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Advisory panel warns 'Zone 0' rules could strip urban canopy; committee files report and urges public input
Summary
The Comité de Seguridad Pública on Sept. 17 heard an advisory report on proposed state 'Zone 0' regulations that could require vegetation-free strips five feet from structures in high-severity areas; the committee noted and filed the report 5-0.
The Comité de Seguridad Pública on Sept. 17 heard a joint advisory report on proposed state “Zone 0” regulations for high fire severity areas and voted to note and file the report by a 5-0 roll call.
Cene Toopop and Jeannebe Antonio of the Forestry Advisory Committee presented the report, which recommends integrating biodiversity and ecological health into vegetation management rules intended to reduce wildfire risk. The presenters said the 2020 state law that created the Zone 0 concept (described in the presentation as proposed by “Lord Freeman”) would require a five-foot defensible area free of combustible materials around structures in affected zones but could be applied in ways that remove living, beneficial vegetation in dense urban neighborhoods.
“Quitar la vegetación de la distancia de 5 pies ... las consecuencias son muy severas,” the advisory presenters said, noting that in some Los Angeles neighborhoods the mapping could eliminate up to 10% of existing vegetation. The presenters pointed to research showing that, in some settings, maintained vegetation can act as a protective, moisture-holding barrier rather than a fuel source.
Public comment included William Henwy (identified as representing CD 15 and ZIPAK), who said District 15 has limited green space and asked the committee to meet with the department of biodiversity to review environmental and canopy impacts. “El distrito 15 es ... muy importante cuando perdemos zonas verdes,” Henwy told the committee.
Councilmembers and staff discussed trade-offs between vegetation removal for fire safety and the biodiversity, shade and heat-island benefits of urban canopy. Several speakers recommended targeted removal of dead or invasive plants, stronger enforcement on state-owned lands and public education rather than blanket removals.
The advisory presenters said the Zone 0 rules would undergo a public hearing process (the advisory committee was scheduled to finalize rules Sept. 26, the report said) and would be presented to the city board Sept. 24 and then to the governor for signature with an implementation date the presenters described as Jan. 1 (as stated in the presentation). The committee voted 5-0 to note and file the advisory report and asked the committee and councilmembers to participate in upcoming hearings and to consider a formal letter urging protections for healthy urban vegetation.
Why it matters: Proposed state rules meant to reduce wildfire risk could reshape urban neighborhoods by reducing canopy cover and altering biodiversity; local input and adjustments could change how the rules are applied in dense city settings.
The report and subsequent discussion repeatedly emphasized the need to preserve live, irrigated native vegetation where it supports ecological and community benefits and to focus removal on dead or highly flammable invasive species.
