8R
Date: June 17, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk
By: Robert Williams, Deputy City Clerk I | [email protected] Subject: SECOND AND FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 3949
RECOMMENDATION
Second and Final Reading of ORDINANCE NO. 3949 adding Article 4 of Chapter 5 of Division 8 adopting the fire hazard severity zones map to designate moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones in the City of Torrance.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
At the regular meeting of the City Council held on June 3, 2025, this Ordinance was discussed, introduced, and approved for its first reading by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS Gerson, Kaji, Kalani, Lewis, Mattucci, and Mayor Chen.
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS None.
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS None.
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS Sheikh.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Ordinance No. 3949
2. Ordinance Summary
1 1
ORDINANCE NO. 3949
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, ADDING ARTICLE 4 OF
CHAPTER 5 OF DIVISION 8 ADOPTING THE FIRE HAZARD
SEVERITY ZONES MAP TO DESIGNATE MODERATE,
HIGH, AND VERY HIGH FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES
IN THE CITY OF TORRANCE
WHEREAS, California Constitution Article XI, Section 7 provides that a city may make and enforce within its limits all local, police, sanitary, and other ordinances and regulations not in conflict with general laws; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature has found and declared in Government Code section 51175(a) that “wildfires are extremely costly, not only to property owners and residents, but also to local agencies. Wildfires pose a serious threat to the preservation of the public peace, health, or safety.
The wildfire front is not the only source of risk since emb ers, or firebrands, travel far beyond the area impacted by the front and pose a risk of ignition to a structure or fuel on a site for a longer time. Since fires ignore civil boundaries, it is necessary that cities, counties, special districts, state agencies, and federal agencies work together to bring raging fires under control. Preventive measures are therefore needed to ensure the preservation of the public peace, health, or safety;” and
WHEREAS, the Legislature has found and declared in Government Code section 51175(b) that “the prevention of wildland fires is not a municipal affair, as that term is used in Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution, but is instead, a matter of statewide concern. It is the intent of the Legislature that this chapter apply to all lo cal agencies, including, but not limited to, charter cities, charter counties, and charter cities and counties;” and
WHEREAS, Government Code section 51178 provides that “the State Fire Marshal shall identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas. Moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones shall be based on fuel loading, slope, fire weather, and other relevant factors including areas where winds have been identified by the Office of the State Fire Marshal as a major cause of wildfire spread;” and
WHEREAS, Government Code section 51178.5 provides that “within 30 days after receiving a transmittal from the State Fire Marshal that identifies fire hazard severity zones pursuant to Section 51178, a local agency shall make the information available for public review and comment;” and
WHEREAS, on March 24, 2025, the State Fire Marhsall published maps depicting areas designated as Moderate, High, and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in the City of Torrance; and
WHEREAS, the City of Torrance has made the information, including the map specific to the City of Torrance, available for public review and comment on the City’s website; And
2 Attachment 1
2 WHEREAS, the City of Torrance sent a postcard to the community in the fire hazard severity zones; and
WHEREAS, Government Code section 51179 requires that the City designate, by ordinance , moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones in the City within 120 days of receiving the recommendations of the State Fire Marshal; and
WHEREAS, on June 3, 2025, the City Council introduced the Ordinance; and
NOW, THEREFOR E, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TORRANCE DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1
The City Council finds and determines that the Recitals above are true and correct and are incorporated by reference and adopted as findings by the City Council.
SECTION 2
Article 4 of Chapter 5 of Division 8 entitled Fire Hazard Severity Zones is added to the Torrance Municipal Code to read in its entirety as follows:
“ARTICLE 4 – FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES
Section 85.4.010 Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map
The City of Torrance designates the Fire Hazard Severity Zones, as recommended by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) pursuant to Government Code section 51178. The City of Torrance’s Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map, as identified in Exhibit 1, is adopted and incorporated into this Article by this reference. The official map is also located electronically on the following website: www.torranceca.gov.”
SECTION 3
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this ordinance is for any reason deemed or held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision will not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance.
The City Council of the City of Torrance hereby declares that it would have adopted this Ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause phrase or portion thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases or other portions might subsequently be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 4
Any inconsistent provisions of the Torrance Municipal Code, or any other inconsistent ordinances of the City, are repealed, to the extent of the inconsistencies.
3 3
SECTION 5
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action simply designates the fire hazard severity zones recommended by the OSFM (CAL FIRE), as mandated by Government Code Section 51179, and amends the Torrance Municipal Code to update the regulations regarding the fire hazard severity zones to be consistent with the updated map issued by the OSFM (CAL FIRE).
Adoption of this Ordinance will not have an impact on the environment.
SECTION 6
The City Clerk shall submit a copy of this Ordinance to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection within 30 days after adoption and take all necessary actions to post all notices required by Government Code section 51179.
SECTION 7
This ordinance shall take effect 30 days after the date of its adoption. Within 15 days following adoption, this ordinance or a summary of this ordinance if authorized by the City Council, will be published at least once in the Daily Breeze, a newspaper of general circulation, published and circulated in the City of Torrance.
INTRODUCED and APPROVED this 3rd day of June 2025.
ADOPTED and PASSED this 17th day of June 2025.
Mayor George K. Chen
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
PATRICK Q. SULLIVAN, City Attorney
by:
Tatia Y. Strader, Assistant City Attorney
ATTEST:
Rebecca Poirier, MMC, City Clerk
Attachment:
Exhibit 1 Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map
4 Exhibit 1
5 ORDINANCE NO. 3949 SUMMARY
On June 17th, 2025, the City Council of the City of Torrance, California, adopted Ordinance No. 3949 designating the Fire Hazard Severity Zones as recommended by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) pursuant to Government Code Section 51178. The City Council adopted the Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map that designates moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones in the City of Torrance. The fire hazard severity zone maps are created by CAL FIRE under direction of the State Fire Marshal without local jurisdictional input or influence. The City of Torrance may not reduce any designated fire hazard severity level. The Fire Hazard Severity Map is available in the City Clerk’s Office as well as online at www.torranceca.gov. 6 Attachment 2