Council adopts state fire-hazard severity maps after rare recusal draw; vote 3-0

The Temecula City Council adopted the fire hazard severity zone maps prepared by the California State Fire Marshal on May 27, finalizing updated city designations of very high, high and moderate fire severity zones.

City staff and the city fire marshal told the council that the State Fire Marshal and Cal Fire produced the maps using state modeling and that local governments must adopt the state-designated boundaries within 120 days. The new 2025 map expands the city's designated acreage, reflecting annexations and the state's modeling: staff said the new map covers roughly 11,000 acres and about 9,100 parcels compared with the 2009 local map.

Before the staff presentation, the city attorney noted a conflict of interest: the private residences of three council members (Mayor Brendan Kalfas, Councilmember Stewart and Councilmember Ron) fall within parcels proposed for designation. The Fair Political Practices Act allows a random-selection process when more than a majority of a governing body are disqualified; the city clerk performed a transparent draw of folded name slips. The clerk selected Mayor Kalfas to participate; Councilmember Stewart and Councilmember Ron left the dais and did not take part in the staff report or the vote.

Fire marshal Elsa Bridal and planning staff presented the state map and the municipal code amendment (a proposed new Chapter 15.14) that would add the fire hazard severity map to Temecula's municipal code and link to the mapped data. Staff said the city met the state posting deadline; the action is exempt from further CEQA review per the sections cited in staff's report.

Councilmember questions focused on how the state derived some local designations and on the potential enforcement workload; staff told council that code enforcement will be responsible for most hazard-reduction enforcement within the city and that the new designations will increase code-enforcement workload.

The council opened a public hearing, closed it, and then voted to adopt the ordinance and maps by a 3-0 vote (two members absent from the vote due to recusal). The city attorney said a report-out on closed-session items (if any) would be posted consistent with Brown Act procedures.

Votes at a glance: Adoption of Chapter 15.14 and the fire hazard severity zone maps passed 3-0 (Councilmembers Stewart and Ron recused following the random draw procedure; Mayor Kalfas cast a participating vote after being drawn).

Ending: Staff said the map will be posted as required and that code enforcement and planning will coordinate communication to homeowners and HOAs about obligations under the designated zones.