The San Clemente Planning Commission on Oct. 8 recommended that the City Council adopt a general-plan amendment to incorporate state climate- and safety-related requirements and the city's Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, and urged the council to prioritize wildfire prevention, early notification and evacuation planning in light of Cal Fire's updated hazard maps.

The action advances amendments required by state laws including SB 1425, SB 1035 and AB 747 and folds the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan into the Safety Element, staff said. Planning staff told the commission the update also adds evacuation maps and single-egress parcel mapping required by recent state guidance.

Commissioners said the new state fire-hazard maps show large areas at high and very-high wildfire risk inside San Clemente and pressed staff to make wildfire planning a clear priority. "We should not treat this as a routine update — public safety must be our highest duty," Chair Cameron said during discussion, urging council-level direction to turn policies into an actionable program.

Planning staff recommended the council adopt the amendment and directed the record that the commission wants the council to: (1) adopt the proposed general-plan changes to comply with state law; and (2) direct staff to update and prioritize a multi-hazard emergency action program that emphasizes wildfire prevention, early notice to residents and coordinated evacuation procedures tied to the new Cal Fire hazard maps.

Brandon Hanley, staff author of the amendment, said the update includes adding two new figures to the safety element — evacuation routes and parcels with single egress — and language to link the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan to the safety element. He also noted the city will consult Cal Fire and tribal governments before final council action; the city is working to meet the state target date of Jan. 1, 2026, but staff said demonstrable progress and follow-up reporting will be acceptable if final council adoption moves into early 2026.

Why it matters: The amendment is intended to qualify the city for state grants and to align local policy with new state climate- and safety-focused mandates. Commissioners emphasized that adopting policies is only a first step and that the city should rapidly move to implement mitigation measures and communications protocols so residents in at-risk neighborhoods receive clear, timely evacuation notices.

Next steps: The commission forwarded the amendment and its supplemental recommendation to the City Council and asked staff to incorporate the commission's discussion into the council report. Staff plans additional Cal Fire and tribal consultations and expects the matter before council in late 2025 or early 2026.

Speakers quoted in this article are those who presented or spoke on the general-plan item during the Oct. 8 meeting and are shown in the transcript.