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City staff: San Clemente adopts hazard plan, seeks wildfire mitigation grants and launches weed‑abatement notices
Summary
City staff told the Public Safety Committee that the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan was adopted and that staff has applied for a Community Wildfire Protection Plan grant; the city will mail weed‑abatement notices on April 1 and is pursuing committee reorganization under council direction.
City staff updated the Public Safety Committee on a package of policy and administrative items on March 25, saying the San Clemente City Council adopted the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), staff had submitted a grant application for a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) and the city is rolling out its annual weed‑abatement notices.
“...the city council adopted the local hazard mitigation plan. That was approved by Cal OES back in January and it took FEMA 16 days to approve it,” a staff member told the committee, summarizing recent approvals and next steps.
Staff described the CWPP grant application as a step to produce a community‑wide wildfire risk assessment that neighborhoods and HOAs could use to establish Firewise communities; staff said the CWPP would also help streamline recurring fuel‑reduction projects and identify projects (including pilot grazing) that might later be eligible for grants. Staff said they and FEMA/Cal OES training teams will pursue mitigation‑grant opportunities and stakeholder meetings to develop an implementation action plan.
Weed abatement and city property clearing: staff said the council adopted a resolution to open the city’s weed‑abatement program for 2025; notices to property owners will be mailed April 1 and the city plans to clear selected city‑owned lots and reservoir sites as part of the program. Staff said OCFA will identify additional city parcels needing clearance to create defensible space adjacent to private structures and staff will coordinate those clearances.
Committee and commission reorganization: staff also described a proposed ordinance under council review to reorganize committees. The draft would absorb duties of the Coastal Advisory Committee into Beaches, Parks & Recreation and split Human Affairs duties across two committees, renaming the Public Safety Committee the Community Safety & Welfare Committee, increasing membership and preferring a public‑safety background for some members. Staff said council direction remains pending and the first reading of any ordinance was scheduled for April 1.
Why it matters: staff framed the CWPP and LHMP as enabling tools that open state and federal mitigation funding, and the weed‑abatement rollout as an operational step that affects property owners and city budgets. Committee members asked for clearer responsibilities and timing for the commission changes and for staff to return with detailed work plans if the ordinance is adopted.
Formal meeting actions: the committee approved the minutes from the prior meeting (voice vote, consensus) and later moved to adjourn to April 22 at 3 p.m. (motion seconded and approved by voice vote).
