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Council adopts ordinance introducing state-designated fire hazard severity zones for small city areas
Summary
Fire Marshal Jim Austin presented state-designated fire hazard severity mapping showing small moderate‑severity areas in the northeast riverbed neighborhood and near the airport; council adopted the ordinance introduction on first reading and staff will notify the state.
Fire Marshal Jim Austin introduced an ordinance designating newly identified fire hazard severity zones within Santa Maria after the State Fire Marshal's phased rollout of new zone maps earlier in the year. The state mapping used Cal Fire's model based on factors such as vegetation, fire history, flame length, ember transport and topography.
Austin said the map identifies small, scattered areas as moderate fire hazard severity: a northeast area near the Santa Maria Riverbed and a southeast area near the Santa Maria Airport and Pioneer Park. He emphasized the mapped areas are mostly already developed neighborhoods or airport operations areas and that city construction and maintenance requirements would remain unchanged.
On potential homeowner impacts and insurance implications, Austin read guidance from the California Insurance Commissioner noting that Cal Fire maps are intended for planning decisions and that insurance companies use broader risk models; he also said privately that while state guidance exists, insurance markets may still decline coverage in some high‑risk areas.
The council voted on the ordinance introduction (first reading) and directed staff to return a copy of the adopted ordinance to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection within 30 days of adoption as required by state procedures. Council members asked specific questions about whether identified mobile home parks would be affected; Austin replied that, in his judgment, the mapped areas should not create immediate new construction requirements because the neighborhoods are established and vegetation and topography do not elevate hazard metrics significantly.
The motion to introduce the ordinance passed on a roll call vote.
