ACTION:
____________________________
Clerk/Secretary
Department: Fire Item No: PH5
Prepared by:
Maia Hodge, Management Analyst
Bret Davidson, Deputy Fire Chief Meeting Date: June 10, 2025 Approved by:
Gerard Washington, Fire Chief
John Conley, City Manager Agenda Location: Public Hearing SUBJECT: FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES ORDINANCE
RECOMMENDATION:
1.Open, conduct, and close a public hearing to receive testimony regarding adding Chapter 8.63 of the Vista Municipal Code related to fire hazard severity zones.
2.Introduce and adopt City Council Ordinance No. 2025- , entitled “An Ordinance of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, California, adding Chapter 8.63 of the Vista Municipal Code related to Fire Hazard Severity Zones.”
CORRELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS: Fiscal Responsibility and Public Safety.
PRIOR ACTION: On March 24, 2009, adopted City Council Ordinance No. 2009-9, approving the very high fire hazard severity zone in local responsibility area map (Vote: 5-0).
STATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT: California Government Code section 51178 requires the State Fire Marshal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones.
California Government Code section 51179 requires a local agency to designate, by ordinance, moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones within its jurisdiction, within 120 days of receiving the State Fire Marshal’s identification of fire hazard severity zones.
Staff has reviewed and accepted the moderate, high, and very high fire hazard safety zones as identified by the State Fire Marshal for the City of Vista, as reflected on the map titled “City of Vista Fire Hazard Severity Zones” dated March 24, 2025.
Accordingly, staff is proposing the addition of Chapter 8.63 to the Vista Municipal Code designating medium, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones within the City of Vista. This new ordinance complies with the requirements of Government Code section 51179.
Staff is also recommending adding areas not identified by the State Fire Marshal as moderate and high fire hazard severity zones. Specifically, the proposed ordinance identifies Buena Vista Creek, Buena Creek, and Agua Hedionda Creek as high fire severity zones. This designation is due to the thirty-five fires in these creeks during the past year. During high wind weather conditions, wildfire comes from the East and follows the creeks and streambeds into the City.
AGENDA
REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
SUCCESSOR AGENCY
BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT
JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY
Opened, conducted and closed the public hearing. Introduced and adopted City Council Ordinance 2025-03. Vote: 5-0
MEETING DATE: June 10, 2025 PAGE 2
SUBJECT: FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES ORDINANCE
The designation of fire hazard severity zones within the City of Vista aligns with the goal of becoming a Fire Risk Reduction Community as recognized by the California State Board of Forestry. In addition, the new ordinance provides access to grant funding to mitigate the fire hazard within the zones.
The proposed ordinance is attached as Exhibit 2, and the map is attached as Exhibit 3.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no direct fiscal impact.
EXHIBITS:
1.City Council Ordinance No. 2025- , adding Chapter 8.63 of the Vista Municipal Code related to Fire Hazard Severity Zones
2.Vista Municipal Code Chapter 8.63 – Fire Hazard Severity Zones
3.City of Vista Fire Hazard Severity Zones
06/10/2025 PH5 2 of 6
00029213 7
ORDINANCE NO. 2025-
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA, CALIFORNIA, ADDING CHAPTER 8.63 OF THE VISTA MUNICIPAL
CODE RELATED TO FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES WITHIN THE CITY OF VISTA
The City Council of the City of Vista does ordain as follows:
1. Findings. The City Council hereby finds and declares all of the following:
A. California Government Code section 51178 requires the State Fire Marshal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones. California Government Code section 51179 requires a local agency to designate, by ordinance, moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones within its jurisdiction, within 120 days of receiving the State Fire Marshal’s identification of fire hazard severity zones.
B. The City of Vista has reviewed and accepted the moderate, high and very high fire hazard safety zones as identified by the State Fire Marshal for the City of Vista, which map is titled “City of Vista Fire Hazard Severity Zones” dated March 24, 2025.
C. Pursuant to California Government Code section 51179(b)(2), the City of Vista has included areas not identified by the State Fire Marshal as moderate and high fire hazard severity zones Specifically, the City of Vista identifies Buena Vista Creek, Buena Creek, and Agua Hedionda Creek as high fire severity zones. This designation is due to the thirty-five fires in these creeks during the past year. During high wind weather conditions, wildfire comes from the East and follows the creeks and streambeds into the City.
2. Code Adoption.
Chapter 8.63 of the Municipal Code is added to the Vista Municipal Code and stated in full as follows:
“Chapter 8.63
Fire Hazard Severity Zones
Sections:
8.63.010 Designation and Adoption
8.63.020 Multiple Zone Designations
8.63.010 Designation and Adoption
A. Except as provided in subsection (B), lands shall be designated medium, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones as identified by the California Office of the State Fire Marshal and as designated on the map titled “City of Vista Fire Hazard Severity Zones,” dated March 24, 2025.
B. The following areas shall be designated high fire hazard severity zones in accordance with Government Code section 51179: Buena Vista Creek, Buena Creek, and Agua Hedionda Creek.
06/10/2025 PH5 3 of 6
EXHIBIT 1
ORDINANCE NO. 2025-
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA
PAGE 2
C. The map titled “City of Vista Fire Hazard Severity Zones,” dated March 24, 2025, is hereby adopted and incorporated in this code by reference.
8.63.020 Multiple Zone Designations
In instances where a single parcel of land includes multiple fire hazard severity zone designations, including moderate, high, or very high, the entire parcel shall be considered as falling within the highest designated zone present on any portion of the parcel.”
3. Severability. If any word, sentence, paragraph, or other portion of this ordinance is deemed to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, the City Council declares its intent that all remaining words, sentences, paragraphs, or portions of the ordinance not held to be invalid or unenforceable shall remain in full force and effect, and shall be so construed, as if the original ordinance did not contain the invalid or unenforceable language.
4. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect on the thirty-first day following the date of its adoption.
5. Adoption. INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED at a meeting of the City Council of the City of Vista held on June 10, 2025, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
WALTER CHUNG, CITY ATTORNEY
By:
APPROVED
Walter C. Chung
20250602132635
JOHN B. FRANKLIN, MAYOR
ATTEST:
KATHY VALDEZ, CITY CLERK
By:
06/10/2025 PH5 4 of 6
Vista Municipal Code
8.63 (1)
Chapter 8.63
Fire Hazard Severity Zones
Sections:
8.63.010 Designation and Adoption
8.63.020 Multiple Zone Designations
8.63.010 Designation and Adoption
A.Except as provided in subsection (B), lands shall be designated medium, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones as identified by the California Office of the State Fire Marshal and as designated on the map titled “City of Vista Fire Hazard Severity Zones,” dated March 24, 2025.
B.The following areas shall be designated high fire hazard severity zones in accordance with Government Code section 51179: Buena Vista Creek, Buena Creek, and Agua Hedionda Creek.
C.The map titled “City of Vista Fire Hazard Severity Zones,” dated March 24, 2025, is hereby adopted and incorporated in this code by reference.
8.63.020 Multiple Zone Designations
In instances where a single parcel of land includes multiple fire hazard severity zone designations, including moderate, high, or very high, the entire parcel shall be considered as falling within the highest designated zone present on any portion of the parcel. 06/10/2025 PH5 5 of 6
EXHIBIT 2
City and County boundaries as of 10/22/24 (CA Board of Equalization) CAL FIRE State Responsibility Areas (SRA25_1)
CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZSRA23_3, FHSZLRA_25_1) Data Sources:
Daniel Berlant, State Fire Marshal, CA Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Joe Tyler, Director/Fire Chief, CA Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Wade Crowfoot, Secretary for Natural Resources, CA Natural Resources Agency Gavin Newsom, Governor, State of CaliforniaThe State of California and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy of data or maps. Neither the State nor the Department shall be liable under any circumstances for any direct, special, incidental, or consequential damages with respect to any claim by any user or third party on account of, or arising from, the use of data or maps. 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.
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, Government Code section 51178 requires the State Fire
Marshal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent Waterbody
Federal Responsibility
Area (FRA)Unzoned LRA
Incorporated City
Projection: NAD 83 California Teale Albers
Scale: 1:52,000 at 11" x 17"
0 1 2 3 4Km
0 1 2Mi
Very High High Moderate
Very High High Moderate
Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) in Local Responsibility Area (LRA), as Identified by the State Fire Marshal
Vista
Co
H
w
y
S
1 4
78 UNINCORPORATED
SAN DIEGO CO.
CARLSBAD
OCEANSIDE
SAN MARCOS
March 24, 2025
As Identified by the
State Fire MarshalLocal Responsibility Area
Fire Hazard Severity Zones
CITY OF VISTA – SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Fire Hazard Severity Zones in State Responsibility
Area (SRA), Effective April 1, 2024
06/10/2025 PH5 6 of 6EXHIBIT 3