1 City Council Meeting: January 10, 2025 Santa Monica, California RESOLUTION NUMBER _________ (CCS)
(City Council Series)
AN EMERGENCY RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 2.16 OF THE SANTA
MONICA MUNICIPAL CODE RATIFYING THE PROCLAMATION OF EXISTENCE OF
LOCAL EMERGENCY AND SUPPLEMENTAL PROCLAMATION THERETO
WHERAS, a life-threatening, destructive, widespread windstorm and extreme fire weather system commenced on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, and is expected at least through Thursday, January 9, 2025, and possibly extending indefinitely, impacting the Los Angeles metropolitan area, including the City of Santa Monica, County and City of Los Angeles, and threatening life and safety, public and private property and structures, and other critical infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the National Weather Service has advised that damaging N/NE gusts of 50- 80 mph, as well as isolated 80-100 mph in the mountains and foothills, are expected across most of Los Angeles metropolitan area; and
WHEREAS, on January 7, 2025, the Palisades Fire ignited in Los Angeles County, burning over 20,000 acres to date; and
WHEREAS, high winds, low humidity, and dry conditions have increased the intensity and spread of the Palisades Fire, causing imminent threat to life with Red Flag warnings in effect in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and widespread dangerous windstorm conditions with damaging wind gusts of 50 to 80 mph forecasted; and WHEREAS, the Palisades Fire and windstorm conditions threaten structures, homes, and critical infrastructure, including power lines and water tanks, and have 2 prompted evacuation orders and warnings and impacted the access route to the Palisades Highlands community; and
WHEREAS, along with the windstorm, the Palisades Fire has already spread across more than 20,000 acres damaging or destroying structures and prompting evacuation orders and road closures and continue to threaten structures, homes and critical infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the National Weather Service issued a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Red Flag warning for 19 million people in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, which means there is a high risk of extreme fire behavior and very rapid growth due to dangerously high winds, low humidity and extremely dry vegetation; and WHEREAS, this weather system has caused, or is substantially likely to cause, extreme conditions such as power outages, damage to power poles, fallen trees, and extreme fire behavior, impacting significant transportation arteries, requiring long-term repair and threatening the integrity of the critical infrastructure; and WHEREAS, based upon the above events, by reason of its magnitude, and the need to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents and property of the City of Santa Monica, and aid in the assistance of those affected by the Palisades Fire there exists the potential that these events are likely to become beyond the control of the normal services, personnel, equipment and facilities of the regularly constituted branches and departments of the City Government, and that such emergency conditions require the mobilization of mutual aid resources and the ability to coordinate a multiagency response; and
3 WHEREAS, on January 7, 2025, as a result of the widespread windstorm and extreme fire weather, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors proclaimed a Local Emergency in the County of Los Angeles; and
WHEREAS, on January 7, 2025, the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles declared the existence of a Local Emergency throughout the City of Los Angeles to take such steps that are necessary for the protection of life and property WHEREAS, on January 7, 2025, the Governor of the State of California declared a state of emergency to make additional resources available; and WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica (the “City”) has a population of over 90,000 residents, is a major tourist destination, has two major hospitals and an airport within its jurisdiction, is a significant destination for business travel, and is adjacent to and contiguous on three sides with the City of Los Angeles, resulting in high volumes of residents and visitors traveling within and across the City’s borders; and WHEREAS, on January 7, 2025, the City activated its Emergency Operations Center to support ongoing emergency actions in response to the spread of the Palisades Fire; and
WHEREAS, the City intends to continue to take bold and aggressive actions to protect the public health and safety during this local and state emergency; and WHEREAS, That the above described events are creating conditions of extreme peril and such conditions are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the City, requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat; and
4 WHEREAS, on January 8, 2025, the City Manager, in his role as the Director of Emergency Services, (“Executive Director of Emergency Services”) issued an Executive Order of the Director of Emergency Services of the City of Santa Monica Declaring the Existence of a Local Emergency (“Executive Order”) (“Exhibit A”) declaring a local emergency pursuant to Chapter 2.16 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code to ensure the availability an effective response to the Palisades Fire; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the Executive Order, the Executive Director of Emergency Services further: 1) relaxed permitting requirements for schools and child care and early education facilities that were displaced by the Palisades Fire; 2) suspended preferential parking rules and enforcement of Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapters 6.20, HomeSharing and Vacation Rentals, and 6.22, Residential Leasing Regulations for persons who provide alternative accommodations to persons displaced by the Palisades Fire; 3) triggered prohibitions on price-gouging under the Santa Monica Municipal Code and the California Penal Code; 4) prohibited landlords from evicting residential tenants based on the presence of unauthorized occupants or pets, if the occupant or pet has been displaced due to a Palisades Fire evacuation order or poor air quality conditions; 5) imposed a curfew in all areas subject to a mandatory evacuation order; 6) suspended all previouslyissued building permits for areas subject to mandatory evacuation orders and evacuation warnings; 7) triggered emergency procurement and expenditure provisions under Chapter 2.16; and 8) permits bed and breakfasts and hotels and motels to allow stays beyond 30 days; and
WHEREAS, on January 10, 2025, the City Manager, in his role as the Director of Emergency Services, issued a Revised Executive Order of the Director of Emergency 5 Services of the City of Santa Monica Declaring the Existence of a Local Emergency (“Revised Executive Order”) (“Exhibit B”) restating the declaration of local emergency, and 1) prohibiting landscaping activities in areas subject to a Mandatory Evacuation Order; and 2) making other minor amendments and clarifications; and WHEREAS the findings included in each Executive Order referenced herein are included herein as if stated in full; and
WHEREAS in the interest of public health and safety, as affected by the state, and local emergency caused by the Palisades Fire, it is necessary to exercise the City Council’s authority pursuant to Section 2.16.060 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code to ratify the actions of the Executive Director of Emergency Services related to the protection of life and property.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Executive Order of the Director of Emergency Services Declaring the Existence of a Local Emergency (“Executive Order”) (“Exhibit A”) is hereby ratified.
SECTION 2. The Revised Executive Order of the Director of Emergency Services Declaring the Existence of a Local Emergency (“Exhibit B”) is hereby ratified.
SECTION 3. It is hereby proclaimed that a local emergency now exists throughout the City. It is further proclaimed and ordered that during the existence of this local emergency the powers, functions, and duties of the Director of Emergency Services and the emergency organization of this City shall be those prescribed by State law and by the ordinances and resolutions of this City.
6 SECTION 4. The City Council authorizes the City Manager, in his capacity as the Director of Emergency Services, to take all actions related to the protection of life and property that are reasonably necessary to respond to the local emergency caused by the Palisades Fire.
SECTION 5. The local emergency shall be deemed to continue and exist until its termination is proclaimed by the City Council. As required by law, the City Council shall review the need to continue the state of emergency every 60 days until this resolution is terminated.
SECTION 6. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Resolution, the Executive Order, or the Revised Executive Order ratified herein is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Resolution the Executive Order, or the Revised Executive Order. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Resolution, the Executive Order, and the Revised Executive Order and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 7. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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DOUGLAS SLOAN
City Attorney