Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildfire Maps topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Arroyo Grande council adopts updated state fire-hazard maps amid insurance concerns
Summary
The City Council unanimously introduced an ordinance adopting Cal Fire's updated fire hazard severity zone maps for the city's Local Responsibility Area, prompting residents to warn of insurance cancellations and staff to note potential state funding risks if the city does not comply.
Arroyo Grande City Council members voted 5-0 to introduce an ordinance adopting the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) 2024 fire hazard severity zone designations and a parcel-level refinement for the city's Local Responsibility Area on May 27.
City staff told the council the state released the first major revision of the maps since 2011 and that state law requires local governments to adopt the maps or refined local maps by ordinance within 120 days of receipt. Community Development Director Brian Pedrati said the maps classify areas as moderate, high, or very high risk and recommended a parcel-by-parcel LRA refinement so whole parcels are placed in the higher severity zone when necessary.
A resident who lives in Oak Park told the council insurers have already begun nonrenewals after the new classification. "They canceled us because we're in the Oak Park section up there, we're in the moderate section my street, but it doesn't matter," the resident said, describing calls to multiple carriers and limited new coverage options. The resident said AAA had canceled their policy after 30 years with no claims and that most local carriers would not write new policies for the ZIP code.
City Manager Matt Downing said the office of the state insurance commissioner has said the maps are not intended for insurance underwriting but acknowledged insurers might use the maps in practice. Downing also warned of a separate, concrete risk: some state-administered funding is conditioned on compliance. He told the council the Trafficway Bridge replacement is a roughly $13.9 million project that is 88.6% funded with Highway Bridge Program funds and said the city could jeopardize those state-administered funds by failing to adopt the maps.
Fire Chief Hallett told the council the maps are intended to be updated on a roughly 10-year cycle; the last formal maps were published in 2011 but the state has been revising maps since about 2023. Pedrati and staff said state mapping will also feed into building-code requirements (Chapter 7A) tied to the 2022 California Building Code adoption cycle and local implementation when the city adopts new codes later in 2025.
Council discussion acknowledged the practical and political hardships for homeowners while agreeing the city must adopt the maps to remain in compliance. Council member Marbella moved to introduce the ordinance adding Chapter 15.15 to the Arroyo Grande Municipal Code designating the LRA refined maps; Council member Guthrie seconded and the motion carried 5-0.
The ordinance introduction includes a staff finding that the action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act and directs staff to finalize the ordinance for subsequent readings.
The council heard public testimony about potential insurance fallout and asked staff to continue monitoring insurance market impacts and to report back if additional measures are needed to assist affected homeowners.
