100 W. CALIFORNIA AVE. | RIDGECREST, CA 93555
Phone 760.499.5000 | Fax 760.499.1520
www.ridgecrest-ca.gov
NOTICE AND CALL OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
RIDGECREST CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY /
HOUSING AUTHORITY / FINANCING AUTHORITY
To The Members Of The Ridgecrest City Council / Successor Redevelopment Agency / Housing Authority / Financing Authority, Public And City Clerk:
PUBLIC NOTICE that a SPECIAL MEETING of the Ridgecrest City Council is hereby called on:
Thursday August 24, 2023 @ 5:30 p.m.
City Council Chambers
100 W. California Avenue
Ridgecrest, California
Said SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING shall be for the purpose of:
Approve A Resolution Of The Ridgecrest City Council Confirming Existence Of A Local Emergency
Dated: August 23, 2023
Eric A. Bruen, Mayor / Chair
ATTEST:
Ricca Charlon, City Clerk
RIDGECREST CITY COUNCIL
SUCCESSOR REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
FINANCING AUTHORITY
HOUSING AUTHORITY
SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
Thursday August 24, 2023 Regular Session – 5:30 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER
• Roll call
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
REGULAR SESSION
• Pledge Of Allegiance
• Invocation
PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA - Persons wishing to address the Council on matters that are within the Council’s jurisdiction and DO NOT ALREADY APPEAR ON THE AGENDA, may do so at this time.
COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS/DIRECTION
DISCUSSION / ACTION ITEMS
1. Resolution Of The Ridgecrest City Council Confirming Existence Of A Local Emergency
MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMENTS
ADJOURNMENT
Ridgecrest City Council
Successor Redevelopment Agency
Financing Authority
Housing Authority
STAFF REPORT
SUBJECT: Resolution Of The Ridgecrest City Council Confirming Existence Of A Local Emergency
PRESENTED BY: Captain Justin Dampier
SUMMARY: A rare and powerful category 4 hurricane, named Hurricane Hillary, which weakened into a tropical storm upon landfall, impacted large areas of California in August 2023. Beginning on August 19, 2023 and continuing through August 21, 2023, the National Weather Service issued numerous alerts, which included Special Weather Statements, Flood Advisories, and Flash Flood Warnings to advise constituents of severe weather dangers in Kern County including torrential rain, wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour, pea size hail, strong thunderstorms and cloud to ground lightning. On August 21, 2023, NWS reported that many locations experienced one-to-four inches of rain, with Ridgecrest receiving approximately five inches of rain. Though the brunt of the storm moved out of Kern County during evening hours of August 20, 2023, NWS continued to issue alerts warning of flash floods and severe thunderstorms through August 21, 2023. Sierra Sands Unified School District canceled instruction for Monday, August 21, 2023 due to unsafe road conditions.
The City of Ridgecrest EOC was activated on August 20, 2023 about 6:00 am and a temporary evacuation center was mobilized at the Kerr McGee Center. A moderate rain had continued throughout the night and roadways and properties were already saturated with rainwater. As Tropical Storm Hilary approached Ridgecrest, the rain intensified, and the city’s stormwater collection systems quickly become overwhelmed with the amount of rainwater.
Numerous city streets became flooded and impassable. Several homes and businesses began receiving water damage from either the heavy rain or rising waters. City workers and emergency responders worked diligently to mitigate issues by closing roads, clearing debris, re-routing water flows, etc... but as the rain continued it became more difficult to keep up with the increased water flow. At 12:01 pm, the Director of Emergency Services, City Manager Ron Strand, proclaimed the existence of a local emergency.
The heavy rain continued throughout the day and into the evening and nighttime hours with only brief periods of little-to-light rainfall. Several areas of the city were cut off for normal vehicular traffic and raised vehicle “4X4’s” had to utilized by emergency responders to reach some areas and handle priority situations in those areas. Numerous motorists and vehicles become stuck and/or stranded in flooded roadways. Emergency responders as well as civilian off-road recovery crews were used to rescue and clear the roadways. Some vehicles that were parked on flooded roadways were actually picked up and moved by the rising floodwaters.
Due to several collection basins and sumps being overwhelmed by the water flow, a section of N. Gold Canyon St. was opened up to help increase water flow out of the city. The southeastern section of town as well as the residential area south of Las Flores Ave began being threatened by water flow. Evacuation Warning (advisories) were given and street/curb Ridgecrest City Council
Successor Redevelopment Agency
Financing Authority
Housing Authority
STAFF REPORT
level residence were warned by first responders going door-to-door. The rain continued until the early morning of August 21st.
As the weather cleared on August 21st, damage assessment began in conjunction with roadway cleanup. Several roadways had moderate to extensive damage and traffic hazards due to standing water, dirt, mud, or sand. Standing water was also still present in several neighborhoods . Thunderstorms were forecast for that evening and we began receiving a large amount of water run-off from a breached water containment area in the County area west of the city. Although disruptive to several roadways in the northwest section of the city, storm drains were clear enough to help mitigate that water flow.
At this time (08/24/2023), damage assessments are continuing on private property as well as our roadways and other city properties and infrastructures. Water removal is still occurring in several neighborhoods and at city parks. We are constantly threatened in the afternoons by potential thunderstorms in our normal monsoonal moisture weather pattern that is common this time of year. Short burst of heavy rainfall has the ability to quickly cause problems to saturated grounds, damaged property, and stormwater collection systems.
FISCAL IMPACT: To be determined. Initial Damage Assessment is on-going.
ACTION REQUESTED: Recommend ratification by City Council confirming the existence of the local emergency.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION: Action as requested
Submitted by: Captain Justin Dampier Action Date: August 24, 2023 RESOLUTION NO. 23 - 62
A RESOLUTION OF THE RIDGECREST CITY COUNCIL CONFIRMING
EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY
WHEREAS, Chapter 2 Section 2-15 of the Ridgecrest Municipal Code, adopted as Ordinance of the City of Ridgecrest empowers the Director of Emergency Services to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency when the City of Ridgecrest is affected or likely to be affected by a public calamity and the City Council is not in session, subject to ratification by the City Council within seven (7) days; and,
WHEREAS, conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property have arisen within this city, caused by “Tropical Storm Hilary” that overwhelmed our stormwater collection systems with approximately 5” inches of rainfall within a 24-hour period; and, WHEREAS, several roadways were damaged as a result of the tropical storm; and, WHEREAS, several roadways and residential neighborhoods still have standing floodwaters; and, WHEREAS, assessment of damage to roadways and other vital city infrastructure is still occurring; and,
WHEREAS, other weather events including “monsoonal moisture” thunderstorms which are common to our area this time of year could have devastating effects to damaged areas, roadways and structures; and, WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Ridgecrest was not in session; and, WHEREAS, the City Council does hereby find that aforesaid conditions of extreme peril did warrant and necessitate the proclamation of existence of a local emergency; and, WHEREAS, the Director of Emergency Services of the City of Ridgecrest did proclaim the existence of a local emergency within the City on the 20th day of August, 2023.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that said local emergency shall be deeded to exist and continued until its termination is proclaimed by the City Council of the City of Ridgecrest, State of California.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 24th day of August, 2023, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
____________________________
Eric A. Bruen, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________
City Clerk