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Residents and commissioner warn that fire modelling and evacuation assumptions understate local risk
Summary
Public comment and Commissioner Harrison said the project’s environmental analyses underestimate wildfire and evacuation risk, citing studies and the 1996 Calabasas fire; staff said mitigation measures and monitoring apply.
Public commenter Joe Chilco told the commission that recent studies find a high percentage of new California homes sited in high‑fire areas and urged the commission to factor that research into its decisions. “California's building practices are working against the goals of prudent public safety measures,” Chilco said during public comment.
Commissioner Harrison pressed the point in deliberations, criticizing the EIR’s evacuation and fire modeling and saying it omitted local historical fires. “They don't even include the actual facts from the 8 day Calabasas fire of 1996,” Harrison said, and warned he would “vote … to oppose this project … because it puts so many people in jeopardy.”
Staff responded by noting the programmatic EIR had been certified and that mitigation measures tied to the project would be required. Commissioners asked staff to ensure monitoring, O&M responsibilities and plan‑check compliance are clear during implementation if the project proceeds.
