Atascadero council adopts state fire hazard severity map; council to weigh local wildland-urban interface policy later

Atascadero Council introduced for first reading an ordinance to adopt the California Office of the State Fire Marshal’s 2025 Local Responsibility Area fire hazard severity zone map, a staff presentation said is required by Government Code 51179. "City Council must adopt the map by 07/08/2025 per government code 51179," Chief Bryson told the council.

The vote on the ordinance introduction passed 3-0. The council then paused the remainder of the agenda item to allow two members who had declared conflicts of interest, based on property locations in the map areas, to step off the dais while the council completed the vote. The city attorney explained the FPPC conflict rules and the “rule of necessity” used to permit a quorum when multiple members have potential financial interests. "We would have to engage in what’s called the rule of necessity where we draw a straw to bring one of you back to consider the matter," the city attorney told the council.

Staff and the fire department walked council through two related but distinct actions: adopting the state’s hazard severity map and separately adopting a local Wildland-Urban-Interface (WUI) map that determines which properties must meet WUI building-code standards. The state map classifies parcels as moderate (yellow), high (orange) and very high (red). Staff said the state map expands the high/very-high areas compared with Atascadero’s existing WUI map adopted in 2021 and that the city must at minimum adopt the state-designated high and very high areas into local building-code enforcement.

Chief Bryson presented three staff options for the local WUI map: (1) expand local WUI to include most moderate state areas (largest expansion); (2) incorporate only the state high and very high areas (a minimum compliance option that adds about 1,000 parcels, including roughly 100 undeveloped parcels); or (3) revert to the state minimum (drop the local WUI), which staff said they did not recommend. Bryson said the department’s preference is for broader application but recognized policy trade-offs for housing and economic development.

Council members questioned insurance impacts, parcel counts, the timing of building-code changes due to the 2026 code cycle and whether ADUs or remodels would trigger new WUI requirements. Staff replied that the WUI standards apply to new construction and detached ADUs and that permits vested before adoption would not be retroactively required to comply. Staff supplied parcel counts from the state map: roughly 1,367 parcels in the state's "very high," 1,296 in "high," 6,259 moderate and 2,419 unzoned.

Several residents urged the council to push back on the state or to rely on local mitigation programs. "Let's show some, some strength and tell the state, no," one public speaker said; another speaker said insurance companies are already factoring these maps into underwriting decisions. Staff and council acknowledged uncertainty about whether private insurers will change premiums immediately; the state insurance commissioner issued guidance asserting the maps are intended for planning and not for insurance underwriting.

After public comment and discussion, the council introduced the ordinance adopting the state map for first reading; council directed staff to return with more analysis, outreach and options on the local WUI map before any local WUI action. No changes to development standards were adopted at this meeting.

Ending: Council asked staff to return with parcel-level overlay maps, refined cost estimates tied to the 2026 building code, and more public outreach so the full council can decide whether and where to expand the local WUI map.