RESOLUTION NO. R-25-06
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SAN MARINO, CALIFORNIA, EXTENDING THE
DECLARATION OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY, RATIFYING THE CITY
MANAGER’S ADOPTION OF CERTAIN INTERIM RULES, AND
TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING THE COLLECTION OF THE LACY PARK
WEEKEND NON-RESIDENT ADMISSION FEE
WHEREAS, on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, the City Council adopted Resolution No. R-25-03, ratifying a declaration of emergency adopted by the City Manager related to a January 7, 2025 wind storm (“Wind Storm”); and WHEREAS, City staff continues to undertake repairs and clean up related to damage from the Wind Storm, utilizing resources that would otherwise be used for normal City operations; and
WHEREAS, the City Manager is authorized to adopt emergency rules to address impacts of the emergency, subject to ratification by the City Council; and WHEREAS, the Wind Storm exacerbated damage from fires in the Palisades, and more locally Altadena (the “Eaton Fire”), destroying thousands of residences as well as greenspace utilized by those residents in parks, schools and private yards; and WHEREAS, the City Council does hereby find that the conditions of extreme damage to public and private property warrant and necessitate the extension of the local emergency within the City of San Marino to facilitate expedited repairs and return to normal operations and services.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ORDERED by the City
Council of the City of San Marino:
Section 1. That the declaration of local emergency ratified in Resolution No. R25-03 is and remains in effect in the City of San Marino.
Section 2. Section 04.03.02.G.1 of the San Marino Municipal Code provides that the City Manager, acting in the capacity of the Director of Emergency Services, during a proclaimed state of local emergency may “Make and issue rules and regulations on matters reasonably related to the protection of life and property as affected by such emergency; provided, however, such rules and regulations must be confirmed at the earliest practicable time by the City Council.” The City Council hereby confirms the following rules issued by the City Manager:
A. Temporary waiver of facility use fees – Shortly after the start of the disasters on January 7, 2025, City staff received a request from the San Marino School’s CITY OF SAN MARINO RESOLUTION NO. R-25-06
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Foundation (SMSF) to utilize one room at the San Marino Community Center in order to operate a donation drive for those affected by the fires. SMSF requested that the fees for the use of the portion of the San Marino Community Center be waived in the interest of public good given the humanitarian nature of their efforts. A determination was made that the wavier of the fees would be related to the protection of life and property under the proclamation of local emergency. The total amount of the fees being waived for SMSF is $$$$
B. Temporary waiver of overnight parking permit fees – Shortly after the start of the disasters on January 7, 2025, City staff proactively suspended overnight parking prohibitions in order to facilitate residents’ ability to house individuals displaced from the fires burning around the region. As evacuation orders were lifted and residents left San Marino, enforcement of the overnight parking restrictions were reinstated.
However, following this reinstatement, a few residents contacted the Police Department expressing a desire for longer exemptions due to their ongoing assistance of families whose homes have been destroyed. Section 15.07.23.B.2 of the San Marino Municipal Code provides for the issuance of overnight parking permits for on-street parking for a duration of longer than 5 days and requires a fee be charged for such permits; the fee is $5 per night. In order to continue to assist those directly impacted by the fires, a process and rule was developed to assess such request and confirm their relation to the fires, and waive the $5 nightly fees. A determination was made that the wavier of the fees would be related to the protection of life and property under the proclamation of local emergency.
The total amount of fees that may have been generated if they were charged on these individuals is not known at this time.
C. Streamlined planning review of windstorm damaged properties - Section
23.06.11 of the San Marino Municipal Code provides exemptions to certain zoning rules for properties damaged by fire or earthquake. However, the exemptions do not extend to damage resulting from windstorms such as that experienced on January 7, 2025. Staff are aware of at least two homes which sustained various levels of damage as a result of the windstorm and a determination was made that Section 23.06.11 should apply to repairs of the damage resulting from this windstorm and is related to the protection of life and property under the proclamation of local emergency.
D. Temporary reduction of required replacement trees – Section 23.19.05.E.1 of the San Marino Municipal Code requires a specified number of trees to be replaced in place of those permitted to be removed. This section’s tree replacement matrix also applies to section 23.19.05.I pertaining to emergency tree removals that may have been grated due to damage resulting from the windstorm. In light of the fact that such trees may be required to be removed due to severe damage sustained from the windstorm, and not by voluntary choice of the property owner, the replacement requirement shall be reduced to one (1) thirty-six inch (36”) box size tree for each tree permitted to be removed as a result of the windstorm regardless of the trunk size of the tree to be removed. This reduction of the replacement requirement shall be in effect for permit applications submitted by March 31, 2025, which satisfy the requirements of the code and demonstrate their necessity as a result the windstorm.
CITY OF SAN MARINO RESOLUTION NO. R-25-06
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Section 3. Given the widespread impacts of the Eaton Fire on the San Gabriel Valley, and the significant impacts on places for individuals to recreate, the City Council desires to make Lacy Park more accessible while the region heals. Accordingly, weekend non-resident admission fee (currently $4 per person) is suspended until further notice.
Section 3. That these conditions of extreme damage warrant the continued closure of City facilities until such time as the City Manager in his discretion determines City resources are no longer needed to respond to the emergency conditions. The City Manager is also directed to exercise such emergency powers as deemed necessary to respond to evolving conditions and to seek outside resources for assistance as needed.
APPROVED this 12th day of February 2025.
CITY COUNCIL OF SAN MARINO
_____________________________________
GRETCHEN SHEPHERD ROMEY
Mayor
ATTEST:
__________________________
ALISON WALKER
City Clerk
CITY OF SAN MARINO RESOLUTION NO. R-25-06
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF SAN MARINO )
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution No. R-25-06 was adopted and ratified by the City Council of the City of San Marino at a Regular Meeting of the City Council held on the 12th day of February 2025 by the following vote:
AYES: Council Member Chang, Council Member Chou, Council Member Lo, Vice Mayor Chou and Mayor Shepherd Romey
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
__________________________
ALISON WALKER
CITY CLERK