— Santee City Council, May 14, 2025 (part 1 of 3)

Prepared for:

City of Santee
Planning and Building Development
10601 Magnolia Avenue
Santee, California 92071
City of Santee Safety and
Environmental Justice Element
FINAL
October 2024
City of Santee Safety and
Environmental Justice Element
DRAFT
October 2024
Prepared for:

City of Santee
Planning and Building Development
10601 Magnolia Avenue
Santee, California 92071
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City of Santee
Safety and Environmental Justice Element
Table of Contents
Section 1. Executive Summary .................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Major Accomplishments................................................................................................... 2 Section 2. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 3

2.1 What Is a Safety Element?................................................................................................ 3

2.2 What Is an Environmental Justice Element? .................................................................... 3

2.3 Why a Combined Safety and Environmental Justice Element?........................................ 4

2.4 Relationship to Other Elements....................................................................................... 5

2.5 Related Plans.................................................................................................................... 5

2.6 Grants and Future Funding Opportunities....................................................................... 7

2.7 Community Engagement.................................................................................................. 7 Section 3. Statutory Requirements ............................................................................................. 8

3.1 Safety Laws and Regulations............................................................................................ 8

3.2 Environmental Justice Laws and Regulations................................................................. 11 Section 4. Safety – Existing Conditions ....................................................................................... 12

4.1 Flood Hazards................................................................................................................. 13

4.2 Geologic/Seismic Hazards .............................................................................................. 19

4.3 Urban/Wildland Fire Hazards......................................................................................... 35

4.4 Crime.............................................................................................................................. 44

4.5 Traffic Hazards................................................................................................................ 46

4.6 Light-Rail Transit Hazards............................................................................................... 47

4.7 Airport Hazards .............................................................................................................. 49

4.8 Disaster Preparedness.................................................................................................... 54

4.9 Hazardous Materials....................................................................................................... 56

4.10 Emergency Evacuation Route Analysis......................................................................... 62 Section 5. Climate Adaptation and Resilience ............................................................................. 63

5.1 What is Climate Adaptation and Resilience?.................................................................. 63

5.2 What Is Climate Vulnerability? ....................................................................................... 64

5.3 Climate Adaptation Planning.......................................................................................... 64 Section 6. Environmental Justice – Existing Conditions ............................................................... 68

6.1 Community Engagement................................................................................................ 69

6.2 Mapping Disadvantaged Communities .......................................................................... 70

6.3 Key Findings of the Existing Conditions Assessment...................................................... 75 Section 7. Goals, Objectives, and Policies ................................................................................... 78

7.1 Safety Element ............................................................................................................... 79

7.2 Environmental Justice Element...................................................................................... 88 Section 8. Implementation......................................................................................................... 98 Figures
Figure 4.1. Federal Emegency Manegement Agency (FEMA) Flood Hazard Zone.......................................15 Figure 4.2. Dam Inundation Map.................................................................................................................18 Figure 4.3. Slope Gradient Greater than 15 Percent...................................................................................27 Table of Contents
SECTION 1. EXECUTIVE SUMIMALSY .........:cssssssseccccccceeensesssscecccssesanaessssseeecesesnsaeessssseeesssutaaeeessssesessnnnaes 1

1.1 Major ACCOMpIISHMENMS.............ccccccccccsccccccsssccccessseeeccesseeeccessseeeseessseeseeesseeessesssseesensaaeeees 2 S@CtION 2. INCFOGDUCTION .......ccccccccccceceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEESEEESEEEEESEEEEEEEEEEESEEEEEEEEEEEEE SERRE EEEEEEEEE ES 3

2.1 What Is a Safety EIQGMONt?........ cc cccccccccccsseeeeeesseeeeeeesseeescceseeeeseesseeeeseseeeeeeessaeeeeenas 3

2.2 What Is an Environmental Justice EIlEMENt? 0.0... cece cccccceeseeeeeessseeeesesseeeeesessaeeeeenas 3

2.3 Why a Combined Safety and Environmental Justice Element? .............0....ccccecceeeeeeeeees 4

2.4 Relationship to Other ElEMent ..........0. ccc cccccccseccssecessseeecsseeessseeeeseesseeeseeeesseeestseeess 5

2.5 Related Plans .........ccccccccccccccccssccccessseeeecesseeeecceseeeecesseeescesseeeeccesseeescesseeescesseeeceesaeeeeenas 5

2.6 Grants and Future Funding Opportunities .........00.. ccc ccccceccceeeeeeeeeeteeeeststeeeesetteeeeeneas 7

2.7 Community Engagement. .............:cccccccccceccceeeeeeeeeeeeesnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeseeeeeeeeeseeeesseeeeeeeeeeeeeaaas 7 Section 3. Statutory REQUIFEMENTS ...........cccccssesccccsssseecccseeseeeesseeeeeeeeeseeeesseeseesessenseessueasseesaaanseeeea 8

3.1 Safety Laws and Regulations .............cccccccccccccseceeecssseeeeceseeeeccesseeeecessseeeesesseeeseesaeeeeenas 8

3.2 Environmental Justice Laws and Regulations ..............0ccccccccccccssseceeesssseeeeeeseeeesseseeeees 11 Section 4. Safety — Existing CONItIONS ..............cccesssssscceceeeeseessssseeeecceeeesssssssaeeeecesessesssaaaeeeeeess 12

4.1 FIOOd Hazards ...........cccccccccccccccccesssccecesseeeecessseesceesseeescesseeescesseeesseesseeccesseeeseessseeesenaaes 13

4.2 Geologic/SeisMic HaZards 0.0.0... cccccccccccccssccsscccsecesseeeseecsseeeseecsseceseecseesseecsseesseesseeensees 19

4.3 Urban/Wildland Fire Hazards .......0....cccccccccccccccsssccccessssceccesseessecsseeeeenseeesensseeseeneass 35 7 Ot | 00 = 44

4.5 Traffic HaZards..........cccccccccccccccccsssccecesssseccceseeesceesseeescesseeesesseeessessseescesseeesessseeeseeiaes 46

4.6 Light-Rail Transit Hazards ...........0ccccccccccccssececssecessseeeesseeceeeesseeecseeeseseeessseeessseeestseeens 47 zy AN doo) 6 ln F-02100 | cre 49

4.8 Disaster Preparednes............ccccccccccccssssccccssseeecccesseeesccsseeeesceseeeesessseeeecesseeeceessateseeesaaes 54 A.9 Hazardous Materials.............cccccccccccccssscccccesseeeccessseeeecessseeeeeesseeeeseesseeeecessseeecesssaeessensaaes 56

4.10 Emergency Evacuation Route AnalySiS.........00....ccccccccccssscecccssecececssseeeecesseeeceessaeeseeeaaaes 62 Section 5. Climate Adaptation and ReSili@nce..........ccccccccceceeeeeeccecccecceccecececeeeeececeeeeeeeeeeeceeeeeeeeeees 63

5.1 What is Climate Adaptation and Resilience? .............ccc cc cccccccccccssceccesssseeseeseeeeeesssaeeees 63

5.2 What Is Climate Vulnerability? .....000... cc cccccccccccssecesseeessseeessseeesseeesseeesteeesseeessseess 64

5.3 Climate Adaptation Planning ..............ccccccccccccccsseceessecesseeessseeessseeesetesseeessseeesseeeeseess 64 Section 6. Environmental Justice — Existing CONCItIONS............ccccccceceeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 68

6.1 COMMUNItY ENGABEMENE........ ccc ccccc cece cece cece ee ee EEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES 69

6.2 Mapping Disadvantaged COMMUNITIES ..............c ccc cccccceecesseceeceesseeeeeesseeeeceesaeeeeseseeeees 70

6.3 Key Findings of the Existing Conditions ASSeSSMEN .............0ccccccccccccesseeeeeeeseeeeeeesseeeees 75 Section 7. Goals, Objectives, ANd POLICIOS..........ccccccceeeeecececcecececeeeeeceeeeceeeeeeeceeeeececeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeers 78

7.1 Safety EIEMEN ......o ccc cccccccscecsseeecsseeeseseeeseseeeesseeessseeessseeeeseeeseseeesesaeeseseeestseeeseeess 79

7.2 Environmental Justice ElQMANt 0.2... cece ccccccccccssseceeeeesseeeecessseeeeeessseeeseesseeeseseseeeees 88 Section 8. IMpleMentation.........cccccccccccccccececcccececceceeeeeceeceeeeeeceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 98 Figures
Figure 4.1. Federal Emegency Manegement Agency (FEMA) Flood Hazard ZOne.........cccccccccssccceessseeeensseees 15 Figure 4.2. Dam INUNCatiON Map.......cccccccccccccccsssscececcecccessssseeeeeceeceeseseeeeeeeeeceessseeeeeesecestsssaeeeeeececsttssaaeeeeess 18 Figure 4.3. Slope Gradient Greater than 15 Percent ........cccccccccccccccsssssceeeceeecessssseeeeeececcessssaeeeeeeceesttsssaeeeeess 27 Page i
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Figure 4.4. Seismic and Geologic Hazards...................................................................................................31 Figure 4.5. Earthquake Shaking Potential based on the State Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Map ...............32 Figure 4.6. Fire Hazard Map ........................................................................................................................37 Figure 4.7. Wildland-Urban Interface Map..................................................................................................44 Figure 4.8. Airport Safety Zone Risk Level ...................................................................................................50 Figure 6.1. City of Santee Disadvantaged Communities: CalEnviroScreen..................................................72 Figure 6.2. City of Santee Disadvantaged Communities: Statewide Median Income..................................73 Figure 6.3. City of Santee Disadvantaged Communities: Housing and Community Development (HCD) State Income Limits...........................................................................................................74 Tables
Table 2.1. Safety and Environmental Justice Stakeholder Meetings.............................................................7 Table 4.1. Federal Weather-Related Disaster Declarations for San Diego County (2017–2021).................14 Table 4.2. Major Dams Located Upstream of the City of Santee.................................................................17 Table 4.3. Historic Wildfires within the City of Santee (1950–2023)...........................................................36 Table 4.4. City of Santee EnviroStor Cleanup Sites......................................................................................57 Table 6.1. CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Indicator and Component Scoring .............................................................70 Appendices
Appendix A. Vulnerability Assessment
Appendix B. Emergency Evacuation Route Analysis
Appendix C. Geotechnical/Seismic Hazard Study
Appendix D. Environmental Justice Existing Conditions Assessment Appendix E. Environmental Justice Community Survey Results Figure 4.4. Seismic and Geologic HaZards .........ccccscccccsssccecesssceccesseeeccesseeeccesseeeecessseeecessseeecesaeeseesssesecensaeees 31 Figure 4.5. Earthquake Shaking Potential based on the State Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Map.............. 32 Figure 4.6. Fire Hazard Map .......ccccccccccssccccsssscceceseeeccesseeeecesseeeecesseeeecesseeeesesseeeseseeeesessaeeecessaeeecessesecensaeees 37 Figure 4.7. Wildland-Urban Interface Map.....cccccccccccsssccccesssceccessseeccesseeeecesseeesesseeeecesseeeecessaesesesssesesesaeees 44 Figure 4.8. Airport Safety Zone Risk LOVE] oo... cccccccccccsscceccsseecceseeeccesseeeccesseeecessueeecesseeecessaeeeeessseeeeensaaess 50 Figure 6.1. City of Santee Disadvantaged Communities: CalENVirOScreen ..........cccccecceesscecessseceeessseeeeessaeees 72 Figure 6.2. City of Santee Disadvantaged Communities: Statewide Median INCOME ..........ccccsccceeseceeeesseees 73 Figure 6.3. City of Santee Disadvantaged Communities: Housing and Community Development (HCD) State INCOME LIMITS 0.0.2... eee ceeeececeeeceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeceeeaeeeeeeeeeecencceeeeeeeeeesececceeeeeeeeeeentnteeeeeeeess 74 Tables
Table 2.1. Safety and Environmental Justice Stakeholder MEetingS .........cccccccccsssccccssssceesssseeeecssseeesesseeeeees 7 Table 4.1. Federal Weather-Related Disaster Declarations for San Diego County (2017—2021)............00 14 Table 4.2. Major Dams Located Upstream of the City of Santee... ccc ccccccccccssececesseeecessseeesessetesessaeees 17 Table 4.3. Historic Wildfires within the City of Santee (1950-2023) oo... ccc ccccsececcsssececessseteeessseeeeessaaees 36 Table 4.4. City of Santee EnviroStor Cleanup Sites ......... cc ccccccccccecccesseeeccesssececesssececessseeecesseeecesssesecensaaess 57 Table 6.1. CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Indicator and COMPONENt SCOPING oo... ccceceessccccceeceestssseeeeceeceesstssaeeeeeess 70 Appendices
Appendix A. Vulnerability Assessment
Appendix B. Emergency Evacuation Route Analysis
Appendix C. Geotechnical/Seismic Hazard Study
Appendix D. Environmental Justice Existing Conditions Assessment Appendix E. Environmental Justice Community Survey Results Page ii
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City of Santee
Safety and Environmental Justice Element
Section 1. Executive Summary
The current Santee General Plan was adopted in 2003 by Resolution 63-2003 to guide new development in the City of Santee (City) through the year 2020. This document serves as an update to the Santee General Plan’s Safety Element and incorporates a new Environmental Justice Element. The Safety and Environmental Justice Element (Element) is integral to guiding future development in Santee as it addresses public safety concerns and provides goals and policies to minimize public safety hazards. Land use planning, implemented through the Santee Municipal Code and General Plan, is an important component of both hazard mitigation and environmental injustice prevention. Site selection that avoids proximity to natural hazards or hazardous facilities and building construction techniques designed for fire protection, life safety and temporary systems failure can reduce hazard risks in the built environment and promote quality of life.

The Safety and Environmental Justice Element provides an introduction (Section 2, Introduction) and a description of laws and regulations related to the Element (Section 3, Statutory Requirements). This Element provides a summary of existing conditions related to public safety and environmental justice and identifies a set of needs to be addressed by future actions (Section 4, Safety – Existing Conditions, and Section 6, Environmental Justice – Existing Conditions, respectively). Safety and environmental justice goals for the City are defined in Section 7, Goals, Objectives, and Policies along with objectives and policies intended to help achieve the goals, address community needs, and support the recommended improvements by providing the necessary legislative backing. The Safety and Environmental Justice Element builds on and coordinates with the City’s Vulnerability Assessment (Appendix A), which assesses climate changerelated impacts on vulnerable populations and critical infrastructure (Section 5, Climate Adaptation and Resilience), and the Sustainable Santee Plan: The City’s Roadmap to Greenhouse Gas Reductions (Sustainable Santee Plan), which addresses impacts from climate change on all residents of the City. This Element also incorporates the Emergency Evacuation Route Analysis (Appendix B) and Environmental Justice Existing Conditions Assessment (Appendix D) prepared for the Element. Finally, this Element concludes with an implementation plan in Section 8, Implementation, which sets forth the intended process for monitoring, implementing, and maintaining the Safety and Environmental Justice Element.

The City is coordinating efforts to improve staff’s ability to respond to and recover from major emergencies by managing critical information and limited resources and using technology. The effort to maintain and enhance overall preparedness to prevent, respond to, and recover from any hazard, whether natural or human-made, is ongoing. The City is also responsible for securing and managing funding opportunities (e.g., grants) for addressing hazards and environmental justice issues, which requires an updated Safety and Environmental Justice Element (see Section

2.6, Grants and Future Funding Opportunities). The Safety and Environmental Justice Element aims to ensure that residents have the opportunity to provide input on decisions that affect their quality of life through public participation, which is described in Section 2.7, Community Engagement.

Section 1. Executive Summary
The current Santee General Plan was adopted in 2003 by Resolution 63-2003 to guide new development in the City of Santee (City) through the year 2020. This document serves as an update to the Santee General Plan’s Safety Element and incorporates a new Environmental Justice Element. The Safety and Environmental Justice Element (Element) is integral to guiding future development in Santee as it addresses public safety concerns and provides goals and policies to minimize public safety hazards. Land use planning, implemented through the Santee Municipal Code and General Plan, is an important component of both hazard mitigation and environmental injustice prevention. Site selection that avoids proximity to natural hazards or hazardous facilities and building construction techniques designed for fire protection, life safety and temporary systems failure can reduce hazard risks in the built environment and promote quality of life.

The Safety and Environmental Justice Element provides an introduction (Section 2, /ntroduction) and a description of laws and regulations related to the Element (Section 3, Statutory Requirements). This Element provides a summary of existing conditions related to public safety and environmental justice and identifies a set of needs to be addressed by future actions (Section 4, Safety — Existing Conditions, and Section 6, Environmental Justice — Existing Conditions, respectively). Safety and environmental justice goals for the City are defined in Section 7, Goals, Objectives, and Policies along with objectives and policies intended to help achieve the goals, address community needs, and support the recommended improvements by providing the necessary legislative backing. The Safety and Environmental Justice Element builds on and coordinates with the City’s Vulnerability Assessment (Appendix A), which assesses climate changerelated impacts on vulnerable populations and critical infrastructure (Section 5, Climate Adaptation and Resilience), and the Sustainable Santee Plan: The City’s Roadmap to Greenhouse Gas Reductions (Sustainable Santee Plan), which addresses impacts from climate change on all residents of the City. This Element also incorporates the Emergency Evacuation Route Analysis (Appendix B) and Environmental Justice Existing Conditions Assessment (Appendix D) prepared for the Element. Finally, this Element concludes with an implementation plan in Section 8, Implementation, which sets forth the intended process for monitoring, implementing, and maintaining the Safety and Environmental Justice Element.

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1.1 Major Accomplishments
Since adoption of the City’s first General Plan in August of 1984, the City has fulfilled many of the goals and implemented the policies in the Safety Element. Major accomplishments include the following:
• Since the 2000s, the City has implemented a traffic signal interconnect system on most of the arterials, which helps maintain traffic signal timing for enhancing traffic safety. • Since the 2000s, the City has installed battery backups for traffic signals at key intersections to minimize interruption in operation and improve safety during power outages. • Since the 2000s, the City has received Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program grants in the amount of $2.5 million for safety improvements, including raised medians, sign upgrades, speed feedback signs, and enhanced crosswalks. • In conjunction with the State of California, the City completed significant bridge, drainage, and channel improvements on Forester Creek in 2005 while realigning the creek to accommodate improvements to State Route (SR-) 52. This multimillion-dollar award-winning project reduced the effects of flooding to surrounding properties while also improving the safety of surrounding streets and pedestrians. • In 2008, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority serving as the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) for the county of San Diego adopted the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP). • In 2010, the ALUC adopted the Gillespie Field ALUCP.
• In 2010, the City of Santee Emergency Operations Plan was adopted and prepared to ensure the most effective and economic allocation of resources for the maximum benefit and protection of the community in time of emergency.
• In 2012, the City funded and began a corrugated metal pipe repair and replacement program to repair and or replace aging infrastructure with an ongoing program. This program has repaired and upgraded significant deficiencies identified in Santee’s master drainage facility inventory to reduce the impacts of flooding due to climate change. • In 2015, the City completed the installation of a decorative pedestrian crossing that created an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant crossing from the existing Santee Trolley and San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) hub to the existing shopping center and future developments north of Town Center Parkway. • As part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program, the City completed the installation of raised medians on Mission Gorge Road in 2019 where accident data supported the approval of grant funding to complete the installation to improve traffic safety in the area. • Planned upgrades to improve accessibility to City Hall were completed in 2019, providing accessible parking and paths of travel upgrades to meet current safety standards.

Since the 2000s, the City has implemented a traffic signal interconnect system on most of the arterials, which helps maintain traffic signal timing for enhancing traffic safety.

Since the 2000s, the City has installed battery backups for traffic signals at key intersections to minimize interruption in operation and improve safety during power outages.

Since the 2000s, the City has received Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program grants in the amount of $2.5 million for safety improvements, including raised medians, sign upgrades, speed feedback signs, and enhanced crosswalks.

In conjunction with the State of California, the City completed significant bridge, drainage, and channel improvements on Forester Creek in 2005 while realigning the creek to accommodate improvements to State Route (SR-) 52. This multimillion-dollar award-winning project reduced the effects of flooding to surrounding properties while also improving the safety of surrounding streets and pedestrians.

In 2008, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority serving as the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) for the county of San Diego adopted the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP).

In 2010, the ALUC adopted the Gillespie Field ALUCP.

In 2010, the City of Santee Emergency Operations Plan was adopted and prepared to ensure the most effective and economic allocation of resources for the maximum benefit and protection of the community in time of emergency.

In 2012, the City funded and began a corrugated metal pipe repair and replacement program to repair and or replace aging infrastructure with an ongoing program. This program has repaired and upgraded significant deficiencies identified in Santee’s master drainage facility inventory to reduce the impacts of flooding due to climate change.

In 2015, the City completed the installation of a decorative pedestrian crossing that created an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant crossing from the existing Santee Trolley and San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) hub to the existing shopping center and future developments north of Town Center Parkway.

As part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program, the City completed the installation of raised medians on Mission Gorge Road in 2019 where accident data supported the approval of grant funding to complete the installation to improve traffic safety in the area.

Planned upgrades to improve accessibility to City Hall were completed in 2019, providing accessible parking and paths of travel upgrades to meet current safety standards.

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Safety and Environmental Justice Element
• As part of emergency operation improvements, Santee completed improvements to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in 2013 by adding a backup generator and completed significant communication and technology improvements to the EOC in 2019. • With a partnership with the San Diego Association of Governments, Santee was able to secure redevelopment funding to complete significant safety improvements to Prospect Avenue between Cuyamaca Street and Magnolia Avenue. This award-winning multimilliondollar project improved drainage and eliminated historical flooding by creating a new drainage system with water quality treatment features. The road was also widened to current standards with new sidewalks, accessible ramps, and bike lanes to improve pedestrian, bicycle, and traffic safety.
• The City continuously updates its Emergency Operations Plan and provides ongoing training to maintain compliance with the Statewide Emergency Management System (SEMS), increasing preparedness in the event of a disaster. • The City has consistently maintained one of the lowest crime rates of any jurisdiction in San Diego County.
• The City has consistently maintained one of the lowest traffic collision rates among all jurisdictions in San Diego County and among all cities of similar size in California.

Section 2. Introduction
The Element provides policy direction for new development and redevelopment in Santee related to public safety and equity issues as the City approaches buildout. The following section provides an overview of the purpose of Safety Elements and Environmental Justice Elements as well as the purpose of preparing a combined Element. The Introduction explains the relationship between this Element and other General Plan Elements and other planning documents. Finally, the Introduction explains the grants and funding opportunities available to address the issues discussed in this Element and the community engagement opportunities that helped to develop the Element.

2.1 What Is a Safety Element?
The purpose of a Safety Element is to establish policies related to future development that will minimize unreasonable risk of personal injury, loss of life, property damage, and environmental damage associated with natural and human‐made hazards. The Safety Element provides policy direction that supports laws and regulations related to safety hazards and policies as well as the overall goals established for the Santee General Plan.

2.2 What Is an Environmental Justice Element?
The purpose of an Environmental Justice Element is to address the inequities resulting from environmental hazards and health impacts in the built environment. The policies included in an Environmental Justice Element are intended to ensure all residents have the right to live, work, and play in a safe and healthy community.
e As part of emergency operation improvements, Santee completed improvements to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in 2013 by adding a backup generator and completed significant communication and technology improvements to the EOC in 2019. e With a partnership with the San Diego Association of Governments, Santee was able to secure redevelopment funding to complete significant safety improvements to Prospect Avenue between Cuyamaca Street and Magnolia Avenue. This award-winning multimilliondollar project improved drainage and eliminated historical flooding by creating a new drainage system with water quality treatment features. The road was also widened to current standards with new sidewalks, accessible ramps, and bike lanes to improve pedestrian, bicycle, and traffic safety.
e The City continuously updates its Emergency Operations Plan and provides ongoing training to maintain compliance with the Statewide Emergency Management System (SEMS), increasing preparedness in the event of a disaster. e The City has consistently maintained one of the lowest crime rates of any jurisdiction in San Diego County.
e The City has consistently maintained one of the lowest traffic collision rates among all jurisdictions in San Diego County and among all cities of similar size in California.

2.1 What Is a Safety Element?
The purpose of a Safety Element is to establish policies related to future development that will minimize unreasonable risk of personal injury, loss of life, property damage, and environmental damage associated with natural and human-made hazards. The Safety Element provides policy direction that supports laws and regulations related to safety hazards and policies as well as the overall goals established for the Santee General Plan.

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Government (Gov.) Code, Section 65040.12(e), defines “environmental justice” as the fair treatment of people of all races, incomes, and ethnicities with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Per Gov. Code, Section 65040.12(e)(2), environmental justice includes but is not limited to the following:
• The availability of a healthy environment for all people • The deterrence, reduction, and elimination of pollution burdens for populations and communities experiencing the adverse effects of that pollution so that the effects of the pollution are not disproportionately borne by those populations and communities • The governmental entities engaging and providing technical assistance to populations and communities most impacted by pollution to promote their meaningful participation in all phases of the environmental and land use decision-making process • The meaningful consideration of recommendations from populations and communities most impacted by pollution and other hazards into environmental and land use decisions

2.3 Why a Combined Safety and Environmental Justice Element? New state mandates requires the Safety Element to include climate change adaptation and requires local agencies to adopt environmental justice policies for disadvantaged communities (Section 3). Therefore, the City of Santee Department of Planning & Building is updating the Safety Element and integrating environmental justice. The Safety and Environmental Justice Element updates risks and policies for the protection of the community, provides goals and policies for environmental justice, and includes climate change adaptation and resiliency.

The City is adopting a Safety and Environmental Justice Element in compliance with state-mandated requirements to concurrently create a safer, healthier community for its residents and improve its adaptability and resiliency to climate-related hazards. The fundamental objective of the Safety and Environmental Justice Element is to reduce the risk of hazard resulting from natural and human-caused events, including climate change-related hazards, particularly on disadvantaged communities (see Section 5). The Safety component of this Element directly relates to the Environmental Justice component because development plans must adequately account for public safety considerations and open space for public health, and ecological benefits often incorporate areas of increased hazard risk.

For this reason, some of the figures prepared for the safety component of this Element also show disadvantaged communities for environmental justice. Additionally, combining the Elements also allowed the City to conduct robust community engagement to obtain input on the hazards and issues most affecting Santee residents (see Section 2.7).

This Safety and Environmental Justice Element addresses the following safety considerations:
• Flood Hazards
• Geologic/Seismic Hazards
• Urban/Wildland Fire Hazards
• Crime
Government (Gov.) Code, Section 65040.12(e), defines “environmental justice” as the fair treatment of people of all races, incomes, and ethnicities with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Per Gov. Code, Section 65040.12(e)(2), environmental justice includes but is not limited to the following:
e The availability of a healthy environment for all people e The deterrence, reduction, and elimination of pollution burdens for populations and communities experiencing the adverse effects of that pollution so that the effects of the pollution are not disproportionately borne by those populations and communities e The governmental entities engaging and providing technical assistance to populations and communities most impacted by pollution to promote their meaningful participation in all phases of the environmental and land use decision-making process e The meaningful consideration of recommendations from populations and communities most impacted by pollution and other hazards into environmental and land use decisions

This Safety and Environmental Justice Element addresses the following safety considerations:
e Flood Hazards
e Geologic/Seismic Hazards
e Urban/Wildland Fire Hazards
e Crime

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Safety and Environmental Justice Element
• Traffic Hazards
• Light-Rail Transit Hazards
• Airport Hazards
• Disaster Preparedness
• Hazardous Materials
• Climate Adaptation and Resilience

2.4 Relationship to Other Elements
The Safety Element directly relates to topics also mandated in the Land Use Element, Conservation Element, Mobility Element, and Recreation and Trails Element (serving as the City’s Open Space Element as required by Governor’s Office of Planning and Research [OPR]). The Safety and Environmental Justice Element is most closely related to the Land Use Element since public safety and security information is used to guide the location of the City’s various land uses. For example, the safety policies identify the need to ensure that critical facilities and hazardous facilities are located and designed to be functional in the event of a disaster. The environmental justice policies also identify the need for access to recreational areas and healthy food. These needs inform the land use policies needed to guide future development in Santee.

The Safety and Environmental Justice Element is also related to the Housing Element. For example, the safety policies identify the need to regulate or prohibit housing within Flood or High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZs). The environmental justice policies promote access from lowincome residential areas to public transit, public facilities and services, recreational opportunities, healthcare, and healthy food. The environmental justice policies also identify the need to mitigate unsafe, unhealthy housing conditions for vulnerable populations in Santee (see Section 7). This information is used to guide the location and design of future housing development in Santee.

2.5 Related Plans
The County of San Diego’s 2023 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) is a countywide plan that identifies risks and ways to minimize damage by natural and human-made disasters.1 The MJHMP was developed in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) and followed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) guidance. The LHMP incorporates a process where hazards are identified and profiled, people and facilities at risk are analyzed, and mitigation actions are developed to reduce or eliminate hazard risk. The implementation of these mitigation actions, which include both short-term and long-term strategies, involve planning, policy changes, programs, projects, and other activities. The MJHMP can be found at https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/oes/ emergency_management/oes_jl_mitplan.html.
1 The 2010 MJHMP was incorporated into the Santee General Plan by Resolution 08-2011 on February 9, 2011. e Traffic Hazards
e = Light-Rail Transit Hazards
e Airport Hazards
e Disaster Preparedness
e Hazardous Materials
e Climate Adaptation and Resilience

2.5 Related Plans
The County of San Diego’s 2023 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) is a countywide plan that identifies risks and ways to minimize damage by natural and human-made disasters.t The MJHMP was developed in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) and followed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) guidance. The LHMP incorporates a process where hazards are identified and profiled, people and facilities at risk are analyzed, and mitigation actions are developed to reduce or eliminate hazard risk. The implementation of these mitigation actions, which include both short-term and long-term strategies, involve planning, policy changes, programs, projects, and other activities. The MJHMP can be found at https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/oes/ emergency_management/oes_jl_mitplan.html.
+The 2010 MJHMP was incorporated into the Santee General Plan by Resolution 08-2011 on February 9, 2011.

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The MJHMP is a comprehensive resource document that guides the County in reducing risks from disasters to people, property, economy, and environment and complies with federal and state hazard mitigation planning requirements to establish eligibility for funding under the FEMA grant programs (see Section 2.6).

The recently adopted MJHMP was revised to reflect changes to both the hazards threatening the County and its participating jurisdictions (including Santee), as well as the programs in place to minimize or eliminate those hazards. The City reviewed a set of jurisdictional-level hazard maps, including detailed critical facility information and localized potential hazard exposure/loss estimates, to identify the top hazards threatening its jurisdiction.

The City developed specific hazard mitigation goals, objectives, and related potential actions in its chapter of the County’s 2023 MJHMP after considering the risk assessment findings, localized hazard identification and loss/exposure estimates, and an analysis of the City’s current capabilities assessment.

These goals represent a vision of long-term hazard reduction or enhancement of capabilities and align with the City’s goals and objectivesfor the Safety and Environmental Justice Element:
• Goal 1. Promote disaster-resistant future development. • Goal 2. Increase public understanding, support, and demand for effective hazard mitigation. • Goal 3. Build and support local capacity and commitment to continuously become less vulnerable to hazards.
• Goal 4. Improve coordination and communication with federal, state, local and tribal governments.

Reduce the possibility of damage and losses to existing assets, particularly people, critical facilities/infrastructure, and state-owned facilities, due to the following:
• Goal 5. Floods.
• Goal 6. Wildfires.
• Goal 7. Severe Weather.
• Goal 8. Infestations/Diseases.
• Goal 9. Geological Hazards.
• Goal 10. Extremely Hazardous Materials Releases.
• Goal 11. Other Human-Caused Hazards.
• Goal 12. Droughts.

The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Diego adopted the 2023 San Diego County MJHMP on February 7, 2023. Since the 2023 update to the MJHMP was adopted prior to approval of the Safety and Environmental Justice Element, the City incorporated the adopted plan by reference.

However, much of the information included in this Element was informed by information gathered for preparation of the 2023 MJHMP update.

The MJHMP is a comprehensive resource document that guides the County in reducing risks from disasters to people, property, economy, and environment and complies with federal and state hazard mitigation planning requirements to establish eligibility for funding under the FEMA grant programs (see Section 2.6).

These goals represent a vision of long-term hazard reduction or enhancement of capabilities and align with the City’s goals and objectives for the Safety and Environmental Justice Element:
e Goal 1. Promote disaster-resistant future development. e Goal 2. Increase public understanding, support, and demand for effective hazard mitigation. e Goal 3. Build and support local capacity and commitment to continuously become less vulnerable to hazards.
e Goal 4. Improve coordination and communication with federal, state, local and tribal governments.

Reduce the possibility of damage and losses to existing assets, particularly people, critical facilities/infrastructure, and state-owned facilities, due to the following:
e Goal 5. Floods.
e Goal 6. Wildfires.
e Goal 7. Severe Weather.
e Goal 8. Infestations/Diseases.
e Goal 9. Geological Hazards.
e Goal 10. Extremely Hazardous Materials Releases.
e Goal 11. Other Human-Caused Hazards.
e Goal 12. Droughts.

However, much of the information included in this Element was informed by information gathered for preparation of the 2023 MJHMP update.

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2.6 Grants and Future Funding Opportunities
The Safety and Environmental Justice Element is integrated with the County’s 2023 MJHMP, ensuring a coordinated approach to public safety and qualifying the City for additional funding opportunities (consistent with Gov. Code, Section 65302.6).2 Given that the City’s Safety and Environmental Justice Element includes goals, objectives, and policies that parallel those included in the County’s 2023 MJHMP, the Element’s adoption provides the opportunity for the City to secure grants and funding for hazard mitigation.

In addition, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 directs new federal spending toward reducing carbon emissions by providing significant federal funding for climate efforts. The Inflation Reduction Act directs nearly $400 billion in federal funding to clean energy with the goal of substantially lowering the nation’s carbon emissions by the end of this decade.3 The funds are delivered through a combination of tax incentives, grants, and loan guarantees, which are available to jurisdictions that adopt programs and policies aimed at increasing resiliency to climate-related events. The City’s incorporation of programs and policies aimed at climate resiliency into the Safety and Environmental Justice Element opens opportunities for grant funding to support these programs.

2.7 Community Engagement
The City recognizes the importance of community involvement in the planning and decisionmaking processes and is committed to creating transparent processes inclusive of all City residents. The City provided opportunities for the community to engage in the development of the Safety and Environmental Justice Element through stakeholder and City Council meetings, which are outlined in Table 2.1, Safety and Environmental Justice Stakeholder Meetings, and a Community Survey, which is discussed in Section 6 and in Appendix E, Environmental Justice Community Survey Results.

Table 2.1. Safety and Environmental Justice Stakeholder Meetings Meeting Date Purpose
Safety Stakeholder Meetings
Stakeholder Meeting 1 November 16, 2021 • Confirm the hazard profiles (e.g., seismic/geologic hazards, flood hazards, fire
hazards)
• Gather information on adaptive capacity
(i.e., the City’s ability to respond to climate
change impacts)
Stakeholder Meeting 2 April 4, 2022 • Present the results of the Vulnerability Assessment
2 The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires all local governments to create such a disaster plan to qualify for hazard mitigation funding.
3 REPEAT Project. 2022. Preliminary Report: The Climate and Energy Impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Prepared by J.D.Jenkins, E.N. Mayfield, J. Farbes, R. Jones, N. Patankar, Q. Xu, G. Schivley. Accessed November 2022. https://repeatproject.org/docs/REPEAT_IRA_Prelminary_Report_2022-08-04.pdf.

2.6 Grants and Future Funding Opportunities
The Safety and Environmental Justice Element is integrated with the County’s 2023 MJHMP, ensuring a coordinated approach to public safety and qualifying the City for additional funding opportunities (consistent with Gov. Code, Section 65302.6).* Given that the City’s Safety and Environmental Justice Element includes goals, objectives, and policies that parallel those included in the County’s 2023 MJHMP, the Element’s adoption provides the opportunity for the City to secure grants and funding for hazard mitigation.

In addition, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 directs new federal spending toward reducing carbon emissions by providing significant federal funding for climate efforts. The Inflation Reduction Act directs nearly $400 billion in federal funding to clean energy with the goal of substantially lowering the nation’s carbon emissions by the end of this decade.? The funds are delivered through a combination of tax incentives, grants, and loan guarantees, which are available to jurisdictions that adopt programs and policies aimed at increasing resiliency to climate-related events. The City’s incorporation of programs and policies aimed at climate resiliency into the Safety and Environmental Justice Element opens opportunities for grant funding to support these programs.

Table 2.1. Safety and Environmental Justice Stakeholder Meetings Meeting | Date | Purpose
Safety Stakeholder Meetings
Stakeholder Meeting 1 | November 16, 2021 |e Confirm the hazard profiles (e.g., seismic/geologic hazards, flood hazards, fire
hazards)
e Gather information on adaptive capacity
(i.e., the City’s ability to respond to climate
change impacts)
Stakeholder Meeting 2 | April 4, 2022 e Present the results of the Vulnerability Assessment
2 The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires all local governments to create such a disaster plan to qualify for hazard mitigation funding.
3 REPEAT Project. 2022. Preliminary Report: The Climate and Energy Impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Prepared by J.D.Jenkins, E.N. Mayfield, J. Farbes, R. Jones, N. Patankar, Q. Xu, G. Schivley. Accessed November 2022. https://repeatproject.org/docs/REPEAT_IRA_Prelminary_Report_2022-08-04.pdf.

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Meeting Date Purpose
• Solicit feedback on the safety-related goals,
objectives, and policies of the Safety and
Environmental Justice Element
Environmental Justice Stakeholder Meetings
Stakeholder Meeting 1 June 16, 2021 • Present the results of the Community Survey
• Solicit feedback on what should be included
in the Environmental Justice Existing
Conditions Assessment
Stakeholder Meeting 2 December 1, 2021 • Solicit feedback on the environmental justice-related goals, objectives, and policies
of the Safety and Environmental Justice
Element
The City also held a City Council Workshop on October 12, 2022. The workshop provided a forum for City Council members and residents to provide their recommendations on the information that should be included in this Element, such as policies that would unlock funding for residents living in disadvantaged communities.

Section 3. Statutory Requirements

3.1 Safety Laws and Regulations
California planning and zoning laws require a Safety Element for the protection of the community from unreasonable risks as one of the mandatory Elements in a General Plan. The City’s current Safety Element represents a consolidation of the previous Public Safety and Seismic Safety Elements.

The Safety Element must address public safety issues associated with the effects of seismic and geologic hazards, flooding, wildland and urban fires, and crime prevention. The Safety Element must identify evacuation routes, military installations, peak-load water supply requirements, and minimum road widths and clearances around structures because those items relate to identified fire and geologic hazards. This Element must also identify plans and programs for emergency response.

Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (42 USC Section 5121 et seq.) The federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 outlines how a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) can be developed individually or through an MJHMP. The successful completion of an LHMP makes the jurisdiction eligible to apply for federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program post-disaster funding, pre-disaster mitigation funding, or flood management assistance funding (refer to Section 2.6).

Assembly Bill 2140 – Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
At the state level, Assembly Bill (AB) 2140 authorizes local governments to adopt their LHMPs with the Safety Elements of their General Plans (Gov. Code, Section 65302.6). Integration or incorporation by reference is encouraged through a post-disaster financial incentive that Meeting Date Purpose
e Solicit feedback on the safety-related goals,
objectives, and policies of the Safety and
Environmental Justice Element
Environmental Justice Stakeholder Meetings
Stakeholder Meeting 1 | June 16, 2021 e Present the results of the Community Survey
e Solicit feedback on what should be included
in the Environmental Justice Existing
Conditions Assessment
Stakeholder Meeting 2. | December 1, 2021 e Solicit feedback on the environmental justice-related goals, objectives, and policies
of the Safety and Environmental Justice
Element
The City also held a City Council Workshop on October 12, 2022. The workshop provided a forum for City Council members and residents to provide their recommendations on the information that should be included in this Element, such as policies that would unlock funding for residents living in disadvantaged communities.

Section 3. Statutory Requirements

Assembly Bill 2140 — Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
At the state level, Assembly Bill (AB) 2140 authorizes local governments to adopt their LHMPs with the Safety Elements of their General Plans (Gov. Code, Section 65302.6). Integration or incorporation by reference is encouraged through a post-disaster financial incentive that

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authorizes the state to use available California Disaster Assistance Act funds to cover local shares of the 25 percent non-federal portion of grant-funded post-disaster projects when approved by the legislature (Gov. Code, Section 8685.9). AB 2140 is one of the most important links between General Plans and hazard mitigation in California.

The Safety Element must identify hazards and hazard abatement provisions to guide local decisions related to zoning, subdivisions, and entitlement permits. Therefore, the Safety Element contains general hazard and risk reduction strategies complementary with those of the City’s chapter in the County’s 2023 MJHMP. The 2023 MJHMP is incorporated into the Safety Element by reference in accordance with AB 2140. Adopting the 2023 MJHMP with the Safety Element provides a vehicle for implementation of the 2023 MJHMP. This also provides for consistency across multiple documents such as the City’s Sustainable Santee Plan (i.e., Climate Action Plan), General Plan, and County 2018 MJHMP.

Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(2) – Flood and Drought Hazards Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(2), requires the description of flood and drought hazards in the Safety Element. The impacts of climate change on the frequency, timing, and magnitude of flooding vary by geography throughout the state. The Safety Element must identify information regarding flood hazards; establish a set of comprehensive goals, policies, and objectives for the protection of the community from the unreasonable risks of flooding; and establish a set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry out the goals, policies, and objectives for flood protection. The Safety Element must also assess the availability of water resources for fighting fires.

Senate Bill 1241 and Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(3) – Wildland and Urban Fire Hazards Senate Bill (SB) 1241 and Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(2), apply to communities with Very High FHSZs or unincorporated communities in State Responsibility Areas (SRAs). SB 1241 requires cities and counties to address fire risk in SRAs and identify areas in Very High FHSZs, as defined in Section 51177 of the California Public Resources Code, in the Safety Element of their General Plans upon the next revision of the Housing Element. Communities subject to SB 1241 need to ensure consistency between the Housing and Safety Elements to address fire risk. The Safety Element must also establish a set of goals, policies, and objectives based on the information identified for the protection of the community from the unreasonable risk of wildfire. SB 1241 also requires cities and counties to make certain findings regarding available fire protection and suppression services before approving a Tentative Map or Parcel Map.

Senate Bill 1035, Gov. Code, Section 65302, Senate Bill 379, and Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(4) – Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency
SB 1035 (Gov. Code, Section 65302) and SB 379 (Gov. Code, Section 65302[g][4]) require all cities to address climate change adaptation and resilience in their General Plan Safety Element. On October 8, 2015, Gov. Code, Section 65302, was amended by SB 379 to require the Safety Element to be reviewed and updated as necessary to include a climate change Vulnerability Assessment, measures to address vulnerabilities, and a comprehensive hazard mitigation and emergency response authorizes the state to use available California Disaster Assistance Act funds to cover local shares of the 25 percent non-federal portion of grant-funded post-disaster projects when approved by the legislature (Gov. Code, Section 8685.9). AB 2140 is one of the most important links between General Plans and hazard mitigation in California.

Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(2) — Flood and Drought Hazards Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(2), requires the description of flood and drought hazards in the Safety Element. The impacts of climate change on the frequency, timing, and magnitude of flooding vary by geography throughout the state. The Safety Element must identify information regarding flood hazards; establish a set of comprehensive goals, policies, and objectives for the protection of the community from the unreasonable risks of flooding; and establish a set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry out the goals, policies, and objectives for flood protection. The Safety Element must also assess the availability of water resources for fighting fires.

Senate Bill 1241 and Gov. Code, Section 65307(¢)(3) — Wildland and Urban Fire Hazards Senate Bill (SB) 1241 and Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(2), apply to communities with Very High FHSZs or unincorporated communities in State Responsibility Areas (SRAs). SB 1241 requires cities and counties to address fire risk in SRAs and identify areas in Very High FHSZs, as defined in Section 51177 of the California Public Resources Code, in the Safety Element of their General Plans upon the next revision of the Housing Element. Communities subject to SB 1241 need to ensure consistency between the Housing and Safety Elements to address fire risk. The Safety Element must also establish a set of goals, policies, and objectives based on the information identified for the protection of the community from the unreasonable risk of wildfire. SB 1241 also requires cities and counties to make certain findings regarding available fire protection and suppression services before approving a Tentative Map or Parcel Map.

Senate Bill 1035, Gov. Code, Section 65302, Senate Bill 379, and Gov. Code, Section 65302(2)(4) — Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency
SB 1035 (Gov. Code, Section 65302) and SB 379 (Gov. Code, Section 65302[g][4]) require all cities to address climate change adaptation and resilience in their General Plan Safety Element. On October 8, 2015, Gov. Code, Section 65302, was amended by SB 379 to require the Safety Element to be reviewed and updated as necessary to include a climate change Vulnerability Assessment, measures to address vulnerabilities, and a comprehensive hazard mitigation and emergency response

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strategy. Policies in a Safety Element identify hazards and emergency response priorities and mitigation through avoidance of hazards by new projects and reduction of risk in developed areas.

The introduction of climate risk to the discussion of the Safety Element adds focus on a community’s longer-term preparation. Climate change will affect and potentially exacerbate the impacts of other hazards rather than being solely a distinct hazard with unique impacts. For example, extreme heat and heat waves are existing hazards that will be exacerbated by climate change.

SB 379 is triggered by the next update of a jurisdiction’s LHMP (updated every 5 years) or before January 1, 2022, whichever is first. SB 1035 built off SB 379, requiring that the Safety Element be updated every 8 years upon the next Housing Element update.

Gov. Code, Section 65302 (g)(6) – Flood Plain
Cities and counties that have Floodplain Management Ordinances approved by FEMA, or have substantially equivalent provisions to the subdivision in their General Plans may use that information in the Safety Element to comply with this subdivision and shall summarize and incorporate by reference into the Safety Element the other General Plan provisions or the Floodplain Ordinance, specifically showing how each requirement of the subdivision has been met.

Assembly Bill 747, Senate Bill 99, Assembly Bill 1409, and Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(1) – Evacuation Routes
AB 747, adopted in 2019, requires cities and counties to update the Safety Element of their General Plans to identify evacuation routes and assess the capacity, safety, and viability of those routes under a range of emergency scenarios. Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(1), also specifies that Safety Elements must address evacuation routes.

SB 99, adopted in 2019, requires cities and counties to identify residential developments in hazard areas that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes (i.e., neighborhoods or households in a hazard area that have limited accessibility).

AB 1409, adopted in 2021, requires cities and counties to identify evacuation locations.

Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(8) – Consultation Requirements Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(8), requires the City to consult the California Geological Survey (CGS) of the California Department of Conservation and the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) before preparing or revising the Safety and Environmental Justice Element to include information known by and available to the departments. Cal OES assists local governments with developing their Safety Elements and aligning General Plan strategies with those of the LHMPs and Emergency Operation Plans to ensure consistency. As required by Gov. Code, Section 65302.5(a), the City provided a draft of its Element to the CGS (at least 45 days) prior to adoption to determine if all known seismic and other geologic hazards are addressed and to Cal OES to ensure consistency between all Local and Regional Hazard Mitigation and Emergency Operation Plans.

Additionally, Gov. Code, Section 65302.5(b)(1), requires a draft Element of or draft amendment to the Safety Element of a county or a city’s General Plan to be submitted to the State Board of strategy. Policies in a Safety Element identify hazards and emergency response priorities and mitigation through avoidance of hazards by new projects and reduction of risk in developed areas.

Gov. Code, Section 65302 (g)(6) — Flood Plain
Cities and counties that have Floodplain Management Ordinances approved by FEMA, or have substantially equivalent provisions to the subdivision in their General Plans may use that information in the Safety Element to comply with this subdivision and shall summarize and incorporate by reference into the Safety Element the other General Plan provisions or the Floodplain Ordinance, specifically showing how each requirement of the subdivision has been met.

Assembly Bill 747, Senate Bill 99, Assembly Bill 1409, and Gov. Code, Section 65302(/g)(1) — Evacuation Routes
AB 747, adopted in 2019, requires cities and counties to update the Safety Element of their General Plans to identify evacuation routes and assess the capacity, safety, and viability of those routes under a range of emergency scenarios. Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(1), also specifies that Safety Elements must address evacuation routes.

AB 1409, adopted in 2021, requires cities and counties to identify evacuation locations.

Gov. Code, Section 65302(2)(8) — Consultation Requirements Gov. Code, Section 65302(g)(8), requires the City to consult the California Geological Survey (CGS) of the California Department of Conservation and the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) before preparing or revising the Safety and Environmental Justice Element to include information known by and available to the departments. Cal OES assists local governments with developing their Safety Elements and aligning General Plan strategies with those of the LHMPs and Emergency Operation Plans to ensure consistency. As required by Gov. Code, Section 65302.5(a), the City provided a draft of its Element to the CGS (at least 45 days) prior to adoption to determine if all known seismic and other geologic hazards are addressed and to Cal OES to ensure consistency between all Local and Regional Hazard Mitigation and Emergency Operation Plans.

Additionally, Gov. Code, Section 65302.5(b)(1), requires a draft Element of or draft amendment to the Safety Element of a county or a city’s General Plan to be submitted to the State Board of

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Forestry and Fire Protection if that county or city contains SRAs or Very High FHSZs. Because there are Very High FHSZs in Santee, the City provided a draft of the Safety Element to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection for review (at least 90 days) before adoption in accordance with Gov. Code, Section 65302.5(b). The State Board was provided the opportunity to recommend changes regarding land uses, policies, or strategies for reducing fire risk.

3.2 Environmental Justice Laws and Regulations
Senate Bill 1000 – Disadvantaged Communities
In an effort to address the inequitable distribution of pollution and associated health effects in low-income communities and communities of color, the California Legislature passed and Governor Brown signed SB 1000 in 2016. This law requires local governments to identify environmental justice communities (referred to as “disadvantaged communities”) in their jurisdictions and incorporate environmental justice policies into their General Plans upon adoption of two or more Elements concurrently on or after January 1, 2018.

SB 1000 defines “disadvantaged communities” as those disproportionally burdened by multiple sources of pollution and with population characteristics that make them more sensitive to pollution.

Per this definition, disadvantaged communities are more likely to experience a lower quality of life and experience poor health outcomes compared to more affluent areas. Disadvantaged communities are often subject to disproportionate environmental burdens; therefore, SB 1000 requires that cities and counties develop objectives and policies in their General Plans to address the following:
• Improve air and water quality and promote access to public facilities, healthy food, safe and sanitary homes, and physical/recreational activity to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities
• Promote civic engagement in the public decision-making process • Prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities See Section 6 for a discussion of disadvantaged communities in Santee.

Gov. Code, Section 65302(h)
Gov. Code, Section 65302(h)(2), requires the addition of an Environmental Justice Element that identifies disadvantaged communities in the General Plan (or related goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other Elements) upon the adoption or next revision of two or more Elements concurrently on or after January 1, 2018.

Disadvantaged communities are defined by Gov. Code, Section 65302(h)(4)(A), as “an area identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code OR an area that is low-income that is disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation.”
Gov. Code, Section 65302(h), requires the following:

Forestry and Fire Protection if that county or city contains SRAs or Very High FHSZs. Because there are Very High FHSZs in Santee, the City provided a draft of the Safety Element to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection for review (at least 90 days) before adoption in accordance with Gov. Code, Section 65302.5(b). The State Board was provided the opportunity to recommend changes regarding land uses, policies, or strategies for reducing fire risk.

3.2 Environmental Justice Laws and Regulations
Senate Bill 1000 — Disadvantaged Communities
In an effort to address the inequitable distribution of pollution and associated health effects in low-income communities and communities of color, the California Legislature passed and Governor Brown signed SB 1000 in 2016. This law requires local governments to identify environmental justice communities (referred to as “disadvantaged communities”) in their jurisdictions and incorporate environmental justice policies into their General Plans upon adoption of two or more Elements concurrently on or after January 1, 2018.

SB 1000 defines “disadvantaged communities” as those disproportionally burdened by multiple sources of pollution and with population characteristics that make them more sensitive to pollution.

Per this definition, disadvantaged communities are more likely to experience a lower quality of life and experience poor health outcomes compared to more affluent areas. Disadvantaged communities are often subject to disproportionate environmental burdens; therefore, SB 1000 requires that cities and counties develop objectives and policies in their General Plans to address the following:
e Improve air and water quality and promote access to public facilities, healthy food, safe and sanitary homes, and physical/recreational activity to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities
e Promote civic engagement in the public decision-making process e Prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities See Section 6 for a discussion of disadvantaged communities in Santee.

Gov. Code, Section 653027(h)
Gov. Code, Section 65302(h)(2), requires the addition of an Environmental Justice Element that identifies disadvantaged communities in the General Plan (or related goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other Elements) upon the adoption or next revision of two or more Elements concurrently on or after January 1, 2018.

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• Identification of objectives and policies to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities by means that include the reduction of pollution exposure, and the promotion of public facilities, food access, safe and sanitary homes, and physical activity • Identification of objectives and policies to promote civil engagement in the public decisionmaking process • Identification of objectives and policies that prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities
Assembly Bill 1553 – Office of Planning and Research Guidelines Adopted in 2001, AB 1553 amends Gov. Code, Section 65040.2 and 65040.12, to require the OPR to provide guidance for local jurisdictions to incorporate environmental justice considerations.

Health and Safety Code, Section 39711 – Disadvantaged Communities Health and Safety Code, Section 39711,requires that the CalEPAidentify disadvantaged communities for investment opportunities, such as fostering job creation by promoting in-state greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction projects carried out by California workers and businesses.

Governor’s Office of Planning and Research Environmental Justice Element Guidelines The OPR adopts and periodically revises the California General Plan Guidelines as required by Gov.

Code, Section 65040.2, for the preparation of General Plans for all cities and counties in California (OPR Guidelines). Chapter 4.8, Environmental Justice Element, of the OPR Guidelines serves as the “how to” resource for drafting the Element.

OPR Environmental Justice Element Guidelines recommend using the CalEnviroScreen, a computer mapping tool, to identify disadvantaged communities in a city or county.

CalEnviroScreen uses several indicators to determine if a community is disadvantaged and disproportionately affected by pollution. In addition to using CalEnviroScreen, the OPR Guidelines recommend mapping low-income areas to identify disadvantaged communities. The OPR Environmental Justice Element Guidelines also recommend screening for areas that are below the state income limits established by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The 2021 state income limits are on the department’s website (https://www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-funding/income-limits/state-and-federal-incomelimits/docs/income-limits-2021.pdf). See Section 6 for a discussion of the disadvantaged communities and low-income areas mapped for the City’s environmental justice analysis.

Section 4. Safety – Existing Conditions
The Safety and Environmental Justice Element sets forth the City’s intention to develop goals, objectives, and policies to minimize pollution, flood, fire, and other hazards and their effects on all communities. The public safety considerations addressed in the Element include flooding, geotechnical and seismic hazards, fire hazards, crime prevention, traffic safety, light-rail transit safety, aircraft safety, disaster preparedness, and hazardous materials. Information on these e Identification of objectives and policies to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities by means that include the reduction of pollution exposure, and the promotion of public facilities, food access, safe and sanitary homes, and physical activity e Identification of objectives and policies to promote civil engagement in the public decisionmaking process e Identification of objectives and policies that prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities
Assembly Bill 1553 — Office of Planning and Research Guidelines Adopted in 2001, AB 1553 amends Gov. Code, Section 65040.2 and 65040.12, to require the OPR to provide guidance for local jurisdictions to incorporate environmental justice considerations.

Health and Safety Code, Section 39711 — Disadvantaged Communities Health and Safety Code, Section 39711, requires that the CalEPA identify disadvantaged communities for investment opportunities, such as fostering job creation by promoting in-state greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction projects carried out by California workers and businesses.

Governor's Office of Planning and Research Environmental Justice Element Guidelines The OPR adopts and periodically revises the California General Plan Guidelines as required by Gov.

OPR Environmental Justice Element Guidelines recommend using the CalEnviroScreen, a computer mapping tool, to identify disadvantaged communities in a city or county.

Section 4. Safety — Existing Conditions
The Safety and Environmental Justice Element sets forth the City’s intention to develop goals, objectives, and policies to minimize pollution, flood, fire, and other hazards and their effects on all communities. The public safety considerations addressed in the Element include flooding, geotechnical and seismic hazards, fire hazards, crime prevention, traffic safety, light-rail transit safety, aircraft safety, disaster preparedness, and hazardous materials. Information on these

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topics is used in the planning process to guide the location, type, and design of future developments in Santee to avoid risks to public safety.

4.1 Flood Hazards
Flooding in Santee could result primarily from four conditions or a combination of them: (1) heavy, prolonged rain; (2) the collapse or cresting of a dam; (3) a degraded watershed or drainage system; (4) a release of water from upstream dams. One of the most serious watershed management problems is caused by wildland fires, which remove thick underbrush and chaparral, stripping the moisture-retaining ground cover from the soil and allowing water to run rapidly downslope. Runoff from bare slopes increases, resulting in flooding, mudslides, and soil erosion.

Rivers and Creeks
The City’s primary waterways include the San Diego River, Forester Creek, Sycamore Creek, and intermittent creeks paralleling Big Rock Road and Fanita Drive. FEMA mapped the San Diego River and Forester Creek and created updated maps as of May 16, 2012, as part of the National Flood Insurance Program.

Figure 4.1, FEMA Flood Hazard Zone, depicts the City’s 100-year and 500-year Flood Hazard Zones.

The magnitude of flooding that is used as the standard for floodplain management in the United States is a flood with a probability of occurrence of 1 percent in any given year. This flood is also known as the 100-year flood or base flood. The most readily available source of information regarding the 100-year flood, as well as the 500-year flood (i.e., 0.2 percent probability of occurrence in any given year), is the system of Flood Insurance Rate Maps prepared by FEMA.

In Santee, a total of 1,020 acres of land is within the floodplain of the San Diego River, including approximately 596 acres within the floodway and 424 acres within the floodplain fringe. The Forester Creek floodplain is estimated to cover an area of approximately 100 acres. The low-flow channel of Sycamore Creek is estimated to cover roughly 42 acres. The low-flow channel of the creek parallel to Big Rock Road covers roughly 5 acres. The portion of the low-flow channel of the creek parallel to Fanita Drive in Santee covers roughly 2.8 acres. Various existing and designated land uses (i.e., residential, commercial, and industrial) are within the floodplain areas of these waterways.

Depending on their siting and design considerations, many of these uses would be susceptible to flood damage in the event of a 100-year flood.

The U.S. Geological Survey maintains the San Diego River Gauge at Fashion Valley in Mission Valley, downstream from Santee. It provides historical data on peak streamflow for each year. The National Weather Service defines flood stage at this location as 11.3 feet with an estimated discharge of 2,700 cubic feet per second.

In 2019, the City completed a comprehensive update of the City’s Municipal Code that included updates to the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (Santee Municipal Code, Chapter 11.36) to minimize the public and private losses due to flooding. The intent of the ordinance is to reduce the risks to residents and public and private improvements from flooding. The ordinance precludes development in flood-prone floodway areas and requires all new development to be designed to be above the height of the 100-year flood. The ordinance establishes a basis for the areas deemed topics is used in the planning process to guide the location, type, and design of future developments in Santee to avoid risks to public safety.

Figure 4.1, FEMA Flood Hazard Zone, depicts the City’s 100-year and 500-year Flood Hazard Zones.

Depending on their siting and design considerations, many of these uses would be susceptible to flood damage in the event of a 100-year flood.

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special flood hazard, incorporating an engineering analysis entitled San Diego River Flood Study (1992) and the City’s Flood Insurance Study from 1983. The studies identify the amended 100-year peak discharge for six locations and are on file at the City Engineer’s office. The City’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance is incorporated into this Safety and Environmental Justice Element by reference.

Historical flood records indicate extensive flood damage to surrounding areas in Santee associated with flood events along the San Diego River and, to a lesser extent, Forester Creek. Portions of both waterways have been improved to reduce flooding. The City completed the required environmental process, channel design, right-of-way acquisition, and future construction of improvements to Forester Creek between Mission Gorge Road and Prospect Avenue for approximately 1.2 miles. The improvements to the creek increased the flood-carrying capacity of the creek to sufficiently contain the 100-year flood flow. This project reduced the floodplain of Forester Creek from 100 acres under existing conditions to approximately 25 to 30 acres in size.

Santee and the greater San Diego County have experienced two declared disasters for severe weather, including fires, floods, and mudflows, in the last 5 years (Table 4.1, Federal WeatherRelated Disaster Declarations for San Diego County (2017–2021)). Federal disaster declarations provide individual and public assistance to impacted counties. Historical flooding in the County notably occurred in 1862, 1916, 1927, and 1937. In 1945, the federal government authorized a report on flood control downstream of the San Diego River, and associated work on the flood control channel began in the 1950s (San Diego History Center, The Journal of San Diego History, Spring 1971, Volume 17, Number 2).

Table 4.1. Federal Weather-Related Disaster Declarations for San Diego County (2017–2021) Disaster Declaration
No.

Federal Declaration
Date
Disaster Name Incident Period
DR-4353 (Individual
Assistance)
Jan. 2, 2018 California Wildfires,
Flooding, Mudflows,
and Debris Flows
Dec. 4, 2017–Jan. 31,
2018
DR-4305 Mar. 16, 2017 California Severe
Winter Storms,
Flooding, and
Mudslides
Jan. 18, 2017–Jan. 23,
2017
special flood hazard, incorporating an engineering analysis entitled San Diego River Flood Study (1992) and the City’s Flood Insurance Study from 1983. The studies identify the amended 100-year peak discharge for six locations and are on file at the City Engineer’s office. The City’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance is incorporated into this Safety and Environmental Justice Element by reference.

Santee and the greater San Diego County have experienced two declared disasters for severe weather, including fires, floods, and mudflows, in the last 5 years (Table 4.1, Federa/ WeatherRelated Disaster Declarations for San Diego County (2017—2021)\. Federal disaster declarations provide individual and public assistance to impacted counties. Historical flooding in the County notably occurred in 1862, 1916, 1927, and 1937. In 1945, the federal government authorized a report on flood control downstream of the San Diego River, and associated work on the flood control channel began in the 1950s (San Diego History Center, The Journal of San Diego History, Spring 1971, Volume 17, Number 2).

Table 4.1. Federal Weather-Related Disaster Declarations for San Diego County (2017-2021) Disaster Declaration Disaster Name Incident Period
No.

Federal Declaration
Date
DR-4353 (Individual Jan. 2, 2018 California Wildfires, Dec. 4, 2017—Jan. 31, Assistance) Flooding, Mudflows, 2018
and Debris Flows
DR-4305 Mar. 16, 2017 California Severe Jan. 18, 2017—Jan. 23, Winter Storms, 2017
Flooding, and
Mudslides

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Figure 4.1. FEMA Flood Hazard Zone

Figure 4.1. FEMA Flood Hazard Zone
Figure 4.1.

FEMA Flood Hazard Zone
C7) City of Santee Boundary
Disadvantaged Community
FEMA Flood Zones
|| Floodway
=) 100-Year Flood Zone
500-Year Flood Zone
County of San Diego
f
f f i
} Santee
San Diego é He 8
Zo aA
6 pate

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Water Reservoirs
The Padre Dam Municipal Water District (Padre Dam) provides potable water, recycled water, wastewater management services, and recreational facilities to an 80-square-mile service area, including the entire City. Padre Dam’s service area population is estimated at 95,000, with an average daily water demand of 8.1 million gallons. Padre Dam currently has over 330 miles of potable water mains, 140 miles of wastewater mains, and 25 miles of recycled water mains.

Padre Dam maintains seven water reservoirs in Santee. The Charles C. Price Reservoir, just east of SR-67 and Via Madonna, is the largest with a capacity of 15.5 million gallons. The Northcote Reservoir, at the end of Northcote Road, is the smallest reservoir with a capacity of 0.71 million gallons. The Fanita Terrace Reservoir, an aboveground tank just south of the southern terminus of Organdy Lane, is the only water tank in the City that holds recycled water. Padre Dam is planning two potable water reservoirs near the southern end of Mesa Road for future development in these areas. It is anticipated that a 3-million-gallon facility would be required for the Mesa Reservoir and a 4-million-gallon facility would be required for the Fanita Ranch Reservoir. Each of the reservoirs is on the top of a hill to minimize the need for pumps. In the event of the failure and release of water from any of the reservoirs, the land adjacent to and below the ruptured reservoir could be flooded. The reservoirs range from 150 to more than 1,500 feet from the nearest homes.

In addition, the City could be subject to flood damage from failure of other water storage tanks nearby. One water storage tank is near Grossmont College, just south of the City limits. This reservoir holds 3.6 million gallons of water for Padre Dam and the Helix Water District.

Additionally, the nearby Fletcher Hills Reservoir on Weld Avenue, in El Cajon, has a capacity of 1.5 million gallons and could affect Santee with flooding caused by failure.

Dam Failure
The central portion of the City is in the San Diego River Valley downstream of three major dams in San Diego County: San Vicente Dam, El Capitan Dam, and Chet Harritt Dam (Lake Jennings Reservoir) (Table 4.2, Major Dams Located Upstream of the City of Santee). The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute San Diego Chapter’s publication San Diego Earthquake Planning Scenario, Magnitude 6.9 on the Rose Canyon Fault Zone, expects these dams to remain in service due to recent seismic retrofit and their distance from any major active faults. These dams are inspected annually by the California Department of Water Resources Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) to ensure they are safe, performing as intended, and are not developing issues. Given their location upstream of communities and residential areas, the DSOD and the County classify these dams as possessing an “extremely high” downstream hazard and “high” hazard rating, respectively.

Water Reservoirs
The Padre Dam Municipal Water District (Padre Dam) provides potable water, recycled water, wastewater management services, and recreational facilities to an 80-square-mile service area, including the entire City. Padre Dam’s service area population is estimated at 95,000, with an average daily water demand of 8.1 million gallons. Padre Dam currently has over 330 miles of potable water mains, 140 miles of wastewater mains, and 25 miles of recycled water mains.

Additionally, the nearby Fletcher Hills Reservoir on Weld Avenue, in El Cajon, has a capacity of 1.5 million gallons and could affect Santee with flooding caused by failure.

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Table 4.2. Major Dams Located Upstream of the City of Santee Dam Name Distance
from City
Year
Constructed
Capacity
(acre-feet)
Notes
San Vicente Dam 3.5 miles 1943 245,000 Concrete gravity structure originally constructed with a capacity of
90,200 acre-feet and then raised an
additional 117 vertical feet in 2016
using roller-compacted concrete to
expand its capacity.

El Capitan Dam 9 miles 1934 112,800 Hydraulically filled earth structure.

Chet Harritt Dam
(Lake Jennings
Reservoir)
3 miles 1962 9,790 Earth-filled dam constructed by
procedures to resist seismic
damage.

Information regarding dam failure risk can be found in the County’s 2023 MJHMP. Maps prepared by the DSOD showing areas of inundation in the event of dam failure can be found online here:
https://fmds.water.ca.gov/maps/damim/. Inundation zones for each of the three dams located upstream of Santee are shown on Figure 4.2, Dam Inundation Map. This figure was generated using a DSOD GIS layer showing the extent of dam inundation areas for extremely high, high, and significant hazard dams in Santee. Information concerning the safety of these dams is reviewed annually by the DSOD. To plan for long-term fire risks to certain demographics, physical assets, structures, and critical infrastructure in the community, the 2023 Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan prepared by the Santee Fire Department also shows dam inundation risk from potential failure of the San Vicente Dam. The 2023 Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan is incorporated into this Safety and Environmental Justice Element by reference. In addition, Annex Q of the County’s Office of Emergency Services’ 2022 Emergency Operations Plan outlines the evacuation procedures in the event of a dam failure.

Table 4.2. Major Dams Located Upstream of the City of Santee Dam Name Distance Year Capacity Notes
from City Constructed | (acre-feet)
San Vicente Dam | 3.5 miles 1943 245,000 Concrete gravity structure originally constructed with a capacity of
90,200 acre-feet and then raised an
additional 117 vertical feet in 2016
using roller-compacted concrete to
expand its capacity.

El Capitan Dam 9 miles 1934 112,800 Hydraulically filled earth structure.

Chet Harritt Dam | 3 miles 1962 9,790 Earth-filled dam constructed by (Lake Jennings procedures to resist seismic
Reservoir) damage.

Information regarding dam failure risk can be found in the County’s 2023 MJHMP. Maps prepared by the DSOD showing areas of inundation in the event of dam failure can be found online here:
https://fmds.water.ca.gov/maps/damim/. Inundation zones for each of the three dams located upstream of Santee are shown on Figure 4.2, Dam /nundation Map. This figure was generated using a DSOD GIS layer showing the extent of dam inundation areas for extremely high, high, and significant hazard dams in Santee. Information concerning the safety of these dams is reviewed annually by the DSOD. To plan for long-term fire risks to certain demographics, physical assets, structures, and critical infrastructure in the community, the 2023 Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan prepared by the Santee Fire Department also shows dam inundation risk from potential failure of the San Vicente Dam. The 2023 Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan is incorporated into this Safety and Environmental Justice Element by reference. In addition, Annex Q of the County’s Office of Emergency Services’ 2022 Emergency Operations Plan outlines the evacuation procedures in the event of a dam failure.

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Figure Figure 4.2 4.2. . Dam Inundation Map Dam Inundation Map Figure 4.2.

Dam Indundation
CC) City of Santee Boundary
( Chet Harritt
é vs V4 El Capitan
K ‘ \ San Vicente Inundation Zone
Major Waterways ,
County of San Diego
San Diego is ° |
Boo 63 2 dae
rr al a = 0°
UJ | = 5 4 pies
ee ae ‘3 Z ak an cate
Ty | 25 =~ +
ci 2 —— ae ~ ae. Oe By ue
ae f ae is = {eS fhe ie al a : ne ee
Ove Sy Ps 7 ee ath — oe
Cte vy
Forester Creek
City of Santee

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Summary of Needs to Address Flooding
The major waterways in Santee will continue to cause flooding and associated erosion and other effects, especially with worsening extreme precipitation events exacerbated by climate change (see Section 5.3, Climate Adaptation Planning, for further discussion of the impacts of climate change on extreme precipitation and floods). Some homes could be damaged by water runoff from a rupture of any of the seven water reservoirs in Santee and or three upstream dams. It is important that future planning takes into consideration the general direction of flow in the event of a rupture in any of the reservoirs and avoids the placement of buildings in those areas. The City should encourage Padre Dam to complete inundation studies for existing and planned reservoirs in Santee.

Since the impervious surfaces associated with urban development create more runoff than vegetated lands, it is important that future planning take into consideration the impacts of potential increased runoff. Any project proposed within a floodplain area is subject to site plan review. In addition, planning for flood control improvements for the San Diego River and other City waterways must be comprehensive and balanced with other goals, such as providing recreation and protecting valuable habitat and species. The City coordinates regularly with FEMA through the Flood Insurance Rate Map Program, which delineates special flood hazard areas and the risk premium zones in a community. These are used to determine flood insurance rates and premiums, serving as tools to understand and protect against flood risk.

The City’s Engineering Department maintains flood zone and FEMA map information. The County’s Fire Department, Flood Control District, and Department of Public Works are also responsible for flood protection in the County.

4.2 Geologic/Seismic Hazards
Santee lies near the junction of the coastal plain and the Peninsular Ranges geologic provinces of southwestern California. The eastern portion of the coastal plain is in the west, south, and north portions of Santee and consist of a series of Tertiary-age formational sedimentary rocks that are deeply incised by canyons and tributaries, including the San Diego River and Sycamore Creek. The San Diego River generally bisects Santee from east to west. The drainage area of the San Diego River upstream of West Hills Parkway on the western edge of Santee is approximately 368 square miles. Downstream, the San Diego River flows through Mission Trails and Mission Valley in the City of San Diego and drains into the Pacific Ocean. Much of Santee is within the gentle gradient of the San Diego River Valley. Sycamore Creek is along the western boundary of the City and flows southward into Santee Lakes and the San Diego River. In the southeastern and eastern portions of Santee, the sedimentary rocks and alluvial valley province end abruptly in the foothills of the Peninsular Ranges exposing granitic rock. The formational units are covered by surficial soils.

Geologic Stratigraphy
According to the Geotechnical/Seismic Hazard Study (Appendix C), the geologic stratigraphy of Santee consists of several surficial soil types and formational units. The surficial soil deposits consist of human-made soil (undocumented fill and previously placed fill) and naturally occurring soil (topsoil, colluvium, young alluvium/debris flows, landslide deposits, and old alluvial floodplain Summary of Needs to Address Flooding
The major waterways in Santee will continue to cause flooding and associated erosion and other effects, especially with worsening extreme precipitation events exacerbated by climate change (see Section 5.3, Climate Adaptation Planning, for further discussion of the impacts of climate change on extreme precipitation and floods). Some homes could be damaged by water runoff from a rupture of any of the seven water reservoirs in Santee and or three upstream dams. It is important that future planning takes into consideration the general direction of flow in the event of a rupture in any of the reservoirs and avoids the placement of buildings in those areas. The City should encourage Padre Dam to complete inundation studies for existing and planned reservoirs in Santee.

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deposits). In general, naturally occurring surficial soils are found in drainage areas such as the San Diego River Valley and Sycamore Creek and generally overlying undisturbed formational materials.

Formational materials in Santee include sedimentary rock units of the Eocene-age Pomerado Conglomerate, Stadium Conglomerate and Friars Formation, and the hard rock units of the Mesozoicage (Cretaceous and Jurassic) granitic and volcanic rocks associated with the Peninsular Ranges. The claystone portions of the Friars Formation are typically weak, fractured, and prone to landsliding.

Each of the surficial soil types and formational units in Santee is described herein in order of increasing age.

Undocumented Fill
In many areas of Santee, fill soils presumed to be undocumented exist and have been mapped in certain site-specific geotechnical reports. An example of an undocumented fill deposit is in an undeveloped area north of the northern terminus of Strathmore Drive in the northwestern corner of Santee. These types of deposits typically contain a wide range of soil types, including silt, sand, clay, and rock derived from the local geologic formations.

Undocumented fills typically are poorly compacted and often are underlain by potentially compressible topsoil or alluvium. Consequently, where these deposits are in areas of proposed development, they require special evaluation and recommendations. Normally, the undocumented fill materials are removed, moisturized as necessary, and placed as compacted fill.

Previously Placed Fill
Most of the central and southern portions of Santee have been developed. Some of the largest master developments include Black Horse Estates, Cajon Park, Carlton Country Club, Carlton Hills, Carlton Oaks, Castlerock, Dakota Ranch, Deer Park, Fanita Corona, Fanita Rancho, Fanita Terrace, Los Ranchos, Mission Creek, Mission Trials Vista, Mountain Meadow, Rancho Fanita, Riderwood – The Heights, Santana North, Shadow Hill Terrace, Silver Country Estates, Sycamore Hills, Santee Trolley Square Town Center, Vista Monte, Sky Ranch, Woodglen, and Woodside Industrial Park.

Developments will typically include infrastructure improvements associated with roadways, parks, underground utilities, and pump stations that are provided for Santee. Other previously placed fill within City limits is associated with California Department of Transportation controlled roadways not under the purview of the City.

Previously placed fill generally consists of materials that were properly placed and compacted using the testing and observation services of a geotechnical engineering consultant. The fill materials placed during development of these projects generally consist of silty and clayey sand and sandy clay with gravel and cobble mixtures. Prior to grading or constructing additional improvements in previously graded areas, specific geotechnical evaluations and update reports should be performed to address the potential impacts to existing or proposed improvements underlain by these deposits. The existing fill materials should be tested to evaluate their suitability to support proposed structures and improvements.
deposits). In general, naturally occurring surficial soils are found in drainage areas such as the San Diego River Valley and Sycamore Creek and generally overlying undisturbed formational materials.

Each of the surficial soil types and formational units in Santee is described herein in order of increasing age.

Previously Placed Fill
Most of the central and southern portions of Santee have been developed. Some of the largest master developments include Black Horse Estates, Cajon Park, Carlton Country Club, Carlton Hills, Carlton Oaks, Castlerock, Dakota Ranch, Deer Park, Fanita Corona, Fanita Rancho, Fanita Terrace, Los Ranchos, Mission Creek, Mission Trials Vista, Mountain Meadow, Rancho Fanita, Riderwood — The Heights, Santana North, Shadow Hill Terrace, Silver Country Estates, Sycamore Hills, Santee Trolley Square Town Center, Vista Monte, Sky Ranch, Woodglen, and Woodside Industrial Park.

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Topsoil
In undeveloped areas, naturally developed topsoil blankets most of the formational units and range in thickness from approximately 1 to 3 feet. The topsoil is generally characterized as brown to dark brown, silty/clayey, fine to medium sands and sandy clays. Topsoil that overlies the Stadium Conglomerate at higher elevations are generally thinner than overlying the Friars Formation and have a greater percentage of gravel and cobble clasts. Topsoil is typically considered compressible in its natural state and ordinarily requires remedial grading in areas planned to receive structural fill and/or settlement-sensitive structures. The clayey topsoil characteristically overlying sedimentary units has a “medium” to “high” expansion potential (expansion index of 51 to 130) and, when present, commonly require remedial grading to help mitigate their impacts prior to construction operations.

Colluvium
Colluvial soils are relatively deep natural deposits of soil that have accumulated on the face and base of natural slopes through the weathering and erosion of exposed materials at higher elevations that accumulate from soil-creep processes. Colluvial deposits are typically thicker in the gentle, low-lying, bottom of slope areas near alluvial drainages. Figure 1 of the Geotechnical/Seismic Hazard Study (Appendix C) indicates areas of undifferentiated Quaternaryage young alluvium and colluvium designated as map symbol Qu in the southern portion of Santee.

Other areas of unmapped colluvium are present near the base of natural sloping ground across Santee. Typically, these materials are deepest in areas underlain by the Friars Formation; however, they are also present, but typically thinner, in areas underlain by Stadium Conglomerate and granitic rock. Colluvial materials can also be present on landslide deposits, particularly in graben zones near the head or upper portions of the slides. The thickness of the colluvium is typically about 5 to 10 feet and locally can be thicker. These deposits generally possess “medium” to “high” expansion potential (expansion index of 51 to 130), are poorly consolidated, and often require remedial grading in areas of planned development.

Alluvium and Debris Flows
Holocene- to late Pleistocene-age young alluvium is typically present in drainage areas, such as the San Diego River channel, Sycamore Creek, and smaller natural tributary drainages. The San Diego River alluvium is relatively deep (locally up to 80 feet), and near the surface, it typically consists of clean, medium-grained sands that have historically been mined as a source of concrete sand. Alluvial soils cover a relatively large portion of Santee, while debris flows have limited exposure. Alluvial soils generally consist of relatively loose/soft, silty/clayey sands and sandy clays with little gravel and cobble and will be saturated below groundwater. However, larger size and higher cobbles and boulder contents are typical within the San Diego River drainage due to higher flows.

Debris flows are present on upper portions of steeper gradient drainages within Stadium Conglomerate and Friars Formation created by weathering, slope creep, and saturation of surface materials. Most of the historical debris flows occurred at higher elevations and are generally north of the San Diego River. Most of these debris flow deposits consist of silty/clayey, sandy gravel and cobble deposits.

Topsoil
In undeveloped areas, naturally developed topsoil blankets most of the formational units and range in thickness from approximately 1 to 3 feet. The topsoil is generally characterized as brown to dark brown, silty/clayey, fine to medium sands and sandy clays. Topsoil that overlies the Stadium Conglomerate at higher elevations are generally thinner than overlying the Friars Formation and have a greater percentage of gravel and cobble clasts. Topsoil is typically considered compressible in its natural state and ordinarily requires remedial grading in areas planned to receive structural fill and/or settlement-sensitive structures. The clayey topsoil characteristically overlying sedimentary units has a “medium” to “high” expansion potential (expansion index of 51 to 130) and, when present, commonly require remedial grading to help mitigate their impacts prior to construction operations.

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The alluvial and debris flow deposits are often poorly consolidated, compressible, and typically require remedial grading or special design considerations. Where development is planned in main drainage channels, such as the San Diego River floodplain, soil improvement techniques and structural reinforcement to remediate the effects of potential liquefaction may be necessary.

Within secondary drainage areas, the compressible young alluvium is usually removed and replaced as properly compacted fill. Where groundwater exists within the upper approximately 50 feet, the young alluvium is typically considered to possess a potential for liquefaction and related geologic hazards.

Landslide Deposits
Several confirmed landslides and suspected ancient landslides have been identified during the Geotechnical/Seismic Hazard Study (Appendix C) and previous geotechnical investigations. The presence of inferred landslide deposits is based on topographic evaluation during field reconnaissance, interpretation of aerial photographs and topographic maps, and maps published by the CGS.

The landslides encountered in Santee occur on gentle to moderate sloping ground in the Friars Formation and generally below an elevation of approximately 600 feet above mean sea level (AMSL). On the southern portion of the City, landslides generally occur between elevations of 400 and 600 feet AMSL. Characteristic landslide morphology consists of a steep back-scarp; bulging, hummocky, distorted topography; and deflected drainages. Some landslide areas express a more subdued topography suggestive of incipient or older eroded landslide deposits.

The landslide deposits observed are characterized as deep-seated, relatively intact, block type movements or as shallow to deep-seated bedrock slides with a varying degree of slip plane development and slide mass disturbance. The thickness of landslide material is estimated to be approximately 45 to 50 feet; however, it can thicken toward the head scarp as much as 100 feet.

The landslide debris varies from dense sandstone/claystone blocks to a variable mixture of intensely sheared and pulverized claystone breccia suspended in a stiff clay matrix. Highly disturbed cobble clay mixtures resembling debris flow materials have also been encountered and are known to exist within graben zones.

Most of the landslides appear to have occurred along inherently weak, previously sheared, lowangle, pre-existing bedding plane shears as part of a weak, thinly laminated claystone in the Friars Formation. This is suggested by the relatively uniform, near-horizontal slip surfaces typically observed along the base of the landslides, and because of the general correlation in exploratory borings at which bedding plane shears are present in the Friars Formation outside the limits of the landslides at the same elevation as the landslide basal shear zone. Further discussion of this correlation and an apparent regional zone of bedding plane shears in the Friars Formation are included in the Geologic Structure discussion below.

In general, new developments should be planned to avoid or mitigate ancient landslide deposits, where possible. Where landslide materials are present below proposed fill embankments or exposed in cut slopes or building pad areas, remedial grading is often required to properly buttress the existing landslides or proposed slopes. Some landslides will require complete removal, while other landslides will only require partial removal of the loose and compressible portions to be The alluvial and debris flow deposits are often poorly consolidated, compressible, and typically require remedial grading or special design considerations. Where development is planned in main drainage channels, such as the San Diego River floodplain, soil improvement techniques and structural reinforcement to remediate the effects of potential liquefaction may be necessary.

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replaced with new compacted fills. Localized areas of deeper removals may be required in looser graben zones and/or more pulverized portions of the landslides. Still, other landslides will require only minor processing of the surficial materials prior to placing fill embankments. Slope stability analyses of landslide materials are typically included in geotechnical reports.

Cut slopes exposing landslide materials or basal slip planes or areas where basal slip surfaces occur near finish grade typically require stabilization by construction of stability fills, drained earthen buttresses, shear keys, shear pins, or other means. Slope stability is addressed in the Ancient Landslides/Slope Stability discussion below.

Terrace Deposits/Older Alluvium
Older alluvial floodplain deposits of Pleistocene-age exist within former floodplain areas and are exposed at the surface between the younger alluvial deposits and formational sedimentary or rock units. The older alluvium was deposited during previous geologic stream flow events with the soils typically consolidated by burial, cemented, and subsequently eroded to current valley floor elevations. These deposits are generally in the flatter portions of valleys and consist of slightly cemented, clayey sands with little gravel and cobble. These materials are generally dense to very dense and do not possess a potential for liquefaction or significant settlement.

Stadium Conglomerate and Pomerado Conglomerate
The Stadium Conglomerate (middle to late Eocene age) occurs throughout the southwestern, central, and northern parts of Santee. The Pomerado Conglomerate has a limited extent and is in the northern portion of Santee. These geologic units have similar characteristics and are difficult to distinguish between each other unless separated by the Mission Valley Formation. However, the Mission Valley Formation is not present within the City limits, and therefore, the Pomerado Conglomerate conformably overlies the Stadium Conglomerate above an elevation of roughly 1,000 feet AMSL. The Stadium Conglomerate conformably overlies the Friars Formation at elevations ranging from approximately 610 to 1,000 feet AMSL. The inferred thickness of this deposit in Santee varies from approximately 40 feet when eroded to an estimated 375 feet on less eroded ridgelines. Geomorphically, the Stadium Conglomerate forms characteristic resistant, dissected ridges in the upper elevations of Santee. Localized, steeply eroded scars occur in this formation where debris flows originated at the head of tributary canyons.

The Stadium Conglomerate generally consists of dense to very dense, slightly cemented, sandy to clayey, gravel and cobble conglomerate with interbedded silty sandstone. The cobble content of the Stadium Conglomerate can sometimes be up to about 60 percent with diameters up to 24 inches. The Stadium Conglomerate is regionally part of the upper Eocene Poway Geologic Group that also includes the Mission Valley Formation and Pomerado Conglomerate.

Moderate to very heavy excavation effort should be anticipated during grading and trenching within the Stadium Conglomerate due to its cementation and high cobble size and percentage and randomly occurring highly cemented zones. Cut or fill slopes composed of the Stadium Conglomerate generally possess adequate slope stability characteristics. replaced with new compacted fills. Localized areas of deeper removals may be required in looser graben zones and/or more pulverized portions of the landslides. Still, other landslides will require only minor processing of the surficial materials prior to placing fill embankments. Slope stability analyses of landslide materials are typically included in geotechnical reports.

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Friars Formation
The Friars Formation was deposited on an irregular erosion surface formed on the crystalline basement rock of the Southern California Batholith. The Friars Formation may be observed overlying granitic rocks in the southern and north-central parts of Santee. This unit generally occupies the gentler, lower portions of valley slopes below elevations ranging from 600 to 700 feet AMSL depending on the locality. The age of the Friars Formation is middle to late Eocene-age based on vertebrate fossil evidence. In the southwestern portion of Santee, this unit is exposed between Cuyamaca Street and the eastern base of Cowles Mountain and throughout the northern part of Santee except the most northeasterly section.

Numerous large, ancient landslides occur in the Friars Formation, discussed in detail in the Ancient Landslides/Slope Stability discussion below. The Friars Formation consists of relatively flat-lying lagoonal and alluvial claystone, sandstone, and conglomerate units. Specifically, weak, waxy claystone, and thinly laminated siltstone/claystone, sandstone, and conglomerate occur in the northern undeveloped portion of the City below an approximate elevation of 610 to 630 feet AMSL. Translational landslides are common throughout areas underlain by this geologic formation. Most of these landslides are remnants of wetter climatic conditions that occurred in late Pleistocene to early Holocene time (last 30,000 years).

As seen in the undeveloped area of Santee, the Friars Formation comprises a relatively continuous sequence of characteristic subunits consisting of thinly bedded sandstone/siltstone, underlain by relatively thin lenses of gravel/cobble conglomerate, which are in turn underlain by massive sandstone. A generally weak, fractured, waxy claystone unit containing abundant bedding plane shear zones underlies this sequence. It is likely the inherently weak nature of this basal claystone unit in combination with the presence of pre-existing shear zones is the causation of landsliding and landslide-prone hillsides.

Except for the sandstone and portions of the conglomeratic facies, soils derived from the Friars Formation typically possesses a “medium” to “high” expansion potential (expansion index of 51 to 130) and relatively low shear strength. Portions of the Friars Formation possess a “very high” expansion potential (expansion index of greater than 130) and require specialized grading and foundation recommendations. Where exposed in cut slopes, the claystone facies of the Friars Formation can be prone to surficial instability and often requires stabilization measures. Bedrock creep zones and areas of deeply weathered material also exist in the Friars Formation. During development, where weak, waxy, or highly weathered portions of this unit are exposed in embankments and/or “toe key” areas of proposed fill slopes, deeper remedial grading is typically required to provide a competent surface to support embankments.

Bedding plane shears are relatively common in the Friars Formation and are significant in that they represent inherent planes of weakness within the formation. Bedding plane shears have recently also been called bedding parallel shears. As the term implies, these shear zones are typically parallel to the bedding and are characterized by thin seams of very soft, wet, remolded plastic clay. During development, where the shears are anticipated to “daylight” in cut slopes, stabilization measures such as drained stability fills, buttresses, and/or shear pins are necessary.

Friars Formation
The Friars Formation was deposited on an irregular erosion surface formed on the crystalline basement rock of the Southern California Batholith. The Friars Formation may be observed overlying granitic rocks in the southern and north-central parts of Santee. This unit generally occupies the gentler, lower portions of valley slopes below elevations ranging from 600 to 700 feet AMSL depending on the locality. The age of the Friars Formation is middle to late Eocene-age based on vertebrate fossil evidence. In the southwestern portion of Santee, this unit is exposed between Cuyamaca Street and the eastern base of Cowles Mountain and throughout the northern part of Santee except the most northeasterly section.

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Granitic Rock and Santiago Peak Volcanics
Cretaceous-age granitic rocks have a variety of compositions based on the percentage of quartz, plagioclase, and mafic mineralogy. Granitic rock also has a range of weathering and can vary from highly weathered decomposed granitic soils to hard fresh rock. Granitic rock can be classified as quartz-diorite, tonalite, and granodiorite with their finer-grained equivalents occurring in some areas. The granitic rocks that are deeply weathered can form extensive deposits of residuum or decomposed granitic rock that are locally mined for decomposed granite soils. The less weathered, more resistant rock has been used in the past as quarry stone and can be observed as large, rounded boulders on the hills east of Gillespie Field, near Carlton Oaks Golf Course, on Cowles Mountain, and in the eastern part of Santee. These hard rock units would require blasting prior to excavation and would require specialized grading techniques.

Santiago Peak Volcanic rock, also called Mesozoic Metavolcanic rock, from the lower Cretaceous and upper Jurassic Geologic Period is exposed in limited areas on the southwestern corner and in the eastern portion of Santee.

Geologic Structure
Bedding in the Eocene-age sediments is nearly horizontal or gently dipping. In general, strata in the Friars Formation and Stadium Conglomerate units dip very gently at inclinations of less than 5 degrees to the west and southwest. In the northern, undeveloped portion of Santee, the Friars Formation/Stadium Conglomerate contact dips generally south–southwest and varies in elevation from approximately 610 to 630 feet AMSL. Locally, bedding dip directions may vary or even reverse, depending on configuration of ancient, buried topography or other geologic structures.

High-angle depositional contacts are also common locally between the sedimentary formations and underlying granitic rocks.

A high percentage of bedding plane shears and weak claystone materials were found to occur within this relatively narrow elevation range. A similar, less prominent grouping of shear zones was observed at other elevations in the Friars Formation. The elevations at which bedding plane shears occur in bedrock material and the elevation of basal slip surfaces in landslide areas are generally similar. This correlation has been observed on other projects in the county where the Friars Formation is present.

Regionally, the marine terraces in the coastal plain west of the Peninsular Ranges are underlain by flat-lying sediments with a few notable exceptions occurring near the coast. In the City of San Diego west of Santee, the terraces are broken in many areas by Tertiary and Pleistocene-age active and potentially active faults. However, in Santee, no known active or potentially active faults (movement within the last 1.8 million years) that cut Pleistocene-aged materials or any known major faults that cut Eocene or Cretaceous-age rocks occur.

Bedding plane shears, or more recently called “bedding parallel shears” (a term applied to minor shears within parallel bedding surfaces), are common in the Friars Formation and are believed to be a significant factor in landsliding processes both in the geologic past and at present. These features do not represent a seismic hazard; however, they are a significant geotechnical Granitic Rock and Santiago Peak Volcanics
Cretaceous-age granitic rocks have a variety of compositions based on the percentage of quartz, plagioclase, and mafic mineralogy. Granitic rock also has a range of weathering and can vary from highly weathered decomposed granitic soils to hard fresh rock. Granitic rock can be classified as quartz-diorite, tonalite, and granodiorite with their finer-grained equivalents occurring in some areas. The granitic rocks that are deeply weathered can form extensive deposits of residuum or decomposed granitic rock that are locally mined for decomposed granite soils. The less weathered, more resistant rock has been used in the past as quarry stone and can be observed as large, rounded boulders on the hills east of Gillespie Field, near Carlton Oaks Golf Course, on Cowles Mountain, and in the eastern part of Santee. These hard rock units would require blasting prior to excavation and would require specialized grading techniques.

Geologic Structure
Bedding in the Eocene-age sediments is nearly horizontal or gently dipping. In general, strata in the Friars Formation and Stadium Conglomerate units dip very gently at inclinations of less than 5 degrees to the west and southwest. In the northern, undeveloped portion of Santee, the Friars Formation/Stadium Conglomerate contact dips generally south-southwest and varies in elevation from approximately 610 to 630 feet AMSL. Locally, bedding dip directions may vary or even reverse, depending on configuration of ancient, buried topography or other geologic structures.

High-angle depositional contacts are also common locally between the sedimentary formations and underlying granitic rocks.

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consideration in the analysis of slope and landslide stability (see Ancient Landslides/Slope Stability discussion below).

Ancient Landslides/Slope Stability
A landslide is defined as a mass movement of earth occurring below the limits of the soil mantle caused by shear failure along one or several surfaces. Ancient landslides have been dated by radiocarbon methods as being 8 to 30 thousand years old in the Southern California area by Stout (1969) and others. They are believed to have occurred primarily as a response of weak claystones exposed to intense rainfall causing high water table conditions in slopes during late Pleistocene and early Holocene times. Landslides occur throughout the area underlain by the Friars Formation.

Although the California Department of Conservation has not evaluated the Santee area for landslides, assessing slope gradient can help identify areas that may be susceptible to landslide risk. Areas with slopes that exceed 15 percent are highly susceptible to erosion and gully formation caused by running water. Without plant cover, these areas pose a risk for landslides. Figure 4.3, Slope Gradient Greater than 15 Percent, locates areas in Santee that have slopes of greater than 15 percent.

consideration in the analysis of slope and landslide stability (see Ancient Landslides/Slope Stability discussion below).

Although the California Department of Conservation has not evaluated the Santee area for landslides, assessing slope gradient can help identify areas that may be susceptible to landslide risk. Areas with slopes that exceed 15 percent are highly susceptible to erosion and gully formation caused by running water. Without plant cover, these areas pose a risk for landslides. Figure 4.3, Slope Gradient Greater than 15 Percent, \ocates areas in Santee that have slopes of greater than 15 percent.

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Figure Figure 4. 4.3. 3. Slope Gradient Greater than 15 Percent Slope Gradient Greater than 15 Percent Figure 4.3.

Slope Gradient
Greater than 15 Percent
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Slopes > 15°
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County of San Diego

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The anticipation of ancient landslides and the creation of new landslides have been most commonly caused by grading activities, a rise in groundwater level in a landslide area, areas containing bedding plane shears, or seismic activity. Identification of landslide-prone areas through detailed geotechnical studies is of primary importance in predicting future slope failure and landslides. The most common method of stabilizing landslides and landslide-prone areas is through remedial grading or buttressing and installation of subdrains and drainage panels to reduce the potential for buildup of excessive hydrostatic pressures. Other development options may include structural setbacks or stabilizing shear pins.

Landslide areas in Santee can usually be mitigated using generally accepted remedial grading techniques and buttresses. These techniques may consist of partial or complete removal and compaction of the deposits or stabilization with earthen buttresses, shear keys, stability fills, or other means, such as shear pins or retaining structures. Similar remedial grading procedures could be required where landslides are not present but where weak claystone beds, bedding plane shears, or thick surficial soil deposits are encountered. Such areas should be generally limited to where the Friars Formation will be exposed in cut slopes.

Reactivation of ancient landslides have been responsible for either partial or complete loss of 20 to 30 homes in the Santee area. Geotechnical firms that possess experience in landslide evaluation and stabilization should evaluate the potential for additional loss in areas already developed when building additions are proposed.

Debris Flow Deposits
A debris flow is a rapid downslope movement of saturated soil and near-surface rock debris.

Numerous debris flows or mudflows have occurred in the Stadium Conglomerate. The debris flows or mudflows are initiated near the crests of very steep ridges underlain by Stadium Conglomerate and likely occur as a result of high intensity rainfall. As the near-surface soils become saturated and pore water pressure increases, the soils lose strength and fail relatively rapidly to form a river of mud and rock with considerable destructive power. These deposits consist of the accumulation of topsoil, colluvium, and debris derived from formational “parent material” near the base of moderate to steep slopes caused by rapid flow of saturated near-surface soils.

The physical appearance of these features indicates that they are relatively young compared to the ancient landslides. Most appear to be only a few hundred years old or less and are easily eroded. While the causes of debris flows are generally well understood, specific details concerning these events make them difficult to predict. Several well-formed debris flows can be observed on the northern side of SR-52 west of Santee. High rainfall, loss of vegetation cover through fire or other causes, and the steepness of the slope are the main causative factors of debris flows.

The primary difference between ancient landslides and debris flows, in terms of the potential for activation, is that debris flows do not possess a basal slip surface. Thus, they are much less likely than ancient landslides to become reactivated by grading. In areas of proposed development, mitigation of debris flow deposits is typically similar to that for alluvium and colluvium, and the presence of these materials is not likely to significantly affect development unless directed toward the boundary of the site.

The anticipation of ancient landslides and the creation of new landslides have been most commonly caused by grading activities, a rise in groundwater level in a landslide area, areas containing bedding plane shears, or seismic activity. Identification of landslide-prone areas through detailed geotechnical studies is of primary importance in predicting future slope failure and landslides. The most common method of stabilizing landslides and landslide-prone areas is through remedial grading or buttressing and installation of subdrains and drainage panels to reduce the potential for buildup of excessive hydrostatic pressures. Other development options may include structural setbacks or stabilizing shear pins.

Debris Flow Deposits
A debris flow is a rapid downslope movement of saturated soil and near-surface rock debris.

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Groundwater and Seepage
Groundwater and seepage conditions are significant factors in assessing engineering and geologic hazards. Groundwater is typically found in the deep alluvial drainage areas (such as the San Diego River and Sycamore Creek) but may also be found in shallower drainages as a result of stormwater infiltration (such as the Santee Recreation Lakes area). Because of fluctuating water levels in a given area, as a result of seasonal variations in precipitation and surface water runoff, the prediction of groundwater occurrence is difficult.

Seepage is typically the result of a groundwater table or perched water, either seasonal or permanent, being exposed. However, some human-made seepage conditions can develop in rural areas downslope of septic systems. Seepage conditions in slopes, either graded or natural, are usually the result of water flowing at the contact between materials of widely different permeabilities with the water perched on an underlying, less permeable layer. When the water flow encounters a slope face, it is manifested as seepage.

In addition to the nuisance caused by minor seepage from new slopes in residential areas, groundwater and seepage caused by excess irrigation are a major contributing factor to landsliding in the county, especially in the reactivation of old landslides. As pore pressures rise along an old slip surface as a result of rainfall or heavy landscape irrigation, the factor of safety against sliding will decrease.

The potential for groundwater and seepage conditions should be addressed in geotechnical reports submitted to the City for new developments and improvements. Procedures for waterrelated mitigation, such as canyon subdrains and proper grading procedures, should also be addressed. Groundwater conditions typically increase as a result of development primarily due to increased irrigation and areas of impervious surfaces, which result in surface water runoff rather than groundwater infiltration.

Perched groundwater or seepage has been encountered in alluvial drainages, hillside areas, and landslide zones during previous investigations in Santee. The groundwater/seepage in drainage courses is presumed to be associated with surface runoff of rainwater along the natural watershed. Subdrain systems are often necessary in areas of proposed development to intercept and convey seepage migrating along impervious strata. In particular, the main drainages, stability/buttress fill areas, and possibly where impervious layers daylight near the ultimate graded surface typically require subdrains. Specific subdrain locations and design details should be provided with the detailed grading plans for the site. Seepage conditions also occur in bedrock materials and at the base of landslide areas perched on relatively impervious strata in the Friars Formation and ancient landslide deposits. Additionally, relatively minor natural surface seeps were observed in the northern portion of Santee at the Friars Formation/Stadium Conglomerate contact. The existing perched groundwater levels in alluvial areas can be expected to fluctuate seasonally and may affect remedial grading.

Seismic Hazards
This discussion presents seismic hazards anticipated to affect Santee. Seismic hazards are caused by earthquake-induced ground shaking—specifically, liquefaction potential and seismically Groundwater and Seepage
Groundwater and seepage conditions are significant factors in assessing engineering and geologic hazards. Groundwater is typically found in the deep alluvial drainage areas (such as the San Diego River and Sycamore Creek) but may also be found in shallower drainages as a result of stormwater infiltration (such as the Santee Recreation Lakes area). Because of fluctuating water levels in a given area, as a result of seasonal variations in precipitation and surface water runoff, the prediction of groundwater occurrence is difficult.

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induced settlement and landsliding (refer to Ancient Landslides/Slope Stability discussion above for description of landslide-prone areas of Santee). A discussion of local and regional faulting and its impact on Santee is also presented.

Seismic hazards pertain to threats to life and property caused by earthquake-induced ground shaking. Based on current maps prepared by the California Department of Conservation and local geology maps, active or potentially active faults are not known to occur in or adjacent to Santee (Figure 4.4, Seismic and Geologic Hazards). However, as with all of California, Santee is subject to periodic seismic shaking due to earthquakes along remote or regional active faults.

A review of geologic literature indicates that no known active or potentially active faults cross Santee. An active fault is defined by the CGS as a fault showing evidence for activity within the last 11,700 years. The Rose Canyon/Newport Inglewood Fault Zone, approximately 10 miles west of the City, is the closest known active fault. The CGS has included portions of this Fault Zone within the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone. Currently, restrictions on development due to faulting (i.e., fault setback zones) related to the State of California requirements are not present in the City.

Considerations important in seismic design include the frequency and duration of motion and the soil conditions underlying the site. Seismic design of structures should be evaluated in accordance with the most recent applicable California Building Code (CBC) guidelines currently adopted by the local agency.

Faults in Southern California
The County of San Diego and Southern California region are seismically active. Figure 4.4 demonstrates that, although no Alquist-Priolo Fault Zones are within the City boundary, fault zones are in the greater San Diego County area. Notably, the Rose Canyon extension of the Newport Inglewood Fault Zone and the Mission Gorge Fault and La Nacion Fault Zone occur southwest of Santee.

Although no fault zones are within the City boundary, Santee could experience various levels of ground shaking as the result of an earthquake on a nearby fault system. Ground shaking is the motion felt on Earth’s surface caused by seismic waves from an earthquake. It is the primary cause of earthquake damage. The strength of ground shaking depends on the magnitude of the earthquake, type of fault, and distance from the epicenter. Buildings on poorly consolidated and thick soils will typically see more damage than buildings on consolidated soils and bedrock. The level of potential ground shaking that could occur in Santee is depicted on Figure 4.5, Earthquake Shaking Potential based on the State Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Map.

Overall, the earthquake shaking potential within the City boundary is low. The northern, southwestern, and southeastern portions of Santee may experience the lowest ground shaking potential, as indicated by the darker shades of green, while the middle-central portion of Santee and area along Fanita Parkway may experience low to low-moderate shaking potential as indicated by the yellow-green color. Ground shaking potential is analyzed using the State Probabilistic Earthquake Hazard Map. Earthquake probabilities are calculated by projecting earthquake rates based on earthquake history and fault slip rates. The result is expressed as the probability that an earthquake of a specified magnitude will occur on a fault or within an area. induced settlement and landsliding (refer to Ancient Landslides/Slope Stability discussion above for description of landslide-prone areas of Santee). A discussion of local and regional faulting and its impact on Santee is also presented.

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Figure Figure 4. 4.4. 4. Seismic and Geologic Hazards Seismic and Geologic Hazards Figure 4.4
Seismic and Geologic Hazards
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Faults
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Area Not Evaluated for Liquefaction or Landslides
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Figure Figure 4. 4.5. 5. Earthquake Shaking Potential based on the State Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Map Earthquake Shaking Potential based on the State Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Map Figure 4.5.

Shaking Potential
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Other Geologic and Seismic-Related Hazards
Soil Liquefaction
Liquefaction typically occurs when a site is in a zone with seismic activity, on-site soils are cohesionless or silt/clay with low plasticity, groundwater is encountered within 50 feet of the surface, and soil densities are less than about 70 percent of the maximum dry densities. If these four criteria are met, a seismic event could result in a rapid pore water pressure increase from the earthquake-generated ground accelerations.

Although the California Department of Conservation did not identify liquefaction potential in Santee, the soil deposits that may be susceptible to liquefaction are the young alluvial soils found in the San Diego River and its deeper tributary channels, such as Sycamore Creek, due to the level of groundwater and soil densities in these areas.

Although the major deposits of alluvial soils maybe susceptible to liquefaction, some areas may have a water table sufficiently deep or may have particular soil conditions that result in a very low potential for liquefaction based on the anticipated maximum intensity of shaking for the area. In general, for deposits with a water table below a depth of 50 feet, a seismic event would have to be especially strong for liquefaction to occur, and therefore, these deposits will have a low potential for liquefaction as a result of the maximum events anticipated. The evaluation of liquefaction should be performed on a project-specific basis by the geotechnical engineer of record.

Liquefaction-related distress could range from small, localized areas, wherein specially designed structures may experience damage, to liquefaction covering a large area, resulting in lateral movement of the near-surface deposits and subsequent heavy damage to any affected structures.

The potential risk to a structure should be evaluated whenever development is proposed in a liquefaction susceptible area. Liquefaction studies should conform to the recommendations of the 2008 CGS Special Publication 117A titled Guidelines for Evaluating and Mitigating Seismic Hazards in California or other approved publications.

Sand boils occur where liquefiable soil is extruded upward through the soil deposit to the ground surface. Providing an increase in overburden pressure and a compacted fill mat can mitigate surface manifestation. Proposed projects that possess a potential for liquefaction should also include an evaluation of the likelihood of sand boils.

Lateral spreading occurs when liquefiable soil is in the immediate vicinity of a free face, such as a slope. Factors controlling lateral displacement include earthquake magnitude, distance from the earthquake epicenter, thickness of liquefiable soil layer, grain size characteristics, fines content of the soil, and standard penetration test blow counts. Lateral spreading should be evaluated on projects where liquefaction potential exists (Appendix C).

The anticipation of potential hazards due to liquefaction can be accomplished by the densification or removal of the potentially liquefiable soil or the use of foundation systems that still provide acceptable structural support should liquefaction occur. Soil densification can be accomplished by compaction grouting, vibrocompaction, soil mixing, and deep dynamic compaction (among others). Soil densification is generally used to increase density and provide liquefaction mitigation Other Geologic and Seismic-Related Hazards
Soil Liquefaction
Liquefaction typically occurs when a site is in a zone with seismic activity, on-site soils are cohesionless or silt/clay with low plasticity, groundwater is encountered within 50 feet of the surface, and soil densities are less than about 70 percent of the maximum dry densities. If these four criteria are met, a seismic event could result in a rapid pore water pressure increase from the earthquake-generated ground accelerations.

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of sensitive soil to relatively shallow depths over large areas. Deep foundation systems may be used to transmit structural loads to bearing depths below the liquefiable zones and may consist of driven piles or drilled piles. Deep foundations are designed to mitigate damage to the structures supported on the piles; however, they do not generally reduce the potential for damage to underground utilities and peripheral site improvements. The effects of differential settlement between rigid structures and attached settlement-sensitive surface improvements can be mitigated by designing the utilities to accommodate differential movement at the connections.

Seismically Induced Settlement
Settlement due to seismic shaking can occur on sites if liquefaction potential exists or not (e.g., loose sands). As with the susceptibility to liquefaction, the soils most susceptible to seismically induced settlement in the Santee area are the loose alluvial soils of the San Diego River and its tributaries. Site-specific studies should be performed in these areas to evaluate the settlement potential during anticipated maximum seismic events.

Seismically Induced Landslides and Rock Falls
Seismically induced landslides and rock falls are common in areas of high seismicity near the earthquake source. Over 11,000 such landslides occurred during the 1994 Northridge earthquake and mostly occurred in the mountains surrounding the Santa Clara River Valley. Seismically induced landslide and rock fall studies should be performed in accordance with current and applicable design standards,such as the CGS 2008 Guidelines for Evaluating and Mitigating Seismic Hazards in California.

Tsunamis and Seiches
A tsunami is a series of long period waves generated in the ocean by a sudden displacement of large volumes of water. Causes of tsunamis include underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or offshore slope failures. Wave heights and runup elevations from tsunamis along the San Diego coast have historically fallen within the normal range of the tides. Santee is not included in a highrisk tsunami hazard area due to the elevation and distance from the Pacific Ocean; therefore, tsunamis and seiches are not considered hazards of concern. A seiche is a run-up of water within a lake or embayment triggered by fault- or landslide-induced ground displacement. Seiches may be a hazard when adjacent to the bodies of water within the City limits. Site-specific evaluations and discussions would be required for proposed site developments adjacent to the inland bodies of water.

Subsidence
Subsidence is the gradual or sudden sinking of the ground surface. According to the County’s 2023 MJHMP, subsidence often occurs when large amounts of groundwater have been withdrawn from certain types of fine-grained sediments. However, the soils in the county are largely granitic; therefore, it presents a minor threat to limited parts of the county. There is no historical record of this hazard in the region, and this hazard was excluded from further analysis in the 2023 MJHMP.

Surface Rupture
Surface rupture is a break in the ground’s surface and associated deformation resulting from the movement of a fault. Since there are not any faults in Santee, surface rupture is not anticipated to of sensitive soil to relatively shallow depths over large areas. Deep foundation systems may be used to transmit structural loads to bearing depths below the liquefiable zones and may consist of driven piles or drilled piles. Deep foundations are designed to mitigate damage to the structures supported on the piles; however, they do not generally reduce the potential for damage to underground utilities and peripheral site improvements. The effects of differential settlement between rigid structures and attached settlement-sensitive surface improvements can be mitigated by designing the utilities to accommodate differential movement at the connections.

Seismically Induced Landslides and Rock Falls
Seismically induced landslides and rock falls are common in areas of high seismicity near the earthquake source. Over 11,000 such landslides occurred during the 1994 Northridge earthquake and mostly occurred in the mountains surrounding the Santa Clara River Valley. Seismically induced landslide and rock fall studies should be performed in accordance with current and applicable design standards, such as the CGS 2008 Guidelines for Evaluating and Mitigating Seismic Hazards in California.

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be a hazard. Santee’s earthquake and ground shaking potential comes from nearby faults outside the City limits.

Summary of Needs to Address Geologic/Seismic Hazards
While the certainty of occurrence, timing, and degree of significance of geologic and/or seismic hazards cannot be accurately predicted, it is possible to take appropriate actions that may minimize the loss of life and destruction of property in Santee caused by geologic or seismic hazards.

The City shall require that potential geologic hazards be investigated and evaluated at the environmental review stage prior to project approval. Such investigations shall include those identified in Table A-1, Determination of Geotechnical Studies Required, of the Geotechnical/Seismic Hazard Study (Appendix C). The City may request additional studies depending on the project location, project type, and possible updated information.

The level of geologic risk or hazard in a particular area and the basis for design considerations regarding types of structures and proposed location shall consider the following factors:
• The type and/or function of a structure.
• The presence of geological hazards at the proposed site.

The level of risk that can be accepted. For instance, in areas of potentially higher risk or where structures that are more critical are planned, special design considerations will be necessary to reduce the level of risk to an acceptable factor.

4.3 Urban/Wildland Fire Hazards
California’s increasing population and expansion of development into previously undeveloped areas is creating more wildland-urban interface (WUI) with a corresponding risk of economic loss caused by wildland fire. A “wildland fire” is defined as a fire occurring in a suburban or rural area that contains uncultivated lands, timber, range, watershed, brush, or grasslands. This includes areas where developed lands are adjacent to undeveloped, such as in Santee. Santee’s location in Southern California, surrounded by large areas of vegetated land, makes it a medium fire hazard area. The prevalence of brush-covered hillsides, many of which are not easily accessible, add to Santee’s fire hazards.

The most common type of home fires involve heating equipment that has been improperly designed, incorrectly installed, poorly maintained, or misused. This equipment includes wood stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, portable heaters, and other space heaters. Roughly 80 percent of the fires in Santee are in single-family residences.

A significant fire, one that burns a minimum of 500 acres and requires the heavy use of mutual aid resources, occurs in Santee on a periodic basis. The 2023 Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan states that the southwestern, northern, and eastern areas of the City pose the greatest risk from a wildfire. The Fanita Ranch and Rattlesnake Mountain areas of Santee, both of which represent inaccessible, elevated, brush-covered hillsides, have a higher-than-average proportion of the fires. Since 1950, 13 wildfires have occurred in Santee (Table 4.3, Historic Wildfires within the City of Santee [1950–2023]).
be a hazard. Santee’s earthquake and ground shaking potential comes from nearby faults outside the City limits.

The level of geologic risk or hazard in a particular area and the basis for design considerations regarding types of structures and proposed location shall consider the following factors:
e The type and/or function of a structure.
e The presence of geological hazards at the proposed site.

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Table 4.3. Historic Wildfires within the City of Santee (1950–2023) Fire Name Start Date Size (acres)
Quarry Fire October 1950 281
Carlton Hills Fire July 1966 329
No Name 1974 155
Assist #59 June 1981 7,311
Assist #72 July 1981 696
Outside Origin #4 1981 56
Outside Origin #1 March 1984 122
Assist #21 June 1984 62
Assist #38 April 1987 380
Assist #78 September 1988 935
Assist #59/Magnolia November 1989 310
Rocoso Fire January 1994 3,218
Cedar Fire October 2003 280,278
In accordance with Gov. Code, Section 65302(g), this Safety Element update includes the evaluation of risk of fire for land classified as SRA and land classified as Very High FHSZs. SRAs are areas where the state has financial responsibility for fire protection. An FHSZ is an identified fire hazard area based on the physical conditions that create a likelihood and expected fire behavior over a 30-to-50-year period without mitigation measures, such as fuel reduction. These zones are based on factors such as fuel, slope, and fire weather.

The location of SRAs and FHSZs are identified using the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s (CAL FIRE’s) Fire and Resources Assessment Program (FRAP). According to FRAP data, no SRAs are within the City boundary; therefore, the City has sole local financial responsibility for fire protection. There are, however, Very High FHSZs within the City boundary (Figure 4.6, Fire Hazard Map). The identification of FHSZs is used to implement WUI building standards for new construction, real estate disclosure at time of sale, 100-foot defensible space clearance requirements around buildings, and property development standards, such as road widths, water supply, and signage. Areas identified as a Very High FHSZs are primarily in the northern section of Santee. Much of the FHSZ covers undeveloped land. However, the zone also covers land along the western and eastern borders. Figure 4.6 identifies Santee’s critical facilities (e.g., City operations, fire stations, police departments, schools, medical facilities, utilities) in the Moderate, High, and Very High FHSZs.

Table 4.3. Historic Wildfires within the City of Santee (1950-2023) Fire Name Start Date Size (acres)
Quarry Fire October 1950 281
Carlton Hills Fire July 1966 329
No Name 1974 155
Assist #59 June 1981 7,311
Assist #72 July 1981 696
Outside Origin #4 1981 56
Outside Origin #1 March 1984 122
Assist #21 June 1984 62
Assist #38 April 1987 380
Assist #78 September 1988 935
Assist #59/Magnolia November 1989 310
Rocoso Fire January 1994 3,218
Cedar Fire October 2003 280,278
In accordance with Gov. Code, Section 65302(g), this Safety Element update includes the evaluation of risk of fire for land classified as SRA and land classified as Very High FHSZs. SRAs are areas where the state has financial responsibility for fire protection. An FHSZ is an identified fire hazard area based on the physical conditions that create a likelihood and expected fire behavior over a 30-to-50-year period without mitigation measures, such as fuel reduction. These zones are based on factors such as fuel, slope, and fire weather.

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Figure Figure 4. 4.6. 6. Fire Hazard Map Fire Hazard Map Figure 4.6
Critical Facilities - Fire Hazard
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Public Works Operations Facility
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Fire and Life Safety Services and Regulations
The Santee Fire Department provides the community with fire and life safety education, fire inspection and prevention services, code enforcement, vegetation management, emergency medical services, and trauma support. The department is also the City’s lead for emergency preparedness, emergency management, and response to earthquakes, floods, explosion, fires, hazardous materials, rescue, and medical services in Santee. To plan for long-term fire risks to certain demographics, physical assets, structures, and critical infrastructure in the community, the Santee Fire Department updates its Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan. The most recent Community Risk Assessment prepared by the Santee Fire Department was published in March 2023. The 2023 Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan is incorporated into this Safety and Environmental Justice Element by reference.

The Santee Fire Department also provides fire protection, paramedic response, transport services to Santee. The Insurance Services Office (ISO) last surveyed Santee in 2021, and Santee received a Class 1 rating based on the ISO rating system of 1 through 10 (with the highest rating being 1 and the lowest being 10). The City maintains a minimum daily staffing of 19 emergency response personnel, including the battalion chief.

The Santee Fire Department currently has two fire stations—Station 4 and Station 5. Fire Station 4 is at 8950 Cottonwood Avenue, and Fire Station 5 is at 9130 Carlton Oaks Drive. In addition, a Fire Administration Building is at 10601 Magnolia Avenue (City Hall). The department is organized into the following three divisions:

Administrative: Finance, human resources, professional standards, information management, fleet and facilities support, grants, special programs and Emergency Management Services billing Emergency Services: Incident response operations, training and safety, emergency medical services, emergency preparedness, communications, and special operations Fire Prevention: Plan review, business inspections, public education, defensible space inspections for real estate transactions, community programs, water supply, and pre-fire planning Additionally, vegetation management is contracted to a third-party consultant who performs weed abatement inspections and is overseen by the Santee Code Compliance Office. Fire investigation is contracted with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Bomb/Arson Unit.

Fire Station 4 currently has one battalion chief vehicle and six response units—one fire engine, one fire truck, one brush engine, one paramedic ambulance, and one Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance with a minimum daily staffing of 11 personnel distributed as follows:
• Fire Engine 4 is staffed with one captain, one engineer, and one firefighter-paramedic. • Fire Truck 4 is staffed with one captain, one engineer, and one firefighter-paramedic. • Brush Engine 4 is cross-staffed with personnel from Fire Truck 4. This crew cross-staffs the Truck and Brush units and respond in the appropriate apparatus based on the nature of the alarm.
• Paramedic Ambulance 4 is staffed with two firefighter–paramedics.

Fire and Life Safety Services and Regulations
The Santee Fire Department provides the community with fire and life safety education, fire inspection and prevention services, code enforcement, vegetation management, emergency medical services, and trauma support. The department is also the City’s lead for emergency preparedness, emergency management, and response to earthquakes, floods, explosion, fires, hazardous materials, rescue, and medical services in Santee. To plan for long-term fire risks to certain demographics, physical assets, structures, and critical infrastructure in the community, the Santee Fire Department updates its Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan. The most recent Community Risk Assessment prepared by the Santee Fire Department was published in March 2023. The 2023 Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan is incorporated into this Safety and Environmental Justice Element by reference.

Fire Station 4 currently has one battalion chief vehicle and six response units—one fire engine, one fire truck, one brush engine, one paramedic ambulance, and one Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance with a minimum daily staffing of 11 personnel distributed as follows:
e Fire Engine 4 is staffed with one captain, one engineer, and one firefighter-paramedic. e Fire Truck 4 is staffed with one captain, one engineer, and one firefighter-paramedic. e Brush Engine 4 is cross-staffed with personnel from Fire Truck 4. This crew cross-staffs the Truck and Brush units and respond in the appropriate apparatus based on the nature of the alarm.
e Paramedic Ambulance 4 is staffed with two firefighter-paramedics.

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• BLS 4 is staffed with two non-safety Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). • Battalion Vehicle 2 is staffed with one battalion chief.

Station 4 also houses two reserve fire engines and four reserve ambulances.

Fire Station 5 currently has three response units—two fire engines and one paramedic ambulance with a minimum daily staffing of eight personnel distributed as follows:
• Fire Engine 5 is staffed with one captain, one engineer, and one firefighter-paramedic. • Fire Engine 205 is staffed with one captain, one engineer, and one firefighter-paramedic. • Paramedic Ambulance 5 is staffed with two firefighter-paramedics.

Response time is defined as the amount of time it takes for the units having received notification to their arrival at the scene. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1710 Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments establishes a 5-minute and 20- second benchmark response time goal for not less than 90 percent of dispatched incidents. The Santee Fire Department’s response times vary in Santee, but the first due response time for a structure fire is 7 minutes and 33 seconds. The first due response time for rescue and emergency medical services calls is 7 minutes and 27 seconds.

NFPA 1710 lists several travel time requirements for apparatus. The first defined travel time, 4 minutes, is for the first unit, either an engine or a truck that can operate as an engine, and the first engine should arrive within 8 minutes for a moderate-risk structure fire. NFPA historically defined advanced life support (ALS) unit’s travel time as 8 minutes. Certain areas in northern and southern Santee struggle to meet the 8-minute effective response force travel time goals established by the NFPA. In addition, much of the City does not meet the 4-minute travel benchmark. To meet the NFPA travel time standards, additional fire stations are needed.

However, the City has a signed automatic aid agreement on first alarm or greater fires with adjacent and nearby fire departments including Alpine Fire Protection District, El Cajon Fire Department, Lakeside Fire Protection District, La Mesa Fire Department, Lemon Grove Fire Department, San Miguel Fire Protection District, and City of San Diego Fire Department. Each participating member has a mutual aid agreement with the others and participate in the Unified San Diego County Emergency Services Organization to provide paramedic and fire protection services in the event that additional firefighting units are required. The City is also part of both the San Diego County and State of California Master Mutual Aid Agreements and maintains a separate agreement with CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service.

Paramedic Services
Paramedic ALS services and BLS are currently provided with first responding fire companies and transport ambulances. All fire department apparatus and paramedic ambulances are staffed with firefighters and paramedics who are highly trained to administer advanced life support procedures on emergency incidents. A BLS ambulance is staffed with two non-safety emergency medical technicians and used for lower acuity calls to provide basic life support services. The Santee Fire e BLS 4 is staffed with two non-safety Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). e Battalion Vehicle 2 is staffed with one battalion chief.

Station 4 also houses two reserve fire engines and four reserve ambulances.

Fire Station 5 currently has three response units—two fire engines and one paramedic ambulance with a minimum daily staffing of eight personnel distributed as follows:
e Fire Engine 5 is staffed with one captain, one engineer, and one firefighter-paramedic. e Fire Engine 205 is staffed with one captain, one engineer, and one firefighter-paramedic. e Paramedic Ambulance 5 is staffed with two firefighter-paramedics.

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Department and the Lakeside Fire Protection District previously provided ambulance transport service under terms of a contract with County Service Area 69. As of January 1, 2023, the Santee Fire Department and the Lakeside Fire Protection District provide ambulance transport service through the Santee Lakeside Emergency Medical Service Authority JPA. All firefighters hired by the Santee Fire Department are required to possess State of California and County of San Diego paramedic certifications.

Public Education and Awareness
The Santee Fire Department also operates many community outreach and education programs to help mitigate potential safety issues for Santee residents. These Community Risk Reduction activities include the following, along with a variety of other services designed to enhance the collective emergency preparedness for the community:
• Senior Smoke Detector Program
• Senior Citizen Outreach and Safety Education
• 3rd Grade Fire Prevention Poster Contest
• Annual Open House and Community Safety Fair
• Community Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation training
• Community Emergency Response Team training
• First-Aid/Community Risk Reduction information booths at Citywide events • “Every 15-Minutes” participation with local high schools • Fire station tours
• Classroom presentations
• Social Media Public Service Announcements
Requirements for New Development
All new construction in Santee requires the installation of fire sprinklers, which further reduces potential for fire loss. The City requires a minimum pressure flow of water for fire protection purposes based on the type of structure. While currently no firefighting water flow pressure problems occur in Santee, much of the future development may occur on the tops or sides of hills in the northern part of Santee where water pressures are lower.

To address fire and life safety issues on new development, the Santee Fire Marshal reviews all proposed residential, commercial, and industrial projects through the City’s Development Review process. In this way, it is possible to ensure that adequate fire hydrant locations, water flow pressures, access for emergency vehicles, and other requirements are met.

Department and the Lakeside Fire Protection District previously provided ambulance transport service under terms of a contract with County Service Area 69. As of January 1, 2023, the Santee Fire Department and the Lakeside Fire Protection District provide ambulance transport service through the Santee Lakeside Emergency Medical Service Authority JPA. All firefighters hired by the Santee Fire Department are required to possess State of California and County of San Diego paramedic certifications.

Public Education and Awareness
The Santee Fire Department also operates many community outreach and education programs to help mitigate potential safety issues for Santee residents. These Community Risk Reduction activities include the following, along with a variety of other services designed to enhance the collective emergency preparedness for the community:
e Senior Smoke Detector Program
e Senior Citizen Outreach and Safety Education
e 3rd Grade Fire Prevention Poster Contest
e Annual Open House and Community Safety Fair
e Community Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation training
e Community Emergency Response Team training
e First-Aid/Community Risk Reduction information booths at Citywide events e “Every 15-Minutes” participation with local high schools e Fire station tours
e Classroom presentations
e Social Media Public Service Announcements
Requirements for New Development
All new construction in Santee requires the installation of fire sprinklers, which further reduces potential for fire loss. The City requires a minimum pressure flow of water for fire protection purposes based on the type of structure. While currently no firefighting water flow pressure problems occur in Santee, much of the future development may occur on the tops or sides of hills in the northern part of Santee where water pressures are lower.

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Summary of Needs to Address Urban/Wildland Fire Hazards Santee’s recent wildfire fire history is primarily related to fires in the Forester Creek and San Diego River areas, where 309 Fires have occurred between September 1, 2020, and January 1, 2024. The fires in the Forester Creek and San Diego River appear to be related to the homeless population residing in the area. Additionally, Santee’s fires are related to the large amount of brush-covered vacant land in Santee, which is often not easily accessible by emergency vehicles. As development in Santee’s vacant hillside areas proceeds, the preventative measures below should be required to ensure fire safety.

Construction
To avoid construction-related wildfires, adequate water shall be available to service construction activities, a Fire Prevention Plan shall be prepared, and proper wildfire awareness shall be provided, including reporting and suppression training to construction personnel and requiring that all construction-phase components of the fuel modification are complete prior to delivery of combustible materials/lumberto the project site. Prior to combustible materials being brought on site, utilities shall be in place, fire hydrants operational, an approved all-weather roadway must be in place, and the fuel modified defensible space must be established and approved by the Fire Marshal.

Operation
Development should include a variety of fire protection features that form a redundant system of protection to minimize the likelihood of wildfire exposing people or structures to a significant risk of loss, injury, or death involving wildland fires. The development should provide a fire-hardened landscape, ignition-resistant residences and buildings, and conversion of fuels to maintained developed areas with designated review of all landscaping and fuel modification areas and highly ignition-resistant structures.

Wildland-Urban Interface
The 2023 Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan includes a map of WUI areas within the City. These areas are primarily along the City’s boundaries in its northern, western, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern portions. The City’s critical fire station, hospitals, and medical clinics are all located outside of the WUI areas, as shown on Figure 4.7, Wildland-Urban Interface Map. Land uses within the WUI areas in the City primarily include planned development, parks and open space, and residential development.

The Santee City Council adopted a WUI development standard in November 2004 and then amended the City’s Fire Code with adoption in June 2006. Measures were also adopted into the 2007 CBC and have been retained and enhanced in code updates since then, including the 2022 CBC and California Fire Code. The following project features are required for new development in WUI areas and form the basis of the system of protection necessary to minimize structural ignitions and facilitate access by emergency responders as identified in the Fire Prevention Plan.

Development within WUI shall comply with the most current codes and standards.

Summary of Needs to Address Urban/Wildland Fire Hazards Santee’s recent wildfire fire history is primarily related to fires in the Forester Creek and San Diego River areas, where 309 Fires have occurred between September 1, 2020, and January 1, 2024. The fires in the Forester Creek and San Diego River appear to be related to the homeless population residing in the area. Additionally, Santee’s fires are related to the large amount of brush-covered vacant land in Santee, which is often not easily accessible by emergency vehicles. As development in Santee’s vacant hillside areas proceeds, the preventative measures below should be required to ensure fire safety.

Construction
To avoid construction-related wildfires, adequate water shall be available to service construction activities, a Fire Prevention Plan shall be prepared, and proper wildfire awareness shall be provided, including reporting and suppression training to construction personnel and requiring that all construction-phase components of the fuel modification are complete prior to delivery of combustible materials/lumber to the project site. Prior to combustible materials being brought on site, utilities shall be in place, fire hydrants operational, an approved all-weather roadway must be in place, and the fuel modified defensible space must be established and approved by the Fire Marshal.

Wildland-Urban Interface
The 2023 Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan includes a map of WUI areas within the City. These areas are primarily along the City’s boundaries in its northern, western, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern portions. The City’s critical fire station, hospitals, and medical clinics are all located outside of the WUI areas, as shown on Figure 4.7, Wildlana-Urban Interface Map. Land uses within the WUI areas in the City primarily include planned development, parks and open space, and residential development.

Development within WUI shall comply with the most current codes and standards.

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Fuel Modification Zones
Modified fuel areas separating wildland fuel areas from structures can reduce the number of fuelrelated structure losses by providing separation between structures and heat generated by wildland fuels. Fuel Modification Zones provide appropriate buffers between native fuels and structures based on research indicating the type and width of Fuel Modification Zonesthat provide protection. Santee’s defensible space requirement is a 100-foot minimum for fuel modification between structures and wildland areas.

Fire Protection Infrastructure
Installation of a fire hydrant network, a dedicated fire water pipeline system to provide adequate fire flow to the project site, and fire department hose connections throughout the project site.

The availability of the on-site fire suppression network and water supply would reduce potential wildfire impacts. The City’s Fire Code includes requirements for water supply, such as fire hydrants and storage tanks. Within FHSZs and WUI areas, fire hydrants must be spaced every 300 feet and must have a fire flow of 2,500 gallons per minute, or a fire flow approved by the Fire Chief.

Additionally, the 2023 Community Risk Assessment Long-Range Master Plan depicts buildings within the City that may require a larger amount of water (i.e., greater than 3,000 gallons per minute) to extinguish a fire. The document also depicts the locations of all active fire hydrants within the City. Developments that require new or “stand alone” water storage facilities may also be required to provide secondary or backup systems, such as independently powered pumps that will ensure adequate water supply for firefighting emergencies. Secondary or backup systems create redundancy in the event the primary system fails and increases resilience of the system.

Establishing and adhering to minimum road width and clearances around structures ensures that fire response equipment and personnel can access buildings and people throughout Santee.

According to City’s Fire Marshall, fire apparatus require a horizontal clearance of at least 26 feet and vertical clearance of at least 13.5 feet. The Circulation Plan in the Mobility Element of the Santee General Plan identifies the roadway classifications and cross-section for each. The different roadway classifications identify the minimum road width for prime arterials, major arterials, collector industrial, collector residential, parkway, multimodal corridors, and regional facilities. Refer to the Mobility Element for the individual widths for reach roadway classification. Adhering to these standards will ensure accessibility for emergency and fire personnel.

Emergency Vehicle Access
A Fire Protection Plan and Wildland Fire Evacuation Plan are required for all new development in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas and must meet City and County requirements and prevent any conflicts with current evacuation plans. Details of the emergency access routes must be described in the Fire Protection Plan and Wildland Fire Evacuation Plan prepared for a proposed project and must be designed to comply with current and future population growth, roadway conditions, and access availability.

Fuel Modification Zones
Modified fuel areas separating wildland fuel areas from structures can reduce the number of fuelrelated structure losses by providing separation between structures and heat generated by wildland fuels. Fuel Modification Zones provide appropriate buffers between native fuels and structures based on research indicating the type and width of Fuel Modification Zones that provide protection. Santee’s defensible space requirement is a 100-foot minimum for fuel modification between structures and wildland areas.

Establishing and adhering to minimum road width and clearances around structures ensures that fire response equipment and personnel can access buildings and people throughout Santee.

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Weed Abatement Program
The City contracts with a third-party consultant to conduct weed abatement inspections annually.

If weed violations are identified, the consultant sends the property owner a notice to comply. The City is involved if the owner fails to comply by the 30-day deadline. An additional notice is sent prior to forced abatement which is at the owner’s expense.

Weed Abatement Program
The City contracts with a third-party consultant to conduct weed abatement inspections annually.

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Figure 4.7. Wildland-Urban Interface Map

4.4 Crime
Police protection for Santee residents is provided by the County Sheriff’s Department, which operates out of the Santee Sheriff’s Station at 8811 Cuyamaca Street. Additionally, a Sheriff’s Figure 4.7. Wildland-Urban Interface Map
Figure 4.7.

Wildland-Urban Interface
(CJ city of Santee Boundary
Ei Points(interest
[HE] Medical Clinic
EE) urgent care
= 2) Wikdiand-Urban interface
Existing Land Uses.
i ‘SS — he
County of San Diego

4.4 Crime
Police protection for Santee residents is provided by the County Sheriff's Department, which operates out of the Santee Sheriff's Station at 8811 Cuyamaca Street. Additionally, a Sheriff's

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storefront is operated in the Santee Trolley Square Town Center at the northwestern corner of Mission Gorge Road and Cuyamaca Street. The storefront includes an active volunteer unit that provides community services including vacation checks and regular visits to homebound citizens.

The Santee Sheriff's Station has over 70 employees providing patrol and traffic services, criminal investigations, juvenile intervention, crime analysis, and crime prevention education. The ratio of officers to population in Santee is 1.23 per 1,000 residents. In 2022, Santee had a quicker priority call response time than the county average. For Santee, the average priority call response time was 9.2 minutes and the average response time for traffic was 9.59 minutes. Santee has consistently had one of the lowest crime rates in the county, which according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) index crime rate in 2022 was 11.85 per 1,000 population. This fell within the lower range for crime rates throughout the county.

Larceny thefts and thefts from vehicles are now the largest reported crime problem in Santee, although Santee’s crime rate is well below the average for the county as a whole. In general, higher density residential areas tend to have more property-related crimes than single-family residential areas, with businesses being the main target for larceny crimes.

The County Sheriff’s Department administers a Neighborhood Watch Program in Santee, aimed at reducing the number of burglaries which involves joint efforts of the County Sheriff’s Department and the community designed to enhance neighborhood security.

The County Sheriff's Department also offers a video-sharking program known as “Safe Santee” that allows the public to share live video footage with the Sheriff's Department to monitor realtime criminal activities.

The County Sheriff’s Department uses a Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) approach to crime prevention. COPPS is an effective community policing with a positive impact on reducing crime, helping to reduce fear of crime, and enhancing the quality of life in the community by combining the efforts and resources of the police, local government, and community members.

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design
One of the proactive strategies used by the County Sheriff’s Department to address thefts and other crimes in the community is the Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CEPTD) program. This program emphasizes the application of preventative measures in new construction and existing spaces. To reduce potential incidents of crime, CEPTD emphasizes the importance of the physical environment of a building or neighborhood related to four primary concepts—natural surveillance, territoriality, access control, and maintenance. Site design, landscaping, and lighting are major components of the four concepts. Decisions made by local governments including planners, designers, and law enforcement officials can influence resident and business conditions and behavior. The CEPTD program is incorporated into Section 13.10.040M of the Santee Municipal Code, by establishing the minimum site and building standards, including defined entrances, landscaping, architectural design, lighting; natural surveillance through visibility and lighting; defined site boundaries and territorial reinforcement through landscaping and decorative fencing; designed wayfinding signage; and maintenance requirements. storefront is operated in the Santee Trolley Square Town Center at the northwestern corner of Mission Gorge Road and Cuyamaca Street. The storefront includes an active volunteer unit that provides community services including vacation checks and regular visits to homebound citizens.

The County Sheriff's Department administers a Neighborhood Watch Program in Santee, aimed at reducing the number of burglaries which involves joint efforts of the County Sheriff's Department and the community designed to enhance neighborhood security.

The County Sheriff's Department uses a Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) approach to crime prevention. COPPS is an effective community policing with a positive impact on reducing crime, helping to reduce fear of crime, and enhancing the quality of life in the community by combining the efforts and resources of the police, local government, and community members.

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design
One of the proactive strategies used by the County Sheriff's Department to address thefts and other crimes in the community is the Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CEPTD) program. This program emphasizes the application of preventative measures in new construction and existing spaces. To reduce potential incidents of crime, CEPTD emphasizes the importance of the physical environment of a building or neighborhood related to four primary concepts—natural surveillance, territoriality, access control, and maintenance. Site design, landscaping, and lighting are major components of the four concepts. Decisions made by local governments including planners, designers, and law enforcement officials can influence resident and business conditions and behavior. The CEPTD program is incorporated into Section 13.10.040M of the Santee Municipal Code, by establishing the minimum site and building standards, including defined entrances, landscaping, architectural design, lighting; natural surveillance through visibility and lighting; defined site boundaries and territorial reinforcement through landscaping and decorative fencing; designed wayfinding signage; and maintenance requirements.

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The County Sheriff’s Department COPPS and Crime Prevention Units review all new development proposals as part of the City development review process to incorporate safety recommendations and CEPTD principles into the design of new developments.

School Resource Officers
The City also funds two School Resource Officer (SRO) positions, when funding is available. SROs are assigned to the Santana and West Hills High Schools. The SROs are an educational resource, providing both intervention and follow-up services. They act as an on-campus resource for school students to both provide a law enforcement liaison and to ensure a safe environment for learning.

Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility
The County Sheriff’s Department operates the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility, the primary point of intake for women in the county, with a Board of State and community Corrections (BSCC) rated capacity of 1,280 people and an average daily population of 500 incarcerated persons. The facility is in Santee at 451 Riverview Parkway on a 45-acre site also listed as 9000 Cottonwood Avenue. The facility opened in August 2014, replacing the 1967 Las Colinas Detention Facility that operated for a period of time as a juvenile facility. Over 8,000 bookings of female prisoners are performed every year at the facility for regional law enforcement agencies. Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility is staffed by approximately 232 sworn employees and 130 professional staff members, making it one of the largest employers in Santee.

Summary of Needs to Address Crime
The most frequent crimes in Santee are thefts and burglaries within commercial areas especially along Mission Gorge Road. These crimes can continue to be addressed for new development through the use of improved building design techniques and lighting, which take into consideration defensible space strategies, and CEPTD. Additionally, the City can continue to address crime through the continued promotion of the COPPS and the Neighborhood Watch Program, as well as enforcement actions for existing developed areas of Santee.

4.5 Traffic Hazards
Roughly 108 miles of roads are in Santee. Most streets have been well maintained and do not present significant driving hazards. The main cause of traffic collisions appears to be correlated with unsafe speed and improper turning. Most collisions occur on the major streets in or near intersections where traffic is heaviest and turning movements are frequent, such as the intersection of Mission Gorge Road at Cuyamaca Street. This intersection is the focal point of the Santee Trolley Square Town Center and serves as the terminus of the San Diego Trolley East (Green) Line.

Mission Gorge Road has the highest number of accidents due to the amount of traffic this facility handles per day. This east–west roadway serves primarily commercial and business establishments. With these types of land uses, an increase in conflicting traffic movements may contribute to potential vehicle collisions on this street. Currently there are over 45,000 vehicles per day on portions of Mission Gorge Road and 39,000 vehicles per day on Cuyamaca Street.

The County Sheriff's Department COPPS and Crime Prevention Units review all new development proposals as part of the City development review process to incorporate safety recommendations and CEPTD principles into the design of new developments.

Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility
The County Sheriff's Department operates the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility, the primary point of intake for women in the county, with a Board of State and community Corrections (BSCC) rated capacity of 1,280 people and an average daily population of 500 incarcerated persons. The facility is in Santee at 451 Riverview Parkway on a 45-acre site also listed as 9000 Cottonwood Avenue. The facility opened in August 2014, replacing the 1967 Las Colinas Detention Facility that operated for a period of time as a juvenile facility. Over 8,000 bookings of female prisoners are performed every year at the facility for regional law enforcement agencies. Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility is staffed by approximately 232 sworn employees and 130 professional staff members, making it one of the largest employers in Santee.

Mission Gorge Road has the highest number of accidents due to the amount of traffic this facility handles per day. This east-west roadway serves primarily commercial and business establishments. With these types of land uses, an increase in conflicting traffic movements may contribute to potential vehicle collisions on this street. Currently there are over 45,000 vehicles per day on portions of Mission Gorge Road and 39,000 vehicles per day on Cuyamaca Street.

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The City has installed light emitting diode (LED) traffic signal lights throughout Santee. These lights use less energy and are more visible. Major intersections have installed battery backup power so that in the event of a power outage, these key intersections will continue to operate smoothly, reducing the potential for traffic collisions. The City has also installed reflective tapes on traffic signal heads to make signals more visible in low lights and during power outages.

Summary of Needs to Address Traffic Hazards
Traffic collisions along Mission Gorge Road are primarily due to heavy traffic volumes in association with numerous entrances and exits, which results in an increase of conflicting traffic movements.

The City should continue to require the installation of shared driveways and reciprocal access between adjoining properties in association with the implementation of other traffic control devices, including the use of center medians, left-turn pockets, and signalized intersections, all of which would reduce conflicting traffic movements and the potential for traffic collisions.

4.6 Light-Rail Transit Hazards
The San Diego Transit System was established in 1948, replacing the San Diego Electric Railway Company. On April 24, 1949, rail transit ended as motor buses made San Diego the first California city to convert to an all-bus system. In 1967, San Diego Transit became a nonprofit corporation with the City of San Diego. In 1976, then Metropolitan Transit Development Board was formed, and in 1981, San Diego Trolley, Inc., was formed. The San Diego Trolley inaugural run took place on the 15.9-mile “South Line” between the international border and Downtown San Diego on July 19, 1981, representing the first light-rail run in 3 decades. In 1984, the Metropolitan Transit Development Board broke ground on a 4-mile extension east from the 12th and Imperial Station, becoming the first leg of the future East Line (later renamed the Orange Line). On November 17, 1986, the Metropolitan Transit Development Board held a groundbreaking for the next 11.7-mile East (Orange) Line segment, and on July 26, 1995, the segment between the El Cajon Transit Center and Santee Trolley Square Town Center opened.

The MTS is currently the public transit service provider for San Diego County. The MTS San Diego Trolley system includes 63 stations serving three primary trolley lines. Most of the stations are at, or near, ground-level, including the Santee Trolley Square station. The Santee Trolley Square station includes free parking and connections to MTS bus lines. The San Diego Trolley’s main lines operate with regular service between 5:00 a.m. and midnight 7 days per week, with station stops every 15 to 30 minutes. In 2019, the entire San Diego Trolley system provided over 38 million passenger trips. The San Diego Association of Governments 2050 Regional Transportation Plan forecasts 156 new miles of trolley service; however, none of these new miles are proposed in Santee because Santee is at the end of the East (Green) Line. From the Grossmont Trolley Station in La Mesa, both the Orange and Green Lines head northeast to the Arnele Avenue station in El Cajon where the Orange line terminates. From there, the Green Line continues into Santee.

To prevent transit delays, a priority system is used to manage traffic signal operations at or near crossings. The trolley priority system works as follows:
• The trolley dwells in the station until a count-down timer counts to zero.

The City has installed light emitting diode (LED) traffic signal lights throughout Santee. These lights use less energy and are more visible. Major intersections have installed battery backup power so that in the event of a power outage, these key intersections will continue to operate smoothly, reducing the potential for traffic collisions. The City has also installed reflective tapes on traffic signal heads to make signals more visible in low lights and during power outages.

To prevent transit delays, a priority system is used to manage traffic signal operations at or near crossings. The trolley priority system works as follows:
e The trolley dwells in the station until a count-down timer counts to zero.

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• The trolley departs within 5 seconds after the zero point of the count-down timer. • If the departure window is missed, the trolley must wait until the beginning of the next cycle. • As long as the trolley leaves the station during the departure window, it will receive green lights at all of the downstream signals until it reaches the next station.

The trolley priority system is successful in increasing the efficiency of trolley operations. The priority system has been enhanced from a “passive” to an “active” system including train detectors embedded at predetermined locations and traffic system controllers which trigger signal changes at intersections if a train is detected. The monitoring and management of traffic signals, signage, pavement markers, and related equipment at intersections protect public safety as trolleys traverse major intersections, such as the following:
• Cuyamaca Street and Prospect Avenue (four-way)
• Cuyamaca Street and the SR-52 eastbound off-ramp
• Cuyamaca Street and SR-52 westbound off-ramp
• Cuyamaca Street and Buena Vista Avenue (four-way)
• Cuyamaca Street and Mission Gorge Road (four-way)
Two private lanes cross the tracks and pedestrian track crossings are within the premise of the Santee Trolley Square Town Center. As a light-rail transit line, the trolley provides an important service for regional and local passenger transit. However, it also presents safety concerns as a potential source of collisions with vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians due to the rail line’s location adjacent to busy City streets.

Summary of Needs to Address Light-Rail Transit Hazards
The City should continue to assess safety conditions associated with collisions between vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians due to the rail line’s location adjacent to busy City streets.

The trolley departs within 5 seconds after the zero point of the count-down timer.

If the departure window is missed, the trolley must wait until the beginning of the next cycle.

As long as the trolley leaves the station during the departure window, it will receive green lights at all of the downstream signals until it reaches the next station.

Cuyamaca Street and Prospect Avenue (four-way)
Cuyamaca Street and the SR-52 eastbound off-ramp
Cuyamaca Street and SR-52 westbound off-ramp
Cuyamaca Street and Buena Vista Avenue (four-way)
Cuyamaca Street and Mission Gorge Road (four-way)
Two private lanes cross the tracks and pedestrian track crossings are within the premise of the Santee Trolley Square Town Center. As a light-rail transit line, the trolley provides an important service for regional and local passenger transit. However, it also presents safety concerns as a potential source of collisions with vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians due to the rail line’s location adjacent to busy City streets.

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4.7 Airport Hazards
The City is situated between two aircraft operation areas: Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar to the northwest and Gillespie Field immediately south of Santee (Figure 4.8, Airport Safety Zone Risk Level). The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, acting as the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) is responsible for adopting Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans (ALUCP)s. The basic function of an ALUCP is to promote compatibility between an airport and surrounding land uses that lie within the airport's designated Airport Influence Area to the extent that these areas are not already devoted to incompatible uses. The ALUCP is also intended to protect the safety of the public from airport-related hazards. The ALUCP includes specified limitations and conditions on the future development of new land uses surrounding the airport.

The ALUCP consists of several components, including provision of airport information, compatibility policies and criteria (e.g., height restrictions to prevent obstructions to navigable airspace), compatibility maps, procedural policies, and land use information. It addresses noise, overflight, safety, and airspace protection concernsfor land uses within the Airport Influence Area.

The ALUCP also establishes standards for certain development projects to provide constructive notice to current and prospective property owners of aircraft activity within the vicinity of the airport.

Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) establishes airspace protection surfaces in the airspace above and surrounding airports to protect aircraft from obstructions, such as buildings and towers, in navigable airspace. ALUCP safety zones are derived from general aviation aircraft accident location data found in the California Land Use Planning Handbook and data regarding the airport’s runway configuration and operational procedures at the airport.

Under certain circumstances, developers of specific properties may be required to dedicate avigation easements to the airport owner. Among other things, an avigation easement grants the right of flight in the airspace above the property; allows the generation of noise and other impacts associated with overflight; restricts the height of structures, trees, and other objects on the property; prohibits potential on ground flight hazards (e.g., sources of light/glare); and permits access to the property to remove or mark objects exceeding the established height limit.

New development proposals in the Airport Influence Area must process a consistency determination application and be found to be consistent or conditionally consistent with applicable land use compatibility policies with respect to noise, safety, airspace protection, and overflight as contained in the ALUCP. Additionally, development proposals are required to comply with FAA regulations concerning the construction or alteration of structures that may affect navigable airspace.

4.7 Airport Hazards
The City is situated between two aircraft operation areas: Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar to the northwest and Gillespie Field immediately south of Santee (Figure 4.8, A/rport Safety Zone Risk Level). The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, acting as the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) is responsible for adopting Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans (ALUCP)s. The basic function of an ALUCP is to promote compatibility between an airport and surrounding land uses that lie within the airport's designated Airport Influence Area to the extent that these areas are not already devoted to incompatible uses. The ALUCP is also intended to protect the safety of the public from airport-related hazards. The ALUCP includes specified limitations and conditions on the future development of new land uses surrounding the airport.

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Figure Figure 4. 4.8. 8. Airport Safety Zone Risk Level Airport Safety Zone Risk Level Figure 4.8.

Airport Safety
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MCAS Miramar
MCAS Miramar, formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station Miramar and Naval Air Station Miramar, is a U.S. Marine Corps installation home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. MCAS Miramar is adjacent to Santee’s northwestern boundary, and its runways are approximately 5.5 miles west of the City boundary. MCAS Miramar’s Airport Influence Area, Review Area 2, includes portions of Santee. MCAS Miramar is not a public airport and is restricted to military use, providing facilities and services to various Marine Corps and Navy operating units.

MCAS Miramar is composed of three runways, one helicopter landing deck strip, six helicopter pads, and multiple support facilities. The primary runway is 12,000 feet long, whereas the secondary runway is 8,000 feet long. The helicopter landing deck strip (24S/06S runway) is 1,000 feet long for helicopter pattern operations and parallels the primary and secondary runways to the south.

Helicopter Pads 1 through 6 are northwest of the main runways. Due to the prevailing winds, Runways 24R and 24L historically receive 95 percent of all operations with aircraft departing and approaching into the offshore wind. During certain weather conditions (e.g., Santa Ana winds), Runways 6L and 6R are used to ensure safety of flight.

Operational aircraft at MCAS Miramar have changed over the years from F-4s in the 1970s to the F-14s during the 1980/1990s. MCAS Miramar was identified for realignment during the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure round that subsequently recommended formal closure of MCAS El Toro and MCAS Tustin. The realignment of MCAS Miramar was completed with the relocation of personnel, support requirements, and airframes from MCAS El Toro and MCAS Tustin to the San Diego region. The move to MCAS Miramar from MCAS El Toro and MCAS Tustin included the assignment of both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, including the Fighter Attack (F/A)-18 “Hornets,” KC-130s “Hercules,” CH-46 “Sea Knights,” and CH-53 “Super Stallions.” MV-22B “Ospreys” (9- tiltrotor aircraft) have operated out of MCAS Miramar since 2008, while the F-35 was more recently homebased in 2020. MCAS Miramar will remain home to the projection of Marine Corps’ West Coast air power indefinitely as the remaining F/A-18 squadrons transition to F-35B and F35C squadrons.

Within the MCAS Miramar Airport Influence Area, the ALUCP establishes Airport Safety Zones based on the Air Installations Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ) for the purpose of evaluating safety compatibility of new/future land uses. The Airport Safety Zone boundaries depict relative risk of aircraft accidents occurring near the airport with accident potential zones extending west toward the Pacific Ocean. Portions of the City of Santee will experience regular overflight and noise from military aircraft.

MCAS Miramar
MCAS Miramar, formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station Miramar and Naval Air Station Miramar, is a U.S. Marine Corps installation home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. MCAS Miramar is adjacent to Santee’s northwestern boundary, and its runways are approximately 5.5 miles west of the City boundary. MCAS Miramar’s Airport Influence Area, Review Area 2, includes portions of Santee. MCAS Miramar is not a public airport and is restricted to military use, providing facilities and services to various Marine Corps and Navy operating units.

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Gillespie Field
Gillespie Field was established in 1942 and is owned and operated by the County of San Diego.

Located in the northwestern portion of El Cajon, with a small portion in Santee, the airport includes three runways, two of which are generally oriented east–west and one which is oriented north– south. According to the County of San Diego Department of Public Works website accessed on January 2024, Gillespie Field has a significant economic impact of over $900 million and over 6,000 jobs. Gillespie Field is essential in supporting emergency responders and is home to Sheriff Aerial Support to Regional Enforcement Agencies (ASTREA), firefighting helicopters, and medevac helicopters and jets. Gillespie Field also supports business aviation for companies in the Southern California region as well as supports nonprofits such as the Air and Space Museum Annex—where aircraft are flown in on their last voyage and decommissioned for museum display at Balboa Park.

Gillespie Field is a public-use airport serving a vital role as a National Reliever for the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.

According to the FAA, the airport ran approximately 226,887 aircraft operations (takeoff and landings) during 2016, averaging 622 operations per day. This rate has dropped from a high of more than 300,000 operations in 1979, and a total of 247,478 operations per year are projected by 2025. Two-thirds of the operations are performed by single-engine piston aircrafts, and approximately 25 percent of total annual operations are performed by helicopters.

The Gillespie Field ALUCP has a designated Airport Influence Area. Runway Protection Zones(RPZs) are areas of significant risk resulting from aircraft takeoff and landing patterns. While the RPZs for Gillespie Field fall mainly within airport boundaries, there are several County-owned properties north of the airport on Prospect Avenue that are within the designated RPZ. These properties are designated as Park/Open Space to reflect their airport function. There are also a number of privately owned parcels within the RPZ that cannot be further built upon per FAA guidelines.

The Gillespie Field ALUCP is prepared according to Caltrans Division of Aeronautics requirements and adopted by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. The Gillespie Field ALUCP seeks to reduce exposure to excessive noise and safety hazards within the Airport Influence Area, provides for the orderly growth of the airport and the area surrounding the airport, and safeguards the general welfare of the inhabitants within the vicinity of the airport and the public in general.

The Airport Influence Area includes a large portion of Santee and portions of El Cajon and areas within unincorporated San Diego County. Within the Airport Influence Area, the Gillespie Field ALUCP establishes six Airport Safety Zones for the purpose of evaluating safety compatibility of new/future land use actions. The ALUCP limits development intensities in these zones by imposing floor area and lot coverage maximums, incorporating risk reduction measures in the design and construction of buildings, and/or restricting certain uses altogether. Generally, permissible uses and development intensities range from most restrictive in Airport Safety Zone 1 to least restrictive in Airport Safety Zone 6. For example, all residential and virtually all non-residential uses are considered incompatible land uses in Zone 1, while all land uses in Zone 6 are considered to be either compatible or conditionally compatible with the airport.

Gillespie Field
Gillespie Field was established in 1942 and is owned and operated by the County of San Diego.

Located in the northwestern portion of El Cajon, with a small portion in Santee, the airport includes three runways, two of which are generally oriented east-west and one which is oriented north— south. According to the County of San Diego Department of Public Works website accessed on January 2024, Gillespie Field has a significant economic impact of over $900 million and over 6,000 jobs. Gillespie Field is essential in supporting emergency responders and is home to Sheriff Aerial Support to Regional Enforcement Agencies (ASTREA), firefighting helicopters, and medevac helicopters and jets. Gillespie Field also supports business aviation for companies in the Southern California region as well as supports nonprofits such as the Air and Space Museum Annex—where aircraft are flown in on their last voyage and decommissioned for museum display at Balboa Park.

Gillespie Field is a public-use airport serving a vital role as a National Reliever for the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.

The Gillespie Field ALUCP has a designated Airport Influence Area. Runway Protection Zones (RPZs) are areas of significant risk resulting from aircraft takeoff and landing patterns. While the RPZs for Gillespie Field fall mainly within airport boundaries, there are several County-owned properties north of the airport on Prospect Avenue that are within the designated RPZ. These properties are designated as Park/Open Space to reflect their airport function. There are also a number of privately owned parcels within the RPZ that cannot be further built upon per FAA guidelines.

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Summary of Needs to Address Airport Hazards
Various levels of governments have differing roles and interests with land use planning around airports.

Federal: The FAA approves airport noise studies, serves as the lead agency in the federal environmental review process, and manages the nation’s airspace. The FAA publishes airport standards and provides planning guidance for use by airport sponsors.

State: The state provides for the integration of aviation into transportation systems planning on a regional, statewide, and national basis. Staff administer noise regulation and land use planning laws that foster compatible land use around airports and encourages environmental mitigation measures to prevent incompatible land use encroachment.

ALUC: ALUCs prepare ALUCPs and ensure regional and local land use plans are consistent with the ALUCP. ALUCs establish advisory policies on land uses surrounding the airport, ensuring they are compatible with airport operations. ALUCs also evaluate the compatibility of proposed local agency land use policy actions with the relevant provisions in the ALUCP. Risks to people and property on the ground within the vicinity of the airport and to the people on board the aircraft are considered.

Local Government: Cities and/or counties have a responsibility to ensure the orderly development of the airports within their local jurisdiction and ensure that all applicable planning documents and building regulations are consistent with the ALUCP. They also have the final decision on local land use issues and can overrule ALUC determinations with findings, subject to statutory procedure.

For example, as established by state law (Pub. Util. Code, Section 21670), the ALUC has the responsibility both “to provide for the orderly development of airports” and “to prevent the creation of new noise and safety problems.” ALUC policies thus have the dual objectives of (1) protecting against constraints on airport expansion and operations that can result from encroachment of incompatible land uses, and (2) minimizing the public’s exposure to excessive noise and safety hazards. To meet these objectives, the City must continue to ensure that future development or redevelopment within the Airport Influence Area address the following noise, safety, airspace protection, and overflight factors to avoid potential airport compatibility impacts, as assessed in the Gillespie Field ALUCP.

Noise. The purpose of noise compatibility policies is to avoid the establishment of new incompatible land uses and exposure of the users to levels of aircraft noise that can disrupt the activities involved. The characteristics of Gillespie Field and the surrounding community are considered in determining the level of noise deemed acceptable for each type of land use. The noise contours established for the purpose of evaluating noise compatibility are depicted on Exhibit III-1 of the ALUCP. Strategies to minimize risk include the following:
• Prohibit outdoor and indoor noise-sensitive uses
• Require sound attenuation of buildings containing noise-sensitive uses Summary of Needs to Address Airport Hazards
Various levels of governments have differing roles and interests with land use planning around airports.

State: The state provides for the integration of aviation into transportation systems planning ona regional, statewide, and national basis. Staff administer noise regulation and land use planning laws that foster compatible land use around airports and encourages environmental mitigation measures to prevent incompatible land use encroachment.

Noise. The purpose of noise compatibility policies is to avoid the establishment of new incompatible land uses and exposure of the users to levels of aircraft noise that can disrupt the activities involved. The characteristics of Gillespie Field and the surrounding community are considered in determining the level of noise deemed acceptable for each type of land use. The noise contours established for the purpose of evaluating noise compatibility are depicted on Exhibit IIl-1 of the ALUCP. Strategies to minimize risk include the following:
e Prohibit outdoor and indoor noise-sensitive uses
e Require sound attenuation of buildings containing noise-sensitive uses

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Santee City CouncilMay 14, 2025

Santee City Council
May 14, 2025