Rancho Santa Margarita adopts state-mandated fire-hazard severity map ordinance despite resident objections

The Rancho Santa Margarita City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance to align the city with the state’s fire-hazard severity zone maps, despite public objections that the mapping is inaccurate and punitive for homeowners.

Resident Craig Innes told the council the CAL FIRE map “is an egregious disservice to the community” and said it appears “based on purely AI data,” warning that the proposed ordinance contains multiple sections that could impose fines or classify violations as public nuisances. Innes said portions of the city and nearby properties have not been maintained by responsible parties and asked the city to coordinate tree trimming with those property owners.

Council members and staff responded that the city’s discretion is limited. When asked what would happen if the city did not adopt the maps, staff said noncompliance could result in referral to the California Attorney General’s office and a writ of mandate to compel adoption. The council asked staff about the city’s options and noted that the ordinance’s provisions were set within the parameters the city may make only more restrictive, not less.

Council moved and voted to adopt the staff recommendation, carrying the motion unanimously.

The ordinance establishes the locally adopted fire-hazard severity zoning as reflected in the staff packet and includes enforcement provisions described in the report. The council did not modify the ordinance on the floor; speakers urged the city to pursue vegetation management coordination with adjacent property owners to reduce localized risk.

The council’s action closes the item for this meeting; the city will implement the adopted map and attached ordinance language as described in the staff materials.