ORDINANCE NO. 4347
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POMONA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING POMONA CITY CODE CHAPTER 22 (FIRE PREVENTION) ADOPTING THE FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONE DESIGNATIONS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 51178, AND AMENDING CHAPTER 74, ARTICLE II, DIVISION 1, SECTION 74-32 (CONSTRUCTION IN FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES) ADOPTING PROVISIONS REGULATING OCCUPIED DWELLINGS AND OCCUPIED STRUCTURES PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 51182, AND DETERMINING THE ORDINANCE TO BE EXEMPT FROM CEQA WHEREAS, Government Code Section 51178 requires the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to identify and recommend areas within the state as moderate, high, or very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent statewide criteria; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code Section 51179, local agencies are required to adopt the fire hazard severity zone (FHSZ) designations within 120 days of receiving the recommendations from CAL FIRE; and WHEREAS, on March 24, 2025, the City of Pomona (“the City”) received the map depicting the recommended FHSZ designations from CAL FIRE within the City of Pomona (2025 FHSZ Map); and WHEREAS, the 2025 FHSZ Map is attached and incorporated herein as Exhibit A; and WHEREAS, the City has made the proposed 2025 FHSZ Map available for public review and provided proper public notice in accordance with Government Code Section 51179(g) to receive public input; and WHEREAS, the City finds that adoption of the map is in the interest of public safety, supports fire prevention and mitigation efforts, and ensures compliance with applicable state law; and WHEREAS, the City has not reduced or altered the fire hazard severity designations established by CAL FIRE, and this adoption is consistent with the model ordinance requirements by CAL FIRE.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Pomona as follows:
SECTION 1. Adoption of this ordinance is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") under CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3), the general rule that states that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. The amendments made by this ordinance do not have the potential to cause a significant effect on the environment because they authorize no new development or use.
SECTION 2. Section 22-3 is hereby added to Chapter 22 (Fire Prevention) of the Pomona City Code and shall read as follows (new language is underlined):
Sec. 22-3. Fire hazard severity zone regulations.
Pursuant to Government Code Section 51179, this section adopts the map issued by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) titled "City of Pomona – Los Angeles County, Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones," and dated March 24, 2025, for the purposes of identifying properties designated as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones within the City of Pomona. The map shall be kept on file in the Building and Safety Division and in the Office of the City Clerk as Exhibit A of Ordinance No. 4347.
A person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains an occupied dwelling or occupied structure within a very high fire hazard severity zone designated by the local agency pursuant to Section 51179, shall at all times comply with all applicable provisions of Government Code Section 51182.
SECTION 3. Section 74-32 (Construction in fire hazard severity zones) of Division 1, Article II, Chapter 74 of the Pomona City Code is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows (new language is underlined and deleted language is stricken):
Sec. 74-32. Construction in fire hazard severity zones.
Pursuant to Government Code Section 51179(a), this section adopts the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) "Very High Fire Hazard Safety Zone Maps," which shall be kept on file in the building and safety division and in the office of the city clerk as Exhibit A to Ordinance No. 4104. New construction and/or renovations within any designated fire hazard severity zone shall comply with all applicable requirements of Chapter 7A of the California Building Code, as may be amended.
Effective July 1, 2008, new construction or building expansion within any Very High Fire Hazard Safety Zone shall comply with all requirements of Chapter 7A of the California Building Code.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage of this Ordinance, and shall cause same to be posted as required by law, and this Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its adoption (August 6, 2025).
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 16th day of June, 2025.
CITY OF POMONA:
_____________________________
Tim Sandoval
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ATTEST:
______________________________ _____________________________ Sonia Carvalho Rosalia A. Butler, MMC
City Attorney City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
CITY OF POMONA
I, ROSALIA A. BUTLER, MMC, CITY CLERK of the City of Pomona do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance was introduced for first reading at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pomona held on June 16, 2025 and was adopted at second reading at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pomona held on July 7, 2025, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
______________________________
Rosalia A. Butler, MMC
City Clerk
EXHIBIT A
Ordinance No. 4347
June 16, 2025
ATTACHMENT NO. 1