers and citizenship uncertainty are more likely to live in less resilient structures and may be hesitant to seek help or may not qualify for financial assistance programs that can help them prepare and recover from a
disaster .
Other vulnerable populations include persons experiencing homelessness, as they may not have access or the ability to travel to safe shelters to hazardous events, in addition to persons living on single access roads, which could be blocked by landslides or wildfires preventing this population from evacuating.
Appendix X provides a more detailed description on the population vulnerabilities in Palm Springs due to climate change hazards.
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Palm Springs 2040 General Plan Page 6-71
SSAFETY ELEMENT
GGOAL SA9:
A community resilient to climate-change-related hazards.
Policies
SA9.1 Elevate extreme heat as an important hazard of concern in Palm Springs and respond to extreme temperatures.
SA9.2 Coordinate with SunLine Transit Agency and regional transit providers to identify alternate routes and stops if normal infrastructure is damaged or closed as a result of severe storms or flooding.
SA9.3 Coordinate with Southern California Edison and Desert Clean Energy to incentivize residential and on-site solar systems, especially when paired with battery storage to provide a resilient energy supply for homes.
SA9.4 Coordinate with County of Riverside Public Health to ensure emergency and public health services can meet the needs of the population during extreme heat, poor air
quality, and human health hazard events.
SA9.5 Increase the resiliency of City-owned structures to severe storm events and support homeowners and business
owners to increase the resilience of their buildings and properties through retrofits, weatherization, and other improvements.
SA9.6 Collaborate with Southern California Edison to
underground electrical transmission infrastructure
throughout the city, prioritizing high voltage transmission lines and ar eas in V ery High Fire Hazard Sev erity Zones and the Wildland Urban Interface.
SA9.7 Promote and expand the use of drought-tolerant green infrastructure, including street trees and landscaped areas, as part of cooling strategies in public and private spaces.
SA9.8 Prepare for more frequent and severe drought events by working with regional water providers to implement
extensive water conservation measures and ensure
sustainable water supplies.
Item 2A - Page 451
SA9.9 Encourage businesses that have outdoor workers to allow for shifting in work hours to earlier in the day from May through September to reduce heat-related illnesses among outdoor workers on extreme heat days.
SA9.10 Prepare for more frequent and severe drought events by working with Desert Water Agency and other regional
water providers to implement extensive water
conservation measures and ensure sustainable water
supplies.
SA9.11 Encourage new developments and existing property owners to incorporate sustainable, energy-efficient, and environmentally regenerative features into their facilities, landscapes, and structures to reduce energy demands and improve on-site resilience. Support financing efforts to increase the communities funding of these features.
SA9.12 Where feasible, encourage the use or restoration of existing natural features and ecosystem processes when
considering alternatives for the conservation, preservation, or sustainable management of open space. This may
include, but is not limited to, aquatic or terrestrial
vegetated open space, systems and practices that use or mimic natural processes, and other engineered systems to provide clean water, conserve ecosystem values and
functions, and provide a wide array of benefits to people and wildlife.
SA9.13 Collaborate with Southern California Edison, Desert Clean Energy, and organizations such as the Community Access
Center to ensure that those who depend on electricity
supply for medical devices and refrigerating medication have backup energy supplies during extreme heat and
extreme wind events.
SA9.14 Look for opportunities to ensure that workers in outdoor industries have the training and resources to be adequately protected from environmental hazards, including extreme heat, poor air quality, pests, and diseases.
SA9.15 Collaborate with Riverside County Department of Public Health and healthcare providers to prepare for disasters and health emergencies, minimizing disruptions to medical services and facilities in Palm Springs.
Item 2A - Page 452
Palm Springs 2040 General Plan Page 6-73
SSAFETY ELEMENT
MULTIPLE NATURAL HAZARDS
Due to the location in an eart hquake prone region, floodplains, wildfire prone area, and steep topography, Palm Springs is in an area that can experience multiple, simultaneous natural hazards. These can also be called compounding hazards or cascading hazards.
Compounding hazards could include a flood event that is followed by earthquake, which are unrelated events that could compound to increase liquefaction in soils near floodplains. Cascading hazards, on the other hand, occur one after the other . For example, an increase in extreme heat events and drought can dry out juniper woodlands in the San Jacinto Mountains, leading to more fuel for wildfire, which can lead to a faster moving and higher burning wildfire. The burn scar of that wildfire could then experience heavy rainfall, which could lead to a landslide, rockfall, or debris flow. This cascading of hazards is shown on Figure 6-11. All of these hazards are discussed separately above, but when combined, these hazards can cause more devastating consequences for Palm Springs residents, visitors, and businesses.
Figure 6-11. Example of Cascading Hazards
Increase in extreme heat events and drought can dry out juniper woodlands.
More fuel for fires development in the San Jacinto Mountains.
Wildfires spread faster and burn hotter .
Wildfires burn the vegetation supporting the slopes on the mountainside.
Heavy rainfall or an earthquake cause the unstable slope to form into a landslide, debris flow, or rock fall.
Compounding Hazards: Events
where more than one hazard
occurs at the same time and
interact to cause more destructive
consequences.
Cascading Hazards: Extreme
events that link together hazards
over days, weeks, or months,
resulting in multiplied effects that
cause secondary and sometimes
tertiary damage, exceeding the
damage of the initial hazard event.
Item 2A - Page 453
GGOAL SA10:
A community prepared for multiple natural hazards.
Policies
SA10.1 Require that proposed essential, sensitive, and high- occupancy facilities undergo careful seismic, geologic, flooding, and fire review prior to any approvals and that effective post-disaster functioning be a primary concern in the siting, design, and construction standards for essential facilities.
SA10.2 Minimize the risk to life and property through the identification of potentially hazardous areas, adherence to proper construction design criteria, and provision of
hazards information to all residents and business owners.
SA10.3 Where appropriate, designate hazard zones as open space (earthquake fault lines, floodways and floodplains, steep or unstable slopes, areas susceptible to rockfalls and
landslides, wildfire prone areas, etc.) and update these areas on the land use map.
SA10.4 Encourage and cooperate with Caltrans to stabilize susceptible slopes and strengthen bridges, elevated
roadways, and other structures along state highways that may be subject to failure during major hazardous events, thereby isolating portions of the community from
emergency aid and assistance.
SA10.5 Provide protection for roadways and utility lines from all applicable hazard conditions to ensure they remain open for evacuation needs.
SA10.6 Continue to use the Emergency Announcement System to implement hazard warnings and evacuation plans for those p o r t i o n s o f t h e c i t y i n fl o o d h a z a r d z o n e s , w i l d f i r e - a n d landslide-prone areas, and seismically active areas that have already been inhabited or developed and for critical facilities such as schools.
Item 2A - Page 454
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SSAFETY ELEMENT
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Item 2A - Page 455
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PALM SPRINGS SAFETY ELEMENT | DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMS September 2024
This section serves as a working checklist of implementation programs for City staff and local decision makers to ensure that the General Plan vision is realized. The following table of Implementation Programs lists specific actions that should be pursued to implement each goal and policy in the City’s General Plan. An implementation program is an action, procedure, program, or technique that carries out goals and policies.
Implementation measures are comprehensive in nature, encompassing amendments of existing and preparation of new plans, ordinances, and development of design standards; administration of City procedures and development review and approval processes; and interagency coordination.
For each action, a recommended timeframe for completion is noted and the responsible City department is listed. The timeframes are delineated as follows:
Ongoing: Actions that continue or are periodically implemented through the life of the General Plan Short: 1-5 years
Mid: When resources become available, but prioritized after 5 years Long: 10 years or more
The described programs and actions are intended to inform and guide the development of the City’s annual budget. During that time, City staff will review and prioritize the level of expenditure necessary to carry out the prescribed action and program. Completion of a recommended implementation program will depend on a number of factors such as citizen priorities, finances, and staff availability.
To enable Palm Springs’ General Plan to serve its purpose effectively, the list of programs and actions need to be reviewed, maintained, and implemented in a systematic and consistent manner. At a minimum, the programs and timeframes described in this chapter should be comprehensively reviewed and updated at least once every five (5) years to reflect available fiscal resources, community needs, and priorities.
Revisions to these shall not constitute an amendment of the General Plan, provided that they are consistent with the Vision Statement and carry out its goals and policies. As such, future revisions to this Implementation Plan will not necessitate environmental review to conform to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements, as each item described in this Plan will require subsequent action and evaluation.
Item 2A - Page 456
Page | 2
GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
Goal
SSA1 MMinimized risk to life, property, and essential facilities from disasters through eemergency preparedness, response, and rrecovery.
Policies
SA1.1 Locate new
essential facilities outside
of hazard prone areas,
including Very High Fire
Hazard Severity Zones,
100-year and 500-year
floodplains, moderate to
high landslide
susceptibility areas, and
Alquist-Priolo Fault Zones
to ensure that they remain
in operation during and
after hazard events.
N/A Planning Ongoing
SA1.2 Collaborate with
agencies and
organizations that own
and operate essential
structures to ensure, to the
fullest extent possible, that
in the event of a major
disaster, essential
structures and facilities
IM-SA 1.1 Identify all essential and
sensitive facilities that
do not have back-up
electricity supply and
obtain funding to
ensure that all essential
and sensitive facilities
have at least two
None Planning, Engineering,
Fire, Emergency
Management
Short
Item 2A - Page 457
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
remain safe and
functional, including but
not limited to, retrofitting
existing essential facilities
to withstand hazardous
events.
sources of obtaining
electricity.
SA1.3 Incorporate the
current Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan into this
Safety Element by
reference, as permitted by
California Government
Code Section 65302.6 to
ensure that emergency
response and evacuation
routes are accessible
throughout the city.
IM-SA 1.2 Pursue funding to
implement the City’s
LHMP and Safety
Element actions as such
revenues become
available.
None Planning, Fire,
Emergency
Management
Ongoing
IM-SA 1.3 Integrate the most
current LHMP
mitigation actions into
the City’s Capital
Improvement Plan.
None Finance and Treasury,
Engineering
Ongoing
Item 2A - Page 458
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA1.4 Coordinate disaster
preparedness and
recovery with other
governmental agencies
and continue to cooperate
with surrounding cities,
Riverside County, the
State of California, and the
various federal and tribal
agencies to provide
cooperative emergency
preparedness and
response in emergency
situations.
N/A Emergency
Management, Fire,
Police
Ongoing
SA1.5 Continue to
participate in Master and
Automatic Mutual Aid
Agreements for long-term
fire, police, medical
response, public works,
building inspection, mass
care, and heavy rescue
planning and response.
N/A Fire, Police Ongoing
SA1.6 Continue to
prepare the community to
respond to emergencies
by conducting public
IM-SA 1.4 Continue to conduct
public outreach efforts
to prepare the
community and provide
SA8.30 Emergency
Management,
Neighborhood
Involvement
Ongoing
Item 2A - Page 459
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
outreach programs such
as CERT.
them with guidance on
how to respond to
natural disasters.
SA1.7 Enlist the
cooperation of the
business community to
develop its own disaster
response plans and have
provisions for food, water,
first aid, and shelter for
employees who may not
be able to return home for
several days following a
major disaster.
IM-SA 1.5 Develop a program to
train employees of
hotels and restaurants
and other places of
public assembly in
providing first aid,
including
cardiopulmonary
resuscitation.
None Planning, Emergency
Management,
Neighborhood
Involvement
Short
SA1.8 Formulate and
maintain police, fire,
evacuation,
hospitalization, and
recovery programs in
response to all types of
natural and human-caused
hazards.
IM-SA 1.6 Implement the
Emergency Operations
Plan adopted by the
City incorporating the
following three
emphases: hazard
mitigation, disaster
response, and self-
sufficiency/mutual
support of residents,
business, and industry.
SA8.3 Fire, Police Ongoing
IM-SA 1.7 Exercise and upgrade
the City’s disaster
response plans and, at
least annually, conduct
SA8.5 Fire Ongoing
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Page | 6
GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
earthquake- and
disaster-response
exercises using the
adopted emergency
management system to
evaluate their
practicality and
effectiveness.
IM-SA 1.8 Continue to implement
a fire safety and
emergency evacuation
program for multistory
structures. Such a
program should
include evacuation
exercises and
educational programs
for those living in
multistory structures.
SA8.11 Fire, Police Ongoing
IM-SA 1.9 Develop an evacuation
assistance program, in
coordination with
SunLine Transit Agency,
paratransit, and dial-a-
ride agencies to help
those with limited
mobility or lack of
access to a vehicle
evacuate safely.
None Planning, Fire Short
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA1.9 Plan for and
facilitate the rapid and
effective recovery of the
city following a disaster,
prevent the recurrence of
specific problems and
hazards encountered
during a disaster, and plan
for alternative sources of
financing for
reconstruction.
IM-SA
1.10 Establish a standing
committee for disaster
recovery to provide
contingency planning
for the rapid and
effective reconstruction
of the City of Palm
Springs following a
disaster. The committee
shall include
representatives of the
City Council, Planning
Commission, Economic
Development
Commission, and
appropriate City staff.
SA8.7 City Manager,
Emergency
Management
Short
IM-SA
1.11 Implement disaster
recovery guidelines for
the exercise of
emergency authorities
for such purposes as:
Rapid designation
of redevelopment
areas.
Revision of land use,
circulation and
SA8.8 City Manager,
Planning, Emergency
Management
Mid
Item 2A - Page 462
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
parking
requirements, and
institution of other
programs for
improving the
community
environment.
Adoption and
institution of special
programs for
disaster recovery.
Funding of disaster
recovery measures.
Moratoria on
reconstruction in
any high-hazard
areas where
damage could be
repeated in
aftershocks or in
future earthquakes.
Amendments to
codes and
ordinances.
Establishment of
Geologic Hazard
Item 2A - Page 463
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
Abatement Districts,
as appropriate.
Designation of sites
for temporary
housing (e.g., travel
trailers and
prefabricated
construction) of
households made
homeless in a
disaster, in
cooperation with the
Disaster Housing
Program of the
Federal Emergency
Management
Agency.
SA1.10 Ensure
interoperability of cellular
and radio networks
before, during, and after a
disaster for emergency
responders.
N/A Engineering Ongoing
SA1.11 Include
procedures for traffic
control, emergency
evacuations and housing,
N/A Planning Short
Item 2A - Page 464
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
and security of damaged
areas in all disaster
response plans.
SA1.12 Evaluate new
developments for their
ability to provide proper
police and fire protection
and allow for effective
evacuations. Project
review should include, but
is not limited to, adequacy
of internal circulation
systems, sufficiency of
peakload water supplies,
and provision of project
directories, street names,
and numbering systems.
N/A Planning, Building Ongoing
SA1.13 Ensure that new
development does not
result in a reduction of law
enforcement or fire
protection emergency
response services below
acceptable levels.
N/A Planning, Fire, Police Ongoing
SA1.14 Require that all
new buildings have at
least two points of
ingress/egress in project
design.
N/A Planning Short
Item 2A - Page 465
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA1.15 Work with
property owners to create
at least two points of
access for existing
development within the
Very High Fire Hazard
Severity Zone or the
Wildland-Urban Interface.
IM-SA
1.12 Update the Palm
Springs Municipal
Code to require new
developments to have
at least two ingress and
egress routes,
accounting for existing
and proposed traffic
evacuation volumes at
buildout.
Fire Mid
SA1.16 Ensure adequate
dissemination of public
emergency information to
residents and businesses
on actions to minimize
damage and facilitate
recovery from a natural
disaster, in a variety of
language and formats that
are appropriate for the
demographics of
residents.
IM-SA
1.13 Ensure the availability
of both the Safety
Element and City
emergency-
preparedness plans,
such as the Local
Hazard Mitigation Plan
and Emergency
Operations Plan, to
employers and
residents of Palm
Springs on the City’s
website and hard
copies at public
libraries.
None Communications,
Library, Emergency
Management
Ongoing
IM-SA
1.14 Train multilingual
personnel to assist in
evacuation and other
emergency preparation
SA8.13 Emergency
Management, Fire,
Police, Public Works
Short
Item 2A - Page 466
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
and response activities
to meet the community
need.
IM-SA
1.15 Continue to keep the
City’s public awareness
programs on natural-
disaster management
and emergency
preparedness up-to-
date on current hazards
and issues and seek
public participation in
the development of
hazard mitigation and
disaster recovery
programs.
SA1.4 Emergency
Management,
Communications,
Planning
Ongoing
SA1.17 Integrate climate
change hazards into
emergency preparedness
and response plans.
IM-SA
1.16 Update the Emergency
Operations Plan to
integrate climate
change hazards, such
as windstorms, wildfire,
extreme heat events,
and flooding, into the
City’s emergency
response framework.
None Emergency
Management
Short
SA1.18 Establish a
network of equitably
located resilience centers
throughout Palm Springs
IM-SA
1.17 Pre-identify emergency
shelters, cooling
centers, and resilience
centers that meet the
None Emergency
Management
Short
Item 2A - Page 467
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
and ensure that resilience
centers are situated
outside of areas at risk
from hazard impacts to
the extent possible; offer
refuge from extreme heat
and poor air quality due to
regional wildfire smoke or
severe wind events; and
are equipped with
renewable energy
generation and backup
power supplies. Such
facilities should be in
easily accessible locations
and be available to all
community members, with
set temperature, air
quality, or other triggers
for when they will be
open.
access and functional
needs guidance from
FEMA.
IM-SA
1.18 Identify existing
facilities to serve as
resilience centers and
cooling centers that are
open during
emergencies or specific
temperature triggers
for residents to go to
seek refuge from
extreme heat days or
emergency shelter.
None Emergency
Management
Short
SA1.19 Identify, assess,
and reassess evacuation
routes and develop a
multi-hazard evacuation
plan to ensure evacuation
routes remain open and
functional during
emergencies. Reassess
IM-SA
1.19 Identify, assess, and
reassess evacuation
routes and develop a
multi-hazard evacuation
plan to ensure
evacuation routes
remain open and
functional during
None Emergency
Management, Police,
Fire
Short
Item 2A - Page 468
Page | 14
GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
the effectiveness of the
evacuation routes with the
update of the Palm
Springs Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan.
emergencies. Reassess
the effectiveness of the
evacuation routes with
the update of Palm
Springs Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan.
SA1.20 Ensure emergency
evacuation routes are
constructed and
maintained to remain
open during and after
disasters.
IM-SA
1.20 Develop an evacuation
plan for all hazards and
reassess the
effectiveness of the
evacuation routes with
the update of the Palm
Springs Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan.
None Emergency
Management, Police,
Fire, Planning
Short
Goal
SSA2 MMinimized physical and environmental effects of seismic hazards in the city.
Policies
SA2.1 Require geologic
and geotechnical
investigations in areas of
potential seismic hazards
such as fault rupture,
seismic shaking,
liquefaction, and slope
failure, as part of the
environmental and/or
development review
process for all structures
and enforce structural
IM-SA 2.1 Require new
development to analyze
the stability of large
temporary slopes prior
to construction and
provide mitigation
measures as needed.
SA2.4 Planning, Building,
Engineering
Ongoing
IM-SA 2.2 Require new
development in areas
subject to slope failure,
SA1.1 Planning, Building,
Engineering
Ongoing
Item 2A - Page 469
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
setbacks from faults that
are identified through
those investigations in
accordance with the
Seismic Hazards Mapping
Act. Require subsurface
investigations of the
Garnet Hill Fault if and as
that area of northern Palm
Springs is developed.
rockfalls, or landslides
to prepare a detailed
geotechnical analysis to
maximize site safety
and compatibility with
community character.
SA2.2 Coordinate with the
National Earthquake
Hazard Reduction
Program of the Federal
Emergency Management
Agency, United States
Geologic Survey, and the
California Geologic Survey
to identify earthquake
risks and available
mitigation techniques.
IM-SA 2.3 Participate with
surrounding
communities and
applicable state and
federal agencies to
maintain maps
illustrating the location
of seismic and
geological hazard
zones occurring within
the City boundaries and
sphere of influence.
SA1.2 Planning Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA2.3 Enforce the
requirements of the
California Seismic Hazards
Mapping and Alquist-
Priolo Earthquake Fault
Zoning Acts when siting,
evaluating, and
constructing new projects
within the city.
IM-SA 2.3 Maintain maps of
seismic and geologic
hazards.
SA1.2 Planning Ongoing
SA2.4 Disallow the
construction of buildings
designed for human
occupancy within 50 feet
of an active fault and
prevent new critical,
sensitive, and high-
occupancy facilities from
being located within 100
feet of a potentially active
fault.
N/A Planning Ongoing
SA2.5 Require that
engineered slopes be
designed to resist
earthquake-induced
failure.
N/A Planning, Engineering Ongoing
SA2.6 Maintain an
ordinance for upgrading
unreinforced masonry
IM-SA 2.4 Conduct a building
inventory to locate,
count, and identify
None Building Short
Item 2A - Page 471
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
buildings and removing
hazardous or substandard
structures that may
collapse in the event of an
earthquake, in accordance
with the Unreinforced
Masonry Law that is
tailored to the local
conditions of Palm
Springs.
buildings by structural
type and occupancy.
Weak structures shall
be retrofitted or
rehabilitated to current
building and fire codes.
SA2.8 Ensure that the
highest and most current
professional standards for
seismic design are used in
the design of Essential,
Sensitive, and High-
Occupancy facilities.
IM-SA 2.5 Assess existing
essential and sensitive
facilities with significant
seismic vulnerabilities,
and upgrade, relocate,
or phase them out as
appropriate.
SA8.1 Planning, Building,
Engineering
Mid
IM-SA 2.6 Update the Palm
Springs Municipal
Code as needed in
response to new
geologic and seismic
hazard information and
standards developed at
the State level.
None Planning Ongoing
SA2.9 Require
liquefaction-mitigation
measures in the
construction of bridges,
N/A Engineering Ongoing
Item 2A - Page 472
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
roadways, major utility
lines, or park
improvements (e.g.,
bridges and trails) in
potentially liquefiable
areas, such as the
Whitewater riverbed or at
the mouths of canyons.
SA2.10 Encourage the
local gas and water
purveyors to review and
retrofit their main
distribution pipes, with
priority given to the lines
that cross or are near the
mapped traces of the
Banning and Garnet Hill
Faults, in order to maintain
essential facilities.
IM-SA 2.7 Maintain an educational
public outreach
program in
coordination with local
utility companies, the
Coachella Valley Water
District, the Desert
Water Agency, the Palm
Springs Unified School
District, police and fire
departments, and
others outlining
appropriate action
before, during, and
after earthquakes and
other disasters.
SA1.3 Fire, Engineering Ongoing
SA2.11 Participate in local,
county, and State-
sponsored earthquake
preparedness programs.
IM-SA 2.7 Maintain an educational
public outreach
program in
coordination with
service providers
SA1.3 Fire, Engineering Ongoing
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ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
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PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
before, during, and
after disasters.
Goal
SSA3 AA city protected, to the ggreatest extent possible, from geologic hazards.
Policies
SA3.1 Minimize grading
and other changes to the
natural topography to
protect public safety and
reduce the potential for
property damage as a
result of geologic hazards.
IM-SA 2.1 Require new
development to analyze
the stability of large
temporary slopes prior
to construction and
provide mitigation
measures as needed.
SA2.4 Planning, Building,
Engineering
Ongoing
SA3.2 Limit the
development of
permanent slopes to the
inclinations permitted by
building codes.
N/A Planning, Building Ongoing
SA3.3 In the areas of Palm
Springs susceptible to
landslide hazards (see
Figure 6-4), require
geotechnical
investigations that include
engineering analyses of
slope stability, surface and
subsurface drainage
specifications, potential
impacts of slope failure to
downslope properties,
IM-SA 2.2 Require new
development in areas
subject to slope failure,
rockfalls, or landslides
to prepare a detailed
geotechnical analysis to
maximize site safety
and compatibility with
community character.
SA1.1 Planning, Building,
Engineering
Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
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ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
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PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
and detailed
recommendations for fill
placement and excavation
as part of the
environmental and/or
development review
process for all new or
significant alterations to
structures.
SA3.4 Prohibit the
reconstruction of
structures meant for
human habitation that are
damaged or destroyed by
failed slopes unless the
applicant can prove that
the remedial measures
proposed will improve
slope conditions and
make the site suitable for
redevelopment.
N/A Planning, Building,
Engineering
Ongoing
SA3.5 Construct
protective devices such as
barriers, rock fences,
retaining structures, or
catchment areas in areas
susceptible to rockfalls
and/or landslides.
IM-SA 3.1 Protect slopes within
developed areas from
concentrated water
flow over the tops of
the slopes by the use of
berms or walls.
Engineer all ridge-top
building pads to direct
SA2.15 Planning, Building,
Engineering
Ongoing
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2007
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PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
drainage away from
slopes.
SA3.6 Participate in
regional programs
designed to protect
groundwater resources
and the regional
groundwater basin from
the hazard of regional
ground subsidence.
IM-SA 3.2 Coordinate with local
water purveyors to
develop and implement
a groundwater
monitoring program to
combat ground
subsidence as a result
of groundwater
withdrawal.
SA2.4 Planning, Building,
Engineering
Ongoing
SA3.7 Protect slopes from
the effects of erosion by
directing surface water
away from slope faces and
planting slopes with
drought-resistant, ground-
covering vegetation.
IM-SA 3.3 Initiate a public
education program that
focuses on reducing
losses from geologic
hazards, including the
importance of proper
irrigation practices and
the care and
maintenance of slopes
and drainage devices.
SA2.2 Neighborhood
Involvement, Fire,
Communications
Short
IM-SA 3.1 Protect slopes within
developed areas from
flooding.
SA2.15 Planning, Building,
Engineering
Ongoing
SA3.8 Prohibit the
construction of hilltop
homes or structures above
natural slopes at the head
N/A Planning Ongoing
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ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
of steep drainage
channels or gullies.
SA3.9 Ensure that
structures placed near the
bases of slopes or the
mouths of small canyons,
swales, washes, and
gullies are protected from
sedimentation.
IM-SA 3.4 Conduct a focused
assessment of the effect
of debris flow hazards
on individual structures
located or planned in
vulnerable positions,
including canyon areas,
the toes of steep,
natural slopes, and the
mouths of drainage
channels.
SA2.7 Planning, Engineering Mid
SA3.10 Encourage the
incorporation of wind
barriers, architectural
design or features, and
drought-resistant ground
coverage in new
development site designs
to mitigate the impacts
from erosion and
windblown sand.
IM-SA 3.1 Protect slopes within
developed areas from
flooding.
SA2.15 Planning, Building,
Engineering
Ongoing
Goal
SSA4 MMinimized risk to life, property, and essential facilities from flooding and other hydrological hazards within the city.
Policies
SA4.1 Evaluate all
development proposals
located in areas that are
IM-SA 4.1 Implement the
regulations of the City
of Palm Springs Flood
SA3.8 Planning, Building,
Engineering
Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
subject to flooding for
consistency and
compliance with the flood
damage prevention
standards in the Municipal
Code to minimize the
exposure of life and
property to potential flood
risks.
Damage Prevention
Ordinance (Municipal
Code Section 8.68) to
minimize public and
private losses for
properties within 100-
year and 500-year flood
zone areas.
SA4.2 Require that future
planning for new
development consider the
impact of increased
pervious surfaces on
downstream flooding as
well as the impact of flood
control structures on the
environment, both locally
and regionally.
N/A Planning, Engineering Ongoing
SA4.3 Continue to work
with the Federal
Emergency Management
Agency, Riverside County
Flood Control and Water
Conservation District, the
Coachella Valley Water
District, and the United
States Army Corps of
Engineers to receive and
IM-SA 4.2 Continue to work with
Coachella Valley
Association of
Governments to
implement all-weather
crossings over the
major drainage
channels: e.g., Indian
Canyon Drive, Gene
Autry Trail, and Vista
SA3.6 Engineering Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
implement updated flood-
control measures and
information.
Chino across the
Whitewater River.
SA4.4 Coordinate with
Riverside County Flood
Control and Water
Conservation District to
provide drainage controls
and improvements that
enhance local conditions
and are consistent with
and complement the
Regional Master Drainage
Plan and ensure that
updated and effective
Master Drainage Plans are
implemented in a timely
fashion.
IM-SA 4.3 With assistance from
the Coachella Valley
Water District and the
Riverside County Flood
Control and Water
Conservation District,
develop and continually
update a Regional
Master Drainage Plan
for the City, providing
these entities with land
use and other relevant
data and information.
SA3.1 Engineering Ongoing
IM-SA 4.4 Coordinate with
Riverside County Flood
Control and Water
Conservation District to
update Area Drainage
Plans for purposes of
funding needed
drainage improvements
benefiting defined
tributary areas of the
community.
SA3.6 Engineering Ongoing
IM-SA 4.5 Design underground
storm drains serving
SA3.11 Engineering Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
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ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
local neighborhoods to
accommodate runoff
from a 10-year
frequency storm for
conveyance to a
downstream outlet and
locate them in existing
or proposed street
rights-of-way where
possible. Flows
exceeding the 10-year
frequency storm will be
carried within public
rights-of-way.
IM-SA 4.6 Partner with the
Riverside County Flood
Control and Water
Conservation District to
continue to improve
flood control structures
throughout the city.
Retrofit any flood
control structures at risk
of structural failure to
minimize damage from
earthquakes.
None Engineering Ongoing
SA4.5 Provide direction
and guidelines for the
development of on-site
IM-SA 4.7 Use the Regional
Master Drainage Plans
and other regional
SA3.2 Engineering Ongoing
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ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
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PLAN
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DEPARTMENT TIMING
stormwater retention
facilities consistent with
local and regional
drainage plans and
community design
standards.
guidelines to direct the
management of runoff
and provide for local
drainage facilities that
tie into and maximize
the effective use of
regional drainage
facilities.
SA4.6 Use nature-based
solutions and green
infrastructure to the extent
feasible to design flood-
control facilities so that
biological impacts are
minimized and locally
significant habitat is either
avoided or replaced.
N/A Engineering Ongoing
SA4.7 Discourage the
introduction of flood-
control measures in the
undeveloped areas of
Palm Springs at the
expense of environmental
degradation.
N/A Planning Ongoing
SA4.8 Continue to leave
existing watercourses and
streams natural wherever
possible by developing
them as parks, nature
N/A Engineering, Parks,
Planning
Ongoing
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ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
trails, or passive or active
recreation areas that could
withstand inundation and
provide for their
enhancement as wildlife
habitat.
SA4.9 Ensure that design
opportunities for
enhanced open space and
recreation amenities,
including habitat
enhancement, hiking, and
equestrian trails, are fully
explored and
incorporated when
designing and
constructing channels,
debris and detention
basins, and other major
drainage facilities, to the
greatest extent practical,
in coordination with the
Coachella Valley Water
District and the Riverside
County Flood Control and
Water Conservation
District.
N/A Parks, Engineering Ongoing
SA4.10 Require xeriscape
in open space areas in
IM-SA 4.8 Adopt or update local
drainage policies and
SA3.3 Planning, Engineering Short
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
new development,
provide the maximum
permeable surface area to
reduce site runoff, and
prohibit unnecessary
paving.
development standards
that reduce the rate of
runoff from developed
lands by increasing
permeable surfaces,
using green stormwater
infrastructure, and
implementing low-
impact development
practices, which are
consistent with
capacities of public
facilities and local and
regional management
plans, while providing
opportunities for open
space enhancement
and multi-use.
SA4.11 Continue to
participate in the National
Flood Insurance Program.
IM-SA 4.9 With assistance from
the Coachella Valley
Water District, file the
appropriate FEMA
application materials
and secure
amendments to Flood
Insurance Rate Maps as
improvements are
made to flood-control
facilities or as changes
SA3.7 Engineering Ongoing
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2007
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PLAN
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DEPARTMENT TIMING
in property elevations
occur that warrant such
considerations.
SA4.12 Minimize
impervious areas by
requiring development to
include low impact
development and green
infrastructure that increase
pervious surfaces to
absorb impacts from
stormwater and flooding.
IM-SA 4.8 Adopt or update local
drainage policies and
development standards
that reduce the rate of
runoff from developed
lands.
SA3.3 Planning, Engineering Short
Goal
SSA5 PPalm Springs residents, business owners, and visitors protected from urban ffire and wildfire hazards.
Policies
SA5.1 Support brush
removal and weed
abatement in developed
areas to minimize fire risk,
and coordinate with the
Riverside County Fire
Department Hazard
Reduction Office for brush
removal in areas outside
of the city limits.
IM-SA 5.1 Continue to assess the
need for greenbelts,
fuel breaks, fuel
reduction, and buffer
zones around existing
and newly proposed
communities to
minimize potential
losses created by fires.
SA4.1 Fire, Planning Ongoing
SA5.2 Require property
owners of existing and
new development in Very
High Fire Hazard Severity
IM-SA 5.1 Assess the need for
greenbelts, fuel breaks,
fuel reduction, and
SA4.1 Fire, Planning Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
Zones or the Wildland-
Urban Interface, as shown
on Figure 6-8 and Figure
6-9, to create and maintain
community fire breaks and
defensible space around
structures that is free from
dry brush and other
flammable materials and
to comply with the 100-
foot Defensible Space
Requirement in the Public
Resources Code (PRC
4291), the 200-foot
defensible space
requirement of Fire
Department Ordinance
No.2009, and
Government Code (GC
51182) for fuel
modification to reduce fire
danger.
buffer zones around
development.
SA5.3 Continue to refine
procedures and processes
to minimize the risk of fire
hazards by requiring new
and existing development
to:
IM-SA 5.2 Regularly evaluate
specific fire-hazard
areas and adopt
reasonable safety
standards, covering
such elements as
adequacy of nearby
SA4.3 Planning, Building,
Engineering, Fire
Ongoing
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ACTION
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2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
Utilize fire-resistant
building materials.
Incorporate fire
sprinklers as
appropriate.
Incorporate
defensible-space
requirements.
Comply with Riverside
County Fuel
Modification
Guidelines.
Comply with CAL FIRE
Fire Safe Regulations
and Fire Hazard
Reduction Around
Buildings and
Structures Regulations.
Provide Fire Protection
Plans.
Comply with the
California Building
Code and California
Fire Code.
water supplies, routes
or throughways for fire
equipment, clarity of
addresses and street
signs, and
maintenance.
IM-SA 5.3 Develop a fire risk
reduction assessment
to evaluate new
development in Very
High Fire Hazard
Severity Zones or the
Wildland Urban
Interface. The fire risk
reduction assessment
should identify existing
fire hazards on
properties, describe
proposed projects, and
establish design
guidelines to reduce
fire risks to new
developments.
None Planning, Building,
Fire
Short
IM-SA 5.4 Support State
legislative efforts to
reduce fire insurance
costs and address
resident concerns
about rising liabilities
None City Manager’s Office Ongoing
Item 2A - Page 486
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
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ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
Allow for adequate
access of emergency
vehicles.
Develop fuel
modification in
naturalized canyons
and hills to protect life
and property from
wildland fires, yet leave
a s m u c h o f t h e
surrounding natural
vegetation as possible.
Use selective trimming
and obtain permits
when necessary in
designated areas to
preserve
environmentally
sensitive native plants.
and risk of dropped
policies.
SA5.4 Encourage owners
of unsprinklered
properties, especially
midrise structures and
high-occupancy
structures, to retrofit their
buildings and include
internal fire sprinklers.
IM-SA 5.5 Conduct a study to
identify the types of
systems that can be
installed in existing
commercial and
multifamily residential
buildings where
automatic sprinkler and
SA8.12 Building, Fire Mid
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ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
other fire protection
systems do not exist
and evaluate their
feasibility for
implementation.
SA5.5 Ensure that public
and private water
distribution and supply
facilities have adequate
capacity and reliability to
supply both everyday and
emergency firefighting
needs.
IM-SA 5.6 Coordinate with
businesses, local water
purveyors, and the
Emergency
Management
Department to review
the adequacy of the
City’s water-storage
capacity and
distribution network in
the event of an
earthquake. Redundant
systems should be
considered and
implemented in those
areas of the City where
ground failure could
result in breaks to both
the water and gas
mains, with the
potential for significant
conflagrations.
SA4.4 Engineering, Fire Ongoing
SA5.6 Utilize reservoirs,
tanks, and wells, as
N/A Fire, Engineering Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
needed, for emergency
fire suppression water
sources.
SA5.7 Ensure that fuel
modification is consistent
with any adopted habitat-
conservation plans.
N/A Planning, Fire Ongoing
SA5.8 Coordinate with
Riverside County Fire
Department, CAL FIRE,
and the U.S. Forest Service
to conduct fuel
modification projects.
N/A Fire Ongoing
SA5.9 Continue public
education efforts to inform
residents, business
owners, and visitors of fire
hazards and measures to
minimize the damage
caused by fires to life and
property.
IM-SA 5.7 Develop fire education
and mitigation
strategies that focus on
the enhanced or higher
hazard present in the
summer and fall, when
dry vegetation and hot,
windy weather coexist.
SA4.2 Fire Short
SA5.10 Analyze the site
plan layout for new
projects to ensure they
provide an adequate
amount of defensible
space around structures.
N/A Building, Fire Ongoing
SA5.11 Develop an
ongoing fire protection
N/A Engineering, Fire Mid
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ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
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PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
water system program that
will provide adequate
water supply for
firefighting purposes
within the city.
SA5.12 Require all new
commercial and multiple-
unit residential
development to install fire
protection systems and
encourage the use of
automatic sprinkler
systems.
N/A Building, Fire Short
SA5.13 Require all new
construction to use
noncombustible roofing
materials.
N/A Planning, Building,
Fire
Short
SA5.14 Developers of
property on or abutting
hillsides shall implement,
with consultation and
approval from the City Fire
Department, a safety
buffer zone, otherwise
known as a fuel-
modification zone,
between natural open
space and planned
development to lessen the
IM-SA 5.1 Assess the need for
greenbelts, fuel breaks,
fuel reduction, and
buffer zones around
development.
SA4.1 Fire, Planning Ongoing
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ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
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PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
fire hazard potential in
these interface areas.
SA5.15 Obtain a Board of
Forestry and Fire
Protection Fire Risk
Reduction Community
designation.
N/A Fire Short
SA5.16 Avoid new
residential development
in Very High Fire Hazard
Severity Zones.
N/A Planning, Building,
Fire
Ongoing
SA5.17 Require new
nonresidential
development within a Very
High Fire Hazard Severity
Zone and the Wildland
Urban Interface to have at
least two egress and
ingress options, visible
street signs that identify
evacuation routes, visible
home numbering, and
adequate water supply for
structural suppression.
N/A Planning, Building,
Fire
Ongoing
SA5.18 Require
redevelopment after
wildfires to meet current
California Building Code,
California Fire Code, and
IM-SA 5.8 Re-evaluate
development standards
after a wildfire to ensure
consistency with the
None Planning, Building,
Fire
Ongoing
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ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
California Fire Safe
Standards to reduce
future vulnerabilities to fire
hazards through site
preparation, layout
design, fire-resistant
landscaping, and fire-
retarding building design
and materials.
latest regulations and
best practices. SA5.19 Coordinate with
local, state, and federal
agencies to stabilize
burned slopes after a
wildfire.
N/A Fire Ongoing
SA5.20 Require new
development within Very
High Fire Hazard Severity
Zones or the Wildland-
Urban Interface to prepare
a fire safety plan.
IM-SA 5.9 Update the Palm
Springs Municipal
Code to require new
development within
Very High Fire Hazard
Severity Zones or the
Wildland Urban
Interface to prepare a
fire safety plan for
review and approval by
the Palm Springs Fire
Department prior
issuance of building
permit.
None Planning, Building,
Fire
Short
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ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
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PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
Goal
SSA6 MMinimized risk of exposure of life, property, and the eenvironment in Palm Springs to hazardous and toxic materials and wwaste.
Policies
SA6.1 Promote the proper
disposal, handling,
transport, delivery,
treatment, recovery,
recycling, and storage of
hazardous materials in
accordance with
applicable federal, state,
and local regulations.
IM-SA 6.1 Continue to prepare
and disseminate
information and
instructive education
program materials for
residents, including
direction on the
identification and
proper management
and disposal of
household hazardous
waste.
SA5.2 Emergency
Management, Police,
Fire
Ongoing
SA6.2 Require businesses
to utilize practices and
technologies that will
reduce the generation of
hazardous wastes at the
source.
N/A Fire Ongoing
SA6.3 Confer with
Riverside County
Environmental Health
Department and the
California Department of
Toxic Substances and
Control to determine the
N/A Fire Ongoing
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2007
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PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
need for, and the
appropriateness of,
developing a permitting
process for the
establishment of facilities
which manufacture, store,
use, or dispose of
hazardous and toxic
materials within the
community or adjacent
areas.
SA6.4 Follow the response
procedures outlined
within the Riverside
County Fire Department’s
Hazardous Materials Area
Plan in the event of a
hazardous materials
emergency.
N/A Fire Ongoing
SA6.5 Establish
transportation
management and
contingency emergency
procedures and training
programs for police, fire,
medical, and other
organizations that would
be involved in an airborne
release or ground spill of
N/A Fire, Police Ongoing
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ACTION
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2007
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PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
hazardous and toxic
materials or waste.
SA6.6 Ensure Fire
Department staff has
properly trained
personnel and
appropriate equipment to
handle hazardous
materials spills.
N/A Fire Ongoing
SA6.7 Cooperate with the
California State Water
Board and gasoline station
owners and operators in
monitoring the conditions
of subsurface gasoline
tanks, tracking leaks that
may occur, and requiring
the prompt removal of
hazardous tanks.
N/A Engineering Ongoing
SA6.8 Coordinate with the
Riverside County
Department of
Environmental Health to
regulate and limit the use
of herbicides, pesticides,
and other hazardous
chemicals associated with
the maintenance of
N/A Engineering Ongoing
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ACTION
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2007
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RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
landscaped areas in the
city.
SA6.9 Work with the
Riverside County
Department of
Environmental Health and
Riverside County Fire
Department, in
coordination with the
Emergency Operations
Plan, to implement
effective emergency
preparedness and
emergency-response
strategies to minimize the
impacts to health and
safety that can result from
hazardous materials
emergencies such as spills
or contamination.
IM-SA 6.2 Continually update and
disseminate maps of
the City’s emergency
facilities, evacuation
routes, and hazardous
areas to reflect
additions or
modifications.
SA5.4 Fire, Police Ongoing
SA6.10 Prohibit the
transport of hazardous
waste materials through
the city except along
Highway 111, Interstate
10, and the Union Pacific
Railroad.
N/A Engineering, Fire,
Police
Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA6.11 Continue to
partner with the County of
Riverside to provide
needed programs such as
the Household Hazardous
Waste ABOP Program to
provide disposal of
household hazards at no
cost to Palm Springs
residents and participating
agencies.
N/A Palm Springs Disposal Ongoing
SA6.12 Prohibit the
location of facilities using,
storing, or otherwise
involved with substantial
quantities of on-site
hazardous materials in
flood zones, unless all
standards of elevation,
anchoring, and flood-
proofing have been
satisfied and hazardous
materials are stored in
watertight containers that
are not capable of
floating.
N/A Planning, Building Ongoing
Goal
SSA7 MMinimized risk to life and property in Palm Springs associated with air transportation.
Policies
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA7.1 Prohibit land uses in
airport influence areas that
are incompatible with
airport uses or may create
potential hazards to
aviation.
IM-SA 7.1 Secure and maintain
open space adjacent to
the Palm Springs
International Airport for
the safety of aviation
and the public, as well
as for future expansion
of the airport.
SA6.3 Planning, Aviation Long IM-SA 7.2 Develop zoning regulations, including
an “airport protection
overlay zone” to
safeguard land uses
within airport influence
areas.
SA6.2 Planning Short
SA7.2 Continue to
coordinate development
project review with the
Airport Land Use
Commission and FAA as
required by the Riverside
County Airport Land Use
Compatibility Plan.
IM-SA 7.3 Regularly review the
Palm Springs
International Airport
Master Plan to ensure
that operational and
safety procedures and
land use compatibility
are up to date and
consistent with those
provisions.
SA6.1 Planning, Building Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
IM-SA 7.4 Implement applicable
policies and programs
identified in the
Riverside County
Airport Land Use
Compatibility Plan.
SA6.2 Planning Ongoing
SA7.3 Maintain an Airport
Emergency Operations
Plan as required by FAA
regulations.
N/A Aviation Ongoing
SA7.4 Building heights
within the airport clear
zones shall conform to
runway approach surfaces
and ASR critical areas as
stated in the Airport
Master Plan.
IM-SA 7.2 Develop an “airport
protection overlay
zone”.
SA6.2 Planning Short Goal
SSA8 EEfficient and effective police and fire protection services to residents, businesses, and visitors of the ccity.
Policies
SA8.1 Maintain adequate
resources to enable the
Police Department and
Fire Department to meet
response-time standards,
keep pace with growth,
and provide high levels of
service.
IM-SA 8.1 Maintain and update, as
necessary, the
Community Fire
Protection Master Plan.
The plan shall include a
fire station location plan
that provides for a
response level of
service of five minutes.
SA7.3 Fire, Police Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
Require all structures
located beyond that
response time to build
in automatic fire
suppression systems.
SA8.2 Maintain a well-
trained, well-equipped
police force to meet
changing needs and
conditions by continually
updating and revising
public safety techniques
and providing for effective
evaluation and training of
personnel.
IM-SA 8.2 The City shall maintain
ISO Class 3 status and
strive to improve its
rating.
SA7.3 Police Ongoing
IM-SA 8.3 Develop the capability
to place 40 to 50
trained and equipped
firefighters on scenes of
major fires within 30
minutes of receipt of
alarm, through the
development of a
reserve force, off-duty
recall of firefighting
personnel, and mutual
aid.
SA8.10 Fire Mid
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA8.3 Combat crime and
increase public safety
through community
education programs,
including active
involvement in the
Neighborhood Watch
Program, and coordinate
crime prevention
programs at local schools
and other meeting
locations.
N/A Police, Neighborhood
Involvement
Ongoing
SA8.4 Maintain adequate
fire training facilities,
equipment, and programs
for firefighting and
inspection personnel and
educational programs for
the general public,
including fire safety and
prevention and
emergency medical
information.
N/A Fire Ongoing
SA8.5 Maintain and/or
upgrade water facilities to
ensure adequate capacity
to respond to fire hazards.
N/A Engineering, Fire Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA8.6 Require that all
buildings subject to City
jurisdiction adhere to fire
safety codes.
N/A Fire, Building Ongoing
SA8.7 Continue uniform
reporting of all fire
emergency data, including
type and cause of fire
alarm, response time, and
damage/injury data.
N/A Fire Ongoing
SA8.8 Promote public
education regarding fire
safety to address issues
such as storage of
flammable material and
other fire hazards.
N/A Fire Ongoing
SA8.9 Continue to
regulate and enforce the
installation of fire
protection water system
standards for all new
construction projects built
within the city. Standards
shall include the
installation of fire hydrants
providing adequate fire
flow, fire sprinkler systems,
and wet and dry on-site
standpipe systems.
N/A Planning, Building,
Fire
Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA8.10 Ensure adequate
firefighting resources are
available to meet the
demands of new
development, including
the construction of midrise
structures, by ensuring
that:
Fire-flow engine
requirements are
consistent with
Insurance Service
Office (ISO)
recommendations.
The heights of truck
ladders and other
equipment are
sufficient to protect
multiple types of
structures.
Fire stations have
adequate capacity and
resources to keep pace
with growth and are
outside of hazard-
prone areas.
IM-SA 8.1 Maintain and update
the Community Fire
Protection Master Plan.
SA 7.3 Fire, Planning Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA8.11 Use percentage of
completion goals as the
standard for the
distribution and
concentration of fire crews
throughout the city, as
recommended in the
Standards for Response
Cover Deployment
Analysis for the City of
Palm Springs Fire
Department.
N/A Fire Ongoing
Goal
SSA9 AA community resilient to climate change--rrelated hazards.
Policies
SA9.1 Elevate extreme
heat as an important
hazard of concern in Palm
Springs and respond to
extreme temperatures.
IM-SA 9.1 Develop an extreme
heat response plan that
includes establishment
of community cooling
centers, weatherization
of city buildings,
temperature triggers
for when cooling
centers would open,
and cooling strategies
for persons engaged in
outdoor work and
persons experiencing
homelessness.
None Emergency
Management,
Sustainability
Short
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
IM-SA 9.2 Install shade structures,
both green and built
infrastructure, at parks,
schools, and other
public spaces to reduce
ground surface
temperatures.
None Engineering, Parks &
Recreation
Short
IM-SA 9.3 Coordinate with
SunLine Transit Agency
and Amtrak to increase
shading and heat-
mitigating materials on
pedestrian walkways,
transit stops, and the
Palm Springs Train
Station.
None Engineering,
Sustainability,
Emergency
Management
Mid
SA9.2 Coordinate with
SunLine Transit Agency
and regional transit
providers to identify
alternate routes and stops
if normal infrastructure is
damaged or closed as a
result of severe storms or
flooding.
N/A Emergency
Management
Short
SA9.3 Coordinate with
Southern California Edison
and Desert Clean Energy
to incentivize residential
N/A Sustainability,
Planning, Building
Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
and on-site solar systems,
especially when paired
with battery storage to
provide a resilient energy
supply for homes.
SA9.4 Coordinate with
County of Riverside Public
Health to ensure
emergency and public
health services can meet
the needs of the
population during
extreme heat, poor air
quality, and human health
hazard events.
IM-SA 9.4 Coordinate with the
Riverside County
Environmental Health,
Vector Control Program
to minimize mosquitos,
ticks, rodents, and other
vectors that may carry
or spread human health
hazards.
None Emergency
Management,
Sustainability
Ongoing
SA9.5 Increase the
resiliency of City-owned
structures to severe storm
events and support
homeowners and business
owners to increase the
resilience of their
buildings and properties
through retrofits,
weatherization, and other
improvements.
IM-SA 9.5 Expand participation in
programs and services
that provide funding for
low-income households
and businesses to
conduct weatherization
and structural retrofits
to protect community
members from severe
storms, poor air quality,
and extreme heat.
None Engineering,
Emergency
Management
Ongoing
SA9.6 Collaborate with
Southern California Edison
to underground electrical
IM-SA 9.6 Collaborate with
Southern California
Edison to conduct a
None Engineering,
Emergency
Management
Mid
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
transmission infrastructure
throughout the city,
prioritizing high voltage
transmission lines and
areas in Very High Fire
Hazard Severity Zones and
the Wildland Urban
Interface.
study evaluating the
potential to
underground
substations within the
city.
SA9.7 Promote and
expand the use of
drought-tolerant green
infrastructure, including
street trees and
landscaped areas, as part
of cooling strategies in
public and private spaces.
N/A Parks, Engineering,
Planning
Ongoing SA9.8 Prepare for more
frequent and severe
drought events by
working with regional
water providers to
implement extensive
water conservation
measures and ensure
sustainable water
supplies.
N/A Engineering Ongoing
SA9.9 Encourage
businesses that have
outdoor workers to allow
IM-SA 9.7 Update the Noise
Ordinance to allow
outdoor construction
None Planning, Emergency
Management,
Sustainability
Short
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
for shifting in work hours
to earlier in the day from
May through September
to reduce heat-related
illnesses among outdoor
workers on extreme heat
days.
work to shift to earlier in
the day between May
and September to
reduce heat related
illnesses.
SA9.10 Prepare for more
frequent and severe
drought events by
working with Desert Water
Agency and other regional
water providers to
implement extensive
water conservation
measures and ensure
sustainable water
supplies.
N/A Engineering,
Sustainability
Ongoing
SA9.11 Encourage new
developments and
existing property owners
to incorporate sustainable,
energy-efficient, and
environmentally
regenerative features into
their facilities, landscapes,
and structures to reduce
energy demands and
improve on-site resilience.
N/A Planning, Building Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
Support financing efforts
to increase the
communities funding of
these features.
SA9.12 Where feasible,
encourage the use or
restoration of existing
natural features and
ecosystem processes
when considering
alternatives for the
conservation,
preservation, or
sustainable management
of open space. This may
include, but is not limited
to, aquatic or terrestrial
vegetated open space,
systems and practices that
use or mimic natural
processes, and other
engineered systems to
provide clean water,
conserve ecosystem
values and functions, and
provide a wide array of
benefits to people and
wildlife.
N/A Planning, Parks,
Engineering
Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA9.13 Collaborate with
Southern California
Edison, Desert Clean
Energy, and organizations
such as the Community
Access Center to ensure
that those who depend on
electricity supply for
medical devices and
refrigerating medication
have backup energy
supplies during extreme
heat and extreme wind
events.
N/A Emergency
Management
Ongoing
SA9.14 Look for
opportunities to ensure
that workers in outdoor
industries have the
training and resources to
be adequately protected
from environmental
hazards, including
extreme heat, poor air
quality, pests, and
diseases.
N/A Planning,
Neighborhood
Involvement
Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA9.15 Collaborate with
Riverside County
Department of Public
Health and healthcare
providers to prepare for
disasters and health
emergencies, minimizing
disruptions to medical
services and facilities in
Palm Springs.
N/A Emergency
Management
Ongoing
Goal
SSA10 AA community prepared for multiple natural hazards.
Policies
SA10.1 Require that
proposed essential,
sensitive, and high-
occupancy facilities
undergo careful seismic,
geologic, flooding, and
fire review prior to any
approvals and that
effective post-disaster
functioning be a primary
concern in the siting,
design, and construction
standards for essential
facilities.
IM-SA
10.1 Prepare an assessment
of at-risk City-owned
buildings to determine
their level ability to
withstand the impacts
of flooding, wildfire,
landslides, and seismic
activity and conduct
structural retrofits
where needed.
None Engineering Short
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA10.2 Minimize the risk
to life and property
through the identification
of potentially hazardous
areas, adherence to
proper construction
design criteria, and
provision of hazards
information to all residents
and business owners.
IM-SA
10.2 Develop a public
outreach program to
inform property owners
about the potential for
hazards in their area,
including potential
blocking of access
routes to and from their
neighborhoods due to
flooding, wildfire,
landslides, and seismic
hazards.
None Emergency
Management
Short
SA10.3 Where
appropriate, designate
hazard zones as open
space (earthquake fault
lines, floodways and
floodplains, steep or
unstable slopes, areas
susceptible to rockfalls
and landslides, wildfire
prone areas, etc.) and
update these areas on the
land use map.
N/A Planning Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA10.4 Encourage and
cooperate with Caltrans to
stabilize susceptible
slopes and strengthen
bridges, elevated
roadways, and other
structures along state
highways that may be
subject to failure during
major hazardous events,
thereby isolating portions
of the community from
emergency aid and
assistance.
N/A Engineering Ongoing
SA10.5 Provide protection
for roadways and utility
lines from all applicable
hazard conditions to
ensure they remain open
for evacuation needs.
N/A Engineering Ongoing
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GOALS AND POLICIES ACTION
NUMBER
IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS/PROGRAMS
ACTION
NUMBER IN
2007
GENERAL
PLAN
RESPONSIBLE
DEPARTMENT TIMING
SA10.6 Continue to use
the Emergency
Announcement System to
implement hazard
warnings and evacuation
plans for those portions of
the city in flood hazard
zones, wildfire- and
landslide-prone areas, and
seismically active areas
that have already been
inhabited or developed
and for critical facilities
such as schools.
N/A Emergency
Management
Ongoing
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dd,D
Ed&
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CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT FINAL
April 2022
Prepared for:
Client
City of Palm Springs
3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, California 92262
760.323.8299
Prepared by:
PlaceWorks
700 South Flower Street, Suite 600
Los Angeles, California 90017
213.623.1443
[email protected]
www.placeworks.com
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CITY OF PALM SPRINGS SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT FINAL
April 29, 2022 | Page i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Community Profile ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Regulatory Framework ................................................................................................................................. 5 Climate Science Overview ............................................................................................................................ 6 Method ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Climate Change Hazards .............................................................................................................................. 11 Air Quality ................................................................................................................................................... 11 Drought ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 Extreme Heat and Warm Nights ................................................................................................................ 12 Flooding ...................................................................................................................................................... 13 Human Health Hazards .............................................................................................................................. 15 Landslides ................................................................................................................................................... 15 Severe Storms ............................................................................................................................................ 17 Wildfire ....................................................................................................................................................... 17 Populations and Assets ................................................................................................................................ 20 Vulnerability Assessment Results ................................................................................................................ 22 Population and Asset Considerations ........................................................................................................ 22 Populations ................................................................................................................................................. 23 Built Systems and Services ......................................................................................................................... 24 Economic Assets ......................................................................................................................................... 27 Ecosystems and Natural Resources ........................................................................................................... 28 Implications for the General Plan Update ................................................................................................... 29 Equity and Uncertainty .............................................................................................................................. 29 Opportunities ............................................................................................................................................. 30 Resilience in Other Planning Mechanisms ................................................................................................. 31 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................ 33 Printed References ..................................................................................................................................... 33 Websites ..................................................................................................................................................... 34 List of Preparers .......................................................................................................................................... 35 Lead Agency ............................................................................................................................................... 35 PlaceWorks ................................................................................................................................................. 35 Appendix A: Vulnerability Assessment Results Matrix ................................................................................ 37 Item 2A - Page 518
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
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April 29, 2022 | Page ii
Figures
Figure 1. Community Overview Map ........................................................................................................... 4 Figure 2. California Adaptation Planning Guide’s Recommended Method ................................................ 6 Figure 3. Vulnerability Scale ....................................................................................................................... 10 Figure 4. Projected Extreme Heat Days in Palm Springs ........................................................................... 12 Figure 5. Projected Warm Nights in Palm Springs ..................................................................................... 13 Figure 6. FEMA Flood Hazard Zones .......................................................................................................... 14 Figure 7. Landslide Susceptibility Areas ..................................................................................................... 16 Figure 8. Fire Hazard Severity Zones ......................................................................................................... 18 Figure 9. Historic Wildfire Perimeters (1878 to 2019) .............................................................................. 19
Tables
Table 1. Rubric for Impact Scoring ............................................................................................................... 9 Table 2. Rubric for Adaptive Capacity Scoring ........................................................................................... 10 Table 3. Vulnerability Scoring Matrix ......................................................................................................... 11 Table 4. Populations and Assets in the Vulnerability Assessment ............................................................ 20
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CITY OF PALM SPRINGS SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT FINAL
April 29, 2022 | Page 3
INTRODUCTION
The City of Palm Springs (City) prepared this Vulnerability Assessment Report in conformance with State of California requirements to assess climate change vulnerability and address climate change adaptation and resilience as part of the General Plan Update (California Government Code Section 65302(g)). The goal of this requirement is to enable the community to prepare for, respond to, withstand, and recover from disruptions created or caused by climate change. This report discusses the regulatory framework and method for preparing a vulnerability assessment and incorporating adaptation and resilience into the General Plan, the climate change hazards affecting the resilience of Palm Springs, specific populations and assets in the assessment, and a summary of the vulnerability assessment results. The vulnerability assessment is a foundation for integrating adaptation and resilience policies into the Safety Element and General Plan by identifying a set of priority vulnerabilities in Palm Springs. These policies and programs are discussed in the “Implications for the General Plan Update” section.
Community Profile
Palm Springs is in the northern portion of Coachella Valley, surrounded by the San Bernardino Mountains to the north, the Little San Bernardino Mountains and the Sonoran Desert to the east, the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south, and the San Jacinto Mountains to the west. The San Jacinto Mountains rise nearly 10,850 feet above sea level, and the city sits under this mountain range at 479 feet above sea level. The city has a desert climate, with little rain and hot summers. According to the 2020 Decennial Census, Palm Springs is home to approximately 44,575 residents, more than 50 percent of which are over 55 years old.
The city covers approximately 94 square miles, as shown in F Figure 1, that was originally home to the Agua
Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Only about 20 square miles in central Palm Springs is developed; the northern area of the city is primarily dedicated to wind and solar energy production and recreation activities, and the southern area is dedicated to open space and recreational activities. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians currently represents the largest single landowner in Palm Springs. Land uses within the urban development of the city consist of a mix of residential single-family homes, visitor lodging, commercial property, and leisure- and recreation-focused properties.
On average, annual high temperatures in Palm Springs range from 69 degrees Fahrenheit in December to 108 degrees Fahrenheit in July. Low temperatures range from 44 degrees Fahrenheit in December to 78 degrees Fahrenheit in July and August. The city receives an average of approximately 4.83 inches of precipitation per year, with some precipitation falling as snow in the San Jacinto Mountain range. Most precipitation falls during the winter months, with rare summer storms. Temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher have been recorded in all months of the year. The warm desert setting and mild winter makes Palm Springs a desirable location for senior residents and visitors seeking to spend time in the San Jacinto Mountains or Joshua Tree National Park.
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April 29, 2022 | Page 4
Figure 1. Community Overview Map
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Palm Springs’ primary transportation access is from State Route 111 (SR-111) via Interstate 10 (I-10), the primary highway in the Coachella Valley. I-10 runs west through Riverside County to downtown Los Angeles and east through the southern United State to the east coast. SR-111 runs through Palm Springs, connecting the city to I-10 in the north and the Salton Sea to the south. Other major roadways include Palm Canyon Drive and Indian Canyon Drive, which run through downtown Palm Springs and the southern portion of the urban area. Since 2013, the City has installed 69 electric-vehicle charging stations along many of the major roadways and commercial centers, including a high-speed charging station at the Visitors Center. Palm Springs International Airport is in the eastern part of the city. The SunLine Transit Agency operates three routes through Palm Springs that residents and visitors can use to travel around Palm Springs and to other areas of Coachella Valley. Amtrak provides long-distance train service via Palm Springs to Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Orleans. The City also maintains a robust bike and pedestrian network that includes six loops, the Gene Autry bikeway, and the Whitewater trail as well as several bike paths, lanes, and routes.
Regulatory Framework
In 2015, the State adopted Senate Bill (SB) 379, amending Section 65302(g) of the California Government Code to require the Safety Element of the General Plan to include more information about wildfire hazards, flooding risks, and other short-term and long-term threats posed by climate change. SB 379 is the foundation for adaptation and resiliency in general plan safety elements because it requires local governments to conduct vulnerability assessments as part of their long-range public safety planning efforts and to prepare adaptation and resilience goals, policies, and implementation measures that respond to the findings of the Vulnerability Assessment and protect against harm caused by climate change.
Other important updates to California Government Code Section 65302(g) related to safety elements are SB 1035 and SB 99. SB 1035, which establishes Section 65302(g)(6) of the California Government Code, builds on previous legislation, and requires local governments to review and update as needed their safety element during an update to their housing element or Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (or no less than every eight years). Any revisions should include updated information related to flood hazards, fire hazards, and climate adaptation and resilience. SB 99 established Section 65302(g)(5) of the California Government Code and requires jurisdictions to review and update the safety element to include information identifying residential developments in hazard areas that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes. This vulnerability assessment, along with the update to the Safety Element, will help the City of Palm Springs meet the state’s requirements and increase consistency with the 2017 City of Palm Springs Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services prepared a guidance document, the California Adaptation Planning Guide, to assist communities in addressing climate adaptation and resilience, and complying with Section 65302(g) of the California Government Code. This guide presents a step-by-step process for gathering the best available climate change science, completing a climate change vulnerability assessment, creating adaptation strategies, and integrating those strategies into general plans and other policy documents. The City’s vulnerability assessment is consistent with the guidance and recommended methods in the California Adaptation Planning Guide.
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Climate Science Overview
Climate change is a long-term change in the average meteorological conditions in an area. Currently, the global climate is changing due to an increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that trap heat near the Earth’s surface. Though certain levels of GHGs are necessary to maintain a comfortable temperature on Earth, an increased concentration due to human activity traps additional heat, changing Earth’s climate system in several ways. These effects cause primary climate stressors, which include warmer temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns, which can cause and exacerbate secondary climate stressors. Secondary climate stressors, also known as climate change hazards, can include flooding, severe weather, wildfires, landslides, drought conditions, and others. According to the California Adaptation Planning Guide, these hazards have the potential to cause fatalities, injuries, property and infrastructure damage, interruption of business, and other types of harm or loss. This Vulnerability Assessment Report evaluates the impacts created by climate change hazards, the ability of Palm Springs’ populations and community to resist these hazards, and which aspects of the community are most vulnerable to climate change.
Method
The Vulnerability Assessment analyzes how a changing climate could harm Palm Springs and which aspects of the community—e.g., people, buildings and infrastructure, services, and economic drivers— are most vulnerable to its effects. The vulnerability assessment primarily follows the recommended, four- step process in the California Adaptation Planning Guide: (1) characterize the community’s exposure to current and projected climate hazards; (2) identify potential sensitivities and potential impacts to community populations and assets; (3) evaluate the current ability of the populations and assets to cope with climate impacts, also referred to as its adaptive capacity; and (4) identify priority vulnerabilities based on systematic scoring. F
Figure 2 shows these steps.
Figure 2. California Adaptation Planning Guide’s Recommended Method
Step 1: Identify Exposure. The goal of this step is to characterize the community’s exposure to current and projected climate change hazards. Many projections of climate change hazards rely on multiple scenarios that reflect different levels of how global GHG emissions and atmospheric GHG concentrations may change over time. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an organization that represents the global scientific consensus about climate change, has identified four climate scenarios, or Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP), that can be used to project future conditions. RCPs are labeled with different numbers (e.g., RCP 2.6, RCP 6) that refer to the increase in the amount of energy that reaches each square meter of Earth’s surface under that scenario. The four RCPs are:
Step 1. Identify Exposure
Step 2. Identify Sensitivities and Potential Impacts
Step 3. Assess Adaptive Capacity
Step 4. Prioritize Vulnerability Scoring
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• RCP 2.6: Global GHG emissions peak around 2020
and then decline quickly.
• RCP 4.5: Global GHG emissions peak around 2040
and then decline.
• RCP 6: Global emissions continue to rise until the
middle of the century.
• RCP 8.5: Global emissions continue to increase at
least until the end of the century.
The Cal-Adapt database, which provides California-specific climate change hazard projections, uses RCP
4.5 for a low emissions scenario and RCP 8.5 for a high emissions scenario. The California Adaptation Planning Guide and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research’s Planning and Investing for a Resilient California recommend using RCP 8.5 for analyses that consider impacts through 2050 because there are minimal differences between emission scenarios for the first half of the century. The California Adaptation Planning Guide also recommends using RCP 8.5 for late-century projections for a more conservative and risk-adverse approach. The City input the RCP 8.5 GHG emission scenario into global climate models on the Cal-Adapt database and other resources.* The first step of this vulnerability assessment was to confirm which climate change hazards are expected to affect Palm Springs. The City identified eight climate change hazards for this assessment that are discussed in more detail in Section 2.
1. Air Quality
2. Drought
3. Extreme Heat and Warm Nights
4. Flooding
5. Human Health Hazards
6. Landslides
7. Severe Weather
8. Wildfire
The City derived the climate change hazard data from up-to-date information, including the state Cal- Adapt database, the California Adaptation Planning Guide, the California 4th Climate Change Assessment, the California Geologic Survey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.
* The IPCC recently released “The Physical Science Basis” of the Sixth Assessment Report that updates global climate change projections for the near term, midterm, and long term based on greenhouse gas emission trends from the past decade. It moves away from using RCPs, instead using five different scenarios called “shared socioeconomic pathways,” which consider socioeconomic trends underlying each scenario. This Vulnerability Assessment does not use these updated projections because at time of writing they are not available at a local scale. However, the IPCC report does reaffirm the use of projections comparable to RCP 8.5 as the suggested emission scenario to use for Cal- Adapt data.
Exposure: The presence of people,
infrastructure, natural systems, and
economic, cultural, and social
resources in areas that are subject to
harm.
Source: California Adaptation Planning Guide
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Step 2. Identify Sensitivities and Potential Impacts. This step included evaluating past and potential future climate
change impacts to community populations and assets. The City first identified a list of populations and assets to include in the assessment under the following six
categories:
1. Populations: People that experience a heightened
risk or increased sensitivity to climate change or
have a lower capacity or fewer resources to adapt
to or recover from climate impacts.
2. Infrastructure: Structures that provide essential
services to Palm Springs community members and visitors.
3. Buildings: Homes, nonresidential buildings, and other building types.
4. Important Economic Assets: Properties and activities that make significant contributions to the Palm Springs economy.
5. Ecosystems and Natural Resources: Types of wild and natural lands within the city boundary.
6. Key Community Services: Important and essential functions to community members provided by government agencies and private companies.
The list included 17 populations, 19 infrastructure types, 10 building types, 6 economic assets, 5 ecosystems and natural resources, and 9 key community services. After confirmation of the list, the City looked at which hazards are likely to affect which populations and assets, because not all hazards affect all populations or assets. For example, human health hazards are likely to impact most populations, but they would not physically affect community parks or school buildings.
The outcome of this step was an applicability review that identified whether a population or asset is likely to be exposed to a hazard. If a population or asset has the potential to be affected directly or indirectly by a hazard, the City confirmed it for inclusion in the vulnerability assessment. Direct impacts affect buildings and infrastructure, health or populations, or immediate operations of economic drivers or community services, and they can lead to indirect impacts on the broader system or community, including populations or asset types in a different category. For example, severe weather can directly damage electrical transmission lines, causing power outages, and thus indirectly impact persons with chronic illnesses who depend on electricity for life support systems. Therefore, both electrical transmission lines and persons with chronic illnesses would be marked “yes” for being affected by severe weather and would be evaluated in the assessment.
After the applicability review, the City evaluated potential impacts to the applicable populations and community assets. To identify the magnitude of each relevant hazard’s impacts on the populations and community assets, the City considered a number of different questions that helped ensure the assessment covered a broad range of potential harm. Examples of these questions include:
• Could the hazards cause injury or damage? Is there a risk of behavioral or mental harm, loss of economic activity, or other nonphysical effects?
• How many people or community assets could be harmed both directly and indirectly? • How long would the impacts persist?
• Is there a substantial chance of death or widespread destruction? Sensitivity: The level to which a species,
natural system, community,
government, etc., would be affected by
changing climate conditions.
Impact: The effects (especially the
negative effects) of a hazard or other
conditions associated with climate
change.
Source: California Adaptation Planning Guide
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Based on the results of the impact assessment, the City ranked each sensitivity on a five-point scale (0 to 4) for each relevant exposure. IM0 is the lowest impact, and IM4 is the highest impact. Impact is considered a negative quality, and therefore a higher impact score means that there is a higher potential for harm to a population or asset. A lower impact score means that there is a lower potential for harm to a population or asset. TTable 1 provides more detail about what each score means.
Table 1. Rubric for Impact Scoring
Impact Score Meaning (People and Ecosystems) Meaning (Buildings, Infrastructure, Services, and Economic Drivers)
IM0. Minimal
Impact
Community members may not notice any
change.
Damage, interruption in service, or impact on
the local economy is small or intermittent
enough to mostly go unnoticed.
IM1. Low Impact
Community members notice minor effects.
Daily life may experience mild, occasional
disruptions.
There are minor but noticeable interruptions
in service, damage, or negative effects on the
economy.
IM2. Moderate
Impact
There is a marked impact to the community.
Quality of life may decline. Impacts may be
chronic, and at times substantial.
Damage, service interruptions, and other
impacts are clearly evident. Impacts may be
chronic and occasionally substantial.
IM3. Significant
Impact
The well-being of the community declines
significantly. The community’s current
lifestyle and behavior may no longer be
possible.
Impacts are chronic. Buildings, infrastructure,
and services may be often or always unable to
meet community demand. Large sections of
the economy experience major hardships.
IM4. Severe
Impact
There is a severe risk of widespread injury or
death to people, or of significant or total
ecosystem loss.
Buildings, infrastructure, and services cannot
function as intended or needed. Economic
activities are not viable.
Step 3. Assess Adaptive Capacity. Adaptive capacity is the ability of populations and community assets to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the impacts of climate
change. The City evaluated each population and asset for adaptive capacity by considering the following questions:
1. Are there existing programs, policies, or funding to provide assistance?
2. Are there barriers that limit response or recovery?
Are these barriers financial limitations, political
challenges, lack of access to technology or other
resources, or others?
3. Do alternatives exist in or near Palm Springs that community members can use? Based on the results of the adaptive capacity assessment, the City ranked each population or asset on a five-point scale (0 to 4) ranging from AC0 (the lowest adaptive capacity) to AC4 (the highest adaptive capacity).
Adaptive Capacity: The “combination
of the strengths, attributes, and
resources available to an individual,
community, society, or organization
that can be used to prepare for and
undertake actions to reduce adverse
impacts, moderate harm, or exploit
beneficial opportunities”.
Source: California Adaptation Planning Guide
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Adaptive capacity is considered a positive attribute, so a higher adaptive capacity score means that a population or asset may be more adaptable to the hazard. A lower adaptive capacity score means that a population or asset may have a harder time adjusting to the changing conditions. TTable 2 provides more detail about what each score means.
Table 2. Rubric for Adaptive Capacity Scoring
Step 4. Prioritize Vulnerability Scoring. The City used the impact and adaptive capacity scores for each population and asset for each relevant hazard to determine the vulnerability score. The vulnerability (V) score reflects how susceptible the population or asset is to harm from a particular hazard.
Vulnerability is assessed on a scale of 1 to 5, as shown in FFigure
3. The matrix below (TTable 3) shows how impact and adaptive capacity scores combine and translate into a vulnerability score. For example, extreme heat would create a significant impact (IM3) on energy delivery because mechanical failures, heat damage, and high demand for electricity from cooling equipment can disrupt this service. Adaptive capacity is low (AC1) because many community members need to use more electricity on extreme heat days to keep cool, and retrofitting electrical equipment can be expensive. Therefore, energy delivery services are severely vulnerable (V5) to extreme heat.
Adaptive Capacity Score Meaning
AC0. No Adaptive Capacity Currently, there are no feasible means of adapting.
AC1. Low Adaptive Capacity
Adaptive solutions are available, but they are expensive, technologically difficult, and/or politically unpopular. Alternatives may not exist that can provide similar services.
AC2. Some Adaptive Capacity
Some adaptation methods are available, but not always feasible. Adapting may create significant challenges for some sensitivities. Some alternatives exist within community or nearby that can provide similar services.
AC3. High Adaptive Capacity
Adaptation solutions are feasible for most or all sensitivities. There may be occasional or small-scale challenges to implementing adaptation methods. Many alternatives exist in the area that can provide similar services.
AC4. Outstanding Adaptive
Capacity
Sensitivities can adapt with little or no effort. Quality of life is unchanged or may improve.
V1: Minimal
Vulnerability
V2: Low
Vulnerability
V3: Moderate
Vulnerability
V4: High
Vulnerability
V5: Severe
Vulnerability
Figure 3. Vulnerability Scale
Vulnerability: The degree to
which natural, built, and human
systems are susceptible “…to
harm from exposure to stresses
associated with environmental
and social change and from the
absence of capacity to adapt.”
Source: California Adaptation Planning
Guide
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Table 3. Vulnerability Scoring Matrix
Impact Score
I IM0 IM1 IM2 IM3 IM4
Adaptive Capacity
Score
AC0 V3 V4 V5 V5 V5
AC1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V5
AC2 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5
AC3 V1 V1 V2 V3 V4
AC4 V1 V1 V1 V2 V3
CLIMATE CHANGE HAZARDS
As described in the California Adaptation Planning Guide, hazards are events or physical conditions that have the potential to cause fatalities, injuries, property and infrastructure damage, interruption of business, and other types of harm or loss. Some natural hazards are not related to climate change, such as earthquakes, which do not have a known connection with climate change. Climate change hazards focus on natural hazards that can change in frequency and intensity due to climate change. The Vulnerability Assessment assessed the climate change hazards that are most relevant to the City of Palm Springs. This section discusses the climate change hazards based on projections provided by Cal-Adapt, the California Fourth Climate Change Assessment, the City of Palm Springs Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and scholarly research.
Air Quality
The dominant sources of air pollution in Palm Springs are ozone pollution from vehicle exhaust and agricultural soils, fine particulate matter and dust from the Salton Sea, and smoke from wildfires in the region. Higher future temperatures will likely increase the production of ground-level ozone, especially in desert cities like Palm Springs, which already experience high levels of this pollutant. Ground-level ozone is associated with a variety of negative health outcomes, including reduced lung function, pneumonia, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, and premature death. As more frequent and severe drought and extreme heat occur in the region, the playa on the Salton Sea is expected to dry, increasing dust production and creating toxic airborne emissions in the region. Smoke from wildfires in the region can also increase air pollution levels and create a significant health risk in the region.
Drought
A drought occurs when conditions are drier than normal for an extended period, making less water available for people and ecosystems. Droughts are a regular occurrence in California; however, scientists expect that climate change will lead to more frequent and more intense droughts statewide. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Riverside County and Palm Springs are in severe drought conditions, and much of California is in extreme or exceptional drought conditions. Palm Springs receives water from the Coachella Valley Water District, Desert Water Agency, and Mission Springs Water District through groundwater, purchased water, and recycled water sources. Based on the 2018 Coachella Valley Integrated Regional Water Management Plan, the Coachella Valley obtains most of its water from the Colorado River, with small amounts from groundwater and recycled water sources. The water agencies have State Water Project allocations, but due to infrastructure limitations, these allocations are Item 2A - Page 528
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exchanged as part of an agreement with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for Colorado River water. The Colorado River experiences a reduction in water supply during drought conditions. This can cause water shortages and heavier reliance on groundwater supplies to meet the needs of Palm Springs residents and businesses. The water districts and agencies providing water to Palm Springs each has a Water Shortage Contingency Plan with specific demand reduction actions to conserve water and ensure reliable supplies. The price of water could, however, increase through drought rate surcharges, increasing the economic instability of low-income residents.
Extreme Heat and Warm Nights
Extreme heat occurs when temperatures rise significantly above normal levels. In Palm Springs, an extreme heat day occurs when temperatures reach above 107.1 degrees Fahrenheit. As shown in Figure 4, the number of extreme heat days in Palm Springs is projected to increase from a historic annual average of 4 extreme heat days per year to an average of 28 extreme heat days per year by midcentury and an average of 50 extreme heat days per year by end of century.
Figure 4. Projected Extreme Heat Days in Palm Springs
Extreme heat can also occur in the form of warmer nights when temperatures do not cool enough overnight to provide relief from the heat. In Palm Springs, a warm night occurs when the temperature remains above 74.2 degrees Fahrenheit. As shown in F
Figure 5, the number of warm nights in Palm Springs
is projected to increase from a historic annual average of 4 warm nights per year to an average of 32 warm nights per year by midcentury and an average of 64 warm nights per year by the end of the century.
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
2021
2024
2027
2030
2033
2036
2039
2042
2045
2048
2051
2054
2057
2060
2063
2066
2069
2072
2075
2078
2081
2084
2087
2090
2093
2096
2099
Number of Extreme Heat Days
YearSource: Cal-Adapt, 2020.
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Figure 5. Projected Warm Nights in Palm Springs
Extreme heat can cause heat-related illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, in addition to exacerbating respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Some homes in Palm Springs may lack air conditioning, and as a result people living in these homes may be more susceptible to harm from extreme heat events. If homes have air conditioning, residents may find increased use cost prohibitive, especially for older or less efficient systems. Some types of infrastructure, including power lines and roadways, face greater stresses during high temperatures that make failure more likely.
Flooding
Flooding can cause significant harm to buildings, people, and infrastructure. Floodwater can be deep enough to drown people and can move fast enough to carry away people or heavy objects (such as cars).
Flooding can be caused by heavy rainfall, extended periods of moderate rainfall, or clogged drains during periods of rainfall. In rare instances, a break in a dam, water pipe, or water tank can also cause flooding.
Flash floods are floods that develop very quickly, and they can be especially dangerous because they give little or no warning. Persons experiencing homelessness and others who may be outdoors in the path of a flood can face particularly high risks from these events.
Storm drainage systems throughout the city collect stormwater runoff and convey water to prevent flooding, although these systems are typically designed based on winter storms recorded in the past and may not be designed to accommodate more intense storms. Scientists project that climate change will increase the frequency and intensity of floods in Palm Springs, although total annual precipitation levels are only expected to increase slightly. FFigure 6 shows the FEMA-designated flood hazard areas in Palm Springs.
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 2021
2024
2027
2030
2033
2036
2039
2042
2045
2048
2051
2054
2057
2060
2063
2066
2069
2072
2075
2078
2081
2084
2087
2090
2093
2096
2099
Number of Warm Nights
YearSource: Cal-Adapt, 2020.
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Figure 6. FEMA Flood Hazard Zones
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Human Health Hazards
There are several diseases, such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Lyme disease, West Nile virus, and influenza, that are linked to climate change and can be debilitating or fatal for some of the population.
Pests such as mice, rats, ticks, and mosquitos carry these diseases. Climate change can increase the rates of infections because many of the animals that carry diseases are more active during warmer weather, and their populations may expand in size due to higher levels of rainfall during storm events and stagnant water after flooding, increasing the time for disease transmittal. Some diseases and illnesses have the potential to become epidemics or pandemics if they spread within communities, regions, or over multiple countries. Epidemics and pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can worsen existing health conditions as well as cause economic disruptions in the city and region. Mental health and stress-related disorders also increase following natural disasters such as flooding or severe weather events. The City evaluated health hazards from air pollutants as part of the air quality hazard discussion.
Landslides
Landslides occur when a mountainside becomes unstable, causing soil and rocks to slide downslope.
Landslides can include rock falls, deep failures of slopes, and shallow debris flows. Landslides are most common on steep slopes and mountainsides made up of loose soil or other material where excavation and grading, drainage alterations, or changes in vegetation have occurred. The vulnerability assessment looks at landslides that are caused by precipitation, although earthquakes can also trigger landslides.
Mountainsides commonly absorb water, which increases instability of the slope and may increase the risk of slope failure. Steep slopes made of loose or fractured material are more likely to slide. In some cases, hillsides become so saturated that slope failures result in a mudslide (a mixture of soil and water moving downslope). As shown in F
Figure 7, steeper slopes in the San Jacinto Mountain range are in high landslide susceptibility areas, and the flatter, urban area of Palm Springs is outside of this zone. Landslides and mudslides can move fast enough to damage or destroy homes or other structures in their path, block roadways (including evacuation routes), and injure or kill people caught in them.
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Figure 7. Landslide Susceptibility Areas
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Severe Storms
Severe weather can include high winds, sandstorms, hail, and lightning, which are usually caused by intense storm systems, although high winds and sandstorms can occur without a storm. As described in the Inland Desert Summary Report from the California Fourth Climate Change Assessment, the connection between climate change and severe storms is not as well established as other hazards, but new evidence suggests that these forms of severe weather may occur more often than in the past.
Severe winds, such as the Santa Ana winds, tend to be most frequent during October to April and can have average speeds of 40 miles per hour. These winds can destroy buildings, knock over trees, damage power lines and electrical equipment, and fan small sparks into large wildfires in the region. These winds can also pick up dust and other particulate matter from the desert or dry lakebed of the Salton Sea— known as “blowsand” or “windblown sand”—causing sandstorms that lower visibility and cause toxic particulate matter to get into buildings. In severe instances, roadways can be blocked, and other infrastructure can be damaged by a sandstorm. Severe storms can also bring heavy rainfall, which can lead to flash floods and ponding in areas of the city not protected by a levee. Though less common in the city, hail and lightning can damage the buildings and infrastructure supporting economic sectors and key services.
Wildfire
Wildfires are a regular feature of the landscape in much of California. They can be sparked by lightning, malfunctioning equipment, vehicle crashes, and many other causes. Warmer temperatures, an increase in drought conditions, and extreme wind events are likely to create more fuel for fires in natural and rural areas, leading to a greater chance that a spark will grow into a dangerous blaze. Climate change is also expected to extend the fire season throughout much (or even all) of the year. FFigure 8 shows the fire hazard severity zones surrounding Palm Springs to the west and south in the San Jacinto Mountain. Three major wildfires have occurred near the city in recent decades: the Dry Falls fire in 1980, the Palm fire in 1994, and the Mountain fire in 2013. FFigure 9 shows the historic wildfire perimeters in and surrounding Palm Springs. Because wildfires burn the trees and other vegetation that help stabilize a hillside and absorb water, more areas burned by fire may also lead to an increase in landslides and debris flows.
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Figure 8. Fire Hazard Severity Zones
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Figure 9. Historic Wildfire Perimeters (1878 to 2019)
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POPULATIONS AND ASSETS
Populations and assets are the people, infrastructure, services, and economic drivers in Palm Springs that can be affected by climate change. The vulnerability assessment looks at how each population and community asset may be affected by each of the climate change hazards discussed in Section 2. The California Adaptation Planning Guide provides a general list of populations and assets, which the City of Palm Springs refined and used to develop six distinct asset categories: (1) populations, (2) buildings, (3) infrastructure, (4) important economic assets, (5) ecosystems and natural resources, and (6) key community services. In total, Palm Springs identified 66 distinct populations and assets, as shown in Table 4. FFigure 1 shows the location of key community and critical facilities for the vulnerability assessment.
Table 4. Populations and Assets in the Vulnerability Assessment
CATEGORY POPULATION OR ASSET
Populations
Children
Cost-burdened households
Households in poverty
Immigrants and refugees
LGBTQIA+
Linguistically isolated populations
Low-income households
Outdoor workers
Persons experiencing homelessness
Persons living on single access roads
Persons with chronic illnesses
Persons with disabilities
Persons without access to lifelines
Renters
Seniors
Seniors living alone
Undocumented persons
Infrastructure
Airport
Bike routes
Bridges
Communication facilities
Electrical substations and transmission lines
Electric vehicle charging stations
Evacuation routes
Flood control infrastructure
Hazardous materials sites
Major roads and highways
Natural gas pipelines
Parks and open space
Power plants
Privately owned open space
Railways
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CATEGORY POPULATION OR ASSET
Single access roads
Solid waste facilities and closed landfills
Transit stops
Water and wastewater infrastructure
Buildings
Community centers
Commercial centers
Emergency shelters/cooling centers
Government buildings
Homes and residential structures
Homeless shelters
Libraries
Medical and care facilities
Public safety buildings
Schools
Important Economic
Assets
Golf courses
Major employers
Outdoor recreation
Renewable energy
State and regional parks
Tourism
Ecosystems and Natural
Resources
Sonoran Desert scrub
Chaparral habitat
Riparian forest and woodland
Juniper woodland
Desert interior dune
Key Community Services
Air services
Communication services
Emergency medical response
Energy delivery
Government administration and community services
Public safety response
Public transit access
Solid waste removal
Water and wastewater
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VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS
The vulnerability assessment evaluates the impact and adaptive capacity of each population and asset for each relevant hazard. The City assigned vulnerability scores on a scale of 1 to 5 (as shown in FFigure 2) to reflect how susceptible the population or asset is to harm posed by the hazard. In total, the City assessed 357 different pairings for vulnerability. This section provides a summary of the key vulnerabilities in Palm Springs. For a complete list of vulnerability scores for all populations and assets, see Appendix A.
Population and Asset Considerations
While selecting and assessing various populations and assets to include in the Vulnerability Assessment, the City considered the differences in the population sample pool between datasets and how some populations and asset categories may appear to refer to the same thing.
Statistics, especially statistics related to population, use the concept of a “sample pool.” In the context of this Vulnerability Assessment, the sample pool draws from the overall group of people that are being measured or studied. For example, in a political poll among registered voters, the sample pool only includes registered voters, since unregistered voters do not fall into this category.
This concept is important because some of the demographics used in the Vulnerability Assessment have different sample pools. Most of the demographic data come from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and most of these data have a sample pool of either all residents or all households in the city. However, a few are different, such as:
• Data on persons with limited English proficiency only count people who are at least 14 years old instead of the total population, since young children generally are not proficient in any language. • Statistics that only count the noninstitutionalized population (e.g., people not in prisons or long- term care homes).
This does not affect the outcome of the Vulnerability Assessment, but it creates slight differences in the number of people counted as part of each population.
Of the 64 populations and assets in the Vulnerability Assessment, a few may appear redundant. For example, the Vulnerability Assessment looked at both public safety buildings (as a Buildings asset) and at public safety response (as a Key Community Service asset). To be as comprehensive as possible, the Vulnerability Assessment looks at physical structures separately from the services or benefits they provide. In the same way, the Vulnerability Assessment looks at frontline or underserved populations separately from the homes they live in or the industries where they work.
This is because the effects of climate change on one type of population or asset can be different from the effects on related populations and assets. For example, if a flood damaged or destroyed a rural road, such as SR-111, it would have a significant impact on public safety services in and around the city. However, the loss of SR-111 would do no physical damage to police or fire stations. Similarly, a drought can have a major effect on water and wastewater services by reducing the amount of water available, but droughts have little or no physical effect on water and wastewater pipelines or pumps.
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Populations
Of the 17 populations evaluated in the vulnerability assessment, 14 were highly or severely vulnerable (scoring V4 or V5) for at least one hazard type. Populations generally are most vulnerable to wildfire, extreme heat, and air quality. The most vulnerable populations include households in poverty, immigrants and refugees, outdoor workers, persons experiencing homelessness, seniors living alone, and undocumented persons. The list below summarizes the high and severe vulnerabilities, grouping together populations with similar impacts or adaptive capacity.
Households with financial instability, which are households that may have limited incomes or be cost burdened (paying at least a third of their gross income on housing costs), are severely or highly vulnerable to all hazards that will impact Palm Springs. These persons, especially households in poverty, are more likely to live in homes with less insulation, less structural stability, or lack of air conditioning, increasing exposure to unsafe living conditions due to mold and mildew damage from flooding, high indoor air temperatures from extreme heat and warm nights, and poor indoor air quality from air pollution and severe weather. Households with financial instability may lack the financial means to recover from property damage or illnesses cause by climate change hazards.
Persons that spend an extended amount of time outdoors, including children and outdoor workers, are severely vulnerable to air quality, extreme heat, human health hazards, and smoke from wildfires.
Children tend to spend more time outdoors than many adults and may not be aware of the onset of heat- related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Reduced air quality from smoke, ozone, or particulate matter can also decrease the ability of young children to adapt to warmer temperatures over time. Outdoor workers are directly exposed to extreme heat, human health hazards, and the poor air quality due to the outdoor nature of their occupations. Outdoor work often involves physically intense work, which can increase the risk of medical complications. Outdoor work can be halted during hazardous conditions, such as sandstorms or flooding, creating economic hardships for outdoor workers. This may also limit the ability of outdoor workers to seek medical attention for heat or air quality related illnesses.
Persons with existing health conditions or limited mobility, such as seniors, seniors living alone, persons with chronic illnesses, persons with disabilities, and persons without access to lifelines, are highly vulnerable to air quality, extreme heat, human health hazards, landslides, and wildfire. Extreme heat, pathogens from human health hazards, and smoke from wildfires can cause cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, which may be difficult for many people to recover from, especially those with compromised immune systems or chronic illnesses. Seniors especially are usually more susceptible to heat-related illnesses, pathogens, and smoke conditions because they are more likely to have medical conditions that can worsen with extreme heat and often take medicine that makes it harder for them to stay cool. These individuals may also have difficulty evacuating during emergencies caused by flooding, landslides, or wildfires. Power outages can also isolate these persons and potentially cause life-support systems to fail.
Persons with language barriers and citizenship uncertainty are highly or severely vulnerable to multiple hazards due to their citizenship, language barriers, or immigration status. Most of these populations may be hesitant to seek help or may not qualify for financial assistance programs that can help them prepare and recover from a disaster. People with citizenship or immigration concerns, such as undocumented immigrants, are severely vulnerable to air quality, extreme heat, human health hazards, and severe weather, because this population may not live in structures that adequately shelter from these hazards Item 2A - Page 540
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and they may be required to work in extreme heat or poor air quality conditions. If employers halt work because of hazardous conditions, undocumented persons may face financial hardship. These individuals may also live in low-lying areas or in structures that are less resilient to damage, and therefore are highly vulnerable to severe weather and flooding.
Persons experiencing homelessness lack permanent and often temporary shelters, which can leave them directly exposed to high temperatures, poor air quality, sandstorms, and smoke from wildfires. These persons may not have access to cool locations, water, sunscreen, or protective equipment to increase resiliency to extreme heat and human health hazards. Persons experiencing homelessness are also severely vulnerable to severe storms and may have a challenging time recovering if high winds and intense rain events damage or destroy temporary shelters and personal property.
Persons living on single access roads are primarily in the western part of Palm Springs, which is adjacent to the San Jacinto Mountain range and located in landslide and wildfire hazard areas. These persons are severely vulnerable to landslides and highly vulnerable to wildfire. Landslides and wildfires can block single access roadways, preventing persons living on these roadways from evacuating during an emergency.
Built Systems and Services
The built systems and services include vulnerabilities to infrastructure, buildings, and services that the City and other organizations provide. The built systems and services are most vulnerable to flooding and landslides. Of the 38 infrastructure, building, and service assets in the assessment, 21 were highly or severely vulnerable (scored V4 or V5) for at least one hazard.
Single-access roads have the largest number of high and severe vulnerability scores due to the absence of alternative routes available. Many single access roadways, such as Palm Canyon Drive, are within or adjacent to the San Jacinto Mountains, and therefore are severely vulnerable to landslides. Landslides can make single-access roadways impassable, isolating those who live on these roads and preventing them from evacuating. Single access roadways, such as Indian Canyon Drive in northern Palm Springs, can also become impassable due to flooding, sandstorms, and wildfires, which can undermine the foundations or the materials of these roads.
Homes and residential structures are severely vulnerable to landslides and highly vulnerable to flooding, severe weather, and wildfire. Homes in western and southern Palm Springs are in high wildfire and landslide potential areas due to their proximity to the San Jacinto Mountains. These hazards can damage or destroy homes.
Homes throughout the city are in the 100-year or 500-year floodplains and can be destroyed by large floods or flash floods. If flooding does not destroy a home, it can leave mold and mildew, making the structure uninhabitable.
Homes, especially older homes, can also be damaged by high winds, sandstorms, and other severe weather. According to the American Community Survey 2019 five-year estimates, over half of homes in Palm Springs were built prior to 1980, with a large portion of homes built between 1960 and 1980. The Home Energy Assessment rebate program and funding sources such as Energy Savings Assistance Program, Multi-family Green Initiative, SoCal Gas rebates, and SCE energy-efficiency upgrades can help low-income residents and homeowners retrofit their homes. Homes can also be hardened against Item 2A - Page 541
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flooding and landslides, and defensible space can be created to prevent damage from wildfires. However, these adaptive options can be expensive and are not always feasible for residents with fixed or limited incomes.
Air services are highly or severely vulnerable to extreme heat and severe weather because airplanes may not be able to take off or land during dangerous conditions. During extreme heat events that reach 115oF to 120oF, aircraft may be unable to generate enough lift during take-off because the air is less dense. This can ground airplanes and cause delays in air services, sometimes for hours. Dust storms and high winds create low visibility and dangerous conditions for aircraft. These events can also delay air services hours or days, depending on the severity. Visitors and residents that use Palm Springs International Airport may be able to use other airports, but these may not have commercial flights or be much farther away.
Evacuation routes and transportation infrastructure are highly or moderately vulnerable to extreme heat, flooding, and severe weather. Extreme heat and prolonged periods of high temperatures can crack, heave, or deform roadway materials, damaging major roads and evacuation routes or making them difficult to drive on. Evacuation routes, such as I-10 and SR-111, have sections that are within the 100- year floodplain. Floodwaters can make these major routes impassable and prevent people from evacuating during an emergency. Windblown sand can cover evacuation routes and make them impassable so that it is difficult or impossible to evacuate in an emergency. Roadways can be retrofitted with materials that have higher temperature thresholds, evacuation-designated roadways can be raised to prevent flooding, and roads can be cleared of debris from severe weather. Though Caltrans may have funds for increased roadway maintenance, Palm Springs may not have the budget to increase maintenance on local roadways.
Energy infrastructure and delivery services are highly or severely vulnerable to extreme heat, flooding, landslides, severe weather, and wildfire. Energy delivery services depend on overhead power lines, power plants, and underground natural gas pipelines, which are owned and operated by SCE and SoCal Gas and are susceptible to extreme heat, flooding, high winds, landslides, and wildfire.
Extreme heat can cause power outages due to mechanical failure of electrical equipment, heat damage to the above-ground infrastructure, and a high demand for electricity due to air conditioning units.
Increased electricity usage for air conditioning during heat waves can overtax electrical transmission lines and transformers, which may disfunction or fail, causing power outages. Solar and wind energy production could also decrease due to extreme heat. Solar photovoltaic panels experience a 10 to 25 percent decrease in efficiency when converting solar energy to electric energy in high temperatures.
Severe weather with high wind speeds can make wind turbines lock in place to prevent damage, and cause transmission lines to sway close to each other, potentially leading to arcing. This can generate sparks, excessive heat, and damage the lines. In high winds from severe weather, SCE may turn off electricity in a Public Safety Power Shutoff to prevent sparks, disrupting energy delivery to the city.
Wildfires can damage power lines, natural gas lines, and substations. Landslides can damage both electrical transmission lines and natural gas pipelines if their foundations are undermined or fail. SCE and SoCal Gas can retrofit power lines and other equipment to insulate them against extreme heat events and severe weather and remove diseased or dead trees surrounding the lines and underground utilities to protect them from falling trees and wildfires.
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Communication infrastructure and services, including phone, cable, and internet, are highly vulnerable to severe weather that blows dust and soil from the Salton Sea area. This can cause power outages that turn off communication infrastructure, preventing visitors, businesses, and residents from receiving emergency notifications and evacuation notices. Communication facilities can be retrofitted to prevent damage and keep communication capabilities on. However, there may not be many redundancies in the communication system in the city that can be brought online if others fail.
Transit infrastructure and service are highly vulnerable to extreme heat, flooding, and severe weather.
Extreme heat can disrupt roadways, and fewer people may use public transit because it is harder to wait for the bus outside in the sun. Many of the SunLine bus routes are also in a flood hazard zone. These routes could be flooded and become impassable due to floodwaters, preventing residents who depend on transit from accessing essential goods and services, and commuters from traveling to or from work.
Severe weather can delay or reroute buses due to dust storms and high winds, which can last for hours or even days. Buses can be rerouted to avoided flooded roadways, and infrastructure can be retrofitted to resist damage from severe weather. However, those who depend on public transit may not have other options to get to important destinations while services are not running.
Water and wastewater infrastructure and services are highly vulnerable to landslides, severely vulnerable to flooding, and highly vulnerable to drought. Landslides can damage or break water and wastewater pipelines, which could cause water or sewage to leak. Flooding can cause the wastewater treatment plant to be inundated with wet weather flows due to higher levels of stormwater, preventing the system from functioning properly. Failure of the wastewater treatment plant could cause sewer collection systems to back up and potentially overflow raw sewage into streams and water systems. Drought conditions can stress water agencies that provide water to Palm Springs if supplies from the Colorado River and groundwater become significantly reduced due to lack of snowmelt into the river or recharge into the groundwater basins. Water agencies may apply drought rate surcharges and require mandatory reductions in overall water use. Water and wastewater systems can be retrofitted to prevent damage from flooding and landslides and ensure continuity of service. However, wastewater cannot be easily rerouted if the system is damaged or disrupted. Water delivery agencies can also provide water rebate or retrofit programs to help businesses and residents in the area reduce overall water consumption.
Parks and open space are severely vulnerable to wildfire and highly vulnerable to landslides. The regional and State parks and open space are in wildfire-prone areas that can be damaged or destroyed by wildfires, including the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and visitor centers. Defensible space and vegetation management in parks and open spaces can protect facilities and city residents, but these actions may not always be feasible. Parks and open space, especially open space in the San Jacinto Mountains, are in a high landslide susceptibility area. Landslides can damage trails, signage, and other facilities that support recreation. Slope stabilization methods can be implemented in open space areas to reduce landslide potential. However, little can be done to protect open space facilities if a landslide occurs.
Emergency medical response is highly vulnerable to human health hazards, as an increase in vector-borne and other illnesses may cause the demand to outweigh the capacity of emergency medical response services. There may be shortages of health care facilities, equipment, pharmaceuticals, and personnel if health care workers become sick or if supply chains are disrupted. Local and regional medical centers and providers can strengthen medical supply chains and prepare emergency contingency plans for when Item 2A - Page 543
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human health hazards increase in frequency and intensity. However, this may take time and require extensive coordination with multiple agencies and companies.
Commercial centers along South Palm Canyon and South Indian Canyon Drive, the Smoke Tree Shopping Center, and the Springs Shopping Center are in flood hazard areas. These buildings can be damaged by stormwater during floods. Commercial buildings can install green infrastructure and other flood control infrastructure to divert flood flows, but this can be expensive for small, privately owned businesses.
Homeless shelters and supportive facilities are highly vulnerable to severe weather and can be damaged by high winds, hail, and sandstorms. The services supported by these buildings may be inadequate or disrupted if the facilities are damaged. Homeless shelters are typically managed by nonprofit or faith- based organizations that may not get financial support from local agencies and may not have the funding for repairs if their facilities are damaged.
Economic Assets
Economic assets include vulnerabilities to economic drivers within the City of Palm Springs. Important economic sectors are most vulnerable to flooding, extreme heat, air quality, and wildfire. Of the six economic assets in the assessment, four were highly or severely vulnerable (scored V4 or V5) for at least one hazard.
State and regional parks are severely vulnerable to wildfire and highly vulnerable to air quality, drought, extreme heat, and landslides. Palm Springs is home to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which takes visitors over 5,000 feet up from the Valley Station to the Mountain Station in San Jacinto State Park.
Wildfires can harm State and regional park facilities such as the tramway and roadways, preventing visitors from accessing these recreation sites. Some State and regional park facilities can use defensible space and other protective actions, but these options are not always feasible. Regional wildfires can also create smoky conditions that, when combined with poor air quality from ozone and particulate matter from the Salton Sea, deter visitors from visiting State and regional parks. Impacts may become chronic with an increase in poor air quality conditions due to high winds and extreme heat. Extreme heat can create dangerous conditions for hikers and bicyclists, as people must regularly stay hydrated and not overexert themselves in hot temperatures. Some of the State and regional parks, such as the Mt. San Jacinto State Park, are at higher elevations and may not have as severe air quality impacts from the Salton Sea. An increase in drought conditions could dry out vegetation supporting trails and cause erosion, reducing the number of trails available to visitors. When heavy rainfall occurs due to severe storms, destabilized slopes could turn into mudslides or debris flows, damaging park facilities and residential or commercial areas downslope.
Outdoor recreation is severely vulnerable to poor air quality and extreme heat, and highly vulnerable to flooding and wildfires. Outdoor recreation can be curtailed by unhealthy air quality conditions resulting from particulate matter from the Salton Sea or high temperatures. Intense physical exertion from running, bicycling, and hiking can be dangerous during poor air quality conditions and extreme heat, and people must stay hydrated to avoid heat and respiratory illnesses. Several parks, trails, and golf courses are in floodplains or wildfire-prone areas, which could be damaged by flooding or wildfire that burn supportive vegetation and recreation facilities. Visitors could be deterred from traveling to the city if poor air quality and extreme heat create unfavorable conditions, especially if water stations are not available at outdoor recreation sites, and flooding or wildfires damages outdoor recreation facilities. Other Item 2A - Page 544
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locations for outdoor activities may have lower temperatures or better air quality, but they would likely not be in Palm Springs or nearby cities. Recreation sites could be managed for flooding and wildfires; however, this may not be feasible for all outdoor recreation sites.
Renewable Energy is highly vulnerable to flooding and severe weather. Flooding can damage solar panels and the foundations of wind turbines at commercial and large scale renewable energy sites, many of which are in the floodplain of the Whitewater River. Renewable energy workers may be unable to travel to the facilities until the water recedes. Solar- and wind-power generation facilities can be retrofitted to prevent damage from floodwaters, and some facilities are outside of the floodplain that could provide similar services. Solar and wind facilities can also be disrupted by high winds or sandstorms due to severe weather. Sandstorms can increase erosion to solar panel infrastructure, and high winds can cause wind turbines to stop working due to safety concerns, harming the industry, the workers, and renewable energy supply. Some renewable energy sources may not be damaged by severe weather, but solar panels would require more maintenance after these events. There is little that can be done to retrofit wind turbines to keep operating during high wind events.
Tourism is highly vulnerable to flooding and human health hazards. Much of the city is in a flood hazard zone, including roads and recreation facilities that are used by visitors. Flooding can make highways impassable or damage buildings and facilities that attract visitors, deterring them from traveling to the city. Several levees around the city protect areas from floodwaters; however, a major flood event may still damage facilities and deter tourists from traveling to the area. Human health hazards could cause commercial, retail, and hotel businesses to close, preventing visitors from traveling to the area.
Businesses can take health precautions and provide more advertising to attract visitors to the area, but some businesses may not be able to remain open if tourism decreases significantly.
Ecosystems and Natural Resources
Ecosystem and natural resources include vulnerabilities to habitats, plants, and wildlife in Palm Springs.
Ecosystems and natural resources are most vulnerable to drought, extreme heat, and wildfire. Of the five ecosystems and natural resources included in the assessment, four were highly or severely vulnerable (scored V4 or V5) for at least one hazard.
Juniper woodlands are severely vulnerable to wildfires and highly vulnerable to drought, extreme heat, and landslides. Wildfires and extreme heat can cause a higher mortality rate among juniper woodlands, especially with increased frequency. This can shift the ecosystems to a shrub or grassland habitat type because juniper woodlands have a very long recovery time. Juniper woodlands are also not as tolerant of drought conditions as scrub or desert ecosystems, and can experience reduced growth, shift in species composition, and increased occurrence of pests and diseases during prolonged droughts. Due to their location in mountainous areas of the city, juniper woodlands can also be disturbed by landslides and less able to recover due to other climate stressors that weaken the ecosystem.
Riparian forests and woodlands are highly vulnerable to drought and extreme heat. Successive drought years could lead to an earlier, more rapid seasonal drying down of riparian communities, causing a compositional shift in the community and degraded water quality due to lack of water. Herbaceous species could die out due to loss of surface water; however, established trees could persist by accessing groundwater with their deep roots. Groundwater may keep larger trees alive; however, severe drought could cause the water table to sink below the reach of roots. An increase in extreme heat days and Item 2A - Page 545
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average high temperatures could result in higher rates of evapotranspiration, which could also lead to an earlier, more rapid drying out of riparian communities. Successive extreme heat years could lead to general shrinking of riparian zones, increasing competition between species that use these areas.
Sonoran Desert scrub is highly vulnerable to wildfire. Wildfires in desert scrub habitats can prevent native shrub regeneration and kill resprouts or seedlings, especially with shorter fire return intervals. Although desert scrub habitat can typically regenerate after a fire, shorter fire return intervals can make this more difficult for the ecosystem.
Desert interior dune is highly vulnerable to flooding, which can cause soil scouring and deposition in desert interior dune habitats because the soils are unable to store the increase in water, ultimately harming native species in the dune ecosystem. Desert interior dune ecosystems are slow to recover, and native species may not be able to adapt to more frequent flooding, especially in the summer months.
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
Equity and Uncertainty
When addressing vulnerability and adaptation through general plan policies and the associated implementation plan, the Adaptation Planning Guide and General Plan Guidelines recommend consideration of equity and uncertainty.
Equity means that all people are justly and fairly included in society, and that everyone can participate, prosper, and achieve their full potential. Equitable climate adaptation planning involves identifying persons who are most vulnerable to climate change hazards and ensuring that the planning process, distribution of resources, and efforts to address systematic wrongs are all conducted in an equitable manner. This vulnerability assessment identifies 17 vulnerable populations and assesses climate change impacts and the ability of these populations to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate change hazards (see list in “Populations and Assets” section).
Uncertainty is the second component to consider when determining how hazardous conditions may affect Palm Springs. Climate change is driven by the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere, which is affected by how our communities use resources and how we regulate those uses through local, state, federal, and international GHG-reduction goals, regulations, plans, and programs. As more action is taken to reduce GHG emissions, the less severe the effects of climate change are expected to be. Climate change models consider the concentrations of atmospheric GHG emissions and the changes in these levels over time to project future extent or intensity of hazardous events.
Even with extensive modeling, potential impacts are projections of more likely future conditions and are not certain. Similarly, there is also substantial uncertainty about the future state of technology, socioeconomic conditions, and other factors. According to recent studies, the best approach to uncertainty is to prepare and adapt by monitoring how the future evolves and allow for adjustments over time as new climate data and studies are completed. The State and the City have ample evidence to support science-based policy and decision-making.
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Opportunities
Palm Springs currently experiences a wide range of climate change hazards that are projected to increase in frequency and intensity in the future. Though GHG reduction measures in the 2013 City of Palm Springs Climate Action Plan and 2016 City of Palm Springs Sustainability Master Plan will help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, adaptation strategies will be needed to increase the resilience of residents and businesses in Palm Springs. The general plan is required to integrate adaptation measures into the update process that will help the community prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate change hazards.
• Safety. Due to the recent update of the California Government Code Section 653029(g) with the approval of SB 379, safety elements are required to address climate adaptation and resilience strategies. The Safety Element’s goals, policies, and implementation actions can provide resilience strategies that support reduced impacts and improved adaptive capacity of the community to climate change-related hazards, along with policies on required hazards such as flooding, fire, and geologic hazards. Policies in this element can ensure that the health, safety, and economic concerns of the community are met, even with an increase in frequency and intensity of climate change hazards. Examples of specific policies or implementation actions could include:
o Create an extreme heat response plan that includes establishment of community cooling centers, weatherization of city buildings, and cooling strategies for persons engaged in outdoor work and persons experiencing homelessness.
o Expand participation of programs and services that provide funding resources for economically disadvantaged households and businesses to conduct retrofits. o Coordinate with City and regional transit providers to identify alternate routes and stops if normal infrastructure is damaged or closed as a result of extreme events. o Collaborate with SunLine and other senior transit agencies to help in evacuation efforts of seniors and people without vehicles during emergency events. o Encourage or incentivize residential and on-site solar systems, especially when paired with battery storage to provide a resilient energy supply for homes. o Coordinate with County of Riverside Public Health to ensure emergency and public health services can meet the needs of the population during extreme heat, poor air quality, and human health hazard events.
o Provide alerts about potential, developing, and ongoing emergency situations through extensive early-warning and notification systems that convey information to all residents in multiple languages and formats to ensure it is widely accessible. •
Circulation. The Circulation Element has policies for wastewater treatment and collection, storm drainage systems, water supply and distribution systems, electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications infrastructure. Buildings and utility infrastructure are in the vulnerability assessment results discussion, and therefore resilience strategies for these systems would be appropriate to add to the Circulation Element goals, objectives, and policies. Potential objectives and policies may include funding efforts to underground electricity lines citywide, create redundances in the communication infrastructure, and provide sustainable backup power supplies. Strategies can also look at the promotion of water conservation measures, low-impact development, and green infrastructure that can help convey stormwater and reduce flooding.
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Transportation related strategies can include improving evacuation access, ensuring heat- resistant materials are used on roadways, and implementation of other transportation-related resilience features.
• Recreation, Open Space, and Conservation. The Recreation, Open Space, and Conservation Element promotes recreation opportunities and a variety of parks and open spaces in and adjacent to the city, which is essential to ensuring that vulnerable populations can adapt to an increase in frequency and intensity of hazards, such as extreme heat and wildfires. Park and open space areas can help reduce air pollution, decrease ambient air temperatures, provide shade during hot days, act as buffers to slow down and absorb stormwater, among other benefits.
Indoor recreation facilities can provide opportunities for recreation when air quality or temperatures are unhealthy outdoors. This element can include policies and actions that increase the urban tree canopy to reduce the heat island effect, clean the air, and protect residents and visitors from hazardous conditions. Another key component for this element is to attract visitors to the area for outdoor recreation purposes. Adaptation strategies may include increasing natural or structural shade, installing water stations, and providing signage about extreme heat hazards at trailheads and outdoor recreation centers. To address the ecosystem vulnerabilities, this element can also provide implementation actions to preserve and restore woodland and riparian habitats to ensure these ecosystems maintain their ecosystem services.
The Recreation, Open Space, and Conservation Element also provides goals, objectives, and policies for public facilities throughout the city, including community centers and libraries. The Urban Sustainability Network’s “Resilience Hub White Paper” and Resilience Hubs website (http://resilience-hub.org/) provides a key resilience strategy for public facilities: the integration of physical and virtual resilience hubs. These can serve as centralized locations for resources about climate change, opportunities to reduce emissions, and techniques to increase resilience; as showcases for sustainability, energy efficiency, and low carbon building; and to help residents obtain essential resources and information during and after a disaster. Examples of specific implementation actions could include:
o Identify existing facilities to serve as resilience hubs and cooling centers that open during emergencies or at specific temperature triggers for residents to seek emergency shelter or refuge from extreme heat days.
o Coordinate with emergency management services to establish backup power, preferably from renewable energy sources, and water resources at emergency shelters, resilience hubs, and cooling centers in case of power outages.
Resilience in Other Planning Mechanisms
Resilience should not be limited to the General Plan. Adaptation and resilience rely on a cross- department, multidisciplinary approach for successful implementation. The City should consider how adaptation and resilience can also be incorporated into other City plans, codes, projects, and implementation programs. Addressing climate change hazard events in the General Plan can support other essential safety documents, such as the City of Palm Springs Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Development standards, such as residential building codes for buildings in flood zones, fire safe standards for buildings in fire hazard severity zones, and development of adequate evacuation routes, can be integrated into the Palm Springs Municipal Code. Policies that focus on emergency response to hazards Item 2A - Page 548
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can be included in an evacuation plan or an emergency operations plan. Adaptation measures that also reduce GHG emissions can be integrated into the Palm Springs Climate Action Plan or Sustainability Master Plan and may support an active transportation plan or bicycle master plan. The City and Desert Community Energy can coordinate incentives for GHG reduction measures such as rebates for battery storage facilities. Policies related to drought and flooding may be integrated into the Coachella Valley Water District’s, Desert Water Agency’s, and Mission Springs Water District’s Urban Water Management Plans and the Palm Springs Storm Drain Master Plan. Furthermore, the Palm Springs Municipal Code and Capital Improvement Program can help implement the resilience policies developed in the General Plan through specific projects, development codes, and budgeting.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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California Energy Commission. 2018. “Extreme Precipitation.” Accessed January 29, 2021. https://cal-adapt.org/tools/extreme-precipitation/.
California Office of Emergency Services, CAL FIRE. 2020. “California Fire Perimeters: 1878 to 2019.” https://services.arcgis.com/jIL9msH9OI208GCb/arcgis/rest/services/California_Fire_Perimeters_1 878_2019/FeatureServer.
City of Palm Springs. 2020. "Energy Efficiency." https://www.palmspringsca.gov/services/sustainability -and-recycling/energy-efficiency.
City of Palm Springs. N.d. “Electric Vehicles and Charging.” https://www.palmspringsca.gov/services/ sustainability-and-recycling/electric-vehicles-and-charging.
Decennial Census. 2020. 2020, Total Population, Race, P1. https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Palm %20Springs&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29.
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). 2018. FEMA Flood Zones (Map Service). Accessed January 28, 2021.
https://tpc.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=6a010cc179554536ac70a9637db8f245.
U.S. Climate Data. 2021. “Climate Palm Springs: California.” Accessed January 28, 2021. https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/palm-springs/california/united-states/usca0828.
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CITY OF PALM SPRINGS SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT FINAL
April 29, 2022 | Page 35
LIST OF PREPARERS
Lead Agency
City of Palm Springs
3200 E Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262
PlaceWorks
Wendy Nowak, Project Manager
Jonathan Nettler, Assistant Project Manager
Tammy L. Seale, Principal, Climate Action and Resiliency Eli Krispi, Senior Associate, Climate Action and Resiliency Jacqueline Protsman Rohr, Associate, Climate Action and Resiliency Renata Langis, Project Planner, Climate Action and Resiliency Item 2A - Page 552
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VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT FINAL
April 29, 2022 | Page 36
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VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT FINAL
April 29, 2022 | Page 37
APPENDIX A: VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS MATRIX
The Vulnerability Assessment evaluates the impact and adaptive capacity of 66 populations and assets for each of the relevant 8 hazards. Vulnerability scores were assigned on a scale of 1 to 5 (as shown in FFigure 3) to reflect how susceptible the population or asset is to the harm posed by the hazard. The City assessed 357 different pairings for vulnerability, 126 of which scored V4 or V5—highly or severely vulnerable. The following matrix provides the scores for each population and assets to each relevant hazard. The vulnerability scores are:
• V1: Minimal vulnerability
• V2: Low vulnerability
• V3: Moderate vulnerability
• V4: High vulnerability
• V5: Severe vulnerability
POPULATIONS AND ASSETS AIR
QUALITY DROUGHT
EXTREME HEAT
AND WARM
NIGHTS
FLOODING
HUMAN
HEALTH
HAZARDS
LANDSLIDES SEVERE
WEATHER WILDFIRE
Populations
Children V4 - V5 V3 V3 - V3 V4
Cost-burdened households V3 V3 V3 V3 V2 V3 V2 V3
Households in poverty V4 V4 V4 V5 V5 V4 V5 V5
Immigrants and refugees V5 - V4 V4 V4 V4 V4 V4
LGBTQIA+ V3 - V2 V3 V3 V3 V2 V3
Linguistically isolated
populations V4 - V3 V3 V3 V3 V3 V3
Low-income households V3 V3 V3 V4 V3 V3 V3 V3
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CITY OF PALM SPRINGS SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT FINAL
April 29, 2022 | Page 38
POPULATIONS AND ASSETS AIR
QUALITY DROUGHT
EXTREME HEAT
AND WARM
NIGHTS
FLOODING
HUMAN
HEALTH
HAZARDS
LANDSLIDES SEVERE
WEATHER WILDFIRE
Outdoor workers V5 V4 V5 V4 V5 V3 V5 V4
Persons experiencing
homelessness V5 - V5 V5 V5 - V5 V5
Persons living on single access
roads
V3 - V2 V4 V2 V5 V2 V4
Persons with chronic illnesses V4 - V4 V4 V4 V2 V4 V4
Persons with disabilities V3 - V3 V4 V3 V3 V3 V4
Persons without access to
lifelines V3 - V3 V4 V3 V3 V3 V4
Renters V3 V3 V2 V2 V2 V3 V2 V3
Seniors V4 - V3 V3 V4 V4 V3 V5
Seniors living alone V5 - V4 V4 V5 V5 V4 V5
Undocumented persons V5 - V5 V5 V5 V4 V5 V4
Infrastructure
Airport - - V3 V1 - - V2 -
Bike routes - - V1 V3 - V2 V1 V3
Bridges - - V3 V4 - - V3 -
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VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT FINAL
April 29, 2022 | Page 39
POPULATIONS AND ASSETS AIR
QUALITY DROUGHT
EXTREME HEAT
AND WARM
NIGHTS
FLOODING
HUMAN
HEALTH
HAZARDS
LANDSLIDES SEVERE
WEATHER WILDFIRE
Communication facilities - - V3 - - V1 V4 V3
Electrical substations and
transmission lines - - V4 V4 - - V4 V3
Electric vehicle charging
stations
- - V3 V3 - - V1 -
Evacuation routes - - V4 V4 - V3 V4 V2
Flood control infrastructure - - - V3 - - V2 -
Hazardous materials sites - - - - - - - -
Major roads and highways - - V4 V3 - V3 V3 V2
Natural gas pipelines - - - V2 - V5 - V4
Parks and open space - V3 V2 V2 - V4 V2 V5
Power plants V1 - V3 V2 - - V4 -
Privately owned open space - V3 V2 V3 - V2 V2 V3
Railways - - V4 V4 - - V3 V2
Single-access roads - - V3 V4 - V5 V4 V4
Solid waste facilities and closed
landfills
- - - - - - V2 -
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CITY OF PALM SPRINGS SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT FINAL
April 29, 2022 | Page 40
POPULATIONS AND ASSETS AIR
QUALITY DROUGHT
EXTREME HEAT
AND WARM
NIGHTS
FLOODING
HUMAN
HEALTH
HAZARDS
LANDSLIDES SEVERE
WEATHER WILDFIRE
Transit stops - - - V3 - V1 V4 V1
Water and wastewater
infrastructure - V2 V2 V3 - V4 V2 V3
Buildings
Community centers - - V1 V3 - - V1 -
Commercial centers - - V1 V4 - - V3 V3
Emergency shelters / cooling
centers
- - V3 V3 - - V3 -
Government buildings - - V1 V2 - - V1 -
Homes and residential
structures - - V3 V4 - V5 V4 V4
Homeless shelters - - V3 V3 - - V4 -
Libraries - - V1 V1 - - V1 V1
Medical and care facilities - - V2 V2 - - V2 -
Public safety buildings - - V1 V1 - - V2 -
Schools - - V3 V3 - - V3 -
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CITY OF PALM SPRINGS SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT FINAL
April 29, 2022 | Page 41
POPULATIONS AND ASSETS AIR
QUALITY DROUGHT
EXTREME HEAT
AND WARM
NIGHTS
FLOODING
HUMAN
HEALTH
HAZARDS
LANDSLIDES SEVERE
WEATHER WILDFIRE
Important Economic Assets
Golf courses V3 V3 V3 V3 V1 - V3 V3
Major employers V2 V1 V2 V2 V3 - V2 V1
Outdoor recreation V5 V3 V5 V4 V3 V3 V2 V4
Renewable energy V2 - V2 V4 - - V4 V3
State and regional parks V4 V4 V4 V3 V3 V4 V1 V5
Tourism V3 V3 V3 V4 V4 V3 V2 V3
Ecosystems and Natural Resources
Sonoran Desert scrub - V2 V2 V3 - V2 V2 V4
Chaparral habitat - V3 V3 V1 - V2 V2 V2
Riparian forest and woodland - V4 V4 V3 - V3 V1 V3
Juniper woodland - V4 V4 V1 - V4 V3 V5
Desert interior dune - V1 V1 V4 - - V3 -
Item 2A - Page 558
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VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT FINAL
April 29, 2022 | Page 42
POPULATIONS AND ASSETS AIR
QUALITY DROUGHT
EXTREME HEAT
AND WARM
NIGHTS
FLOODING
HUMAN
HEALTH
HAZARDS
LANDSLIDES SEVERE
WEATHER WILDFIRE
Key Community Services
Air services V3 - V5 V1 V3 - V5 V3
Communication services - - V3 - - V3 V4 V3
Emergency medical response V3 - V2 V2 V4 V2 V2 V2
Energy delivery V1 V2 V5 V3 - V4 V5 V4
Government administration
and community services V2 - V1 V1 V1 V1 V2 V2
Public safety response V2 - V2 V3 V3 V3 V3 V3
Public transit access V3 - V4 V4 V2 - V4 V3
Solid waste removal V3 - V3 V3 V2 V3 V3 V3
Water and wastewater - V5 V3 V5 - V4 V2 V2
Item 2A - Page 559
dd,D
Ed'
Item 2A - Page 560
September 2024 | General Plan EIR Addendum
ADDENDUM TO THE GENERAL PLAN EIR
SCH No. 2006071060
FOR THE
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
City of Palm Springs
Prepared for:
City of Palm Springs
Christopher Hadwin, Director of Planning Services
3200 E Tahquitz Canyon Way,
Palm Springs, CA 92262
Prepared by:
PlaceWorks
Mark Teague, Principal
101 Parkshore Drive, Suite 200
Folsom, California 95630
916.245.7500
[email protected]
www.placeworks.com
Item 2A - Page 561
ADDENDUM TO THE GENERAL PLAN EIR FOR THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
Table of Contents
September 2024 Page i
Section Page
1. ADDENDUM TO THE CERTIFIED GENERAL PLAN EIR ............................................................. 3
1.1 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 PURPOSE OF AN EIR ADDENDUM ........................................................................................................... 3
1.3 2007 GENERAL PLAN EIR .............................................................................................................................. 5
1.4 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................................................. 5
2. CEQA ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................................ 8
Table Page
TABLE 1 EXISTING LAND USE ESTIMATES AND 2007 GENERAL PLAN AND GENERAL PLAN UPDATE BUILDOUT PROJECTIONS ............................................................................................ 7
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CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
Page ii September 2024
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ADDENDUM TO THE GENERAL PLAN EIR FOR THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
1. Addendum to the Certified General Plan EIR
September 2024 Page 3
1. Addendum to the Certified General Plan EIR
1.1 BACKGROUND
The City of Palm Springs is preparing an Addendum to a certified Environmental Impact Report (EIR) as part of its General Plan Update. In 2007, the City ce rtified the 2007 General Plan EIR SCH #2006071060 (2007 General Plan EIR), which allowed for the certification of the existing General Plan and its associated land use buildout projections.
The City of Palm Springs initiated a focused General Plan Update in 2019 to am end the Land Use Element and also update the Circulation Element. The impetu s for the limited 2040 Genera l Plan Update (proposed project) is for consistency with recently adopted revi sions to the City’s Planned Development District (PDD) ordinance. During the time that the City was unde rtaking the update, new legislation was passed that necessitated updates to the City's Housing and Safety Elements. This addendum addresses the Land Use, Circulation and Safety Elements. A separate addendum was prepared for the Housing Element, as it was updated in a separate but parallel process.
The proposed project would result in minor changes to land use designations, and as such, the proposed project provides new growth projections for the proposed project’s buildout year of 2040. All future development in the City would be required to comply with the Genera l Plan Update’s goals, policies, and implementation actions, as well as the City’s development standards. In addition, any discretionary actions require independent and project-specific environmental review.
1.2 PURPOSE OF AN EIR ADDENDUM
According to CEQA Guidelines Section 15164(a), an addendum shall be prepared if some changes or additions to a previously adopted EIR are nece ssary, but none of the conditions enumerated in CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162(a)(1) to (3) calling for the preparation of subsequent EIR have occurred. As stated in CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 (Subsequent EIRs and Negative Declarations):
When an EIR has been certified or negative declaration adopted for a project, no subsequent EIR shall be prepared for that project unless the le ad agency determines, on the basis of substantial evidence in the light of the whole record, one or more of the following:
(1) Substantial changes are proposed in the proj ect which will require ma jor revisions of the previous EIR or negative declaration due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects; (2) Substantial changes occur with respect to th e circumstances under which the project is undertaken which will require major revisions of the previous EIR or negative declaration due Item 2A - Page 564
ADDENDUM TO THE GENERAL PLAN EIR FOR THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
1. Addendum to the Certified General Plan EIR