[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6621518,"mediaKeyId","2801801-16095dd128ae9b8a2c8f27f1a5c97d2c","parentId",2801801,"title","Committee hears updates on hazard mitigation plan, weed‑abatement kickoff, park‑ranger reorganization and proposed committee restructuring","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",6163000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2801801-16095dd128ae9b8a2c8f27f1a5c97d2c&start=6163&end=6163","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2801801-16095dd128ae9b8a2c8f27f1a5c97d2c/thumbnail_6163000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6621518/San-Clemente-City/Orange-County/California/Committee-hears-updates-on-hazard-mitigation-plan-weedabatement-kickoff-parkranger-reorganization-and-proposed-committee-restructuring","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621518-8482e07b24dd1b3219500e6f55dba733/orig.mp4?Expires=1777271317&Signature=RuMY89vLuwz8Nj8Lnd-jad7aiRIvCfu4q8nfaVftG4qS6ypicLADTiLf9JB-EuIlOnXsZQYFJ0pCVmsC9k-AQ56evD0MlYrwlfsT-XEWVVcZNOcgep8QUYikL44wK4UmNzE7I7vF7wpyEh9DL-D3MU3b6dwn9HFiVsBmuxQctUt3VgH6Yz2BI8QnRTihUMJylgAQHZXMf6GKftmuBUyVM7pxW4wGMyewIJPS5MZDat8FoitvS~35pHTapG0irSpjpohH1A53JkMObru4Y2glnHlClUshM8VrSr1KXnt2vzGA6oEy3egj8glkETJ~RGC3Rc2obETr6Z3HhfHFKIcVCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","San Clemente City","date","2025-03-27T23:01:46.843Z","article","City staff provided a series of procedural and program updates to the Public Safety Committee covering hazard mitigation, vegetation abatement and committee structure.

Staff reported that the city’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) was adopted by the city council and approved by Cal OES; FEMA subsequently approved it. Staff said they have already submitted a grant application for a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), which would produce a community‑wide wildfire risk assessment to streamline future fuel‑reduction projects (for example targeted grazing or vegetation projects) and support Firewise community formation for neighborhoods and HOAs.

The city also confirmed a resolution to begin the 2025 weed‑abatement program. Notices are scheduled to be mailed on April 1; staff said the program focuses on vacant and undeveloped parcels and city‑owned lots (reservoir sites and similar parcels) and that the city will return to council to authorize enforcement actions against persistently noncompliant property owners.

Committee members discussed park‑ranger responsibilities and an internal reorganization. Staff said park rangers and community outreach functions were moved to report through a different supervisor after the departure of the previous code compliance manager. Staff described a multi‑step plan to align park rangers with a future public‑safety department rather than the community‑development/code‑compliance function; this would include clarifying performance measures, training and tracking systems for ranger activity. Park rangers reported roughly 7,000 park and beach patrols and visits over a recent three‑month period, about 3,000 non‑parking enforcement contacts and 38 parking‑related actions in the same timeframe.

Staff also summarized a proposal to reorganize several advisory bodies. Under the draft ordinance to be considered by council, duties of the Coastal Advisory Committee would move to the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Committee; Human Affairs Committee responsibilities would be split between Beaches, Parks and Recreation and the Public Safety Committee, which staff proposed renaming the Community Safety and Welfare Committee. The draft would also increase the committee membership from five to seven and encourage membership with public‑safety experience. Staff said the first reading of the ordinance was scheduled for the April 1 council meeting.

Committee members asked for clarity on representation at committee meetings, the bi‑monthly meeting cadence proposed for the restructured committee, and assurances that departmental representatives (OCFA, OCSD, marine safety) would still have liaisons available if agenda items pertained to their areas. Staff confirmed those expectations would be addressed as the ordinance moves through council.

The committee concluded with a motion to adjourn; the committee approved the adjournment by a voice vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Safety Committee Meeting March 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff reported that the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan was approved, a Community Wildfire Protection Plan grant application was submitted, the weed abatement program will start with notices on April 1, and staff proposed reorganizing commissions and moving park-ranger oversight toward a public‑safety alignment.","taxTitle","San Clemente City, Orange County, California","taxId",4846,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6621524,"Resident urges action as chronic vehicle stunting and loud night racing plague Camino Del Lares area",504,3226000,3730000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2801801-16095dd128ae9b8a2c8f27f1a5c97d2c&start=3226&end=3730","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2801801-16095dd128ae9b8a2c8f27f1a5c97d2c/thumbnail_3226000.jpg","/articles/6621524/San-Clemente-City/Orange-County/California/Resident-urges-action-as-chronic-vehicle-stunting-and-loud-night-racing-plague-Camino-Del-Lares-area","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621524-22407ef82ea4d7880098d88f3cd22fed/orig.mp4?Expires=1777271317&Signature=B5Wx5OXktgoGmbt1bXJcIi1kTtM8tFMWincg7EZnXBavlRSmgRrPYv~Z0vdDgyEkB1ErtRJTm8Qehyr2Ok4mC0XSE3p3nx9sG-N9-9aWVFEBzOnqZkdfMeSaJsJbPZ39O62jR3Nqv~0cjLi6U~7139CRnphzzH9pR1x8BeQeQnpHh0vrxT0PdeuhRxs5di3UZb~NtbqcB9yVEF6HXgXqXToEGRMb8wj19t0GmJLbklsFhSZ1DCqmxGN5JSefdgRb-ZNcR-5lsj4a-0k6NN~7vCO~6yYKwWwR8-armGqE56RbbPXPST8~zist5ZiqWhdIjslAB5WZOr~NiFENDmEpVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dennis Ordiwady told the committee that the intersection of Camino Del Lares and Diamante has been a longstanding site for vehicle stunting, loud nighttime drifting and occasional organized gatherings since his family moved to the neighborhood in 1995.

Ordiwady described the behavior as unpredictable and ongoing both day and night, saying the activity “wakes you up in the middle of the night” and has traumatized children in the area. He said the problem worsens after major events and new street‑racing films, and that the location’s long, low‑traffic approach and easy exit patterns make it attractive to offenders. “They have a sense for how long they can get away with this — 10 or 15 minutes before anybody can respond,” he said.

Ordiwady proposed a two‑pronged approach: increased law enforcement visibility and targeted street modifications (for example pavement treatments or milling) to reduce the site’s suitability for donuts and drifting. He said past calls to dispatch are often reactive and deputies frequently arrive after drivers disperse.

Deputy responses were described in the meeting record. Committee staff reported that Sergeant Streeter of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department had responded to the constituent’s earlier inquiry and that the sheriff’s office is aware of the location and its pattern. Staff also said they would contact Public Works/Engineering to discuss potential physical deterrents and options such as pavement milling or other treatments that impede sideways maneuvers without hindering emergency vehicles.

The committee encouraged the resident’s continued reporting and said staff would coordinate with sheriff’s deputies and engineering; multiple committee members noted the deterrent value of increased officer presence even when arrests are infrequent.","A long-term pattern of vehicle stunting and drifting in the Camino Del Lares/Diamante area prompts resident complaint; sheriff's office said it is aware and offered a contact for follow-up while staff agreed to engage engineering on possible street design deterrents.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6621529,"San Clemente resident briefs committee on pilot goat‑grazing fuel‑reduction project at Hermosa Sports Park",1266,1874000,3140000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2801801-16095dd128ae9b8a2c8f27f1a5c97d2c&start=1874&end=3140","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2801801-16095dd128ae9b8a2c8f27f1a5c97d2c/thumbnail_1874000.jpg","/articles/6621529/San-Clemente-City/Orange-County/California/San-Clemente-resident-briefs-committee-on-pilot-goatgrazing-fuelreduction-project-at-Hermosa-Sports-Park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621529-d11233d8e7eac12bd338698d6f75c483/orig.mp4?Expires=1777271317&Signature=VHy9pRZRdu7hheR8RJBQAlgItD16I7KZKLJYBOm1G81Ph2kiyxD~QK5kjZCH0u5nbG5FkgDmCZBOx~ZhOth5DH38TZGPj1c3pNefYgzbxVcreuTY8g7YB0Hh4Evm9NmOTQldhafP0KjHLD6npvgZWZRtuT~okaAbJ~U4-FmhbM8i0I40WK4F-uLlI0ybtpw6TbXJEoCqY323IUJWQnDt69cHraQsEa-a7qti1JU-TwvwWS3USoIJW5rt7RugyIJQJ7ZolJgvpUAfY~R8MBTDrd9l9uIvvB-1hRe2qVES96r0RCDT31-91564s8-Nrhtc8MA5jvChYKyR4EOUm3B4dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mike Kaye, a San Clemente resident and the presenter, updated the committee on a pilot project using livestock — primarily goats — to reduce brush and invasive plants on steep slopes near Hermosa Sports Park.

Kaye said the pilot was conceived as a fuel‑reduction exercise and has demonstrated the goats’ ability to reduce fire fuel loads without chemicals or large hand crews. He described operational practices intended to reduce negative impacts reported in earlier regional trials: the goats are kept offsite at night in an enclosed shelter, moved in to graze for limited daytime hours (about five hours), and restricted from sensitive native habitat using electric fencing.

Kaye said the pilot also aims to develop best practices for suburban settings: targeted grazing rotations of about an acre at a time, monitoring for sensitive species, and volunteer protocols. He reported outreach efforts and community visitation have been strong but said the public presence has introduced management challenges, including teenagers entering the corral and occasional trash at the site; he said he plans to add signage and reduce unsupervised public access.

Kaye described grant‑seeking and commercialization efforts: he said he submitted a commercial bid that included grazing to a local HOA and that staff at CAL FIRE have engaged on potential grant funding. He noted steps the city must consider for a larger recurring program: insurance, liability, environmental review and potential limits to publicization of goat locations if the program scales up (several nearby municipalities have stopped publishing goat locations after public‑access issues arose).

Committee members and staff raised operational questions and accepted Kaye’s offer to host visits for commissioners and neighbors. Kaye noted the herd includes a “guardian donkey” named Steve that deters coyotes and protects the herd. He also said goat companies in other cities often run larger operations; his prototype emphasizes smaller, rotational grazing tailored for suburban parcels.","A resident who runs a pilot livestock grazing program described results, community outreach, and operational learnings from using goats, a donkey guardian and targeted grazing to reduce fire fuels on city slopes.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6621534,"Orange County Fire Authority outlines Ready, Set, Go program, inspection rules and new CAL FIRE maps for San Clemente homeowners",3251,159000,3410000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2801801-16095dd128ae9b8a2c8f27f1a5c97d2c&start=159&end=3410","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2801801-16095dd128ae9b8a2c8f27f1a5c97d2c/thumbnail_159000.jpg","/articles/6621534/San-Clemente-City/Orange-County/California/Orange-County-Fire-Authority-outlines-Ready-Set-Go-program-inspection-rules-and-new-CAL-FIRE-maps-for-San-Clemente-homeowners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621534-306b90ef8b9b3a7defa19e0978947084/orig.mp4?Expires=1777271317&Signature=L6lMz4-EEoNzUhtdslBeQemgX3QKfNXvT0FFfDoOS4t4ZlKe0QRcoxLPH6NiQDPoFHdzsOrz0DET2t6reurHzP6AXMikVC6t9q48RwPUdPg~JoOJXfbpMayTbaG1zRSSSgj2qImwQkhSvvcj-YJPwGOaVwNWrPq89AX-Rh-tjkOgOnnCz974pMqzWbZDv2KvTLtWctexpR~sw9FcNNOuCbQweO3DXi8V7x0LA~l7qf886TvxBaYmz0nMpvxDyUWn578GYbfIlxJ2fZ6xh0eWS8RnhGIOU6LIoankeBqG8hyv2o53fQlBADm~N7ZsLp5Ljqp-cO3uJ~ZcV0YlYmVuTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","David Babbitt, the community wildfire mitigation inspector assigned to the city of San Clemente, and Ron Lloyd, assistant fire marshal for Division 3 of the Orange County Fire Authority, briefed the San Clemente Public Safety Committee on OCFA’s Ready, Set, Go wildfire-preparedness program and related inspection policies.

Babbitt described OCFA’s role in local wildfire mitigation and said the agency performs about 2,500 annual home and business vegetation inspections across the city’s high and very high fire severity zones. “If you live here, you have a very high probability of being involved in a wildfire in the next 50 years,” Babbitt said, adding that the maps OCFA uses are produced by CAL FIRE and “we have to accept them as is.”

The presentation emphasized three service areas: free educational home assessments, defensible-space enforcement and plan reviews for new construction. Homeowners in San Clemente can request a no-cost home assessment; Babbitt said inspectors will walk a property with a resident, point out vegetation and home-hardening weaknesses, and provide handouts. He said “there is no enforcement by OCFA during the assessment.”

OCFA outlined the agency’s enforcement timeline for defensible-space violations: inspectors mail a notice when a violation is found, conduct a first free re-inspection after 30 days, issue a second notice and re-inspect 15 days later, and, if unresolved by day 60, leave a door hanger with a photographed proof of service. If both OCFA and city code enforcement cannot secure compliance, Babbitt said the agency can refer persistent noncompliance to the district attorney’s office.

Staff also reviewed statutory changes and pending regulations. Babbitt cited the state requirement that, effective July 1, 2021, properties in very high fire severity zones must have a defensible-space inspection before close of escrow; compliant properties receive a six-month compliance letter. He said Assembly Bill 3074 will require a noncombustible five-foot immediate zone around new and, after a three‑year compliance window, existing homes in very high zones. Babbitt noted the governor’s executive order directing draft regulations within 45 days and final adoption by year’s end and said the rule could take effect in 2026 with a three‑year phase-in for existing homes if adopted on the timeline described.

OCFA staff gave practical guidance from the Ready, Set, Go program: ‘‘Ready’’ steps (home hardening and vegetation modification), ‘‘Set’’ steps (what to do as a fire approaches) and ‘‘Go’’ steps (evacuation and grab‑and‑go items). Babbitt and Lloyd also described types of inspections OCFA performs, distinguishing formal fuel‑modification plans (specific planting plans that must be matched on site) from defensible‑space inspections that focus on removal of dead or dying vegetation and maintaining required clearances.

Committee members asked about the CAL FIRE map update that was released the day before the meeting. Babbitt said OCFA is still importing the new data and that maps used by OCFA are the currently adopted (older) maps until the city completes its local adoption process. City staff later confirmed the city will hold a public comment period and two public hearings before the city adopts the new severity maps; state maps are developed and released by CAL FIRE.

OCFA provided outreach numbers: in 2024 the agency performed three home assessments in San Clemente and two community outreach events; at the time of the committee meeting OCFA had completed five home assessments in 2025 and had one community outreach event scheduled. Babbitt encouraged residents to schedule assessments online at ocfa.org and to review OCFA’s home assessment tool, which he said can be completed in about 20 minutes and is private to the homeowner.

The presentation concluded with staff contact guidance and a reminder that inspection season typically begins in March–April, weather dependent, and that compliance windows and enforcement steps are intended to balance education with public-safety needs.","Orange County Fire Authority staff described annual inspection practices, free home assessments and incoming changes from CAL FIRE and Assembly Bill 3074 that will affect defensible-space rules for homes in San Clemente's high fire severity zones.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears updates on hazard mitigation plan, weed‑abatement kickoff, park‑ranger reorganization and proposed committee restructuring

Resident urges action as chronic vehicle stunting and loud night racing plague Camino Del Lares area

San Clemente resident briefs committee on pilot goat‑grazing fuel‑reduction project at Hermosa Sports Park

Orange County Fire Authority outlines Ready, Set, Go program, inspection rules and new CAL FIRE maps for San Clemente homeowners