Camarillo planning commission recommends city council approve updated General Plan safety element

The Camarillo Planning Commission on May 6 recommended that the City Council adopt an updated safety element of the city's General Plan, including new policies on vulnerable populations, evacuation coordination and provision of personal protective equipment.

Consultant Lexi Journey of Britton Conn Consultants told commissioners the revisions incorporate feedback from the commission and county agencies and add separate objectives for drought, air quality and extreme heat, more explicit reference to vulnerable populations and critical facilities such as schools and medical providers, and policies to strengthen community emergency response and mutual-aid coordination.

The update matters because the safety element guides how the city prepares for, responds to and recovers from hazards and because the commission's recommendation would also adopt, by reference, the 2022 Ventura County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan as required under Assembly Bill…