Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the General Plan topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Monte Sereno council adopts revised health and safety element to prioritize wildfire evacuation
Summary
The council voted to adopt a revised Health & Safety Element that emphasizes wildfire evacuation, incorporates CAL FIRE-recommended edits, and relies on CEQA exemptions; staff said tribal consultation and further general-plan work will continue into 2026.
The City Council of Monte Sereno voted to adopt a revised Health and Safety Element, with staff and the city's planning consultant saying the draft strengthens wildfire evacuation planning and updates hazard analyses.
"The recommendation that we have for you tonight is to adopt a resolution that adopts the revised health and safety element," said Asher Cohen, the principal planner presenting for EM Group, who walked the council through changes since the June study session and the agency review process. Cohen said the element includes updated maps and clarifications on wildland-urban interface, slope instability, liquefaction and other seismic hazards.
Cohen told the council that CAL FIRE's land-use planning team had "informally approved the document that's before you tonight," and that a CAL FIRE presentation to the Board of Forestry is expected as part of the review. He also described the project's CEQA status, saying it relies on the "common sense" exemption and an exemption for actions by regulatory agencies.
Council members asked detailed questions about implementation. One council member asked who would have access to gated emergency roads; Cohen said county fire has gate access and that "we have the map" and the city and county are aware of the locations. On tribal consultation, Cohen said city outreach to tribes has begun through the Native American Heritage Commission registry and that the conversation will continue as the general plan update proceeds.
Council discussion also raised household hazardous waste as a topic not yet fully covered in the draft. Staff and council members agreed to refine placement of that policy or program language in the spring when remaining elements are scheduled for review.
A council member moved to adopt the resolution; the motion passed on a voice vote. Staff noted additional general plan elements will return to council in early 2026 for the policy framework and public review drafts.
