Signal Hill City Council
August 26, 2025

anua May 31, 2025 | Hazard Mitigation Plan
Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
Executive Summary
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Credits
Q&A | ELEMENT A: PLANNING PROCESS | A1-a.

Q: Does the plan document how the plan was prepared, including the schedule or time frame and activities that made up the plan’s development, as well as who was involved? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(1))
A: See Hazard Mitigation Planning Team below.

Hazard Mitigation Planning Team:

Name Department Position
City of Signal Hill
Yvette Aguilar Community Services Director
Thomas Bekele Public Works Director
Wayne Byerley Police Chief of Police
Carl Charles Police Former Interim Chief of Police
Grissel Chavez Administration Deputy City Manager
Sharon Del Rosario Finance Director
Colleen Doan Community Development Director
Joe Hoefgen Administration Interim City Manager
Desiree Jimenez Public Works Public Management Analyst
Brian Leyn Police Former Captain
Rebecca Lopez, Chair Police Emergency Management Coordinator Carlos Luis Community Development Planning Manager
Donald Moreau Police Senior Officer
Karla Santillan Police Support Services Manager
Emergency Planning Consultants
Carolyn J. Harshman
Emergency Planning
Consultants
President
Acknowledgements
City of Signal Hill City Council
✓ Keir Jones, Mayor
✓ Tina L. Hansen, Vice Mayor
✓ Robert D. Copeland, Council Member
✓ Charlie Honeycutt, Council Member
✓ Lori Y. Woods, Council Member
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Point of Contact
To request information or provide comments regarding this mitigation plan, please contact:

Consulting Services
Emergency Planning Consultants
✓ Planning Director: Carolyn J. Harshman, CEM
✓ Planning Associate and Mapping Analyst: Jill N. Caputi, CEM 3665 Ethan Allen Avenue
San Diego, California 92117
Cell: 858-922-6964
[email protected]
www.carolynharshman.com
Mapping
The maps in this plan were provided by the City of Signal Hill, County of Los Angeles, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), or were acquired from public Internet sources. Care was taken in the creation of the maps contained in this plan, however they are provided "as is".

The City of Signal Hill cannot accept any responsibility for any errors, omissions or positional accuracy, and therefore, there are no warranties that accompany these products (the maps).

Although information from land surveys may have been used in the creation of these products, in no way does this product represent or constitute a land survey. Users are cautioned to field-verify information on this product before making any decisions.

Mandated Content
In an effort to assist the readers and reviewers of this document, the jurisdiction has inserted “markers” emphasizing mandated content as identified in the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law – 390). The following is a sample marker:
*EXAMPLE*
Q&A | ELEMENT A: PLANNING PROCESS | A1-a.

Q Does the plan document how the plan was prepared, including the schedule or time frame and activities that made up the plan’s development, as well as who was involved? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(1))
A:

Name and Position Title Rebecca Lopez, Emergency Management Coordinator Email [email protected]
Mailing Address 2745 Walnut Avenue, Signal Hill, CA 90755 Telephone Number (562) 989-7223
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Table of Contents
Credits 2
Executive Summaries 5
Chapter 1: Planning Process 12
Chapter 2: Community Profile 40
Chapter 3: Risk Assessment 50
Chapter 4: Vulnerability and Impacts 80
Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategy 103
Chapter 6: Plan Maintenance 138
Chapter 7: Plan Review, Adoption and Approval 144
Attachments 145
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Executive Summary - English
Hazard Mitigation Plans (HMP) are strategic frameworks designed to reduce the loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. The primary goal of the HMP is to identify potential hazards, assess their risks, and implement long-term strategies to mitigate their effects on a community. This comprehensive plan involves a systematic process of identifying hazards, evaluating vulnerabilities, and developing actions to minimize the damage and disruption caused by natural hazard events. This is an update to the City’s 2018 Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Before we go into the details of the planning process, it’s important to define hazard mitigation as actions taken to minimize or eliminate threats associated with hazards.

In 2019, the National Institute of Building Sciences
issued an update to its landmark report “Natural
Hazard Mitigation Saves”. The study analyzed the
benefit cost ratio of a range of mitigation activities
including mitigation planning and building retrofits.

The findings revealed a dramatic return on investment.

For mitigation activities, every dollar spent yielded a six dollar return on avoided losses in the future. For
building retrofits, every dollar spent yielded a four
dollar return on avoided losses in the future.

FEMA’s mitigation website recommends 4 steps in the
overall planning process: Step #1 is to organize the
planning process and resources which includes creation
of a Planning Team to assist with research and writing
as well as the development of a Community Outreach
Strategy. Step #2 is to assess risks and capabilities
including a Risk and Vulnerability Assessment as well as a review of the city’s capability to respond and recover from a major disaster. Step #3 is to develop a Mitigation Strategy which includes a comprehensive list of
mitigation actions and projects. Step #4 is to Adopt and Implement the Plan which includes a formal review by
Cal OES and FEMA and adoption by the City Council.

The tool used to judge the adequacy of a plan is referred to as the Plan Review Tool (PRT). Within the PRT, the
plan requirements are divided into elements including planning process, hazard identification, risk assessment, vulnerability and impact assessment, capability assessment, mitigation strategy, plan maintenance, plan review-adoption-approval.

The City of Signal Hill’s plan is displayed in seven chapters: planning process, community profile, risk assessment, vulnerability and impact assessment, mitigation strategy, plan maintenance, and plan review-adoption-approval. The chapters on risk, vulnerability and impact focus on hazard events posing the greatest threat to the community. The chapter on mitigation strategy identifies current and future policies and projects to minimize or eliminate threats associated with the prioritized hazards including earthquake, drought, and windstorm.

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Signal Hill’s geographical setting, climate, demographic trends, economic conditions, transportation infrastructure, community assets, and efforts to address climate change and environmental justice were taken into consideration during the planning and writing of the hazard mitigation plan. The city is primarily residential and light industrial. According to the 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are Home Depot, Costco Wholesale, Office Depot, and Target.

The development of the plan was guided by FEMA’s 2023 Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide and 2023 Local Mitigation Planning Handbook. The documents contained updated official policy on and interpretation of applicable statues and mitigation planning regulations in 44 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 201, more commonly referred to as the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. FEMA is the sole entity allowed to approve a mitigation plan.

In developing the HMP, a Planning Team was formed to undertake a detailed analysis of the community’s unique risks and challenges.

The Team included department representatives from Community Services, Public Works, Police, Administration, Finance, and Community Development. The Team met a total of five times with the consultant and contributed to the Initial Draft Plan. In addition to the planning document itself, the Team developed and was actively involved in an aggressive community outreach strategy. As pointed out in the plan, people are the most important asset in need of protection.

The planning process involved collaboration among adjoining local governments and special districts, businesses organization, residents, and other stakeholders to gather data, assess vulnerabilities, and prioritize mitigation actions. The process ensured that the community is better prepared to respond to and recover from disasters, while enhancing overall resilience.

The risk, vulnerability, and impacts assessment involved a comprehensive evaluation of the hazard events that could result in significant damage and loss of life. The assessment process involves four key steps: identifying hazards, profiling hazard events, inventory of assets, and estimation of potential human and economic losses.

Overall, the assessment underscores the importance of understanding and preparing for various hazards to mitigate their impact on the community's people, structures, economy, and valued resources. This comprehensive approach ensures that Signal Hill will be better equipped to handle potential emergencies and protect its residents and businesses from future hazard events.

Additionally, the assessment discusses social vulnerability populations and underserved communities in Signal Hill. Studies on this topic commonly identify six categories as indicators of social vulnerability: socioeconomic status, age, gender, race and ethnicity, English language proficiency and medical issues and disability. These are the factors chosen by the Planning Team for consideration in the plan.

Throughout the entire planning process, the Planning Team kept the public and stakeholders informed of the Team’s progress and opportunities to provide input. These outreach activities began with the City Council in 2022, followed by press releases, social media postings, solicitations to participate in a public opinion survey, posting of a hazard mitigation overview video, briefings at various public forums, and presentations to a spectrum of city-sponsored volunteer Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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groups. Most recently, the Executive Summary, video, survey, press releases, and social media postings have been translated into Spanish and Cambodian.

The plan will go through a formal review by Cal OES and FEMA capped by FEMA’s issuance of Approvable Pending Adoption. Once the plan is adopted by the City Council, FEMA will issue a Letter of Approval which will grant the city’s eligibility for mitigation-related grants for a period of five years. The Planning Team will immediately begin the process of plan implementation which will continue with the tradition of sharing and incorporating input from the public and stakeholders.

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Executive Summary - Spanish
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Executive Summary
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Executive Summary - Cambodian
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Chapter 1: Planning Process
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Chapter 1: Planning Process
Introduction
This Hazard Mitigation Plan (Mitigation Plan) was prepared in response to the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000). DMA 2000 (also known as Public Law 106-390) since 2005 has required state and local governments (including special districts and joint powers authorities) to prepare mitigation plans to document their mitigation planning process, and identify hazards, potential losses, mitigation needs, goals, and strategies. This type of planning supplements the city’s comprehensive land use planning and emergency management planning programs. The city’s most recent Hazard Mitigation Plan was approved by FEMA in 2018. Once adopted by the City Council and approved by FEMA, the Plan will ensure eligibility for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and other mitigation-related funding.

DMA 2000 was designed to establish a national program for pre-disaster mitigation, streamline disaster relief at the federal and state levels, and control federal disaster assistance costs.

Congress believed these requirements would produce the following benefits:
✓ Reduce loss of life and property, human suffering, economic disruption, and disaster costs.
✓ Prioritize hazard mitigation at the local level with increased emphasis on planning and public involvement, assessing risks, implementing loss reduction measures, and ensuring critical facilities/services survive a disaster.
✓ Promote education and economic incentives to form community-based partnerships and leverage non-federal resources to commit to and implement long-term hazard mitigation activities.

FEMA’s 2023 Local Mitigation Planning Handbook includes the following definitions:

Hazard Mitigation is any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to life and property from hazards.

Mitigation Planning is a community-driven process to help state, local, tribal and territorial governments plan for hazard risk. By planning for risk and setting a strategy for action, governments can reduce the negative impacts of future disasters.

Community Resilience is a community’s ability to prepare for anticipated hazards, adapt to changing conditions and withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions. Activities such as disaster preparedness (which includes prevention, protection, mitigation, response and recovery) and reducing community stressors (the underlying social, economic and environmental conditions that can weaken a community) are key steps to resilience.

Community Lifelines are the most fundamental services in the community that, when stabilized, enable all other aspects of society to function. The integrated network of assets, services and capabilities that make up community lifelines are used day-to-day to support recurring needs.

Lifelines enable the continuous operation of critical government and business functions and are essential to human health and safety or economic security, as described in the National Response Framework, 4th Edition (October 28, 2019).

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Q&A | ELEMENT E: PLAN UPDATE | E2-c.

Q: Does the plan describe how jurisdictions integrated the mitigation plan, when appropriate, into other planning mechanisms? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(d)(3)) A: See Authority below.

Authority
Federal Authority
The city is not required to prepare a mitigation plan, but state and federal regulations encourage it with financial incentives. The federal Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act, amended by the Disaster Management Act of 2000, creates a federal framework for local hazard mitigation planning. It states that jurisdictions that wish to be eligible for federal hazard mitigation grant funding must prepare a hazard mitigation plan that meets a certain set of guidelines and submit this plan to FEMA for review and approval. The following regulations and guidelines apply to this plan:

Federal Laws
• Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), as amended.

Federal Regulations
• 44 CFR Part 201 Mitigation Planning.
• 44 CFR, Part 60, Subpart A, including § 60.3 Floodplain management criteria for flood-prone areas.
• 44 CFR Part 77 Flood Mitigation Grants.
• 44 CFR Part 206 Subpart N. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Federal Guidance
• FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide, April 19, 2023. • FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Handbook, May 2023
State Authority
California Government Code Sections 8685.9 and 65302.6
California Government Code Section 8685.9 (also known as Assembly Bill 2140) limits the State of California's share of disaster relief funds paid out to local governments to 75 percent of the funds not paid for by federal disaster relief efforts unless the jurisdiction has adopted a valid hazard mitigation plan consistent with the Disaster Management Act of 2000 and has incorporated the hazard mitigation plan into the jurisdiction's general plan. In these cases, the State may cover more than 75 percent of the remaining disaster relief costs.

All cities and counties in California must prepare a General Plan, including a Safety Element that addresses various hazard conditions and other public safety issues. The Element may be a stand-alone chapter or incorporated into another section, as the community wishes. California Government Code Section 65302.6 indicates that a community may adopt a mitigation plan into its Safety Element if the mitigation plan meets applicable state requirements. This allows communities to use the mitigation plan to satisfy state requirements for Safety Elements. As the General Plan is an overarching long-term plan for community growth and development, incorporating the mitigation plan into it creates a stronger mechanism for implementing the mitigation plan.

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California Government Code Section 65302 (G)(4)
California Government Code Section 65302 (g)(4), also known as Senate Bill (SB) 379, requires that the General Plan Safety Element address the hazards created or exacerbated by climate change. The Element must identify how climate change is expected to affect hazard conditions in the community and include measures to adapt and be more resilient to these anticipated changes. Because the mitigation plan can be incorporated into the Safety Element, including these items in the mitigation plan can satisfy the state requirement. SB 379 requires that climate change be addressed in the Safety Element when the mitigation plan is updated after January 1, 2017, for communities that already have a mitigation plan, or by January 1, 2022, for communities without a FEMA-approved mitigation plan.

Passed in 2006, Assembly Bill No. 2140 (AB 2140) allows California counties and cities to be considered for additional state cost-share on eligible Public Assistance projects by adopting their current, FEMA-approved local hazard mitigation plans (LHMPs) into the Safety Element of their General Plan. This adoption, along with other requirements, makes the county or city eligible to be considered for part or all of its local-share costs on eligible Public Assistance projects to be provided by the state through the California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA).

AB 2140 compliance is not a requirement; however, if the city is compliant, it is eligible to be considered for up to an additional 6.25% local share to be funded by the state, essentially covering the entire local-share cost for eligible Public Assistance projects in the future. It’s important to note that AB 2140 compliance expires when the 2018 HMP expired and in order to continue compliance, the City of Signal Hill must re-adopt the 2025 HMP itself and adopt the HMP into the General Plan Safety Element when the HMP is updated. Each time, the jurisdiction must provide the necessary documentation when seeking AB 2140 compliance – e.g. resolution(s) and direction to the appropriate section(s) of the General Plan Safety Element.

In order to issue a letter of AB 2140 compliance, Cal OES will review and verify that Singal Hill has performed the following:
✓ Has a current, FEMA-approved or approvable pending adoption (APA) HMP. ✓ Formally adopted the LHMP via resolution.
✓ Formally adopted the most current, approved HMP into the General Plan Safety Element via resolution.
✓ Included language within the General Plan Safety Element that references the HMP. ✓ Included a web link, appendix, or language within the Safety Element that directs the public to the most current, approved HMP in its entirety. ✓ E-mailed the link to the updated General Plan Safety Element web page along with the signed, adoption resolution(s) to the Cal OES AB 2140 inbox [email protected] for review and approval.

In closing, the Signal Hill 2025 HMP is consistent with current standards and regulations, as outlined by the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and FEMA. It uses the best available science, and its mitigation actions/strategies reflect best practices and community values. It meets the requirements of current state and federal guidelines and makes the city eligible for all appropriate benefits under state and federal law and practices. Note that while FEMA is responsible for reviewing and approving this mitigation plan, and Cal OES is responsible for conducting a preliminary review, it does not grant FEMA or Cal OES any increased role in the governance of the city or authorize either agency to take any specific action in the community.

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Q&A | ELEMENT A: PLANNING PROCESS | A1-a.

Q: Does the plan document how the plan was prepared, including the schedule or time frame and activities that made up the plan’s development, as well as who was involved? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(1))
A: See Planning Approach – Steps 1-4, Graphic 1.1 below.

Planning Approach
Graphic 1.1: Planning Approach
Source: FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Planning Website
The four-step planning approach outlined on
FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation website is the process
used by the Planning Team during the plan update.

Step 1: Organize the Planning Process and
Resources
At the start, a state, local, tribal nation, or territorial government should focus on assembling the
resources needed for a successful mitigation
planning process. This includes securing technical
expertise, defining the planning area, and
identifying key individuals, agencies, neighboring
jurisdictions, businesses, and/or other
stakeholders to participate in the process. The
planning process for local governments and tribal
nations must include opportunities for the public to
comment on the plan.

Step 2: Assess Risks and Capabilities
Next, the state, local, tribal nation, or territorial government needs to identify the characteristics and potential consequences of hazards. It is important to understand what geographic areas the hazards might impact and how people, property, or other assets might be vulnerable. The four basic components of a risk assessment are:
o Hazard identification
o Profiling of hazard events
o Inventory of assets
o Estimation of potential human and economic losses based on the exposure and vulnerability of people, buildings, and infrastructure
Step 3: Develop a Mitigation Strategy
The state, local, tribal nation, or territorial government then sets priorities and develops long-term strategies for avoiding or minimizing the undesired effects of disasters. The strategy is based on an assessment of the unique set of regulatory, administrative, and financial capabilities to undertake mitigation. The mitigation strategy also includes a description of how the mitigation actions will be implemented and administered.

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Step 4: Adopt and Implement the Plan
Once FEMA has received proof of adoption from the governing body, the plan will be approved by FEMA. Next, the state, local, tribal nation, or territorial government can bring the mitigation plan to life in a variety of ways, ranging from implementing specific mitigation actions to changing aspects of day-to-day organizational operations. To ensure success, the plan must remain a relevant, living document through routine maintenance. The state, local, tribal nation needs to conduct periodic evaluations to assess changing risks and priorities and make revisions as needed.

Q&A | ELEMENT C: Mitigation Strategy | C2-a.

Q: Does the plan contain a narrative description or a table/list of their participation activities? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3)(ii))
A: See NFIP Participation below.

National Flood Insurance Program
Established in 1968, the NFIP provides federally backed flood insurance to homeowners, renters, and businesses in communities that adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances to reduce future flood damage.

NFIP Participation
The City of Signal Hill participates in NFIP and the FEMA FIRM maps for the City of Signal Hill were last updated September 26, 2008. The Building Official is designated as the floodplain administrator. Use this link to view the City’s Floodplain Ordinance https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/signalhill/latest/signalhill_ca/0-0-0-80898. A hard copy is also available in the Attachments.

According to FEMA, the City of Signal Hill is designated a No Special Flood Hazard Area (NSFHA). A Non-Special Flood Hazard Area (NSFHA) is an area that is in a moderate- to lowrisk flood zone (Zones B, C, X Pre- and Post-FIRM). An NSFHA is not in any immediate danger from flooding caused by overflowing rivers or hard rains. According to the General Plan Safety Element, Signal Hill is not subject to flood hazards. Only a small area along the city’s southwestern boundary is designated as Zone X on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Insurance Rate Map, indicating no major flood risk. The remainder of the City is not zoned. Accordingly, it is concluded that there are no special flood hazard areas in the City as shown on Map 1.1.

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Map 1.1: Flood Hazards
(Source: General Plan Safety Element)
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-c.

Q: Does the Plan address NFIP-insured structures within each jurisdiction that have been repetitively damaged by floods? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(ii)) A: See Repetitive Loss Properties/Severe Repetitive Loss Properties below.

Repetitive Loss Properties and Severe Repetitive Loss Properties Repetitive Loss Properties (RLPs) and Severe Repetitive Loss Properties (SRLPs) are most susceptible to flood damage; therefore, they have been the focus of flood hazard mitigation programs. Unlike a countywide program, the Floodplain Management Plan (FMP) for repetitive loss properties involves highly diversified property profiles, drainage issues, and property owner’s interest. It also requires public involvement processes unique to each RLP area. The objective of an FMP is to provide specific potential mitigation measures and activities to best address the problems and needs of communities with repetitive loss properties. According to FEMA resources, none of the properties within the City of Signal Hill are designated as Repetitive Loss Property (RLP).

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Q&A | ELEMENT A: PLANNING PROCESS | A1-b.

Q: Does the plan list the jurisdiction(s) participating in the plan that seek approval, and describe how they participated in the planning process? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(1)) A: See Planning Area, Tables 1.1-1.4 below.

Planning Process
Planning Area
Initial considerations included agreeing that the boundary of the City of Signal Hill constitutes the planning area and the City government itself served as what FEMA refers to as the “planning participant.” Therefore, this is a single-jurisdiction plan.

Organizing Resources
In the guidance documents, FEMA suggests that critical resources to the planning process are the city’s partners, data resources, plans and studies, and technical assistance. The planning process is powered by city staff, the public, and stakeholders.

Data resources, plans, and studies are discussed later in this Chapter under Using Existing Data. Also, the Planning Team utilized FEMA’s HAZUS loss projection software for 3 scenario earthquakes. See the Risk Assessment – Earthquake Profile for HAZUS mapping and report.

The city’s capabilities to support mitigation activities are discussed in this chapter under Capability Assessment.

Q&A | ELEMENT A: PLANNING PROCESS | A2-a.

Q: Does the plan identify all stakeholders involved or given an opportunity to be involved in the planning process, and how each stakeholder was presented with this opportunity? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(b)(2))
A: See Planning Team, Tables 1.1-1.5 below.

Planning Team
Throughout the entire planning process, the departments represented on the Planning Team served as stakeholders while also making a concerted effort to gather input and ideas from other stakeholders and the public. Additionally, special attention during the hazard research and mapping analysis was given to climate vulnerability and impacts on underserved communities and socially vulnerable populations.

Stakeholders (as defined later in this chapter) were informed via email of the planning process and availability of the First Draft Plan. Later, an email was sent to stakeholders announcing the posting of the Hazard Mitigation Overview Video and Survey. For stakeholders with unknown email addresses, the notifications were sent through the mail.

The city’s Hazard Mitigation Planning Team was the core group of people responsible for:
• Developing and reviewing drafts of the plan
• Informing the risk assessment
• Developing the mitigation goals and strategy
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• Submitting the plan for local adoption
• Promoting the project through various community outreach venues Signal Hill chose to build a Planning Team from city department and division staff with expertise about the community’s assets as defined by FEMA to include people, structures (including community lifelines), economy, and other assets. Other assets include natural, historic, and cultural resources as well as activities bringing value to the community. The table below aligns the represented departments and divisions with the assets:

Table 1.1: Planning Team Technical Expertise of Assets
City of Signal
Hill
Departments
Assets
People Structures Community
Lifelines
Economy Other Assets
Finance
Community
Services
X X X
Community
Development

X X X X X
Administration X X X X X
Police X X X
Public Works X X X X
The Planning Team worked with Emergency Planning Consultants to create the updated plan.

Planning Team members were sent email invitations in September 2022, announcing the purpose of the Team and overall schedule. The department representatives on the Planning Team served as active stakeholders and contributors to the plan’s update. Throughout the plan development process, the Team confirmed the planning approach, drafted and reviewed content, made revisions, and engaged members of the public. As indicated below, the meetings were designed to maximize contributions from the Team. Insights, opinions, and facts were gathered ranging from hazard history and rankings, capabilities, ongoing and future mitigation activities, and opportunities to engage the public through existing venues and public meetings.

Planning Team members participated in a total of 5 Planning Team meetings. ➢ Planning Team Meeting #1 was facilitated by the consultant who provided an overview of hazard mitigation planning and an initial hazard assessment. The meeting included a PowerPoint with hazard-related information from the City’s General Plan and earthquake simulation videos. Also, the Planning Team identified the hazards to be included in the HMP and completed the Calculated Priority Risk Index for those hazards. Introduced the requirements for community outreach and began discussions on existing venues including City Council, Commission meetings, Senior Center events, and scheduled street fairs. Also discussed desire for a Survey Monkey is gather information on knowledge of hazards and levels of preparedness.
➢ Planning Team Meeting #2 was facilitated by the consultant who introduced the HAZUS maps and reports. Also, a PowerPoint was shared with the Planning Team on the categories of mitigation activities. A scoring system was shared with the Team for ranking “priority, benefit, and cost”. The consultant led the Team through the 2018 Mitigation Action Items to capture updates and status. Consultant also shared draft of the “Capability Assessment” which was gathered from the city’s website and budget. Additionally, the draft “Hazard Proximity to Critical Facilities” table was shared showing the hazard ratings for each facility. The Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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consultant requested assistance on gathering information for each facility including number of buildings, staff assigned, property value, and content value. ➢ Planning Team Meeting #3 was facilitated by the consultant who shared the updated Mitigation Actions Matrix in advance of the meeting. The Planning Team continued in its update to the 2018 action items. Also, the consultant shared policies and actions out of the City’s Capital Improvement Program and General Plan Safety Element relating to hazard mitigation. The Planning Team selected the policies and actions they wanted included in the 2025 Mitigation Actions Matrix.
➢ Planning Team Meeting #4 was facilitated by the consultant who shared an overview of FEMA’s “new rules”. The focus of the discussion was on the new mandates for a more robust community outreach. Sample surveys and social media postings were shared and discussed.

The Team agreed to post a hazard mitigation overview video and survey including information about socially vulnerable populations and local hazards. ➢ Planning Team Meeting (Supplemental) was facilitated by the consultant who focused on FEMA regulations relating to impacts of hazards and climate change on populations was facilitated by the consultant.
➢ Planning Team Meeting #5 was facilitated by the consultant who shared an advance copy of the Initial Draft Plan. The Team was encouraged to read the entire document in advance of the meeting – particularly the Mitigation Action Matrix items assigned to their own department.

The consultant encouraged comments, corrections, and overall thoughts on the document.

The Team was assured that information gathered would be reflected in the First Draft Plan which would be made available to the public and stakeholders during the community outreach process.

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Table 1.2: Planning Team Level of Participation
Name
Research and Writing of PlanPlanning Team Meeting #1 (9/29/2022)Planning Team Meeting #2 (11/30/2022)Planning Team Meeting #3 (1/11/2023)Planning Team Meeting #4 (3/17/17/2023)Meeting on Climate and Population (4/3/2023)Planning Team Meeting #5 (6/13/2023)Planning Team Comment on First Draft PlanDistribute Second Draft Plan to Public and StakeholdersInput from Public and Stakeholders into Second Draft PlanThird Draft Plan to Cal OES/FEMA for reviewPost Final Draft Plan in advance of City Council Public MeetingPresent Final Draft Plan to City Council for Plan AdoptionSubmit Proof of Adoption to FEMAIssue Final Plan City of Signal Hill
Yvette Aguilar X X X
Thomas Bekele X X X
Carl Charles X X X
Grissel Chavez X X
Sharon Del Rosario X
Colleen Doan X X X
Joe Hoefgen X X X
Desiree Jimenez X X X
Brian Leyn X X
Rebecca Lopez X
Carlos Luis X X X X X
Donald Moreau X
Karla Santillan X X X X
Emergency Planning Consultants
Carolyn Harshman X X X X X X X X X X X
Jill Caputi X
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Table 1.3: Project Timeline
July-August 2022September OctoberNovemberDecemberJanuary 2023FebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJuly-AugustSeptember- DecemberJanuary 2024February-MarchApril Research
Research for Risk Assessment
and HAZUS
Plan Writing
Initial Draft, First Draft, Second
Draft, Final Draft, Final Plan X X X X X X X X X X X X X Planning Team Meetings
Planning Team Meeting #1
LHMP Overview and Initial
Hazard Briefing
X
Planning Team Meeting #2
HAZUS and Status of 2018
Mitigation Action Items
X
Planning Team Meeting #3
Future Mitigation Action Items X
Planning Team Meeting #4
Review Mitigation Actions
Matrix
X
Planning Team Meeting
(supplemental) X
Planning Team Meeting #5
Future Mitigation Action Items X
Planning Team Review Initial
Draft Plan X
Community Outreach
Public and Stakeholder Input
to First Draft Plan X
Plan Adoption and Approval
Submit Second Draft Plan to
Cal OES/FEMA. Complete
Mandated Revisions.

X
Present Final Draft Plan to City
Council
Forward Proof of Adoption to
FEMA
Receive FEMA Letter of
Approval
Incorporate FEMA Approval
into Final Plan
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Plan Writing
An Initial Draft Plan was prepared by the consultant with considerable input from the Planning Team during the Planning Team Meetings. The Initial Draft Plan was distributed in advance of the fifth meeting of the Planning Team. The day of the meeting, the consultant facilitated a discussion of the Initial Draft Plan while soliciting input, corrections, and other suggestions from the Planning Team.

With amendments gathered from Planning Team Meeting #5, the First Draft Plan was ready for notice and distribution to the public and stakeholders. The first community outreach took place in January 2024 with announcing the planning process and sharing the First Draft Plan. The Planning Team wanted to ensure gathering as many perspectives as possible. Also, sharing and gathering input served as an excellent means to enlist local champions interested in mitigation opportunities regarding their own homes and businesses. No input was received on the First Draft Plan from the public or stakeholders. A second community outreach took place in July 2024 with the posting of a hazard mitigation overview video and survey. No views were tracked on the video and no responses were received on the survey.

After documenting the input gathered on the First Draft Plan and the outreach activities, the Second Draft Plan will be ready for submission to Cal OES and FEMA along with a request for a formal review. Throughout the formal review process, the Planning Team and consultant will complete amendments to the Plan as mandated by Cal OES and FEMA.

Once Cal OES forwards the document to FEMA, the Planning Team Chair will schedule a public meeting with the City Council for the plan’s adoption. The public and stakeholders will be informed of the City Council meeting through the same medium utilized during the community outreach activities. The purpose of the meeting will be to provide a public forum where additional comments can be gathered from the Council and attendees. The public meeting will include a presentation of a staff report and PowerPoint outlining the planning process and benefits of hazard mitigation.

Staff will request an adoption from the City Council. Assuming acceptance, proof of adoption will be forwarded to FEMA along with a request for a Letter of Approval.

A summary of the plan writing, approval, adoption and implementation is below in Table 1.4.

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Table 1.4: Summary of Plan Writing, Adoption, Approval, and Implementation

PLAN WRITING, ADOPTION, APPROVAL, AND IMPLEMENTATION
Plan Writing (Initial
Draft Plan & First Draft
Plan)
Plan Formal Review
(Second Draft Plan)
Plan Adoption Phase
(Final Draft Plan)
Plan Approval Phase
(Final Plan)
Plan Implementation
Phase
• Based on research
and input gathered
during Planning
Team meetings,
consultant
prepared the Initial
Draft Plan
• Input to the Initial
Draft Plan from the
Planning Team
meeting #5
incorporated into
the First Draft Plan
• Public and
stakeholders
invited to provide
input to the First
Draft Plan via mail,
email, web posting,
and social media
• Second community
outreach included
survey and video.
• All input from the
public and
stakeholders
incorporated into
the Second Draft
Plan
• Second Draft
Plan was sent to
Cal OES for
formal review
• Consultant and
Planning Team is
addressing
revisions
mandated by Cal
OES
• Cal OES will
forward the Plan
to FEMA for
review
• The Chair will
post public notice
of the City
Council adoption
meeting along
with the access to
the Final Draft
Plan
• Staff will present
Final Draft Plan to
City Council along
with resolution for
adoption
• Staff will request
an adoption from
the City Council
• The consultant
will submit proof
of adoption to
FEMA with a
request for final
approval
• Will receive
FEMA Letter of
Approval
• Will incorporate
FEMA approval
and City Council
resolution into
the Final Plan
• The Chair will
conduct annual
Planning Team
implementation
meetings
• Will integrate
mitigation action
items into budget
and other funding
and strategic
documents
Q&A | ELEMENT A: PLANNING PROCESS | A2-a.

Q: Does the plan identify all stakeholders involved or given an opportunity to be involved in the planning process, and how each stakeholder was presented with this opportunity? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(b)(2))
A: See Stakeholder Outreach, Stakeholder Opportunities for Input by Category, Table 1.5-1.6 below.

Stakeholder Outreach
The planning process was powered by City staff, the public and stakeholders from across the private, public and non-governmental sectors. These resources were needed to assist with technical expertise, historical knowledge, and to provide insights into hazards and mitigation strategies. Below, the stakeholder categories are listed as defined in the FEMA Handbook. As they apply to Signal Hill, the specific engagements are indicated in italics:

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Stakeholder Opportunities for Input by Category
• Local and Regional Agencies Involved in Hazard Mitigation activities. Examples include public works, emergency management, local floodplain administration and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) departments.

Planning Team invitations were sent to applicable City departments. The invitation included an overview of the role of the Team and the time requirements of 5 meetings as well as reviewing the Initial Draft Plan. Team members were engaged in a discussion on a community outreach strategy including posting a hazard mitigation video, survey, and First Draft Plan. Also, they were encouraged to attend public forums including the City Council adoption meeting.
• Agencies with Authority to Regulate Development. Examples include zoning, planning, community and economic development departments, building officials, planning commission, and other elected officials.

Planning Team invitations were sent to applicable City departments. The Planning Commission, and City Council were informed of the planning process through the community outreach activities including viewing the video and participating in the survey as well as providing input to the First Draft Plan. The same entities were also invited to provide input prior to the City Council adoption meeting. • Neighboring Communities. Examples include adjacent local governments, including special districts, such as those that are affected by similar hazard events or may share a mitigation action or project that crosses jurisdictional boundaries. Neighboring communities may be partners in hazard mitigation and response activities, or maybe where critical assets, such as dams, are located.

All neighboring communities and servicing special districts were informed of the planning process through the community outreach activities with invitations to view the video and participate in the survey as well as to provide input on the First Draft Plan. The same entities were also invited to provide input prior to the City Council adoption meeting. • Businesses, Academia and other Private Organizations. Examples include a chamber of commerce, institutions of learning, private utilities or major employers that sustain community lifelines (providers of vital services in a community that when stabilized enable all other aspects of society to function). More information on “community lifelines” is available in this Chapter under “Capabilities Assessment”.

These entities were informed of the planning process through the community outreach activities with invitations to view the video and participate in the survey as well as to provide input on the First Draft Plan. The same entities were also invited to provide input prior to the City Council adoption meeting.
• Nonprofit Organizations and Community-Based Organizations. These organizations work directly with and/or provide support to underserved communities and socially vulnerable populations, among others. It is key to bringing partners to the table who can speak to the unique needs of these groups. Examples include housing, healthcare and social services agencies.

Throughout the planning process, Planning Team representatives from the City’s Community Services Department provided insights and issues pertinent to vulnerable populations. With their assistance, the NPOs and CBOs were informed of the planning process through the community outreach strategy and invited to provide input to the First Draft Plan prior to submission for formal review by Cal OES and FEMA.

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Stakeholder List by Category
Table 1.5 is a list of the stakeholders identified by the Planning Team along with the associated stakeholder category. See Attachments for name of agency, recipient, and recipient job title.

Table 1.5: Stakeholder List by Category
Stakeholder Entities
Local and Regional Agencies Involved in Hazard MitigationAgencies with Authority to Regulate DevelopmentNeighboring Communities (including adjacent local governments and special districts)Businesses (B), Academia (A), Community Lifelines (CL)Nonprofit (NP), CommunityBased Organizations working with Vulnerable Populations (CBO) Signal Hill Decision Makers
Signal Hill Planning Team X X CL
City Council X
Civil Service Commission
Parks and Recreation Commission
Planning Commission X
Sustainable City Committee
Diversity Coalition Committee
Community Lifelines
Los Angeles County Fire Department X CL
Long Beach Utilities (Gas Services) X X CL
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health X CL
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health CL
Los Angeles County Sanitation District X X CL
Long Beach Memorial Medical Center X CL
Frontier Communications B, CL
Dignity Health St. Mary’s Medical Center X X CL
Los Angeles County Recorder-Clerk X

EDCO B, CL
Southern California Edison X B, CL
Signal Hill Petroleum X X B, CL
Nonprofit and Community-Based Organizations
Friends of Signal Hill Library NP
Signal Hill Community Foundation NP
Signal Hill Police Foundation NP
Signal Hill Rotary Club NP
Signal Hill Historical Society NP
Cities
City of Long Beach X X X CL
City of Carson X X X CL
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Stakeholder Entities
Local and Regional Agencies Involved in Hazard MitigationAgencies with Authority to Regulate DevelopmentNeighboring Communities (including adjacent local governments and special districts)Businesses (B), Academia (A), Community Lifelines (CL)Nonprofit (NP), CommunityBased Organizations working with Vulnerable Populations (CBO) City of Torrance X X X CL
City of Gardena X X X CL
City of Compton X X X CL
City of Paramount X X X CL
City of Lakewood X X X CL
City of Bellflower X X X CL
City of Los Alamitos X X X CL
City of Seal Beach X X X CL
Service Provider to Vulnerable Populations
Las Brisas Housing Complex CL CBO
Zinnia Housing Complex CL CBO
Disabled Resources Center X CL NP, CBO
Long Beach Rescue Mission X CL NP, CBO
Long Beach Senior Center X CL NP, CBO
Mental Health America X CL CBO
The Salvation Army Family Service X CL NP, CBO
Star View Behavior Health Care Center X CL CBO
VA Healthcare System X CL CBO
Safe Refuge X CL NP, CBO
Education
Long Beach Unified School District X X A
Cal State University, Long Beach X X A
Long Beach City College X X A
Faith-Based Organizations
Calvary Chapel Signal Hill
Aum Sanctuary LB
Willow Temple
Long Beach Christian Fellowship X
Victory Outreach Long Beach X NP, CBO
Christ Centered Ministries
The Well Christian Fellowship
Cambodian Harvest Church
Dream City Church Long Beach
Long Beach Islamic Center
Stand to Reason NP
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Stakeholder Entities
Local and Regional Agencies Involved in Hazard MitigationAgencies with Authority to Regulate DevelopmentNeighboring Communities (including adjacent local governments and special districts)Businesses (B), Academia (A), Community Lifelines (CL)Nonprofit (NP), CommunityBased Organizations working with Vulnerable Populations (CBO) Catholic Charities X CL NP, CBO
Christian Outreach in Action X CL NP, CBO
Lutheran Community Care Long Beach X CL NP, CBO
Business Organizations
Home Depot B
Costco B
Office Depot B
Target B
Q&A | ELEMENT A: PLANNING PROCESS | A3-a.

Q: Does the plan document how the public was given the opportunity to be involved in the planning process and how their feedback was included in the plan? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(b)(1)) A: See Public Outreach, Table 1.6 below.

Public Outreach
In January 2024, the First Draft Plan’s availability for input on the City’s website was announced.

A hard copy of the First Draft Plan was also available at City Hall. In November 2024, the public was informed via social media, press release, and City Views of the second community outreach including an updated survey, video, and the Executive Summaries in English, Spanish, and Cambodian.

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Community Outreach Strategy
Table 1.6: Outreach Methods and Activities for Stakeholders, Public, Underserved Communities, Disadvantaged Communities, Socially Vulnerable Populations Outreach Methods and
Activities (See Attachments for
samples)
Stakeholder Categories Public Underserved
Communities,
Disadvantaged
Communities,
Socially
Vulnerable
Populations
Local and Regional Agencies Involved in Hazard MitigationAgencies with Authority to Regulate DevelopmentNeighboring Communities (including adjacent local governments and special districts)Businesses, Academia, and Community LifelinesNonprofit Organizations, CommunityBased Organizations working with Socially Vulnerable Populations Stakeholder Emails – sent
during both community outreach
events.

X X X X X X
Public Forums – Postcard sized
cards and flyers available.
"Community Announcement"
slides during Council Meetings
slides read to attendees by
Mayor. Planning process
announcements at City Council
meetings (1/23/24,
2/13/24,2/27/24). Civil Service
Commission (2/7/24), Planning
Commission (2/20/24), Parks &
Recreation Commission
(2/21/24). In Person Outreach
Senior Center Bingo and
Luncheon (2/13/24),
Diversity Coalition Committee
meeting - Liaison between
organizations and City to engage
in racial equity efforts (2/14/24).

X X X X X X X
Postcards and Flyers – shared
via City Views, Social Media, and
distributed at City Hall.

X X X X X X X
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Outreach Methods and
Activities (See Attachments for
samples)
Stakeholder Categories Public Underserved
Communities,
Disadvantaged
Communities,
Socially
Vulnerable
Populations
Local and Regional Agencies Involved in Hazard MitigationAgencies with Authority to Regulate DevelopmentNeighboring Communities (including adjacent local governments and special districts)Businesses, Academia, and Community LifelinesNonprofit Organizations, CommunityBased Organizations working with Socially Vulnerable Populations City’s Website – Posted planrelated documents and
community outreach materials.

X X X X X X X
Social Media – Facebook, X,
and Instagram including
announcement of the First Draft
Plan, survey, and video.

X X X X X X X
City Views – magazine mailed
to each residence and business

X X X X X X X
Senior Scoop Newsletter -
Half page ad with link to digital
plan and survey. Targeted to
senior community and
homebound residents. (2/2024)

X X X X X X X
Initial Draft Plan – Reviewed by
Planning Team.

X
First Draft Plan – Public notified
via social media, City Views.

Stakeholders notified via
email/mail with link to dedicated
website.

X X X X X X X
Executive Summary – Second
outreach included Plan’s
Executive Summary in English,
Spanish, and Cambodian.

X X X X X X X
Video and Survey – First and
second outreach. Second
included updated versions.

X X X X X X X
Civic Center, Library, and
Police Station – served as

X X X X X X X
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Outreach Methods and
Activities (See Attachments for
samples)
Stakeholder Categories Public Underserved
Communities,
Disadvantaged
Communities,
Socially
Vulnerable
Populations
Local and Regional Agencies Involved in Hazard MitigationAgencies with Authority to Regulate DevelopmentNeighboring Communities (including adjacent local governments and special districts)Businesses, Academia, and Community LifelinesNonprofit Organizations, CommunityBased Organizations working with Socially Vulnerable Populations distribution points for postcards,
flyers, and survey.

Public and Stakeholder Input
Public and Stakeholder Input (see Attachments) provides details on the stakeholder categories and individual entities along with any information gathered during the community outreach event.

FEMA regulations require an accounting of the agency name, name of recipient, and recipient job title. Stakeholders were invited via email or mail while the public was invited via social media, press release, and City Views.

Q&A | ELEMENT C. MITIGATION STRATEGY | C1-a.

Q: Does the plan describe how the existing capabilities of each participant are available to support the mitigation strategy? Does this include a discussion of the existing building codes and land use and development ordinances or regulations? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3)) A: See Capability Assessment – Existing Processes and Programs, Table 1.7 below.

Capability Assessment – Existing Processes and Programs The City will incorporate mitigation planning as an integral component of daily operations. This will be accomplished by the Planning Team members with their respective departments to integrate mitigation strategies into their planning documents and operational guidelines. In addition to the Capability Assessment below, the Planning Team will strive to identify additional policies, programs, practices, and procedures that could be created or modified to address mitigation activities.

FEMA identifies four types of capabilities: Planning and Regulatory, Administrative and Technical, Financial, and Education and Outreach. Following are explanations drawn from “Beyond The Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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Basics” a website developed as part of a multi-year research study funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Coastal Resilience Center and led by the Center for Sustainable Community Design within the Institute for the Environment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Institute for Sustainable Coastal Communities at Texas A&M University. This excellent resource ties FEMA regulations together with best practices in hazard mitigation.

Planning and Regulatory
Planning and regulatory capabilities are based on the implementation of ordinances, policies, local laws and State statutes, and plans and programs that relate to guiding and managing growth and development. Examples of planning capabilities that can either enable or inhibit mitigation include comprehensive land use plans, capital improvements programs, transportation plans, small area development plans, disaster recovery and reconstruction plans, and emergency preparedness and response plans. Plans describe specific actions or policies that support community goals and drive decisions. Likewise, examples of regulatory capabilities include the enforcement of zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, and building codes that regulate how and where land is developed and structures are built. Planning and regulatory capabilities refer not only to the current plans and regulations, but also to the community’s ability to change and improve those plans and regulations as needed.

Administrative and Technical
Administrative and technical capability refers to the community’s staff and their skills and tools that can be used for mitigation planning and to implement specific mitigation actions. It also refers to the ability to access and coordinate these resources effectively. Think about the types of personnel employed by each jurisdiction, the public and private sector resources that may be accessed to implement mitigation activities in your community, and the level of knowledge and technical expertise from all of these sources. These include engineers, planners, emergency managers, GIS analysts, building inspectors, grant writers, floodplain managers, and more. For jurisdictions with limited staff resources, capacity should also be considered; while staff members may have specific skills, they may not have the time to devote to additional work tasks.

The planning team can identify resources available through other government entities, such as counties or special districts, which may be able to provide technical assistance to communities with limited resources. For example, a small town may turn to county planners, engineers, or a regional planning agency to support its mitigation planning efforts and provide assistance. For large jurisdictions, reviewing administrative and technical capabilities may involve targeting specific staff in various departments that have the expertise and are available to support hazard mitigation initiatives. The degree of intergovernmental coordination among departments also affects administrative capability.

Financial
Financial capabilities are the resources that a jurisdiction has access to or is eligible to use to fund mitigation actions. The costs associated with implementing mitigation activities vary. Some mitigation actions, such as building assessment or outreach efforts, require little to no costs other than staff time and existing operating budgets. Other actions, such as the acquisition of floodprone properties, could require substantial monetary commitments from local, state, and federal funding sources. Some local governments may have access to a recurring source of revenue beyond property, sales, and income taxes, such as stormwater utility or development impact fees.

These communities may be able to use the funds to support local mitigation efforts independently or as the local match or cost-share often required for grant funding.

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Education and Outreach
This type of capability refers to education and outreach programs and methods already in place that could be used to implement mitigation activities and communicate hazard-related information.

Examples include fire safety programs that the Fire Department delivers to students at local schools; and participation in community programs, such as Firewise.

Table 1.7 below includes a broad range of capabilities within the City of Signal Hill to successfully accomplish mitigation.

Table 1.7: Capability Assessment - Existing Processes and Programs (Source: City of Signal Hill website, 2023)
Capability Type Capability Name Capability Description and Ability to Support Mitigation Planning and Regulatory Administrative and Technical Financial Education and Outreach City of Signal Hill Departments
X X X X Administration The Administration Department includes the following programs:

Executive Administration, Communications and Public Relations, Human Resources, and Economic Development. Executive
Administration is responsible for recommending policy to the legislative body (City Council) and for implementing policy when set by the City Council. Executive Administration is also responsible for planning, coordinating, and directing the work of all City departments and programs. Communications and Public Relations develops and administers directs and overseas the City's marketing and communications programs. Human Resources is responsible for the administration of the City’s personnel system and provides comprehensive human resource services to assist City departments with personnel matters. Functional areas include recruitment and selection, benefits administration, classification and compensation, employee and labor relations, training and safety training, employment/labor legal compliance, management consultation on discipline and other personnel matters, wellness initiatives, and worker’s compensation administration. Human Resources also provides staffing for the Civil Service Commission. Economic Development is responsible for the disposition of former redevelopment agency properties and project development, provides ombudsman services to developers, and works on increasing sales tax generation and revenue diversification through business attraction and retention of current businesses.

X X X Community
Development
The Community Development Department has four programs:

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Capability Type Capability Name Capability Description and Ability to Support Mitigation Planning and Regulatory Administrative and Technical Financial Education and Outreach Field Services. Planning includes coordination of development applications and project review for consistency with the General Plan and Municipal Code regulations and provides staffing for the Planning Commission. Neighborhood Enhancement includes code enforcement, provides staffing for the Sustainable City Committee and neighborhood improvement programs. Building Safety includes tracking of interdepartmental and intradepartmental reviews for development projects, plan check of construction plans, issuance of permits, and property inspections. Oil Field Services includes oversight of compliance with provisions of the City’s Oil and Gas Code, and inspection of oil field facilities.

X Community
Services
Community Services provides a variety of parks, recreational, social, and library services. Parks include design, development, and rehabilitation of park property and community buildings. Recreation includes after school recreation programs, year-round programs for youth, teen activities, and youth sports. Community Services includes senior services, community-wide special events, transportation, Animal Control administration, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) administration, and park facility scheduling. The Department also manages Library operations and provides staffing for the Parks and Recreation Commission.

X X X Finance The Finance Department is responsible for the fiscal affairs and overall financial management of the City to provide timely, accurate, and relevant budgetary and financial information to the City Council, the City Administration, residents, and customers. This includes establishing and maintaining strong internal controls that carry out City policies and ensure compliance with established accounting standards. Operational responsibilities include the handling of cash receipts, cash disbursements, recording of all financial transactions, payroll processing, preparation, development, maintenance, and monitoring of the City budget, maintaining the general ledger, financial reporting, risk management, debt service, investment of surplus cash, and safeguarding the City’s financial assets. The Finance Department is also responsible for assisting with billing and customer service to water customers and business licenses. Also included in the Finance and Administrative Services are information technology functions and non-departmental activities that provide Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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Capability Type Capability Name Capability Description and Ability to Support Mitigation Planning and Regulatory Administrative and Technical Financial Education and Outreach generalized support services for the City including liability protection and retirement administration.

X X X Police The Signal Hill Police Department is a full-service law enforcement agency responsible for the prevention of crime, promotion of traffic safety, enforcement of all state and local laws, protection of life and property, preservation of peace, and apprehension of criminals. The Department responds to and investigates all reports of criminal activity and emergency situations, enforces state and local traffic ordinances, and performs public assistance as called upon to ensure public safety. The Police Department wholeheartedly embraces the philosophy of community oriented policing, and activity participates in Community Outreach Programs such as the Police Community Volunteer Program, Juvenile Diversion, Annual Open House, National Night Out, Citizen Police Academy, and Neighborhood Watch. For management and budgetary purposes, the Police Department i9s divided into seven service programs: Community Outreach, Patrol Services, Investigative Services, Police Support Services, Police Communications/Jail, Police Records, and Emergency/Disaster Services.

X X X X Public Works The Public Works Department is responsible for providing reliable, well-maintained public facilities and essential services that are dependent upon the daily lives of residents and the business community.

X X Hazard Mitigation
Planning Team
The Hazard Mitigation Planning Team is made up of representatives from departments assigned responsibilities in the Hazard Mitigation Plan, including the 5-year plan updates as required by FEMA. The Planning Team is responsible for implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the plan during its annual meetings.

City of Signal Hill Policies
X X X Emergency
Operations Plan
Emergency Operations Plan is a reference and guidebook to operations during a major emergency impacting Signal Hill. The Plan includes a discussion on a wide range of hazards, organization and staffing of the Emergency Operations Center, and connectivity with field responders and external agencies. The Emergency Operations Plan is an excellent source of hazard information for the Hazard Mitigation Plan.

X X Hazard Mitigation
Plan
The City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies the risks from hazards present in the community and includes strategies to reduce these Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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Capability Type Capability Name Capability Description and Ability to Support Mitigation Planning and Regulatory Administrative and Technical Financial Education and Outreach risks. Updates to the Plan are coordinated with the hazard information and mitigation activities identified in the County of Los Angeles AHMP as well as the HMP for the State of California in order to ensure a more consistent and unified approach to hazard mitigation.

X X General Plan General Plan outlines long-term direction for development and policy in Signal Hill. There are opportunities to coordinate local hazard mitigation actions with policies governed by the General Plan. Also, the General Plan is an excellent resource to assist with implementing many of the mitigation action items identified in the Hazard Mitigation Plan.

X X X X Capital
Improvement
Program
The City is now in the process of preparing its first Capital Improvement Program which will direct construction activities for City-owned facilities and infrastructure for the next future years.

Mitigation actions may involve construction of new or upgraded facilities and infrastructure.

X X Standard Urban
Stormwater
Mitigation Plan
Standard Urban Stormwater Mitigation Plan provides long-range planning of water supplies and water use to ensure a stable water supply and compliance with water conservation efforts. Mitigation actions that involve reducing water use may be incorporated into the next update to the Standard Urban Stormwater Mitigation Plan.

X X X Zoning Ordinance Zoning Ordinance implements the City’s General Plan by establishing specific regulations for development. It includes standards for where development can be located, how buildings must be sized, shaped, and positioned, and what types of activities can occur in an area. Hazard mitigation actions that pertain to new or substantially redeveloped buildings can be adopted into the Zoning Ordinance.

X X X X Building Code The Building Code specifies how new structures can be built. It includes the California Building Code, in addition to any amendments made by the City, mitigation actions may involve amending the Building Code to improve a building’s safety or structural stability.

City of Signal Hill External Agency Providers
X X X Los Angeles
County Fire
Department
The Los Angeles County Fire Department provides all fire and emergency medical / paramedic services within the City of Signal Hill.

X X Southern
California Edison
Provides electrical power to the Los Angeles region.

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Capability Type Capability Name Capability Description and Ability to Support Mitigation Planning and Regulatory Administrative and Technical Financial Education and Outreach X X Southern
California Gas
Company
Provides natural gas to the Los Angeles region.

Q&A | ELEMENT C: MITIGATION STRATEGY | C1-b.

Q: Does the plan describe each participant’s ability to expand and improve the identified capabilities to achieve mitigation? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3))
A: See Expanding and Improving Capabilities below.

Expanding and Improving Capabilities
Planning and Regulatory Capabilities – The City builds and maintains its own buildings and infrastructure and regulates all construction within the community as per the International Building Code. Future plans are laid out in the General Plan and Capital Improvement Program. Some of the funding of future construction relies on successful bond measures where plans and justifications are shared with the public. Given the fact this is the first mitigation plan for Signal Hill, the topic of mitigation has been limited to Environmental Impact Reports tied to major development projects. Although hazard mitigation is new, the City is very experienced in adhering to federal and state mandates. Also, departmental protocols are in place that ensure future development projects satisfy “substantial conformance” requirements with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance. See Mitigation Actions Matrix column “Expanding and Improving Capabilities”.

Administrative and Technical - Existing capabilities are typical for a medium-sized local government. The City already has grant writing and GIS capabilities along with mutual aid agreements, and a warning/notification system. Grant writing capabilities will continue to be especially important once the mitigation plan is approved by FEMA. That approval will trigger eligibility for a range of federal and state grants. Also, the City Council could task a sub-committee dedicated to land use matters and mitigation plan implementation. The Plan’s opportunities for success will be increased by the Council’s involvement. See Mitigation Actions Matrix column “Expanding and Improving Capabilities”.

Finance - All local governments have a broad range of funding sources. Taxation, impact fees, bonds, grants, in-kind donations, and philanthropic donations are included in the spectrum. As such, the City needs to keep these resources in mind for future mitigation activities. See Mitigation Actions Matrix column “Expanding and Improving Capabilities”.

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Education and Outreach – Utilize existing community groups, local citizen groups, and non-profit organizations to support and encourage mitigation as well as home and business mitigation.

Enlist the City Manager and Public Information Officer in learning and talking about the Hazard Mitigation Plan. See Mitigation Actions Matrix column “Expanding and Improving Capabilities”.

Q&A | ELEMENT A: PLANNING PROCESS | A4-a.

Q: Does the plan document what existing plans, studies, reports, and technical information were reviewed for the development of the plan, as well as how they were incorporated into the document? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(b)(3))
A: See Use of Existing Data below.

Use of Existing Data
The Planning Team gathered and reviewed existing data and plans during plan writing and specifically noted as “sources”. Numerous documents were used to support the planning process:

City of Signal Hill Website
https://www.cityofsignalhill.org/
Applicable Incorporation: Department Information for Capability Assessment.

City of Signal Hill General Plan and Elements
https://www.cityofsignalhill.org/85/General-Plan
Applicable Incorporation: Land Use map, Community Profile section – geography, environmental, population, housing, transportation and demographic data, Safety Element – hazard information and maps.

City of Signal Hill Hazard Mitigation Plan (2018)
https://www.cityofsignalhill.org/DocumentCenter/View/4137/Signal-Hill-Hazard-Mitigation-Plan?bidId= Applicable Incorporation: Information about hazards contributed to the hazard-specific sections.

County of Los Angeles General Plan (2015)
Applicable Incorporation: Information about the planning area and geography used in Chapter 2: Community Profile and Chapter 3: Risk Assessment – Hazard Profiles.

County of Los Angeles All-Hazards Mitigation Plan (2020) Applicable Incorporation: Information about hazards in the County contributed to Chapter 3: Risk Assessment – Hazard Profiles.

State of California Hazard Mitigation Plan (2023)
Applicable Incorporation: Hazard identification information used in Chapter 2: Risk Assessment – Identifying Hazards.

HAZUS Maps and Reports
Created by Emergency Planning Consultants
Applicable Incorporation: Numerous HAZUS maps and reports have been included in Chapter 3: Risk Assessment – Hazard Profiles.

National Flood Insurance Program
Applicable Incorporation: Community status used in Chapter 3: Risk Assessment – Hazard Profiles - Urban Flooding.

Local Flood Insurance Rate Maps
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Applicable Incorporation: Information about FIRM included in Chapter 3: Risk Assessment – Hazard Profiles - Urban Flooding.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Applicable Incorporation: Wildland fire hazard map in Chapter 3: Risk Assessment – Hazard Profiles - Wildfire.

California Department of Conservation
Applicable Incorporation: Seismic hazards mapping used in Chapter 3: Risk Assessment – Hazard Profiles - Earthquake.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Applicable Incorporation: Earthquake records and statistics used in Chapter 3: Risk Assessment – Hazard Profiles - Earthquake.

California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment: Los Angeles Region Report (2019)
Applicable Incorporation: Climate information used in Chapter 2: Community Profile.

Weather Spark
Applicable Incorporation: Weather information used in Chapter 2: Community Profile.

The Fifth National Climate Assessment (2023)
Applicable Incorporation: Climate considerations in Chapter 3: Risk Assessment.

Planning for an Emergency: Strategies for Identifying and Engaging At-Risk Groups (2015)
Applicable Incorporation: Social vulnerability information used in Chapter 4: Vulnerability and Impacts Assessment.

Guide to Expanding Mitigation: Making the Connection to Equity (2020) Applicable Incorporation: Social vulnerability information used in Chapter 2: Community Profile.

How Climate Change Impacts each Type of Natural Disaster (2022) Applicable Incorporation: Climate considerations in Chapter 3: Risk Assessment.

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Chapter 2: Community Profile
Location and the Environment
The City of Signal Hill is located approximately two miles north of the Pacific Ocean in southern Los Angeles County. Signal Hill consists of 2.2 square miles completely surrounded by the City of Long Beach. Regional access to the City is provided by freeways, especially Interstate 405 (I405); arterial roadways; bus routes; a light rail line; two major seaports; and Long Beach Airport, which is located immediately northeast of Signal Hill.

According to the City’s General Plan, the panoramic view from the crest of Signal Hill is truly one of the most beautiful in all of Southern California. Most spectacular is the view of the Pacific Ocean framed by the Palos Verdes Peninsula and the Sheep Hills at Newport Beach. This ocean view features rolling breakers at Huntington Beach, the Queen Mary and the Long Beach skyline arguably equally spectacular at night. To the northwest, Signal Hill vistas include the skyscrapers in downtown Los Angeles, the Hollywood sign and the Getty Museum of Art perched upon the Santa Monica Mountains. To the east the view is remarkably grand including the Long Beach Airport and the Pyramid at the California State University at Long Beach.

Most famous for the discovery of oil in 1921, and commonly known as an "oil town,” the City is now a diverse community with an "oil history" and a bright future. By the turn of the 20th Century, stately mansions dotted the hilltop, as the value of the panoramic view became evident. However, by 1917 the prospect of striking oil on the hilltop surpassed the value of the view and the Union Oil Company drilled the first oil well in the area. The well failed to produce any oil and it was abandoned. Further exploration was suspended until the Royal Dutch Shell Oil Company resumed exploration and hit pay dirt on June 23, 1921. That first "gusher," at Alamitos Well #1, marked a turning point in Signal Hill's history and put the city on the map.

Ultimately one of the richest oil fields in the world, it produced over 1 billion barrels of oil by 1984.

The field is still active and produced over 1.6 million barrels of oil in 1994 alone. Oil production continued to be Signal Hill's mainstay until declining oil prices reduced production in the 1970’s.

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Today, Signal Hill is a well-balanced, financially sound and economically diverse community of over 11,673 people.

Map 2.1: Signal Hill Planning Area
(Source: General Plan)
Climate
According to the General Plan, the area’s climate is Mediterranean, like the rest of the Southern California region, with moderate temperatures, rainy winters and dry summers, supporting a wide range of imported vegetation.

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Graph 2.1: Average High and Low Temperature for the City of Signal Hill (Source: Weather Spark, 2023)
Graphic 2.2: Average Monthly Rainfall for the City of Signal Hill (Source: Weather Spark, 2023)
Population and Demographics
According to the City’s website, the City was incorporated in 1924 with a population of 13,962.

As of 2019, the population has grown to 21,855. From 2010 to 2019, the City experienced a growth rate of 2.5 percent, with a projected growth rate of 2.3 percent from 2019-2024.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the demographic makeup of the City is as follows:

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Table 2.1 City of Signal Hill Demographics
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Est. 2020
Racial/Ethnic Group Population Percentage (%)
White 6,247 54.7%
Black 1,316 11.5%
American Indian or
Alaska Native 128 1.1%
Asian 2,758 24.1%
Native Hawaiian and
Other Pacific
Islander
114 1.0%
Other 1,477 12.9%
Two or more races 590 5.2%
Non-Hispanic 7,247 63.4%
Hispanic 10,612 48.6%
Housing and Community Development
Table 2.2: City of Signal Hill Housing
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Est. 2020)
2020 Number Percent %
Housing Type:
1-unit, detached 2,320 51.6%
2-4 Units (2 or more units) 2,163 48.1%
Mobile homes/Other 13 0.3%
Housing Statistics:

Total Occupied Housing Units 4,496 100%
Owner-Occupied Housing 2,221 49.4%
Renter-Occupied 2,275 50.6%
Average Household Size: 2.53 persons
Employment and Industry
According to the Census data, the predominant employment industries for Signal Hill residents are Educational, Health and Social Services (14.6%); Professional, scientific, and management services (7.8%); and Manufacturing (4.3%).

According to the 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the City’s largest employers include Home Depot, Costco Wholesale, Office Depot, and Target.

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Table 2.3: City of Signal Hill Industry
(Source: American Community Survey - 2020)
Industry
2020
Number Percent %
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and
mining 12 0.1%
Construction 253 2.1%
Manufacturing 511 4.3%
Wholesale Trade 331 2.8%
Retail Trade 481 4.1%
Transportation and Warehousing, and Utilities 374 3.2%
Information 166 1.4%
Finance and insurance, and real estate and
rental and leasing 428 3.6%
Professional, scientific, and management, and
administrative and waste management services 930 7.8%
Educational services, and health care and
social assistance 1,733 14.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and
accommodation and food services 324 2.7%
Other services, except public administration 247 2.1%
Public administration 274 2.3%
Table 2.4: City of Signal Hill Occupation
(Source: American Community Survey - 2020)
Occupation
2020
Number Percent
Civilian employed population (16 years and
over) 6,064 51.2%
Management, business, science, and arts
occupations 3,155 26.6%
Service occupations 821 6.9%
Sales and office occupations 1,260 10.6%
Natural resources, construction, and
maintenance occupations 287 2.4%
Production, transportation, and material moving 541 4.6% Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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Transportation and Commuting Patterns
According to the City of Signal Hill’s General Plan – Circulation Element (2021), Signal Hill is completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach, and its transportation network is intertwined with that of its neighbor. Regional access to the City, as shown on Map 2.2, is provided by freeways, especially Interstate 405 (I-405); arterial roadways; bus routes; a light rail line; two major seaports; and Long Beach Airport, which is located immediately northeast of Signal Hill.

The existing Signal Hill transportation system consists of roads of varying sizes and capacities; public transportation systems, including bus, light rail, and paratransit service; airports, and seaports as shown on Map 2.3. The network created by these systems serves two distinct and equally important functions: 1) to provide access to adjacent land uses, and 2) to facilitate the movement of persons and goods to, from, within, and through the City.

Interstate
The San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405 or I-405) crosses the northern portion of Signal Hill. The highway is owned and maintained by Caltrans. In the Signal Hill area, I-405 currently consists of ten travel lanes, including eight mixed-flow and two carpool lanes.

Interstate 405 is one of the major access routes to Signal Hill but is also a major traffic generator that affects traffic flow within the City. The freeway interchanges with the Long Beach Freeway (I-710) approximately three miles northwest of Cherry Avenue, with the San Gabriel Freeway (I605) approximately five miles southeast of Cherry Avenue, and with the Garden Grove Freeway (State Route 22 or SR-22) approximately 7.5 miles southeast of Cherry Avenue. Full freeway access is provided at Atlantic, Cherry, and Orange Avenues. Northbound I-405 access to the City for traffic oriented south on Cherry Avenue is provided at Temple Avenue. This circuitous access to Cherry Avenue increases traffic levels on Temple Avenue and Spring Street and is confusing to motorists.

The 2003 Short-Range Transportation Plan (SRTP), prepared by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), recognizes the I-405 as a “congested corridor” in the Signal Hill area, and identifies the Cherry and Atlantic Avenue ramps as “hot spots” with recurring heavy traffic congestion. These designations make this freeway corridor a higher priority for future improvements; however, no major improvements are currently funded.

Bus Service
Signal Hill is well-served by bus systems. Services provided by Long Beach Transit and Metro operate within or in the vicinity of the City; additional bus lines are accessible through the nearby Long Beach Transit Mall.

Long Beach Transit is the primary public transportation provider to Signal Hill. LBT provides public transportation to more than 17 million annual boarding customers in southeastern Los Angeles County and northwestern Orange County. With a service area covering over 100 square miles across 14 cities, LBT annually runs more than 6.9 million service miles over 700,000 service hours, using 250 fixed-route buses. LBT also operates water taxi and demand-responsive paratransit services.

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Map 2.2: Roadway Classifications
(Source: City of Signal Hill General Plan – Circulation Element 2021) Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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Map 2.3: Transit System Map
(Source: City of Signal Hill General Plan – Circulation Element 2021) Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-e.

Q: Does the plan include the probability of future events for each identified hazard? Does the plan describe the effects of future conditions, including climate change (e.g., long-term weather patterns, average temperature and sea levels), on the type, location and range of anticipated intensities of identified hazards? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i)) A: See Climate Vulnerability Assessment below.

Climate Vulnerability Assessment
According to “California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment” developed by the State of California, continued climate change will have a severe impact on California. Increased temperatures, drought, wildfires, and sea level rise are several of the main concerns related to climate change in the Southwest. Other impacts anticipated from climate change include food insecurity, increases in vector-borne diseases, degradation of air quality, reduced ability to enjoy outdoors, and potential economic impacts due to uncertainty and changing conditions.

Climate change disproportionately affects those with existing disadvantages. Low-income communities and communities of color often live in areas with conditions that expose them to more severe hazards, such as higher temperatures and worse air quality. These communities also have fewer financial resources to adapt to these hazards. For instance, low-income populations may reduce air conditioning usage out of concerns about cost. Outdoor workers, individuals with mobility constraints, and sensitive populations such as the very young, elderly, and poor, as well as those with chronic health conditions, are particularly at risk to climate change hazards.

To understand how climate change might affect the City of Signal Hill, the Cal-Adapt tool was used to analyze data. “Cal-Adapt provides a way to explore peer-revied data that portrays how climate change might affect California at the state and local level” (cal-adapt.com). Below is a summary of the data reviewed.

Climate Change Hazards
Increased Temperature: Annual temperatures in the city are expected to rise steadily through the end of the century. The city’s historical average maximum temperature is based on data from 1961-1990, is 78.3°F. Under the medium emissions scenario, the average annual maximum temperature is projected to increase to 83.5°F. Between 2070 and 2099. The annual average maximum temperature under the high-emission scenario is projected to increase to 86.8°F.

Between 2070 and 2099.

More Extreme Heat Days: Extreme Heat Days occur when the maximum temperature is above 100.5°F. Historically Signal Hill has experienced an average of 2 extreme heat days per year.

By mid-century, 2025-2064, the annual number of extreme heat days is expected to rise to 6 under medium emission scenarios and 7 under high emission scenarios. By the end of the centuries, 2070 and 2099, the number of extreme heat days is expected to rise to 8 under medium emission scenarios and 16 under high emission scenarios.

Static Annual Precipitation: Historically the city has experienced an annual average of 12.5 inches of precipitation. Annual precipitation is expected to remain relatively the same during the Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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mid-century. Under both the medium emission scenario and high emission scenario the annual precipitation will remain steady at 12.5 inches. By the end of the century, annual precipitation is expected to increase to 12.9 inches under the medium emission scenario and 12.8 inches under the high emission scenario.

Longer and More Extreme Droughts: The city can expect to see an 8.7% increase in average temperature and a 20.6% decrease in precipitation during drought conditions in the late 21st century. This will lead to longer, more extreme drought conditions later in the century.

Steady Wildfire Threat: Based on historical data from 1961–1990, Los Angeles County experiences a decadal average loss of 4,436.1 hectares to wildfire. The probability that a wildfire will occur in any one year over a10-year period, known as the decadal probability, is projected to remain constant through 2099 under both high-emissions and Low emissions scenarios. Under the low-emissions scenario, the decadal average loss to wildfire is expected to increase to 5,719.2 hectares by mid-century and 5662.9 hectares by 2099. Under the high-emissions scenario, the decadal average loss to wildfire is projected to rise to 5,579.7 hectares by 2065 and 5,275.4 hectares by the end of the century.

Sea Level Rise: The city does not border the Pacific Ocean, but with projected sea level rise the city has the potential to be indirectly affected by coastal flooding. In the late century using maximum flood scenario models, coastal flood water might encroach upon Signal Hill boundaries.

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Chapter 3: Risk Assessment
What is a Risk Assessment?
Conducting a risk assessment can provide information regarding: the types of hazards a jurisdiction is exposed to; the location where the hazard might occur; the history of the hazard in the City of Signal Hill and surrounding area; and the future risk they pose. Specifically, the five levels of a risk assessment are as follows:

1. Identify Hazards (Chapter 3)

2. Hazard Profiles (Chapter 3)

3. Identify Community Assets (Chapter 4)

4. Analyze Impacts (Chapter 4)

5. Summarize Vulnerability (Chapter 4)
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-a.

Q: Does the plan describe all natural hazards that can affect the jurisdiction(s) in the planning area, and does it provide the rationale if omitting any natural hazards that are commonly recognized to affect the jurisdiction(s) in the planning area? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i)) A: See Identify Hazards, Table 3.1-3.4 below.

Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-d.

Q: Does the plan include the history of previous hazard events for each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i))
A: See Table 3.1 below.

Identify Hazards
This section is the description of the geographic extent, potential intensity, and the probability of occurrence of a given hazard. Maps are used in this plan to display hazard identification data.

To determine the hazard with significant potential to impact the Planning Team examined three resources: California’s 2023 State Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2020 County of Los Angeles AllHazards Mitigation Plan, and the City’s 2016 General Plan Safety Element.

The Planning Team reviewed existing documents to determine which of the hazards posed the most significant threat to the planning area and its ability to deliver services. In other words, which hazard would likely result in a local declaration of emergency. The Planning Team also reviewed Federal Disaster Declarations for Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County experienced 37 federal disaster declarations from 2008 – 2023. Table 3.1 outlines those disaster declarations.

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Table 3.1: Federal Disaster Declarations 2008-2023 Los Angeles County (Source: FEMA website State and County Disaster Declarations, 2023) Year
Federal
Declaration
Number
State of
Emergency
Declaration
Issued by
California
Declaration Title
2023 DR-4699-CA Yes Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
2023 EM-3591-CA Yes Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides 2023 EM-3592-CA Yes Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides 2023 DR-4683-CA Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides 2022 N/A Yes Extreme Heat
2022 N/A Yes Tropical Storm Kay
2021 DR-4569-CA Wildfires
2021 FM-5381-CA Blue Ridge Fire
2021 N/A Yes Winter Storms
2021 N/A Yes Drought
2020 DR-4482-CA Covid-19 Pandemic
2020 EM-3428-CA Covid-19
2020 N/A Yes Extreme Heat Event
2020 FM-5374-CA Bobcat Fire
2019 FM-5297-CA Getty Fire
2019 FM-5296-CA Wildfires
2019 FM-5293-CA Saddleridge Fire
2018 EM-3409-CA Wildfire
2018 DR-4407-CA Yes Wildfires
2018 DR-5280-CA Yes Woolsey Fire
2018 DR-4353-CA Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flow, Debris Flow 2017 DR-1884-CA Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows 2017 EM-3396-CA California Wildfires
2017 FM-5201-CA Yes California la Tuna Fire
2017 FM-5225-CA Yes California Creek Fire
2017 FM-5226-CA Yes California Rye Fire
2017 FM-5227-CA California Skirball Fire
2017 DR-4305-CA Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mud Slides Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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2016 FM-5135-CA Yes California Sand Fire
2016 FM-5129-CA California Fish Fire
2016 FM-5132-CA California Sage Fire
2016 FM-5124-CA California Old Fire
2015 N/A Yes Rainstorms
2015 N/A Yes Wildfires
2014 N/A Yes Drought
2014 FM-5051-CA California Colby Fire
2013 FM-5025-CA Yes California Powerhouse Fire
2011 N/A Yes Windstorms
2010 N/A Yes Winter Storms
2010 FM-2851-CA California Crown Fire
2009 FM-2828-CA California Pv Fire
2009 FM-2830-CA Yes California Station Fire
2008 FM-2763-CA California Santa Anita Fire
2008 FM-2791-CA California Sayre Fire
2008 FM-2789-CA California Sesnon Fire
2008 FM-2792-CA California Freeway Complex Fire
2008 FM-2788-CA Mareck Fire
2008 FM-1810-CA Yes Wildfire in California
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-a.

Q: Does the plan provide an overall summary of each jurisdiction’s vulnerability to the identified hazards? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(ii))
A: See Table 3.2 and Table 3.3 below.

The Team utilized FEMA’s Calculated Priority Risk Index (CPRI) ranking technique to quantify the probability, magnitude/severity, warning time and duration for each of the hazards. The hazard ranking system is described below in Table 3.2.

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Table 3.2: Calculated Priority Risk Index
(Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency)
CPRI
Category
Degree of Risk Assigned
Weighting
Factor
Level ID Description Index
Value
Probability
Unlikely
Extremely rare with no documented history of occurrences or events.

Annual probability of less than 1 in 1,000 years.
1 45%
Possibly Rare occurrences.

Annual probability of between 1 in 100 years and 1 in 1,000 years. 2 Likely
Occasional occurrences with at least 2 or more documented historic events.

Annual probability of between 1 in 10 years and 1 in 100 years. 3 Highly Likely Frequent events with a well-documented history of occurrence.

Annual probability of greater than 1 every year. 4
Magnitude/
Severity
Negligible
Negligible property damage (less than 5% of critical and non-critical facilities and infrastructure. Injuries or illnesses are treatable with first aid and there are no deaths.

Negligible loss of quality of life. Shut down of critical public facilities for less than 24 hours.
1 30%
Limited
Slight property damage (greater than 5% and less than 25% of critical and non-critical facilities and infrastructure). Injuries or illnesses do not result in permanent disability, and there are no deaths. Moderate loss of quality of life. Shut down of critical public facilities for more than 1 day and less than 1 week.
2 Critical
Moderate property damage (greater than 25% and less than 50% of critical and non-critical facilities and infrastructure). Injuries or illnesses result in permanent disability and at least 1 death. Shut down of critical public facilities for more than 1 week and less than 1 month.
3 Catastrophic
Severe property damage (greater than 50% of critical and noncritical facilities and infrastructure). Injuries and illnesses result in permanent disability and multiple deaths.

Shut down of critical public facilities for more than 1 month. 4 Warning
Time
> 24 hours Population will receive greater than 24 hours of warning. 1 15%
12–24 hours Population will receive between 12-24 hours of warning. 2 6-12 hours Population will receive between 6-12 hours of warning. 3 < 6 hours Population will receive less than 6 hours of warning. 4 Duration
< 6 hours Disaster event will last less than 6 hours. 1 10%
< 24 hours Disaster event will last less than 6-24 hours. 2 < 1 week Disaster event will last between 24 hours and 1 week. 3 > 1 week Disaster event will last more than 1 week. 4
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Table 3.3: Calculated Priority Risk Index Ranking for the City of Signal Hill (Source: City of Signal Hill Planning Team)
Hazard
ProbabilityWeighted 45% (x.45)Magnitude SeverityWeighted 30% (x.3)Warning TimeWeighted 15% (x.15)DurationWeighted 10% (x.1)CPRI TotalHazard Priority Ranking * (H-High, M-Medium, L-Low) Drought 4 1.80 3 0.90 1 0.15 3 0.30 3.15 H
Earthquake 3 1.35 4 1.20 4 0.60 1 0.10 3.25 H
Flood 2 0.90 1 0.30 2 0.30 4 0.40 1.90 L
Landslide 2 0.90 2 0.60 4 0.60 1 0.10 2.20 L
Windstorm 3 1.35 3 0.90 2 0.30 3 0.30 2.85 H
*Hazard Priority Ranking
High=CPRI score for probability + magnitude/severity (impact) = 6 or higher Medium=CPRI score for probability + magnitude/severity (impact) = 5 Low=CPRI score for probability + magnitude/severity (impact) = 3 or 4 N/A=CPRI score for probability + magnitude/severity (impact) = 2 Table 3.4: Hazard Source Review and Inclusion/Omission by Planning Team (Source: Planning Team [PT]; California State Hazard Mitigation Plan [SHMP]; Los Angeles County AllHazards Mitigation Plan, [AHMP]; General Plan Safety Element [SE], National Risk Index [NRI])) (Note: The Planning Team chose to profile only those hazards with a high “Hazard Priority Ranking” (probability + magnitude/severity).

Hazard Source Profiled
in HMP Reason for Inclusion/Omission
Avalanche NRI SHMP N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Coastal Flooding NRI N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Climate Change AHMP N
Rather than a dedicated hazard profile, the
Planning Team chose to integrate climate
change impacts into each of the profiled
hazards.

Cold Wave NRI SHMP N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Dam Failure SHMP AHMP SE N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

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Drought NRI SHMP AHMP Y
The Planning Team assigned "high" as the
hazard priority ranking and therefore is
profiled.

Earthquake NRI SHMP AHMP SE Y
The Planning Team assigned “high” as the
hazard priority ranking and therefore is
profiled.

Hail NRI N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Heat Wave NRI SHMP N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Hurricane NRI N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Ice Storm NRI N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Landslide NRI SHMP AHMP SE N
The Planning Team assigned “low” as the
hazard priority ranking and therefore was not
profiled.

Levee Failure SHMP N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Lighting NRI N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Riverine Flooding NRI SHMP AHMP SE N
The Planning Team assigned "low" as the
hazard priority ranking and therefore was not
profiled.

Strong Wind NRI SHMP Y
The Planning Team assigned “high” as the
hazard priority ranking and therefore was
profiled.

Subsidence SHMP SHMP N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Tornado NRI N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Tsunami NRI SHMP AHMP SE N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Volcanic Activity NRI SHMP N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

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Wildfire NRI SHMP AHMP SE N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Winter Weather NRI N
The Planning Team determined that this
hazard does not pose a significant threat to
the community.

Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-a.

Q: Does the plan describe all natural hazards that can affect the jurisdiction(s) in the planning area, and does it provide the rationale if omitting any natural hazards that are commonly recognized to affect the jurisdiction(s) in the planning area? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i)) A: See Hazard Profile, Table 3.5 below
Hazard Profiles
Table 3.3 (Calculated Priority Risk Index) included all of the natural hazards that can affect the jurisdiction. Table 3.2 (CPRI Key) emphasizes the importance of considering the “scope and scale” of a possible event. In other words, the planning team members were reminded to envision an event of such significance that a local declaration of emergency would likely be issued. The planning team chose to profile only those hazards with a high “Hazard Priority Ranking” (probability + magnitude/severity). In total, these hazards include drought, earthquake, and windstorm. Each of the profiled hazards are discussed on the next page in Table 3.5. The Table indicates a generalized perspective of the community’s vulnerability of the profiled hazards according to extent (or degree), location, and probability, and previous significant event for Signal Hill.

Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-b.

Q: Does the plan include information on the location of each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i))
A: See Table 3.5 below.

Table 3.5: Hazard Profile of Location, Extent, Probability, Previous Significant Event (Source: General Plan Safety Element, Planning Team)
Hazard Location (Where) Extent
(How Big an Event)
Probability
(How Often) *
Previous Significant
Event
Drought Entire Project Area Droughts in urban areas vary considerably in scope and
intensity. Likely emergency water
shortage regulations would restrict
such activities as watering of
landscape, washing of cars, and
other non-safety related activities.

Highly Likely State established Level 2 in
2021
Earthquake Entire Project Area The Southern California
Earthquake Center (SCEC) in 2007
concluded that there is a 99.7 %
probability that an earthquake of
M6.7 or greater will hit California
within 30 years.1
Likely 1994 – Northridge
Earthquake
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Hazard Location (Where) Extent
(How Big an Event)
Probability
(How Often) *
Previous Significant
Event
Windstorm Hillside areas 30-miles per hour or greater. Likely Annual * Probability is defined as: Unlikely = 1:1,000 years, Possibly = 1:100-1:1,000 years, Likely = 1:10-1:100 years, Highly Likely = 1:1 year
1 Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast
Q&A | ELEMENT E: PLAN UPDATE | E1-a.

Q: Does the plan describe the changes in development that have occurred in hazard-prone areas that have increased or decreased each community’s vulnerability since the previous plan was approved? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(d)(3))
A: See Changes in Climate, Population, and Land Use Development below.

Changes
Changes in Climate
Climate change impacts people in Signal Hill in various ways, including through extreme heat events, changes in air quality, increased risk of wildfires, and potential impacts on water supply and infrastructure. These effects can lead to health issues, such as heat-related illnesses and respiratory problems, as well as challenges related to water availability and infrastructure resilience, highlighting the importance of adaptation and mitigation strategies to protect the wellbeing of the community.

Changes in Population
Changes in population in Signal Hill can significantly impact residents by influencing the demand for services, housing affordability, cultural diversity, traffic congestion, economic opportunities, and community services. A growing population may strain existing infrastructure and services, leading to longer waiting times and crowded facilities. Additionally, population changes can affect the availability of affordable housing and create challenges related to cultural integration and inclusivity. However, population growth can also bring new job opportunities and enrich the cultural fabric of the community. Effective urban planning and community development strategies are crucial to address these impacts and ensure the well-being of residents in Signal Hill.

Land Use Development
Land use development in Signal Hill can impact residents by affecting housing availability and affordability, access to services such as healthcare and education, quality of life factors like access to green spaces and community amenities, economic opportunities through job creation and local business growth, and environmental considerations such as traffic congestion and pollution. Thoughtful planning and community engagement are crucial to ensure that development meets the needs of residents and enhances the overall quality of life in the city.

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Since the writing of the 2018 HMP, the majority
of development has focused on retrofitting
residential structures. In light of the increased
building standards for these projects, the
vulnerability to profiled hazards decreased
slightly. Plans for the next 5 years are much
more ambitious including recycling and
redevelopment of the central business district.

According to the March 2025 Economic
Analysis for Proposed Opportunity Study
Areas, the City of Signal Hill has embarked on
a path to facilitate the recycling or
redevelopment of the parts of the Atlantic
Spring and Central neighborhoods. This will
lead to realizing part of its 2001 General Plan and an objective in the 2023 to 2028 Strategic Plan—the development of a central business district in the Town Center area. The city has identified three Opportunity Study Areas (OSAs). The purpose of the project is to assess future land use opportunities that will allow the City to grow economically, create jobs, and diversify the City’s tax basis for several years. This report is an economic analysis intended to identify the potential market demand to support redevelopment and the creation of the central business district.

Subsequent stages in the overall project will create a generalized plan for the OSAs, finalize the boundaries that will be included, and establish a zoning mechanism that will incentivize development and lead to the realization of the vision for a central business district. The report assesses market conditions and potential demand for:
+ Housing development
+ Retail businesses
+ Hotels
+ Office and industrial uses
The project will result in an increase in overall density of people and structures. However, construction will be required to adhere to contemporary building standards and zoning practices more focused on safety and prevention. Therefore, the development will result in a slight increase in overall vulnerability to the profiled hazards.

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Drought
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-a.

Q: Does the plan describe all natural hazards that can affect the jurisdiction(s) in the planning area, and does it provide the rationale if omitting any natural hazards that are commonly recognized to affect the jurisdiction(s) in the planning area? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i)) A: See Description below.

Description
Drought is defined as a deficiency of precipitation over an extended period of time, usually a season or more. This deficiency results in a water shortage for some activity, group, or environmental sector. Drought should be considered relative to some long-term average condition of balance between precipitation and evapotranspiration (i.e., evaporation + transpiration) in a particular area, a condition often perceived as "normal". It is also related to the timing (e.g., principal season of occurrence, delays in the start of the rainy season, occurrence of rains in relation to principal crop growth stages) and the effectiveness of the rains (e.g., rainfall intensity, number of rainfall events).

Other climatic factors such as high temperature, high wind, and low relative humidity are often associated with it in many regions of the world and can significantly aggravate its severity.

Drought should not be viewed as merely a physical phenomenon or natural event. Its impacts on society result from the interplay between a natural event (less precipitation than expected resulting from natural climatic variability) and the demand people place on water supply. Human beings often exacerbate the impact of drought. Recent droughts in both developing and developed countries and the resulting economic and environmental impacts and personal hardships have underscored the vulnerability of all societies to this natural hazard.

One dry year does not normally constitute a drought in California but serves as a reminder of the need to plan for droughts. California's extensive system of water supply infrastructure — its reservoirs, groundwater basins, and inter-regional conveyance facilities — mitigates the effect of short-term dry periods for most water users. Defining when a drought begins is a function of drought impacts to water users. Hydrologic conditions constituting a drought for water users in one location may not constitute a drought for water users elsewhere, or for water users having a different water supply. Individual water suppliers may use criteria such as rainfall/runoff, amount of water in storage, or expected supply from a water wholesaler to define their water supply conditions.

Drought is a gradual phenomenon. Although droughts are sometimes characterized as emergencies, they differ from typical emergency events. Most natural disasters, such as floods or forest fires, occur relatively rapidly and afford little time for preparing for disaster response.

Droughts occur slowly, over a multiyear period. There is no universal definition of when a drought begins or ends. Impacts of drought are typically felt first by those most reliant on annual rainfall - - ranchers engaged in dry land grazing, rural residents relying on wells in low-yield rock formations, or small water systems lacking a reliable source. Criteria used to identify statewide drought conditions do not address these localized impacts. Drought impacts increase with the length of a drought, as carry-over supplies in reservoirs are depleted and water levels in groundwater basins decline.

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There are four different ways that drought can be defined:
o Meteorological - a measure of departure of precipitation from normal. Due to climatic differences, what is considered a drought in one location may not be a drought in another location.
o Agricultural - refers to a situation when the amount of moisture in the soil no longer meets the needs of a particular crop.
o Hydrological - occurs when surface and subsurface water supplies are below normal. o Socioeconomic - refers to the situation that occurs when physical water shortage begins to affect people.

Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-c.

Q: Does the plan describe the extent for each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i)) A: See U.S. Drought Monitor, Infographic 3.1 below.

U.S. Drought Monitor
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a map that is updated weekly to show the location and intensity of drought across the country. The USDM uses a five-category system (USDM, 2021):
• D0—Abnormally Dry
o Short-term dryness slowing planting, growth of crops
o Some lingering water deficits
o Pastures or crops not fully recovered
• D1—Moderate Drought
o Some damage to crops, pastures
o Some water shortages developing
o Voluntary water-use restrictions requested
• D2—Severe Drought
o Crop or pasture loss likely
o Water shortages common
o Water restrictions imposed
• D3—Extreme Drought
o Major crop/pasture losses
o Widespread water shortages or restrictions
• D4—Exceptional Drought
o Exceptional and widespread crop/pasture losses
o Shortages of water creating water emergencies
The USDM categories show experts’ assessments of conditions related to drought. These experts check variables including temperature, soil moisture, stream flow, water levels in reservoirs and lakes, snow cover, and meltwater runoff. They also check whether areas are showing drought impacts such as water shortages and business interruptions. Associated statistics show what proportion of various geographic areas are in each category of dryness or drought, and how many people are affected. U.S. Drought Monitor data go back to 2000.

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Infographic 3.1: U.S. Drought Monitor – Los Angeles County, California (Source: Website – U.S. Drought Monitor 6.4.2024)
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-b.

Q: Does the plan include information on the location of each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i))
A: See Local Conditions below.

Local Conditions
According to the General Plan – Circulation Element (2009), the City’s primary water supply comes from two groundwater wells located in north Long Beach. Additional water may be purchased from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

The City has drilled a third groundwater well centrally located within Signal Hill and is in the process of developing plans and specifications for the necessary pumping and treatment facilities.

The City has three storage reservoirs and pumping facilities, providing water for domestic purposes and firefighting. The Gundry reservoir and pumping facility was constructed in 1929 and has a storage capacity of 4.7 million gallons. This facility is located in the northern part of the city. Two hilltop reservoirs and pumping facilities were constructed in the late 1990s, having a combined storage capacity of 2.6 million gallons.

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A significant drought has hit the state of California since 2012. The drought has depleted reservoir levels all across the state. In January of 2014, Governor Brown declared a state of emergency and directed state officials to take all necessary actions to prepare for water shortages. As the drought prolonged into 2015, to help cope with the drought, Governor Brown gave an executive order in April 2015 which mandated a statewide 25 percent reduction in water use. In January of 2016, the DWR and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation have finalized the 2016 Drought Contingency Plan that outlines State Water Project and Central Valley Project operations for February 2016 to November 2016. The plan was developed in coordination with staff from State and federal agencies. Although the drought has more significantly impacted surfaces waters and other agencies that use water for agriculture, the City of Signal Hill is still affected by the drought, primarily due to reduced reliability of imported water.

Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-d.

Q: Does the plan include the history of previous hazard events for each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i))
A: See Previous Droughts Impacting Signal Hill, Previous Droughts Impacting Los Angeles County, and Table 3.6 below.

Previous Droughts Impacting Signal Hill
Fortunately, there is no history of severe drought within Signal Hill. Although there is no evidence of a drought having a significant impact on the City at the current time, California as a whole has experienced drought conditions most recently since 2021.

Previous Droughts Impacting Los Angeles County
The region’s Mediterranean climate makes it especially susceptible to variations in rainfall.

Though the potential risk to the City of Signal Hill is in no way unique, severe water shortages could have a bearing on the economic well-being of the community. Comparison of climate (rainfall) records from Los Angeles with water well records beginning in 1930 from the San Gabriel Valley indicates the existence of wet and dry cycles on a 10-year scale as well as for much longer periods. The climate record for the Los Angeles region beginning in 1890 suggests drying conditions over the last century. With respect to the present day, climate data also suggests that the last significant wet period was the 1940s. Well level data and other sources seem to indicate the historic high groundwater levels (reflecting recharge from rainfall) occurred in the same decade. Since that time, rainfall (and groundwater level trends) appears to be in decline. This slight declining trend, however, is not believed to be significant. Climatologists compiled rainfall data from 96 stations in the State that spanned a 100-year period between 1890 and 1990. An interesting note is that during the first 50 years of the reporting period, there was only one year (1890) that had more than 35 inches of rainfall, whereas the second 50-year period recording of 5 year intervals (1941, 1958, 1978, 1982, and 1983) that exceeded 35 inches of rainfall in a single year. The year of maximum rainfall was 1890 when the average annual rainfall was 43.11 inches.

The second wettest year on record occurred in 1983 when the State’s average was 42.75 inches.

The driest year of the 100-year reported in the study was 1924 when the State’s average rainfall was only 10.50 inches. The region with the most stations reporting the driest year in 1924 was the San Francisco Bay area. The second driest year was 1977 when the average was 11.57 inches. The most recent major drought (1987 to 1990) occurred at the end of a sequence of very wet years (1978 to 1983). The debate continues whether “global warming” is occurring, and the degree to which global climate change will have an effect on local micro-climates. The semi-arid Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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southwest is particularly susceptible to variations in rainfall. A study that documented annual precipitation for California since 1600 from reconstructed tree ring data indicates that there was a prolonged dry spell from about 1755 to 1820 in California. Fluctuations in precipitation could contribute indirectly to a number of hazards including wildfire and the availability of water supplies.

Table 3.6 outlines the State of California drought related executive orders. There were no federal declarations related to droughts found for Los Angeles County.

Table 3.6: Drought Related Executive Orders in Los Angeles County (Source: Cal OES Open State of Emergency Proclamations, 2024) Date Location State Executive
Order Cause
July 8, 2021
Los Angeles County N-7-33
N-3-23
N-4-23 Drought Conditions
May 10, 2021
Los Angeles County N-7-33
N-3-23
N-4-23 Drought Conditions
April 12, 2021
Los Angeles County N-7-33
N-3-23
N-4-23 Drought Conditions
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-e.

Q: Does the plan include the probability of future events for each identified hazard? Does the plan describe the effects of future conditions, including climate change (e.g., long-term weather patterns, average temperature and sea levels), on the type, location and range of anticipated intensities of identified hazards? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i)) A: See Probability of Future Droughts, Climate Change Considerations below.

Probability of Future Droughts
Droughts occur every day throughout California. When conducting the risk assessment, the planning team determined that the probability of a catastrophic drought affecting Signal Hill is highly likely with an annual probability of occurrence being between 1 per year.

Climate Change Considerations
According to the Fifth National Climate Assessment, drought is such a complex phenomenon that it is a challenge to even define what it is: more than 150 different definitions have appeared in scientific literature. Broadly, drought results when there is a mismatch between moisture supply and demand. Meteorological drought happens when there is a severe or ongoing lack of precipitation. Hydrological drought results from deficits in surface runoff and subsurface moisture supply. Drying soil moisture affects crop yields and can lead to agricultural droughts. The timing of droughts is also complex. Droughts can last for weeks or decades. They may develop slowly over months or come on rapidly. A drought may be immediately apparent or detectable only in retrospect.

Despite this complexity, some robust regional trends are emerging. Colorado River streamflow over the period 2000–2014 was 19% lower than the 20th-century average, largely due to a reduction in snowfall, less reflected sunlight, and increased evaporation. The period 2000–2021 Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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in the Southwest had the driest soil moisture of any period of the same length in at least the past 1,200 years. While this drought is partially linked to natural climate variability, there is evidence that climate change exacerbated it, because warmer temperatures increase atmospheric “thirst” and dry the soil. Droughts in the region are lasting longer and reflect not a temporary extreme event but a long-term aridification trend—a drier “new normal” occasionally punctuated by periods of extreme wetness consistent with expected increases in precipitation volatility in a warming world.

The Southwest is the only region in which the total area of unusually dry soil moisture is increasing. In the eastern regions of the country, hydrological droughts have become less frequent since the late 19th century due to increases in precipitation that compensate for warmingdriven increases in evaporation. However, there is evidence that the likelihood of drought in the Northeast did not decrease as much as would be expected given these wetter conditions and that higher increases in evapotranspiration make the Southeast more drought-prone than the Northeast. Additionally, much of the US is vulnerable to rapid-onset flash droughts that can materialize in a matter of days, driven by extreme high temperatures or wind speeds and a lack of rainfall. These events are difficult to predict and prepare for and can have outsized impacts. There is evidence that these events are drying out soil more quickly as the world warms.

Climate change alters the hydrologic cycle and is expected to increase drought in some regions through various process pathways. The figure below shows how climate change alters the hydrologic cycle. According to the Fifth National Climate Assessment (2023), changes in climatic drivers (e.g., precipitation, temperature, wind, etc.) affect different aspects of the hydrologic cycle (e.g., evapotranspiration, snowpack, streamflow, soil moisture). In turn, these hydrologic shifts translate into changes in the severity, frequency, and risk of different drought types. Plus, and minus signs denote the direction of change in the driver that would cause increases in drought.

For example, where precipitation declines (down arrow), all drought types will increase because this reduces snowpack, streamflow, groundwater and reservoir storage, and soil moisture.

Similarly, increasing temperatures (up arrow) are also expected to increase hydrological and biophysical drought by reducing snowpack and increasing evaporative losses from streams, surface reservoirs, and soils.

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Figure 3.5: Climate Drivers of Drought, Effects on Water Availability, and Impacts Source: Fifth National Climate Assessment (2023)
Signal Hill can expect to see longer and more frequent droughts due to the impact of climate change on drought conditions. This will require the city to encourage water conservation measures and monitor fire weather closely to prevent wildfires.

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Earthquake
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-a.

Q: Does the plan describe all natural hazards that can affect the jurisdiction(s) in the planning area, and does it provide the rationale if omitting any natural hazards that are commonly recognized to affect the jurisdiction(s) in the planning area? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i)) A: See Description below.

Description
An earthquake is a sudden motion or trembling that is caused by a release of strain accumulated within or along the edge of the Earth's tectonic plates. The effects of an earthquake can be felt far beyond the site of its occurrence. They usually occur without warning and, after just a few seconds, can cause massive damage and extensive casualties. Common effects of earthquakes are ground motion and shaking, surface fault ruptures, and ground failure.

Ground Shaking
Ground shaking is the motion felt on the earth's surface caused by seismic waves generated by the earthquake. It is the primary cause of earthquake damage. The strength of ground shaking depends on the magnitude of the earthquake, the type of fault, and distance from the epicenter (where the earthquake originates). Buildings on poorly consolidated and thick soil will typically see more damage than buildings on consolidated soil and bedrock.

Liquefaction
Liquefaction is a phenomenon in which the strength and stiffness of soil is reduced by earthquake shaking or other events. Liquefaction occurs in saturated soils, which are soils in which the space between individual soil particles is completely filled with water. This water exerts pressure on the soil particles that influences how tightly the particles themselves are pressed together. Prior to an earthquake, the water pressure is relatively low. However, earthquake shaking can cause water pressure to increase to the point where the soil particles can readily move with respect to each other. Because liquefaction only occurs in saturated soil, its effects are most commonly observed in low lying areas. Typically, liquefaction is associated with shallow groundwater, which is less than 50 feet beneath the earth’s surface. See Liquefaction Areas discussion below for more information.

Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-c.

Q: Does the plan describe the extent for each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i)) A: See Table 3.7, HAZUS, Map 3.1-3.2 below.

Mercalli Scale and Peak Ground Acceleration Comparison
One tool used to describe earthquake intensity is the Magnitude Scale. The Magnitude Scale is sometimes referred to as the Richter Scale. The two are similar but not exactly the same. The Magnitude Scale was devised as a means of rating earthquake strength and is an indirect measure of seismic energy released. The Scale is logarithmic with each one-point increase corresponding to a 10-fold increase in the amplitude of the seismic shock waves generated by the earthquake. In terms of actual energy released, however, each one-point increase on the Richter scale corresponds to about a 32-fold increase in energy released. Therefore, a Magnitude 7 (M7) earthquake is 100 times (10 X 10) more powerful than a M5 earthquake and releases Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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1,024 times (32 X 32) the energy. Table 3.7 compares the Mercalli Scale and Peak Ground Acceleration.

Table 3.7: Mercalli Scale and Peak Ground Acceleration Comparison (Source: USGS)
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-b.

Q: Does the plan include information on the location of each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i))
A: See Local Conditions, Map 3.1 below.

Local Conditions
According to the City of Signal Hill General Plan - Safety Element (2016), Signal Hill is located in a seismically active region, and major regional faults create the risk of substantial earth shaking and potential ground rupture in the area. Within Los Angeles County, there are over 50 active and potentially active fault segments, an undetermined number of buried faults, and at least 4 blind-thrust faults capable of producing damaging earthquakes. See Map 3.1 below.

Several active faults have been identified within close proximity or within the City boundaries which, most importantly, indicates that the community falls under the State Earthquake Fault Zoning Act and the State Hazards Mapping Act. These Acts require that local governments, in the general plan update process, adopt policies and criteria to ensure the structural adequacy of buildings erected across active faults for human occupancy. In some cases, the development of structures must be prohibited.

Earthquakes that could affect the City would most likely originate from the San Andreas, NewportInglewood, or Puente Hills Faults. These faults are close enough in proximity or expected to generate strong enough shaking that could affect the City.

San Andreas Fault Zone
The San Andreas Fault Zone is located approximately 40 miles northeast of the City of Signal Hill.

This fault zone extends from the Gulf of California northward to the Cape Mendocino area where it continues northward along the ocean floor. The total length of the San Andreas Fault Zone is approximately 750 miles. The activity of the fault has been recorded during historic events, Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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including the 1906 (M8.0) event in San Francisco and the 1857 (M7.9) event between Cholame and San Bernardino, where at least 250 miles of surface rupture occurred. These seismic events are among the most significant earthquakes in California history. Geologic evidence suggests that the San Andreas Fault has a 50 percent chance of producing a magnitude 7.5 to 8.5 quake (comparable to the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906) within the next 30 years.

Map 3.1: Regional Faults and Historical Earthquakes
(Source: General Plan-Safety Element, 2016)
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Newport-Inglewood Fault Zone
Locally, the Newport-Inglewood Fault System cuts diagonally across Signal Hill. This is the most significant seismic feature in the area and is considered seismically active. The 1933 Long Beach earthquake resulted from activity on this fault. Within the Newport-Inglewood Fault System, five faults have been identified in and in the immediate vicinity of Signal Hill: the Cherry Hill Fault, Pickler Fault, Northeast Flank Fault, Reservoir Hill Fault, and Wardlow Fault. These faults are generally in a northwest-to-southeast alignment. The Wardlow Fault is a pre-quaternary fault that has not ruptured in at least 2 million years and is therefore considered inactive. All other faults are considered active.

The Newport-Inglewood Fault System is a nearly linear alignment of faults extending 45 miles along the southwestern side of the Los Angeles basin. It can be traced as a series of topographic hills, ridges, and mesas from the Santa Monica Mountains to Newport Beach, where it trends offshore. Structures along the zone of deformation act as groundwater barriers and, at greater depths, as petroleum traps. Continuing seismic activity has been evidenced most prominently in recent times by the 1920 Inglewood and 1933 Long Beach earthquakes.

Puente Hills Fault
The Puente Hills fault is located approximately 15 miles northeast of the City. According to USGS, the Puente Hills Fault was most recently responsible for the M5.1 La Habra earthquake on March 28, 2014, which caused an estimated $2.6 million in damage. The USGS estimates that a future, larger M7.5 earthquake along the Puente Hills fault could kill 3,000 to 18,000 people and cause up to $250 billion in damage. In contrast, a larger M8.0 quake along the San Andreas would cause an estimated 1,800 deaths.

Whittier Fault
The Whittier Fault is a 25 mile right-lateral strike-slip fault that runs along the Chino Hills range between the cities of Chino Hills and Whittier. It is estimated that this fault could generate up to a magnitude 7.2 earthquake.

Estimation of Potential Human and Economic Losses Based on the Exposure and Vulnerability of People, Buildings, and Infrastructure
A vulnerability assessment in its simplest form is a simultaneous look at the geographical location of hazards and an inventory of the underlying land uses (populations, structures, etc.). Facilities that provide critical and essential services following a major emergency are of particular concern because these locations house staff and equipment necessary to provide important public safety, emergency response, and/or disaster recovery functions. The discussion below on HAZUS (Hazards United States) includes information on how loss projections were determined.

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Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-c.

Q: Does the plan describe the extent for each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(ii)) A: See Map 3.2-3.4 below.

HAZUS
The hazard maps in the mitigation plan were generated by Emergency Planning Consultants using FEMA’s Hazards United States – Multi Hazard (HAZUS-MH) software program. Below are the maps
generated by HAZUS. The associated reports are available separately. Once the location and size of a hypothetical earthquake are identified, HAZUS-MH estimates the intensity of the ground shaking, the number of buildings damaged, the number of casualties, the amount of damage to transportation systems and utilities, the number of people displaced from their homes, and the estimated cost of repair and clean up. It’s important to note that the “project are” is based on Census tracts not jurisdictional boundaries.

Map 3.2: HAZUS – Newport-Inglewood M7.2
(Source: Emergency Planning Consultants)
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Map 3.3: HAZUS – Palos Verdes M7.4
(Source: Emergency Planning Consultants)
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Map 3.4: HAZUS – Southern San Andreas M7.9
(Source: Emergency Planning Consultants)
Liquefaction Area
According to the Safety Element, liquefaction presents the most prominent secondary earthquake ground failure issue in the city. Liquefaction-related lateral spreads can occur adjacent to stream channels and deep washes that provide a free face toward which the liquefied mass of soil fails.

Lateral spreads can cause extensive damage to pipelines, utilities, bridges, roads and other structures.

Map 3.5 depicts the liquefaction areas in Signal Hil. Liquefaction hazards in Signal Hill are generally low due to low groundwater levels. However, there are limited areas of liquefaction potential located in the southwestern portion of the City.

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Map 3.5: Liquefaction Areas
(Source: MyPlan CalOES, 2025)
Note: Liquefaction shown in green
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-d.

Q: Does the plan include the history of previous hazard events for each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i))
A: See Previous Earthquakes Impacting Signal Hill, Previous Earthquakes Impacting Los Angeles County, and Table 3.7 below.

Previous Earthquakes Impacting Signal Hill
The following earthquake events significantly impacted the region surrounding the City of Signal Hill.

In January 1994, the magnitude 6.7 Northridge Earthquake (thrust fault) which produced severe ground motion, caused 57 deaths, 9,253 injuries and left over 20,000 displaced. Scientists have stated that such devastating shaking should be considered the norm near any large thrust earthquake. Recent reports from scientists of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Southern California Earthquake Center say that the Los Angeles Area could expect one earthquake every year of magnitude 5.0 or more for the foreseeable future.

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Since the writing of the 2012 Mitigation Plan, there have been no significant earthquake events in the City of Signal Hill.

Previous Earthquakes Impacting Los Angeles County
According to the County of Los Angeles All-Hazards Mitigation Plan (2019), significant earthquakes in the county over the past 50 years included the following:

Table 3.8: Previous Earthquakes Impacting Los Angeles County (Source: County of Los Angeles AHMP; FEMA Disaster Declaration, 2024) Date Location Federal
Declaration Impact
July 6, 2019 Ridgecrest (M 7.1) NA fires reported as a result of gas leaks no reported major injuries, deaths or major
building damage
March 28, 2014 La Habra (M 5.1) NA few injuries and $10 million dollars in damages July 29, 2008 Chino Hills (M 5.5) NA 8 injuries and limited damages January 17, 1994 Northridge (M 6.7) DR-1008-CA 57 deaths, 8,700 injuries and up to $40 billion dollars in damages
June 28, 1991 Sierra Madre (M 5.6) NA 1 death, 100+ injuries and up to $40 million dollars in damages
February 28, 1990 Upland (M 5.7) NA 30 injuries and $12.7 million dollars in damages
October 1, 1987 Whitter (M 5.9) DR-799-CA 8 deaths, 200 injuries and $358 million in damages
February 9, 1971 San Fernando (M

6.6)
DR-299-CA 58 – 65 deaths, 200 – 2,000 injuries and up to $553 million in damages
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-e.

Q: Does the plan include the probability of future events for each identified hazard? Does the plan describe the effects of future conditions, including climate change (e.g., long-term weather patterns, average temperature and sea levels), on the type, location and range of anticipated intensities of identified hazards? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i)) A: See Probability of Future Earthquakes, Climate Change Considerations below.

Probability of Future Earthquakes
Earthquakes occur every day throughout California. However, earthquakes that cause widespread catastrophic damage do not happen often. When conducting the risk assessment, the planning team determined that the probability of a catastrophic earthquake affecting Signal Hill is likely with an annual probability of occurrence being between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 years.

Climate Change Considerations
According to an article published by PBS (See Attachments), “The connection between earthquakes and climate change is slightly less straightforward, and certainly less influential.

Most earthquakes occur when tectonic plates within the Earth’s crust change or move. Many Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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things can lead to this, but where climate change comes into play is once again related to water.

Earthquakes can be triggered or prevented by variability in stress on a fault between tectonic plates. Stress on these faults is impacted by surface water from rain or snow. When there is heavier rainfall, this precipitation and any subsequent flooding increases stress and decreases seismicity. When the season dries up and there’s less water, the weight on the Earth’s crust decreases and this can lead to micro-seismicity.

As of now, the majority of the connection between earthquakes and climate change is with microseismicity, or tiny earthquakes, which have magnitudes of less than zero and are so small that humans can’t feel them. While additional connections can be made, such as impacts from pumping groundwater during droughts, connections between larger earthquakes and climate change have largely not been proven, though the rapid movement of glaciers has also been shown to cause glacial earthquakes.”
Windstorm
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-a.

Q: Does the plan describe all natural hazards that can affect the jurisdiction(s) in the planning area, and does it provide the rationale if omitting any natural hazards that are commonly recognized to affect the jurisdiction(s) in the planning area? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i)) A: See Description below.

Description
Santa Ana winds are generally defined as warm, dry winds that blow from the east or northeast (offshore). These winds occur below the passes and canyons of the coastal ranges of Southern California and in the Los Angeles and Orange County basins. Santa Ana winds often blow with exceptional speed in the Santa Ana Canyon (the canyon from which it derives its name).

Forecasters at the National Weather Service offices in Oxnard and San Diego usually place speed minimums on these winds and reserve the use of "Santa Ana" for winds greater than 25 knots.” These winds accelerate to speeds of 35 knots as they move through canyons and passes, with gusts to 50 or even 60 knots.

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Infographic 3.2: Santa Ana Winds
Source: A screenshot from the USGS film "Living with Fire" The complex topography of Southern California combined with various atmospheric conditions creates numerous scenarios that may cause widespread or isolated Santa Ana events.

Commonly, Santa Ana winds develop when a region of high pressure builds over the Great Basin (the high plateau east of the Sierra Mountains and west of the Rocky Mountains including most of Nevada and Utah). Clockwise circulation around the center of this high-pressure area forces air downslope from the high plateau. The air warms as it descends toward the California coast at the rate of five degrees F per 1,000 feet due to compressional heating. Thus, compressional heating provides the primary source of warming. The air is dry since it originated in the desert, and it dries out even more as it is heated.

These regional winds typically occur from October to March, and, according to most accounts are named either for the Santa Ana River Valley where they originate, or for the Santa Ana Canyon, southeast of Los Angeles, where they pick up speed.

Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-c.

Q: Does the plan describe the extent for each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(ii)) A: See Table 3.9 below.

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Table 3.9: Beaufort Scale
Source: National Weather Service
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-b.

Q: Does the plan include information on the location of each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i))
A: See Local Conditions below.

Local Conditions
According to the Planning Team, Signal Hill is at increased risk of windstorm damage – especially from falling trees.

Recent drought conditions have significantly increased the vulnerability of trees due to lack of necessary water. Additionally, eucalyptus trees within Signal Hill are specifically and currently prone to pest infestation. The infected, dying trees are increasingly vulnerable to severe Santa Ana wind conditions.

Historically, high wind conditions have caused injury, death, property damage, and fanned wildfires. Windstorms with significant intensity have been responsible for the sinking of watercraft and the downing of aircraft resulting in the loss of life. The most common wind condition is the Santa Ana Wind. This condition has generated winds that have exceeded 100 mph. Wind velocities of up to 111 mph have been generated from the same Santa Ana wind, resulting in the loss of life due to flying debris.

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Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-d.

Q: Does the plan include the history of previous hazard events for each identified hazard? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i))
A: See Previous Windstorms Impacting Signal Hill, Previous Windstorms Impacting Los Angeles County below.

Previous Windstorm Impacting Signal Hill
Severe windstorms pose a significant risk to life and property in Signal Hill by creating conditions that disrupt essential systems such as public utilities, telecommunications, and transportation routes. High winds can and do occasionally cause tornado-like damage to local homes and businesses in and near the community. High winds have a destructive impact, especially on trees, power lines, and utility services.

Previous Windstorm Impacting Los Angeles County
Table 3.10: Significant Windstorm Impacting Los Angeles County Source: FEMA Disaster Declaration, 2024
Date Location
Federal
Declaration
State
Executive
Order/State of
Emergency
Declaration Title
March 10, 2023 Los Angeles
County
EM-3592-CA Severe Winter Storms, Flooding,
Landslides, and Mudslides
January 14, 2023
Los Angeles
County
DR-4683-CA Severe Winter Storms, Flooding,
Landslides, and Mudslides
January 9, 2023
Los Angeles
County
EM-3591-CA Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and
Mudslides
August 18, 2023
Fresno,
Imperial, Inyo,
Kern, Los
Angeles,
Orange,
Riverside, San
Bernardino,
San Diego,
Tulare, and
Ventura
NA State of
Emergency
Hurricane Hilary related flooding
March 16, 2017
Los Angeles
County
DR-4305-CA Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and
Mudslides
February 3, 1993
Los Angeles
County
DR-979-CA Severe Winter Storms, Mud &
Landslides, Flooding
February 25, 1992
Los Angeles
County
DR-935-CA Rain/Snow/Windstorms, Flooding,
Mudslides
February 5, 1988
Los Angeles
County
DR-812-CA
Severe Storms, High Tides & Flooding
February 21 1980
Los Angeles
County
DR-615-CA
Severe Storms, Mudslides & Flooding
February 15 1978
Los Angeles
County
DR-547-CA
Coastal Storms, Mudslides & Flooding
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January 26, 1969
Los Angeles
County
DR-253-CA
Severe Storms & Flooding
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B1-e.

Q: Does the plan include the probability of future events for each identified hazard? Does the plan describe the effects of future conditions, including climate change (e.g., long-term weather patterns, average temperature and sea levels), on the type, location and range of anticipated intensities of identified hazards? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(i)) A: See Probability of Future Windstorm Events , Climate Change Considerations below.

Probability of Future Windstorm Events
When conducting the Risk Assessment, the Planning Team determined that the probability of a catastrophic windstorm event affecting Signal Hill is likely with an annual probability of occurrence being between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 years.

Climate Change Considerations
According to the State Hazard Mitigation Plan, the frequency and severity of severe wind, weather, and storm events is anticipated to increase over the next 30 years due to the impacts of climate change.

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Chapter 4: Vulnerability and Impacts
The vulnerability and impacts assessment process analyzes the potential harm of the prioritized hazard events discussed in Chapter 3: Risk Assessment.

Vulnerability and Impact Assessment Process
The vulnerability and impact assessment examines the potential harm that may result from a hazard event, without factoring in its likelihood. This means that equal attention is given to hazards regardless of their probability. The assessment evaluates three key aspects of each hazard on assets: the physical threat posed to facilities, the social threat to vulnerable populations, and the potential impact on other assets. The FEMA Handbook categorizes assets as follows:

People
Structures
Economy
Natural, Historic, and Cultural Resources
Activities Bringing Value to the Community
People
People are the community’s most important asset. In the context of this discussion, people are defined as individuals who live and/or work in Signal Hill.

Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-a.

Q: Does the plan provide an overall summary of each jurisdiction’s vulnerability to the identified hazards? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(ii))
A: See Vulnerability of People, Table 4.1 Graphics 4.1-4.2 below.

Vulnerability of People
Disasters affect all populations; however, some populations are more adversely affected because of a higher level of social vulnerability.

According to The Guide to Expanding Mitigation – Making the Connection to Equity, social vulnerability is defined in terms of the characteristics of a person or group that affect “their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the impact” of a discrete and identifiable disaster in nature or society.

Using FEMA’s Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT), census tract data was used to understand what census tracts might be more vulnerable. Many of the maps in the People section were created using data provided by RAPT. RAPT is a free, publicly available geographic information systems (GIS) tool to help emergency managers and community partners of all GIS skill levels to visualize Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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and assess potential challenges to community resilience. RAPT includes over 100 pre-loaded data layers and the tool’s functionality allows users to visualize combinations of these data layers for a specific location. One of the layers includes community demographics for counties, census tracts, and tribes drawn primarily from the U.S. Census Bureau. RAPT includes 27 demographic layers, including 22 community resilience challenges indicators identified from peer-reviewed research, and FEMA’s Community Resilience Challenges Index (CRCI) for counties and census tracts, a composite value of all 22 community resilience challenges indicators. The graphics below outline the community resilience indicators.

Graphic 4.1: RAPT People & Community Indicators
Source: FEMA Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT) Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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Graphic 4.2: RAPT Infrastructure Indicators
Source: FEMA Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT) Graphic 4.3: RAPT Hazard and Risk Indicators
Source: FEMA Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT) Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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A person’s vulnerability to disaster is influenced by many factors. According to CDC’s Planning for an Emergency:

Strategies for Identifying and Engaging At-Risk Group, the following six categories are among the most commonly
accepted factors: socioeconomic status, age, gender, race and ethnicity, English language proficiency, and medical issues and disability. These categories were used to analyze the vulnerability of people in Signal Hill. The compounding effects of these factors will further impact an individual’s ability to withstand the effects of disasters and other hazards.

Below is an overview of the six contributing factors of social vulnerability and a summary of Signal Hills social
vulnerabilities. Due to a limitation on data that is currently available it is not known exactly where in the city those who are more vulnerable may reside.

Age
The old and young are particularly vulnerable during disasters. Age can contribute to cognitive development, physical ability and mobility, socioeconomic stats, and access to resources that can help the individual prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters and other hazard events.

For example, individuals 65 and older can have mobility challenges and other ailments that can prevent them from properly preparing for a disaster. At the same time, children are reliant on their parents or guardians to provide for them. Their ability to withstand a disaster is highly dependent on their parents or guardians. Children are more vulnerable to disasters when they are separated from their parents while at school or daycare.

Race and Ethnicity
According to Planning for an Emergency: Strategies for Identifying and Engaging At-Risk Group, “Race and ethnicity contribute to social vulnerabilities. Race and ethnicity are tied to issues of socioeconomic status. Social and economic marginalization contributes to the vulnerability of these groups”
Gender
According to Planning for an Emergency: Strategies for Identifying and Engaging At-Risk Group, “gender does not necessarily indicate vulnerability or disadvantage. However, gender intersects with social patterns and inequalities can arise from gender differences. During a disaster, females might be more vulnerable because of differences in employment, lower income, and family responsibilities, as most single-parent households are single-mother families.

However, females are a strong influence in mobilizing response to a warning. Females are also more likely to be effective risk communicators through being active participants in the community.

They also might know more neighborhood information that can assist emergency managers.

Although many families evacuate together, it is not uncommon for males to stay behind to guard the property or to continue working as the family provider. Males are also more likely to be risk takers and might not heed warnings.”
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Medical Issues and Disability
Individuals with disabilities are disproportionately affected by disasters. Individuals with disabilities have a higher rate of fatality, and exclusion during disasters. They also have greater challenges during recovery. Understanding the disability demographics of a community gives the community the opportunity to identify and plan for the access and functional needs their communities’ members might need during a disaster.

Socioeconomic Status
The ability for an individual to prepare for, mitigate against, respond to, and recover from disasters often depends on the availability of key resources. It is logical to assume that individuals with a higher socioeconomic status are in a better position to acquire key resources than individuals with a lower socioeconomic status. Factors that contribute to socioeconomic status include income, education, occupation, and housing. According to Planning for an Emergency: Strategies for Identifying and Engaging At-Risk Group, people with lower socioeconomic status more likely lack resources needed to follow emergency preparedness instructions. They might be unable to stockpile food, for example. They might be unwilling or unable to stay home from work and lose a day’s pay or evacuate and leave their home during an emergency. By identifying at-risk groups ahead of time, you can plan more efficient evacuations and specifically target people who need transportation or special assistance (e.g., those without a vehicle).

English Language Proficiency
The ability to communicate with others during a disaster is imperative for residents to be able to take the necessary precautions related to the disaster. When individuals do not speak the language in which emergency information is presented, it can negatively influence the individual’s ability to comprehend the situation and take appropriate action.

Summary of Social Vulnerabilities in Signal Hill
The infographic below summarizes the demographic profile of Signal Hill including the contributing factors of social vulnerability.

Signal Hill, California, has a population of 11,436 with a median age of 39. The city has 4,520 households, a median household income of $102,604, and a relatively high diversity index of 89.

The daytime population rises to 19,095 due to businesses and workers. While the city has a strong economic base, 9% of households fall below the poverty level, and 746 households include individuals with disabilities. Additionally, 1,613 residents are seniors, and 2,184 are children under 18, making these groups more vulnerable during emergencies.

Key risks include limited transportation and connectivity, with 171 households lacking a vehicle and 4% of households having no internet access. Language barriers may also impact emergency response, as 26 seniors speak only Spanish. While the city has one hospital, four schools, and six fueling centers, it lacks assisted living centers and community centers, potentially leaving gaps in services for at-risk populations. These factors highlight the need for targeted support for seniors, low-income households, and individuals with disabilities to ensure their safety and wellbeing, especially in times of crisis.

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Graphic 4.1: Demographic Emergency Information
Source: Esri Business Analyst, 2025
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Graphic 4.2: At Rist Population Profile
Source: Esri Business Analyst, 2025
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Social Vulnerability Index
The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) is a free, web-based tool developed at CDC by the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry’s Geospatial Research, Analysis and Services Program (GRASP). The SVI was designed to help emergency managers identify and map communities that will most likely need support before, during, and after a disaster. This tool allows you to visualize population-level social vulnerabilities to help emergency planners and responders better prepare for and respond to disasters.

The SVI uses U.S. Census and American Community Survey data to identify at-risk groups by ranking all U.S. census tracts by level of social vulnerability. Census tracts are subdivisions of counties for which the Census collects statistical data. The SVI ranks, at national-level or statelevel, each tract on 16 social factors. The 16 social factors are outlined in Figure 4.2.

Figure 4.2: Social Vulnerability Index Themes and Social Factors Source: Planning for an Emergency: Strategies for identifying and Engaging At-Risk Groups, CDC Map 4.4 below depicts the overall vulnerability for the City of Signal Hill. The areas in yellow represent the census tracts with a higher social vulnerability index. An SVI in the 75th percentile or above is considered high. There are no census tracts within the city that have a high SVI.

Table 4.5 outlines the three census tracts that have a high SVI and the threat the census tract has to the different hazards identified by the planning team.

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Map 4.4: Signal Hill Social Vulnerability Index Map
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index, 2024
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Table 4.1: Hazard Vulnerability to People
(Source: Emergency Planning Consultants)
(Note: “X” indicates affirmative, Census Tract with an asterisk indicates a tract with high SVI) Census Tract in
Signal Hill
DroughtEarthquakeWindstorm
06037573401 X X X
06037573402 X X X
06037573403 X X X
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-b.

Q: For each participating jurisdiction, does the plan describe the potential impacts of each of the identified hazards on each participating jurisdiction? (Requirement §201.6(c)(2)(ii)) A: See Impact Profile of People below.

Impact Profile of People
Drought
A drought in Signal Hill, California, could have widespread consequences for residents, especially vulnerable populations such as seniors, low-income households, and individuals with disabilities.

With 1,613 seniors and 746 households including disabled individuals, prolonged water shortages could lead to health risks, particularly for those who rely on water-intensive medical equipment or have conditions exacerbated by dehydration and heat. Low-income households, which make up 9% of the city, may struggle with rising water costs, making it harder to afford basic necessities.

Additionally, 4% of households lack internet access, potentially limiting their ability to receive drought-related emergency information and conservation resources.

A drought could also impact businesses and workers, as Signal Hill has a daytime population of 19,095, including 1,288 businesses. Water restrictions could disrupt industries that depend on water, leading to job losses or reduced economic activity. The city’s limited emergency resources—such as a single hospital and no assisted living centers—could strain public health services if water-related illnesses or extreme heat events increase.

Earthquake
An earthquake in Signal Hill, California, could significantly impact its residents, particularly vulnerable populations such as seniors, low-income households, and individuals with disabilities.

With 1,613 seniors, 746 households with disabled individuals, and 419 households below the poverty level, these groups may struggle with evacuation, accessing medical care, or recovering from property damage. Additionally, 171 households without a vehicle could face transportation challenges if emergency evacuations are necessary. Limited English proficiency among some seniors could also hinder communication during crisis response efforts. Additionally, with 19,095 people present during the daytime due to businesses, an earthquake during work hours could leave many individuals stranded or injured, increasing the demand for emergency services.

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Windstorm
A windstorm in Signal Hill, California, could pose serious risks to residents, particularly vulnerable groups such as seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income households. With 1,613 seniors and 746 households including people with disabilities, power outages and transportation disruptions could leave many without essential medical equipment, heating, or communication.

Households without a vehicle (171) may also struggle to evacuate or access emergency resources if roads become blocked by fallen trees or debris. Additionally, 4% of households lack internet access, which could hinder their ability to receive emergency alerts and updates.

Windstorms can also cause structural damage, downed power lines, and road hazards, affecting Signal Hill’s 19,095 daytime population and 1,288 businesses. The city’s limited emergency infrastructure—one hospital, a single public safety building, and no assisted living centers—could result in delayed emergency response times. Businesses and workers may also face disruptions due to power outages and property damage.

Structures
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-a.

Q: Does the plan provide an overall summary of each jurisdiction’s vulnerability to the identified hazards? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(ii))
A: See Vulnerability of Structures and Table 4.6 below.

Vulnerability of Structures
Structures include critical facilities, properties and structures that serve vital functions in government operations and the services offered to the community. These may include local government offices and yards, community centers, public safety buildings such as police and fire stations, schools, and other properties deemed essential for city operations. Additionally, some critical facilities may serve dual roles if designated as public assembly points during emergencies.

While many critical facilities are owned by the city, certain ones, such as utilities and telecommunication infrastructure, may be privately owned and operated.

FEMA separates critical buildings and facilities into the five categories shown below based on their loss potential. All of the following elements are considered critical facilities:

Essential Facilities are essential to the health and welfare of the whole population and are especially important following hazard events. Essential facilities include hospitals and other medical facilities, police and fire stations, emergency operations centers and evacuation shelters, and schools.

Transportation Systems include airways – airports, heliports; highways – bridges, tunnels, roadbeds, overpasses, transfer centers; railways – trackage, tunnels, bridges, rail yards, depots; and waterways – canals, locks, seaports, ferries, harbors, drydocks, piers.

Lifeline Utility Systems such as potable water, wastewater, oil, natural gas, electric power and communication systems.

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High Potential Loss Facilities are facilities that would have a high loss associated with them, such as nuclear power plants, dams, and military installations.

Hazardous Materials Facilities include facilities housing industrial/hazardous materials, such as corrosives, explosives, flammable materials, radioactive materials, and toxins.

The Planning Team identified nine City-owned facilities as “critical”. The Team also identified five other facilities that are not owned by the city but are deemed critical. Table 4.2 below illustrates the hazards with potential to impact critical facilities owned by or providing critical services to the City of Signal Hill.

Table 4.2: Hazard Vulnerability to Structures
(Source: Planning Team, Emergency Planning Consultants) (Note: “X” indicates affirmative)
City of Signal Hill Critical Facilities
Drought Earthquake Windstorm
City of Signal Hill
City Hall
2175 Cherry Avenue
# Staff: 35
# Buildings: 1
Value of Buildings: $3,725,000
Value of Contents: $275,000
Total Value: $4,000,000
X
X
X
Police Department (includes Emergency
Operations Center)
2745 Walnut Avenue
# Staff: 56
# Buildings: 2
Value of Buildings: $8,848,000
Value of Contents: $706,000
Total Value: $9,554,000
X
X
X
City Yard
2175 East 28th Street
# Staff: 13
# Buildings: 3
Value of Buildings: $3,064,400
Value of Contents: $231,000
Total Value: $3,295,400
X
X
X
Community Center
1780 East Hill Street
# Staff: 15
# Buildings: 1
Value of Buildings: $3,146,000
Value of Contents: $46,000
Total Value: $3,192,000
X
X
X
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City of Signal Hill Critical Facilities
Drought Earthquake Windstorm
Hilltop Park
2351 Dawson Avenue
# Staff: 0
# Buildings: 1
Value of Buildings: $104,900
Value of Contents: $0
Total Value: $104,900
X X X
Library
1800 East Hill Street
# Staff: 15
# Buildings: 1
Value of Buildings: $18,503,650
Value of Contents: $1,613,790
Total Value: $20,117,440
X X X
Long Beach Unified School District
Signal Hill Elementary
2285 Walnut Avenue
X
X
X
Alvarado Elementary School
990 East 21st Street X
X
X
Jessie E. Nelson Academy
1260 East 33rd Street X
X
X
Los Angeles County X
Los Angeles County Fire - Signal Hill Station
2300 East 27th Street
X
X
X
Based on available data provided by the city, there is a minimum of $40,263,740 worth of city owned property and contents that were analyzed. The total potential loss value of all City-owned and non-City-owned assets is much higher but is unknown due to data limitations.

The possibility that all facilities will be completely damaged simultaneously is extremely rare. Most of the impacts of the hazards that were analyzed are anticipated to be isolated to certain locations.

To better understand the magnitude of impacts, this plan identifies representative percentages of potential impact based on the total valuation of city assets. For planning purposes, we identified different tiers of impact that could occur. It is reasonable to assume that impacts would not exceed 50% of the total asset value city-wide during a single event. The following are parameters to help understand how much a proposed investment/improvement compares to the existing assets within the city:
• 1% Impact – $402,637
• 5% Impact – $2,013,187
• 10% Impact – $4,026,374
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• 20% Impact – $8,052,748
• 50% Impact – $20,131,870
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-b.

Q: For each participating jurisdiction, does the plan describe the potential impacts of each of the identified hazards on each participating jurisdiction? (Requirement §201.6(c)(2)(ii)) A: See Impact Profile of Structures below.

Impact Profile of Structures
Drought
The most immediate impact of a drought is on the water supply. Signal Hill relies on both surface and groundwater sources, which can become depleted during prolonged droughts. This can lead to water rationing, affecting residential, commercial, and industrial users. Reduced water availability can strain the city's ability to provide adequate water for drinking, sanitation, and fire suppression, compromising public health and safety. All commercial and residential property in Signal Hill can be affected by drought. Most of the impact will be from the related hazards such as competition for water supply and disruption of public infrastructure. Reduced water supply leaves property vulnerable to fires. Dried vegetation around properties also increases the vulnerability to fires.

Prolonged drought conditions can weaken soil stability, leading to ground subsidence. This can cause damage to roads, bridges, and pipelines, increasing maintenance costs and potentially leading to hazardous conditions. Water mains and sewage systems can also be affected by soil movement, leading to leaks and breaks that further strain the city's water resources. Public parks and recreational areas may face restrictions on water use for irrigation, leading to degraded landscapes and reduced green spaces. This can affect the quality of life for residents and reduce the city's attractiveness for tourism and community events.

The City-owned critical facilities include 9 buildings with property and contents valued at $40,263,740 based on estimates in 2024. The severe ground shaking and soil liquefaction will result in significant damage or total destruction of these facilities and can be catastrophic for the City of Singal Hill.

Earthquake
Structures include physical buildings, lifelines, and critical infrastructure in a community. All properties and occupants in Signal Hill can be either directly impacted or affected by earthquakes.

It is estimated more than a third of the planning area’s building stock was built prior to 1975, when seismic provisions became uniformly applied through building code applications. These buildings are at a higher risk of damage from earthquakes. Due to limitations in current modeling abilities, the risk to critical facilities in the planning area from the earthquake hazard is likely understated.

A more thorough review of the age of critical facilities, codes they were built to, and location on liquefiable soils should be conducted. Damage to transportation systems in the planning area after an earthquake has the potential to significantly disrupt response and recovery efforts and lead to isolation of populations. Additionally, seismic events can damage communication systems, complicating efforts to coordinate response to the event. Many structures may need seismic retrofits in order to withstand a moderate earthquake. Residential retrofit programs, such as Earthquake Brace+Bolt, may be able to assist in the costs of these efforts.

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The City-owned critical facilities include 9 buildings with property and contents valued at $40,263,740 based on estimates in 2024. The severe ground shaking and soil liquefaction will result in significant damage or total destruction of these facilities and can be catastrophic for the City of Singal Hill.

Windstorm
A windstorm in Signal Hill could have significant consequences for city-owned facilities, affecting public services, infrastructure, and emergency response. Strong winds can cause structural damage to government buildings, police and fire stations, and public works facilities, potentially delaying critical services. Facilities with older or weaker structures may suffer roof damage, broken windows, or water intrusion if the storm brings heavy rain.

The City-owned critical facilities include 9 buildings with property and contents valued at $40,263,740 based on estimates in 2024. The severe ground shaking and soil liquefaction will result in significant damage or total destruction of these facilities and can be catastrophic for the City of Singal Hill.

Economy
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-a.

Q: Does the plan provide an overall summary of each jurisdiction’s vulnerability to the identified hazards? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(ii))
A: See Vulnerability to Economy and Table 4.3 below.

Vulnerability to Economy
Signal Hill has several assets that have an important impact on the city’s economy. Several of these economic assets overlap with the assets outlined in Structures as they are community lifelines. These assets include major employers and any impact from hazards has the potential of causing debilitating consequences to the local economy. These assets include two Home Depots, Costco Wholesale, two Office Depots, and Target.

Table 4.3: Hazard Vulnerability to Economic Assets
(Source: 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, Emergency Planning Consultants) (Note: “X” indicates affirmative, asterisk indicates asset is included as a Structure as well) Economic Assets
DroughtEarthquakeWindstorm
Home Depot – 433 employees
2450 Cherry Avenue, Signal Hill
751 E Spring Street, Signal Hill
X X X
Costco – 366 employees
2200 E Willow Street, Signal Hill X X X
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Economic Assets
DroughtEarthquakeWindstorm
Office Depot – 256 employees
3366 E Willow Street, Signal Hill
2301 E Willow Street, Signal Hill
X X X
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-b.

Q: For each participating jurisdiction, does the plan describe the potential impacts of each of the identified hazards on each participating jurisdiction? (Requirement §201.6(c)(2)(ii)) A: See Impact Profile of Economy below.

Impact Profile of Economy
Home Depot
The Home Depot in Monterey Park is a large home improvement retail store that serves the community by offering a broad selection of products for DIY projects, construction, renovation, and home maintenance. Located conveniently off the Pomona Freeway (60), this Home Depot is frequented by homeowners, contractors, and businesses in the San Gabriel Valley and nearby areas. Locations offer fresh produce, meats, dairy, frozen foods, and pantry staples, along with a variety of organic and specialty products. The store also includes sections for bakery goods, deli items, and prepared foods, making it a convenient spot for both daily shopping and quick meals.
• Drought: A drought could impact Home Depot in Signal Hill by disrupting waterdependent operations, increasing business costs, and affecting customer traffic. Water restrictions might limit watering of plants, cleaning services, restrooms, and cooling systems, potentially making the store less comfortable for employees and shoppers. If the drought leads to power outages due to increased energy demand for cooling, Office Depot’s ability to provide printing, tech support, and other essential services could be affected. Additionally, supply chain disruptions caused by drought-related agricultural and manufacturing slowdowns could impact inventory availability, especially for plants, bottled water, and water-intensive goods. Rising operational costs due to increased water and energy prices might also lead to higher prices for consumers. If a severe drought affects the local economy, businesses may reduce repairs and improvements, further impacting sales.
• Earthquake: Home Depot plays a crucial role in providing tools, appliances, and other home building materials to the community. Earthquake damage could result in the loss of inventory, structural damage to buildings, and potential safety hazards for both employees and customers. The stores might also face supply chain disruptions, affecting their ability to restock essential items quickly. Even if the stores remained operational, the economic impacts of the earthquake could lead to a decrease in consumer spending, impacting the revenue of these stores. Damage to the store and inventory might also delay recovery efforts as home repair items will not be readily available after an earthquake.

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• Windstorm: Due to the square footage of outdoor displays including all types of landscaping and wood products including fencing materials, it would be necessary to block off these areas from the public. Dangers could also exist as customers enter and exit the buildings – especially if they have carts with protruding objects that could fly away. Also, the carts themselves become hazardous in a strong wind which poses a threat to employees and customers. If other weather conditions have created an environment for wildfires, a high wind could certainly trigger a Public Safety Power Shutoff. Depending on the capacity of the store to provide its own temporary power, its possible sales would need to be discontinued upon the restoration of power.

Office Depot
The Office Depot in Signal Hill, California offers a wide range of office supplies, technology products, and business services. It provides printing, copying, shredding, tech support, TSA PreCheck® enrollment, and shipping services through FedEx and USPS. The store operates Monday through Sunday with varying hours and offers curbside pickup and free next-businessday shipping on qualifying orders. Additionally, it provides ink and toner recycling, self-serve printing, and tech trade-in services.
• Drought: A drought could impact the Office Depot in Signal Hill by disrupting waterdependent operations, increasing business costs, and affecting customer traffic. Water restrictions might limit cleaning services, restrooms, and cooling systems, potentially making the store less comfortable for employees and shoppers. If the drought leads to power outages due to increased energy demand for cooling, Office Depot’s ability to provide printing, tech support, and other essential services could be affected.

Additionally, supply chain disruptions caused by drought-related agricultural and manufacturing slowdowns could impact inventory availability, especially for paper products and other water-intensive goods. Rising operational costs due to increased water and energy prices might also lead to higher prices for consumers. If a severe drought affects the local economy, businesses may reduce office supply purchases, further impacting sales.
• Earthquake: An earthquake could have significant impacts on the Office Depot in Signal Hill, affecting its infrastructure, operations, and customer access. Structural damage to the building, such as collapsed shelving, broken windows, or compromised electrical and plumbing systems, could force temporary closure for repairs. If roadways are damaged or blocked, deliveries of office supplies and technology products might be delayed, leading to inventory shortages.

Additionally, power outages could disrupt essential services such as printing, tech support, and payment processing, reducing the store's ability to serve customers.

Employee safety could also be a concern, as staff may be unable to commute or may need time off to recover from personal losses. If surrounding businesses are also affected, reduced economic activity could lead to lower customer demand. • Windstorm: A windstorm could significantly impact the Office Depot in Signal Hill by causing structural damage, supply chain disruptions, and operational challenges. High winds could break windows, damage signage, or tear off roofing materials, potentially Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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forcing temporary closure for repairs. Power outages could disrupt essential services such as printing, tech support, and payment processing, making it difficult for the store to operate effectively.

Additionally, road closures or blocked transportation routes due to fallen trees and debris could delay supply deliveries, leading to inventory shortages. If severe weather discourages customers from shopping in person, sales may decline temporarily.

Windstorms could also increase the risk of flying debris damaging vehicles in the parking lot, creating potential liability concerns.

Costco
Costco is a membership-based warehouse store that serves residents of Signal Hill and surrounding areas in the San Gabriel Valley. Like other Costco locations, it offers a wide variety of products, including groceries, electronics, clothing, furniture, and home goods, typically sold in bulk at discounted prices. The Signal Hill Costco also features a popular food court, pharmacy, optical services, and a gas station, allowing members to take advantage of one-stop shopping and savings on fuel.
• Drought: drought could impact Costco in several ways, including increased operational costs, supply chain disruptions, and changes in consumer behavior. Water restrictions may affect in-store facilities such as restrooms, food courts, and refrigeration systems, potentially making shopping less convenient for customers. If severe drought conditions lead to higher energy costs due to increased demand for cooling, Costco may face rising utility expenses, which could impact pricing and profitability.

Additionally, droughts can disrupt agriculture, leading to higher prices or shortages of water-intensive products such as fresh produce, meat, and beverages. Since Costco relies on bulk sales, supply chain disruptions could significantly affect product availability and pricing. If water shortages lead to economic downturns in affected areas, consumers may reduce discretionary spending, impacting sales of non-essential items. • Earthquake: Costco plays a crucial role in providing a wide variety of products, including groceries, electronics, clothing, furniture, and home goods to the community. Earthquake damage could result in the loss of inventory, structural damage to buildings, and potential safety hazards for both employees and customers. The stores might also face supply chain disruptions, affecting their ability to restock essential items quickly. Even if the stores remained operational, the economic impacts of the earthquake could lead to a decrease in consumer spending, impacting the revenue of these stores. Damage to the store and inventory might also delay recovery efforts as home repair items will not be readily available after an earthquake.
• Windstorm: A windstorm could significantly impact Costco by causing structural damage, supply chain disruptions, and operational challenges. High winds could damage store infrastructure, including roofing, signage, and loading docks, potentially leading to temporary closures for repairs. Power outages could disrupt critical operations such as refrigeration, lighting, and payment processing, affecting perishable goods and overall store functionality. Transportation disruptions caused by fallen trees, debris, or road closures could delay deliveries, leading to inventory shortages, especially for high-demand emergency supplies. If severe weather discourages customers from shopping in person, Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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sales could temporarily decline. Additionally, parking lot hazards from flying debris or damaged shopping carts could pose safety risks to customers and employees.

Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-a.

Q: Does the plan provide an overall summary of each jurisdiction’s vulnerability to the identified hazards? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(ii))
A: See Vulnerability of Natural, Historic, and Cultural Resources, Table 4.4 below.

Vulnerability of Natural, Historic, and Cultural Resources* Signal Hill is a city with a rich history, and its city parks, such as Signal Hill Park, Discovery Well Park, and the Suset View Park, continue to be cherished by the community. The Centennial Celebration of Signal Hill provided an opportunity to honor the city’s past while celebrating its bright future. These historical and cultural elements help define the identity of Signal Hill as a dynamic, evolving city with deep roots in California’s oil history.

Table 4.4: Hazard Vulnerability to Natural, Historic, and Cultural Resources (Source: Planning Team, Emergency Planning Consultants) (Note: “X” indicates affirmative)
Natural, Historic, and Cultural Resources
DroughtEarthquakeWindstorm
Signal Hill Park
2175 Cherry Ave, Signal Hill, CA 90755 X X X
Discovery Well Park
2200 Temple Ave, Signal Hill, CA 90755 X X X
Suset View Park
Sunset View Park, 2300 Skyline Dr, Signal Hill, CA 90755 X X X Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-b.

Q: For each participating jurisdiction, does the plan describe the potential impacts of each of the identified hazards on each participating jurisdiction? (Requirement §201.6(c)(2)(ii)) A: See Impact Profile of Natural, Historic, and Cultural Resources below.

Impact Profile of Natural, Historic, and Cultural Resources Drought
An extended drought can have significant impacts on the natural, historic, and cultural resources in Signal Hill affecting both the environment and the community's heritage.

Natural Resources
The physical landscape and natural habitats may suffer from direct damage due to drought. Parks and green spaces may be impacted by weak trees and disrupted ecosystems. Local wildlife and recreational opportunities could also be impacted. Additionally, water supply systems and utilities may be disrupted, posing risks to public health and safety.

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Historic Resources
Historic buildings and structures are not expected to be impacted by drought.

Cultural Resources
The cultural fabric of the community can be affected as well, as events and gatherings that celebrate local heritage may be impacted by a long-term drought. Cultural centers and organizations may face operational disruptions and resource challenges, limiting their ability to promote community engagement and cultural education.

Overall, the impacts of a long-term drought on Signal Hill's natural, historic, and cultural resources underscore the need for effective disaster preparedness and recovery plans to protect and preserve these vital aspects of the community's identity and well-being.

Earthquake
An earthquake can have significant impacts on the natural, historic, and cultural resources in Signal Hill affecting both the environment and the community's heritage.

Natural Resources
The physical landscape and natural habitats may suffer from direct damage due to ground shaking and potential landslides, particularly in areas near the foothills. Parks and green spaces may be impacted by falling trees, damaged infrastructure, and disrupted ecosystems, affecting local wildlife and recreational opportunities. Additionally, water supply systems and utilities may be disrupted, posing risks to public health and safety.

Historic Resources
Historic buildings and structures, including those recognized for their architectural significance, are particularly vulnerable to earthquake damage. Cracks, structural failures, and falling debris can lead to loss or severe damage to these important assets, diminishing the community’s historical identity.

Cultural Resources
The cultural fabric of the community can be affected as well, as events and gatherings that celebrate local heritage may be canceled or postponed following an earthquake. Cultural centers and organizations may face operational disruptions and resource challenges, limiting their ability to promote community engagement and cultural education. The psychological impact of an earthquake can also affect community cohesion, as residents may experience anxiety and displacement, making it harder to participate in cultural activities.

Overall, the impacts of an earthquake on Signal Hill's natural, historic, and cultural resources underscore the need for effective disaster preparedness and recovery plans to protect and preserve these vital aspects of the community's identity and well-being.

Windstorm
Major windstorms can have significant impacts on the natural, historic, and cultural resources in Signal Hill affecting both the environment and the community's heritage.

Natural Resources
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The physical landscape and natural habitats may suffer from direct damage due to high winds, particularly in areas with trees and vulnerable structures. Parks and green spaces may be impacted by falling trees, damaged infrastructure, and disrupted ecosystems, affecting local wildlife and recreational opportunities. Additionally, utility services including water, wastewater, and electricity may be disrupted, posing risks to public health and safety.

Historic Resources
Historic buildings and structures, including those recognized for their architectural significance, are particularly vulnerable to wind-related damage. Cracks and falling debris can lead to loss or severe damage to these important assets, diminishing the community’s historical identity.

Cultural Resources
The cultural fabric of the community can be affected as well, as events and gatherings that celebrate local heritage may be canceled or postponed during high wind events. Cultural centers and organizations may face operational disruptions and resource challenges, limiting their ability to promote community engagement and cultural education. When dry conditions combine with high wind, it is increasingly likely that a Public Safety Power Shutoff could be initiated which could curtail cultural gatherings and activities.

Overall, the impacts of an earthquake on Signal Hill's natural, historic, and cultural resources underscore the need for effective disaster preparedness and recovery plans to protect and preserve these vital aspects of the community's identity and well-being.

Activities Bringing Value to the Community
Activities bringing value to the community are those that contribute positively to the well-being, cohesion, and development of the community as a whole. These activities can take various forms and serve different purposes, but they generally aim to enhance the quality of life for community members and promote a sense of belonging and connectedness.

Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-a.

Q: Does the plan provide an overall summary of each jurisdiction’s vulnerability to the identified hazards? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(2)(ii))
A: See Vulnerability of Activities Bringing Value to the Community, Table 4.5 below.

Vulnerability of Activities Bringing Value to the Community The Concerts in the Park are vibrant celebrations that take place every Wednesday during spring and summer. The concerts attract hundreds of attendees and feature a variety of music and dance.

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Table 4.5: Hazard Vulnerability of Activities Bringing Value to the Community (Source: Planning Team, Emergency Planning Consultants) (Note: “X” indicates affirmative)
Activities Bringing Value to the Community
DroughtEarthquakeWindstorm
Concerts in the Park
Signal Hill Park - 2175 Cherry Avenue
X X X
Q&A | ELEMENT B: RISK ASSESSMENT | B2-b.

Q: For each participating jurisdiction, does the plan describe the potential impacts of each of the identified hazards on each participating jurisdiction? (Requirement §201.6(c)(2)(ii)) A: See Impact Profile on Activities Bringing Value to the Community below.

Impact Profile on Activities Bringing Value to the Community Drought
A long-term drought during the Concert in the Park season could have impacts on Signal Hill Park’s landscaping but otherwise would not be significant. Organizers would need to assess the safety of the Park grounds and potentially cancel or modify activities. Negative impacts from a long-term drought could also affect attendance and have economic implications for vendors and organizers.

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Earthquake
An earthquake during the Concert in the Park season could have significant impacts, including safety concerns for attendees and potential disruption of concert activities due to structural damage or logistical challenges. Organizers would need to assess the safety of the Signal Hill Park grounds and potentially cancel or modify activities. The earthquake could also affect attendance and have economic implications for vendors and organizers. However, such a hazard event could also prompt a community-wide response, with residents coming together to support each other and assist with recovery efforts. Overall, quick and effective response measures would be crucial to ensuring the safety of attendees and minimizing the impact on the concert and the community.

Windstorm
A high wind event during the Concert in the Park season could have significant impacts, including safety concerns for attendees and potential disruption of concert activities due to damaged trees, structural damage, or logistical challenges. Organizers would need to assess the safety of the Signal Hill Park grounds and potentially cancel or modify activities. A high wind event could also affect attendance and have economic implications for vendors and organizers. When combined with dry conditions, a high wind event may result in the initiation of a Public Safety Power Shutoff which could also negatively impact a concert.

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Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies
Overview of Mitigation Strategy
As the cost of damage from disasters continues to increase nationwide, the City of Signal Hill recognizes the importance of identifying effective ways to reduce vulnerability to disasters.

Mitigation plans assist communities in reducing risk from natural hazards by identifying resources, information and strategies for risk reduction, while helping to guide and coordinate mitigation activities at the city’s facilities.

The plan provides a set of action items to reduce risk from hazards through education and outreach programs, and to foster the development of partnerships. Further, the plan provides for the implementation of preventative activities.

Resources and information within the mitigation plan include:

1. Establishing a basis for coordination and collaboration among agencies and the public in Signal Hill,

2. Identifying and prioritizing future mitigation projects, and

3. Assisting in meeting the requirements of federal assistance programs.

The mitigation plan is integrated with other city plans including the Emergency Operations Plan, General Plan, Capital Improvement Program, as well as department-specific standard operating procedures.

Types of Mitigation Actions
The FEMA Handbook identifies four broad types of mitigation actions. Rather than listing by “type”, the Planning Team chose to list the action items by hazard. See Mitigation Actions Matrix.

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Overall goals guide the direction of future activities aimed at reducing risk and preventing loss from natural hazards. During the first meeting of the Planning Team, the 2018 HMP goals were reviewed and a determination made that the goals were consistent with the 2025 Risk Assessment and that they continue to represent a long-term vision for hazard reduction and enhanced mitigation capabilities.

Q&A | ELEMENT E. PLAN UPDATE | E2-a.

Q: Does the plan describe how it was revised due to changes in community priorities? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(d)(3))
A: See Community Priorities below.

Changes in Community Priorities
Equally important are the changes in priorities to the plan update itself since the writing of the 2018 HMP. Most of the changes in priorities are tied directly to the 2023 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide:
• Executive Summary: new section (English, Spanish, and Cambodian) summarizes the planning process and community outreach activities, and • Chapter 1: Planning Process - several stakeholder categories were added along with a more robust community outreach strategy, and
• Chapter 2: Community Profile – new attention given to the location and levels of the disadvantaged communities and socially vulnerable populations, and • Chapter 3: Risk Assessment – consideration given to the state and federal recommended hazards yielded different hazards for inclusion in the 2025 HMP, and
• Chapter 4: Vulnerability and Impacts - new chapter including research and content regarding hazard vulnerabilities and impacts including an analysis of vulnerability of assets including people, structures, economy, community resources and activities, and
• Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies – added appropriate General Plan Safety Element projects/actions; updated status on 2018 action items including deleting some lacking political or budgetary support; adding action items to protect critical facilities and socially vulnerable populations, and
• Chapter 6: Plan Maintenance – added details about integrating the mitigation plan into other documents.
• Chapter 7: Plan Review, Adoption, and Approval - a new section summarizing the progression of the Draft Plan to Final Plan.

Q&A | ELEMENT C. MITIGATION STRATEGY | C3-a.

Q: Does the plan include goals to reduce the risk from the hazards identified in the plan? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3)(i))
A: See State Hazard Mitigation Plan Goals, Signal Hill Hazard Mitigation Plan Goals below.

State Hazard Mitigation Plan Goals
The 2023 State Hazard Mitigation Plan identified the following goals that reflect State’s current priorities:

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Goal 1 - Significantly reduce risk to life, community lifelines, the environment, property, and infrastructure by planning and implementing whole-community risk reduction and resilience strategies.

Goal 2 - Build capacity and capabilities to increase disaster resilience among historically underserved populations, individuals with access and functional needs, and communities disproportionately impacted by disasters and climate change.

Goal 3 - Incorporate equity metrics, tools, and strategies into all mitigation planning, policy, funding, outreach, and implementation efforts.

Goal 4 - Apply the best available science and authoritative data to design, implement, and prioritize projects that enhance resilience to natural hazards and climate change impacts.

Goal 5 - Integrate mitigation principles into laws, regulations, policies, and guidance to support equitable outcomes to benefit the whole community.

Goal 6 - Significantly reduce barriers to timely, efficient, and effective hazard mitigation planning and action.

Signal Hill Hazard Mitigation Plan Goals
The overall goals for the HMP guided the direction of goal setting, design of the community outreach strategy, and development of mitigation activities aimed at reducing risk and preventing loss from natural hazards. During the first meeting of the HMP Planning Team, sample goals were reviewed and consideration given to a regional desire for hazard reduction and enhanced mitigation capabilities.

Each of the goals is supported by mitigation action items. The Planning Team developed these action items through its knowledge of the local area, risk assessment, review of past efforts, identification of mitigation activities, and qualitative analysis.

The five mitigation goals and descriptions are listed below.

Protect Life and Property
Implement activities that assist in protecting lives by making homes, businesses, infrastructure, critical facilities, and other property more resistant to losses from natural, human-caused, and technological hazards.

Reduce losses and repetitive damage for chronic hazard events while promoting insurance coverage for catastrophic hazards.

Improve hazard assessment information to make recommendations for avoiding new development in high hazard areas and encouraging preventative measures for existing development in areas vulnerable to natural, human-caused, and technological hazards.

Public Awareness
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Develop and implement education and outreach programs to increase public awareness of the risks associated with natural hazards.

Provide information on tools, partnership opportunities, and funding resources to assist in implementing mitigation activities.

Natural Systems
Balance watershed planning, natural resource management, and land use planning with natural hazard mitigation to protect life, property, and the environment.

Preserve, rehabilitate, and enhance natural systems to serve natural hazard mitigation functions.

Partnerships and Implementation
Strengthen communication and coordinate participation among and within public agencies, citizens, non-profit organizations, business, and industry to gain a vested interest in implementation.

Encourage leadership within public and private sector organizations to prioritize and implement local, county, and regional hazard mitigation activities.

Emergency Services
Establish policy to ensure mitigation projects for critical facilities, services, and infrastructure.

Strengthen emergency operations by increasing collaboration and coordination among public agencies, non-profit organizations, business, and industry.

Coordinate and integrate natural hazard mitigation activities, where appropriate, with emergency operations plans and procedures.

How are the Mitigation Action Items Organized?
The action items are a listing of activities in which city agencies and citizens can be engaged to reduce risk.

The action items are organized within the following Mitigation Actions Matrix, categorized by hazard. Data collection and research and the public participation process resulted in the development of these action items. The Matrix includes the following information for each action item:

Q&A | ELEMENT C: MITIGATION STRATEGY | C5-b.

Q: Does the plan identify the position, office, department, or agency responsible for implementing/administering the identified mitigation actions, as well as potential funding sources and expected time frame? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3)(iii))) A: See Lead Department below.

Lead Department
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The Mitigation Actions Matrix assigns primary responsibility for each of the action items to either a department or specific position within the city. The primary responsibility for implementing the action items falls to the entity shown as the “Lead Department”. The lead department has the regulatory responsibility to address hazards, or is willing and able to organize resources, find appropriate funding, or oversee activity implementation, monitor, and evaluate. The lead department is a city staff or contracted while supporting agencies may include local governments, county, or regional agencies.

Timeline
The mitigation plan will be updated every 5 years according to FEMA regulations. However, there are projects and programs in the Mitigation Actions Matrix that will require more than 5 years to complete. Some of the actions are identified as “ongoing” since the 2018 HMP or will continue on a regular basis through the 2025 HMP. These items are indicated as either Ongoing-Annual or Quarterly or Monthly, or Ongoing-As Needed with an explanation of what triggers the action (e.g., amending the General Plan, a public agency meeting, etc.).

Funding Source
External resources could include a range of FEMA mitigation grants perhaps including HMGP, FMA, and BRIC.

Internal resources could include general fund, capital improvement budgets, impact fees, human capital, in-kind resources, etc.

Plan Goals Addressed
The plan goals addressed by each action item are included as a way to monitor and evaluate how well the mitigation plan is achieving its goals once implementation begins. The plan goals are organized into the following five areas:
✓ Protect Life and Property
✓ Enhance Public Awareness
✓ Preserve Natural Systems
✓ Encourage Partnerships and Implementation
✓ Strengthen Emergency Services
Q&A | ELEMENT D: PLAN MAINTENANCE | D3-b.

Q: Does the plan identify the planning mechanisms for each plan participant into which the ideas, information and strategy from the mitigation plan may be integrated? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(4)(ii))
A: See Planning Mechanisms below.

Planning Mechanisms
It’s important that each action item be implemented. Perhaps the best way to ensure implementation is through integration with one or many of the City’s existing “planning mechanisms” including the “internal resources” including the General Plan, Capital Improvement Projects, General Fund, and “external resources” including Grants. Opportunities for integration will be simple and easy in cases where the action item is already compatible with the content of the planning mechanism. As an example, if the action item calls for the creation of a floodplain ordinance and the same action is already identified in the General Plan’s policies, then the Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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General Plan will assist in implementation. On the contrary, if preparation of a floodplain ordinance is not already included in the General Plan policies, then the item will need to be added during the next update to the General Plan.

The Capital Improvement Program, depending on the budgetary environment, is updated every 5 years. The CIP includes infrastructure projects built and owned by the City. As such, the CIP is an excellent medium for funding and implementing action items from the Mitigation Plan. The Mitigation Actions Matrix includes several items from the existing CIP. The authors of the CIP served on the Planning Team and are already looking to funding addition Mitigation Plan action items in future CIPs. The General Fund is the budget document that guides all of the City’s expenditures and is updated on an annual basis. Although primarily a funding mechanism, it also includes descriptions and details associated with tasks and projects.

Grants come from a wide variety of sources – some annually and others triggered by events like disasters. Whatever the source, the City uses the General Fund to identify successful grants as funding sources.

Building and Infrastructure
This addresses the issue of whether or not a particular action item results in the reduction of the effects of hazards on new and existing buildings and infrastructure.

Q&A | ELEMENT C: MITIGATION STRATEGY | C1-b.

Q: Does the plan describe each participant’s ability to expand and improve the identified capabilities to achieve mitigation? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3))
A: See Expanding and Improving Capabilities below.

Expanding and Improving Capabilities
This identifies the capability categories and applicability to individual mitigation action items. Subcategory indicators are P – Planning and Regulatory; A – Administrative and Technical; F – Finance; E – Education and Outreach.

Q&A | ELEMENT E: PLAN UPDATE | E2-b.

Q: Does the plan include a status update for all mitigation actions identified in the previous mitigation plan? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(d)(3))
A: See Comments below.

Comments
The purpose of the “Comments” is to capture the notes and status of the various action items.

Notations include:
“Revised” – some component(s) of the action item has been revised from the 2018 HMP.

Benefit/Cost Ratings
The benefits of proposed projects were weighed against estimated costs as part of the project prioritization process. The benefit/cost analysis was not of the detailed variety required by FEMA for project grant eligibility under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. A less formal approach was used because some projects may not be implemented for up to 10 years, and associated costs and benefits could change dramatically in that time. Therefore, a review of the apparent benefits Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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versus the apparent cost of each project will be performed in the future as needed. Parameters were established for assigning subjective ratings (high, medium, and low) to the costs and benefits of these projects.

Cost ratings were defined as follows:

High: Existing funding within the jurisdiction will not cover the cost of the action item so outside sources of revenue would be required.

Medium: The action item could be funded through existing jurisdictional funding but would require budget modifications.

Low: The action item could be funded under existing jurisdictional funding within the assigned lead department.

Benefit ratings were defined as follows:

High: The action item will provide short-term and long-term impacts on the reduction of risk exposure to life and property.

Medium: The action item will have long-term impacts on the reduction of risk exposure to life and property.

Low: The action item will have only short-term impacts on the reduction of risk exposure to life and property.

Q&A | ELEMENT C. MITIGATION STRATEGY | C5-a.

Q: Does the plan describe the criteria used for prioritizing actions? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3)(iv)) A: See Priority Ranking below.

Priority Ranking
The 2018 HMP Mitigation Action Items did not include “priorities”. During the 2025 planning process, the Planning Team utilized the Priority Ranking system designations of “High”, “Medium”, or “Low” priority were assigned to each of the action items.

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Does the Action:
 solve the problem?
 address Vulnerability Assessment?
 reduce the exposure or vulnerability to the highest priority hazard?  address multiple hazards?
 benefits equal or exceed costs?
 implement a goal, policy, or project identified in the General Plan or Capital Improvement Project? Can the Action:
 be implemented with existing funds?
 be implemented by existing state or federal grant programs?  be completed within the 5-year life cycle of the LHMP?  be implemented with currently available technologies? Will the Action:
 be accepted by the community?
 be supported by community leaders?
 adversely impact segments of the population or neighborhoods?  require a change in local ordinances or zoning laws?
 positive or neutral impact on the environment?
 comply with all local, state and federal environmental laws and regulations? Is there:
 sufficient staffing to undertake the project?
 existing authority to undertake the project?
As mitigation action items were updated or written the Planning Team, representatives were provided worksheets for each of their assigned action items. Answers to the criteria above determined the priority according to the following scale.
• 1-6 = Low priority
• 7-12 = Medium priority
• 13-18 = High priority
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Q&A | ELEMENT C: MITIGATION STRATEGY | C1-b.

Q: Does the plan describe each participant’s ability to expand and improve the identified capabilities to achieve mitigation? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3))
A: See Mitigation Actions Matrix (Expanding and Improving Capabilities) below.

Q&A | ELEMENT C: MITIGATION STRATEGY | C4-a.

Q: Does the plan include an analysis of a comprehensive range of actions/projects that each jurisdiction considered to reduce the impacts of hazards identified in the risk assessment? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3)(ii))
A: See Mitigation Actions Matrix (Action Items) below.

Q&A | ELEMENT C: MITIGATION STRATEGY | C4-b.

Q: Does the plan include one or more action(s) per jurisdiction for each of the hazards as identified within the plan’s risk assessment? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3)(ii)) A: See Mitigation Actions Matrix (Action Items) below.

Q&A | ELEMENT C: MITIGATION STRATEGY | C5-a.

Q: Does the plan describe the criteria used for prioritizing actions? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3)(ii)) A: See Mitigation Actions Matrix (Priority, Goals) below.

Q&A | ELEMENT C: MITIGATION STRATEGY | C5-b.

Q: Does the plan identify the position, office, department, or agency responsible for implementing/administering the identified mitigation actions, as well as potential funding sources and expected time frame? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(3)(iii))) A: See Mitigation Actions Matrix (Lead Department, Timeline, Funding Source) below.

Q&A | ELEMENT D: PLAN MAINTENANCE | D3-a.

Q: Does the plan describe the process the community will follow to integrate the ideas, information and strategy of the mitigation plan into other planning mechanisms? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(4)(ii)) A: See Mitigation Actions Matrix (Planning Mechanism) below.

Q&A | ELEMENT E: PLAN UPDATE | E2-b.

Q: Does the plan include a status update for all mitigation actions identified in the previous mitigation plan? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(d)(3))
A: See Mitigation Actions Matrix (Comments) below.

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Mitigation Actions Matrix
Table 5.1: Mitigation Actions Matrix
Source: Signal Hill Planning Team
Note: Lead Departments A-Administration, CD-Community Development, CS-Community Services, PD-Police, PW-Public Works, F-Finance, BSBuilding Safety Mitigation Action Item Lead Department Timeline Expanding & Improving Capabilities:

P-Planning
and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred Multi-Hazard Mitigation Action Items
MH-1 Integrate the goals
and action items from the
City of Signal Hill Hazard
Mitigation Plan into
existing regulatory
documents and
programs, where
appropriate.

A,
CD,
PW
Ongoing -
Quarterly
P, A X X X X X GF GF Y M M H Note: Safety Element
and Zoning Ordinance
not scheduled for
updates.

MH-2 Identify and pursue
funding opportunities to
develop and implement
local mitigation activities.

A,
CD,
PW
Ongoing -
Monthly
F X X X X GF GF Y M MHH Deferred - no funding
acquired since 2018
Hazard Mitigation Plan | 202
5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 114 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred MH-3 Enhance and
implement education
programs aimed at
mitigating natural
hazards, and reducing
the risk to citizens, public
agencies, private
property owners,
businesses, and schools.

Existing programs
include CERT, My
Hazards, and American
Red Cross 21 Weeks to
Prepare.

A,
PD,
CS,
PW
Ongoing-
As
Needed*

EXXXXX GF HMGP,
BRIC
YHLH Revised * Ongoing
– As Needed
note: outreach
programs would be
conducted around
major preparedness
campaign and City
events
MH-4 Establish policy to
ensure mitigation
projects are in place to
safeguard critical
PW 1 yearX GF GFHLH Deleted
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 115 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred facilities (as identified in
the General Plan Safety
Element).

MH-4 Adopt California
Building Code.

CD 2023PXXXXX GF GFYHLH Revised.

Note: Adoption every 3
years.

MH-5 Develop seismic
inventory of at-risk City-
owned buildings and
infrastructure.

PW,
CD
2 yearsPXXX HMGP,
BRIC
HMGP,
BRIC
YLHH Revised.

Note: To date,
Community Services /
Youth Center has been
reviewed.

MH-6 Improve
communication between
City and County road
departments produce
strategies to deal with
transportation
infrastructure.

PW OngoingXXX GR GRHHH Deleted – not mitigation
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 116 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred MH-7 Strengthen
emergency operations by
increasing collaboration
and coordination among
public agencies, non-
profit organizations,
business, and industry.

PD,
PW
OngoingXXX GF GFMLM Deleted – not mitigation
MH-6 Install and improve
back-up power in city
owned critical facilities as
cited in the GP Safety
Element.

PW1-2 yearsPXXXXX GF GFHM-
H
H Revised.

Note: Installed fixed
generators at PD and
PW.

MH-9 Continue to
encourage the
development of mutual
aid systems between
Signal Hill and
surrounding cities for
PW/P DOngoingXXX GF GFHMM Deleted - lack of staffing
and funding.

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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 117 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred emergency building
assessment, CERT
training, etc.

MH-7 Promote public
education and outreach
to increase awareness of
hazards and
opportunities for
mitigation. Continue to
stock brochures at the
Library from American
Red Cross, FEMA, and
Cal OES about home
mitigation.

PD Ongoing-
As
Needed*
EXXXXX GF GFHLM Revised. * Ongoing
– As Needed
note: outreach
programs would be
conducted around
major preparedness
campaign and City
events
MH-11 Distribute
information about
evacuation route maps.

F CD 1 yearXX GF GFHMM Deleted. Information is
maintained in the
General Plan Safety
Element.

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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 118 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred MH-12 Post the Hazard
Mitigation Plan on the
City’s website.

A OngoingX GF GFHMM Completed
MH-8 Maintain primary
and alternate Emergency
Operations Centers.

PD Ongoing-
Quarterly
P, AXXX GF GFHLH Revised.

Note: Primary EOC is
located in the new
Police HQ. Alternate
EOC is located at PW
Yard.

MH-9 Continue to
provide informational
literature on animal
disaster plans and
supply kits.

CS Ongoing-
As
Needed*
EXX GF GFHLM Revised. * Ongoing
– As Needed
note: outreach
programs would be
conducted around
major preparedness
campaign and City
events
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Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred Note: Brochures
distributed at City Hall
and Library.

MH-15 Encourage the
American Red Cross to
hold a variety of courses,
including CPR, Basic
First Aid, Introduction to
Disaster Services, Mass
Care, Shelter
Operations, babysitting,
Healthcare Provider, pet
first-aid and others at the
Red Cross Office and at
other locations
throughout the City.

CS OngoingXXXX GF GFMLL Deleted – not
mitigation.

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Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred MH-10 Involve Hazard
Mitigation Planning
Team in review of future
updates of the City
General Plan or Zoning
Ordinance to ensure
consideration of threats
posed by hazards.

CD Ongoing-
As
Needed*
PXXXXX GF GFYMLM Revised. * Ongoing
– As Needed
note: outreach
programs would be
conducted around
major preparedness
campaign and City
events
MH-17 Identify and
prioritize needs for
additional shelter
supplies for City
employees to include but
not limited to additional
cots, blankets and
shelter kits.

CS OngoingXX GF GFHMM Deleted – not mitigation
MH-18 Teach CERT
classes to interested
PD OngoingXXX GR GRHHH Deleted – not
mitigation.

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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 121 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred citizens in the City and
CITY employees to
assist their neighbors
during emergencies. This
course will be taught
utilizing City staff and
resources independent
of Los Angeles Co. Fire.

Promote CERT through
the Chamber of
Commerce to gain
business participation.

MH-19 Train, law
enforcement, public
works, CERT members
and other support
personnel in the Incident
Command System.

PD OngoingXXXXX GF GFMHM Deleted – not
mitigation.

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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 122 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred MH-20 Ensure that when
ECC/911 system
upgrade is completed,
there is a capability to
communicate with all
EOC agencies with
redundant backups in
voice and data
communications.

PD 3 yearsXX GF GFHHH Completed
MH-11 Update job
description of
Emergency Operations
Coordinator to include
leading the City’s Hazard
Mitigation Advisory
Committee in developing
a sustainable process for
implementing,
PD, A 1 yearAXXXX GF GFHLH Revised
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 123 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred monitoring, and
evaluating the mitigation
activities.

MH-12 Familiarize City
Finance staff of
requirements regarding
public assistance
(disaster cost recovery)
following a declared
disaster.

F, PD1-2 years A, EXXXX GF GFYHLH Revised
MH-23 Identify
opportunities for
partnering with citizens,
private contractors, and
other jurisdictions to
increase availability of
equipment and
A OngoingXXXXX GF GFHLH Deleted – not mitigation
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 124 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred manpower for efficiency
of response efforts.

MH-13 Enhance weather
monitoring to attain
earlier severe storm
warnings.

PW Ongoing-
Daily
P, AXXXXX GF GFYHLM Revised
MH-14 Conduct routine
maintenance of the City's
infrastructure to minimize
the potential for system
failure because of or
during a disaster.

PW Ongoing-
Annually
P, AXXXXX GF GFYHLH Revised
MH-26 Assess
availability of backup
power resources (e.g.,
generators, solar, etc.) of
medical facility, nursing
homes, and fire, police,
PD OngoingXXXX GR GRHHH Deleted - redundant
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 125 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred rescue, and emergency
management personnel;
upgrade resources as
necessary.

MH-15 Develop
comprehensive all-
hazards debris
management plan.

PW 2 years P, AXXXXX GR GRYHHH Revised.

MH-16 Educate the
public about hazards
prevalent to their area
utilizing My Hazards.

PD, A Ongoing-
As
Needed*
EXXXXX GF GFYHLH Revised * Ongoing
– As
Needed note: outreach
programs would be
conducted around
major preparedness
campaign and City
events
MH-17 Purchased and
trained EOC staff on
PD Ongoing-
Annually
A, EXXXXX n/a n/aY Revised
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 126 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred Veoci– an emergency
management software
program.

MH-18 Establish
agreements with vendors
for use of services,
equipment, and/or
facilities following a
disaster.

F,
PD
1 year P, AXXXXX GF GFYHLM New. Note: Already
established
Memorandum of
Understanding with
trash hauler EDCO for
City to have access to
trucks and other
equipment following a
disaster.

MH-31 Identify funding
sources for structural
and non-structural
retrofitting of City-owned
structures that are
identified as vulnerable
PW 1 yearXXXXX GR GRYHHH Deleted - redundant
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 127 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred to seismic, flooding, and
other hazards.

MH-19 Encourage
purchase of hazard
insurance for earthquake
and flood.

A 1 yearEXXXX GF GFYHLM Revised
MH-20 Secure grant
funding to conduct traffic
study and engineering
report on impact of
hazardous material
related heavy equipment
movement on city street
infrastructure.

CD,
PW
3 yearsFXXX GR GRYHHH Revised
MH-34 Secure grant
funding for city based
CERT training program
PD 3 yearsXXXX GR GRHHH Deleted – not mitigation
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 128 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred and ongoing equipment
procurement.

MH-21 Ensure
Emergency Operations
Plan is up to date.

PD 6 monthsPXXXXX GF GFNHLM New
MH-22 Strengthen
emergency services by
enhancing public
awareness.

PD Ongoing-
As
Needed*
EXXXXX GF GFNHLM New * Ongoing
– As Needed
note: outreach
programs would be
conducted around
major preparedness
campaign and City
events
MH-23 Maintain a fully
operational Emergency
Operations Center.

PD Ongoing-
Quarterly
P, AXXXXX GF GFNHLM New
MH-24 Enlist
participation from the
PD 1 yearEXXXXX GF GFNHLM New
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 129 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred community and City staff
for emergency
operations.

MH-25 Provide
emergency operations
training and conduct
exercises.

PD Ongoing-
Annually
P, EXXXXX GF GFNHLM New
MH-26 Develop and
utilize emergency public
communications
systems.

PD Ongoing-
Daily
P, AXXXXX GF GFNHLM New
MH-27 Develop
inventories of PPE, and
emergency supplies for
pandemic distribution.

PD Ongoing-
Quarterly
P, AXXXXX GF GFNHLM New
MH-28 Identify and
pursue funding
opportunities to develop
A1-5 yearsFXXXXX GF GFYHLM New
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 130 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred and implement
neighborhood and city
mitigation activities.

MH-29 Review and
upgrade emergency
operations equipment
such as 911 equipment
and the Police Dispatch
system as needed to
maintain modern levels
of service.

PD,
PW
1-5 yearsAXXXXX HMGP,
BRIC
HMGP,
BRIC
YHHM New
MH-30 Design and
construct full renovation
and remodel of Civic
Center to include City
Hall and a new
Community Center with
PW,
A, CD
CS,
PD,
F, BS
5 years P, AXXXXX GF, CIP,
HMGP,
BRIC
GF, 5-
Year
Strategic
Plan, CIP
YHHH New
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Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies
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Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities:

P-Planning
and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred back-up Emergency
Operations Center.

Earthquake Mitigation Action Items
EQ-1 Reduce nonstructural and structural
earthquake hazards in
City-owned buildings and
infrastructure.

CD Ongoing -
Annually
P X X X X X GF GF Y H L M Revised
EQ-2 Encourage public
to purchase earthquake
hazard insurance and
retrofit non-structural and
structural earthquake
hazards.

A OngoingAs
Needed*
E X X X X X GF GF Y H L H Revised
* Ongoing – As Needed
note: outreach
programs would be
conducted around
major preparedness
campaign and City
events
EQ-3 As updates
become available,
CD Ongoing -
Annually
P X X X GR GR Y H L H Revised
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Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies
- 132 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities:

P-Planning
and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred integrate new
earthquake hazard
mapping data for the City
and improve technical
analysis of earthquake
hazards.

EQ-4 Secure grant
funding for updated
Technical Background
Report associated with
the General Plan Safety
Element.

CD 5 years F X X X X X GR GR Y M H H Revised
Landslide Mitigation Action Items
LS-1 Improve knowledge
of landslide hazard areas
and understanding of
vulnerability and risk to
BS,
PW
Ongoing X X X X X GF GF Y H L H Revised
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 133 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred life and property in
hazard-prone areas.

LS-2 Encourage
construction and
subdivision design that
can be applied to steep
slopes to reduce the
potential adverse
impacts from
development
BS,
PW
OngoingXXXXX GF GFYMLM Revised
LS-3 Limit activities in
identified potential and
historical landslide areas
through regulation and
public outreach.

CD,
PW
OngoingXXXXX GF GFYHLM Revised
LS-4 Inform property
owners in landslide-
CD,
PW
1 yearXXXXX GF GFYHLM New
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Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities:

P-Planning
and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred prone areas of mitigation
techniques.

Windstorm Mitigation Action Items
WS-1 Support and
encourage electrical
utilities to use
underground
construction methods
where possible to reduce
power outages from
windstorms.

PW OngoingAnnuallyP X X X X X GF GF Y H L M Revised
WS-2 Monitor trees and
branches in public areas
at risk of breaking or
falling in wind and
sandstorms. Prune or
thin trees or branches
when posing an
PW Ongoing -
Quarterly
A X X X X X GF GF Y M L M Revised
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Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities:

P-Planning
and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred immediate threat to
property, utility lines or
other significant
structures or critical
facilities in the
community.

Drought Mitigation Action Items
DR-1 Distribute
information to all
property owners and
renters on the
importance of water
conservation and
different venues of
purchasing water saving
mechanisms for homes
and businesses.

PW Ongoing -
Monthly
E X X X X X GF GF Y H L M Revised
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5 Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategies - 136 -
Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities: P-Planning and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred DR-2 Investigate
possibility of extending
(deepening) existing
water wells.

PW1-2 yearsPXXX GF CIPY Revised. Note: New
wells operational in
2016.

DR-3 Identify water
resources management
and conservation
opportunities.

PW2-3 yearsPXXXXX GF GFYHLH Revised
DR-4 Implement use of
reclaimed water to
supplement imported
and local water sources.

PW1-5 yearsPXXXXX GF GFYHMH Revised recycled to
reclaimed. Note:

Already completed first
phase of reclaimed
water system.

DR-5 Practice water
conservation by building
demonstration gardens
and retrofit public parks.

PW 2 yearsPXXXXX GF GFYHLH Revised
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Mitigation Action Item Lead DepartmentTimelineExpanding & Improving Capabilities:

P-Planning
and Regulatory, A-Administrative and Technical, F- Finance, E-Education and OutreachGoal: Protect Life and PropertyGoal: Encourage Public AwarenessGoal: Protect Natural SystemsGoal: Enhance Partnerships and ImplementationGoal: Protect Emergency ServicesFunding Source: GF-General Fund, CIP-Capital Improvement Project, HMGP, BRICPlanning Mechanism: GP-General Plan, CIP, GF- General Fund, HMGP, BRICBuildings & Infrastructure: Does the Action item involve New and/or Existing Buildings and/or Infrastructure? Yes (Y) or No (N)Benefit: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighCost: L-Low, M-Medium, H-HighPriority: L-Low, M-Medium, H-High2024 Notes and Status - Completed, Revised, Deleted, New, and Deferred DR-6 Update 20X2020
Water Conservation
Plan.

PW 1 year P, A X X X X X GF GF Y H M H Revised
Flood Mitigation Action Items
FLD-1 Identify locations
prone to urban flooding.

PW 1 year X X X X X GF GF Y H M H New
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Chapter 6: Plan Maintenance
The plan maintenance process includes a schedule for monitoring and evaluating the Plan annually and producing a plan revision every five years. This section describes how the City of Signal Hill will integrate public participation throughout the plan maintenance process.

Q&A | ELEMENT D: PLAN MAINTENANCE | D2-a.

Q: Does the plan describe the process that will be followed to track the progress/status of the mitigation actions identified within the Mitigation Strategy, along with when this process will occur and who will be responsible for the process? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(4)(i)) A: See Local Mitigation Officer, Method and Scheduling of Plan Implementation, Monitoring and Implementing the Plan, Annual Implementation Matrix below.

Local Mitigation Officer
The Planning Team involved in research and writing of the Plan will also be responsible for implementation. The Planning Team will be led by the Planning Team Chair Rebecca Lopez who will be referred to as the Local Mitigation Officer. Under the direction of the Local Mitigation Officer, the Planning Team will take responsibility for plan maintenance and implementation. The Local Mitigation Officer will facilitate the Planning Team meetings and will assign tasks such as updating and presenting the Plan to the members of the Planning Team. Plan implementation and evaluation will be a shared responsibility among all of the Planning Team members. The Local Mitigation Officer will coordinate with the City of Signal Hill leadership to ensure funding for 5-year updates to Plan as required by FEMA. The Planning Team will be responsible for coordinating the implementation of plan action items and undertaking the formal review process.

The Local Mitigation Officer will be authorized to make changes in assignments to the current Planning Team.

The Planning Team will meet no less than annually. Meeting dates will be scheduled once the final Planning Team has been established. These meetings will provide an opportunity to discuss the progress of the action items and maintain the partnerships that are essential for the sustainability of the mitigation plan. The Local Mitigation Officer (or designee) will be responsible for contacting the Planning Team members and organizing the annual meetings.

Plan updates will need to be approved by FEMA every 5 years. However, adequate time should be allowed to secure grant funding (if necessary), allow adequate time for a thorough planning process, and time for the formal review by Cal OES and FEMA. All said, if grant funding is going to be needed, the update timeline should begin 3 years prior to the plan’s due date to FEMA.

Method and Scheduling of Plan Implementation
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
Monitoring X X X X X
Evaluating
Internal Planning Team Evaluation X X X X X
Cal OES and FEMA Evaluation X
Updating X
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Monitoring and Implementing the Plan
Monitoring the Plan
The Local Mitigation Officer will hold annual meetings with representatives from the coordinating agencies (as identified in the Mitigation Actions Matrix) in order to gather status updates on the mitigation action items. These meetings will provide an opportunity to discuss the progress of the action items and maintain the partnerships that are essential for the sustainability of the mitigation plan. See the Annual Implementation Report (discussed below) which will be a valuable tool for the Planning Team to measure the success of the Hazard Mitigation Plan. The focus of the annual meeting will be on the progress and changes to the Mitigation Action Items.

Q&A | ELEMENT D: PLAN MAINTENANCE | D3-a.

Q: Does the plan describe each community will follow to integrate the ideas, information and strategy of the mitigation plan into other planning mechanisms? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(4)(ii)) A: See Integration into Other Planning Mechanisms below.

Integration into Other Planning Mechanisms
The City of Signal Hill addresses statewide planning goals and legislative requirements through the General Fund, Capital Projects, and Grants. The mitigation plan provides a series of recommendations - many of which are closely related to the goals and objectives of existing planning programs. The City of Signal Hill will implement recommended mitigation action items through existing programs and procedures.

The City of Signal Hill is responsible for adhering to the State of California’s Building and Safety Codes. In addition, the city may work with other agencies at the state level to review, develop and ensure Building and Safety Codes are adequate to mitigate or present damage by hazards.

This is to ensure that life-safety criteria are met for new construction.

Some of the goals and action items in the mitigation plan will be achieved through activities recommended in the strategic and other budget documents. The various departments involved in developing the plan will review it on an annual basis. Upon annual review, the Planning Team will work with the departments to identify areas in the plan’s action items that are consistent with the strategic and budget documents. This will ensure the mitigation plan goals and action items are implemented in a timely fashion.

Upon FEMA approval, the Planning Team will begin the process of incorporating risk information and mitigation action items into existing planning mechanisms including the General Fund (Operating Budget and Capital Projects - see Mitigation Actions Matrix for links between individual action items and associated planning mechanisms). The annual meetings of the Planning Team will provide an opportunity for Planning Team members to report back on the progress made on the integration of mitigation planning elements into the City of Signal Hill’s planning documents and procedures. The timing of integration will depend on the cycles of the various planning mechanisms. As an example, state regulations require the Emergency Operations Plan to be updated every 3 years while the General Plan may not be updated for another 20 years. The department representatives should be mindful of opportunities to update or implement action items assigned to their departments.

The 2018 HMP was integrated into the 2016 General Plan Safety Element with numerous references to hazard-related content.

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Specifically, the Planning Team will utilize the updates of the following documents to implement the mitigation plan:
✓ HMP Risk Assessment, Community Profile, Planning Process (stakeholders) into Emergency Operations Plan, General Plan.
✓ HMP Mitigation Actions Matrix into General Fund, Capital Projects, Grants Annual Implementation Matrix
The Annual Implementation Matrix is the same as the Mitigation Actions Matrix but with a column added to track the annual status of each Action Item. Upon approval and adoption of the Plan, the Annual Implementation Reports will be added to the Plan’s Attachments. Following is a view of the Annual Implementation Matrix:

Annual Implementation Matrix will be inserted here following FEMA approval An equal part of the monitoring process is the need to maintain a strategic planning process which needs to include funding and organizational support. In that light, at least one year in advance of the FEMA-mandated 5-year submission of an update, the Local Mitigation Officer will convene the Planning Team (as well as any other departments with responsibilities on the Mitigation Actions Matrix) to discuss funding and timing of the update planning process. On the fifth year of the planning cycles, the Planning Team will broaden its scope to include discussions and research on all of the sections within the Plan with particular attention given to goal achievement and public participation.

Economic Analysis of Mitigation Projects
FEMA's approach to identifying the costs and benefits associated with hazard mitigation strategies, measures, or projects fall into two general categories: benefit/cost analysis and costeffectiveness analysis.

Conducting benefit/cost analysis for a mitigation activity can assist communities in determining whether a project is worth undertaking now, in order to avoid disaster-related damage later.

Cost-effectiveness analysis evaluates how best to spend a given amount of money to achieve a specific goal. Determining the economic feasibility of mitigating hazards can provide decisionmakers with an understanding of the potential benefits and costs of an activity, as well as a basis upon which to compare alternative projects.

Given federal funding, the Planning Team will use a FEMA-approved benefit/cost analysis approach to identify and prioritize mitigation action items. For other projects and funding sources, the Planning Team will use other approaches to understand the costs and benefits of each action item and develop a prioritized list.

The “benefit”, “cost”, and overall “priority” of each mitigation action item was included in the Mitigation Actions Matrix located in Part III: Mitigation Strategies. A more technical assessment will be required in the event grant funding is pursued through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. FEMA Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidelines are discussed below.

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FEMA Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidelines
The Stafford Act authorizes the President to establish a program to provide technical and financial assistance to state and local governments to assist in the implementation of hazard mitigation measures that are cost effective and designed to substantially reduce injuries, loss of life, hardship, or the risk of future damage and destruction of property. To evaluate proposed hazard mitigation projects prior to funding FEMA requires a Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) to validate cost effectiveness. BCA is the method by which the future benefits of a mitigation project are estimated and compared to its cost. The end result is a benefit-cost ratio (BCR), which is derived from a project’s total net benefits divided by its total project cost. The BCR is a numerical expression of the cost effectiveness of a project. A project is considered to be cost effective when the BCR is 1.0 or greater, indicating the benefits of a prospective hazard mitigation project are sufficient to justify the costs.

Although the preparation of a BCA is a technical process, FEMA has developed software, written materials, and training to support the effort and assist with estimating the expected future benefits over the useful life of a retrofit project. It is imperative to conduct a BCA early in the project development process to ensure the likelihood of meeting the cost-effective eligibility requirement in the Stafford Act.

The BCA program consists of guidelines, methodologies, and software modules for a range of major natural hazards including:
✓ Flood (Riverine, Coastal Zone A, Coastal Zone V)
✓ Hurricane Wind
✓ Hurricane Safe Room
✓ Damage-Frequency Assessment
✓ Tornado Safe Room
✓ Earthquake
✓ Wildfire
The BCA program provides up to date program data, up to date default and standard values, user manuals and training. Overall, the program makes it easier for users and evaluators to conduct and review BCAs and to address multiple buildings and hazards in a single BCA module run.

Evaluating and Updating the Plan
Q&A | ELEMENT D: PLAN MAINTENANCE | D2-b.

Q: Does the plan describe the process that will be followed to evaluate the plan for effectiveness? This process must identify the criteria that will be used to evaluate the information in the plan, along with when this process will occur and who will be responsible. (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(4)(i)) A: See Evaluation below.

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Evaluation
As discussed at the beginning of this section, the representatives from the coordinating agencies (as identified in the Mitigation Actions Matrix) will meet annually to gather status updates on the mitigation action items. During that meeting, the Local Mitigation Officer will lead a discussion with the coordinating agencies on the success (or failure) of the Mitigation Plan to be effective and to meet the plan goals. Examples of measuring the plan’s effective will include assessing effectiveness include evaluating whether new hazards have emerged, whether community vulnerability has shifted, and whether stated mitigation strategies are still appropriate for the community’s circumstances. The plan goals are defined in the beginning of the Mitigation Strategies Section and each of the mitigation action items is aligned with a goal or goals.

The results of that discussion will be added to the Evaluation portion of the Annual Implementation Report and inclusion in the 5-year update to the Plan. Efforts will be made immediately by the Local Mitigation Officer to address any failed plan goals.

Q&A | ELEMENT D: PLAN MAINTENANCE | D2-c.

Q: Does the plan describe the process that will be followed to update the plan, along with when this process will occur and who will be responsible for the process? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(4)(i)) A: See Formal Update Process below.

Formal Update Process
As identified above, the Mitigation Action Items will be monitored for status on an annual basis as well as an evaluation of the plan’s goals. The Local Mitigation Officer or designee will be responsible for contacting the coordinating agency members and organizing the annual meeting which will take place based on the month of the plan’s approval. Planning Team members will also be responsible for participating in the formal update to the Plan every fifth year of the planning cycle. In the event the City desires to seek grant funding for the update, the application process should begin 2 years in advance of the plan’s expiration. Even without grant funding, the planning process should begin at least 1.5 years ahead of the plan’s expiration.

The Planning Team will begin the update process by reviewing the goals and mitigation action items to determine their relevance to changing situations within the City of Signal Hill as well as changes in state or federal policy, and to ensure they are addressing current and expected conditions. The Planning Team will also review the Plan’s Risk Assessment portion of the Plan to determine if this information should be updated or modified, given any new available data. The lead departments responsible for the various action items will report on the status of their projects, including the success of various implementation processes, difficulties encountered, success of coordination efforts, and which strategies should be revised. Amendments will be made to the Mitigation Actions Matrix and other sections in the Plan as deemed necessary by the Planning Team.

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Q&A | ELEMENT D: PLAN MAINTENANCE | D1-a.

Q: Does the plan describe how communities will continue to seek future public participation after the plan has been approved? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(4)(iii)) A: See Continued Public Involvement below.

Continued Public Involvement
The City of Signal Hill is dedicated to involving the public directly in the continual review and updates to the mitigation plan. Copies of the plan will be made available at City Hall and on the City’s website. The existence and location of these copies will be publicized in the City’s newsletter “City Views” and on the website. This site will also contain an email address and phone number where people can direct their comments and concerns. At the discretion of the Local Mitigation Officer, a public meeting may be held after the Annual Implementation Meeting. The meeting would provide a public forum in which interested individuals and/or agencies could express their concerns, opinions, or ideas about the plan.

The Local Mitigation Officer will be responsible for using the city resources to publicize any public meetings and always free to maintain public involvement through the public access channel, web page, and newspapers.

In general, the next plan update needs to include a greater variety of outreach methods and range of materials. During the planning process for the 2025 plan, minimal input was received from the public or stakeholders. Perhaps a letter of support from the City Manager or greater utilization of existing public forums and other city leaders would yield responses from the public and stakeholders. A federal document was released after the 2025 planning process which would be very helpful to the Planning Team during the 2029 update to the plan. The document title is Planning Considerations: Putting People First.

Furthermore, the next update to the plan will include a significantly more robust community outreach strategy focusing on equity priority populations. This will involve specific outreach to underserved individuals, disadvantaged individuals, and socially vulnerable individuals.

Furthermore, the stakeholder list needs to be expanded to include a broader scope of service providers to the equity priority populations. The stakeholder list already identifies organizations to be included in future distributions of information relating to the mitigation plan and its implementation.

Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
Chapter 7: Plan Review, Adoption, and Approval
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Chapter 7: Plan Review, Adoption and
Approval
Q&A | ELEMENT F: PLAN ADOPTION | F1-a.

Q: Does the participant include documentation of adoption? (Requirement 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(5)) A: See Plan Adoption Process below.

Plan Adoption Process
Adoption of the plan by the local governing body demonstrates the City of Signal Hill’s commitment to meeting mitigation goals and objectives. Governing body approval legitimizes the plan and authorizes responsible agencies to execute their responsibilities.

The Second Draft Plan was submitted to Cal OES and FEMA for a formal review. When Cal OES determines the plan to be compliant, the Final Draft Plan will be scheduled for an adoption meeting with the City Council. Staff will recommend adoption of the Final Draft Plan. Assuming adoption by the City Council, the signed resolution will be forwarded to FEMA along with a request for a FEMA Letter of Approval.

In preparation for the public meeting with the City Council, the Planning Team will post the Final Draft Plan on the City’s website. Notification of the Plan’s availability will also be announced via the mediums utilized during the community outreach activities. Also, the Team will prepare a staff report including an overview of the Planning Process, Risk Assessment, Mitigation Goals, and Mitigation Actions. The staff presentation will include a summary of the input received during the community outreach activities. The meeting participants will be encouraged to present their views and make suggestions on possible mitigation actions.

The City Council heard the item on _____. The City Council voted to ______ the Final Draft of the Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Resolution of adoption by the City Council is below:

Insert
Plan Approval
Upon adoption by the City Council, the resolution was forwarded to FEMA. The FEMA Letter of Approval was issued on __________ and is below:
insert
Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
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Attachments
FEMA Letter of Approval
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City Council Adoption Resolution
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Attachments
- 147 -
Web Postings and Notifications
City Website – Posted November 2024
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Attachments
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Attachments
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Video Hazard Mitigation Overview – November 2024
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Attachments
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Attachments
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City Views – Cover (Winter/Spring 2024)
Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
Attachments
- 164 -
City Views – Ad for Mitigation Plan
Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
Attachments
- 165 -
Instagram
Facebook
Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
Attachments
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Attachments
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Attachments
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Attachments
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Attachments
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Flyer
Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
Attachments
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Public Forums
Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
Attachments
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Pop Ups
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Attachments
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Stakeholder List
Entity Name of Recipient Job Title of Recipient
Jurisdictions
Los Angeles County Fire Dept La Fonda Riggins Community Services Liaison Long Beach School District Jill Baker Superintendent of Schools Los Angeles County Fire
Prevention Division
Claudia Soiza Inspector
Los Angeles County Public
Health Department
Kathryn Barger Board Supervisor
Los Angeles County Public
Works Department
Toan Duong Supervisor
American Red Cross Ryan Chan Program Manager
Signal Hill Chamber of Commerce Chris Arnaldo President City of Long Beach Tom Modica City Manager
American University of Health Sciences Pastor Gregory Johnson Pastor Houses of Worship
Long Beach Islamic Center Sheikh Tarek Mohamed Imam
Stand to Reason Katie Hulse Front Office Manager
The Well Christian Fellowship Pat Dalbec Emergency Response Team Director
Calvary Chapel Signal Hill James Kaddis Pastor
Dream City Church Atwood Stanley Chief Risk Officer
Community Organizations
Signal Hill Community Foundation Keir Jones President
Signal Hill Police Foundation Charlie Honeycutt President Signal Hill Historical Society Larry Blunden President
Friends of the Signal Hill Library Cecilia Fidora President Signal Hill Social Club Victoria Chang Recreation Specialist Signal Hill Rotary Albert Chang President
Conservation Corp of Long Beach Dan Knapp Executive Director & CEO Signal Hill Chamber of Commerce Chris Arnaldo President Long Beach Youth Leadership Institute Erron Harris Program Manager Long Beach Community Improvement
League
Farahnaz Khaleghi Executive Director
Signal Hill Petroleum Debra Layton VP of Government Affairs Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
Attachments
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Public and Stakeholder Input
Date Invited
to Provide
Input or
Input
Gathered
Agency Represented, Name, Position Title Input and Action PUBLIC
General Public
February 1,
2024
Input: Comments from online and paper
survey: “Thank you for providing this
information.”; “I am glad the City has this
resource available.”; “More emergency
preparedness information for residents
would be helpful.”; “Reinstate CERT
trainings.”
Resolution: Comments have been
logged and for requests related to
programs and information, the City is
working on plans for outreach and
communications.

LOCAL AND REGIONAL AGENCIES INVOLVED IN HAZARD MITIGATION ACTIVITIES September
29, 2023
Agency: Signal Hill Planning Team
Rebecca Lopez, Chair – Emergency Management
Coordinator, Police Department
Karla Santillan – Police Department
Don Moreau – Police Department
Brian Leyn – Police Department
Carl Charles – Police Department
Wayne Byerley – Police Department
Grissel Chavez – City Manager’s Office
Yvette Aguilar – City Manager’s Office
Thomas Bekele – Public Works
Sharon Del Rosario – Finance
Colleen Doan – Community Development
Joe Hoefgen – City Manager’s Office
Desiree Jimenez – Public Works
Carlos Luis – Community Development
Input: Information was gathered from
the Planning Team during review of the
Initial Draft Plan. Planning Team Chair
provided extensive information relating
to the community outreach activities.

Resolution: Information gathered during
initial review or since was incorporated
into the Hazard Mitigation Plan.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Los Angeles County Fire Department,
Station 60
Station has a rotating staff of one captain and three
firefighters. Station was provided both an electronic
and hard copy of the draft plan for input.

No input received
February 1,
2024
Agency: Long Beach Utilities
Name: Shaun Curtis, Manager, Security and
Emergency Preparedness
No input received
February 1,
2024
Agency: Los Angeles County Sanitation District
Name: Ajay Malik, Technical Services Department
Head
No input received.

Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2025
Attachments
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Date Invited
to Provide
Input or
Input
Gathered
Agency Represented, Name, Position Title Input and Action February 1,
2024
Agency: Dignity Health St. Mary’s Medical Center
Name: Kathy Dollarhide, Director of Disaster
Resource Center
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Long Beach Unified School District
Name: Cameron Smith, Director of School Safety
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Southern California Edison
Name: Celina Luna, Government Relations
Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Signal Hill Petroleum
Name: Debra Montalvo Layton, VP of Community
Relations
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Long Beach
Name: Tom Modica, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Carson
Name: David C. Roberts, Jr., City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Torrance
Name: Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Gardena
Name: Clint Osorio, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Compton
Name: Willie A. Hopkins, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Paramount
Name: John Moreno, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Lakewood
Name: Thaddeus McCormack, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Bellflower
Name: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Los Alamitos
Name: Chet Simmons, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Seal Beach
Name: Deb Machen, Executive Assistant to the City
Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Cal State University, Long Beach
Name: Allyson Joy, Emergency Preparedness
Assistant
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Long Beach City College
Name: David Jefferson, Director, Risk Management
and Campus Safety
No input received.

AGENCIES WITH AUTHORITY TO REGULATE DEVELOPMENT
See above Local and Regional Agencies involved in
Hazard Mitigation Activities
February 1,
2024
Agency: Parks & Recreation Commission
Members: Tim Anhorn, Linda Edwards, Kiran
Gidwani, Pam Dutch Hughes, Caroline Kiss-Lee
No input received.

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Attachments
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Date Invited
to Provide
Input or
Input
Gathered
Agency Represented, Name, Position Title Input and Action February 1,
2024
Agency: Planning Commission
Members : Perica Bell, Gege Lopez, Victor Parker,
Saeida Miller, Sonia Savoulian
No input received.

OTHER CITY COMMISSIONS AND GROUPS
February 1,
2024
Agency: Civil Service Commission
Members: Julie Doi, Ayda Ghebrezghi, Ronald
Griggs, Paul Patterson, Diana Phillips
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Parks & Recreation Commission
Members: Tim Anhorn, Linda Edwards, Kiran
Gidwani, Pam Dutch Hughes, Caroline Kiss-Lee
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Diversity Coalition Committee No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Los Angeles County Department of Public
Health
Name: Stella Fogleman
Position Title: Director, Emergency Preparedness
and Response
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Los Angeles County Department of Mental
Health
Name: Cynthia Miller
Position Title: Disaster Services Specialist
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Las Brisas Housing Complex
Name: Kim Johnson / Ana Tello
Position Title: Property Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Long Beach Memorial Medical Center
Name: Omar Fernandez
Position Title: RN, Disaster Resource Center
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Los Angeles County Recorder-Clerk
Name: Dean Logan
Position Title: Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Zinnia Housing Complex
Name: Machara Hogue
Position Title: Property Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Friends of Signal Hill Library
Name: Cecilia Fidora
Position Title: President
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Signal Hill Community Foundation
Name: Keir Jones
Position Title: President
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Signal Hill Police Foundation
Name: Charlie Honeycutt
Position Title: President
No input received.

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Date Invited
to Provide
Input or
Input
Gathered
Agency Represented, Name, Position Title Input and Action February 1,
2024
Agency: Signal Hill Rotary Club
Name: Les Young
Position Title: President
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: EDCO
Name: Mark Perumean
Position Title: General Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Signal Hill Historical Society
Name: Joe Holliday
Position Title: President
No input received.

NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES
February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Long Beach
Name: Tom Modica, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Carson
Name: David C. Roberts, Jr, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Torrance
Name: Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Gardena
Name: Clint Osorio, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Compton
Name: Willie A. Hopkins, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Paramount
Name: John Moreno, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Lakewood
Name: Thaddeus McCormack, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Bellflower
Name: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Los Alamitos
Name: Chet Simmons, City Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: City of Seal Beach
Name: Deb Machen, Executive Assistant to the City
Manager
No input received.

BUSINESSES, ACADEMIC, AND OTHER PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS
February 1,
2024
Agency: Frontier Communications
Name: Felicia Hudson
Position Title: Government and External Affairs
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Southern California Edison
Name: Celina Luna
Position Title: Government Relations Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Signal Hill Petroleum
Name: Debra Montalvo Layton
Position Title: VP of Community Relations
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: EDCO
Name: Mark Perumean
Position Title: General Manager
No input received.

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Attachments
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Date Invited
to Provide
Input or
Input
Gathered
Agency Represented, Name, Position Title Input and Action February 1,
2024
Agency: Long Beach Unified School District
Name: Cameron Smith
Position Title: Director of School Safety
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Cal State University, Long Beach
Name: Allyson Joy
Position Title: Emergency Preparedness Assistant
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Long Beach City College
Name: David Jefferson
Position Title: Director, Risk Management and
Campus Safety
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Food 4 Less
Name: Natasha Peralta
Position Title: Regional Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Costco
Name: Audrey Medico
Position Title: Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Target
Name: Tina Bravo
Position Title: Assistant Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Home Depot
Name: Miguel Camberos
Position Title: Operation Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Best Buy
Name: Jon Ordonez
Position Title: General Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Starbucks
Name: Jose C.

Position Title: Store Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Office Depot
Name: Greg Gonser
Position Title: General Manager
No input received.

NONPROFIT AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

AND SOCIALLY VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
February 1,
2024
Agency: Las Brisas Housing Complex
Name: Kim Johnson / Ana Tello
Position Title: Property Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Zinnia Housing Complex
Name: Machara Hogue
Position Title: Property Manager
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Disabled Resources Center
Name: Guadalupe Gracian
Position Title: Emergency Preparedness
Coordinator
No input received.

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Date Invited
to Provide
Input or
Input
Gathered
Agency Represented, Name, Position Title Input and Action February 1,
2024
Agency: Long Beach Rescue Mission
Name: Jeff Levine
Position Title: President & CEO
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Long Beach Senior Center
Name: Brent Dennis
Position Title: Director, Parks, Recreation, &
Marine
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: Mental Health America
Name: Christina Miller
Position Title: President & CEO
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Agency: The Salvation Army Family Service
Name: Jared Arnold
Position Title: Captain
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Star View Behavior Health Care Center
3210 Long Beach Boulevard
Long Beach, CA 90807
No input received.

February 1,
2024
VA Healthcare System
5901 E 7th St.

Long Beach, CA 90822
No input received.

February 1,
2024
Safe Refuge
3111 E 7th Street
Long Beach, CA 90804
No input received
February 1,
2024
Calvary Chapel Signal Hill
1200 E 29th Street
Signal Hill, CA 90755
No input received
February 1,
2024
Aum Sanctuary LB
2071 E Spring Street
Signal Hill, CA 90806
No input received
February 1,
2024
Willow Temple
2710 E Willow Street
Signal Hill, CA 90755
No input received
February 1,
2024
Long Beach Christian Fellowship
3210 E Airport Way
Long Beach, CA 90806
No input received
February 1,
2024
Victory Outreach Long Beach
3300 E Willow Street
Signal Hill, CA 90755
No input received
February 1,
2024
Christ Centered Ministries
2131 Ridgeview Terrace Dr.

Signal Hill, CA 90755
No input received
February 1,
2024
The Well Christian Fellowship
3250 E 19th Street
Signal Hill, CA 90755
No input received
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Attachments
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Date Invited
to Provide
Input or
Input
Gathered
Agency Represented, Name, Position Title Input and Action February 1,
2024
Cambodian Harvest Church
1948 E 20th Street
Signal Hill, CA 90755
No input received
February 1,
2024
Dream City Church Long Beach
2094 Cherry Avenue
Signal Hill, CA 90755
No input received
February 1,
2024
Long Beach Islamic Center
995 E 27th Street
Signal Hill, CA 90755
No input received
February 1,
2024
Stand to Reason
1438 E 33rd Street
Signal Hill, CA 90755
No input received
February 1,
2024
Catholic Charities
123 E 14th Street
Long Beach, CA 90813
No input received
February 1,
2024
Christian Outreach in Action
515 E 3rd Street
Long Beach, CA 90802
No input received
February 1,
2024
Luteran Community Care Long Beach
1611 Pine Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90813
No input received
Stakeholders listed above were invited via email or mail and provided with an electronic link to the City of Signal Hill website posting both of the community outreach activities: 1) Posting of the of the Second Draft Plan, Video, and Survey; 2) Reposting of an updated Video and Survey along with an Executive Summary in English, Spanish, and Cambodian. The following is the letter distributed to the stakeholders:

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Stakeholder Letter of Invitation
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Attachments
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Attachments
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City of Signal Hill Floodplain Ordinance
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Attachments
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