PISMO BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAF REPOR
Agenda Item #9.D
Meetin Date: March 3, 2026
TITLE:
2025 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution approving and adopting the 2025 update to the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.
DISCUSSION:
The San Luis Obispo County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) is a multi-jurisdictional plan that covers people, property, and critical assets within the County’s jurisdictional boundaries. The City of Pismo Beach is a participating jurisdiction with the MJHMP. The 2025 MJHMP Update has been prepared consistent with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, which requires municipalities to research hazards and identify mitigations to help prevent loss of life and property and protect major infrastructure should a significant hazardous event occur. The City last updated the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) when the City partnered with the County of San Luis Obispo and the six other incorporated cities within the County to prepare a MJHMP. The City has participated in this county-wide effort to review the risks posed by natural and human-caused hazards and to identify ways to reduce the damage from those risks through implementing mitigation measures as provided in the MJHMP. This plan (Attachment 3) replaces the 2019 San Luis Obispo County MJHMP.
The San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services (OES) has requested that each participating jurisdiction adopt a resolution approving the plan. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided a letter to the County dated December 29, 2025 (Attachment 2) which states that the plan is eligible for final approval.
A copy of the complete San Luis Obispo County MJHMP is available online in the City’s Access Pismo public record portal1. The County Office of Emergency Services (OES) also maintains the master copy of the plan on the County OES webpage2.
Each of the incorporated cities, as well as the various community service districts located under County jurisdiction, prepared Annex chapters to the main Hazard Mitigation Plan, with specific hazard analysis tailored to each jurisdiction. The Pismo Beach Annex begins on page 750 of the report (see Attachment 3, Page 750, Pismo Beach Annex F), and includes analysis of the following hazards for the Pismo Beach area:
1 Full URL:
https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=768339&repo=r-f36a9aa0 2 Full URL:
https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/forms- documents/2025-draft-multi-jurisdictional-hazard-mitigation-plan Council Agenda 3-3-2026 9.D-1
Adverse Weather – Thunderstorms, Lightning, Heavy Rain, Fog Adverse Weather – High Winds and Tornados
Dam Incidents
Drought and Water Shortage
Earthquake
Flood
Landslides and Debris Flow
Coastal Storm/Coastal Erosion/Sea Level Rise
Tsunami
Wildfire
Human Caused: Hazardous Materials
Two public scoping workshops were held on January 14, 2025, and May 29, 2025, with input from the public regarding the specific hazards that would need to be addressed, with a Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan made available at the public workshop on May 29, 2025. FEMA reviewed the draft MJHMP and, on December 29, 2025, determined the Plan was eligible for final adoption by the County and the cities (correspondence provided as Attachment 2). The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors adopted the MJHMP on January 27, 2026, marking the official start date of the plan. Each of the incorporated cities must also adopt the overall plan, including their respective city-specific annexes to the plan, for local use in order to be eligible for funding to pre- and post-disaster funding.
Environmental
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), it has been determined that preparation of a Hazard Mitigation Plan is exempt from the requirements of CEQA pursuant to the following four sections of the CEQA guidelines:
Section 15183(d)—“The project is consistent with […] a general plan of a local agency, and an environmental impact report was certified by the lead agency for the [...] general plan.”
Section 15262—“A project involving only feasibility or planning studies for possible future actions which the agency, board or commission has not approved, adopted, or funded does not require the preparation of an environmental impact report or negative declaration but does require consideration of environmental factors. This section does not apply to the adoption of a plan that will have a legally binding effect on later activities.”
Section 15306—“(Categorical Exemption) Class 6 consists of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource.
These may be strictly for information gathering purposes, or as part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted or funded.”
Section 15601(b)(3)—“ [...] CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with Council Agenda 3-3-2026 9.D-2
certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.” Conclusion and Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution (Attachment 1) for the local approval and adoption of the 2025 update to the MJHMP.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this project. FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant funding provided for 75% of the budgeting costs associated with the plan preparation, with the additional 25% split between the County and City governments, mostly coming in the form of in-kind staff costs associated with data-collection, participation in planning committee and public meetings, and review of the draft plan.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
2. FEMA letter, December 29, 2025
3. Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (online-only attachment:
https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=768339&repo=r-f36a9aa0) Prepared by:
Michael Gruver, AICP, Associate Planner
Submitted by: Scot Graham, Community Development Director City Manager Approval:
Council Agenda 3-3-2026 9.D-3
RESOLUTION NO. R-2026-XXX
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PISMO BEACH, CALIFORNIA APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE 2025 UPDATE TO THE MULTI-
JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
WHEREAS, the City of Pismo Beach adopted the 2019 City of Pismo Beach Local Hazard Mitigation Plan on a five-year cycle as required by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pismo Beach partnered with the County of San Luis Obispo and six other incorporated cities within the County of San Luis Obispo, forming the Multi- Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Planning Team; and
WHEREAS, the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Planning Team has drafted the 2025 San Luis Obispo County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (MJHMP) to advance better mitigation planning and projects within the County of San Luis Obispo, including those within the City of Pismo Beach and other incorporated Cities within the County; and
WHEREAS, the Draft San Luis Obispo County MJHMP was made available to public on May 21, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the County of San Luis Obispo provided the Draft San Luis Obispo County MJHMP to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for review and approval; and WHEREAS, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has reviewed and deemed the San Luis Obispo County MJHMP eligible for local adoption by the County of San Luis Obispo and participating jurisdictions; and
WHEREAS, the County of San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors adopted the San Luis Obispo County MJHMP on January 27, 2026, starting the five-year cycle for Hazard Mitigations Plans as required by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000; and WHEREAS, the City Council held a public meeting on March 3, 2026, at which all interested parties were given opportunity to be heard.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Pismo Beach hereby approves and adopts the 2025 County of San Luis Obispo Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, in substantially the form attached to staff’s report dated March 3, 2026, as the City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan.
UPON MOTION OF Council Member , seconded by Council Member , the foregoing resolution was adopted by the City Council of the City of Pismo Beach this 3rd day of February 2026, by the following vote:
Council Agenda 3-3-2026 9.D-4
Attachment 1
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
RECUSED:
Approved: Attest:
________________________ ________________________
Ed Waage, Mayor Erica Inderlied, City Clerk
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and official seal of the City of Pismo Beach on _______________________.
________________________
Erica Inderlied, City Clerk
Council Agenda 3-3-2026 9.D-5
Attachment 1
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
FEMA Region 9
1111 Broadway, Suite 1200
Oakland, CA 94607
www.fema.gov
December 29, 2025
Scott Milner
Emergency Services Coordinator
County of San Luis Obispo Office of Emergency Services
1055 Monterey Street, Suite D430
San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
Reference: Hazard Mitigation Plan Review for San Luis Obispo County, CA Dear Scott Milner:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has completed its review of the 2025 San Luis Obispo County Hazard Mitigation Plan in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 44, Part 201, Section 6 (44 CFR 201.6) for local hazard mitigation plans.
All mandatory requirements associated with 44 CFR 201.6 for local hazard mitigation plans have been met and the plan is eligible for final approval, pending its adoption by San Luis Obispo County and its planning participants. Formal adoption documentation must be submitted to FEMA Region 9 within one calendar year from the date of this letter.
FEMA’s review did identify the need for a revision in the dam safety section to fulfill the eligibility requirements for the Rehabilitation of the High Hazard Potential Dam (HHPD) grant program, which is outlined in the enclosed Plan Review Tool. This revision is considered optional and is only required to maintain eligibility for the HHPD program.
Please note that while local hazard mitigation plans may include additional content to meet Element H: Additional State Requirements or other local objectives, FEMA’s Approvable Pending Adoption (APA) status does not constitute review or approval of any content exceeding FEMA’s mitigation planning requirements.
If you have any questions regarding the planning or review processes, please contact the FEMA Region 9 Hazard Mitigation Planning Team at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Alison Kearns
Planning and Implementation Branch Chief
Mitigation Division
FEMA Region 9
Council Agenda 3-3-2026 9.D-6
Attachment 2
County of San Luis Obispo Hazard Mitigation Plan Review Completion Notice December 29, 2025
Enclosure (1)
San Luis Obispo County Plan Review Tool, dated December 29, 2025 Status of Participating Jurisdictions, dated December 29, 2025 cc: Robyn Fennig, State Hazard Mitigation Officer, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
Victoria LaMar-Haas, Hazard Mitigation Planning Chief, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
Council Agenda 3-3-2026 9.D-7
Attachment 2
County of San Luis Obispo Hazard Mitigation Plan Review Completion Notice December 29, 2025
Status of Participating Jurisdictions as of December 29, 2025 Jurisdictions Adopted and Approved
Jurisdictions Approvable Pending Adoption
Council Agenda 3-3-2026 9.D-8
Attachment 2