FROM:
Building & Safety
SUBJECT:
Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance No. 1972, adopting the 2025 State of California Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map Pursuant to California Government Code Sections 51177-51179 and amending Chapter 30, Article IX (Overlay Districts), Division 8 (Fire Hazard Overlay District), Section 30-656(a) of the City of Fontana Zoning and Development Code.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt Ordinance No. 1972, designating Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) within the Local Responsibility Area identified by the 2025 State of California Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map updated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) as required by California Government Code Sections 51177-51179, and amending Chapter 30, Article IX (Overlay Districts), Division 8 (Fire Hazard Overlay District), Section 30-656(a) of the Fontana Zoning and Development Code to reflect the same
COUNCIL GOALS:
• To improve public safety by minimizing impacts from disasters through emergency and disaster preparedness.
DISCUSSION:
Pursuant to California Government Code sections 51177-51179, CALFIRE has identified updates to Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) within the Local Responsibility Area of the City of Fontana. The City has received formal notification from CALFIRE, and at a minimum, the City must designate the updated areas identified by the State as FHSZ through the adoption of a City Council Ordinance no later than June 24, 2025.
Areas identified for inclusion in a FHSZ may be targeted by CALFIRE for a number of reasons, including but not limited to: fire history, narrow separation distance between structures and high housing density, limited retrofitting of structures to bring structures in compliance with Chapter 7A of the Building Standards Code, a single evacuation route that may impact evacuation times, and proximity to dense vegetation and topographic features capable of supporting a fast moving wind driven fire.
With the adoption of the Local Responsibility Area maps, all properties in those areas designated as a “Very High” FHSZ are required to meet vegetation management requirements identified in Government Code Section 51182 as a minimum standard. These standards include, but are not limited to: (i) “maintain[ing] defensible space of 100 feet from each side and from the front and rear of the structure, but not beyond the property line,” (ii) “remov[ing] that portion of a tree that extends within 10 feet of the outlet of a chimney or stovepipe,” (iii) “maintain[ing] a tree, shrub, or other plant adjacent to or overhanging a building free of dead or dying wood,” and (iv) “maintain[ing] the roof of a structure free of leaves, needles, or other vegetative materials.” Before constructing a new dwelling or structure, or rebuilding a structure damaged by fire in the FHSZ, the proposed structure must comply with all applicable state and local building standards for the FHSZ which incorporate the ignition resistant building standards required in Chapter 7A of the Building Standards Code.
In areas designated as a “High” FHSZ, all new construction or major remodels classified by the Building Official as new construction are required to meet the wildfire resistant construction requirements included in Chapter 7A of the Building Standards Code.
Properties within the “Very High” and “High” FHSZ must conduct a natural hazard real estate disclosure at time of sale per California Civil Code Section 1102.19 that the property is compliant with local vegetation management regulations.
The designated FHSZ Local Responsibility Area map for the City of Fontana (Exhibit A) identifies areas for inclusion within the northern and southern boundaries of the City. An interactive map can also be found online at the CALFIRE website:
<https://fire-hazard-severity-zones-rollout-calfire-forestry.hub.arcgis.com/pages/ed64b8ac2a364184bf6391f484257fcf>
Additional detail of the identified FHSZ quadrants within the City of Fontana is included as Exhibit B.
In order to update the City of Fontana Zoning and Development Code, section 30-656(a) is amended to reflect the updated 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map.
This action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to California Public Resources Code section 21080(b)(4) as the City is mandated by the California Government Code to adopt this Ordinance as a necessity to prevent or mitigate an emergency. Therefore, adoption of the proposed Ordinance is statutorily exempt from CEQA in that it implements state law. Additionally, pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21065, this action is not a project that has the potential to cause a direct physical change in the environment or cause a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact related to adoption of the CALFIRE FHSZ map.
MOTION:
Approve staff recommendation.