2022-03-14_CCAgendaPacket1.CALL TO ORDER
2.ROLL CALL
3.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4.PRESENTATIONS/PROCLAMATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
5.APPROVE ORDER OF THE AGENDA
This is the appropriate time for the Mayor or Councilmembers to approve the agenda as is or reorder.
6.BLUE FOLDER ITEMS (SUPPLEMENTAL)
Blue folder (supplemental) items are additional back up materials to administrative reports, changes to the posted
agenda packet, and/or public comments received after the printing and distribution of the agenda packet for receive and
file.
6.A.FOR BLUE FOLDER DOCUMENTS APPROVED AT THE CITY COUNCIL
MEETING
RECOMMENDATION: Approved
2 PORTUGUESE BEND ROAD
ROLLING HILLS, CA 90274
(310) 377-1521
AGENDA
Regular City Council Meeting
CITY COUNCIL
Monday, March 14, 2022
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
7:00 PM
All Councilmembers will participate in-person wearing masks per Los Angeles County Health Department's Health
Officer Order effective Saturday, July 17, 2021. The meeting agenda is available on the City’s website. The City
Council meeting will be live-streamed on the City’s website. Both the agenda and the live-streamed video can be
found here:
https://www.rolling-hills.org/government/agenda/index.php
Members of the public may submit written comments in real-time by emailing the City Clerk’s office at
cityclerk@cityofrh.net. Your comments will become part of the official meeting record. You must provide your
full name, but please do not provide any other personal information that you do not want to be published.
Recordings to City Council meetings can be found here:
https://cms5.revize.com/revize/rollinghillsca/government/agenda/index.php
Next Resolution No. 1294 Next Ordinance No. 376
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_12A_Supplemental.pdf
CL_AGN_220228_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental.pdf
CL_AGN_220228_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental.pdf
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7.PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
This is the appropriate time for members of the public to make comments regarding the items on the consent calendar
or items not listed on this agenda. Pursuant to the Brown Act, no action will take place on any items not on the agenda.
8.CONSENT CALENDAR
Business items, except those formally noticed for public hearing, or those pulled for discussion are assigned to the
Consent Calendar. The Mayor or any Councilmember may request that any Consent Calendar item(s) be removed,
discussed, and acted upon separately. Items removed from the Consent Calendar will be taken up under the "Excluded
Consent Calendar" section below. Those items remaining on the Consent Calendar will be approved in one motion. The
Mayor will call on anyone wishing to address the City Council on any Consent Calendar item on the agenda, which has
not been pulled by Councilmembers for discussion.
8.A.APPROVE AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR
MEETING OF MARCH 14, 2022
RECOMMENDATION: Approve.
8.B.APPROVE MOTION TO READ BY TITLE ONLY AND WAIVE FURTHER
READING OF ALL ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS LISTED ON THE
AGENDA
RECOMMENDATION: Approve.
8.C.APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CITY COUNCIL MINUTES: FEBRUARY 28, 2022
RECOMMENDATION: Approve as presented.
8.D.PAYMENT OF BILLS
RECOMMENDATION: Approve as presented.
8.E.ADOPT BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 374, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA, ADDING CHAPTER
8.10 TO THE ROLLING HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO EDIBLE FOOD
RECOVERY. FOR SECOND READING AND ADOPTION.
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt by title only Ordinance No. 374, adding Chapter
8.10 to the Rolling Hills Municipal Code Relating to Edible Food Recovery.
8.F.ADOPT BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 375, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING
CHAPTER 8.30 (FIRE FUEL ABATEMENT) OF THE ROLLING HILLS MUNICIPAL
CODE TO PROHIBIT NEW PLANTINGS OF HIGH HAZARDOUS PLANTS AND
TREES; AND FINDING THE ACTION EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT. FOR SECOND READING AND ADOPTION.
R E C O M M E N D ATI O N : Adopt by title only Ordinance No. 375 amending
Chapter 8.30 (Fire Fuel Abatement) to prohibit new plantings of high
hazardous plants and trees.
8.G.APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 1292 AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT
CL_AGN_220314_AffidavitofPosting.pdf
CL_MIN_220228_CC_F.pdf
2022-03-09_Payment_of_Bills.pdf
374_EdibleFoodRecovery_Ordinance.pdf
375_HighHazardPlantsProhibition_NewDev_Ordinance.pdf
Municipal Code-ABATEMENT OF NUISANCE 8.24 & FIRE FUEL ABATEMENT 8.30.pdf
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FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY IN
THE AMOUNT OF $1,971,882.00 WITH THE REQUIRED LOCAL MATCH OF
$657,294.00; AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO MEET THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS
RECOMMENDATION: Approve as presented.
8.H.APPROVE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH EVAN SMITH
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT TO ASSESS CURRENT CONDITIONS OF CITY HALL
CAMPUS LANDSCAPING AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
IMPROVEMENTS.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve Professional Services Agreement with Evan
Smith Landscape Architect services.
8.I.APPROVE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH WILDLAND RES
MANAGEMENT TO REVIEW DRAFT ORDINANCE RELATING TO FIRE FUEL
ABATEMENT IN THE CANYONS AND PROVIDE SITE VISITS TO ASSIST
RESIDENTS WITH FIRE FUEL ABATEMENT MEASURES.
R E C O M M E N D AT I O N : Approve a Professional Services Agreement with
Wildland Res Management.
8.J.NOTICE BY THE LOS ANGELES REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL
BOARD ON THE LOSS OF DEEMED COMPLIANCE STATUS.
RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file.
9.EXCLUDED CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS
10.COMMISSION ITEMS
11.PUBLIC HEARINGS
11.A.CONSIDER AND APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 1291 OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS ADOPTING THE SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
AND A NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR THE SAFETY ELEMENT
R E COM M EN DATI O N : Approve Resolution No. 1291 adopting the Safety
Element update and a negative declaration for the Safety Element.
12.NEW BUSINESS
12.A.BID PROPOSAL AND CONTRACT FOR EMERGENCY STORM DRAIN REPAIR
AT 1 MIDDLERIDGE LANE NORTH.
ResolutionNo1292_AcceptingFEMAGrants.pdf
Rolling Hills_ Evan Smith- Landscape Agreement signed.pdf
Rolling Hills RE Agreement with Wildland Res Mgt signed.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_WaterBoardLetter.pdf
Safety Element Update.pdf
CL_AGN_220310_21330_ISND Memo.pdf
21330 - Rolling Hills Final ND_030422.pdf
21330_AB 52 SB 18 Summary_022222.pdf
2022-02_PC_Resolution_SafetyElement_E.pdf
ResolutionNo1291_Safety_Element.pdf
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RECOMMENDATION: Direct City Attorney to draft a construction contract,
authorize the City manager to execute, approve the resolution for emergency
work, and appropriate $48,645 from the General Fund Reserves to Fund 40 for
the repair.
12.B.FISCAL YEAR 2021-22 MID-YEAR REPORT AND PROPOSED BUDGET
ADJUSTMENTS.
RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file a report from staff on the status of
General Fund revenues and expenditures as of December 31, 2021 in relation
to budgeted amounts; and approve the proposed adjustments to the fiscal
year 2021/22 budget as detailed in the attached Schedule of Proposed Mid-
Year Budget Adjustments.
13.MATTERS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL
13.A.SEND LETTER TO RESIDENTS EXPLAINING THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE
THAT WOULD MANDATE RESIDENTS TO PAY THE COST OF LIVE
VEGETATION REMOVAL FROM THEIR PROPERTIES AND SEND SURVEY TO
RESIDENTS FOR THEIR INPUT REGARDING PREFERRED FIRE SAFETY
MEASURES. (MAYOR DIERINGER)
RECOMMENDATION: Receive a presentation from Mayor Bea Dieringer and
provide direction to staff.
13.B.APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE FIRE FUEL COMMITTEE TO
TAKE THE MANDATORY APPROACH TO MANAGE FIRE FUEL IN THE
CANYONS AND TO PROVIDE AVAILABLE COST DATA TO THE COMMUNITY.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve recommendations.
13.C.RECEIVE A REPORT ON THE MARCH 1, 2022 FIRE FUEL COMMITTEE
MEETING AND DISCUSS THE COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
RECOMMENDATION: Receive report and discuss.
13.D.ROLLING HILLS TENNIS COURTS IMPROVEMENTS TO ADD PICKLEBALL
6650 U1-B.pdf
PW_STW_220303_SDRepair_1MiddleridgeLaneN.pdf
PW_STW_220303_SDRepair_1MiddleridgeLaneN_Pics.pdf
ResolutionNo1293_MiddleridgeNorth_StormDrain_EmergencyRepair.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_Mid-Year_Presentation_F.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_Schedule_ProposedMid-YearAdjustments_F.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_GFRevenues_Mid-YearReport.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_GFExpenditures_ Mid-YearReport.pdf
Exhibit A - Canyon Fire Fuel Management Ordinance-c1_2020-01-13.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-01_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-02_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-03_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-04_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-05.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-06_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-07_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-08_Redacted.pdf
Addtl Fire Safety Recommendations.pdf
4
COURTS. (PIEPER)
R E C O M M E N D AT I O N : Receive a presentation from Councilmember Jeff
Pieper and provide direction to staff.
13.E.CITY COUNCIL REMINDERS ON COMMUNITY AND PENINSULA EVENTS.
(MAYOR DIERINGER)
RECOMMENDATION: Receive a presentation from Mayor Bea Dieringer and
provide direction to staff.
13.F.DISCUSS HOLDING AN ANNUAL STATE OF THE CITY EVENT. (MIRSCH)
RECOMMENDATION: Consider and provide direction to staff.
14.OLD BUSINESS
14.A.RECEIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HQE SYSTEMS' PROPOSED
OUTDOOR SIREN SYSTEM AND DIRECT STAFF TO CONDUCT A
COMMUNITY SURVEY FOR FEEDBACK ON AN OUTDOOR SIREN SYSTEM.
R E C O M M E N D AT I O N : Receive additional information on HQE Systems'
feasibility report and direct staff to conduct a community survey.
14.B.APPROVE PRIORITIES/GOALS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2022-2023 AND 2023-2024
DEVELOPED AS A PART OF THE 2022 STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP;
DISCUSS POTENTIAL BUDGET ITEMS TO SUPPORT THE 2022 CITY
COUNCIL PRIORITIES; AND PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve priorities and goals; discuss potential budget
items and provide direction to staff.
14.C.APPROVE LAYOUT OPTION 3 FOR THE CITY HALL ADA IMPROVEMENTS
PROJECT, AND APPROVE AN AMENDED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
AGREEMENT WITH PACIFIC ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING, INC. TO
PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.
REC OMMEN D AT ION: Approve layout Option 3 and direct staff to prepare
Amendment No. 3 to the service agreement with Pacific Architecture and
Engineering, Inc. in the amount of $96,485.
HQE Systems - City of Rolling Hills - Response Letter - Detailed Installation Locations.pdf
HQE Systems - Mass Notification Systems Installation Report - The City of Rolling Hills -
Final JW (Email Version 2).pdf
HQE Systems - General Maintenance Service Scope .pdf
Emergency Alert Siren System Community Survey FINAL2022-03-10.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-01a.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-01b_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-01c_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-02.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-03_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-04_Redacted.pdf
CC_SP_2022CouncilPrioritiesGoals.pdf
CC_SP_2020_vs_2022_BriefComparison.pdf
CC_SP_2022FinalPrioritiesGoals_Final.pdf
CC_SP_2022BudgetItemsDraft.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_CityHall_ADA_Improvements.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_CityHall_ADA_Option01.pdf
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15.MATTERS FROM STAFF
15.A.RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE ON THE 6TH CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT.
RECOMMENDATION: Receive and File.
16.RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION
16.A.CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION
54957.6 Â CITY'S DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE: MAYOR BEA DIERINGER
UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEE: CITY MANAGER ELAINE JENG
RECOMMENDATION: None.
17.RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION
18.ADJOURNMENT
Next regular meeting: Monday, March 28, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chamber,
Rolling Hills City Hall, 2 Portuguese Bend Road, Rolling Hills, California, 90274.
CL_AGN_220314_CC_CityHall_ADA_Option01B.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_CityHall_ADA_Option02.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_CityHall_ADA_Option03.pdf
2022-3-3 - Californians Letter to Rolling Hills-c1.pdf
Notice:
Public Comment is welcome on any item prior to City Council action on the item.
Documents pertaining to an agenda item received after the posting of the agenda are available for review in
the City Clerk's office or at the meeting at which the item will be considered.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you need special assistance to participate in
this meeting due to your disability, please contact the City Clerk at (310) 377-1521 at least 48 hours prior to the
meeting to enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility and accommodation for
your review of this agenda and attendance at this meeting.
6
Agenda Item No.: 6.A
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH,
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:FOR BLUE FOLDER DOCUMENTS APPROVED AT THE CITY COUNCIL
MEETING
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
None.
DISCUSSION:
None.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approved.
ATTACHMENTS:
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_12A_Supplemental.pdf
CL_AGN_220228_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental.pdf
CL_AGN_220228_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental.pdf
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BLUE FOLDER ITEM (SUPPLEMENTAL)
Blue folder (supplemental) items are additional back up materials to administrative reports, changes to the posted agenda packet,
and/or public comments received after the printing and distribution of the agenda packet for receive and file.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
March 14, 2022
12.A BID PROPOSAL AND CONTRACT FOR EMERGENCY STORM DRAIN REPAIR AT 1
MIDDLERIDGE LANE NORTH.
FROM: CHRISTIAN HORVATH, CITY CLERK/EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE CITY
MANAGER
ResolutionNo1293_MiddleridgeNorth_StormDrain_EmergencyRepair.pdf
8
1
RESOLUTION NO. 1293
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ROLLING HILLS FINDING AND DECLARING THAT
AN EMERGENCY CONDITION EXISTS ARISING FROM
DAMAGE TO THE CITY’S STORM DRAIN LOCATED AT
OR NEAR 1 MIDDLERIDGE LANE NORTH AND
AUTHORIZING EMERGENCY REPAIR TO THE STORM
DRAIN WITHOUT PUBLIC BIDDING
RECITALS
A. Sections 22035 and 22050 of the Public Contracts Code authorize the City
of Rolling Hills (“City”) to proceed with awarding a public works contract to perform
emergency work upon adoption by the City Council by a four-fifths vote of a resolution
declaring that the public interest and necessity demand the immediate expenditure of
public funds to safeguard life, health, or property;
B. The City’s storm drain located at or near 1 Middleridge Lane North
(“storm drain”) is in need of emergency repair as a result of damage to the coupling
(pipe connector) of the storm drain;
C. The repairs are necessary to preserve the health, safety and welfare of
the City;
D. The need for repair of the City’s storm drain requires immediate action that
will not permit undergoing the formal competitive bidding process because the City is
currently in a rainy season and the last storm event resulted in multiple sink holes in the
easement adjacent to Middleridge Lane North. Additional rain events have the potential
for causing soil instability;
E. The City Manager solicited proposals from EC Construction and received
a written acceptable proposal to perform the emergency work from EC Construction,
and the City now wishes to award an emergency contract for repair of the City’s storm
drain to EC Construction; and
F. Public Contract Code section 22050 also provides that the City Council
may, by resolution, delegate the authority to order any action required by the
emergency and to procure the necessary equipment, services, and supplies for those
purposes, without giving notice for bids to let the contracts, to the City Manager, her
designee, or any other officer.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS,
CALIFORNIA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Recitals. The above recitals are true and correct.
9
2
Section 2. Findings. The City Council finds that the public interest and
necessity demand the immediate expenditure of public funds for emergency work for
the repair of the City’s storm drain to safeguard life, health and property. The City
Council further finds that the emergency will not permit a delay that would result from a
competitive solicitation for bids and that action is necessary to respond to the
emergency related to the damaged condition of the City’s storm drain. The City Council
further finds that based on the foregoing, the approvals herein authorized are necessary
to protect the public health, safety and welfare.
Section 3. Award of Contract; Delegation of Emergency Contracting
Authority. A contract to perform the necessary emergency repair work to the City’s
storm drain is hereby awarded to EC Construction for 48,645.00 and the City Manager,
or her designee, is hereby authorized to execute said contract, and to order any other
action required to remedy the emergency relating to the damaged condition of the City’s
storm drain, and to procure the necessary equipment, services, and supplies for those
purposes, without giving notice for bids to let contracts. The City Manager, or her
designee, is directed to report to the City Council at the next regularly scheduled
meeting and at every meeting thereafter until the action is terminated to determine if
there is a need to continue the action.
Section 4. Effective Date. This Resolution shall be effective immediately.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 14th day of March, 2022.
______________________________
BEA DIERINGER
MAYOR
ATTEST:
___________________________
CHRISTIAN HORVATH
CITY CLERK
10
3
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) §§
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS )
The foregoing Resolution No. 1293 entitled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ROLLING HILLS FINDING AND DECLARING THAT
AN EMERGENCY CONDITION EXISTS ARISING FROM
DAMAGE TO THE CITY’S STORM DRAIN LOCATED AT
OR NEAR 1 MIDDLERIDGE LANE NORTH AND
AUTHORIZING EMERGENCY REPAIR TO THE STORM
DRAIN WITHOUT PUBLIC BIDDING
was approved and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council on the 14th day of
March 2022, by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
___________________________
CHRISTIAN HORVATH
CITY CLERK
11
BLUE FOLDER ITEM (SUPPLEMENTAL)
Blue folder (supplemental) items are additional back up materials to administrative reports, changes to the posted agenda packet,
and/or public comments received after the printing and distribution of the agenda packet for receive and file.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
March 14, 2022
13.B APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE FIRE FUEL COMMITTEE TO TAKE
THE MANDATORY APPROACH TO MANAGE FIRE FUEL IN THE CANYONS AND
TO PROVIDE AVAILABLE COST DATA TO THE COMMUNITY.
FROM: CHRISTIAN HORVATH, CITY CLERK/EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE CITY
MANAGER
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14B_Supplemental-01_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14B_Supplemental-02_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14B_Supplemental-03_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14B_Supplemental-04_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14B_Supplemental-05.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14B_Supplemental-06_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14B_Supplemental-07_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14B_Supplemental-08_Redacted.pdf
12
From:michael sherman
To:City Clerk
Cc:
Subject:VOTING NO on RH City Council Ordinance beyond 200 feet
Date:Saturday, March 12, 2022 3:21:02 PM
Importance:High
Attention City Clerk, Rolling Hills.
Michael and Sandy Sherman, owners of 33 CREST ROAD EAST, ROLLING HILLS,
strongly disagree with the R.H. City Council’s Proposal Ordinance to remove
trees ,shrubs and other living green vegetation from our property an additional
300 feet beyond the current 200 ft. ordinance from our housing structures
This past week we requested that Captain Singleton and 2 other fireman from
the Crest Rd. fire station on Crest Road carefully scrutinize our property . We
all walked my entire property and Captain Singleton made recommendations
to me to cut the limbs of specific living trees , weed wack certain ground weed
vegetation beyond our tennis court, cut down and remove a dead tree, and cut
in half an entire row of bushes that are too close to our pool house.
These are very important preventative measures that we are in the process of
doing asap to try to PROTECT our property from wild fires and blowing embers
across the borders of our property .
Captain Singleton was very supportive of my attempt to proactively take these
steps of prevention. My wife and I highly recommend that the RH
Council does NOT approve the additional 300 foot of “defensible
space” because this will destroy needed living vegetation for our
environment, geologically weaken the supportive earth around our
houses and hardscapes, and lead to landslides. Also, this additional
300 feet regulation is not recommended by our trusted, experienced
experts in the fire department and are deemed not necessary.
Respectfully submitted,
MICHAEL AND SANDY SHERMAN
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14
From:NINA RITTER
To:City Clerk
Subject:Objection to Ordinance Section 8.30.010
Date:Saturday, March 12, 2022 4:26:37 PM
500 Feet of clearance from all improvements is unreasonable. The present fire codes of 200 ft can and should be
assumed to be the most practical balance between effective fire control and realistic cost, aesthetic and soil retention
concerns. While few would probably argue with controlling weeds and dead vegetation, the inclusion of trees and
unspecified “other vegetation” which ‘might’ ignite is worrisome.
Furthermore, Section 8.30.030 A) is poorly written. As written the sentence implies ALL “shrubs, palm fronds,
grasses or other plants are prohibited”. It should read: "Tumbleweeds of any kind and dead foliage such as ……..
are prohibited…”
Thank you for your consideration,
Nina Ritter
15
From:michael sherman
To:City Clerk
Subject:FW: URGENT: Immediate Review Required
Date:Saturday, March 12, 2022 8:09:28 PM
Attachments:Email to Residents re Impending Live Vegeation Removal Ordinance 3-20-2022.docx
Importance:High
FORWARDED FROM KEN PICKAR
From: Pickar, Kenneth A. (Ken)
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2022 2:10 PM
To:
Cc:
Subject: FW: URGENT: Immediate Review Required
Dear Roger,
I am very much against this ordinance to cut down our trees. Our trees are one of the great features
of Rolling Hills and one of the great reasons we have loved living here.
Regards,
Kenneth Pickar
From: Roger Hawkins
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2022 5:22 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: URGENT: Immediate Review Required
Your review of the attached email is respectfully requested.
RHCA Resident: Roger Hawkins
16
From:Jim Scharffenberger
To:City Clerk
Subject:Fire fuel ordinance
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 7:24:03 AM
I am against the proposed new fire ordnance, let’s leave this important subject up to the experts who are better
equipped to advise on this matter
Jim Scharffenberger
Sent from my iPhone
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Fellow Residents,
The Rolling Hills City Council is considering enacting an ordinance that could require residents
to pay high costs (thousands – $100K+) to remove substantial amounts of live vegetation from
their properties. This ordinance would cover portions of your property that are IN ADDITION
TO the 200’ from a structure that the Los Angeles County Fire Department already requires
homeowners to clear for defensible space mandated by the Fire Code.
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! Come to the March 14, 2022, the City Council Meeting, or at
least email to the City to cityclerk@cityofrh.net asking the City Council to vote against this
proposed ordinance!
The COSTS associated with the live vegetation removal proposed would be EXTREMELY
HIGH. The City has already paid or committed to pay $283,600 to the PV Conservancy, for
removal of live vegetation in areas close to the RH southern border. See the report &
description from the 2/28/22 Council meeting. Rolling Hills - Cover - Template Builder1
(d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net). The costs for similar vegetation removal would be greater
for residents since the Conservancy utilizes interns/volunteers to help remove live vegetation.
The Fire Department has repeatedly stated that they need NO MORE than the current 200’
from structures to defend people and structures in RH from wildfire . The Fire Department
rejected a prior RH ordinance draft that mandated live vegetation removal within the 500’ of
“defensible space” from structures, stating this additional 300’ from structures should NOT be
called “defensible space,” because no more than 200’ is needed to defend structures from
fire.
RH City Council has already hired a firm, “Wildland Resource Management” to provide them
with the information to be inserted in the ordinance regarding how much live vegetation
residents must remove from their properties. The principals of this firm have no known
expertise in soils analysis or geology. There has been NO analysis for this proposed ordinance
provided by any qualified soils engineers or geologists regarding how this proposed significant
live vegetation removal on slopes might increase the danger to residents and their homes
from landslides. Such soil and geologic analysis is crucial since RH has designated landslide
areas in which many homes were destroyed by land movement. In addition, land movement
in the Poppy Trail Lane area destroyed several homes, even though this area was not in a
designated landslide area. Mandating the removal of live vegetation to prevent it from
burning during a wildfire could expose residents to even greater risks of damage, injury a nd
death from landslides.
With its limited staff-time and resources, the City has MANY OTHER BENEFICIAL FIRE SAFETY
MEASURES that could be adopted, which have NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY EXPLORED. One such
measure is the City purchase of WILDFIRE DETECTION CAMERAS that can accurately spot the
beginning of a wildfire within minutes and sends out notifications directly to the Fire
Department. Rancho Palos Verdes has put out a request for proposals for such a system. See
Bid Postings • Rancho Palos Verdes, CA • CivicEngage (rpvca.gov).
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Another valuable measure would be to provide financial and other incentives to RH
homeowners to harden their homes to prevent fires starting inside their home via fire embers
that enter through unprotected house vents, gutters and other areas. The Fire Department has
indicated that wind-blown fire embers can enter homes from a fire miles away and destroy
these homes.
The City should:
1. OBTAIN ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS’ INPUT following transparent disclosure of the
purposes of this ordinance that includes the views of those opposing the ordinance;
2. EDUCATE RESIDENTS about all fire safety measures for their specific property ;
3. ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS’ VOLUNTARY EFFORTS; and
4. EXPLORE MORE EFFECTIVE FIRE SAFETY CITY MEASURES
BEFORE imposing this mandatory costly ordinance that may financially harm and endanger
residents, rather than benefit them or our City.
On March 14, 2022, the City Council will decide whether to pursue a mandatory approach by
enacting a live vegetation removal ordinance. See last Ordinance Draft: c33829ac-4650-11ec-
a798-0050569183fa-387cd5c3-380f-4668-a391-695d050c156d-1637032833.pdf
(d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net) which is within the Fire Fuel Committee meeting agenda
materials conducted on November 17, 2021, on the RH city website: Rolling Hills, CA (rolling-
hills.org)
All unintended potential consequences must be first evaluated and all implementation costs
to residents must be determined and disseminated to all residents for their input before any
such measure should be considered.
PLEASE Come to the 7:00 P.M., March 14, 2022, City Council Meeting TO VOICE YOUR
OBJECTIONS and/or CONCERNS and have your QUESTIONS answered about:
1) the estimated costs for residents to comply with this ordinance;
2) how, and by whom, the ordinance would be enforced;
3) the specific benefits and risks the ordinance would present; and
4) the global cost to the City to implement & enforce this ordinance , etcetera.
Roger Hawkins
19
From:Bob Gold
To:City Clerk
Cc:
Subject:RE: VOTING NO on RH City Council Ordinance beyond 200 feet
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 12:06:05 PM
This is news to me! Would the city kindly let the community know of this proposal? I
certainly wouldn’t be able to comply fully – as 300 feet would be in the middle of
houses to the left and right of me.
Bob Gold
From: michael sherman
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2022 3:21 PM
To: cityclerk@cityofrh.net
Cc: Bob Gold
; SANDY SHERMAN
Subject: VOTING NO on RH City Council Ordinance beyond 200 feet
Importance: High
Attention City Clerk, Rolling Hills.
Michael and Sandy Sherman, owners of 33 CREST ROAD EAST, ROLLING HILLS,
strongly disagree with the R.H. City Council’s Proposal Ordinance to remove
trees ,shrubs and other living green vegetation from our property an additional
300 feet beyond the current 200 ft. ordinance from our housing structures
This past week we requested that Captain Singleton and 2 other fireman from
the Crest Rd. fire station on Crest Road carefully scrutinize our property . We
all walked my entire property and Captain Singleton made recommendations
to me to cut the limbs of specific living trees , weed whack certain ground
weed vegetation beyond our tennis court, cut down and remove a dead tree,
and cut in half an entire row of bushes that are too close to our pool house.
These are very important preventative measures that we are in the process of
doing asap to try to PROTECT our property from wild fires and blowing embers
across the borders of our property .
Captain Singleton was very supportive of my attempt to proactively take these
20
steps of prevention. My wife and I highly recommend that the RH
Council does NOT approve the additional 300 foot of “defensible
space” because this will destroy needed living vegetation for our
environment, geologically weaken the supportive earth around our
houses and hardscapes, and lead to landslides. Also, this additional
300 feet regulation is not recommended by our trusted, experienced
experts in the fire department and are deemed not necessary.
Respectfully submitted,
MICHAEL AND SANDY SHERMAN
21
22
From:Dianne U
To:City Clerk
Subject:Fire Mitigation: Please vote NO on proposed ordinance
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 1:06:42 PM
Please forward all city council members.
RE: Fire Mitigation......Please vote NO on proposed ordinance
The Fire Department already has Brush Clearing Requirements in place. Hiring another
company and disregarding the Fire Department is baffling to me. No company really
knows what clearing that much vegetation will do, no matter what they tell you. If my hillside
fails because of your mandates will you pay for the damages and repair of my property? This
proposed ordinance will be very expensive in cost and a hardship on many residents.
Currently we have concerns about the coyotes in the canyon, this may move them closer to our
homes.
Please look for other ways to achieve your goals.
Thank you,
Dianne Ullmann
23
BLUE FOLDER ITEM (SUPPLEMENTAL)
Blue folder (supplemental) items are additional back up materials to administrative reports, changes to the posted agenda packet,
and/or public comments received after the printing and distribution of the agenda packet for receive and file.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
March 14, 2022
14.A RECEIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HQE SYSTEMS' PROPOSED OUTDOOR
SIREN SYSTEM AND DIRECT STAFF TO CONDUCT A COMMUNITY SURVEY FOR
FEEDBACK ON AN OUTDOOR SIREN SYSTEM.
FROM: CHRISTIAN HORVATH, CITY CLERK/EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE CITY
MANAGER
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-01a.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-01b_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-01c_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-02.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-03_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-04_Redacted.pdf
24
From:Arlene Honbo
To:Bea Dieringer; Jim Black; Jeff Pieper; Patrick Wilson; Leah Mirsch
Cc:Elaine Jeng; Christian Horvath
Subject:Block Captain and Resident Support for Outdoor Siren System
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 10:27:30 AM
Attachments:Letter to City Council March 14 2022 final.docx
Dear Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers,
Attached is a letter of support to approve the installation of an outdoor siren system for the
City of Rolling Hills. The letter includes the names of Block Captains/Support Team and
residents in favor of proceeding with this important priority.
The letter and associated approval emails will be dropped off today to Christian Horvath, City
Clerk. See you tonight at the City Council meeting.
Arlene and Gene Honbo, Block Captain Leads
25
March 14, 2022
Dear Honorable Mayor and RH City Councilmembers:
An important priority of the Block Captain program since 2019 is Emergency Communications.
How will residents be notified of an emergency evacuation? Will notification be limited to people
who pre-register to receive emergency alerts? What happens in the event of no electricity or
phone service?
We support the RH City Council to approve the installation of an outdoor siren system by HQE
Systems to notify residents in the event of an emergency. This important safety measure will
help ensure that all our residents who live in Rolling Hills, a designated high-fire severity zone,
can be notified when there is no electricity or internet service. Many residents support the cost
investment necessary to install and maintain either three or nine poles necessary for coverage
of Rolling Hills; we understand Federal and State grant funds are available for cities, especially
those cities designated as high-fire severity zones.
Safety of all our residents is directly dependent on reliable emergency notifications to residents.
LA County Fire Department have stated that given the close proximity to a potential wildfire
starting on the peninsula, residents in Rolling Hills would not have the benefit of an evacuation
alert or warning; residents would likely be asked to evacuate immediately. Thus, we support
having an emergency plan that considers all potential scenarios, including a worst-case one.
Respectfully,
Rolling Hills Block Captains and Support Team
Arlene Honbo – Portuguese Bend Road, Zone 7
Gene Honbo – Portuguese Bend Road, Zone 7
Arun Bhumitra – Buggy Whip Drive, Zone 3
Kelly and Richard Cook – Ringbit Road West, Zone 17
Pam Crane – Caballeros Road, Zone 18
Susan Collida – Ringbit Road West , Zone 17
Judith Haenel – Eastfield Road, Zone 22
Maureen Hill – Cinchring Road, Zone 5
Kathleen Hughes – Caballeros Road, Zone 18
Lisa Kopenhefer – Chuckwagon Road, Zone 21
Kay Lupo – Georgeff Road, Block, Zone 15
Dustin and Melissa McNabb – Quail Ridge South, Zone 4
Tony Mian – Palos Verdes Drive, Zone 24
Michele Mottola – Flying Maine Road, Zone 16
Clint Patterson – Georgeff Road, Zone 15
Debra Shrader – Saddleback Road, Zone 13
26
Letter to Honorable Mayor and RH City Councilmembers March 14, 2022 (page 2)
Block Captain and Support Team (continued)
Leslie Stetson – Saddleback Road, Zone 13
Ed and Sally Swart – Meadowlark Lane, Zone 9
Nicole Tangen – John Canyon Road, Zone 1
Dorothy Vinter – Reata Lane, Zone 15
Rae Walker – Wagon Lane, Zone 7
Block Captain and Support Team
Support for Option B – Installation of 3 Poles
Carol Marrone – Southfield Drive, Zone 17
Michael Sherman – Crest Road East, Zone 16
Sandy Sherman – Crest Road East, Zone 16
Residents
Don Crocker – Cinchring Road
Ron Sommer – Poppy Trail
Attachments: Approval emails from Block Captains, Support Team and Residents
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
From:Constance Turner
To:Elaine Jeng; Kraig; Christian Horvath
Cc:Michael X Glenn; Irma Knight; Jae Lee; Ajay Singh; Robert Brambila
Subject:SCE Clarification and Opposition of locations of your suggested facilities: G. O. 95 Safety Violations
Date:Sunday, March 13, 2022 5:00:02 PM
Attachments:HQE_Systems_-_City_of_Rolling_Hills_-_Response_Letter_-_Detailed_Installation_Locations.pdf
All:
I wanted to share that these locations (identified on your enclosed document) violate G.O. 95,
California State Safety Law for distance required for SCE Facilities/Poles & Wires which is State Law.
All proposed locations would have to reviewed by SCE Planning to assure no G.O. 95 violations or
any other violations are occurring that are in conflict with SCE Facilities. As a reminder, SCE does not
allow any surveillance cameras or surveillance equipment on SCE Poles.
I wanted to let you all know so you will have the information for the Public Hearing on tomorrow,
3/14/2022.
Thanks.
Connie
51
From:Jamie Warner
To:Alan Palermo
Subject:Re: SCE Clarification and Opposition of locations of your suggested facilities: G. O. 95 Safety Violations
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 9:06:25 AM
Dear Mr. Palermo.
This is normal actually. We are very famiar with SCE and other utility companies
requirements when it comes to outdoor warning sirens. Bottom line upfront, none of the
sirens installed will violate any compliance policies or agreements. At this feasibility phase
that information is not detailed out. That level of detail is only clarified and planned out during
the "Design Phase" of an outdoor warning siren project.
The proposed outdoor warning sirens locations identified on the sound propagation map and
or images are proposed general areas for review. The final install points will take into
consideration not just SCE's policies but the City's actual approval of that specified site (may
require a slight location change based on the residents' input and the Board's final decision),
soil suitability, wind assessment, religious/historic site survey, and general geological studies
to ensure the install and maintenance efforts can be performed without significant distrubance
of the site. Which are all detailed out in the Design Phase. The key issue to take away is that
this outdoor warning sirens report is enable the City to determine the ideal install types of the
sirens and the general understanding of the coverage install plan. Based on that final decision
for approval for installation, a detailed POA&M will be provided with the design installation
plans that will meet all compliance requirements. At this phase of the project, HQE is
providing the information that highlights the importance of the outdoor warning sirens for life
safety plans for the City and and the options that would be available to the City.
Please let me know if any other questions can be answered.
On Mon, Mar 14, 2022, 11:36 AM Alan Palermo wrote:
Jamie,
The City shared your latest information with SCE. SCE replied, see below.
I let the City know your document is not a final plan but just a more detailed proposed
layout/street level views to comply with a request from City Council. Final plans should the
city proceed with this project would be required to take into account all existing
titles/conflicts.
Is there any other response/information on SCE’s comment I can pass along to the City?
Thanks.
Alan
Begin forwarded message:
From: Elaine Jeng
52
Subject: Fw: SCE Clarification and Opposition of locations of your
suggested facilities: G. O. 95 Safety Violations
Date: March 14, 2022 at 8:26:54 AM PDT
To: Alan Palermo
Cc: Christian Horvath
From: Constance Turner
Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2022 4:59 PM
To: Elaine Jeng ; Kraig ; Christian Horvath
Cc: Michael X Glenn ; Irma Knight
; Jae Lee ; Ajay Singh
; Robert Brambila
Subject: SCE Clarification and Opposition of locations of your suggested facilities: G.
O. 95 Safety Violations
All:
I wanted to share that these locations (identified on your enclosed document)
violate G.O. 95, California State Safety Law for distance required for SCE
Facilities/Poles & Wires which is State Law. All proposed locations would have
to reviewed by SCE Planning to assure no G.O. 95 violations or any other
violations are occurring that are in conflict with SCE Facilities. As a reminder,
SCE does not allow any surveillance cameras or surveillance equipment on SCE
Poles.
I wanted to let you all know so you will have the information for the Public
Hearing on tomorrow, 3/14/2022.
Thanks.
Connie
53
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The contents of this email message and any attachments are intended solely for the addressee(s) and may contain
confidential and/or privileged information and may be legally protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient of this message or their
agent, or if this message has been addressed to you in error, please immediately alert the sender by reply email and then delete this message and any
attachments. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, copying, or storage of this message or its
attachments is strictly prohibited. HQE Systems has performed a self-assessment in accordance with NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment Methodology
and has submitted the results to the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS).
54
From:Elaine Jeng
To:Christian Horvath
Subject:Fwd: Tonight’s meeting
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 3:40:00 PM
Begin forwarded message:
From: DONALD CROCKER
Date: March 14, 2022 at 2:57:25 PM PDT
To: Elaine Jeng
Subject: Tonight’s meeting
Elaine and City Council:I will be there at 7 but must leave by 7:50 for a zoom mtg
at home. I think the issue re new safety equipment blocking views etc. is easily
solvable. To start put siren equipment including cameras on top of the flagpoles at
the 3 gates plus a giant pole (RPV has a communication tower that is extendable
in a disaster) just outside the Crest East gate on property the City owns. It’s
camera could see the whole peninsula! There are other locations where no one’s
views would be materially affected including on slim neutral color metal poles in
canyons or on top of telephone poles like at Crest and PBRd. I would be willing
to have a camera on my home eves that would see the entire area facing the
Pacific. Plus a siren if requested. Thanks. Don
Sent from my iPhone
55
Agenda Item No.: 8.A
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH,
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:APPROVE AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 14, 2022
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
None.
DISCUSSION:
None.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve.
ATTACHMENTS:
CL_AGN_220314_AffidavitofPosting.pdf
56
Administrative Report
8.A., File # 1050 Meeting Date: 03/14 /2022
To: MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL
From: Christian Horvath, City Clerk
TITLE
APPROVE AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 14,
2022
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS )
AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING
In compliance with the Brown Act, the following materials have been posted at the locations below.
Legislative Body City Council
Posting Type Regular Meeting Agenda
Posting Location 2 Portuguese Bend Road, Rolling Hills, CA 90274
City Hall Window
Meeting Date & Time MARCH 14, 2022 7:00pm Open Session
As City Clerk of the City of Rolling Hills, I declare under penalty of perjury, the document noted above was
posted at the date displayed below.
Christian Horvath, City Clerk
Date: March 10, 2022
57
Agenda Item No.: 8.B
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH,
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:APPROVE MOTION TO READ BY TITLE ONLY AND WAIVE FURTHER
READING OF ALL ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS LISTED ON THE
AGENDA
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
None.
DISCUSSION:
None.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve.
ATTACHMENTS:
58
Agenda Item No.: 8.C
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH,
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CITY COUNCIL MINUTES: FEBRUARY
28, 2022
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
None.
DISCUSSION:
None.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as presented.
ATTACHMENTS:
CL_MIN_220228_CC_F.pdf
59
MINUTES – CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, February 28, 2022
Page 1
Minutes
Rolling Hills City Council
Mon day, February 28, 202 2
Regular Meeting 7:00 p.m.
1. CALL TO ORDER
The City Council of the City of Rolling Hills met in person on the above date at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Bea Dieringer
presiding.
2. ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Present: Mirsch, Wilson (remotely), Mayor Pro Tem Black, Mayor Dieringer
Councilmembers Absent: Pieper
Staff Present: Elaine Jeng, City Manager
Jane Abzug, City Attorney
John Signo, Planning & Community Services Director
Christian Horvath, City Clerk / Executive Assistant to the City Manager
Ashford Ball, Senior Management Analyst
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - Mayor Dieringer
4. PRESENTATIONS/PROCLAMATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS – NONE
5. APPROVE ORDER OF THE AGENDA
Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Black, seconded by Councilmember Mirsch to approve order of the agenda.
Motion carried unanimously with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Wilson, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper
6. BLUE FOLDER ITEMS (SUPPLEMENTAL)
Motion by Councilmember Mirsch, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Black to receive and file additional Items for
8.G, 8.H, 12.C, 13.A, and 14.A. Motion carried unanimously with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Wilson, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper
7. PUBLI C COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS – NONE
8. CONSENT CALENDAR
8.A. APPROVE AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF
FEBRUARY 28, 2022
8.B. APPROVE MOTION TO READ BY TITLE ONLY AND WAIVE FURTHER READING OF ALL
ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS LISTED ON THE AGENDA
60
MINUTES – CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, February 28, 2022
Page 2
8.C. APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CITY COUNCIL MINUTES: FEBRUARY 14, 2022
8.D. PAYMENT OF BILLS
8.E. REPUBLIC SERVICES RECYCLING TONNAGE REPORT FOR JANUARY 2022
8.F. AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET TO ESTABLISH THE BUDGETARY AUTHORITY FOR THE
ALLOCATION OF ELIGIBLE FISCAL YEAR 2020 AND 2021 MEASURE W COSTS FROM THE
GENERAL FUND TO THE MEASURE W FUND.
8.G. CONSIDER AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
AGREEMENT WITH WILLDAN ENGINEERING TO PROVIDE CODE ENFORCEMENT SERVICES
FOR A NOT-TO-EXCEED AMOUNT OF $15,000.
8.H. CONSIDER AND AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT
WITH THE SOUTH BAY WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD (SBWIB) RELATED TO FILLING
THE PART -TIME ADMINISTRATIVE CLERK VACANCY.
8.I. CONSIDER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER
TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AMENDMENT WITH THE PALOS VERDES PENINSULA LAND
CONSERVANCY TO PROVIDE ONE-YEAR FIRE FUEL MAINTENANCE SERVICE FOR PHASE
3 AREA.
8.J. PULLED BY MAYOR DIERINGER FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION
8.K. APPROVE UPDATED AGREEMENT BETWEEN TURBO DATA SYSTEMS AND THREE
PENINSULA CITIES (ROLLING HILLS, ROLLING HILLS ESTATES, AND RANCHO PALOS
VERDES) TO PROVIDE PARKING CITATION ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Black, seconded by Councilmember Mirsch to approve Consent Calendar
excluding Items 8J. Motion carried unanimously with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Wilson, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper
9. EXCLUDED CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS
8.J. ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS CORRECTING AND RE-ESTABLISHING THE FISCAL YEAR
2020/21 AND FISCAL YEAR 2021/22 ARTICLE XIII-B APPROPRIATIONS LIMIT
Presentation by Elaine Jeng, City Manager
Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Black, seconded by Councilmember Mirsch to adopt Resolution nos. 1289 and
1290, amending Resolutions 1254 and 1282. Motion carried unanimously with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Wilson, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper
61
MINUTES – CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, February 28, 2022
Page 3
10. COMMISSION ITEMS
10.A. ZONING CASE 21 -13: REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF A SITE PLAN REVIEW A POOL, SPA,
BBQ, LANDSCAPING, GRADING, AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED
AT 4 STORM HILL LANE (GRZYWACZ).
Presentation by John Signo, Planning & Community Services Director
Public Comment: Deborah Richey-Gray, Landscape Architect
Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Black, seconded by Councilmember Mirsch to receive and file. Motion carried
unanimously with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Wilson, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper
11. PUBLIC HEARINGS – NONE
12. OLD BUSINESS
12.A. APPROVE EMERGENCY INFORMATION SYSTEM (RESIDENT DATABASE FOR EMERGENCY
NOTIFICATION) AND COMMUNITY TRADING POST DEPLOYMENT PLAN.
Presentation by Elaine Jeng, City Manager
Ashford Ball, Senior Management Analyst
Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Black, seconded by Councilmember Mirsch to approve deployment plan. Motion
carried unanimously with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Wilson, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper
12.B. RECEIVE AND FILE THE FEASIBILITY STUDY BY HQE SYSTEMS ON AN OUTDOOR SIREN
SYSTEM, AND DIRECT STAFF TO CONDUCT A COMMUNITY SURVEY FOR FEEDBACK ON
AN OUTDOOR SIREN SYSTEM
Presentation by Ashford Ball, Senior Management Analyst
Public Comment: Jim Aichele, Irene Valenzuela, Geraldine Bellville
Motion by Mayor Dieringer, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Black directing staff to continue the item for further
exploration of the siren system used at LAX offered by a local company in Hawthorne; follow up with HQE
whether street level maps can be included and whether the 50 foot pole option can be camouflaged; to obtain
a list of entities HQE has worked with; and to include a modified survey asking residents if they would still
support a siren system if a pole blocked their view or was placed on their property. Motion carried
unanimously with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Wilson, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper
62
MINUTES – CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, February 28, 2022
Page 4
12.C. INTRODUCE BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 374, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF RO LLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA, ADDING CHAPTER 8.10 TO THE ROLLING
HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO EDIBLE FOOD RECOVERY. FOR INTRODUCTION
AND FIRST READING.
Presentation by John Signo, Planning & Community Services Director
Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Black, seconded by Councilmember Mirsch to introduce on first reading Ordinance
No. 374 as amended . Motion carried unanimously with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Wilson, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper
12.D. INTRODUCE BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 375, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 8.30 (FIRE FUEL
ABATEMENT) OF THE ROLLING HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE TO PROHIBIT NEW PLANTINGS OF
HIGH HAZARDOUS PLANTS AND TREES; AND FINDING THE ACTION EXEMPT FROM THE
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT. FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING.
Presentation by Ashford Ball, Senior Management Analyst
Public Comment: Marcia Schoettle, Kathy Nichols, Geraldine Bellville, Alfred Visco
Motion by Dieringer to introduce on first reading Ordinance No. 375 and amend the prohibition to be within
200 feet of a home. Motion failed with no second.
Motion by Councilmember Mirsch, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Black to introduce on first reading Ordinance
No. 375. Motion carried with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Wilson, Black
NOES: Mayor Dieringer
ABSENT: Pieper
Mayor Dieringer requested to skip Item 12E to allow presenters and public commenters on other items an
opportunity to participate earlier in the evening. Without objection, so ordered.
13. NEW BUSINESS
13.A. CONSIDER A REQUEST BY RESIDENT AT 38 PORTUGUESE BEND ROAD TO INSTALL NEW
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON (SCE) UTILITY POLE ON THE EASEMENT AREA OF 38
PORTUGUESE BEND ROAD TO REROUTE THE POWER SUPPLY TO POLE 567902E
AFFECTING 34, AND 36 PORTUGUESE BEND ROAD.
Presentation by Elaine Jeng, City Manager
Public Comment: Lori Wheeler, Steven Wheller, Rumel Itchon
On recommendation by the City Attorney, no action was taken.
63
MINUTES – CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, February 28, 2022
Page 5
13.B. APPROVE THE TRAFFIC COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING MITIGATION OF
SAFETY CONCERNS AT THE CORNER OF UPPER BLACKWATER CANYON ROAD AND
PORTUGUESE BEND ROAD.
Presentation by Elaine Jeng, City Manager
Vanessa Munoz, Traffic Engineer
Motion by Mayor Dieringer, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Black to take no action. Motion carried with the
following roll call vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Wilson, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper
14. MATTERS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL
14.A. APPROVE THE FIRE FUEL COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION TO TAKE THE MANDATORY
APPROACH TO MANAGE FIRE FUEL IN THE CANYONS; APPROVE THE FIRE FUEL
COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION TO PROVIDE AVAILABLE COST DATA TO THE
COMMUNITY; AND RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE FIRE FUEL COMMITTEE ON THE
FEBRUARY 8, 2022 FIRE FUEL COMMITTEE MEETING AND DISCUSS THE COMMITTEE'S
REPORT
Presentation by Ashford Ball, Senior Management Analyst
Public Comment: Kathy Nichols, Irene Valenzuela, Michael Schoettle, Melissa McNabb, Alfred Visco,
V’etta Virtue, Jim Aichele, Marcia Schoettle
Councilmember Wilson left the meeting at 11:01 p.m.
Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Black, seconded by Councilmember Mirsch to continue the item to March 14,
2022. Motion carried with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper, Wilson
Mayor Dieringer returned to Item 12E. Without objection, so ordered.
12. OLD BUSINESS
12.E. APPROVE PRIORITIES/GOALS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2022-2023 AND 2023-2024 DEVELOPED
AS A PART OF THE 2022 STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP; DISCUSS POTENTIAL
BUDGET ITEMS TO SUPPORT THE 2022 CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES; AND PROVIDE
DIRECTION TO STAFF.
Motion by Councilmember Mirsch, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Black to continue the item to March 14,
2022. Motion carried with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper, Wilson
64
MINUTES – CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, February 28, 2022
Page 6
Mayor Dieringer returned to Item 14B. Without objection, so ordered.
14. MATTERS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL
14.B. CITY COUNCIL NOTIFICATIONS ON COMMUNITY AND PENINSULA EVENTS. (MAYOR
DIERINGER)
Motion by Councilmember Mirsch, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Black to continue the item to March 14,
2022 and revise the item title to properly reflect language as “reminders.” Motion carried with the following
vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper, Wilson
14.C. DISCUSS HOLDING AN ANNUAL STATE OF THE CITY EV ENT. (MIRSCH)
Motion by Councilmember Mirsch, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Black to continue the item to a future
agenda. Motion carried with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper, Wilson
14.D. DISCUSS SIERRA CLUB'S USE AND PUBLICATION OF THE TRAILS WITHIN THE CITY.
(MIRSCH)
Motion by Councilmember Mirsch, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Black directing staff to send a letter to the
Rolling Hills Community Association requesting they contact the Sierra Club to discuss discontinuing
advertisement of public activities on private property pursuant to local trespass laws. Motion carried with the
following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper, Wilson
15. MATTERS FROM STAFF
15.A. CONSIDER FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
(CPUC) REGARDING FRONTIER'S REFUSAL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CREST ROAD EAST
UNDERGROUNDING PROJECT PER CPUC TARIFF 33.
Presentation by Jane Abzug, City Attorney
Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Black, seconded by Councilmember Mirsch to approve filing a complaint with the
CPUC. Motion carried with the following vote:
AYES: Mirsch, Black, Mayor Dieringer
NOES: None
ABSENT: Pieper, Wilson
16. RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION
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MINUTES – CITY COUNCIL MEETING
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Page 7
16.A. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEG OTIATOR GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.6
CITY'S DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE: MAYOR BEA DIERINGER
UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEE: CITY MANAGER ELAINE JENG
Mayor Dieringer called for a recess at 11:31 p.m. to conduct Closed Session attended by City Attorney Jane
Abzug. No objection, so ordered.
17. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION
The City Council reconvened to Open Session at 11:48 p.m.
Councilmembers Present: Mirsch, Black, Mayor Dieringer
Councilmembers Absent: Pieper, Wilson
Staff Present: Elaine Jeng, City Manager
Jane Abzug, City Attorney
City Attorney Abzug announced that the council discussed the item on the agenda but took no reportable
action.
18. ADJOURNMENT: 11:49 P.M.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:49 p.m. in memory of Rolling Hills resident Antoinette Gargas who passed
away earlier this month. The next regular meeting of the City Council is scheduled to be held on Monday,
March 14, 2022 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chamber at City Hall, 2 Portuguese Bend Road,
Rolling Hills, California. It will also be available via City’s website link at: https://www.rolling-
hills.org/government/agenda/index.php
All written comments submitted are included in the record and available for public review on the City website.
Respectfully submitted,
____________________________________
Christian Horvath, City Clerk
Approved,
____________________________________
Bea Dieringer, Mayor
66
Agenda Item No.: 8.D
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH,
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:PAYMENT OF BILLS
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
None.
DISCUSSION:
None.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as presented.
ATTACHMENTS:
2022-03-09_Payment_of_Bills.pdf
67
68
Agenda Item No.: 8.E
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH,
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:ADOPT BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 374, AN ORDINANCE OF
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA,
ADDING CHAPTER 8.10 TO THE ROLLING HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE
RELATING TO EDIBLE FOOD RECOVERY. FOR SECOND READING
AND ADOPTION.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
Senate Bill (“SB”) 1383 (Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016) directed the California Department of
Resources Recycling and Recovery (“CalRecycle”) to adopt regulations to reduce organic
waste by 50 percent from its 2014 baseline level by 2020 and 75 percent by 2025. As part of
this effort, SB 1383 also requires CalRecycle’s regulations to ensure the recovery, for human
consumption, of at least 20 percent of edible food that is currently thrown away. CalRecycle
promulgated its regulations in Chapter 12 (Short-Lived Climate Pollutants) of Division 7 of Title
14 of the California Code of Regulations (the “SB 1383 Regulations”).
While CalRecycle issued the City a waiver from the SB 1383 Regulations’ organic waste
collection requirements as a low-population jurisdiction, the City is still required to establish an
edible food recovery program by adopting an ordinance.
DISCUSSION:
The attached Ordinance No. 374 (the “Ordinance”) adds Chapter 8.10 to the Rolling Hills
Municipal Code, entitled “Food Recovery.” It establishes the obligations of commercial edible
food generators – businesses/entities that create food for human consumption (e.g.,
supermarkets, grocery stores, restaurants above a certain capacity or size, etc.) to (1)
contract with edible food recovery organizations (e.g., food banks/pantries) and services for
the donation of edible food that can be recovered for human consumption; (2) not intentionally
spoil edible food capable of being recovered; (3) grant the City or its designee access to their
premises for inspection and records review; and (4) keep certain records of their compliance.
69
It also sets forth the obligations of edible food recovery organizations and services to keep
records of their transactions with commercial edible food generators, and to report to the City
at regular intervals the total pounds of food they recover from each generator.
There are two tiers of commercial edible good generators. The requirements for Tier 1 (e.g.,
supermarkets, grocery stores, etc.) take effect immediately. The requirements for Tier 2 (e.g.,
restaurants, hotel food facilities, etc. of a certain size) take effect on January 1, 2024.
The Ordinance authorizes the City and its designee to conduct inspections and investigations
of premises and records to confirm compliance by commercial edible food generators and
food recovery organizations and services.
Finally, the Ordinance sets forth the process for the issuance of a notice of violation and the
assessment of a fine for any violations of Chapter 8.10, as well as other civil penalties. It
should be noted that the Ordinance currently would not apply in the City because the City has
no commercial edible food generators. However, in the future if the City allowed commercial
edible good generators, then this Ordinance would take effect. In that instance, the Ordinance
would also cover violations and enforcement actions. Although the Ordinance would not apply
to existing uses in the City, it still needs to be adopted so that the City is in compliance with
SB 1383 Regulations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt by title only Ordinance No. 374, adding Chapter 8.10 to the Rolling Hills Municipal Code
Relating to Edible Food Recovery.
ATTACHMENTS:
374_EdibleFoodRecovery_Ordinance.pdf
70
ORDINANCE NO. 374
Edible Food Recovery
Page 1
ORDINANCE NO. 374
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING
HILLS, CALIFORNIA ADDING CHAPTER 8.10 TO THE ROLLING
HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO EDIBLE FOOD RECOVERY
WHEREAS , SB 1383 (Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016) directed the California Department of
Resources Recycling and Recovery (“CalRecycle”) to adopt regulations to reduce organic waste by 50
percent from its 2014 baseline level by 2020 and 75 percent by 2025; and
WHEREAS , SB 1383 also requires the regulations to recover, for human consumption, at least
20 percent of edible food that is currently thrown away; and
WHEREAS , CalRecycle promulgated regulations as directed in SB 1383 in Chapter 12 (Short-
Lived Climate Pollutants) of Division 7 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations (“SB 1383
Regulations”); and
WHEREAS , the SB 1383 Regulations take effect January 1, 2022, and requires the City of
Rolling Hills to adopt an ordinance to enforce the SB 1383 Regulations by said date; and
WHEREAS , the City Council desires to adopt a n Edible Food Recovery Ordinance to comply
with the SB 1383 Regulations.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNC IL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS DOES ORDAIN
AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 8.10 is hereby added as set forth in Exhibit A, incorporated by this
reference.
Section 2. Environmental review is not required because adoption of the Ordinance is not a
project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guideline 15378(b)(5)
(organization or administrative activities of governments not a project).
Section 3. If any section, subsection, clause, or phrase in this Ordinance or the application
thereof to any person or circumstance is for any reason held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this
Ordinance or the application of such provisions to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected
thereby. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Ordinance and each section,
subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that one or more sections,
subsections, sentences, clauses, or phrases or the application thereof to any person or circumstance
be held invalid.
Section 4. No less than five days prior to the adoption of this Ordinance, the City Clerk
published a summary of this Ordinance in accordance with Government Code section 36933. The City
Clerk will certify to the passage of this Ordinance by the City Council of the City of Rolling Hills,
California, and cause a summary to be published once within fifteen (15) days after its passage in a
newspaper of general circulation, printed, published and circulated in the City in accordance with
Government Code section 36933.
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ORDINANCE NO. 374
Edible Food Recovery
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Section 5. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in full force 30 days after its adoption.
INTRODUCED on the 28th day of February, 2022, and PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular
meeting of the City Council of the City of Rolling Hills on this _____ day of ________, 2022, by the
following vote:
City of Rolling Hills
____________________________
Bea Dieringer, Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
BEST BEST & KRIEGER LLP ATTEST:
______________________________ ______________________________
City Attorney Christian Horvath, City Clerk
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ORDINANCE NO. 374
Edible Food Recovery
Page 3
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS )
I, Christian Horvath, City Clerk of the City of Rolling Hills, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing
Ordinance No. 374 was adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Rolling Hills held
on the14th day of March, 2022, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
______________________________
Christian Horvath
City Clerk
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ORDINANCE NO. 374
Edible Food Recovery
Page 4
EXHIBIT A
Chapter 8.10
FOOD RECOVERY
8.10.010 - Definitions.
8.10.020 - Requirements for Commercial Edible Food Generators.
8.10.030 - Requirements for Food Recovery Organizations and Services.
8.10.040 - Inspections and Investigations.
8.10.050 - Violations.
8.10.010 Definitions.
For the purpose of this chapter, certain terms are defined as follows:
A. “CCR” means the California Code of Regulations.
B. “CalRecycle” means the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.
C. “City” means the City of Rolling Hills.
D. “City Council” means the City Council of the City of Rolling Hills.
E. “City Manager” means the City Manager of the City of Rolling Hills, or his or her
designee.
F. “County” means the County of Los Angeles.
G. “Designee” means an entity that the City contracts with or otherwise arranges to carry
out any of the City’s responsibilities as authorized in 14 CCR § 18981.2. A Designee
may be a government entity, a hauler, a private entity, or a combination of those entities.
H. “Edible Food” means food intended for human consumption, or as otherwise defined in
14 CCR § 18982(a)(18). Edible Food is not Solid Waste if it is recovered and not
discarded.
I. “Enforcement Action" means an action of the City to address non-compliance including,
but not limited to, issuing administrative citations, fines, penalties, or using other
remedies.
J. “Enforcement Officer" means the City Manager, County administrative official, chief
operating officer, executive director, public works director or other executive in charge or
their authorized designees who is/are partially or wholly responsible for enforcing this
chapter.
K. “Food Distributor” means a company that distributes food to entities including, but not
limited to, Supermarkets and Grocery Stores, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR §
18982(a)(22).
L. “Food Facility” has the same meaning as in Health and Safety Code Section 113789.
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M. “Food Recovery” means actions to collect and distribute food for human consumption
that otherwise would be disposed, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR § 18982(a)(24).
N. “Food Recovery Organization” means an entity that engages in the collection or receipt
of Edible Food from Commercial Edible Food Generators and distributes that Edible
Food to the public for Food Recovery, either directly or through other entities or as
otherwise defined in 14 CCR § 18982(a)(25), including, but not limited to:
1. A food bank as defined in Section 113783 of the Health and Safety Code;
2. A nonprofit charitable organization as defined in Section 113841 of the Health
and Safety code; and,
3. A nonprofit charitable temporary food facility as defined in Section 113842 of the
Health and Safety Code.
O. “Food Recovery Service” means a person or entity that collects and transports Edible
Food from a Commercial Edible Food Generator to a Food Recovery Organization or
other entities for Food Recovery, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR § 18982(a)(26).
P. “Food Service Provider” means an entity primarily engaged in providing food services to
institutional, governmental, Commercial, or industrial locations of others based on
contractual arrangements with these types of organizations, or as otherwise defined in
14 CCR § 18982(a)(27).
Q. “Generator” means any person or other entity who is responsible for the initial creation
of Solid Waste.
R. “Grocery store” means a store primarily engaged in the retail sale of canned food; dry
goods; fresh fruits and vegetables; fresh meats, fish, and poultry; and any area that is
not separately owned within the store where the food is prepared and served, including
a bakery, deli, and meat and seafood departments, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR
§ 18982(a)(30).
S. “Health Officer” means the Health Officer of the City.
T. “Inspection” means a site visit where the City reviews records of an entity’s collection,
handling, recycling, or landfill disposal of organic waste or Edible Food to determine if
the entity is complying with requirements set forth in this chapter, or as otherwise defined
in 14 CCR § 18982(a)(35).
U. “Large Event” means an event, including, but not limited to, a sporting event or a flea
market, that charges an admission price, or is operated by a local agency, and serves
an average of more than 2,000 individuals per day of operation of the event, at a location
that includes, but is not limited to, a public, nonprofit, or privately owned park, parking
lot, golf course, street system, or other open space when being used for an event.
V. “Large Venue” means a permanent venue facility that annually seats or serves an
average of more than 2,000 individuals within the grounds of the facility per day of
operation of the venue facility. A venue facility includes, but is not limited to, a public,
nonprofit, or privately owned or operated stadium, amphitheater, arena, hall, amusement
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ORDINANCE NO. 374
Edible Food Recovery
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park, conference or civic center, zoo, aquarium, airport, racetrack, horse track,
performing arts center, fairground, museum, theater, or other public attraction facility. A
site under common ownership or control that includes more than one large venue that is
contiguous with other large venues in the site, is a single large venue.
W. “Local Education Agency” means a school district, charter school, or County office of
education that is not subject to the control of City or County regulations related to Solid
Waste, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR § 18982(a)(40).
X. “Notice of Violation” or “NOV” means a notice that a violation has occurred that includes
a compliance date to avoid an action to seek penalties, or as otherwise defined in 14
CCR § 18982(a)(45) or further explained in 14 CCR § 18995.4.
Y. “Person” means persons, firms, corporations or associations.
Z. “Recovered Organic Waste Products” means products made from California, landfill-
diverted recovered Organic Waste processed in a permitted or otherwise authorized
facility, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR § 18982(a)(60).
AA. “Recovery” means any activity or process described in 14 CCR § 18983.1(b), or as
otherwise defined in 14 CCR § 18982(a)(49).
BB. “Residential” means any residential dwelling.
CC. “SB 1383” means Senate Bill 1383 (Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016).
DD. “SB 1383 Regulations” means the Short-Lived Climate Pollutants: Organic Waste
Reduction regulations developed by CalRecycle and adopted in 2020 that created 14
CCR, Division 7, Chapter 12 and amended portions of regulations of 14 CCR and 27
CCR.
EE. “Self -hauler” means a Generator, who hauls his or her own Solid Waste, organic waste,
or recyclable materials to another Person. “Self -hauler” also includes a person who back-
hauls waste, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR § 18982(a)(66). “Back-hauling” is the
process of generating and transporting organic waste to a destination owned and
operated by the Generator using the Generator’s own employees and equipment, or as
otherwise defined in 14 CCR § 18982(a)(66)(A).
FF. “Solid Waste” includes means all putrescible and nonputrescible solid, semisolid, and
liquid wastes, including garbage, trash, refuse, paper, rubbish, ashes, industrial wastes,
demolition and construction wastes, abandoned vehicles and parts thereof, discarded
home and industrial appliances, dewatered, treated, or chemically fixed sewage sludge
which is not hazardous waste, manure, vegetable or animal solid and semisolid wastes,
and other discarded solid and semisolid waste. “Solid Waste” does not include
1. Hazardous waste, as defined in Public Resources Code Section 40141;
2. Radioactive waste regulated pursuant to the Radiation Control Law (commencing
with Health and Safety Code Section 114960); or
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Edible Food Recovery
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3. Medical waste regulated pursuant to the Medical Waste Management Act
(commencing with Health and Safety Code Section 117600). Untreated medical
waste shall not be disposed of in a solid waste landfill, as defined in Public
Resources Code Section 40195.1. Medical waste that has been treated and
deemed to be solid waste shall be regulated pursuant to Division 30 of the Public
Resources Code.
GG. “State” means the State of California.
HH. “Supermarket” means a full-line, self-service retail store with gross annual sales of two
million dollars ($2,000,000), or more, and which sells a line of dry grocery, canned goods,
or nonfood items and some perishable items, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR §
18982(a)(71).
II. “Tier One Commercial Edible Food Generator” means a Commercial Edible Food
Generator that is one of the following:
1. Supermarket.
2. Grocery Store with a total facility size equal to or greater than 10,000 square feet.
3. Food service provider.
4. Food distributor.
5. Wholesale Food Vendor.
JJ. “Tier Two Commercial Edible Food Generator” means a Commercial Edible Food
Generator that is one of the following:
1. Restaurant with 250 or more seats, or a total facility size equal to or greater than
5,000 square feet.
2. Hotel with an on-site food facility and 200 or more rooms.
3. Health facility with an on-site food facility and 100 or more beds.
4. Large Venue.
5. Large Event.
6. State agency with a cafeteria with 250 or more seats or total cafeteria facility size
equal to or greater than 5,000 square feet.
7. Local Education Agency facility with an on-site food facility.
KK. “Wholesale Food Vendor” means a business or establishment engaged in the merchant
wholesale distribution of food, where food (including fruits and vegetables) is received,
shipped, stored, prepared for distribution to a retailer, warehouse, distributor, or other
destination, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR § 189852(a)(76).
8.10.020 - Requirements for Commercial Edible Food Generators.
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A. Tier One Commercial Edible Food Generators must comply with the requirements of this
section, and Tier Two Commercial Edible Food Generators must comply commencing
January 1, 2024.
B. Large Venue or Large Event operators not providing food services, but allowing for food
to be provided by others, shall require Food Facilities operating at the Large Venue or
Large Event to comply with the requirements of this section, commencing January 1,
2024.
C. Commercial Edible Food Generators shall comply with the following requirements:
1. Arrange to recover the maximum amount of Edible Food that would otherwise be
disposed.
2. Enter into a written agreement with Food Recovery Organizations or Food
Recovery Services for:
a. The collection of Edible Food for Edible Food Recovery from the Tier One
or Tier Two Commercial Edible Food Generator’s premises; or,
b. The acceptance of Edible Food that the Tier One or Tier Two Commercial
Edible Food Generator self-hauls to the Food Recovery Organization.
3. Shall not intentionally spoil Edible Food that is capable of being recovered by a
Food Recovery Organization or a Food Recovery Service.
2. Allow the City’s designated Enforcement Officer or Designee to access the
premises and to review records pursuant to 14 CCR § 18991.4.
3. Keep records that include the following information, or as otherwise specified in
14 CCR § 18991.4:
a. A list of each Food Recovery Service or Food Recovery Organization that
collects or receives its Edible Food pursuant to a contract or written
agreement established under 14 CCR § 18991.3(b).
b. A copy of all contracts or written agreements established under 14 CCR
§ 18991.3(B).
c. A record of the following information for each of those Food Recovery
Services or Food Recovery Organizations:
i. The name, address, and contact information of the Food Recovery
Service or Food Recovery Organization.
ii. The types of Edible Food that will be collected by, or Self-hauled
to, the Food Recovery Service or Food Recovery Organization.
iii. The established frequency that Edible Food will be collected or
self -hauled.
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iv. The quantity of Edible Food, measured in pounds recovered per
month, collected or self-hauled to a Food Recovery Service or
Food Recovery Organization for purposes of Food Recovery.
D. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit or conflict with the protections provided
by the California Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 2017, the Federal Good
Samaritan Act, or share table and school food donation guidance pursuant to Senate Bill
557 (Chapter 285, Statutes of 2017).
8.10 .030 - Requirements for Food Recovery Organizations and Services.
A. Food Recovery Services collecting or receiving Edible Food directly from Commercial
Edible Food Generators via a contract or written agreement established under 14 CCR
§ 18991.3(b) shall maintain the following records, or as otherwise specified by 14 CCR
§ 18991.5(a)(1):
1. The name, address, and contact information for each Commercial Edible Food
Generator from which the service collects Edible Food.
2. The quantity in pounds of Edible Food collected from each Commercial Edible
Food Generator per month.
3. The quantity in pounds of Edible Food transported to each Food Recovery
Organization per month.
4. The name, address, and contact information for each Food Recovery
Organization for which the Food Recovery Service transports Edible Food for
Food Recovery.
B. Food Recovery Organizations collecting or receiving Edible Food directly from
Commercial Edible Food Generators via a contract or written agreement established
under 14 CCR § 18991.3(b) shall maintain the following records, or as otherwise
specified by 14 CCR § 18991.5(a)(2):
1. The name, address, and contact information for each Commercial Edible Food
Generator from which the organization receives Edible Food.
2. The quantity in pounds of Edible Food collected form each Commercial Edible
Food Generator per month.
3. The name, address, and contact information for each Food Recovery Service
from which the organization receives Edible Food for Food Recovery.
C. Food Recovery Organizations and Food Recovery Services that have their primary
address physically located in the City and contract or have written agreements with one
or more Commercial Edible Food Generators pursuant to 14 CCR § 18991.3(b) shall, no
later than March 1, July 1, and September 1 of each calendar year, report to the City in
which they are located the total pounds of Edible Food recovered in the previous
calendar year from the Tier One and Tier Two Commercial Edible Food Generators with
which they have established a contract or written agreement pursuant to 14 CCR
§ 18991.3(b).
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D. In order to support Edible Food Recovery capacity planning assessments and other
studies, Food Recovery Services and Food Recovery Organizations operating in the City
shall, upon request, provide information and consultation to the City regarding existing
or proposed new or expanded Food Recovery capacity that could be accessed by the
City and its Commercial Edible Food Generators. A Food Recovery Service or Food
Recovery Organization contacted by the City shall respond to such request for
information within 60 days, unless a shorter timeframe is otherwise specified by the City.
8.10 .040 - Inspections and Investigations.
A. City Enforcement Officer and/or its Designee are authorized to conduct Inspections an
investigations, at random or otherwise, to confirm compliance with this chapter by
Commercial Edible Food Generators, Food Recovery Services, and Food Recovery
Organizations, subject to applicable laws.
B. The regulated entity shall provide or arrange for access during all Inspections and shall
cooperate with the City Enforcement Officer or Designee during such Inspections and
investigations. Such Inspections and investigations may include Edible Food Recovery
activities, records, or any other requirement described herein. Failure to provide or
arrange for: (i) access to an entity’s premises; or (ii) access to records for any Inspection
or investigation is a violation of this chapter and may result in penalties described in
Section 8.10.050.
C. Any records obtained by the City during its Inspections and other reviews shall be subject
to the requirements and applicable disclosure exemptions of the Public Records Act as
set forth in Government Code § 6520 et seq.
D. City Enforcement Officer and/or its Designee are authorized to conduct any Inspections
or other investigations as reasonably necessary to further the goals of this chapter,
subject to applicable laws.
8.10.050 - Violations.
A. Violation of any provision of this chapter shall constitute grounds for issuance of a Notice
of Violation and assessment of a fine by an Enforcement Officer. Enforcement Actions
under this chapter include issuance of an administrative citation and assessment of a
fine. The City’s procedures on imposition of administrative fines are set forth in Rolling
Hills Municipal Code Chapter 1.08, and shall govern the imposition, enforcement,
collection, and review of administrative citations issued to enforce this chapter and any
rule or regulation adopted pursuant hereto, except as otherwise indicated.
B. City may seek all other remedies allowed by law, including civil action or prosecution for
an alleged misdemeanor or infraction. City may pursue civil actions in the California
courts to seek recovery of unpaid administrative citations.
C. Penalty Amounts for Types of Violations
1. For a first violation, the amount of the penalty shall be $100 per violation.
2. For a second violation, the amount of the penalty shall be $200 per violation.
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3. For a third or subsequent violation, the amount of the penalty shall be $500 per
violation.
4. The penalties shall be consistent with Government Code section 36900.
D. The City may extend the compliance deadlines set forth in a Notice of Violation if it finds
that there are extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the respondent that make
compliance within the deadlines impracticable, including the following:
1. Acts of God such as earthquakes, wildfires, flooding, and other emergencies or
natural disasters;
2. Delays in obtaining discretionary permits or other government agency approvals;
or,
3. Deficiencies in Edible Food Recovery capacity and the City is under a corrective
action plan with CalRecycle pursuant to 14 CCR Section 18996.2 due to those
deficiencies.
F. Appeals Process. Persons receiving an administrative citation containing a penalty for
an uncorrected violation under this chapter may request a hearing to appeal the citation
pursuant to Section 1.08.090, as it may be amended from time to time.
G. Education Period for Non-Compliance. Through December 31, 2023, the City will
conduct Inspections to determine compliance, and if the City determines that the Tier
One Commercial Edible Food Generator, Food Recovery Service, Food Recovery
Organization, or other entity is not in compliance, it shall provide educational materials
to the entity describing its obligations under this chapter and a notice that compliance is
required, and that violations may be subject to administrative civil penalties starting on
January 1, 2024.
H. Civil Penalties for Non-Compliance. Beginning January 1, 2024, if the City determines
that a Tier One Commercial Edible Food Generator, Tier Two Commercial Edible Food
Generator, Food Recovery Service, Food Recovery Organization, or other entity is not
in compliance with this chapter, it shall document the noncompliance or violation, issue
a Notice of Violation, and take Enforcement Action pursuant to this chapter.
I. This Chapter shall be interpreted to be consistent with the City’s regulatory authority, and
shall only apply to Loca l Education Agencies and other entities to the extent permitted
by law, including SB 1383 Regulations.
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Agenda Item No.: 8.F
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH,
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:ADOPT BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 375, AN ORDINANCE OF
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA,
AMENDING CHAPTER 8.30 (FIRE FUEL ABATEMENT) OF THE
ROLLING HILLS M U N ICIPAL CODE TO PROHIBIT NEW PLANTINGS
OF H I G H HAZARDOUS PLANTS AND TREES ; AND FINDING THE
ACTION EXEMPT FROM THE C A L I F O R N I A ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY ACT. FOR SECOND READING AND ADOPTION.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
At the Fire Fuel Committee meeting on September 29, 2021, the Committee discussed the
idea of prohibiting high fire hazard plants on all future developmental projects to mitigate
potential fire risks in the community and briefly discussed the possibility of bringing a
recommendation to Council regarding such plants. The Committee directed the item be placed
on the agenda for the November 10, 2021 Fire Fuel Committee meeting.
At the November 10th Fire Fuel Committee meeting, the Committee discussed prohibiting the
high fire hazard plants listed in the Ready! Set! Go! Brochure and directed staff to present the
recommendation to prohibit such plants to Council at the November 22, 2021 City Council
meeting. The high hazard plants and secondary species proposed for consideration by the
Council were as follows:
1. Pine
2. Pampas Grass
3. Palm
4. Juniper
5. Acacia (Shrub)6. Eucalyptus 7. Cedar
8. Cypress
9. Italian Cypress
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On November 22, 2021, the City Council considered the Fire Fuel Committee’s
recommendation and made a motion to draft an ordinance prohibiting the new plantings of
high hazardous plants and trees identified as 1 through 9 (above).
DISCUSSION:
The drafted ordinance amends the Fire Fuel Abatement Chapter (Chapter 8.30) to prohibit the
new planting of the above-mentioned trees and plants and declares any violation of such
ordinance to be a public nuisance, which can be abated in accordance with the Abatement of
Nuisances Chapter (Chapter 8.24) in the City’s code. The ordinance consolidates the
provisions relating to dead or alive tumbleweeds and dead trees, shrubs, palm fronds or other
plants in Section 8.30.010 and addresses the new provisions relating to high fire hazard
plantings in Section 8.30.015. No change other than this organizational change was made to
the provisions relating to dead or alive tumbleweeds and dead trees, shrubs, palm fronds or
other plants.
This ordinance gives the City the power to include conditions of approval on development
projects to prohibit such new plantings. It also gives the City the power to proceed with
nuisance abatement proceedings outside of the development project context if any property
owner plants such prohibited plantings in violation of the ordinance.
City staff recommends the City Council approve this amendment of Chapter 8.30 to the Rolling
Hills Municipal Code.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt by title only Ordinance No. 375 amending Chapter 8.30 (Fire Fuel Abatement) to
prohibit new plantings of high hazardous plants and trees.
ATTACHMENTS:
375_HighHazardPlantsProhibition_NewDev_Ordinance.pdf
Municipal Code-ABATEMENT OF NUISANCE 8.24 & FIRE FUEL ABATEMENT 8.30.pdf
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ORDINANCE NO. 375
High Hazard Plant Prohibition for New Development
Page 1
ORDINANCE NO. 375
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA
AMENDING CHAPTER 8.30 (FIRE FUEL ABATEMENT) OF THE
ROLLING HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE TO PROHIBIT NEW PLANTINGS
OF HIGH HAZARDOUS PLANTS AND TREES; AND FINDING THE
ACTION EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY ACT
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Recitals
A. Uncontrolled wildfires pose a serious threat to the health, welfare, and safety of the
City of Rolling Hills residents and their animals and property.
B. The City is located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and is almost an
entirely residential community of large one+ acre parcels. It is characterized by California ranch
style homes and an abundance of equestrian facilities. Early landscaping on these large parcels
matured, rendering the City a heavily wooded setting.
C. The City Council has taken action to address the threat of uncontrolled wildfires
through the adoption of the Fire Fuel Abatement Ordinance in Chapter 8.30 of the Rolling Hills
Municipal Code, which prohibits the maintenance of dead or alive tumbleweeds and dead trees,
shrubs, palm fronds, or other plants.
D. Despite these efforts, the accumulation of flammable vegetation within the City
continues to endanger the lives of the residents, animals, and property.
E. Prohibiting new plantings of high hazardous plants and trees, including pine,
pampas grass, palm, juniper, acacia (shrub), eucalyptus, cedar, cypress, and Italian cypress (“High
Hazardous Plants”), will increase community safety by decreasing the use of such plants, which
can easily ignite and quickly spread fire.
F . This ordinance will allow for public nuisance abatement when property owners
plant new High Hazardous Plants in violation of this ordinance.
Section 2. Section 8.30.010 (Dead or alive tumbleweeds and dead trees, shrubs, palm fronds or
other plants as public nuisance) of Title 8 (Health and Safety) is amended to read as follows:
8.30.010 Dead or alive tumbleweeds and dead trees, shrubs, palm fronds or other plants
prohibited.
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ORDINANCE NO. 375
High Hazard Plant Prohibition for New Development
Page 2
A. Every person who owns or is in possession of any property, place or area within the
boundaries of the City shall, at his or her own expense, maintain the property, place or area free
from any dead or alive tumbleweed or dead tree, shrub, palm frond or other plant. Any dead or
alive tumbleweed or dead tree, shrub, palm frond or other plant located on any property in the City
is hereby declared to be a public nuisance.
B. This section shall apply to the entirety of each parcel of property located within the
boundaries of the City except for the slope area approximated to be steeper than two units
horizontal to one unit vertical (fifty percent slope).
Section 3. Section 8.30.015 (Applicability) of Title 8 (Health and Safety) is amended to read as
follows:
8.30.015 New high hazardous plants prohibited.
A. No person shall plant on any property, place or area within the boundaries of the City
any of the following plants and trees: pine; pampas grass; palm; juniper; acacia (shrub);
eucalyptus; cedar; cypress; and Italian cypress. Any such new planting of pine; pampas grass;
palm; juniper; acacia (shrub); eucalyptus; cedar; cypress; and Italian cypress is hereby declared to
be a public nuisance.
B. This section shall apply to the entirety of each parcel of property located within the
boundaries of the City.
Section 4. Severability. If any provision of this ordinance is declared to be invalid by a court of
competent jurisdiction, it shall not affect any remaining provision hereof. The City Council of the
City of Rolling Hills hereby declares that it would have adopted this ordinance despite any partial
invalidity.
Section 5. Environmental Review. This Ordinance is not a project within the meaning of
Section 15378 of the State of California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines, because
it has no potential for resulting in physical change in the environment, directly or indirectly. The
City Council further finds, under Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, Section
15061(b)(3), that this Ordinance is nonetheless exempt from the requirements of CEQA in that the
activity is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential
for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there
is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the
activity exempt from CEQA. It also finds the ordinance is exempt from the requirements of CEQA
pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15307 and 15308 as an action by a regulatory agency
taken to protect the environment and natural resources.
Section 6. Effective Date. This ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its passage and
adoption pursuant to California Government Code section 36937.
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ORDINANCE NO. 375
High Hazard Plant Prohibition for New Development
Page 3
Section 7. Certification. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this
Ordinance and shall cause the same, or the summary thereof, to be published or posted in the
manner required by law.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 14th day of March, 2022.
____________________________
Bea Dieringer, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________________
Christian Horvath, City Clerk
86
ORDINANCE NO. 375
High Hazard Plant Prohibition for New Development
Page 4
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS )
I, Christian Horvath, City Clerk of the City of Rolling Hills, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing
Ordinance No. 375 was adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Rolling Hills held
on the14th day of March , 2022, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
______________________________
Christian Horvath
City Clerk
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MUNICIPAL CODE: FIRE FUEL ABATEMENT & ABATEMENT OF NUISANCE
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Agenda Item No.: 8.G
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH, CITY CLERK / EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO
CITY MANAGER
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 1292 AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF
GRANT FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AGENCY IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,971,882.00 WITH THE REQUIRED
LOCAL MATCH OF $657,294.00; AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO MEET
THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
On February 14, 2022, the City Council Accepted Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Funds HMGP DR-4382-177-7R-CA for the Eastfield Drive electrical
utility undergrounding mitigation project and directed staff to prepare a resolution to accept the
funds.
DISCUSSION:
None.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as presented.
ATTACHMENTS:
ResolutionNo1292_AcceptingFEMAGrants.pdf
90
1
RESOLUTION NO. 1292
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ROLLING HILLS AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF
GRANT FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY IN THE AMOUNT OF
$1,971,882.00 WITH THE REQUIRED LOCAL MATCH OF
$657,294.00; AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO EXECUTE ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO MEET
THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA, DOES
HEREBY RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE, AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Recitals.
A. The City of Rolling Hills (“City”) applied to the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (“FEMA”) for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Funds, FEMA-4382-
DR-CA, Project # PJ0177, FIPS #037-62602, to use on the Eastfield Drive Electrical Utility
Undergrounding Project (the “Eastfield Project”).
B. The Eastfield Project includes undergrounding of roughly four thousand
seven hundred and thirty five (4,735) linear feet of utility lines along Eastfield Drive and
removing approximately twenty-one (21) utility poles.
C. FEMA awarded the City grant funds in the amount of $1,971,882.00 with
required local matching in the amount of $657,294.00 to be used on the Eastfield Project.
D. The City Council desires to accept the grant funds from FEMA to be used
on the Eastfield Project and to direct the City Manager to execute any necessary
documents to meet the grant requirements.
Section 2. The City Council hereby accepts the award of the Hazard Mitigation Funds,
FEMA-4382-DR-CA, Project # PJ0177, FIPS #037-62602, from FEMA in the amount of
$1,971,882.00 to be used on the Eastfield Project.
Section 3. The City Council hereby authorizes the City’s expenditure of $657,294.00
as local matching funds for the Eastfield Project.
Section 4. The City Council hereby authorizes the City Manager to execute any
necessary documents to meet the grant requirements.
Section 5. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City
Council, and the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Resolution
and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
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2
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 14th day of March, 2022.
______________________________
BEA DIERINGER
MAYOR
ATTEST:
___________________________
CHRISTIAN HORVATH
CITY CLERK
92
3
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) §§
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS )
The foregoing Resolution No.1292 entitled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING
HILLS AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDING FROM THE
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY IN THE AMOUNT OF
$1,971,882.00 WITH THE REQUIRED LOCAL MATCH OF $657,294.00;
AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO MEET THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS
was approved and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council on the 14th day of
March, 2022, by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
___________________________
CHRISTIAN HORVATH
CITY CLERK
93
Agenda Item No.: 8.H
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:ELAINE JENG, CITY MANAGER
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:APPROVE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH EVAN
SMITH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT TO ASSESS CURRENT CONDITIONS
OF CITY HALL CAMPUS LANDSCAPING AND PROVIDE
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
At the February 14, 2022 meeting, the City Council approved services with Evan Smith
Landscape Architect for a not to exceed amount of $6,000 at $150 per hour on an as-needed
basis.
DISCUSSION:
The scope of work for Evan Smith Landscape Architect includes an inventory of existing
irrigation system, record the inventory on landscape plans, identify and record existing plant
palette, assess the general condition of existing landscaping, and provide recommendations
for improvements.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This expense will be funded by Fund 75 City Properties under account 932 dedicated for
landscaping. There is sufficient budget in the referenced account in the adopted FY2021-
2022 budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve Professional Services Agreement with Evan Smith Landscape Architect services.
ATTACHMENTS:
Rolling Hills_ Evan Smith- Landscape Agreement signed.pdf
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Agenda Item No.: 8.I
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:ELAINE JENG, CITY MANAGER
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:APPROVE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH
WILDLAND RES MANAGEMENT TO REVIEW DRAFT ORDINANCE
RELATING TO FIRE FUEL ABATEMENT IN THE CANYONS AND
PROVIDE SITE VISITS TO ASSIST RESIDENTS WITH FIRE FUEL
ABATEMENT MEASURES.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
At the January 24, 2022 City Council meeting, staff was directed to draft a contract with
Wildland Res Management (WRM) and authorize the Fire Fuel Committee to finalize the
scope of work with the consultant for an amount not-to-exceed $20,000. At the February 8,
2022 meeting, the Fire Fuel Committee directed staff to engage WRM to review the draft
ordinance and provide feedback for $7,500 and allocate $7,500 for site visits for an overall
contract of $15,000.
DISCUSSION:
WRM's service is broken down into three tasks:
1. Review existing relevant documents relating to wildfire mitigation measures and provide
written memo on consultant's review of relevant documents and comment on
consistency of wildfire mitigation measures among the reviewed documents.
2. Review draft ordinance version January 13, 2022 to regulate fire fuel in the canyons and
provide review comments.
3. Conduct site visits to private properties and provide written report for each site visited.
Written report shall include instructions for fire fuel management on the property visited,
including visual guides, reference materials and call outs of specific vegetation on the
property.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is available budget in Fund 65 Non-Department, account 917 Emergency Preparedness
to engage WRM for services.
101
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Wildland Res Management.
ATTACHMENTS:
Rolling Hills RE Agreement with Wildland Res Mgt signed.pdf
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Agenda Item No.: 8.J
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:JOHN SIGNO, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & COMMUNITY SERVICES
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:NOTICE BY THE LOS ANGELES REGIONAL WATER QUALITY
CONTROL BOARD ON THE LOSS OF DEEMED COMPLIANCE
STATUS.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
On June 30, 2021, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Group (PVP Group) submitted documentation
demonstrating completion of all work associated with current and prior milestones according to
the requirements set forth by the Los Angeles Water Quality Control Board's (Water Board's)
2020 Order. On February 25, 2022, the Water Board sent the PVP Group a letter identifying
past due obligations and milestones occurring after the Enhanced Watershed Management
Program (EWMP) approval that should have been completed prior to June 30, 2021. As such,
the Water Board has informed the PVP Group that it has lost deemed compliance status for
the water body-pollutant combinations intended o be addressed via the Group's EWMP.
Deemed compliance may be granted upon submittal of a revised WMP/EWMP. If the PVP
Group disagrees with the Water Board's findings, it has 30 days to provide supplemental
information demonstrating compliance.
It should be noted that the City of Rolling Hills recently put in a request to join the EWMP. The
letter from the Water Board discusses issues outside of the City and before the City requested
to join the EWMP. As such, the Water Boards determination does not directly affect issues
within the City.
DISCUSSION:
On March 8, 2022, the PVP Group held a meeting to discuss the Water Board's determination
and is drafting a response letter to the Water Board. The deadline for submitting a response is
March 25, 2022. The PVP Group hopes to regain compliance with the Water Board through
ongoing discussions. Staff will continue to monitor this issue for any progress.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
113
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file.
ATTACHMENTS:
CL_AGN_220314_CC_WaterBoardLetter.pdf
114
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Agenda Item No.: 11.A
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:JOHN SIGNO, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & COMMUNITY SERVICES
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:CONSIDER AND APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 1291 OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS ADOPTING THE SAFETY
ELEMENT UPDATE AND A NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR THE
SAFETY ELEMENT
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
The City began its efforts to update the Safety Element in mid-2020 after being awarded
funding from the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalOES). The City obtained the
professional services of Rincon Consultants, Inc. to prepare the Safety Element. Once
completed, the Safety Element was sent to the California Board of Forestry and Fire
Protection for review, but no recommendations or changes were made.
On January 18, 2022, a presentation on the Safety Element was made to the Planning
Commission. The presentation provided an overview on new legislation, policies, and topics
included in the Safety Element. On February 15, 2022, the Planning Commission held a public
hearing and recommended unanimously that the City Council adopt the Safety Element
Update.
DISCUSSION:
The Safety Element provides the City of Rolling Hills’ (City’s) goals, policies, and actions to
minimize the hazards to safety in and around Rolling Hills. It evaluates natural and human-
caused safety hazards that affect existing and future development and provides guidelines for
protecting the community from harm. It describes existing and potential future conditions and
sets policies for improved public safety. The goal is to reduce the risk of injury, death, property
loss, and other hardships to acceptable levels. It is required to be reviewed and updated as
necessary to address the risk of fire for land classified as state responsibility areas and land
classified as very high fire hazard severity zones (Gov. Code, § 65302(g)(3)). It is required to
include:
Fire hazard severity zone maps available from the Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection.
120
Any historical data on wildfires available from local agencies or a reference to where the
data can be found.
Information about wildfire hazard areas that may be available from the United States
Geological Survey.
The general location and distribution of existing and planned uses of land in very high fire
hazard severity zones (VHFHSZs) and in state responsibility areas (SRAs), including
structures, roads, utilities, and essential public facilities.
The location and distribution of planned uses of land shall not require defensible space
compliance measures required by state law or local ordinance to occur on publicly
owned lands or open space designations of homeowner associations.
The local, state, and federal agencies with responsibility for fire protection, including
special districts and local offices of emergency services (Gov. Code, § 65302(g)(3)(A)).
Based on that information, the Safety Element shall include goals, policies, and objectives that
protect the community from the unreasonable risk of wildfire. (Gov. Code, § 65302(g)(3)(B)).
To carry out those goals, policies, and objectives, feasible implementation measures shall be
included in the Safety Element, which include but are not limited to:
Avoiding or minimizing the wildfire hazards associated with new uses of land.
Locating, when feasible, new essential public facilities outside of high fire risk areas,
including, but not limited to, hospitals and health care facilities, emergency shelters,
emergency command centers, and emergency communications facilities, or identifying
construction methods or other methods to minimize damage if these facilities are located
in the SRA or VHFHSZ.
Designing adequate infrastructure if a new development is located in the SRA or
VHFHSZ, including safe access for emergency response vehicles, visible street signs,
and water supplies for structural fire suppression.
Working cooperatively with public agencies with responsibility for fire protection (Gov.
Code, § 65302(g)(3)(C)).
The Safety Element shall also attach or reference any fire safety plans or other documents
adopted by the City that fulfill the goals and objectives or contains the information required
above (Gov. Code, § 65302(g)(3)(D)). This might include Local Hazard Mitigation Plans, Unit
Fire Plans, Community Wildfire Protection Plans, or other plans.
Staff originally intended the Safety Element to be considered at the same time as the Housing
Element. However, the City cannot adopt the Housing Element until it receives and considers
comments from HCD. The City sent the Housing Element to HCD for review on January 11,
2022. HCD now has 90 days, or by April 11, 2022, to submit its comments to the City. Since
the Housing Element is not ready for adoption, staff is moving forward with the Safety Element
separately since it still must report to CalOES on the progress in order to receive funding
reimbursement. The grant completion date is currently May 9, 2022, however, staff will be
requesting an extension from CalOES because there is a 45-day review period by CalOES
and a 30-day close-out period to receive reimbursement. Completion and reimbursement is
expected by the end of May 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City obtained a grant from CalOES for $47,624 to update the Safety Element. The City is
committed to providing $15,875 in local match (General Fund) to meet the total project cost of
$63,499. As of the end of 2021, the City spent $53,115.50 in consultant and administrative
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costs. Certification of the Element provides an indirect positive fiscal impact by reducing legal
risks and qualifying the City for State planning grants.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve Resolution No. 1291 adopting the Safety Element update and a negative declaration
for the Safety Element.
ATTACHMENTS:
Safety Element Update.pdf
CL_AGN_220310_21330_ISND Memo.pdf
21330 - Rolling Hills Final ND_030422.pdf
21330_AB 52 SB 18 Summary_022222.pdf
2022-02_PC_Resolution_SafetyElement_E.pdf
ResolutionNo1291_Safety_Element.pdf
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ROLLING HILLS ROLLING HILLS
GENERAL PLANGENERAL PLAN
SAFETY ELEMENT
prepared by
City of Rolling Hills
Planning and Community Services
2 Portuguese Bend Road
Rolling Hills, California 90274
prepared with the assistance of
Rincon Consultants, Inc.
706 South Hill Street, Suite 1200
Los Angeles, California 90014
November 2021
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Table of Contents
Safety Element i
Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1
City Setting ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Regulatory Setting .......................................................................................................................... 1
Critical Facilities and Infrastructure ................................................................................................ 3
Hazards of Concern................................................................................................................................. 6
Geologic Hazards ............................................................................................................................ 6
Flooding ........................................................................................................................................10
Wildland and Urban Fires .............................................................................................................14
Hazardous Materials .....................................................................................................................17
Community Communication .................................................................................................................17
Emergency Response and Evacuation ..........................................................................................17
Disease Prevention .......................................................................................................................19
Climate Change .....................................................................................................................................20
Vulnerable Populations and Assets ..............................................................................................20
Vulnerability Assessment Results .................................................................................................22
Goals, Policies, and Implementation ....................................................................................................24
Hazard Mitigation .........................................................................................................................24
Community Communication .........................................................................................................31
Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience ..................................................................................39
References ............................................................................................................................................41
Tables
Table 1 Rolling Hills Climate Summary ............................................................................................ 1
Table 2 Rolling Hills Demographic Characteristics ........................................................................... 2
Table 3 Active Faults Located less than 50 Miles from Rolling Hills ................................................ 9
Figures
Figure 1 Critical Facilities Map .......................................................................................................... 5
Figure 2 Landslide Hazard Zones ...................................................................................................... 7
Figure 3 Faults in the Vicinity of Rolling Hills .................................................................................... 8
Figure 4 Rolling Hills Earthquake Shaking Potential .......................................................................11
Figure 5 Rolling Hills Liquefaction Hazard Areas .............................................................................12
Figure 6 Dam Inundation Areas ......................................................................................................13
Figure 7 Fire Hazard Zones ..............................................................................................................15
Figure 8 Existing Evacuation Routes ...............................................................................................18
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City of Rolling Hills
Rolling Hills General Plan
ii
Appendices
Appendix A Existing Conditions Report
125
Introduction
Safety Element 1
Introduction
The Safety Element provides the City of
Rolling Hills’ (City’s) goals, policies, and
actions to minimize the hazards to safety in
and around Rolling Hills. The Element
evaluates natural and human-caused safety
hazards that affect existing and future
development and provides guidelines for
protecting the community from harm. The
Element describes existing and potential
future conditions and sets policies for
improved public safety. The goal of the Safety
Element is to reduce the risk of injury, death,
property loss, and other hardships to
acceptable levels.
City Setting
Rolling Hills covers an area of approximately
three square-miles on the Palos Verdes
peninsula, approximately 18 miles south of
downtown Los Angeles. The topography of
the city and peninsula area is unique in that it
rises above the Los Angeles Basin with rolling
hills, steep slopes, and canyons. The city itself
is in the San Pedro Hills. Due to its location
near the coast, the area is generally cooler
and has fewer air quality concerns compared
to the nearby Los Angeles Basin. Table 1
summarizes the climatology of the area.
Rolling Hills City Hall
Rolling Hills is a residential community that
consists of large parcels and ranch-style
homes and has a sizable older adult1
population of about 513 (28% of the city’s
total population). Important community
demographic data for Rolling Hills is included
in Table 2. The city is also an equestrian
community, as many of residents are horse
owners or have horses on their property.
Regulatory Setting
Section 65302(g) of the California
Government Code requires that the General
Plans include a Safety Element for the
protection of the community from any
unreasonable risks associated with the effects
of seismically induced surface rupture,
ground shaking, ground failure, tsunami,
Table 1 Rolling Hills Climate Summary
Climate Character Estimate
Annual Average Observed Maximum Temperature from 1961 - 1990 (Fahrenheit) 71
Annual Average Observed Minimum Temperature from 1961 – 1990 (Fahrenheit) 50
Annual Average Observed Precipitation from 1961 – 1990 (inches) 19
Source: Cal-Adapt 2021
1 An older adult is any adult over the age of 65 years old.
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Table 2 Rolling Hills Demographic Characteristics
Demographic Characteristics Estimate
General
Total Population 1,739
Population under 10 years 7 percent
Population over 65 years 28 percent1
Race 77 percent White, 18 percent Asian, 5 percent Hispanic/Latino
Disability (hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory) 12 percent
Housing
Total Households 6451
Average Household Size 2.76
Owner-occupied Households 96 percent
Population over 65 years living alone 15 percent of those over 65 years
Employment
Unemployment Rate 6 percent
Poverty Rate 2 percent
Median Income $ 239,000
Insurance Coverage 97 percent
Source: U.S. Census 2018
seiche, and dam failure; slope instability
leading to mudslides and landslides;
subsidence and other geologic hazards;
flooding, and wildland and urban fire. In
addition, Safety Elements are required to
address non-hazard specific issues such as
peak load water supply, evacuation routes,
and military installations.
Senate Bill 379, adopted on October 8, 2015,
requires cities to include climate change
adaptation and resilience into the general
plan process. To comply with SB 379, this
Safety Element includes a vulnerability
assessment; adaptation and resilience goals,
polices, and objectives; and feasible
implementation measures.
Senate Bill 99, adopted August 30, 2020,
requires the cities to “identify residential
developments in any hazard area identified in
the safety element that does not have at least
two emergency evacuation routes.” SB 99
does not define neighborhood and cities are
expected to define neighborhoods based on
their community.
Relationship to Other Documents
The Rolling Hills Safety Element is one of
several plans that address safety in the City.
The Safety Element must be consistent with
these other plans to ensure the City has a
unified strategy to address safety issues. The
Safety Element includes information and
policies from the following documents to
ensure consistency.
Other General Plan Elements
The Safety Element is one section of the
Rolling Hills General Plan. Other elements
include Land Use, Transportation, Housing,
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Introduction
Safety Element 3
Conservation, Open Space and Recreation
and Noise. Policies in these other elements
may be related to safety issues. Information
and policies in the Safety Element should not
conflict with those in other elements.
Hazard Mitigation Plan
The City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan includes
resources and information to assist the City of
Rolling Hills, its residents, and public and
private sector organizations in planning for
hazard events. The Plan provides a list of
activities that may assist the City in reducing
risk and preventing loss from future hazard
events. The action items address multi-hazard
issues, as well as activities specifically for
reducing risk and preventing losses relating to
earthquake, land movement, wildfire, and
drought.
Community Wildfire Protection Plan
The City’s Community Wildfire Protection
Plan (CWPP), adopted in July 2020, seeks to
reduce wildfire risk in Rolling Hills. The Plan
was developed collaboratively among
stakeholders including the community, the
City of Rolling Hills, the Rolling Hills
Community Association, and the Los Angeles
County Fire Department, and the Los Angeles
Sheriff’s Department. The Plan includes fire
mitigation and evacuation strategies for the
community.
Critical Facilities and
Infrastructure
Critical facilities are places that provide
emergency services or serve people who
would be impacted by an emergency.
Examples include hospitals, fire stations,
police stations, emergency services facilities,
utility facilities, and communication facilities.
Critical facilities can also include the
transportation system and schools. Due to
the size and composition of Rolling Hills,
many of the critical facilities that serve the
city are located outside of city limits. No areas
in Rolling Hills have been identified as lacking
emergency service. Critical facilities that serve
the city are shown in Figure 1 and include:
Rolling Hills City Hall: 2 Portuguese Bend
Road, Rolling Hills, CA
Rolling Hills Community Association: 1
Portuguese Bend Road, Rolling Hills, CA
Rancho Del Mar High School: 38 Crest
Road West, Rolling Hills, CA
Storm Hill Park: Agua Magna Canyon,
Rolling Hills, CA
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lomita
Station: 26123 Narbonne Avenue, Lomita,
CA
Los Angeles County Fire Station No. 56:
12 Crest Road West, Rolling Hills, CA
Los Angeles County Communications
Tower: 5741 Crestridge Road, Rancho
Palos Verdes, CA
Southern California Edison Electrical
Substation: Crestridge Road, Rancho
Palos Verdes, CA
Southern California Edison Electrical
Substation: Tarragon Road, Rancho Palos
Verdes, CA
Southern California Edison Electrical
Substation: 27873 Hawthorn Boulevard,
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
California Water Service Reservoir: Palos
Verdes Drive North/Palos Verdes Drive
East (SW corner), Rolling Hills Estates, CA
California Water Service Reservoir: 3960
East Crest Road, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
California Water Service Reservoir: Via
Canada, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
California Water Service Reservoir: 1 Spur
Lane, Rolling Hills, CA
California Water Service Reservoir: 60
Eastfield Drive, Rolling Hills, CA
Portuguese Bend Road
Crest Road
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Rolling Hills Community Association
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Introduction
Safety Element 5
Figure 1 Critical Facilities Map
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Hazards of Concern
Geologic Hazards
Geologic processes that pose a threat to life,
health, property, or infrastructure are
considered geologic hazards. Natural geologic
hazards that have the potential to affect
Rolling Hills include seismic hazards,
landslides, liquefaction, expansive soils, and
weathering. In most cases, these natural
processes cannot be prevented; however, the
magnitude of destruction resulting from
natural geologic hazards can be reduced
through planning policies and measures.
Landslide Hazards
Landslide activity refers to a wide range of
gravity driven downslope earth movement,
including rockslides, rotational slips,
mudslides, and shallow debris flows.
Geological and geomorphological conditions
such as soil type, soil strength, slope angle,
and slope height predispose slopes for failure.
Other factors affecting the susceptibility to
slope failure include the amount of
precipitation, vegetation on the slope,
groundwater seepage, and human
modifications to the slope. Landslides often
result in damage to property and roadways
and can cause them to become unsafe due to
displacement of the subsurface.
Much of the existing development in Rolling
Hills is located on hilly terrain and have a
greater potential to experience landslide
hazards. Many of the canyons in Rolling Hills
exhibit steep slopes with little vegetation
coverage, leaving them susceptible to slope
failure. Figure 2 shows the landslide zones in
the City of Rolling Hills, as mapped by the
California Geological Survey (CGS). Landslide
activity has been well documented in the
region. Relicts of landslides and rockslides are
present throughout the City of Rolling Hills.
2 “Beginning in” is defined as the first noted event of major
rock movement
The following major landslides have occurred
in and adjacent to the city. All are in the
landslide hazards areas identified in Figure 2:
▪ Portuguese Bend Landslide: Beginning in2
1956 over approximately 270 acres in
Rancho Palos Verdes
▪ Abalone Cove Landslide: Beginning in
1974 over 80 acres in Rancho Palos
Verdes
▪ Klondike Canyon Landslide: Beginning in
1979 over to the south near the coastline
▪ Flying Triangle Landslide: Beginning in
1970s or 1980s over approximately 70
acres in the southeast area of the city
The Flying Triangle Landslide, shown in Figure
2, continues to impact the southeast portion
of the city through impacts to private roads
and above-ground utility lines. This area is
relatively unsuitable for development due to
the ongoing changes in topography.
Seismic Hazards
Rolling Hills is in a seismically active region of
southern California. The last major
earthquake in the Los Angeles area was the
5.1 magnitude La Habra earthquake in 2014.
Rolling Hills is within 50 miles of the Whittier
fault, Newport-Inglewood fault, Palos Verdes
fault, Malibu Coast fault, Cabrillo fault, Santa
Monica fault, and Redondo Canyon fault.
Analysis of seismic data from the region
indicates that the Whittier and Newport-
Inglewood faults may generate a maximum
credible earthquake of magnitude 7.2 and
7.4, respectively (SCEC 2013). Figure 3 shows
the faults in the vicinity of Rolling Hills.
Typically, seismic shaking and fault rupture
are primary hazards as they occur as a direct
result of the interaction between the seismic
wave energy and the earth’s surface.
Secondary hazards, such as liquefaction and
earthquake-induced landslides, occur as a
result of the primary earthquake hazards.
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Hazards of Concern
Safety Element 7
Figure 2 Landslide Hazard Zones
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Figure 3 Faults in the Vicinity of Rolling Hills
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Hazards of Concern
Safety Element 9
Often, earthquake activity can result in other
effects such as building damage/collapse,
infrastructure failure, pipeline breakage, and
damage to transportation and
communication facilities. The size of the
earthquake and distance from the fault
rupture zone typically determine the severity
of these events.
Seismic Shaking
Seismic shaking, or ground shaking, refers to
the movement of the earth’s surface resulting
from the energy release by an earthquake.
Seismic shaking is typically the primary cause
of property damage resulting from
earthquake activity. Seismic shaking can
destroy buildings, roadways, powerlines, and
pipelines. Energy transmitted through the
ground can travel hundreds of miles and may
cause damage in many locations
simultaneously. Closer proximity to the fault
rupture area results in stronger shaking in
that location.
The amount of ground shaking that occurs in
a location depends on the magnitude of the
earthquake, the distance from the epicenter,
and local soil conditions. The intensity of
ground shaking is related to the peak ground
velocity during an earthquake. As shown in
Figure 4, the earthquake shaking potential for
Rolling Hills is low to moderate. The intensity
of seismic shaking is measured using the
Modified Mercalli scale.
According to the CGS, an active fault is one
that has experienced surface movement in
the past 11,000 years. The city is located near
a number of active faults, including the
Cabrillo Fault in city limits. Table 3 includes a
list of nearby faults, their respective distance
from the city, the maximum credible
earthquake generated from each fault, and
the likelihood of earthquake occurrence in
each case.
The San Andreas fault is located
approximately 80 miles to the east of Rolling
Hills. Although the San Andreas fault is
located at a greater distance from the city,
seismic shaking originating from earthquakes
occurring along the San Andreas fault poses a
threat to the city. Figure 3 identifies the
active and inactive faults located in the city
and vicinity.
Fault Rupture
Fault Rupture occurs when seismic movement
on a fault break through the earth’s surface.
Hazards related to fault rupture arise when
structures are built near or on top of an active
fault. While there are a number of seismically
active faults in the city and region, there are
no active faults with the potential for ground
rupture, defined by the Alquist-Priolo
Earthquake Fault Zoning Act and delineated
by CGS. Figure 3 shows the designated
Alquist-Priolo study zones, the closest of
which is the Newport-Inglewood Fault
approximately nine miles northeast of the
city.
Table 3 Active Faults Located less than 50 Miles from Rolling Hills
Fault Name* Approximate Distance from Rolling Hills
Whittier 25 miles east
Newport-Inglewood 9 miles east
Palos Verdes <1 mile north
Malibu Coast 20 miles northwest
Cabrillo Located in the City boundaries
Santa Monica 20 miles north-northwest
*All faults listed are active. An active fault is one that has experienced surface movement in the past 11,000 years.
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Liquefaction and Settlement
Liquefaction is a ground failure phenomenon
that occurs as a result of a seismic event.
Liquefaction increases water content in
surface soils until the soil reaches a semi-
liquid state, contributing to a reduction in
support, and ultimately resulting in shifting or
subsidence of buildings and utilities. Ground
failure typically occurs when the following
conditions exist:
▪ Loose, unconsolidated granular soils
▪ Shallow groundwater
▪ Strong seismic ground shaking
While Rolling Hills has moderate to high
seismic shaking potential, the subsurface soils
generally lack saturated alluvial deposits and
thick, granular soils. Figure 5 shows the
liquefaction hazard areas, which are in the
low-lying areas to the east and north,
generally surrounding the Los Angeles Harbor
and Harbor Lake. Liquefaction potential for
Rolling Hills is low, as shown in Figure 5.
Earthquake Induced Landslides
Ground failure or destabilization of slopes
resulting from an earthquake can also occur
following seismic activity in the form of
Earthquake-Induced Landslides. Earthquake-
induced landslides typically occur in areas
with steep slopes or unstable soil conditions.
As discussed above under Landslide Hazards,
the risk of landslide activity in Rolling Hills is
high. Much of the city overlies areas that have
been identified as landslide zones by the CGS.
Risk of landslide activity increases following
rainfall events that result in saturated soils.
Both shallow and deep seeded landslides
have historically occurred in the city.
Flooding
Rolling Hills participates in the Federal
Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA)
National Flood Insurance Program. According
to the FEMA flood maps, the city is not
located in a flood hazard area and currently
has a less than 0.2 percent annual chance to
be inundated by flood waters as a result of a
storm event (FEMA 2008). Overall, the city is
not in any immediate risk from flooding
caused by overflowing water bodies or heavy
rains. However, runoff and minor flooding
pose a risk if drainage systems fail along
canyon bottoms, where natural drainage
leads.
Dam Inundation
No water storage facilities that the State of
California identifies as dams are located in
Rolling Hills. Just outside city limits are three
water storage facilities identified as dams,
which include:
▪ Palos Verdes Reservoir. Owned by the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California and located at the southeast
corner of Palos Verdes Drive East and
Palos Verdes Drive North. According to
the California Department of Water
Resources, the reservoir can hold
approximately 1,100 gallons of water and
has an extremely high downstream
hazard.
▪ 10 MG Walteria and 18 MG Walteria.
Two reinforced concrete tanks which are
owned by the City of Torrance and
located at Crenshaw Boulevard and Crest
Road. The tanks can hold 31 and 58 acre-
feet (AF) of water, respectively.
Senate Bill 92, adopted in 2017, is a new dam
safety requirement that requires dam owners
to map the downstream inundation areas for
dams governed by the Department of Water
Resources. Figure 6 shows the inundation
areas for the nearby water storage facilities.
Due to their locations and the topography of
the area, the inundation areas do not enter or
affect any portion of the city.
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Hazards of Concern
Safety Element 11
Figure 4 Rolling Hills Earthquake Shaking Potential
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Figure 5 Rolling Hills Liquefaction Hazard Areas
137
Hazards of Concern
Safety Element 13
Figure 6 Dam Inundation Areas
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Wildland and Urban Fires
The entire City of Rolling Hills is designated a
Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ)
by the California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection (CalFire), as shown in Figure 7.
Rolling Hills terrain is comprised of several
large and steep canyons that limit and
challenge vegetation management and
present conditions where a fire can quickly
travels up and downslope to nearby homes.
Due to the rural nature and large residential
lots, many homes are surrounded by more
substantial vegetation and dense brush than
in more suburban settings. The bridle trails
for hikers and equestrian access also contain
dense vegetation and management
difficulties, which contributes to the fire risk
of the city. Electrical power lines pose a
hazard to starting fires in the city if lines are
not automatically de-energized when
knocked down by extreme weather or if the
surrounding vegetation is not adequately
managed.
There is a history of fires in the city and the
surrounding Palos Verdes Peninsula. Three
major fires have been documented on the
Peninsula and in the city in:
▪ 1923: an estimated 4,000 acres burned in
Palos Verdes Hills
▪ 1945: 3,000 acres burned
▪ 1973: approximately 900-925 acres
burned, 12 homes destroyed, and 10
homes damaged
▪ 2005: 212 acres burned near Del Cero
Park
▪ 2009: 230 acres burned, 6 homes
damaged, and forced 1,200 residents on
the Peninsula to evacuate
▪ 2015: 3 acres burned
Los Angeles County Fire Station No. 56
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Hazards of Concern
Safety Element 15
Figure 7 Fire Hazard Zones
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City of Rolling Hills
Rolling Hills General Plan
16
For many of the developed residences in the
city that are vulnerable to fires, their risk may
increase with construction techniques that
may not meet current wildfire standards.
Rolling Hills Building Code and Los Angeles
County Fire Department, under the VHFHSZ
standards, require new development to
include more stringent design and material
standards for roofing, eaves, and rafter tails
as well as exterior finishes and fire buffer
zones. While compliance with these
standards reduces the vulnerability to new
structures, existing structures that have not
complied with these standards may be
susceptible to undue fire risk.
Existing Fire Risk Reduction
Strategies
▪ Rolling Hills Municipal Code (RHMC)
Chapter 8.24 Abatement of Nuisances,
Chapter 8.30: Fire Fuel Abatement, and
Chapter 15.20 Fire Code
▪ Los Angeles County Fire Department Fuel
Modification Plans
▪ Los Angeles County Fire Code Section
4908
▪ Rolling Hills Community Wildfire
Protection Plan vegetation management
standard recommendations
▪ Rolling Hills Community Association fire
fuel management strategies
Portuguese Bend Road, south of Crest Road
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Safety Element 17
Hazardous Materials
According to the Department of Toxic
Substances Control (DTSC), there are no
hazardous waste sites or facilities in Rolling
Hills (DTSC 2020). The city and surrounding
area do not contain heavy industrial uses that
would create a hazardous material risk in the
event of a spill, release, or natural disaster.
The city is not located near any major transit
routes involving transport of a substantial
quantity of hazardous material through the
city. However, the nearby oil refineries
(located along Sepulveda Boulevard
approximately six miles northeast) and Port
operations (located approximately three
miles to the east) could create air quality
impacts if wind patterns and release events
occur. Air quality impacts are discussed in the
Open Space and Conservation Element of the
Rolling Hills General Plan.
Community
Communication
Emergency Response and
Evacuation
Police Response and Crime
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
is contracted with the city to provide police
services and protection to the city. The
Lomita Station of the Sheriff’s Department
located at 26123 Narbonne Avenue serves
the city.
According to the Lomita Station crimes report
from January 1, 2020, through December 31,
2020, Rolling Hills had 7 reported crimes
(LACSD 2020). The crimes were related to
theft, burglary, and arson. Outside the city
limits and in the Lomita District, 401 crimes
were reported during this same period, 79 of
which were violent crimes (LACSD 2021). The
difference in crimes in the city and the
surrounding area is attributed to the private
nature of the city. There are three entrances
to the city, all of which are gated and staffed
24 hours a day. Visitors are required to be on
a resident’s guest list to enter city limits,
reducing crime in the city and demand on Los
Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Fire Response
The Los Angeles County Fire Department
provides emergency operations support to
the City and participates in the California
mutual aid system. Mutual aid is emergency
assistance that is dispatched upon request
across jurisdictional boundaries. Fire Station
56, located at 12 Crest Road West, serves the
city under Battalion 14, which also serves the
remaining Palos Verdes Peninsula, Lomita,
and Avalon Canyon. Fire response constraints
in the city include ability to access certain
homes or areas due to inadequate road
widths for fire maneuvering. One of the major
topics of concern related to fire response in
the city relates to vegetation clearing along
roadways. Ten-foot clearance on each side of
the roadway, especially the limited access
roads, is important for fire response and
evacuation during a fire, according to Scott
Hale, Assistant Fire Chief.
Evacuation Strategies and Routes
Because a variety of hazards could affect city
residents, it is vital to identify critical routes
for evacuation in the event of a major event.
Senate Bill 99, adopted August 30, 2020,
requires cities to “identify residential
developments in any hazard area identified in
the safety element that does not have at least
two emergency evacuation routes.” Due to
the size of Rolling Hills and that it has four
evacuation routes, no neighborhoods have
been identified as not having two evacuation
routes. As shown on the Figure 8, the
evacuation routes also connect to major
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18
Figure 8 Existing Evacuation Routes
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Community Communication
Safety Element 19
roadways in the area that are multi-
directional such as Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos
Verdes Drive North and Palos Verdes Drive
East.
Figure 8 identifies the existing evacuation
routes in the city, which are:
▪ Main Gate at Rolling Hills Road and Palos
Verdes Drive North
▪ Crest Gate at Crest Road near Crenshaw
Blvd
▪ Eastfield Gate at Eastfield Drive and Palos
Verdes Drive East
▪ Crest Road East Gate at the end of Crest
Road East
Crest Road East Gate has been updated with a
motor and has no guards. This gate is
available as an emergency exit to the city
during emergencies. The City’s recently
adopted CWPP establishes evacuation
strategies and methodologies, including:
▪ Using the City’s Block Captains3 as
important coordinators for residents
▪ Communication goals between the City,
emergency responders, Rolling Hills
Community Association, and residents
▪ Details for residents regarding how
people get notified during an evacuation
▪ Responsibilities and operations of the
Emergency Operations Center
Disease Prevention
As evidenced by the COVID-19 pandemic,
unforeseen infectious diseases can be
disastrous for communities, especially
vulnerable groups such as older adults, and
people with compromised immune systems.
The City worked diligently during the
pandemic to minimize risk to community
members. The Block Captains regularly
checked in on old adults in the community,
Fire Station Trail
3 The Rolling Hills Block Captain Program is a city-sponsored,
resident-based community program of volunteers. Their role is
to get to know neighbors, help them to prepare for an
emergency, and be a liaison between first responders and City
of Rolling Hills during an emergency.
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20
finding out what residents needed, helping
run errands, and providing hand sanitizer
Additionally, the City disseminated
information regularly including where to buy
groceries at the beginning of the pandemic,
testing information, and more. Policies
regarding infectious disease can help expedite
recovery and prepare the community for
future risks.
Climate Change
Climate change is expected to affect future
occurrences of natural hazards in and around
Rolling Hills. Some hazards are projected to
become more frequent and intense in the
coming decades, and in some cases, climate
impacts have already begun.
In developing the Safety Element, the City
competed a Climate Change Vulnerability
Assessment consistent with Government
Code Section 65302(g), which assesses how
the populations and assets in Rolling Hills are
vulnerable to different climate hazards. The
full Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
can be found in Appendix A: Existing
Conditions Report. According to the
Vulnerability Assessment, the city is most
vulnerable to wildfire impacts, extreme heat,
and landslide impacts from climate change.
According to the Vulnerability Assessment
and the California’s Fourth Climate Change
Assessment, Rolling Hills can expect the
following changes to natural hazard events:
▪ Projected annual average maximum
temperature is expected to increase in
Rolling Hills between 1.8- and 6.6-degrees
Fahrenheit (°F) compared to 1990,
depending on the greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions scenario.4
4 The Vulnerability Assessment uses two GHG emissions
scenarios: Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5
and RCP 8.5. RCP 4.5 describes a scenario in which GHG
▪ Extreme heat events are also expected to
increase in Rolling Hills. The annual
number of average extreme heat days is
projected to increase from a baseline of 4
between 1950 and 2005 to 8 or 14
between 2030 and 2099, depending on
the GHG emissions scenario.
▪ Although only small changes in average
precipitation are projected, the Los
Angeles Region, which includes Rolling
Hills, is expected to experience dry and
wet precipitation extremes and higher
frequency and severity of storms.
Increasing storm intensity may
exacerbate landslide hazards in the city.
Warmer and drier conditions state-wide
could increase the prevalence of drought
conditions that could impact Rolling Hills.
▪ Wildfire is projected to increase over all
of southern California.
Vulnerable Populations
and Assets
As climate change occurs, communities will
be affected to varying degrees and impacts
depending on the hazard as well as how
sensitive the communities are to impacts.
Virtually all people and assets in a community
will be affected by climate change in some
way, but some communities may be more
sensitive. The Vulnerability Assessment
identified the following sensitivities:
Populations
▪ Children. Approximately 6.6 percent of
the total population in Rolling Hills are
ten years old or younger.
▪ Persons in Poverty. This is identified for
people living in households with an
income below the poverty limit, which is
$26,200 for a household of four people.
There are approximately 26 people in
emissions peak around 2050 and then decline. RCP 8.5 is the
scenario in which GHG emissions continue to rise through 2050
before leveling off around 2100.
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Climate Change
Safety Element 21
Rolling Hills who live in poverty, or
approximately 1.6 percent of the total
population for whom poverty status can
be determined.
▪ Persons with Chronic Health Conditions.
These are people who have a long-term
or permanent health condition that can
create regular challenges in their day-to-
day lives. These health problems include
obesity, cancer, heart disease, and
arthritis. In addition, those with any kind
of disability, including mobility challenges,
hearing, or vision impairments,
behavioral disabilities, and challenges
living independently or taking care of
themselves. Approximately 11.5 percent
of the population have identified having a
disability.
▪ Renters. These are people who live in
homes that they (or the head of their
household) do not own. Approximately 24
housing units, or 4 percent of the housing
units in Rolling Hills, are renter-occupied.
▪ Older Adults. These are persons 65 years
or older are more at risk for climate
change impacts, especially those living
alone. 28 percent of the population of
Rolling Hills are over 65 years, and 15
percent of those over 65 years live alone.
▪ Limited English Proficiency.
Approximately three percent of
households have identified being limited
English-speaking. Of those, a majority
spoke Asian and Pacific Island languages
and Spanish.
Infrastructure
▪ Access Roads. These roadways are one of
a few, or the only, ways in and out of
some communities or neighborhoods.
The single or limited number of entry and
exit points does not make the road itself
more vulnerable than other roads, but
loss of these roadways can effectively cut
off large numbers of people from other
areas in the Palos Verdes Peninsula and
the rest of Los Angeles County.
Portuguese Bend Road and Crest Road
are the primary access roads into and out
of the city.
▪ Bridle Trails. Throughout the community
are over 25 miles of trails available to
residents and non-city residents who
obtain permits. The trails are maintained
by the Rolling Hills Community
Association and located primarily in
canyon areas.
▪ Electrical Substations. Electrical
substations are facilities that convert
electricity from one voltage to another,
making it suitable for long-distance
transmission or for use by homes,
businesses, and other electrical
customers. There are no electrical
substations located in city limits, but
three are located near the city in Rancho
Palos Verdes and owned/operated by
Southern California Edison.
▪ Electrical Utility Lines. These lines
transmit and deliver electricity from
Southern California Edison to the city. The
city has both underground and overhead
electric utility lines.
▪ Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines.
Natural gas pipelines carry large volumes
of natural gas between communities.
There are no transmission lines in the
city. One transmission line ends at the
intersection of Rolling Hills Road and
Palos Verdes Drive North, adjacent to city
limits.
▪ Water Reservoirs and System. The
system that stores and supplies drinking
water for residents. Palos Verdes Water
District of the California Water Service
supplies water to Rolling Hills. There are
two California Water Service water
reservoirs in the city limits.
Services
▪ Public Safety Response. Public safety
services are provided by law enforcement
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Rolling Hills General Plan
22
and fire agencies. These agencies include
the Los Angeles County Sheriff and Fire
Departments.
▪ Water Services. These services involve
treating and transporting water to be
used by customers and transporting and
treating wastewater so it can be safely
released into the environment. California
Water Service provides drinking water to
the city.
▪ Energy Delivery. Energy services in
Rolling Hills include electricity and natural
gas delivered through utility lines from
Southern California Edison and Southern
California Gas Company.
Vulnerability Assessment
Results
The Vulnerability Assessment indicates that
the city’s populations, infrastructure, and
services are most vulnerable to wildfire,
extreme heat, and extreme precipitation
events.
Populations
Vulnerable populations such as older adults,
residents with chronic health conditions, and
those with financial trouble are most at risk to
extreme heat and wildfire impacts.
28 percent of the city’s population is over 65
years. Older adults do not adjust as well as
young people to sudden changes in
temperature and are more likely to have
medical conditions that can worsen with
extreme heat (CDC 2017a). Older adults who
are living alone are even more at risk as the
actions necessary to mitigation extreme heat
are more difficult alone. Getting water,
changing clothes, showering, or turning on
the air conditioner may be more difficult for
older adults with physical disabilities and do
not have a partner to assist them. Extreme
heat can be highly dangerous to persons with
chronic health conditions, because very high
temperatures can exacerbate diabetes,
cardiovascular conditions, respiratory
ailments, and other diseases. Some of these
people have weakened immune systems
which can make them more likely to contract
illnesses and vulnerable to human health
hazards. In addition, they may be taking
medications that make the effects of extreme
heat worse (CDC 2017b). While there are not
many households in poverty in the city, those
who are have limited financial resources to
upgrade their homes to have air conditioning
to better resist extreme heat.
Older adults, residents with chronic health
conditions, and those with financial trouble
are the populations most at risk to wildfire
impacts. Older adults are almost three times
more likely to die in a fire than the overall
population (USFA 2017), and typically have
increased mobility or mental health issues.
Therefore, older adults, especially those in
the city living alone, have more difficulties
evacuating to safe areas when there is a
need. Those in Rolling Hills with limited
financial resources are more unlikely to
retrofit their homes to better resist climate-
related hazards such as wildfires. In addition
to direct impacts, indirect impacts such as
poor air quality also creates public health
hazards to the city. Recent California wildfires
in August and September 2020 had areas of
California recording the worst air quality in
the world and highlighted the hazards of
secondary impacts from wildfires, which
could impact the city from fires throughout
the State. Older adults and individuals with
chronic health conditions are likely to be
impacted most by these secondary impacts.
Also, those with limited finances or without
air conditioning would be impacted by
secondary smoke impacts that occur during
local and regional wildfires.
Infrastructure
Access roads, residential structures, and
community facilities and government
buildings are the most vulnerable
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infrastructure to wildfire and extreme
precipitation impacts from climate change.
All city infrastructure is located in a VHFHSZ.
Portuguese Bend Road and Crest Road are
critical for access to and evacuation from
many areas of the city. Wildfires may not
significantly damage the infrastructure, but
they could result in closure or the inability to
travel on them during wildfire events, which
can isolate areas of the city and create severe
health and safety risks. Wildfires are unlikely
to substantially damage trails directly, but
they can force widespread trail closures
which are an important asset to the
community.
The greatest potential impact of life and well-
being would be to residential structures,
which are the primary structures in the city.
In addition, impacts to Rolling Hills
Community Association and City Hall
structures would impact community functions
and government services.
Critical infrastructure most at risk in Rolling
Hills to minor flooding impacts and landslides
from increased storms would be access roads,
bridle trails, electrical utility lines, and water
systems. Because Portuguese Bend Road and
Crest Road are critical for access to and
evacuation from the city, any damage or
closure can effectively isolate areas of the
city, potentially creating severe health and
safety risks. Bridle trails are predominantly
located in canyon areas, which would be
more susceptible to flooding and landslides.
Landslides could impact utilities, as seen in
the existing Flying Triangle Landslide area,
which has moved utility lines above ground in
certain areas due to the continuous
movement of the earth in this area. Due to
the limited accessibility of the city, there is a
medium potential for impacts to access roads
and bridle trails and a low potential impact
for the remaining vulnerable infrastructure.
Services
Energy delivery, specifically electricity
delivery, could be impacted from increased
wildfires. Direct impacts to Southern
California Edison electricity transmission
infrastructure could impact power in the city.
In addition, utility companies have begun
shutting off power to areas to avoid wildfires
during times when weather creates high
wildfire risk. Public safety services could be
strained during wildfire events, which are
expected to increase.
Overall, climate change impacts from wildfire
are projected to have the greatest potential
impact to the city.
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Goals, Policies, and Implementation
Hazard Mitigation
Goal 1 Minimization of Loss of Life, Injury, and Property Damage
Resulting from Geologic Hazards
Policy 1.1 Ensure that existing structures throughout the City meet seismic safety standards
and that new facilities are developed to updated standards.
Implementation Measure 1.1.1: The City will work with Los Angeles County Building
and Safety Department and other agencies to ensuring that all proposed structures
in the city meet current seismic safety code requirements.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department and LA County Building and Safety Department
Funding: General Fund and permit fees
Policy 1.2 Support earthquake strengthening and provision of alternative or backup services,
such as water, sewer, electricity, and natural gas pipelines and connections,
especially in areas of high seismic or geologic high hazard or where weak segments
are identified by existing or future studies.
Implementation Measure 1.2.1: Require future development in active fault areas to
provide geotechnical studies indicating the location of the fault trace relative to
proposed improvements and identify appropriate mitigation. The City will evaluate
the seismic risk to existing infrastructure in these areas and where appropriate,
examine the feasibility of mitigating the risk over time.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department and LA County Building and Safety Department
Funding: General Fund and private developers
Policy 1.3 Enforce seismic design provisions from the California Building Code into all
development and ensure adequate review and inspection.
Implementation Measure 1.3.1: The City will work with Los Angeles County Building
and Safety Department and other agencies to ensuring that all proposed structures
in the city meet current seismic safety code requirements.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department and LA County Building and Safety Department
Funding: General Fund and private developers
Implementation Measure 1.3.2: Require fault investigations along traces of the
Palos Verdes and Cabrillo faults to comply with guidelines implemented by the
Alquist-Priolo Special Studies Zone Act. Buildings for human occupancy should be
set back a minimum of 50 feet from those faults that are shown to be active or from
fault traces where the risk cannot be determined.
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Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department and LA County Building and Safety Department
Funding: General Fund and private developers
Policy 1.4 Require review by a structural engineer when a critical building or facility undergoes
substantial improvements.
Implementation Measure 1.4.1: City staff will review existing ordinances to ensure
that the appropriate review requirements are included in them. In addition, the
Seismic Safety Ordinance will require a structural engineer to review development
proposals in designated Special Studies Zones.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department and LA County Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund and private developers
Policy 1.5 Ensure that water supplies are not interrupted by seismic events such as surface
rupture, ground shaking or ground failure.
Implementation Measure 1.5.1: The City may conduct a seismic vulnerability
assessment of current water supply systems to address peak load water supply
requirements. If the vulnerability assessment indicates a potential interruption of
water supply due to damage from a seismic event, designate emergency sources of
water.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department and LA County Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund
Policy 1.6 Discourage development adjacent to earthquake faults and other geological
hazards.
Implementation Measure 1.6.1: All development will comply with the Seismic
Hazards Overlay Zone.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department
Funding: General Fund and private developers
Policy 1.7 Continue to require preliminary investigations of tract sites by State-registered
geotechnical engineers and certified engineering geologists (Chapter 70 County
Building Code) and ensure regular inspection of grading operations.
Implementation Measure 1.7.1: The City will continue to enforce the Building Code
and Safety regulations.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department
Funding: General Fund
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Goal 2 Minimization of Loss of Life, Injury, and Property Damage Due to
Flood Hazards
Policy 2.1 Maintain storm drains to prevent local flooding and debris flows, and encourage
residents to assist in maintaining those drains that are the responsibility of the
homeowner.
Implementation Measure 2.1.1: The City will cooperate with the Los Angeles
County Public Works Department to maintain storm drains in the City.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: LA County Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 2.1.2: The City will encourage homeowner maintenance
of storm drains by developing educational materials to be added to the City website
and included in the City’s newsletter.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: LA County Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund
Policy 2.2 Avoid construction in canyon bottoms and participate in the National Flood
Insurance Program. Require new development or expansion of existing
development adjacent to canyons to assess potential environmental impacts from
increased run-off and erosion and evaluate appropriate mitigation. Mitigation
measures should address projected impacts from climate change.
Implementation Measure 2.2.1: The City will evaluate the flood hazard potential
and address climate change impacts in future environmental review. The City will
ensure that development in areas designated as a Flood Hazard Overlay Zone
mitigates potential flood impacts.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department
Funding: General Fund and private developers
Implementation Measure 2.2.2: The City will require the submission of soil
engineering reports for land development permits when soil erosion problems are
suspected.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund and private developers
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Goal 3 Minimization of Loss of Life, Injury, and Property Damage
Resulting from Fire Hazards
Policy 3.1 Develop stringent initial site design and on-going maintenance standards
incorporating adequate mitigation measures into individual developments to
achieve an acceptable level of risk, considering the increased risk associated with
increased wildland fire hazards due to climate change.
Implementation Measure 3.1.1: The City will work with the Los Angeles County Fire
Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and Rolling Hills Community
Association to review current standards for wildfire prevention and improve
standards and/or regulations where required.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 3.1.2: The City will implement recommended fire
mitigation strategies from the Community Wildfire Protection Plan including
infrastructure hardening and vegetation management for and around existing and
new development.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department/Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund
Policy 3.2 Reduce potential fire ignition sources.
Implementation Measure 3.2.1: The City will continue to implement the utility
undergrounding projects described in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 3.2.2: Designate and publicize emergency access routes
with the city and sub region. Prioritize undergrounding of utilities to enhance
reliability of emergency access routes and minimize conflagration hazards from
fallen power lines.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 3.3 Develop and implement a comprehensive retrofit strategy for existing structures.
Implementation Measure 3.3.1: The City will develop and implement a
comprehensive retrofit strategy for existing structures and lifeline utilities in very
high fire risk areas to increase public safety and reduce the risk of property loss and
damage during wildfires.
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Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department and LA County Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 3.3.2: Enforce existing ordinances and regulations that
apply to roofing materials. The City will enforce a Class A Roofing Ordinance for all
structure, as described in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The City will
require old roofs to be removed prior to reroofing to increase the fire-resistance of
the structure.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department/Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund
Policy 3.4 Ensure that all new residential development has at least two emergency
evacuations.
Implementation Measure 3.4.1: The City will review and update emergency
response and evacuation plans and procedures annually to reflect current
conditions and community needs.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department and LA County Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 3.4.2: Create secondary access in communities with
single access.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 3.4.3: Identify special populations and large animals,
especially horses, that may need assistance to evacuate.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 3.5 Whenever feasible, locate the following outside flood and fire hazard zones: health
care facilities, emergency shelters, fire stations, emergency command centers, and
emergency communications facilities.
Implementation Measure 3.5.1: The City will require review of new essential
facilities and, as necessary, development of measures to avoid flood and fire hazard
impacts.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department and LA County Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund and private developers
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Policy 3.6 Educate residents on fire hazard reduction strategies to employ on their properties,
focusing on the most vulnerable populations such as older adults and individuals
with chronic health conditions.
Implementation Measure 3.6.1: The City will promote vegetation management
strategies outlined in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (i.e., fuel
management in canyons and fire fuel management standards for individual
properties) in the City's quarterly newsletter, through the website, brochures,
videos, and block captain meetings.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department and City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 3.7 Work with the County to ensure that all fire equipment remains operable and
adequate to respond to a major disaster.
Implementation Measure 3.7.1: City staff will monitor the City's fire protection
rating and cooperate with the Fire Department in the correction of deficiencies.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 3.8 Require new development to meet or exceed hardening requirements in the most
current version of the California Building Codes and California Fire Code.
Policy 3.9 Evaluate evacuation route capacity, safety, and viability under a range of emergency
scenarios as part of the next update to the Rolling Hills Hazard Mitigation Plan, in
accordance with AB 747.
Policy 3.10 Update the City's development standards to be in conformance with title 14, CCR,
division 1.5, chapter 7, subchapter 2, articles 1-5 (commencing with section 1270)
(SRA Fire Safe Regulations) and title 14, CCR, division 1.5, chapter 7, subchapter 3,
article 3 (commencing with section 1299.01) (Fire Hazard Reduction Around
Buildings and Structures Regulations).
Policy 3.11 Minimize risks to existing development by identifying existing non-conforming
development to contemporary fire safe standards, in terms of road standards and
vegetative hazard, and requiring all development to meet or exceed CCR, division
1.5, chapter 7, subchapter 2, articles 1-5 requirements (SRA Fire Safe Regulations).
Policy 3.12 Require fire protection plans for all new development.
Policy 3.13 Require all properties in the city to enforce precautionary measures to create
defensible space including, but not limited to, maintaining a fire break by removing
brush and flammable vegetation located within 30 feet of the property, maintaining
any tree adjacent to or overhanging any building free of dead or dying wood, and
maintaining roofs free of leaves, needles, or other dead vegetation growth, as
described in the Rolling Hills Hazard Mitigation Plan.
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Policy 3.14 Evaluate the City’s capacity to adequately suppress wildfire, taking into account
water supply availability, as part of the next Rolling Hills Hazard Mitigation Plan
update.
Policy 3.15 Coordinate with Palos Verdes Water District to support the provision of adequate
water availability throughout the City and provision of adequate water storage to
meet future peak fire demand during times of peak domestic demands.
Policy 3.16 Maintain emergency roadways and improve them as necessary and appropriate to
ensure ongoing serviceability.
Policy 3.17 Establish and maintain community fire breaks and fuel modification/reduction
zones, including public and private road clearance.
Policy 3.18 Require that all homes have visible street addressing and signage.
Goal 4 Minimization of Impacts to Life and Property Associated with the
Use, Storage, or Transport of Hazardous Materials
Policy 4.1 Restrict the travel of vehicles carrying hazardous material through the city.
Implementation Measure 4.1.1: The City will ensure the Los Angeles County
Sheriff's Department enforce licensing and current laws regarding the transport of
hazardous materials through the city.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 4.2 Work to promote the safe use and disposal of household hazardous wastes.
Implementation Measure 4.2.1: The City will work with agencies responsible for the
disposal of household hazardous wastes.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
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Safety Element 31
Community Communication
Goal 5 Protection of the Community from Disasters and Emergencies
Policy 5.1 Designate and develop specific critical facilities as emergency centers to serve the
entire City and work with other cities to maintain existing trauma care facilities that
serve the region.
Implementation Measure 5.1.1: The City will meet with other communities in the
region to discuss the loss of trauma care centers in the region. The City will examine
the feasibility of establishing the development of a critical/trauma care unit at one
of the local clinics or hospitals in the region.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.2 Cooperate with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to ensure that law
enforcement services are ready and available to serve the city in the event of a
major disaster.
Implementation Measure 5.2.1: City staff will monitor the City's contract and
budget with the Sheriff’s Department to ensure that adequate service levels are
maintained.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.3 Develop and coordinate medical assistance procedures in the event of a major
disaster.
Implementation Measure 5.3.1: City staff will develop and update the Emergency
Operations Plan, which will be distributed to the community. The update of the
Emergency Operations Plan will include an assessment of current emergency service
and projected emergency service needs, and goals or standards for emergency
services training for City staff and volunteers.
Timing: Ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.4 Inventory and, where necessary, acquire supplemental disaster communication
equipment and other equipment, tools, and supplies used by Block Captains during
an emergency.
Implementation Measure 5.4.1: City staff will complete an inventory of
infrastructure needed to support emergency communications and equipment
needed for use by Block Captains and the City to communicate during emergencies,
as described in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
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Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.4.2: A survey will be done by the City periodically to
establish an inventory of equipment which could be used in the event of a major
disaster.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.5 Ensure that adequate provisions are made to supply drinking water for extended
periods of time in the event of a major disaster.
Implementation Measure 5.5.1: City staff will inventory sources of potable water
that could be used in the event of an emergency and the means to distribute that
water to residents and others in the Planning Area.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: LA County Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.6 Develop procedures to follow in the event of wildfire, flooding, erosion, and
possible reservoir failure and investigate ways of reducing the likelihood of their
occurrence.
Implementation Measure 5.6.1: The City will update the Hazard Mitigation Plan
every five years to reduce the risk from hazards by identifying resources,
information, and strategies for risk reduction, while helping to guide and coordinate
mitigation activities throughout the city.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.6.2: City staff will develop and maintain an Emergency
Operations Plan, which will set forth an operating strategy for managing potential
emergencies (as described in the Hazard Mitigation Plan)
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.7 Ensure that City Hall maintains a current emergency supply of water, food, blankets,
and first aid to provide for all employees for a 3-day period.
Implementation Measure 5.7.1: A City staff person will be assigned the task of
compiling a list of supplies and maintaining an adequate stockpile.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.8 Encourage private businesses to develop disaster preparedness plans for their
employees.
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Safety Element 33
Implementation Measure 5.8.1: The City will prepare and distribute a brochure
outlining recommendations for stockpiling supplies for employees.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.9 Encourage residents to attend periodic training programs on wildfire mitigation and
disaster planning, and to develop disaster preparedness and evacuation plans.
Implementation Measure 5.9.1: The City will work with the RHCA and Block
Captains to launch a communication and education program that will include a
workshop on How to Develop an Evacuation Plan for your Family, as described in
the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.9.2: The City will work with the RHCA and Block
Captains to promote training programs on wildfire mitigation and disaster planning
through the newsletter and the City website.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.10 Support the development and further implementation of a peninsula-wide disaster
plan.
Implementation Measure 5.10.1: The City will coordinate its disaster planning
efforts with neighboring jurisdictions in the region as part of Hazard Mitigation Plan
updates
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.11 Increase public awareness of City emergency response plans, evacuation routes and
shelters, and in ways to reduce risks at the home and office, focusing on the most
vulnerable populations such as older adults and individuals with chronic health
conditions.
Implementation Measure 5.11.1: The City will prepare communication materials
outlining procedures to follow in the event of a major disaster. These materials will
be distributed to every household and business in the city.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.11.2: The City will maintain the City-wide
Neighborhood Watch program.
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Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.11.3: The City will define refuge areas in the event of a
wildfire event to include in the Emergency Operations Plan. This effort will be led by
the Fire Department and the Sherriff’s Department.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.11.4: The City will distribute educational materials for
large animal evacuation, consistent with Community Wildfire Protection Plan
recommendations. This will include adding the information to the City website and
including it in the City’s newsletter during the fire season.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.11.5: The City will work with Block Captains to provide
emergency education and information through the City’s newsletter and website
and by providing workshops and seminars described in the Community Wildfire
Protection Plan.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.12 Maintain a Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Implementation Measure 5.12.1: The City will coordinate with the American Red
Cross and Los Angeles County Fire, Sheriff, and Public Social Services to develop
specific plans for responding to emergencies as part of Hazard Mitigation Plan
updates. The City will submit copies of its Hazard Mitigation Plan to the Los Angeles
County Fire and Sheriff’s Departments for review. The City will review similar plans
prepared by neighboring cities.
Timing: Every five years
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
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Policy 5.13 Ensure maximum accessibility throughout the city in the event of a disaster.
Implementation Measure 5.13.1: The City will ensure that multipurpose trails are
maintained in order to be serviceable by emergency vehicles in the event of a
disaster.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.14 Ensure the reliability of essential facilities such as communications towers, electrical
substations, water services, and first-response buildings in the event of an
emergency through promoting grid resilience and energy independence. Work to
implement on-site power generation through solar photovoltaic systems and
battery storage.
Implementation Measure 5.14.1: The City will work with telecommunication
providers to identify opportunities to improve reliability of cell service throughout
the city.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.14.2: The City will work with electricity and natural gas
providers to identify opportunities to promote grid resilience.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.14.3: The City will seek funding to enhance
telecommunication service.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.14.4: The City will provide educational materials to
residents (i.e., newsletter, webpage, brochure) to promote solar panels and battery
storage installation on existing development.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.15 Minimize the risk of spread of infectious diseases and associated economic
disruption.
Implementation Measure 5.15.1: The City will coordinate with the County of Los
Angeles Public Health Department to provide testing and contact tracing resources
to the Rolling Hills community.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
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Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.15.2: The City will maintain up-to-date public health
services on the City’s website.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.15.3: The City will explore the need for additional
marketing campaigns to promote public safety protocol among City departments.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measures 5.15.4: The City will partner with local non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide additional support and services in
the city.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measures 5.15.5: The City will partner with community groups and
neighborhood organizations to advertise what resources are available to residents.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
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Policy 5.16 Increase access to essential resources and facilitate effective communication in the
community to accelerate recovery following such a disaster.
Implementation Measure 5.16.1: The City will connect the newly unemployed with
talent-seeking industries, such as through a job portal.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 5.16.2: The City will supplement federal relief efforts,
such as creating a resilience fund for residents to assist those in need.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.17 Provide City officials with a basis for disaster preparedness decision making and
establish a public education program for disaster preparedness.
Implementation Measure 5.17.1: The Emergency Services Coordinator will conduct
annual meetings with City personnel to ensure they are familiar with procedures
outlined in the Hazard Mitigation Plan and Emergency Operations Plan.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.18 Establish a line of command to ensure that the decision-making process will
function satisfactorily in the event of a major disaster.
Implementation Measure 5.18.1: The City will implement the Hazard Mitigation
Plan.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.19 Coordinate with citizen groups, such as Block Captains, and organizations to
establish a viable body to provide emergency assistance in the event of a natural
disaster.
Implementation Measure 5.19.1: The City Emergency Services Coordinator will
work with local equestrian groups and other organizations to establish a Rolling Hills
Search and Rescue Team.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager and LA County Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund
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Policy 5.20 Encourage cooperation among adjacent communities to provide back-up law
enforcement assistance in emergency situations.
Implementation Measure 5.20.1: The City will submit copies of its Hazard
Mitigation Plan updates to the Los Angeles County Fire and Sheriff’s Departments
for review. The City will review similar plans prepared by neighboring cities.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 5.21 Incorporate health threats into early warning systems.
Implementation Measures 5.21.1: Partner with the Los Angeles County Vector
Control District and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to develop
and enhance disaster and emergency early warning systems to incorporate
objective data and information for potential health threats such as heat-illness,
illnesses complicated by low air quality, precipitation events, and vector borne
diseases due to climate change hazards.
Goal 6 Maintenance of Public Safety for All Residents
Policy 6.1 Work with, and support the Sheriff’s Department in crime prevention and law
enforcement efforts, to make sure there are adequate resources to meet the needs
of the community.
Implementation Measure 6.1.1: The City will conduct an annual review of its
contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to ensure current service
standards are maintained. Alternatives will be considered if service levels are
considered inadequate.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 6.2 Cooperate with neighboring cities, Los Angeles County, California State and U.S.
Federal agencies in crime prevention and law enforcement.
Implementation Measure 6.2.1: The City will continue to regularly coordinate with
all law enforcement agencies in combating crime.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
Policy 6.3 Evaluate the incidence of crime and develop measures needed to deter crime or
apprehend the criminals.
Implementation Measure 6.3.1: The City will monitor crime statistics for the
peninsula and the city. The City will meet with Los Angeles County on a regular basis
to discuss programs, ordinances, and other measures that will be effective in
combating crime.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: City Manager
Funding: General Fund
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Goals, Policies, and Implementation
Safety Element 39
Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience
Goal 7 Protection of the Community from the Effects of Climate Change
Policy 7.1 The City will continue to enforce updated State-mandated water conservation
regulations.
Implementation Measure 7.1.1: The City will continue to update the City’s zoning
ordinance as necessary to enforce and implement State-mandated water
conservation regulations.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department
Funding: General Fund
Policy 7.2 Prepare for and adapt to the effects of climate change by considering climate
change vulnerability in planning decisions, including those involving new public
facilities and private development.
Implementation Measure 7.2.1: The City will:
a. Re-evaluate the City’s Climate Change Vulnerability analysis over time, as new
data becomes available
b. Update mitigation strategies and the City’s vulnerability and adaptive capacity,
as appropriate
c. Identify opportunities for new goals and policies related to climate change using
the best available data.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department and LA County Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund
Policy 7.3 Amend the local building code to account for climate change stressors.
Implementation Measure 7.3.1: The City will amend the local building code to take
into account additional stressors on buildings including, increased storm events and
intensity, flood proofing for intermittent inundation, slope/soils, subsidence risk and
erosion potential in securing foundations, building materials to reduce the impacts
of high heat days, and fireproofing in preparation for increasing fire risk.
Timing: Immediate
Agency: Planning Department and LA County Building & Safety Department
Funding: General Fund
Policy 7.4 The City will engage surrounding jurisdictions in climate adaptation planning.
Implementation Measure 7.4.1: Ensure the community’s engagement strategy for
climate adaptation planning includes surrounding jurisdictions to identify synergies
and harmonization of policies.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department
Funding: General Fund
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Policy 7.5 Partner with the South Bay Cities Council of Government to implement climate
adaptation strategies at the sub-regional level.
Implementation Measure 7.5.1: Collaborate with the South Bay Cities Council of
Governments Senior Services Working Group to ensure that service providers in and
around Rolling Hills are educated on the climate risks of the area and steps they can
take to better serve and protect vulnerable groups in Rolling Hills.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department
Funding: General Fund
Implementation Measure 7.5.2: Implement climate adaptation strategies that can
address issues at a local and sub-regional level and issues in which coordination and
pooling of resources (i.e., emergency centers, transit agency support in an
emergency, and large animal evacuation centers) is a benefit to all participating
communities.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department
Funding: General Fund
Policy 7.6 Update emergency/disaster response measures to account for increased heat days.
Implementation Measure 7.6.1: As part of the Hazard Mitigation Plan and
Emergency Operations Plan, update response measures to account for an increased
number of heat days and their impacts on current and future response mechanisms
such as warning systems, emergency response and medical service coordination,
and shelters.
Timing: Every five years
Agency: Planning Department
Funding: General Fund
Policy 7.7 Provide education on heat related illness.
Implementation Measure 7.7.1: Incorporate links and references on the City
website and incorporate interpretive signage at multi-use path trailheads providing
education on heat related illness and personal care steps.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department
Funding: General Fund
Policy 7.8 Require air conditioning alternatives.
Implementation Measure 7.8.1: Require alternatives to air conditioning such as
ceiling fans, air exchangers, increased insulation and low-solar-gain exterior
materials to reduce peak electrical demands during high heat events to ensure
reliability of the electrical grid.
Timing: Immediate and ongoing
Agency: Planning Department
Funding: General Fund
165
References
Safety Element 41
References
California Department of Toxic Substances and Control (DTSC). 2020. EnviroStor.
https://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/map/?myaddress=rolling+hills%2C+ca. Accessed
August 2020.
Center for Disease Control (CDC). 2017a. Heat and Older Adults.
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/older-adults-heat.html. Accessed September
2020.
____. 2017b. Heat and People with Chronic Medical Conditions.
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/medical.html. Accessed September 2020.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 2008. Flood Insurance Rate Map 06037C1940F.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LACSD). 2021. Altadena Station Part I Crimes.
https://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Transparency_Crime_Arrest_Patrol-
CurrentMonth-YTD_2019v2020.pdf. Accessed December 2021.
____. 2019. Hazard Mitigation Plan. January 16, 2019.
____. 2020. Community Wildfire Protection Plan. July 2020.
Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC). 2013. Hazards and Threats Earthquakes List of Major
Active Surface Faults in Southern California. March.
U.S. Census Bureau. 2018. Rolling Hills, City 2018 ACS 5-Year Estimates.
https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Rolling%20Hills%20city,%20California&g=1600000U
S0662602&tid=ACSDP5Y2018.DP05&hidePreview=false.
Western Region Climate Center (WRCC). 2016. Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary.
https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ca8973. Accessed August 2020.
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Appendix A
Existing Conditions Report
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Rolling Hills General Plan Safety Element
Existing Conditions Report
prepared by
City of Rolling Hills
Planning and Community Services
2 Portuguese Bend Road
Rolling Hills, California 90274
prepared with the assistance of
Rincon Consultants, Inc.
706 South Hill Street, Suite 1200
Los Angeles, California 90014
October 2020
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Table of Contents
Existing Conditions Report i
Table of Contents
Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 1
Key Findings .................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Hazards of Concern................................................................................................................................. 6
Geologic Hazards ............................................................................................................................ 6
Flooding .......................................................................................................................................... 9
Wildland and Urban Fires .............................................................................................................12
Hazardous Materials .....................................................................................................................16
Emergency Response and Evacuation ..........................................................................................16
Climate Change Vulnerability ...............................................................................................................19
Exposure .......................................................................................................................................20
Community Sensitivity ..................................................................................................................24
Potential Impacts ..........................................................................................................................26
Adaptive Capacity .........................................................................................................................31
Vulnerability Scoring .....................................................................................................................32
Summary of Issues and Opportunities .................................................................................................36
Hazards of Concern and Community Sensitivity ..........................................................................36
Opportunities ...............................................................................................................................36
References ............................................................................................................................................38
Tables
Table 1 Rolling Hills Climate Summary ............................................................................................ 2
Table 2 Rolling Hills Demographic Characteristics ........................................................................... 3
Table 3 Faults Located within 50 Miles of Rolling Hills .................................................................... 8
Table 4 Changes in Annual Average Precipitation .........................................................................23
Table 5 Rolling Hills Existing Adaptive Capacity.............................................................................31
Table 6 Vulnerability Score Matrix ................................................................................................33
Table 7 Vulnerability Assessment Results .....................................................................................34
Figures
Figure 1 Critical Facilities Map .......................................................................................................... 5
Figure 2 Landslide Hazard Zones ...................................................................................................... 7
Figure 3 Faults in the Vicinity of Rolling Hills ..................................................................................10
Figure 4 Rolling Hills Liquefaction Hazard Areas .............................................................................11
Figure 5 Dam Inundation Areas ......................................................................................................14
Figure 6 Fire Hazard Zones ..............................................................................................................15
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Figure 7 Existing Evacuation Routes ...............................................................................................18
Figure 8 Historical and Projected Annual Average Maximum Temperature in Rolling Hills ..........21
Figure 9 Number of Extreme Heat Days by Year in Rolling Hills .....................................................22
Figure 10 Changes in Intensity of Extreme Precipitation Events in Rolling Hills...............................24
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Existing Conditions Report 1
Summary
Key Findings
The city is most at risks to impacts from wildfire, extreme heat, and landslide events, which are
all anticipated to increase as a result of climate change impacts. Vulnerable populations such as
older adults and residents with chronic health conditions are most at risk to extreme heat and
wildfire impacts. Access roads and residential structures are also the most vulnerable to wildfire
and landslide impacts from climate change.
The city has a moderate risk for shaking potential from earthquakes.
Flood risks in the city are minimal and limited to natural drainage areas in the canyons.
Vegetation clearing along roadways is a concern and major goal for improving fire response and
evacuation in the city.
Evacuation strategies and education are important to reduce risk from hazards due to the lack
of evacuation routes in the city and the remote development on private roads. The need to
further analyze evacuation routes and access is one of the most recent changes in Safety
Element requirements. A key opportunity for the Safety Element update is to address specific
evacuation needs.
The City has recently adopted a number of planning documents such as the Hazard Mitigation
Plan and Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which seek to reduce the risk of hazards in the
city. An opportunity for the Safety Element update would be to utilize existing
recommendations from the Community Wildfire Protection Plan as implementation tools for the
Safety Element.
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Introduction
Section 65302(g) of the California Government Code requires that the General Plan include a Safety
Element for the protection of the community from any unreasonable risks associated with the
effects of seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure, tsunami, seiche, and
dam failure; slope instability leading to mudslides and landslides; subsidence and other geologic
hazards; flooding, wildland and urban fire, and climate change adaptation and resilience. In
addition, Safety Elements are required to address non-hazard specific issues such as peak load water
supply, evacuation routes, and military installations.
This Existing Conditions Report is a comprehensive assessment of natural and man-made hazards
for the City of Rolling Hills. The report serves as the foundation for the Safety Element and includes
detailed Geographic Information System (GIS) hazard mapping and analyses. The following City
plans were also utilized for this report along with existing local data from governmental agencies
and scientific research: Hazard Mitigation Plan, Community Wildfire Protection Plan, and the
existing Safety Element.
Setting
Rolling Hills covers an area of approximately three square-miles on the Palos Verdes peninsula,
approximately 18 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. The topography of the city and peninsula
area is unique in that it rises above the Los Angeles Basin with rolling hills, steep slopes, and
canyons. The city itself is located in the San Pedro Hills. Due to its location near the coast, the area is
cooler and has fewer air quality concerns compared to the nearby Los Angeles Basin. Table 1
summarizes the climatology of the area.
Table 1 Rolling Hills Climate Summary
Climate Character Estimate
Annual Average Observed Maximum Temperature from 1961 - 1990 (Fahrenheit) 71
Annual Average Observed Minimum Temperature from 1961 – 1990 (Fahrenheit) 50
Annual Average Observed Precipitation from 1961 – 1990 (inches) 19
Source: Cal-Adapt 2021
Rolling Hills is a residential community that consists of large parcels and ranch-style homes and has
a sizable older adult 1 population of about 513 (28% of the city’s total population). The city is also an
equestrian community, as many of residents are horse owners or have horses on their property.
Important community demographic data for Rolling Hills is included in Table 2.
1 An older adult is any adult over the age of 65 years old.
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Table 2 Rolling Hills Demographic Characteristics
Demographic Characteristics Estimate
General
Total Population 1,8601
Population under 10 years 7 percent
Population over 65 years 28 percent1
Race 77 percent White, 18 percent Asian, 5 percent
Hispanic/Latino
Disability (hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory) 12 percent
Housing
Total Households 6451
Average Household Size 2.76
Owner-occupied Households 96 percent
Population over 65 years living alone 15 percent of those over 65 years
Employment
Unemployment Rate 6 percent
Poverty Rate 2 percent
Median Income $ 239,000
Insurance Coverage 97 percent
Source: U.S. Census 2018
1Information obtained from the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which is includes more recent data than the U.S Census
Critical Facilities and Infrastructure
Critical facilities are places that provide emergency services or serve people who would be impacted
by an emergency. Examples include hospitals, fire stations, police stations, emergency services
facilities, utility facilities, and communication facilities. Critical facilities can also include the
transportation system and schools. Due to the size and composition of Rolling Hills, most of the
critical facilities that serve the city are located outside of City limits. Critical facilities that serve the
city are shown in Figure 1 and include:
Rolling Hills City Hall: 2 Portuguese Bend Road, Rolling Hills, CA
Rolling Hills Community Association: 1 Portuguese Bend Road, Rolling Hills, CA
Rancho Del Mar High School: 38 Crest Road West, Rolling Hills, CA
Storm Hill Park: Agua Magna Canyon, Rolling Hills
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lomita Station: 26123 Narbonne Avenue, Lomita, CA
Los Angeles County Fire Station No. 56: 12 Crest Road West, Rolling Hills, CA
Los Angeles County Communications Tower: 5741 Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Southern California Edison Electrical Substation: Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Southern California Edison Electrical Substation: Tarragon Road, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
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Southern California Edison Electrical Substation: 27873 Hawthorn Boulevard, Rancho Palos
Verdes, CA
California Water Service Reservoir: Palos Verdes Drive North/Palos Verdes Drive East (SW
corner), Rolling Hills Estates, CA
California Water Service Reservoir: 3960 East Crest Road, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
California Water Service Reservoir: Via Canada, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
California Water Service Reservoir: 1 Spur Lane, Rolling Hills, CA
California Water Service Reservoir: 60 Eastfield Drive, Rolling Hills, CA
Portuguese Bend Road
Crest Road
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Existing Conditions Report 5
Figure 1 Critical Facilities Map
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Hazards of Concern
Geologic Hazards
Geologic processes that pose a threat to life, health, property, or infrastructure are considered
geologic hazards. Natural geologic hazards that have the potential to affect Rolling Hills include
seismic hazards, landslides, liquefaction, expansive soils, and weathering. In most cases, these
natural processes cannot be prevented; however, the magnitude of destruction resulting from
natural geologic hazards can be reduced through planning policies and measures.
Landslide Hazards
Landslide activity refers to a wide range of gravity driven downslope earth movement, including
rockslides, rotational slips, mudslides, and shallow debris flows. Geological and geomorphological
conditions such as soil type, soil strength, slope angle, and slope height predispose slopes to failure.
Other factors affecting the susceptibility to slope failure include the amount of precipitation,
vegetation on the slope, groundwater seepage, and human modifications to the slope. Landslides
often result in damage to property and roadways and can cause them to become unsafe due to
displacement of the subsurface.
A majority of the existing development in Rolling Hills is located on hilly terrain and have a greater
potential to experience landslide hazards. Many of the canyons in Rolling Hills exhibit steep slopes
with little vegetation coverage, leaving them susceptible to slope failure. Figure 2 shows the
landslide zones within the City of Rolling Hills, as mapped by the California Geological Survey.
Landslide activity has been well documented in the region. Relicts of landslides and rockslides are
present throughout the City of Rolling Hills. The following major landslides have occurred within and
adjacent to the city. All are within the landslide hazards areas identified in Figure 2:
Portuguese Bend Landslide: Beginning in 2 1956 over approximately 270 acres in Rancho Palos
Verdes
Abalone Cove Landslide: Beginning in 1974 over 80 acres in Rancho Palos Verdes
Klondike Canyon Landslide: Beginning in 1979 over to the south near the coastline
Flying Triangle Landslide: Beginning in 1970s or 1980s over approximately 70 acres in the south
area of the city
The Flying Triangle Landslide continues to impact the southeast portion of the city through impacts
to private roads and requiring above-ground utility lines. This area is relatively unsuitable for
development due to the ongoing changes in topography.
Seismic Hazards
Rolling Hills is located in a seismically active region of southern California. The last major earthquake
in the Los Angeles area was the 5.1 magnitude La Habra earthquake in 2014. Rolling Hills is located
within 50 miles of the Whittier fault, Newport-Inglewood fault, Palos Verdes fault, Malibu Coast
2 “Beginning in” is defined as the first noted event of major rock movement
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Hazards of Concern
Existing Conditions Report 7
Figure 2 Landslide Hazard Zones
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fault, Cabrillo fault, Santa Monica fault, and Redondo Canyon fault. Analysis of seismic data from the
region indicates that the Whittier and Newport-Inglewood faults may generate a maximum credible
earthquake of magnitude 7.2 and 7.4, respectively (Southern California Earthquake Center 2013).
Figure 3 shows the faults in the vicinity of Rolling Hills.
Typically, seismic shaking and fault rupture are primary hazards as they occur as a direct result of
the interaction between the seismic wave energy and the earth’s surface. Secondary hazards, such
as liquefaction and earthquake-induced landslides, occur as a result of the primary earthquake
hazards. Often, earthquake activity can result in other effects such as building damage/collapse,
infrastructure failure, pipeline breakage, and damage to transportation and communication
facilities. The size of the earthquake and distance from the fault rupture zone typically determine
the severity of these events.
Seismic Shaking
Seismic shaking, or ground shaking, refers to the movement of the earth’s surface resulting from the
energy release by an earthquake. Seismic shaking is typically the primary cause of property damage
resulting from earthquake activity. Seismic shaking has the ability to destroy buildings, roadways,
powerlines, and pipelines. Energy transmitted through the ground has the potential to travel
hundreds of miles and may cause damage in many locations simultaneously. Closer proximity to the
fault rupture area results in stronger shaking in that location.
The amount of ground shaking that occurs in a location is dependent on the magnitude of the
earthquake, the distance from the epicenter, and local soil conditions. The intensity of ground
shaking is related to the peak ground velocity during an earthquake. According to the CGS Map
Sheet 48, the earthquake shaking potential for Rolling Hills is moderate. The intensity of seismic
shaking is measured using the Modified Mercalli scale.
According to the California Geologic Survey, an active fault is one that has experienced surface
movement in the past 11,000 years. The city is located near a number of active faults, including the
Cabrillo Fault within city limits. Table 3 includes a list of nearby faults, their respective distance from
the city, the maximum credible earthquake generated from each fault, and the likelihood of
earthquake occurrence in each case.
Table 3 Faults Located within 50 Miles of Rolling Hills
Fault Name Approximate Distance from Rolling Hills
Whittier 25 miles east
Newport-Inglewood 9 miles east
Palos Verdes <1 mile north
Malibu Coast 20 miles northwest
Cabrillo Located within the City boundaries in the southwest
Santa Monica 20 miles north-northwest
The San Andreas fault is located approximately 80 miles to the east of Rolling Hills. Although the San
Andreas fault is located at a greater distance from the city, seismic shaking originating from
earthquakes occurring along the San Andreas fault poses a threat to the city. Figure 3 identifies the
active and inactive faults located within the city and vicinity.
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Fault Rupture
Fault Rupture occurs when seismic movement on a fault breaks through the earth’s surface. Hazards
related to fault rupture arise when structures are built near or on top of an active fault. While there
are a number of seismically active faults in the city and region, there are no active faults with the
potential for ground rupture, defined by the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act and
delineated by CGS. Figure 3 shows the designated Alquist-Priolo study zones, the closest of which is
the Newport-Inglewood Fault approximately nine miles northeast of the city.
Liquefaction and Settlement
Liquefaction is a ground failure phenomenon that occurs as a result of a seismic event. Liquefaction
increases water content in surface soils until the soil reaches a semi-liquid state, contributing to a
reduction in support, and ultimately resulting in shifting or subsidence of buildings and utilities.
Ground failure typically occurs when the following conditions exist:
Loose, unconsolidated granular soils
Shallow groundwater
Strong seismic ground shaking
While the Rolling Hills has moderate to high seismic shaking potential, the subsurface soils generally
lack saturated alluvial deposits and thick, granular soils. Figure 4 shows the liquefaction hazard
areas, which are located in the low-lying areas to the east and north, generally surrounding the Los
Angeles Harbor and Harbor Lake. Liquefaction potential for Rolling Hills is low, as shown in Figure 4.
Earthquake Induced Landslides
Ground failure or destabilization of slopes resulting from an earthquake can also occur following
seismic activity in the form of Earthquake-Induced Landslides. Earthquake-induced landslides
typically occur in areas with steep slopes or unstable soil conditions. As discussed above under
Landslide Hazards, the risk of landslide activity in Rolling Hills is high. Much of the city overlies areas
that have been identified as landslide zones by the California Geological Survey. Risk of landslide
activity increases following rainfall events that result in saturated soils. Both shallow and deep
seeded landslides have historically occurred in the city.
Flooding
Rolling Hills participates in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood
Insurance Program. According to the FEMA flood maps, the city is not located in a flood hazard area
and currently has a less than 0.2 percent annual chance to be inundated by flood waters as a result
of a storm event (FEMA 2008). Overall, the city is not in any immediate risk from flooding caused by
overflowing water bodies or heavy rains. However, runoff and minor flooding pose a risk if drainage
systems fail along canyon bottoms, where natural drainage leads to.
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Figure 3 Faults in the Vicinity of Rolling Hills
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Figure 4 Rolling Hills Liquefaction Hazard Areas
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Dam Inundation
No water storage facilities that the State of California identifies as dams are located in Rolling Hills.
Just outside city limits are three water storage facilities identified as dams, which include:
Palos Verdes Reservoir: Owned by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and
located at the southeast corner of Palos Verdes Drive East and Palos Verdes Drive North.
According to the California Department of Water Resources, the reservoir can hold
approximately 1,100 gallons of water and has an extremely high downstream hazard.
10 MG Walteria and 18 MG Walteria: Two reinforced concrete tanks which are owned by the
City of Torrance and located at Crenshaw Boulevard and Crest Road. The tanks can hold 31 and
58 acre-feet (AF) of water respectively.
Senate Bill 92, adopted in 2017, is a new dam safety requirement that requires dam owners to map
the downstream inundation areas for dams governed by the Department of Water Resources.
Figure 5 shows the inundation areas for the nearby water storage facilities. Due to their locations
and the topography of the area, the inundation areas do not enter or affect any portion of the city.
Wildland and Urban Fires
The entire City of Rolling Hills is designated a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) by the
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), as shown in Figure 6. Rolling Hills
terrain is comprised of several large and steep canyons that limit and challenge vegetation
management and present conditions where a fire can quickly travels up and downslope to nearby
homes. Due to the rural nature and large residential lots, many homes are surrounded by
substantial vegetation and dense brush than in more suburban settings. The bridle trails for hikers
and equestrian access also contain dense vegetation and management difficulties, which
contributes to the fire risk of the city. Electrical power lines pose a hazard to starting fires in the city
if lines are not automatically de-energized when knocked down by extreme weather or if the
surrounding vegetation is not adequately managed.
There is a history of fires in the city and the surrounding Palos Verdes Peninsula. Three major fires
have been documented on the Peninsula and in the city in:
1973: almost 1,000 acres burned, and 13 homes destroyed
2005: 212 acres burned near Del Cero Park
2009: 230 acres burned and forced 1,200 residents on the Peninsula to evacuate
For many of the developed residences in the city that are vulnerable to fires, their risk may increase
with the presence of construction techniques that may not meet current wildfire standards. Rolling
Hills Building Code and Los Angeles County Fire Department, under the VHFHSZ standards, require
new development to include more stringent design and material standards for roofing, eaves, and
rafter tails as well as exterior finishes and fire buffer zones. While compliance with these standards
reduces the vulnerability to new structures, existing structures that have not complied with these
standards may be susceptible to undue fire risk.
Existing Fire Risk Reduction Strategies
Rolling Hills Municipal Code (RHMC) Chapter 8.30: Fire Fuel Abatement
VHRHSZ building requirements
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Existing Conditions Report 13
Los Angeles County Fire Department property line and structure vegetation buffer requirements
Rolling Hills Community Wildfire Protection Plan vegetation management standard
recommendations
Rolling Hills Community Association
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Figure 5 Dam Inundation Areas
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Hazards of Concern
Existing Conditions Report 15
Figure 6 Fire Hazard Zones
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Hazardous Materials
According to the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), there are no hazardous waste
sites or facilities in Rolling Hills (DTSC 2020). The city and surrounding area do not contain heavy
industrial uses that would create a hazardous material risk in the event of a spill, release, or natural
disaster.
The city is not located near any major transit routes involving transport of a substantial quantity of
hazardous material through the city. However, the nearby oil refineries (located along Sepulveda
Boulevard approximately six miles northeast) and Port operations (located approximately three
miles to the east) could create air quality impacts if wind patterns and release events occur. Air
quality impacts are discussed in the Open Space and Conservation Element of the Rolling Hills
General Plan.
Emergency Response and Evacuation
Police Response and Crime
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is contracted with the city to provide police services
and protection to the city. The Lomita Station of the Sheriff’s Department located at 26123
Narbonne Avenue, approximately 1.5 miles northeast of the Portuguese Bend Road entrance, serves
the city.
According to the Lomita Station crimes report from January 1, 2020, through June 30, 2020, Rolling
Hills had three reported crimes (LACSD 2020). The crimes were related to theft, assault, and
burglary. Outside the city limits and in the Lomita District, 433 crimes were reported during this
same period, 71 of which were violent crimes (LACSD 2020). The difference in crimes in the city and
the surrounding area is attributed to the private nature of the City. There are three entrances to the
city, all of which are gated and staffed 24 hours a day. Visitors are required to be on a resident’s
guest list in order to enter city limits. This reduces crime within the city and demand on Los Angeles
County Sheriff’s Department.
Fire Response
The Los Angeles County Fire Department provides emergency operations support to the City. Fire
Station 56, located at 12 Crest Road West, serves the city under Battalion 14, which also serves the
remaining Palos Verdes Peninsula, Lomita, and Catalina Island. Fire response constraints in the city
include ability to access certain homes or areas due to inadequate road widths for fire maneuvering.
One of the major topics of concern related to fire response in the city relates to vegetation clearing
along roadways. Ten-foot clearance on each side of the roadway, especially the limited access
roads, is important for fire response and evacuation during a fire, according to Scott Hale, Assistant
Fire Chief.
Evacuation Strategies and Routes
Because a variety of hazards could affect city residents, it is vital to identify critical routes for
evacuation in the event of a major event. Figure 7 identifies the existing evacuation routes in the
city, which are limited to:
Main Gate at Rolling Hills Road and Palos Verdes Drive North
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Crest Gate at Crest Road near Crenshaw Blvd
Eastfield Gate at Eastfield Drive and Palos Verdes Drive East
Crest Road East Gate at the end of Crest Road East
Crest Road East Gate at the end of Crest Road East gate has recently been updated with a motor and
has no guards. This gate is available as an emergency exit to the city during emergencies. The
recently adopted Community Wildfire Protection Plan for the city establishes evacuation strategies
and methodologies for the city, which include:
Using the City’s Block Captains as important coordinators and managers of residents in the 24
City zones 3
Communication goals between the City, emergency responders, Rolling Hills Community
Association, and residents
Details for residents regarding how people get notified during an actual evacuation and the
responsibilities and operations of the Emergency Operations Center
Traffic control responsibilities and levels
Identification of special need residents who may need specific attention and/or assistance
3 The city is divided into 24 zones and each zone has 2-3 block captains to represent the residents within the zone.
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Figure 7 Existing Evacuation Routes
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Existing Conditions Report 19
Climate Change Vulnerability
In accordance with Senate Bill 379, this section provides a climate change vulnerability assessment
for Rolling Hills, which evaluates the potential impacts of climate change on community assets and
populations. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report
defines vulnerability as “the propensity or predisposition to be adversely affected.” It adds that
vulnerability “encompasses a variety of concepts and elements including sensitivity or susceptibility
to harm and lack of capacity to cope and adapt” (IPCC, 2013). Understanding the vulnerabilities that
the city may face due to climate change provides a foundation to define future adaptation strategies
for the Safety Element update and other planning efforts in Rolling Hills and the region.
Consistent with the California Adaptation Planning Guide (Cal OES 2020) the assessment is
comprised of the following five elements:
Exposure – the nature and degree to which the community experiences a stress or hazard;
Sensitivity – the aspects of the community (i.e., people, structures, and functions) most affected
by the identified exposures;
Potential Impacts – the nature and degree to which the community is affected by a given
stressor, change, or disturbance;
Adaptive Capacity – the ability to cope with extreme events, to make changes, or to transform
to a greater extent, including the ability to moderate potential damages and to take advantage
of opportunities; and
Vulnerability Scoring – systematic scoring based on potential impacts and adaptive capacity, to
inform major climate vulnerabilities to address adaptation framework strategies.
In addition to City data, Cal-Adapt was used to complete the assessment. Cal-Adapt is an interactive,
online platform developed by the University of California and Berkeley to synthesize climate change
projections and climate impact research for California’s scientists and planners. This assessment
uses Cal-Adapt to study potential future changes in average and extreme temperatures,
precipitation, wildfire, and storms. Cal-Adapt is consistent with State guidance to use the “best
available science” for evaluating climate change vulnerability.
This assessment uses two greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions scenarios included in Cal-Adapts
analysis: Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and RCP 8.5. RCP 4.5 describes a scenario
in which GHG emissions peak around 2050, decline over the next 30 years and then stabilize by
2100 while RCP 8.5 is the scenario in which GHG emissions continue to rise through the middle of
the century before leveling off around 2100. The climate projections used in this report are from
four models selected by California’s Climate Action Team Research Working Group and the
California Department of Water Resources. These models include:
A warm/dry simulation (HadGEM2-ES)
A cooler/wetter simulation (CNRM-CM5)
An average simulation (CanESM2)
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The model that presents a simulation most unlike these three and incorporates 10 other
models, for full representation of possible forecasts (MIROC5)4
The average of the model projections is used in this analysis.
Exposure
Climate change is a global phenomenon that has the potential to adversely affect local health,
natural resources, infrastructure, emergency response, and many other facets of society. Projected
changes to climate are dependent on location. According to Cal-Adapt, climate change could lead to
increasing temperatures, temperature extremes, and changes in precipitation patterns in Rolling
Hills. These conditions could lead to exposure associated with extreme heat, drought, wildfires, and
extreme storms in the region. The climate hazards of concern for Rolling Hills addressed in this
analysis are:
Extreme Heat
Storms and Extreme Weather
Drought
Wildfire
Extreme Heat
Figure 8 below shows observed and projected annual average maximum temperature in Rolling
Hills. As shown in Figure 8, average temperatures in the city and region have increased, which is a
trend at both the local scale and the global scale. Compared to 1990, annual average maximum
temperatures in Rolling Hills are expected to rise between 1.8°F and 6.6°F by the end of the century,
depending on the GHG emissions scenario (CEC 2020).
4 There were 10 California GCM models that were ranked from 1-10 by California’s Climate Action Team Research Working Group and the
California Department of Water Resources for different temperature and precipitation factors. The models ranged from the “warm/dry”
model which had all metrics closest to 1 to the “cool/wet” model which had all metrics closest to 10. The MIROC5 displays a pattern of
ranking that is most unlike the other 3 models and therefore, is included to represent the full spread of all 10 model simulations.
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Figure 8 Historical and Projected Annual Average Maximum Temperature in Rolling
Hills 5
Extreme heat is a period when temperatures are abnormally high relative to the normal
temperature range. There are generally three types of extreme heat events:
Extreme Heat Days: a day during which the maximum temperature surpasses 98 percent of all
historic high temperatures for the area, using the time between April and October from 1950 to
2005 as the baseline
Warm Nights: a day between April to October when the minimum temperature exceeds 98
percent of all historic minimum daytime temperatures observed between 1950 to 2005
Extreme Heat Waves: a successive series of extreme heat days and warm nights where extreme
temperatures do not abate. While no universally accepted minimum length of time for a
heatwave event exists, Cal-Adapt considers four, successive extreme heat days and warm nights
to be the minimum threshold for an extreme heatwave
Extreme heat events will feel different from region to region since different areas have different
historic high temperatures. For example, an extreme heat day on the coast will feel different than
an extreme heat day in the desert. According to Cal-Adapt, an extreme heat day in Rolling Hills
involves a temperature that exceeds 91.7 ̊F (CEC 2020).
Historically (between 1950 and 2005), Rolling Hills experienced an average four extreme heat days
per year, typically occurring between April and October. As a result of rising average temperatures
and climate change as discussed above, the city is projected to experience between 8 and 14
extreme heat days annually from 2030 to 2099 under medium and high emissions projections (CEC
5 Chart shows annual average maximum temperature for Rolling Hills (Grid Cell 33.78125, -118.34375) under RCP 8.5 (emissions continue
to rise strongly through 2050 and plateau around 2100)
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2020). As shown in Figure 9, the number of extreme heat days each year is variable, but overall they
are increasing from historic averages and would continue to increase through the century.
Figure 9 Number of Extreme Heat Days by Year in Rolling Hills 6
Extreme heat waves are defined as four or more consecutive extreme heat days. These events have
been historically infrequent in Rolling Hills, with the historical average being 0.3 heat waves
annually. The city is expected to experience a minor increase in heat wave frequency as the climate
changes. Between 2030 and 2099, the city is projected to experience between 0.4 and 1.1 heat
waves per year (CEC 2020).
Drought
Droughts are somewhat frequent in California, and currently approximately 42 percent of
California’s population are in a drought, or in an abnormally dry area (NIDIS 2020). Changes in
weather patterns resulting in increases in global average temperatures are already causing
decreases in snowpack, which provides as much as a third of California’s water supply (DWR 2019).
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Los Angeles County and Rolling Hills are not currently
experiencing drought conditions based on this mapping (National Drought Mitigation Center 2020).
Southern California is not currently considered to be in a drought condition, while other parts of the
State (northern California and the Sierra Nevada mountain range) are experiencing moderate
drought conditions due to lower than average precipitation.
The projected changes in annual precipitation for Rolling Hills are shown in Table 4. Under both the
medium and high GHG emissions scenarios, Rolling Hills is not expected to experience substantial
changes in average precipitation. However, the city would experience increased variability in
precipitation. The city’s minimum annual precipitation would decrease while the maximum annual
precipitation would increase under both emissions scenarios.
6 Chart shows the number of days in a year when daily maximum temperature is above the extreme hear threshold of 91.7 ̊F for Rolling
Hills (Grid Cell 33.78125, -118.34375) under RCP 8.5
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Table 4 Changes in Annual Average Precipitation
Scenario
Annual Precipitation
Minimum (inches) Average (inches) Maximum (inches)
Historical Average (1950-2005) 6.7 19.2 37.0
Medium Emissions Scenario (2030-2099) 6.0 21.3 48.2
High Emissions Scenario (2030-2099) 4.8 22.2 57.0
Source: CEC 2020
While overall precipitation levels are expected to change substantially in the city, a drought may
occur when conditions in areas where water sources are located experience drought conditions,
even though the local region does not. Rolling Hills obtains its water from the Palos Verdes District
of the California Water Service. Water supply from the District to this area is purchased from the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), which imports its water from the
Colorado River and State Water Project from northern California.
Recent research suggests that extended drought occurrence could become more pervasive in future
decades (CEC 2020). An extended drought scenario is predicted for all of California from 2051 to
2070 under a climate model using business as usual conditions. The extended drought scenario is
based on the average annual precipitation over 20 years. This average value equates to 78 percent
of the historic median annual precipitation averaged for the North Coast and Sierra California
Climate Tracker regions. Overall precipitation levels in the city are not expected to be significantly
impacted. However, variability in precipitation and drought conditions in other areas of the state
could impact water supply.
Wildfire
Wildfire hazards to the city are widespread and discussed above under Hazards of Concern.
Wildfires in the city are influenced by a range of factors including droughts, severe winds, wildfire
fuel (i.e. dry vegetation), and previous wildfire suppression activity. Climate change is expected to
exacerbate wildfire risk by creating hotter and drier landscapes, as discussed above under Extreme
Heat, which are more susceptible to burning.
Cal-Adapt provides projections for annual mean hectares burned. This projection only accounts for
areas that could experience wildfire events. Los Angeles County wildfire occurrence is anticipated to
increase under all emissions and population scenarios from historic averages (CEC 2020). In 2020
alone, California has experienced six of the 20 largest fires in modern history and as of the date of
this report, over three million acres of land have burned. These fires arose during extreme fire
weather conditions and record-breaking heat waves across California. The observed frequency of
autumn days with extreme fire weather, which are associated with extreme autumn wildfires, has
more than doubled in California since the early 1980s (Goss et al. 2020). Due to the increases in
factors that contribute to wildfires (variability in precipitation, hotter and dryer landscapes) and
because the city is in a VHFZSZ, it is expected to see an increase in wildfire hazards due to climate
change.
Storms and Extreme Weather
A warming climate is likely to influence the frequency and intensity of storms. Both increased
temperatures and altered precipitation patterns can lead to altered seasons and intense rainstorms
in Rolling Hills. As depicted in Figure 10, there is a high degree of variability in these extreme
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precipitation event projections, with some models projecting little to no change while others project
increased intensity (CEC 2020) These projections further vary depending on the return period7
selected. Increasing intensity of rainstorms could result in more flooding, which could adversely
affect human safety in Rolling Hills. During years of intense levels of precipitation and storms, the
city could also see an increase in the number of landslides or make landslides greater than usual.
Due to the number of landslide hazard zones in the city, as shown in 2, Rolling Hills may see an
increase in landslides due to changes in precipitation from climate change.
Figure 10 Changes in Intensity of Extreme Precipitation Events in Rolling Hills8
Community Sensitivity
As climate change occurs, communities will be affected to varying degrees depending on the
exposure levels as well as how sensitive the communities are to impacts. Virtually all people and
assets in a community will be affected by climate change in some way. However, it is not usually
feasible to assess the vulnerability of every population group or every asset in the community. The
sensitivity of a community depends on the aspects of the community (i.e., specific populations and
assets) most affected by the identified exposures, and how prevalent they are in the community.
As described in the Exposure section above, the most likely primary impacts of climate change that
Rolling Hills may experience include extreme heat, increases in wildfire risk and prevalence, and
drought conditions affecting water supply. This section of the Vulnerability Analysis identifies the
7 Average time between extreme events (e.g., “1 in 100-year event”)
8 Chart shows estimated intensity (Return Level) of Extreme Precipitation events which are exceeded on average once every 20 years
(Return Period) for Rolling Hills (Grid Cell 33.78125, -118.34375) under RCP 8.5 emissions scenario. Extreme precipitation events are
described as days during a water year (Oct-Sept) with 2-day rainfall totals above an extreme threshold of 1.02 inches.
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sensitive areas of the Rolling Hills community from the demographic and community facility
information in the Introduction section above and is based on the following categories:
Populations
Infrastructure
Buildings and Facilities
Services
Populations
The vulnerability assessment considers the following population groups that may be
disproportionally harmed by the impacts of climate change in Rolling Hills.
Children: Approximately 6.6 percent of the total population in Rolling Hills are ten years old or
younger.
Persons in poverty: This is identified for people living in households with an income below the
poverty limit, which is $26,200 for a household of four people. There are approximately 26 people in
Rolling Hills who live in poverty, or approximately 1.6 percent of the total population for whom
poverty status can be determined.
Persons with chronic health conditions: These are people who have a long-term or permanent
health condition that can create regular challenges in their day-to-day lives. These health problems
include obesity, cancer, heart disease, and arthritis. In addition, those with any kind of disability,
including mobility challenges, hearing, or vision impairments, behavioral disabilities, and challenges
living independently or taking care of themselves. Approximately 11.5 percent of the population
have identified having a disability.
Renters: These are people who live in homes that they (or the head of their household) do not own.
Approximately 24 housing units, or 4 percent of the housing units in Rolling Hills, are renter-
occupied.
Older adults: These are persons 65 years or older are more at risk for climate change impacts,
especially those living alone. 28 percent of the population of Rolling Hills are over 65 years, and 15
percent of those over 65 years live alone.
Limited English proficiency: Approximately three percent of households have identified being
limited English-speaking. Of those, a majority spoke Asian and Pacific Island languages and Spanish.
Infrastructure
The vulnerability assessment considers the following infrastructure in the city that was identified as
bring sensitive to climate change impacts.
Access Roads: These roadways are one of a few, or the only, ways in and out of some communities
or neighborhoods. The single or limited number of entry and exit points does not make the road
itself more vulnerable than other roads, but loss of these roadways can effectively cut off large
numbers of people from other areas in the Palos Verdes Peninsula and the rest of Los Angeles
County. Portuguese Bend Road and Crest Road are the primary access roads into and out of the city.
Bridle Trails: Throughout the community are over 25 miles of trails available to city residents and
non-city residents who obtain permits. The trails are maintained by the Rolling Hills Community
Association and located primarily in canyon areas.
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Electrical Substations: Electrical substations are facilities that convert electricity from one voltage to
another, making it suitable for long-distance transmission or for use by homes, businesses, and
other electrical customers. There are no electrical substations located within city limits, but three
are located near the city in Rancho Palos Verdes and owned/operated by Southern California
Edison.
Electrical Utility Lines: These lines transmit and deliver electricity from Southern California Edison to
the city. The city has both underground and overhead electric utility lines.
Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines: Natural gas pipelines carry large volumes of natural gas
between communities. There are no transmissions lines in the city. One transmission line ends at
the intersection of Rolling Hills Road and Palos Verdes Drive, adjacent to city limits.
Water Reservoirs and System: The system that stores and supplies drinking water for residents.
Palos Verdes Water District of the California Water Service supplies water to Rolling Hills. There are
two California Water Service water reservoirs within the city limits.
Building and Facilities
Residential Structures: Residential structures in Rolling Hills consist of single-family dwellings and
are the main type of building in the city.
Community Facilities and Government Buildings: Community and government facilities are public
properties and are important to the residents as well as the operation of the city. Rolling Hills is a
private community. Therefore, community and government facilities are available only to its
residents, which are the Rolling Hills Community Association and City Hall.
Community Parks: Storm Hill is an open space area owned by the City which is utilized for
equestrian purposes. The City also has two equestrian rings and tennis courts.
Schools: Rancho Del Mar High School is the only school in the city
Public Safety Facilities: Public safety facilities include sheriff and fire buildings. Los Angeles County
Fire Station 56 is located within the city. The Lomita Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff serves
the city but is not located within the city limits.
Services
Public Safety Response: Public safety services are provided by law enforcement and fire agencies.
These agencies include the Los Angeles County Sheriff and Fire Departments.
Water Services: These services involve treating and transporting water to be used by customers and
transporting and treating wastewater so it can be safely released into the environment. California
Water Service provides drinking water to the city.
Energy delivery: Energy services in Rolling Hills include electricity and natural gas delivered through
utility lines from Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas Company.
Potential Impacts
Impact vulnerability is the nature and degree to which the community is affected by a given
stressor, change, or disturbance. As climate change continues to progress, increased stress to
vulnerable community populations, infrastructure, building and facilities, and services are expected.
As described in the Exposure section above, the most likely primary impacts of climate change
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Rolling Hills may experience include extreme heat, wildfire, and drought conditions impacting water
supply. The vulnerability of Rolling Hills to the primary exposures of climate change is discussed
below. The vulnerability scores discussed in the Vulnerability Scoring section are based on the
potential impact analysis below. Each of the vulnerable areas in the city were given a low, medium,
or high vulnerability to the potential impacts, based off the descriptions in the Vulnerability Scoring
section.
Temperature and Extreme Heat
As describe in the Exposure section above, Rolling Hills may experience a variety of impacts from
climate change, which include an increase of average annual maximum temperature between 1.8°F
and 6.6°F by the end of the century (CEC 2020) This increase in temperature may result in changes
in seasonal patterns, an increase in heat waves, drought, and potentially increased storm frequency
and intensity. Rolling Hills is expected to experience between 8 and 14 extreme heat days annually.
Overall quality of life in the city would be impacted during extreme heat events as outdoor activities
would be limited and overall comfort reduced.
The potential direct and indirect impacts to community populations, infrastructure, building and
facilities, and services are described below.
Populations
The vulnerable populations discussed above that are most at risk to extreme heat impacts from
climate change are older adults, individuals with chronic conditions such as heart and lung disease,
diabetes, and mental illnesses, children, and those who are economically disadvantaged.
The primary vulnerable population to temperature increases and extreme heat in Rolling Hills is
older adults, as 28 percent of the city’s population is over 65 years. Older adults do not adjust as
well as young people to sudden changes in temperature and are more likely to have medical
conditions that can worsen with extreme heat (CDC 2017a). Older adults who are living along are
even more at risk as the actions necessary to mitigation extreme heat are more difficult alone.
Getting water, changing clothes, showering, or turning on the air conditioner may be more difficult
for older adults with physical disabilities and do not have a living partner to assist them. Children are
also at risk to extreme heat impacts, especially those under the age of four, due to their less-
developed physiology, immune system, and dependence on others (CDC 2019).
Extreme heat can be highly dangerous to persons with chronic health conditions, because very high
temperatures can exacerbate diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, respiratory ailments, and other
diseases. Some of these people have weakened immune systems which can make them more likely
to contract illnesses and vulnerable to human health hazards. In addition, they may be taking
medications that make the effects of extreme heat worse (CDC 2017b).
While there are not many households in poverty in the city, those who are have limited financial
resources to upgrade their homes and use air conditioning to better resist extreme heat.
Each of the vulnerable populations has a high potential impact from extreme heat.
Infrastructure
Extreme heat and temperature increase due to climate change would not directly impact
infrastructure in Rolling Hills. Indirect impacts on electrical substations and utility lines could occur
from increased use of the system from running air conditioners, leading to power outages in the
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city. In addition, indirect impacts to the water system through increased evaporation or water use
could occur. These infrastructure facilities would have a medium potential impact from extreme
heat.
Building and Facilities
Extreme heat and temperature increase due to climate change
would not directly affect buildings or facilities in Rolling Hills. Extreme heat and temperature
increases could impact the ability for residents to enjoy community park facilities. In addition,
extreme heat could create wildfire conditions which could indirectly impact all buildings and
facilities within the city. Overall, there is a low potential impact from extreme heat to City buildings
and facilities.
Services
The important services discussed above that are most at risk to extreme heat impacts from climate
change are water services and energy delivery.
High temperatures would contribute to a reduced water supply. For instance, higher temperatures
will melt the Sierra snowpack earlier and drive the snowline higher. In addition to a reduction in
precipitation falling as snow, higher temperatures would result in less snowpack to supply water to
California users (CNRA 2009). Increased temperatures could therefore result in decreased potable
water supply for the city which relies on imported water from the State Water Project and Colorado
River water (Cal Water 2016). Therefore, there is a medium potential impact for high temperatures
and drought on the city.
Long periods of intense heat may result in increased use of electricity for home cooling purposes
that could tax the overall electrical system and result in electricity restrictions or blackouts. During
extreme heat events in August 2020, California had its first rolling blackouts since 2001. Therefore,
the city will experience greater potential for power outages due to climate change and has a
medium potential impact.
Storms/Extreme Weather and Drought
As mentioned in the Exposure section above, the storm and extreme weather projections for Rolling
Hills show variability, with some models projecting little to no change while others project increased
intensity. This could result in impacts to community populations, infrastructure, building and
facilities, and services, particularly related to temporary flooding and landslides which can be
triggered from intense rainfall events. The city currently has a less than 0.2 percent annual chance
to be inundated by flood waters as a result of a storm event (FEMA 2008). Increases in intense
precipitation could result in slope failures in landslide prone areas shown in Figure 2, including the
existing Flying Triangle Landslide area.
As discussed in the Exposure section above, Rolling Hills is not expected to experience substantial
changes in average precipitation. However, the city receives its water from the Colorado River and
State Water Project from northern California, and extended drought scenario is predicted for these
areas, which equates to 78 percent of the historic median annual precipitation. Therefore, areas
that supply water to Rolling Hills and other jurisdictions are expected to see a 22 percent reduction
of their water supply, which could reduce the amount of potable water available for delivery to the
city.
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Populations
The city’s older adults and those with chronic health conditions are the populations in Rolling Hills
that are more at risk of injury and or death resulting from minor floods or fallen trees created by
more intense storms induced by climate change. Indirect impacts to these populations from impacts
to the transportation system could include reduced access to emergency response and health
centers for those who need consistent medical care. There is a medium potential for impacts to
these vulnerable populations.
Infrastructure
Critical infrastructure most at risk in Rolling Hills to minor flooding impacts and landslides from
increased storms would be access roads, bridle trails, electrical utility lines, and water systems.
Because Portuguese Bend Road and Crest Road are critical for access to and evacuation from the
city, any damage or closure can effectively isolate areas of the city, potentially creating severe
health and safety risks. Bridle trails are predominantly located in canyon areas, which would be
more susceptible to flooding and landslides. Landslides could impact utilities, as seen in the existing
Flying Triangle Landslide area, which has moved utility lines above ground in certain areas due to
the continuous movement of the earth in this area. Due to the limited accessibility of the city, there
is a medium potential impact for access roads and bridle trails and a low potential impact for the
remaining vulnerable infrastructure.
Building and Facilities
Buildings and facilities most at risk from impacts of more intense storms would be residential
structures and community parks. The proper functioning residential septic systems could be
impacted by more intense rainfall and minor flooding. In addition, landslides could be triggered as
indirect impacts from more intense storms and rainfall. Residential structures located in landslide
hazard areas shown in Figure 2 could be impacted. In addition, the Storm Hill open space area is an
important facility in the city and is also located in a landslide area. Due to the variability in weather
projections, there is a low potential impact for buildings and facilities.
Services
Increased storm intensity and drought conditions from climate change could impact public safety
response, energy delivery and water services in the city. Emergency response systems could be
impacted from flooding or landslides within or outside of city limits, which could restrict the ability
for emergency response to access the city and impact response times.
More intense storms could adversely affect electricity delivery from Southern California Edison from
power outages caused by downed electrical utility lines from wind of landslide events. In addition,
water service from the California Water Service Palos Verdes District could be affected by increased
drought conditions throughout the state. There is a medium potential impact for buildings and
facilities.
Wildfire
Wildfires in Los Angeles County are projected to increase under all emissions and population
scenarios. As discussed in the Exposure section above, wildfire hazards to the city are widespread
and wildfire conditions are expected to be exacerbated by a range of factors including droughts,
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more severe winds, wildfire fuel (i.e., dry vegetation), and hotter and drier landscapes from
increased temperatures and extreme heat.
Populations
The vulnerable populations discussed above that are most at risk to increases in wildfire from
climate change are older adults, persons in poverty, and persons with chronic health conditions.
Older adults are almost three times more likely to die in a fire than the overall population (USFA
2017), and typically have increased mobility issues or mental health. Therefore, older adults,
especially those in the city living alone, have more difficulties evacuating to safe areas when there is
a need. Those in Rolling Hills with limited financial resources are more unlikely to retrofit their
homes to better resist climate-related hazards such as wildfires.
In addition to direct impacts, indirect impacts such as poor air quality also creates public health
hazards to the city. Recent California wildfires in August and September 2020 had areas of California
recording the worst air quality in the world and highlighted the hazards of secondary impacts from
wildfires, which could impact the city from fires throughout the State. Older adults and individuals
with chronic health conditions are likely to be impacted most by these secondary impacts. Also,
those with limited finances or without air conditioning would be impacted by secondary smoke
impacts that occur during local and regional wildfires. There is a high potential for wildfire impacts
on the vulnerable populations.
Infrastructure
All city infrastructure is located in a VHFHSZ. The critical infrastructure most at risk to increased
wildfire impacts would be access roads, bridle trails, above ground electrical utility lines, and water
systems. Portuguese Bend Road and Crest Road are critical for access to and evacuation from many
areas of the city. Wildfires may not significantly damage the infrastructure, but they could result in
closure or the inability to travel on them during wildfire events, which can isolate areas of the city
and create severe health and safety risks. There is a high potential for impacts to access roads from
wildfires.
Wildfires are unlikely to substantially damage trails directly, but they can force widespread trail
closures which are an important asset to the community. Above ground electrical lines are also at
risk from wildfires and could impact electricity services to residents in Rolling Hills. Water systems
could be directly affected by wildfires in addition to indirect impacts from water use from
firefighting activities and peak load water supply in remote portions of the city. There is a medium
potential for impact to these infrastructures.
Building and Facilities
As discussed under Hazards of Concern section, all of Rolling Hills is designated a VHFHSZ.
Therefore, all buildings and facilities within the city are at risk of increased wildfires caused by
climate change. The greatest potential impact of life and well-being would be to residential
structures, which are the primary structures in the city. In addition, impacts to Rolling Hills
Community Association and City Hall structures would impact community functions and government
services. There is a high potential for impact to buildings and facilities from wildfire.
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Services
Energy delivery, specifically electricity delivery, could be impacted from increased wildfires. Direct
impacts to Southern California Edison electricity transmission infrastructure could impact power in
the city. In addition, utility companies have begun shutting off power to areas to avoid wildfires
during times when weather creates high wildfire risk. In addition, public safety services could be
strained during wildfire events, which are expected to increase. There is a medium potential for
impacts to services in the city from wildfire.
Adaptive Capacity
Adaptive capacity is the current ability to cope with climate change impacts to community
populations and assets (Cal OES 2020). Specifically, adaptative capacity is the ability to mitigate the
potential impacts and damages or take advantage of the opportunities from climate change. Many
communities have adaptive capacity in the form of policies, plans, programs, or institutions. Rolling
Hills has actively taken steps to increase the city’s adaptive capacity, which include preparing a
community wildfire protection plan, hazard mitigation plan, undergrounding utility lines, and
adopting strict new building standards. Table 5 lists various guiding documents, projects, plans, and
policies that have an underlying emphasis on adaptive capacity in the city.
Table 5 Rolling Hills Existing Adaptive Capacity
Project, Policy, or Plan Year Established Climate Change Impact
City of Rolling Hill Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2020 Wildfire
City of Rolling Hills Safety Element 2003 Wildfire, Storms
California Water Service Palos Verdes Water District Urban
Water Management Plan
2016 Drought
Utility Undergrounding Requirement n/a Wildfire
Fire Prevention Power Line Undergrounding 2020 Wildfire
RHMC Chapter 8.30: Fire Fuel Abatement n/a Wildfire
Hazard Mitigation Plan 2019 Wildfire, Drought, Storm-
induced Landslides
Emergency Operations Plan 2020 Wildfire, Storm, Extreme
Heat
Emergency Notification and Notify Me n/a Wildfire, Storms
VHFHSZ Building Requirements n/a Wildfire
Rolling Hills Municipal Code Requirements for lot slope and
lot stability
n/a Storm-Induced Landslides
Rolling Hills has a number of plans and policies specific to wildfire hazards. The city’s recently
adopted the Community Wildfire Protection Plan that includes fire mitigation strategies and
evacuations strategies specific for the city. In addition, the Hazard Mitigation Plan provides an
analysis of historical hazards, a local hazard assessment, hazard impacts on the community, and
recommended mitigation strategies. The City requires the undergrounding of utility lines with
specific home upgrades and has a reimbursement program for utility pole replacement. In addition,
building code requirements for development within VHFHSZ, such as Class A roofing, would help
reduce wildfire impacts to structures in the city.
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The Rolling Hills Building and Zoning Codes include controls on development on steep slopes and
canyon bottoms. In addition, development requires proof of stability of the property through
geotechnical reports and only a percentage of each lot can be disturbed.
The Palos Verdes Water District’s Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) provides water supply
and demand projections and includes a climate change analysis. The 2015 UWMP projected that
water supply reductions to the District due to climate change would be small for through the end of
the century. In addition, the UWMP includes a water shortage contingency plan and demand
reduction measures in the event water supply to the District is impacts from drought due to climate
change.
In addition, the city’s population has a high degree of adaptive capacity due to the high levels of
home ownership, low poverty levels, and high average income levels. These characteristics improve
resident’s ability to upgrade their homes and come back from potential impacts to their property
from wildfire and extreme storm events.
Vulnerability Scoring
Vulnerability scores are based on the combination of potential impacts from climate hazards and
adaptive capacity in order to identify the climate vulnerabilities in the city to address with additional
adaptation strategies. A vulnerability score was determined for each sensitivity area based on the
potential impacts and adaptive capacity from climate change in the city. Vulnerability was accessed
on a scale from 1 to 5:
V-1: Minimal Vulnerability
V-2: Low Vulnerability
V-3: Moderate Vulnerability
V-4: High
V-5: Severe
Cal OES recommended the following scoring rubric to determine the vulnerability score for the
potential impacts and adaptive capacity.
Low Potential Impact: Impact is unlikely based on projected exposure; would
result in minor consequences to public health, safety, and/or other metrics of concern
Medium Potential Impact: Impact is somewhat likely based on projected exposure; would
result in some consequences to public health, safety, and/or other metrics of concern
High Potential Impact: Impact is highly likely based on projected exposure; would result in
substantial consequences to public health, safety, and/or other metrics of concern
Low Adaptive Capacity: The population or asset lacks capacity to manage climate impact; major
changes would be required
Medium Adaptive Capacity: The population or asset has some capacity to manage climate
impact; some changes would be required
High Adaptive Capacity: The population or asset has high capacity to manage climate impact;
minimal to no changes are required
Table 6 shows how the final vulnerability score was determined. To summarize, potential impacts
from climate change that are highly likely to occur in the city based on projected exposure would
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create a high vulnerability score. However, if the city has a high adaptive capacity to manage the
impact, then the overall vulnerability score would be reduced.
Table 6 Vulnerability Score Matrix Potential Impacts High V-3 V-4 V-5
Medium V-2 V-3 V-4
Low V-1 V-2 V-3
High Medium Low
Adaptive Capacity
The vulnerability scoring for the identified population and assets for each climate impact is included
below in Table 7 and based on Cal OES California Adaptation Planning Guide. For those populations
and assets that are not anticipated to be impacted directly or indirectly from the identified climate
impacts, no vulnerabilty score or color is provided. For example, drought impacts on children were
determined to not be a threat in Rolling Hills.
For the purposes of this vulnerability assessment, a score of V-4 or V-5 is considered significant.
Populations and assets that score at least a V-4 for one or more exposures are considered
substantially vulnerable. As shown in Table 7, the potential impacts from climate change the city’s
population and assets are most vulnerable to are wildfire, extreme heat, and landslides. Vulnerable
populations such as older adults, residents with chronic health conditions, and those with financial
trouble are most at risk to extreme heat and wildfire impacts and are substantially vulnerable to
climate change impacts in the city. Access roads and residential structures are also the most
vulnerable to wildfire and landslide impacts from climate change. Overall, climate change impacts
on wildfire are the greatest potential impact to the city. While the City has adopted a significant
number of adaptation strategies related to wildfire impacts, because they were recently adopted
and some of the strategies were included as recommendations, it will be important to determine
and monitor if implementation is occurring and which recommendations should be included in the
Safety Element update.
This vulnerability assessment and the results in Table 7 will be used to identify specific policies and
implementable strategies for adapting to climate change in the Safety Element, thus making the
Rolling Hills community more resilient.
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Table 7 Vulnerability Assessment Results
Community Sensitivity Storms/Extreme Weather Extreme Heat Wildfire Landslides
Population
Children V-3 V-2 V-2
Persons with Chronic Health
Conditions
V-2 V-4 V-4 V-2
Persons in Poverty V-2 V-3 V-4 V-2
Renters V-3 V-2 V-2
Older Adults V-2 V-4 V-4 V-2
Limited English Speaking V-2 V-2
Infrastructure
Access Roads V-2 V-4 V-3
Bridle Trails V-2 V-3 V-2
Electrical Substations V-1 V-2 V-3
Electrical Utility Lines V-2 V-1 V-3 V-2
Natural Gas Transmission
Pipelines
V-2 V-2
Water Reservoirs and Systems V-1 V-2 V-3 V-3
Buildings and Facilities
Residential Structures V-1 V-5 V-3
Community Facilities and
Government Buildings
V-1 V-4 V-1
Community Parks V-1 V-1 V-3 V-3
Schools V-1 V-3 V-1
Public Safety Facilities V-1 V-3 V-1
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Community Sensitivity Storms/Extreme Weather Extreme Heat Wildfire Landslides
Services
Public Safety Response V-2 V-3 V-1
Water Services V-2 V-2 V-3 V-2
Energy Delivery V-2 V-3 V-4 V-2
Notes: Drought was not included in this table because the city’s vulnerability to drought is primarily low. White boxes indicate very low to now vulnerability.
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Summary of Issues and Opportunities
Existing hazards of concern in the city that should be a major focus of the Safety Element update
include landslide and wildfire hazards. In addition, emergency response and evacuation should be a
focus due to the city’s accessibility issues. Climate change is expected to increase potential hazards
the city experiences. From the vulnerability analysis, the city is most vulnerable to wildfire impacts,
extreme heat, and landslides impacts from climate change.
Hazards of Concern and Community Sensitivity
While there are a number of hazards that could impacts the city, the following are hazards of
concern that pose the greatest challenge to the city.
Wildfire
The greatest hazard of concern for the city is wildfire as the entire city limits are within a VHFHSZ
and the city contains many remote areas and limited evacuation routes. Some existing residential
and accessory structures are not built to current standards that apply to VHFHSZ and as a result
many of these structures may require mitigation and retrofit to reduce this potential threat. The
area’s most vulnerable to wildfire impacts include older adults, persons with chronic health
conditions, residential structures, government and community buildings, and access roads.
Landslides
Landslides are also a major concern for the city, whether they are earthquake induced, induced
from high precipitation events, or occur due to the underlying soil conditions. Existing landslides are
impacting the southern portion of the city. Climate change has the potential to create more
landslide events if Rolling Hills experiences more intense storms and precipitation events. The area’s
most vulnerable to landslide impacts include access roads, residential structures, and community
parks.
Extreme Heat
The city is expected to see increases in the number and length of extreme heat days and events due
to climate change, which could impact vulnerable people in the city and lead to increased wildfire
risks. The area’s most vulnerable to extreme heat impacts from climate change include older adults,
persons with chronic health conditions, and the energy system.
Opportunities
The need to further analyze evacuation routes and access is one of the most recent changes in
Safety Element requirements. These new requirements focus on the identification of areas where
routes are lacking or inadequate. A key opportunity for the Safety Element update is address
specific evacuation needs.
The City has recently adopted a number of planning documents, such as the Hazard Mitigation Plan
and Community Wildfire Protection Plan, that seek to reduce the risk of hazards in the city. Many of
the strategies included in these documents are recommendations and are used for educational
purposes. An opportunity for the Safety Element update would be to include the recommendations
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as implementation tools for the Safety Element and to conduct outreach with the community to
determine if community preparedness is occurring.
The California Legislature recently adopted Senate Bill 182 (SB 182) and is awaiting Governor
approval. SB 182 would require the Safety Element to include a comprehensive retrofit strategy as
necessary to reduce the risk of property loss and damage during wildfires. Additionally, in order to
reduce development pressures in the VHFHSZ through the Regional Housing Needs Allocation
process, SB 182 requires a lower proportion of state housing allocation to jurisdictions that meet
specified conditions. The City should monitor and incorporate these elements as necessary.
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References
California Department of Toxic Substances and Control (DTSC). 2020. Envirostor.
https://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/map/?myaddress=rolling+hills%2C+ca. Accessed
August 2020.
California Department of Water Resources (DWR). 2019. Climate Change Basics. Available at
https://water.ca.gov/Water-Basics/Climate-Change-Basics. Accessed September 2020.
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). 2020. California Adaptation Planning
Guide. June 2020.
California Water Service (Cal Water). 2016. 2015 Urban Water Management Plan: Palos Verdes
District. June 2016.
Center for Disease Control (CDC). 2017a. Heat and Older Adults.
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/older-adults-heat.html. Accessed September
2020.
____. 2017b. Heat and People with Chronic Medical Conditions.
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/medical.html. Accessed September 2020.
____. 2019. Heat and Infants and Children.
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/children.html. Accessed September 2020.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 2008. Flood Insurance Rate Map 06037C1940F.
Goss, Michael et al. 2020. Climate change is increasing the likelihood of extreme autumn wildfire
conditions across California. Environmental Research Letters 15.094016
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 2013. IPCC Fifth Assessment Report: Climate
Change 2013. Working Group I: The Physical Science Basis. Accessible at:
http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1/
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LACSD). 2020. Lomita Station Part I Crimes.
http://shq.lasdnews.net/CrimeStats/CAASS/Patrol-CurrentMonth-YTD.PDF. Accessed
August 2020.
National Drought Mitigation Center. 2020. U.S. Drought Monitor: California. September 15, 2020.
https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?CA. Accessed
September 2020.
National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). 2020. Drought in California.
https://www.drought.gov/drought/states/california. Accessed October 2020.
Rolling Hills, City of. 1990. General Plan Safety Element. June 25, 1990.
____. 2019. Hazard Mitigation Plan. January 16, 2019.
____. 2020. Community Wildfire Protection Plan. July 2020.
Southern California Earthquake Center. 2013. Hazards and Threats Earthquakes List of Major Active
Surface Faults in Southern California. March.
University of California, Berkeley and California Energy Commission (CEC). 2020. Cal-Adapt.
https://cal-adapt.org/. Accessed August 2020.
209
References
Existing Conditions Report 39
U.S. Census Bureau. 2018. Rolling Hills, City 2018 ACS 5-Year Estimates.
https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Rolling%20Hills%20city,%20California&g=1600000U
S0662602&tid=ACSDP5Y2018.DP05&hidePreview=false.
Western Region Climate Center (WRCC). 2016. Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary.
https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ca8973. Accessed August 2020.
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City of Rolling Hills
1
March 10, 2022
5 Hutton Centre Drive, Suite 750
Santa Ana, California 92707
John F. Signo, Director of Planning and Community Services
City of Rolling Hills
2 Portuguese Bend Road
Rolling Hills, CA 90274
Subject: City of Rolling Hills Housing Element Update and Safety Element Update Initial Study / Negative Declaration
Dear John F. Signo,
An Initial Study Negative Declaration (IS/ND) was prepared for both the Housing Element Update and Safety Element
Update for the City of Rolling Hills. For the purposes of this Final IS/ND, the only action currently being approved is the
Safety Element Update. This action is wholly consistent and bounded by the analysis and findings in the IS/ND. The
IS/ND is complete, and no mitigation is required to be included in the IS/ND for the Safety Element Update.
If any questions arise, please feel free to contact me at vboyd@chambersgroupinc.com or (760)685‐4838.
Thank you,
Victoria Boyd
Project Manager
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FINAL NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR THE
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS 2021‐2029 HOUSING ELEMENT
UPDATE AND SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
Prepared for:
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
No. 2 Portuguese Bend Road
Rolling Hills, CA 90274
Contact: John F. Signo, AICP
(310) 377‐1521
Prepared by:
CHAMBERS GROUP, INC.
600 West Broadway #250
Glendale, CA 91204
(213) 623‐1859
March 2022
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SECTION 1.0 – INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1
1.1 DRAFT INITIAL STUDY / NEGATIVE DECLARATION ........................................................................ 1
1.2 AVAILABILITY OF THE NOI AND IS/ND .......................................................................................... 1
SECTION 2.0 – PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SETTING ............................................................................ 2
2.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................. 2
2.1.1 Housing Element Update ................................................................................................. 2
2.1.2 Safety Element Update .................................................................................................... 2
2.2 HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE ........................................................................................................ 2
2.2.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 2
2.2.2 Housing Element Overview .............................................................................................. 3
2.2.3 Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) .................................................................... 4
2.2.4 Summary of Ability to Meet RHNA .................................................................................. 4
2.2.5 2021‐2029 Goals and Policies .......................................................................................... 5
2.3 SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE ............................................................................................................ 5
2.3.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 5
2.3.2 Safety Element Overview ................................................................................................. 5
2.3.3 Goals and Policies ............................................................................................................ 6
2.4 APPROVALS REQUIRED ................................................................................................................. 6
SECTION 3.0 – FINDINGS ...................................................................................................................... 7
SECTION 4.0 – CIRCULATION ................................................................................................................ 8
SECTION 5.0 – RESPONSE TO COMMENTS ............................................................................................ 9
5.1 COMMENTS AND RESPONSES TO COMMENTS ............................................................................ 9
SECTION 6.0 – REVISIONS TO THE DRAFT NEGATIVE DECLARATION .................................................... 49
SECTION 7.0 – NEGATIVE DECLARATION ............................................................................................ 50
SECTION 8.0 – REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 51
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 2‐1: Summary of Ability to Meet RHNA .............................................................................................. 4
Table 4‐1: Comments from Agencies on the Draft Negative Declaration .................................................... 8
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SECTION 1.0 – INTRODUCTION
1.1 DRAFT INITIAL STUDY / NEGATIVE DECLARATION
On January 13, 2022, the City of Rolling Hills distributed the Draft Initial Study/ Negative Declaration
(IS/ND) for the City of Rolling Hills 2021‐2029 Housing Element Update and Safety Element Update Project
to public agencies and the general public. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) Section 21091 and State CEQA Guidelines Section 15073, a 30‐day public review period for the
Draft IS/ND was provided from January 13, 2022, to February 11, 2022.
1.2 AVAILABILITY OF THE NOI AND IS/ND
The Notice of Intent (NOI) and the IS/ND were available for review at the following locations:
City of Rolling Hills City Hall
Planning and Community Services Department
No. 2 Portuguese Bend Road
Rolling Hills, CA 90274
The city’s website at:
https://www.rolling‐hills.org/21330%20‐%20Rolling%20Hills%20IS_011022.pdf
Additionally the NOI was posted in the Daily Breeze on January 13, 2022. Agencies and members of the
public were invited to reach out to the City's Director of Planning and Community Services, John F. Signo,
AICP, with any comments or questions regarding the Project.
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SECTION 2.0 – PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SETTING
2.1 INTRODUCTION
The City of Rolling Hills (City) is a rural, equestrian residential community, consisting entirely of large lot
residential parcels of one acre or more. The community encompasses 2.99 square miles of land
(approximately 1,910 acres) on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in the County of Los Angeles. The City’s General
Plan was drafted and adopted in 1990. The City is proposing updates to both the Housing Element and
Safety Element of the General Plan, two of the six elements. A description of each of the updates is
provided below.
2.1.1 Housing Element Update
The 2020 Census indicates a citywide population of 1,739 residents, making the City the fifth smallest of
the 88 cities in Los Angeles County. The City is proposing to adopt the Housing Element for the Sixth Cycle
planning period from 2021 to 2029. The Housing Element, which is part of the City’s General Plan, is a
policy document designed to provide the City a coordinated and comprehensive strategy for promoting
the production of safe, decent, and affordable housing within the community. California Government
Code Section 65580 states the following regarding the importance of creating housing elements:
The availability of housing is of vital statewide importance, and the early attainment of decent
housing and a suitable living environment for every Californian, including farmworkers, is a priority
of the highest order.
Per State law, the housing element has two main purposes:
1. To provide an assessment of both current and future housing needs and constraints in meeting
these needs; and
2. To provide a strategy that establishes housing goals, policies, and programs.
2.1.2 Safety Element Update
The Safety Element Update (SEU), provides the City’s goals, policies, and actions to minimize the hazards
to safety in and around the City. The SEU evaluates natural and human‐caused safety hazards that affect
existing and future development and provides guidelines for protecting the community from harm. The
SEU describes existing and potential future conditions and sets policies for improved public safety. The
goal of the SEU is to reduce the risk of injury, death, property loss, and other hardships to acceptable
levels.
2.2 HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE
2.2.1 Background
The City’s Housing Element serves as an integrated part of the General Plan and is subject to detailed
statutory requirements, including a requirement to be updated every eight years and mandatory review
by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). This action includes the
adoption of the HEU, which is a policy document; no actual development or rezoning of parcels is included
as part of the HEU. The proposed HEU is an eight‐year plan for the 2021‐2029 period.
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Pursuant to Government Code Section 65583, a housing element is required to consist of an identification
and analysis of existing and projected housing needs and a statement of goals, policies, quantified
objectives, financial resources, and scheduled programs for the preservation, improvement, and
development of housing. Specifically, a housing element is required to contain the following:
An assessment of housing needs and an inventory of resources and constraints relevant to
meeting those needs (Government Code Section 65583[a])
A statement of the community’s goals, quantified objectives, and policies relative to the
maintenance, preservation, improvement, and development of housing (Government Code
Section 65583[a])
A program that sets forth a schedule of actions during the planning period, each with a timeline
for implementation of the policies and to achieve the goals and objectives of the housing element
(Government Code Section 65583[c])
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) began the Regional Housing Needs Allocation
(RHNA) process for the Sixth Cycle in Fall 2019, exploring different methodologies for allocating the
regional need to individual cities and counties. As other cities began work on their Sixth Cycle Elements,
the City was required to first amend its Fifth Cycle Element to accommodate both the current (Fifth) cycle
and the prior (Fourth) cycle RHNA allocations due to its noncompliant status. The combined RHNA for the
two cycles was 28 units. Accommodating this need meant that the City was also required to amend its
General Plan and zoning to create additional housing capacity.
The Fifth Cycle Housing Element was adopted June 14, 2021. The Fifth Cycle Housing Element was
submitted to HCD and found to be in compliance on July 7, 2021. As a result of the compliance
determination, the City does not have to carry over its prior allocation and may plan only for the 45 units
identified in the Sixth Cycle RHNA.
2.2.2 Housing Element Overview
The City’s HEU consists of the following major components:
A review of the prior housing element and goals that were accomplished (Section 2, Evaluation of
Prior Housing Element)
An assessment of housing needs in the City including profile and analysis of the City’s
demographics, housing characteristics, and existing and future housing needs (Section 3, Housing
Needs Assessment)
An assessment of resources available to meet the City’s objectives regarding housing production
and preservation. Resources include land available for new construction and redevelopment, as
well as financial and administrative resources available (Section 4, Housing Sites)
A review of the constraints to housing production and preservation. Constraints include potential
market, governmental policy, and environmental limitations to meeting the City’s identified
housing needs (Section 5, Constraints to Housing Production)
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A statement of the housing plan to address the City’s identified housing needs, including housing
goals, policies, and programs (Section 6, Housing Goals, Policies, Objectives, and Programs)
2.2.3 Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)
State housing element law requires housing elements to be updated regularly to reflect a community’s
changing housing needs, including preparation of a RHNA plan [Government Code Section 65584(a)].
A critical measure of compliance is the ability of a jurisdiction to accommodate its share of the regional
housing needs based on a RHNA prepared by HCD for each Council of Governments in the state that
identifies projected housing units needed for all economic segments based on Department of Finance
population estimates. The SCAG is responsible for allocating this total to each of the six counties and 191
cities in the SCAG area. This process is known as the RHNA and occurs every eight years.
SCAG calculates each city and county’s “fair share” of the regional need using a computer model that
weighs factors such as existing population and employment, growth potential, proximity to transit, and
social equity. For each jurisdiction, SCAG distributes the RHNA among four different income groups. This
ensures that each city or county is planning for housing that meets the needs of all economic segments of
the community, including lower income households.
For the City, the RHNA for 2021‐2029 is 45 units (SCAG 2020). This includes 20 very low income units,
9 low income units, 11 moderate income units, and 5 above moderate income units. The 2021‐2029
Housing Element demonstrates that the City has the capacity to accommodate this assignment.
2.2.4 Summary of Ability to Meet RHNA
As shown in Table 2‐1: below, the combination of recently approved housing units (expected to be
occupied in 2022), future affordable units on the Rancho Del Mar site,1 and new accessory dwelling units
(ADUs) can accommodate the RHNA allocation in all income categories. The table illustrates a surplus
capacity of seven lower income units based on projected ADU production over the planning period.
Table 2‐1: Summary of Ability to Meet RHNA
Income Category
Total Extremely Low/
Very Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate
Approved Development ‐ 2 3 7* 12
Vacant Residential Lots ‐ ‐ ‐ 20 20
Rancho Del Mar Site 8 8 ‐ ‐ 16
Accessory Dwelling Units 12 6 8 14 40
TOTALS 20 16 11 41 88
RHNA 20 9 11 5 45
1 In March 2021, the City adopted an Affordable Housing Overlay Zone on the 31-acre Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School
District (PVPUSD) property located at 38 Crest Road (Rancho Del Mar site). Although the site is technically non-vacant, roughly
three-quarters of the property (23 acres) is open space. The remaining areas are underutilized and could be repurposed. Consistent
with the General Plan and Zoning amendments completed in 2021, the site is viable for 16 units of low/very low income housing.
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Table 2‐1: Summary of Ability to Meet RHNA
Income Category
Total Extremely Low/
Very Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate
Surplus/Deficit 0 +7 0 +36 +43
Adequate Sites? YES YES YES YES YES
Notes: Includes three new homes and four ADUs
2.2.5 2021‐2029 Goals and Policies
As previously mentioned, based on the City’s ability to meet RHNA allocation as described above, the HEU
is a policy document; no actual development nor rezoning of parcels is included as part of the approval.
The housing goals, policies, objectives, and programs which can be found in Chapter 6 of the HEU reflect
the City’s continued commitment to actively support residential development and plan for the City’s fair
share of regional housing needs.
2.3 SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE
2.3.1 Background
Throughout its history as a city, the City has dealt with various natural hazards, including earthquakes,
wildfires, droughts, and land movement. Developments in high landslide areas have occurred, and the
City has been identified as being located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ). As a result,
the City has amended its building and safety codes to include special requirements such as fire‐rated
materials for new construction and a requirement for geotechnical studies in active fault zones.
2.3.2 Safety Element Overview
The City’s SEU addresses hazards of concern relevant to the City and provides goals, policies, and
implementation measures to minimize these hazards. Figures 2 through 6 of the SEU show exact locations
of these hazards (City of Rolling Hills 2022, Appendix B), which are described in the following paragraphs.
Landslide Hazards
Much of the existing development in the City is located on hilly terrain and has a greater potential to
experience landslide hazards. Many of the canyons in the City exhibit steep slopes with little vegetation
coverage, leaving them susceptible to slope failure.
Seismic Hazards
The City is in a seismically active region of southern California. The last major earthquake in the Los
Angeles area was the 5.1 magnitude La Habra earthquake in 2014. The City is within 50 miles of the
Whittier fault, Newport‐Inglewood fault, Palos Verdes fault, Malibu Coast fault, Cabrillo fault, Santa
Monica fault, and Redondo Canyon fault. Analysis of seismic data from the region indicates that the
Whittier and Newport‐Inglewood faults may generate a maximum credible earthquake of magnitude 7.2
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and 7.4, respectively. The earthquake shaking potential for the City is moderate. A number of seismically
active faults are present in the City and region; however, none are active faults with the potential for
ground rupture, defined by the Alquist‐Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act and delineated by California
Geological Survey. The City has a low potential for liquefaction, as the subsurface soils generally lack
saturated alluvial deposits and thick, granular soils.
Flooding
The City is not in any immediate risk from flooding caused by overflowing water bodies or heavy rains.
However, runoff and minor flooding pose a risk if drainage systems fail along canyon bottoms, where
natural drainage leads. Due to dam locations and the topography of the area, the inundation areas do not
enter or affect any portion of the City.
Wildland and Urban Fires
The entire City is designated a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) by the California Department
of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE 2011). The terrain in the City is composed of several large and
steep canyons that limit and challenge vegetation management and present conditions where a fire can
quickly travel up and downslope to nearby homes. Due to the rural nature and large residential lots, many
homes are surrounded by more substantial vegetation and dense brush than in more suburban settings.
Hazardous Materials
According to the Department of Substances Control (DTSC 2021), no hazardous waste sites or facilities are
present in the City. The City and surrounding area do not contain heavy industrial uses that would create
a hazardous material risk in the event of a spill, release, or natural disaster.
2.3.3 Goals and Policies
Similar to the HEU, the SEU is a policy document; no actual development or rezoning of parcels is included
as part of the approval. In addition to goals and policies, the SEU includes implementation measures for
action items for the City. The goals, policies, and implementation for hazard mitigation, community
communication, and climate change adaptation and resilience are listed at the end of the SEU.
2.4 APPROVALS REQUIRED
Pursuant to State law, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is
empowered to review the housing element of each community to ensure its compliance with the
provisions of the Government Code related to facilitating the improvement and development of housing
in order to make adequate provisions for the housing needs of all economic segments of the community.
HCD has review but not approval authority.
Prior to adoption of the Safety Element, coordination and feedback from Los Angeles County Fire
Department, Rolling Hills Community Association, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is
required.
The City Council will need to adopt the Negative Declaration for the Housing Element and Safety Element
Updates. No other approvals will be required.
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SECTION 3.0 – FINDINGS
An IS / ND was prepared to assess the proposed Project's potential impacts on the environment and the
significance of those impacts. Based on this IS / ND, it was determined that the proposed Project would
not have any significant impacts on the environment. This conclusion is supported by the following
findings:
No potential was found for adverse impacts on Aesthetics, Agriculture, Air Quality, Biological
Resources, Cultural Resources, Energy, Geology and Soils, Greenhouse Gases, Hazards and
Hazardous Materials, Hydrology, Land Use and Planning, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population
and Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation, Utilities and Service Systems, Tribal
Cultural Resources, and Wildfire associated with the Proposed Project.
The proposed Project will not have the potential to substantially degrade the quality of the
environment, substantially reduce the habitat of a fish or wildlife species, cause a fish or wildlife
population to drop below self‐sustaining levels, threaten to eliminate a plant or animal
community, substantially reduce the number or restrict the range of an endangered, rare or
threatened species or eliminate important examples of the major periods of California history or
prehistory with the implementation of the recommended mitigation.
The proposed Project will not have impacts that are individually limited but cumulatively
considerable.
The proposed Project will not have environmental effects which will cause substantially adverse
effects on human beings, either directly or indirectly
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SECTION 4.0 – CIRCULATION
On January 13, 2022, the City of Rolling Hills circulated a NOI to Adopt an IS / ND to public agencies. In
accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 21091 and State CEQA
Guidelines Section 15073, a 30‐day public review period for the Draft IS/ND was provided from January 13,
2022, to February 11, 2022. Copies of the IS / ND and supporting materials were made available for review
at the City of Rolling Hills City Hall No. 2 Portuguese Bend Road, Rolling Hills, CA 90274 and online at
https://www.rolling‐hills.org/government/planning_and_community_services/index.php.
During the 30‐day comment period, the following comments were received from the following agencies.
Table 4‐1: Comments from Agencies on the Draft Negative Declaration
Comment Letter No. Commenting Agency Date of Comment
1 California Department of Transportation January 27, 2022
2 California Department of Fish and Wildlife February 4, 2022
3 Los Angeles County Sanitation District February 7, 2022
4 County of Los Angeles Fire Department February 8, 2022
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SECTION 5.0 – RESPONSE TO COMMENTS
CEQA Guidelines Section 15204 (b) outlines parameters for submitting comments and reminds persons
and public agencies that the focus of review and comment of negative declarations should be, “on the
proposed finding that the project will not have a significant effect on the environment. If persons and
public agencies believe that the project may have a significant effect, they should: (1) Identify the specific
effect; (2) Explain why they believe the effect would occur, and; (3) Explain why they believe the effect
would be significant.”
CEQA Guidelines Section 15204 (c) further advises, “Reviewers should explain the basis for their
comments, and should submit data or references offering facts, reasonable assumptions based on facts,
or expert opinion supported by facts in support of the comments. Pursuant to Section 15064, an effect
shall not be considered significant in the absence of substantial evidence.” Section 15204 (d) also states,
“Each responsible agency and trustee agency shall focus its comments on environmental information
germane to that agency’s statutory responsibility.” Section 15204 (e) states, “This section shall not be
used to restrict the ability of reviewers to comment on the general adequacy of a document or of the lead
agency to reject comments not focused as recommended by this section.”
In accordance with Public Resources Code 21092.5 (b) of the CEQA Guidelines, the lead agency shall notify
any public agency which comments on a negative declaration of the public hearing or hearings, if any, on
the project for which the negative declaration was prepared. If notice to the commenting public agency
is provided pursuant to Section 21092, the notice shall satisfy the requirement of this subdivision.
5.1 COMMENTS AND RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
Written comments on the Draft IS / ND are reproduced on the following pages, along with responses to
those comments. To assist in referencing comments and responses, the letters are coded using numbers
(e.g., Comment Letter 1) and each issue raised in the comment letter is assigned a number that correlates
with the letter (e.g., 1‐1, 1‐2, 1‐3, etc.).
Comment‐initiated text revisions to the Draft ND and minor staff‐initiated changes are compiled in their
entirety and are demarcated with revision marks in Section 6.0, Revisions to the Draft Negative
Declaration, of this Final IS/ ND.
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RESPONSE TO COMMENT LETTER 1
Commenter: Miya Edmonson, IGR/CEQA Branch Chief, California Department of Transportation
Date of Letter: January 27, 2022
Response to Comment 1‐1: The commenter acknowledges receipt of the environmental document
and accurately discusses the Project components. The comment also provides population and housing
information regarding the City of Rolling Hills. No response is required.
Response to Comment 1‐2: The commenter discusses the shift in transportation analysis as a result
of Senate Bill 743 which utilizes vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as the analysis metric as required for CEQA
projects and notes the challenges that the region faces in identifying viable solutions to alleviating
congestion on state and local facilities. The commenter suggests use of road diets, complete streets, and
use of pedestrian safety measures to increase road safety and notes the environmental report should
ensure all modes are served well by planning and development activities. This comment is noted,
and no further response is required.
Response to Comment 1‐3: The commenter encourages the lead agency to use Transportation
Demand Management strategies for future specific projects to support transit and pedestrian services,
while providing reference manuals for these strategies. This comment is noted, and no further response
is required.
Response to Comment 1‐4: The commenter acknowledges the lack of public roads or streets in the
City and notes the City’s circulation infrastructure does not support high volume trips. The commenter
also notes impacts associated with future development would require project‐specific mitigation
measures. Any potentially significant environmental impacts identified from future development would
be addressed through project‐specific mitigation measures identified at the time a specific development
project is considered by the City.
Response to Comment 1‐5: The commenter concludes the letter and provides contact information
for questions related to the letter. This comment is noted, and no further response is required.
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RESPONSE TO COMMENT LETTER 2
Commenter: Erinn Wilson‐Olgin, Environmental Program Manager I, South Coast Region, California
Department of Fish and Wildlife
Date of Letter: February 4, 2022
Response to Comment 2‐1: The commenter notes that California Department of Fish and Wildlife
(CDFW) has reviewed the proposed Project and Negative Declaration. The commenter accurately notes
that they are a Trustee Agency per CEQA Guidelines Section 15386 subdivision (a). The commenter also
notes that they are submitting comments as a Responsible Agency; however, per CEQA Guidelines
Section 15381, a responsible agency is a public agency with discretionary approval authority over a
portion of a CEQA project (e.g., required permits). The commenter also notes that CDFW’s regulatory
authority is derived from the potential need for a lake and streambed alteration agreement or take
permit; however, neither will be required for the Project. As the proposed Project requires no permits,
there are no responsible agencies.
Response to Comment 2‐2: The commenter accurately provides a description of the Project. No
response is required.
Response to Comment 2‐3: The commenter introduces their comments and provides
recommendations regarding perceived impacts tied to future development. The commenter also
proposes potential mitigation measures for protection of biological resources including wildlife and
plant species that exist within the City.
The City is proposing updates to both the Housing Element and Safety Element of the General Plan, two
of the six General Plan elements that cover long‐range planning for the community’s growth and
development. Specifically, the Housing Element is concerned with policies and programs to meet the
housing needs of current and future Rolling Hills residents. This means identifying housing needs and
barriers to housing development, identifying development sites, and adopting programs to facilitate
housing that are affordable to all segments of the community. Therefore, the Housing Element is a
policy document and not an application for development of any particular parcel or site in the City.
As part of updating the Housing Element, the City must prepare an inventory of land suitable for
residential development. This inventory may include vacant land and sites having the “potential” for
redevelopment. The California Housing and Community Development (HCD) Department has assigned
the City of Rolling Hills its fair share of future housing needs through the Regional Housing Needs
Allocation (RHNA) process. Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) began the (RHNA
process for the Sixth Cycle in Fall 2019, exploring different methodologies for allocating the regional
need to individual cities and counties. As other cities began work on their Sixth Cycle Elements, the City
was required to first amend its Fifth Cycle Element to accommodate both the current (Fifth) cycle and
the prior (Fourth) cycle RHNA allocations due to its noncompliant status. The combined RHNA for the
two cycles was 28 units. Accommodating this need meant that the City was also required to amend its
General Plan and zoning as part of the Fifth Cycle, to create additional housing capacity.
The Fifth Cycle Housing Element was adopted June 14, 2021. The Fifth Cycle Housing Element was
submitted to HCD and found to be in compliance on July 7, 2021. As a result of the compliance
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determination, the City does not have to carry over its prior allocation and may plan only for the
45 units identified in the Sixth Cycle RHNA.
The City’s RHNA represents a “planning target” and is not a building quota or proposed housing
development application(s). Per the Housing Element law, the City must develop a list of sites where
housing development during the planning cycle (2021‐2029) is realistic. The City identified 20 sites for
which future development could occur. These sites currently are all zoned for residential uses. The
Housing Element Update does not propose any additional sites not currently zoned for residential uses,
nor does it propose intensifying with zoning any existing residentially zoned land.
CEQA Guidelines Section 153878 defines a “project” as an action, which has a potential for resulting in
either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect change. The
Guidelines further state that a project can be an “enactment and amendment of zoning ordinances, and
amendment of local General Plans or elements thereof pursuant to Government Code Sections 65100‐
65700”. The Guidelines also state that the project can be a development proposal which will be subject
to several governmental approvals. The Housing Element falls within the former definition. As such,
implementation of the Housing Element will not result in adoption of housing development proposals or
result in construction outside of what is already able to occur with the existing zoning; no actual
development is proposed as part of the Project. Any potentially significant environmental impacts
identified from future development, including development on the 20 sites, would be addressed
through project‐specific mitigation measures identified at the time a specific development project is
considered by the City. Additionally, CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.4 notes that mitigation measures
are not required for effects which are not found to be significant. Since the Project is the adoption of a
policy document and not an application for development of any particular parcel or site in the City or
change in zoning, no impacts to biological resources were identified and no mitigation is required.
Response to Comment 2‐4: The commenter raised concern regarding potential impacts to the coastal
California Gnatcatcher and noted that 14 of the 20 identified sites overlap with habitat for the species.
The commenter also provided suggested mitigation measures to reduce perceived impacts.
Implementation of the Housing Element will not result in adoption of housing development proposals or
result in construction outside of what is already able to occur with the existing zoning; no actual
development is proposed as part of the Project. All future projects would be treated as individual
projects and may be subject to specific environmental analysis including potential impacts to the coastal
California gnatcatcher. All future projects, especially the 14 sites identified with habitat for the species,
would be required to address any potential impacts to the species. As necessary, future projects will
analyze direct, indirect, and cumulative biological impacts and will include specific mitigation or
avoidance measures as suggested to offset impacts. Additionally, CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.4
notes that mitigation measures are not required for effects which are not found to be significant. Since
the Project is the adoption of a policy document and not an application for development of any
particular parcel or site in the City or change in zoning, no impacts to the coastal California gnatcatcher
were identified and no mitigation is required.
Response to Comment 2‐5: Comments were provided regarding impacts on streams and associated
natural communities. The commenter notes that the City consists of canyons of the San Pedro Hills; and
within these canyons are streams, whether ephemeral, intermittent, or perennial. The commenter also
provides suggested mitigation measures and recommendations regarding perceived impacts to these
noted streams.
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As previously discussed, no actual development is proposed as part of the Housing Element. The City is
proposing updates to both the Housing Element and Safety Element of the General Plan, two of the six
General Plan elements that cover long‐range planning for the community’s growth and development.
Specifically, the Housing Element is concerned with policies and programs to meet the housing needs of
current and future Rolling Hills residents.
Implementation of the Housing Element will not result in adoption of housing development proposals or
result in construction outside of what is already able to occur with the existing zoning; no actual
development is proposed as part of the Project. All future projects would be treated as individual
projects and may be subject to specific environmental analysis including potential impacts on streams.
All future projects, especially those in areas with streams (ephemeral, intermittent, or perennial) would
be required to prepare hydrology reports and / or obtain appropriate permits in order to evaluate
potential impacts on these watercourses and permit any potential impacts. As necessary, future projects
will analyze direct, indirect, and cumulative biological impacts and will include specific mitigation or
avoidance measures as suggested to offset impacts. Additionally, CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.4
notes that mitigation measures are not required for effects which are not found to be significant. Since
the Project is the adoption of a policy document and not an application for development of any
particular parcel or site in the City or change in zoning, no impacts to streams were identified and no
mitigation is required.
Response to Comment 2‐6: The commenter raises concerns regarding potential impacts to nesting
birds and noted that all 20 of the sites identified for potential development contain vegetation suitable
as habitat for nesting birds and raptors. The commenter also provided suggested mitigation measures
for perceived impacts to nesting birds.
Implementation of the Housing Element will not result in adoption of housing development proposals or
result in construction outside of what is already able to occur with the existing zoning; no actual
development is proposed as part of the Project. All future projects would be treated as individual
projects and may be subject to specific environmental analysis, including potential impacts to nesting
birds and / or raptors. All future projects, especially those removing potential habitat for bird and raptor
species, would be required to address any potential impacts. As necessary, future projects will analyze
direct, indirect, and cumulative biological impacts and will include specific mitigation or avoidance
measures as suggested to offset impacts. Additionally, CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.4, notes that
mitigation measures are not required for effects which are not found to be significant. Since the Project
is the adoption of a policy document and not an application for development of any particular parcel or
site in the City or change in zoning, no impacts to birds were identified and no mitigation is required.
Response to Comment 2‐7: The commenter raises concern regarding potential impacts to bats
and noted that all 20 of the sites identified for potential development contain vegetation suitable
roosting habitat for bats. The commenter also provided suggested mitigation measures for perceived
impacts to bat species.
Implementation of the Housing Element will not result in adoption of housing development proposals or
result in construction outside of what is already able to occur with the existing zoning; no actual
development is proposed as part of the Project. All future projects would be treated as individual
projects and may be subject to specific environmental analysis, including potential impacts to bats. All
future projects, especially those removing potential roosting habitat for bats, would be required to
address any potential impacts to the species. As necessary, future projects will analyze direct, indirect,
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and cumulative biological impacts and will include specific mitigation or avoidance measures as
suggested to offset impacts. Additionally, CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.4 notes that mitigation
measures are not required for effects which are not found to be significant. Since the Project is the
adoption of a policy document and not an application for development of any particular parcel or site in
the City or change in zoning, no impacts to bats were identified and no mitigation is required.
Response to Comment 2‐8: The commenter provides further recommendations that information
developed in CEQA documents be included in databases (i.e., California Natural Diversity Database) for
use in future CEQA documents. Additionally, the commenter recommends that the City include the
mitigation measures mentioned in the comment letter and provide a Mitigation Monitoring and
Reporting Program (MMRP).
Implementation of the Housing Element will not result in adoption of housing development proposals or
result in construction outside of what is already able to occur with the existing zoning; no actual
development is proposed as part of the Project. Any future development would provide information to
appropriate databases as necessary. Additionally, any potentially significant environmental impacts
identified from future development would be addressed through project‐specific mitigation measures
identified at the time a specific development project is considered by the City. As previously noted,
CEQA Guidelines Section 15126.4 notes that mitigation measures are not required for effects which are
not found to be significant. Since the Project is the adoption of a policy document and not an application
for development of any particular parcel or site in the City or change in zoning, no impacts were
identified and no mitigation is required.
Response to Comment 2‐9: The commenter notes that the proposed Project is required to pay the
CDFW filing fees. No development projects are proposed at this time or with implementation of the
Project. The Project is the adoption of the City of Rolling Hills 2021‐2029 Housing Element Update and
Safety Element Update. As previously discussed, the Housing Element is concerned with policies and
programs to meet the housing needs of current and future Rolling Hills residents. This means identifying
housing needs and barriers to housing development, identifying development sites, and adopting
programs to facilitate housing that is affordable to all segments of the community. The HEU and SEU are
both policy documents and do not include any changes to land use designations, zoning, building heights
and intensities, or residential densities. Therefore, the Project is the adoption of a policy document and
not an application for development of any particular parcel or site in the City. Nevertheless, as directed
by the CDFW, filing fees will be submitted at the time the Notice of Determination is filed.
Response to Comment 2‐10: The commenter concludes the comment letter and provides references
and attachments associated with the comment letter. The attachments have been reviewed as part of
the responses to comments as above, and no further response is required.
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RESPONSE TO COMMENT LETTER 3
Commenter: Mandy Huffman, Environmental Planner, Facilities Planning Department, Los Angeles
County Sanitation Districts
Date of Letter: February 7, 2022
Response to Comment 3‐1: The commenter acknowledges receipt of the environmental document
and provides details regarding the wastewater conveyance system in the area. However, the
commenter notes that since local collectors and/or lateral sewer lines are the responsibility of the
jurisdiction, the Districts cannot provide information on deficiencies in the area. This comment is noted,
and no response is required.
Response to Comment 3‐2: The commenter states that the Districts should review projects within
the City to ensure sufficient capacity. Future Projects will be evaluated as necessary to determine
available sewer capacity. This comment is noted, and no further response is required.
Response to Comment 3‐3: The commenter provides the full and average available capacity of the
Joint Water Pollution Control Plant, with information on how to estimate wastewater produced by a
project. The commenter also notes that future projects will be required to pay any necessary connection
fees. This comment is noted, and no further response is required.
Response to Comment 3‐4: The commenter discusses compliance with the Clean Air Act and notes
that facility capacities are based on SCAG growth forecasts. The commenter notes that this letter does
not constitute a guarantee of wastewater service but provides advice for future developers. This
comment is noted, and no further response is required.
Response to Comment 3‐5: The commenter states that use of septic systems would have no effect
on wastewater facilities and provides contact information for questions related to the letter. This
comment is noted, and no further response is required.
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RESPONSE TO COMMENT LETTER 4
Commenter: Ronald M. Durbin, Chief – Forestry Division, Prevention Services Bureau, County of Los
Angeles Fire Department
Date of Letter: February 8, 2022
Response to Comment 4‐1: The commenter acknowledges receipt of the environmental document
and lists the departments that reviewed the document and provided comments. This comment is noted,
and no further response is required.
Response to Comment 4‐2: The comment from the Planning Division states that the Planning
Division has no comments. This comment is noted, and no further response is required.
Response to Comment 4‐3: The comment from the Land Development Unit states that in the event
any structures or improvements are conducted, they must comply with applicable codes and ordinances.
Any future development would comply with all applicable codes and ordinances. No further response is
required.
Response to Comment 4‐4: The comment from the Forestry Division – Other Environmental
Concerns discusses compliance with the Forestry Division, including erosion control, watershed
management, rare and endangered species, vegetation and fuel, archeological and cultural resources,
and the County Oak Tree Ordinance. The comment also includes detail regarding the County Oak Tree
Ordinance and when an Oak tree permit is required. The Project does not include cutting, destroying,
removing, or relocating of any Oak trees. If any future projects require such actions, a permit will be
obtained. No further response is required.
Response to Comment 4‐5: The commenter states that the Health Hazardous Materials Division has
no comments. This comment is noted, and no further response is required.
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SECTION 6.0 – REVISIONS TO THE DRAFT NEGATIVE DECLARATION
There are no revisions, clarifications, and/or corrections to the Draft Negative Declaration.
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SECTION 7.0 – NEGATIVE DECLARATION
This document, along with the Draft Initial Study/Negative Declaration and the Notice of Determination,
constitute the Final Negative Declaration for the City of Rolling Hills 2021‐2029 Housing Element Update
and Safety Element Update Project in the City of Rolling Hills.
Pursuant to Section 21082.1 of the California Environmental Quality Act, the City of Rolling Hills has
independently reviewed and analyzed the Initial Study and Negative Declaration for the proposed Project
and finds that these documents reflect the independent judgment of the City of Rolling Hills.
Signature Date
Printed Name Title
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SECTION 8.0 – REFERENCES
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
2011 Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in LRA: Rolling Hills. Available online at:
https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/media/5840/rolling_hills.pdf.
California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)
2021 EnviroStor. Accessed December 2021. Available online at:
https://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/map/?myaddress=rolling+hills%2C+CA.
City of Rolling Hills
2022 Draft Negative Declaration for the City of Rolling Hills 2021‐2929 Housing Element Update
and Safety Element Update. Available online at: https://www.rolling‐hills.org/21330%20‐
%20Rolling%20Hills%20IS_011022.pdf. January 2022.
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)
2020 The 2020‐2045 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy of the
Southern California Association Of Governments: Connect SoCal. Available online at:
https://scag.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file‐attachments/0903fconnectsocal‐
plan_0.pdf?1606001176.
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John F. Signo, AICP
Planning Director
City of Rolling Hills
On December 14, 2021, Chambers Group, on behalf of the City of Rolling Hills , submitted Assembly Bill 52 (AB 52)
and Senate Bill 18 (SB 18) notification letters to eight tribal representatives from seven Native American tribal
governments that included the Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians - Kizh Nation, the Gabrieleno/Tongva San Gabriel
Band of Mission Indians, the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation, the Gabrielino Tongva Indians of California Tribal Council, the
Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe, the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians, and the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indian tribes for
the proposed General Plan Update to the Housing and Safety Elements (Project). Tribes had 30 days to respond to
AB 52 requests for consultation, or until January 13, 2022. Under GC 65352.3 tribes have 90 days to respond to SB 1 8
or until March 14 2022, however due to the abbreviated timeline for the Project, tribes were asked that consultation
be provided within 45 days , or by January 28, 2022. In addition, on December 15, 2021, an electronic version of the
letter was emailed to each of the eight designated tribal representatives , and a follow-up email that was sent on
December 29, 2021. Of the seven tribes and eight tribal representatives contacted, the City received responses from
two of the tribes, and those responses are detailed in the section below. As a final courtesy at an attempt for a
response, on January 19, 2022 a follow-up phone call was made to the remaining tribal governments that had not yet
responded, the Gabrieleno/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians, the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians, the
Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation, and the Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe. Messages were left
for these five remaining tribes and as of the date of this summary no responses have been received.
Responses and consultation requests were received from the following tribes within 30-days :
• Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians - Kizh Nation (December 21, 2021): The tribe responded via email
within the 30-day timeframe under AB 52 and stated that we concur to be in agreement with the Housing
and Safety Elements Update. However, our Tribal government would like to request consultation for any
and all future projects when ground disturbance will be occurring within this location.
• Gabrielino Tongva Indians of California Tribal Council (December 31, 2021; January 6, 2022): The tribe
responded within the 30-day timeframe under AB 52 and requested formal government -to-government
consultation under AB 52 and SB 18.
o December 31, 2021, via email: Received email response requesting AB52 consultation for
development on the aforementioned project area. “The Tribe is deeply concerned with any
ground disturbances in your project area and this project will need a monitor.” This request
prompted a follow-up email from Richard Shultz with the clarification that there are no planned
projects or work activities that would warrant monitoring at this time, which was sent on January
3, 2022.
o January 6, 2022, via follow-up email: “At this time, as there are no specific developments planned,
we have no concerns. We are requesting to be notified on any future projects in the City of Rolling
Hills as aforementioned, it is a sensitive area for our tribe. We want to consult and perform
monitoring.”
267
City of Rolling Hills General Plan Housing and Safety Element
Update s Tribal Consultation Summary
City of Rolling Hills
2
21330
Two of the eight tribal representatives responded to the outreach provided by Chambers Group on the behalf of the
City of Rolling Hills , with none requesting further formal consultation. The AB 52 and SB 18 process has been
concluded.
Sincerely,
Lucas Tutschulte
Cultural Department Lead
858.541.2800 Ext 7140
9620 Chesapeake Drive, Suite 202
San Diego, CA 92123
268
269
270
271
272
Resolution No. 1291 -1- Safety Element
RESOLUTION NO. 1291
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ROLLING HILLS ADOPTING THE SAFETY ELEMENT
UPDATE AND A NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR THE
SAFETY ELEMENT
THE CITY COUNCIL DOES HEREBY FIND, RESOLVE, AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Recitals
A. On January 4, 1957, the City of Rolling Hills was established as a duly
organized municipal corporation of the State of California.
B. The City of Rolling Hills adopted its current General Plan on June 25, 1990.
The General Plan establishes goals, objectives, and strategies to achieve the
community’s vision for its future. A Safety Element was adopted as part of the General
Plan.
C. Section 65302(g) of the California Government Code requires that the
General Plan include a Safety Element for the protection of the community from any
unreasonable risks associated with the effects of seismically-induced surface rupture,
ground shaking, grand failure, tsunami, seiche, and dam failure; slope instability leading
to mudslides and landslides; subsidence and other geologic hazards; flooding, and
wildland and urban fire.
D. Senate Bill 99, effective January 1, 2020, requires the City to identify
residential developments in any hazard area identified in the safety element that does not
have at least two emergency evacuation routes.
E. Cities and counties in California are required to have a Safety Element that
is consistent with all other elements of the General Plan. The City’s 5th Cycle Housing
Element was certified by the California Department of Housing and Community
Development (HCD) on July 7, 2021, and the City is currently awaiting comments from
HCD on the 6th Cycle Housing Element. The Safety Element has been prepared to be
consistent with the Housing Element.
F. On January 18, 2022, the Planning Commission held a workshop to discuss
the Safety Element update.
G. Pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), Public Resources Code Sections 21000 et seq. and the State CEQA Guidelines
California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Sections 15000 et seq., the City prepared an
initial study and determined that there was no substantial evidence that adoption of the
update to the Safety Element may have a significant effect on the environment.
273
Resolution No. 1291 -2- Safety Element
Accordingly, a Negative Declaration was prepared and notice of that fact was given in the
manner required by law.
H. On February 15, 2022, the Planning Commission held a public hearing in
accordance with law to consider making a written recommendation on the amendment of
the General Plan for purposes of the Safety Element update and on adoption of the
related Negative Declaration. At that meeting, the Planning Commission adopted
Resolution No. 2022-02 recommending that the City Council adopt the Safety Element
update.
Section 2. Findings. Based upon the facts contained in this Resolution, those
contained in the staff report and other components of the legislative record, the City
Council finds that:
A. All environmental impacts of the amendment to the Safety Element are
either less than significant or no impact as outlined in the Negative Declaration and the
Initial Study. There is no substantial evidence in the record supporting a fair argument
that the amendment to the Safety Element may result in any significant environmental
impacts. The Negative Declaration contains a complete, objective, and accurate reporting
of the environmental impacts associated with the amendment to the Safety Element and
reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City.
B. The Safety Element is consistent with the other elements of the General
Plan, including the Land Use Element, Circulation Element, and Open Space and
Conservation Element as set forth below:
Land Use Element Goal 3: Accommodate development that is sensitive to the
natural environment and accounts for environmental hazards.
The Safety Element is consistent with this goal in that it addresses the natural
environmental and accounts for environmental hazards.
Circulation Element Goal 2: Provide a circulation system that contributes to
residents’ quality of life and minimizes impacts on the environment.
The Safety Element is consistent with this goal in that it plans for escape routes
that utilize the existing circulation system in the event of an emergency.
Open Space and Conservation Element Goal 1: Conserve and enhance the City’s
natural resources, facilitating development in a manner which reflects the
characteristics, sensitivities and constraints of these resources.
The Safety Element is consistent with this goal in that it considers safety factors
and hazard constraints in facilitating development.
C. The safety goals, objectives, and policies stated in the Safety Element are
appropriate for the City of Rolling Hills. The Safety Element will aid the City’s efforts for
the protection of the community and is in the public interest.
274
Resolution No. 1291 -3- Safety Element
Section 3. The City Council of the City of Rolling Hills hereby adopts the Safety
Element, provided as Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference,
and adopts the Negative Declaration, provided as Exhibit B, attached hereto and
incorporated herein by reference.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 14th DAY OF MARCH 2022.
_______________________________
BEA DIERINGER, MAYOR
ATTEST:
___________________________________
CHRISTIAN HORVATH, CITY CLERK
275
Resolution No. 1291 -4- Safety Element
I certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 1291 entitled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ROLLING HILLS ADOPTING THE SAFETY ELEMENT
UPDATE AND A NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR THE
SAFETY ELEMENT
was approved and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council on March 14, 2022,
by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
and in compliance with the laws of California was posted at the following:
Administrative Offices
____________________________________
CHRISTIAN HORVATH, CITY CLERK
276
Agenda Item No.: 12.A
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH, CITY CLERK / EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO
CITY MANAGER
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:BID PROPOSAL AND CONTRACT FOR EMERGENCY STORM DRAIN
REPAIR AT 1 MIDDLERIDGE LANE NORTH.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
On December 30, 2021, the easement adjacent to Middleridge Lane South developed multiple
sinkholes during a storm event. As a result the RHCA contacted LA County Department of
Public Works (LACDPW) on January 3, 2022 to request assistance and repair. On January 6,
2022, LACDPW informed the RHCA and City that they had found documentation confirming
that the City of Rolling Hills was responsible for maintenance of the subject drain via a 1972
signed agreement between the Los Angeles County Flood Control District and the City. On
January 9, 2022 the City Manager sent an email update to the Council and adjacent neighbors
updating them on the above and the steps being taken to address the issues. While the city
initially tried to engage LA County through our General Services agreement, they were unable
to commit time and resources due to extenuating circumstances including lack of manpower
due to COVID-19 and other emergency projects.
Staff contacted private contractors who visited the site and provided feedback on repair scope
of work, schedule, and cost. In the meantime, the RHCA, in anticipation of projected rain
directed staff to place sandbags and tarp over the sink holes. Staff also received a phone call
from the resident at 1 Middleridge Lane North regarding potentially related concerns.
On Tuesday, January 18, 2022, EC Construction (ECC) was on site to investigate as to
whether the broken drainpipe was the cause of the upper sinkhole and determine a more clear
scope of work. The coupling (pipe connector) was the issue at the upper and lower sinkholes.
During this visit ECC also visited 1 Middleridge Lane North at staff request due to assess
potential stormwater drain issues in the canyon. At that time, it was challenging for them to
ascertain what exactly might be happening in the canyon and so direction was focused on the
more imminent sinkhole issues at 1 Middleridge Lane South.
On Monday, January 24, 2022, the City Council unanimously adopted Resolution No. 1287,
277
directed the City Attorney to draft a construction contract with ECC and authorized the City
Manager to execute. On Monday, February 7, 2022, the final executed contract was received
and work commenced thereafter. On Tuesday February 8, 2022, ECC took a second look at 1
Middleridge Lane North and reported that there was a sinkhole in the resident's yard coming
from a stand pipe with a metal cover. The 24" Corrugate Metal Pipe (CMP) empties in the
aforementioned canyon. ECC advised the resident, that if the resident's grounds crews could
hand dig around the sinkhole and expose the CMP- they could return in few days to provide
some insight into what might be required to address. On February 9, 2022, the resident at 1
Middleridge Lane North contacted staff to follow-up on their concerns.
Work at 1 Middleridge Lane South was completed on Friday, February 11, 2022. At this time
ECC was able to gain further insight into the potential issues and found the bottom of the CMP
was gone and water was eroding the dirt under the CMP, causing it to collapse and create the
sink hole. The catch basin in the street at the intersection of Middleridge Lane North & South
was determined to be the source of water flowing through the CMP on the property. The exit
point is down the canyon between 1 Middleridge North and the property to the North. ECC
pointed out that this was a much more difficult repair because of the terrains as well as the
trees / vegetation requiring removal in order to replace the CMP.
DISCUSSION:
Upon further review, staff has determined that the LA County construction plans show the
drainage facility on 1 Middleridge Lane North is related to the Middleridge Lane South drain
that was recently repaired. Staff believes the city is responsible for maintenance and repairs
based on the reading of the 1972 maintenance and operations agreement.
ECC has provide an estimate to repair the issue as follows:
1. Remove existing vegetation as required to access damaged pipe.
2. Excavate dirt and remove approx 100 LF of existing 24” CMP.
3. Install 100 LF of new 24” CMP.
4. Backfill pipe with 1 sack slurry, 1’ over new pipe, backfill the remaining with dirt to finish
grade.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The repair to the storm drain line is an unexpected expense and not budgeted in the FY 2021-
2022 adopted budget.
COST: $48,645.00 includes 15% contingency.
Note: The homeowner at 1 Middleridge Lane North had a photo of a concrete culvert that
appeared to be in the canyon between properties. This proposal does not include removing
that structure or constructing a new culvert.
Exclusions: permits, inspection fees, SWPPP plan, engineering, survey, relocation of
underground utilities, night or weekend work, concrete, slurry, and striping.
RECOMMENDATION:
Direct City Attorney to draft a construction contract, authorize the City manager to execute,
approve the resolution for emergency work, and appropriate $48,645 from the General Fund
Reserves to Fund 40 for the repair.
278
ATTACHMENTS:
6650 U1-B.pdf
PW_STW_220303_SDRepair_1MiddleridgeLaneN.pdf
PW_STW_220303_SDRepair_1MiddleridgeLaneN_Pics.pdf
ResolutionNo1293_MiddleridgeNorth_StormDrain_EmergencyRepair.pdf
279
280
281
282
BID PROPOSAL AND CONTRACT
2213 CHICO AVE./SO. EL MONTE, CA 91733
Phone: (626) 444-9596 Fax: (626) 444-3077
California Contractors License #366814
DATE: 3/3/2022
TO City of Rolling Hills JOB ADDRESS
2 Portuguese Bend Rd
Rolling Hills, CA 90274 1 Middleridge Lane N
We agree to furnish all labor, materials, equipment and supervision necessary to complete the f ollowing:
STORM DRAIN REPAIR
1. Remove existing vegetation as required to access damaged pipe.
2. Excavate dirt and remove approx 100 LF of existing 24” CMP.
3. Install 100 LF of new 24” CMP.
4. Backfill pipe with 1 sack slurry, 1’ over new pipe, backfill the remaining with dirt to finish grade.
COST……..$42,300.00
Note: The homeowner at 1 Middleridge Lane N had a photo of a concrete culvert that appeared to be in the
canyon between properties. This proposal does not include removing that structure or constructing a new
culvert.
Exclusions: permits, inspection fees, SWPPP plan, engineering, survey, relocation of underground utilities,
night or weekend work, concrete, slurry, and striping.
The above described work will be performed in a workman like manner and in accordance with standard practices.
TERMS: Unless credit arrangements have been made, in writing, in advance, the invoice for the work described herein is due and payable on
presentation. 1 ½ % per month will be charged on a daily basis on all accounts or portions thereof not paid within 10 days of the date of the invoice.
Customer agrees to pay reasonable attorney fees and collection costs incurred by E.C. Construction Co. for the collection of both principal and interest
due to customer’s failure to pay per this agreement.
Unless otherwise specified, if this proposal is not accepted within______30___________days from bid date, we reserve the right of cancellation.
APPROVE AND ACCEPTED Respectfully Submitted,
___________________________ E.C. CONSTRUCTION CO.
Date__________________20___ By_________________________
283
284
1
RESOLUTION NO. 1293
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ROLLING HILLS FINDING AND DECLARING THAT
AN EMERGENCY CONDITION EXISTS ARISING FROM
DAMAGE TO THE CITY’S STORM DRAIN LOCATED AT
OR NEAR 1 MIDDLERIDGE LANE NORTH AND
AUTHORIZING EMERGENCY REPAIR TO THE STORM
DRAIN WITHOUT PUBLIC BIDDING
RECITALS
A. Sections 22035 and 22050 of the Public Contracts Code authorize the City
of Rolling Hills (“City”) to proceed with awarding a public works contract to perform
emergency work upon adoption by the City Council by a four-fifths vote of a resolution
declaring that the public interest and necessity demand the immediate expenditure of
public funds to safeguard life, health, or property;
B. The City’s storm drain located at or near 1 Middleridge Lane North
(“storm drain”) is in need of emergency repair as a result of damage to the coupling
(pipe connector) of the storm drain;
C. The repairs are necessary to preserve the health, safety and welfare of
the City;
D. The need for repair of the City’s storm drain requires immediate action that
will not permit undergoing the formal competitive bidding process because the City is
currently in a rainy season and the last storm event resulted in multiple sink holes in the
easement adjacent to Middleridge Lane North. Additional rain events have the potential
for causing soil instability;
E. The City Manager solicited proposals from EC Construction and received
a written acceptable proposal to perform the emergency work from EC Construction,
and the City now wishes to award an emergency contract for repair of the City’s storm
drain to EC Construction; and
F. Public Contract Code section 22050 also provides that the City Council
may, by resolution, delegate the authority to order any action required by the
emergency and to procure the necessary equipment, services, and supplies for those
purposes, without giving notice for bids to let the contracts, to the City Manager, her
designee, or any other officer.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROLLING HILLS,
CALIFORNIA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Recitals. The above recitals are true and correct.
285
2
Section 2. Findings. The City Council finds that the public interest and
necessity demand the immediate expenditure of public funds for emergency work for
the repair of the City’s storm drain to safeguard life, health and property. The City
Council further finds that the emergency will not permit a delay that would result from a
competitive solicitation for bids and that action is necessary to respond to the
emergency related to the damaged condition of the City’s storm drain. The City Council
further finds that based on the foregoing, the approvals herein authorized are necessary
to protect the public health, safety and welfare.
Section 3. Award of Contract; Delegation of Emergency Contracting
Authority. A contract to perform the necessary emergency repair work to the City’s
storm drain is hereby awarded to EC Construction for 48,645.00 and the City Manager,
or her designee, is hereby authorized to execute said contract, and to order any other
action required to remedy the emergency relating to the damaged condition of the City’s
storm drain, and to procure the necessary equipment, services, and supplies for those
purposes, without giving notice for bids to let contracts. The City Manager, or her
designee, is directed to report to the City Council at the next regularly scheduled
meeting and at every meeting thereafter until the action is terminated to determine if
there is a need to continue the action.
Section 4. Effective Date. This Resolution shall be effective immediately.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 14th day of March, 2022.
______________________________
BEA DIERINGER
MAYOR
ATTEST:
___________________________
CHRISTIAN HORVATH
CITY CLERK
286
3
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) §§
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS )
The foregoing Resolution No. 1293 entitled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ROLLING HILLS FINDING AND DECLARING THAT
AN EMERGENCY CONDITION EXISTS ARISING FROM
DAMAGE TO THE CITY’S STORM DRAIN LOCATED AT
OR NEAR 1 MIDDLERIDGE LANE NORTH AND
AUTHORIZING EMERGENCY REPAIR TO THE STORM
DRAIN WITHOUT PUBLIC BIDDING
was approved and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council on the 14th day of
March 2022, by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
___________________________
CHRISTIAN HORVATH
CITY CLERK
287
Agenda Item No.: 12.B
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:ROBERT SAMARIO, FINANCE DIRECTOR
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:FISCAL YEAR 2021-22 MID-YEAR REPORT AND PROPOSED BUDGET
ADJUSTMENTS.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
In June of 2021, the City Council adopted the fiscal year 2021/22 budget for the City of Rolling
Hills, which includes estimated revenues and appropriations for the fiscal year beginning July
1, 2021 and ending June 30, 2022.
At mid-year, with six months of activity and transactions recorded in the accounting records,
City staff reviewed all revenues and expenditures against budgeted amounts to: (1) identify
any unfavorable trends in revenues that may require action to re-balance the budget; (2)
identify any unexpected and un-budgeted costs that may require a budget adjustment to cover
the additional costs; and (3) ensure expenditures and revenues are tracking as expected.
The focus of the mid-year report is on the General Fund as the ongoing services to City of
Rolling Hills residents are accounted for here, which are primarily funded from unrestricted
taxes.
DISCUSSION:
Through the six months ended December 31, 2021 (mid-year), General Fund revenues totaled
$1,028,078. This is generally in line with expectations, particularly when factoring in the
seasonal nature of revenues. More importantly, revenues are $245,166 higher than last fiscal
year through December 31, 2021, indicative a move toward more normal revenues given the
impacts of the pandemic on local revenues over the last two years. The increase from prior
year is largely due to an increase in building-related permit revenue, which was depressed in
fiscal year 2020/21 due to the pandemic and the size and scale of projects undertaken.
Total General Fund expenditures at December 31, 2021 were $1,389,054, representing 45%
of the total $3,084,599 adopted budget. In addition, most departments are within budgeted
expectations at mid-year.
288
Staff is proposing certain amendments to the budget related to several capital projects.
One category of proposed budget adjustments relates to grant-funded capital projects. The
City was awarded three large grants from FEMA totaling approximately $3.4 million for the
Crest Road East Undergrounding Project, the Vegetative Management Mitigation Project, and
the Eastfield Drive Utility Undergrounding Project. Each of these grants carries a matching
requirement of 25% amounting to $1,119,988, which will be funded in part from SCE Rule 20A
revenues for the two undergrounding projects ($1,039,113) and the balance from the General
Fund ($80,875) for the Vegetation Management Mitigation Project.
The other project relates to emergency storm drain repairs at 1 Middleridge Lane South.
Council adopted Resolution No. 1287 in January 2022 declaring an emergency and approving
a contract with EC Construction in the amount of $33,235. The proposed budget adjustments
establishes the necessary budget authority in the CIP Fund with funding to be provided
through a transfer from General Fund unassigned reserves.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of the grant-funded projects will be large infusion of grant funds for important
capital project affected by natural disasters. The other CIP capital projects totaling $33,235
which will be funded from General Fund unassigned reserves, will reduce reserves balances.
As of June 30, 2021, General Fund unassigned (i.e., available) reserves were approximately
$5.2 million.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file a report from staff on the status of General Fund revenues and expenditures
as of December 31, 2021 in relation to budgeted amounts; and approve the proposed
adjustments to the fiscal year 2021/22 budget as detailed in the attached Schedule of
Proposed Mid-Year Budget Adjustments
ATTACHMENTS:
CL_AGN_220314_CC_Mid-Year_Presentation_F.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_Schedule_ProposedMid-YearAdjustments_F.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_GFRevenues_Mid-YearReport.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_GFExpenditures_ Mid-YearReport.pdf
289
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
FISCAL YEAR 2022 MID-YEAR REPORT
GENERAL FUND
290
GOALS FOR THE MID-YEAR REPORT
•Establish a baseline understanding of the City’s revenues
•Focus on General Fund
•Present revenues through December 31, 2021 (mid-year) against the adopted
budget
•Present proposed mid-year budget adjustments
•Questions/discussion
291
UNDERSTANDING THE CITY’S REVENUES
GENERAL FUND
292
FISCAL YEAR 2022 –WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM
Property Taxes
$1,249,800
59%
Sales Taxes
$4,800
0%
Real Property Transfer
Tax
$40,200
2%
Motor Vehicle In-Lieu
$246,100
12%
Building & Other Permits
$300,000
14%
Interest Income
$80,000
4%
RHCA Lease
$68,000
3%
Transfers In
$24,000
1%
Other
$89,400
4%
Total FY 2022 Budgeted Revenues -$2,124,300 293
PROPERTY TAXES ($1,249,800)
•City is fortunate that its largest revenue (at 59%) comes from Property Taxes
•Major change in how property taxes were assessed with Proposition 13 in 1978
•Per Prop 13, County Assessor can increase the assessed value based on the CPI
up to a max of 2%
•Each year, property taxes will go up based on two factors:
•CPI
•Re -Assessments
•For every $1 collected by the County, cities on average receive ~13 cents
•Most goes to schools
•Balance goes to the County and special districts
294
SALES TAXES ($4,800)
•Local Uniform Sales Tax Established in the 1956 which added a 1% sales tax
for the benefit of counties and cities
•Sales taxes in Los Angeles County vary by jurisdiction, but include:
•State –6%
•County-wide District Taxes –2.25%
•Local tax –1%
•City of Rolling Hills has no retail businesses so sales taxes are generally from
internet sales. Private car sales could generate small amounts of sales taxes.
295
REAL PROPERTY TRANSFER TAX ($40,200)
•Tax applied with the sale of real estate.
•Equal to $1.10 for every $1,000 in sales price
•$0.55 to city
•$0.55 to County
•Often times a leading indicator of increases in property taxes as re-
assessments to market values trail dates of sales
296
MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE IN-LIEU FEES ($246,100)
•License fees paid with vehicle registration = 0.65% of a depreciating
value of the vehicle
•Paid twice per year
297
MID-YEAR REVENUE RESULTS
GENERAL FUND
298
BUDGET VS ACTUAL –REVENUES THRU MID-YEAR
Adopted Mid-Year Revenues Variance
Budget Budget Thru 12/31 Fav (Unfav)
Property Taxes 1,249,800$ 624,900$ 554,316$ (70,584)$
Sales Taxes 4,800 2,400 13,496 11,096
Property Transfer Tax 40,200 20,100 72,725 52,625
Disaster Grants 20,000 10,000 13,040 3,040
Motor Vehicle In Lieu 246,100 123,050 - (123,050)
Building & Other Permits 300,000 150,000 237,050 87,050
Variance, Planning & Zoning 22,000 11,000 10,096 (904)
Animal Control Fees 1,000 500 142 (358)
Franchise Fees 14,900 7,450 6,959 (491)
Fines & Traffic Violations 14,300 7,150 2,826 (4,324)
RHCA Lease Revenue 68,000 34,000 34,494 494
Interest on Investments (Inc. PARS)80,000 40,000 36,592 (3,408)
Public Safety Augmentation Fund 800 400 584 184
Burglar Alarm Response 600 300 - (300)
Miscellaneous Revenue 37,800 18,900 33,758 14,858
Transfers In 24,000 12,000 12,000 -
TOTALS 2,124,300$ 1,062,150$ 1,028,078$ (34,072)$
FY 2022 - Budget Vs Actual
299
CURRENT YEAR VS PRIOR YEAR –THRU MID-YEAR
FY 2021
Revenues Revenues Variance
Thru 12/31 Thru 12/31 Fav (Unfav)
Property Taxes 554,316$ 534,799$ 19,517$
Sales Taxes 13,496 2,018 11,478
Property Transfer Tax 72,725 34,899 37,826
Disaster Grants 13,040 - 13,040
COVID Revnues - 50,000 (50,000)
Building & Other Permits 237,050 80,474 156,576
Variance, Planning & Zoning 10,096 13,558 (3,462)
Animal Control Fees 142 192 (50)
Franchise Fees 6,959 3,628 3,331
Fines & Traffic Violations 2,826 1,151 1,675
RHCA Lease Revenue 34,494 40,241 (5,747)
Interest on Investments (Inc. PARS)36,592 6,136 30,456
Public Safety Augmentation Fund 584 484 100
Burglar Alarm Response - 350 (350)
Miscellaneous Revenue 33,758 2,982 30,776
Transfers In 12,000 12,000 -
TOTALS 1,028,078$ 782,912$ 245,166$
FY 2022
300
UNDERSTANDING THE CITY’S EXPENDITURES
GENERAL FUND
301
FISCAL YEAR 2022 –WHERE THE MONEY COMES GOES
City Administrator
$1,048,556
34%
Finance
$117,330
4%Planning & Development
$1,060,690
35%
Public Safety
$279,380
9%
City Properties
$349,273
11%
Non-Departmental
$229,370
7%
Total FY 2022 Budgeted Expenditures -$3,084,599 302
MID-YEAR EXPENDITURE RESULTS
GENERAL FUND
303
GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES THRU 12/31/2021
Adopted Pro-Rated YTD Variance %
Budget Budget Expenditures Fav (Unfav)Exp
CITY ADMINISTRATOR 1,048,556.00 524,278.00 546,136.37 (23,858.37) 52.1%
FINANCE 117,330.00 58,665.00 64,104.15 (5,439.15) 54.6%
PLANNING & DEVELOP 1,060,690.00 530,345.00 469,417.78 60,927.22
PUBLIC SAFETY 279,380.00 139,690.00 107,026.72 32,663.28 38.3%
NON-DEPARTMENTAL 229,370.00 114,685.00 161,336.37 (46,651.37) 70.3%
CITY PROPERTIES 349,273.00 174,636.50 41,032.26 133,604.24 11.7%
GENERAL FUND TOTALS 3,084,599.00$ 1,542,299.50$ 1,389,053.65$ 151,245.85$ 45.0%
304
RECOMMENDED MID-YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT
$
Increase Rev ("R")
Fund Account Description (Decrease)Expend ("E")
CalOES Fund 16-00-9XX Crest Road East Project (FEMA)1,527,306$ E
CalOES Fund 16-00-959 Vegatative Mgmnt Mitigation Project (FEMA)323,500 E
CalOES Fund 16-00-9XX Eastfield Drive Utility Undergrounding (FEMA)2,629,176 E
CalOES Fund 16-00-XXX FEMA Grant Revenues 3,359,994 R
CalOES Fund 16-00-699 Transfers In - Utility Fund (Rule 20A)1,039,113 R
CalOES Fund 16-00-699 Transfers In -General Fund 80,875 R
Utility Fund 41-00-999 Transfers Out 1,039,113 E
General Fund 01-00-999 Transfers Out - CIP Fund 33,235 E
General Fund 01-00-999 Transfers Out - Cal OES Fund 80,875
CIP Fund 40-00-9XX 1 Middleridge Lane South Storm Drain Project 33,235 E
CIP Fund 40-00-699 Transfers In - General Fund 33,235 R
305
DISCUSSION
306
$
Increase Rev ("R")
Fund Account Description (Decrease)Expend ("E")
CalOES Fund 16-00-9XX Crest Road East Project (FEMA)1,527,306$ E
CalOES Fund 16-00-959 Vegatative Mgmnt Mitigation Project (FEMA)323,500 E
CalOES Fund 16-00-9XX Eastfield Drive Utility Undergrounding (FEMA)2,629,176 E
CalOES Fund 16-00-XXX FEMA Grant Revenues 3,359,994 R
CalOES Fund 16-00-699 Transfers In - Utility Fund (Rule 20A)1,039,113 R
CalOES Fund 16-00-699 Transfers In -General Fund 80,875 R
Utility Fund 41-00-999 Transfers Out 1,039,113 E
General Fund 01-00-999 Transfers Out - CIP Fund 33,235 E
General Fund 01-00-999 Transfers Out - Cal OES Fund 80,875
CIP Fund 40-00-9XX 1 Middleridge Lane South Storm Drain Project 33,235 E
CIP Fund 40-00-699 Transfers In - General Fund 33,235 R
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
Schedule of Proposed Mid-Year Budget Adjustments
Fiscal Year 2021/22
307
Adopted Mid-Year Revenues Variance
Budget Budget Thru 12/31 Fav (Unfav)
Property Taxes 1,249,800$ 624,900$ 554,316$ (70,584)$
Sales Taxes 4,800 2,400 13,496 11,096
Property Transfer Tax 40,200 20,100 72,725 52,625
Disaster Grants 20,000 10,000 13,040 3,040
Motor Vehicle In Lieu 246,100 123,050 - (123,050)
Building & Other Permits 300,000 150,000 237,050 87,050
Variance, Planning & Zoning 22,000 11,000 10,096 (904)
Animal Control Fees 1,000 500 142 (358)
Franchise Fees 14,900 7,450 6,959 (491)
Fines & Traffic Violations 14,300 7,150 2,826 (4,324)
RHCA Lease Revenue 68,000 34,000 34,494 494
Interest on Investments 80,000 40,000 36,592 (3,408)
Public Safety Augmentation Fund 800 400 584 184
Burglar Alarm Response 600 300 - (300)
Miscellaneous Revenue 37,800 18,900 33,758 14,858
Transfers In 24,000 12,000 12,000 -
TOTALS 2,124,300$ 1,062,150$ 1,028,078$ (34,072)$
Budget Vs Actual
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
General Fund Revenues
Six Months Ended 12/31/2021
308
Adopted Pro-Rated YTD Variance %
Budget Budget Expenditures Fav (Unfav)Exp
01 - CITY ADMINISTRATOR
702 Salaries -Full Time 429,100.00$ 214,550.00$ 227,038.49$ (12,488.49)$ 52.9%
710 Retirement CalPERS-ER 29,000.00 14,500.00 20,599.73 (6,099.73) 71.0%
710 CalPERS Unfunded Liability 59,026.00 29,513.00 57,063.00 (27,550.00) 96.7%
715 Workers Compensation Ins 7,700.00 3,850.00 4,089.96 (239.96) 53.1%
716 Group Insurance 55,000.00 27,500.00 41,506.67 (14,006.67) 75.5%
717 Retiree Medical 30,300.00 15,150.00 19,789.11 (4,639.11) 65.3%
718 Employer Payroll Taxes 28,400.00 14,200.00 12,680.22 1,519.78 44.6%
719 Deferred Compensation 4,300.00 2,150.00 2,400.00 (250.00) 55.8%
720 Auto Allowance 4,800.00 2,400.00 2,550.00 (150.00) 53.1%
XXX Phone Allowance 1,300.00 650.00 - 650.00 0.0%
761 Auto Mileage 500.00 250.00 - 250.00 0.0%
740 Office Supplies 38,040.00 19,020.00 17,532.20 1,487.80 46.1%
745 Equipment Leasing Costs 14,850.00 7,425.00 6,175.34 1,249.66 41.6%
750 Dues & Subscriptions 15,240.00 7,620.00 1,490.00 6,130.00 9.8%
755 Conference Expense 10,000.00 5,000.00 5,429.96 (429.96) 54.3%
757 Meetings Expense 2,000.00 1,000.00 1,532.21 (532.21) 76.6%
759 Training & Education 5,000.00 2,500.00 - 2,500.00 0.0%
765 Postage 20,000.00 10,000.00 7,500.00 2,500.00 37.5%
770 Telephone 5,700.00 2,850.00 3,180.22 (330.22) 55.8%
775 City Council Expense 10,000.00 5,000.00 1,785.00 3,215.00 17.9%
776 Miscellaneous Expenses - - 111.03 (111.03) N/A
780 Minutes Clerk Meetings 6,000.00 3,000.00 2,254.99 745.01 37.6%
785 Codification 5,000.00 2,500.00 1,446.09 1,053.91 28.9%
795 Other Gen Admin Expense 4,900.00 2,450.00 1,441.18 1,008.82 29.4%
801 City Attorney 91,000.00 45,500.00 64,408.00 (18,908.00) 70.8%
820 Website 6,000.00 3,000.00 194.00 2,806.00 3.2%
850 Election Exp City Council - - 166.85 (166.85) N/A
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
Budget Vs Actual Expenditures
Six Months Ended December 31, 2021
GENERAL FUND
Page: 1309
Adopted Pro-Rated YTD Variance %
Budget Budget Expenditures Fav (Unfav)Exp
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
Budget Vs Actual Expenditures
Six Months Ended December 31, 2021
GENERAL FUND
890 Consulting Fees 161,400.00 80,700.00 42,380.12 38,319.88 26.3%
955 Disaster Emergency Equip - - 1,392.00 (1,392.00) N/A
802 Legal Expense - Other 3,000.00 1,500.00 - 1,500.00 0.0%
790 Advertising 1,000.00 500.00 - 500.00 0.0%
Total City Administrator 1,048,556.00 524,278.00 546,136.37 (23,858.37) 52.1%
05 - Finance
750 Dues & Subscriptions 200.00 100.00 - 100.00 0.0%
810 Annual Audit 17,630.00 8,815.00 - 8,815.00 0.0%
890 Consulting Fees 99,500.00 49,750.00 64,104.15 (14,354.15) 64.4%
Total Finance 117,330.00 58,665.00 64,104.15 (5,439.15) 54.6%
15- PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
702 Salaries 237,200.00 118,600.00 115,656.91 2,943.09 48.8%
710 Retirement CalPERS-ER 17,750.00 8,875.00 8,702.01 172.99 49.0%
715 Workers Compensation Ins 3,800.00 1,900.00 2,014.50 (114.50) 53.0%
716 Group Insurance 30,900.00 15,450.00 11,721.41 3,728.59 37.9%
718 Employer Payroll Taxes 18,790.00 9,395.00 8,990.92 404.08 47.8%
719 Deferred Compensation 1,200.00 600.00 - 600.00 0.0%
720 Auto Allowance 2,400.00 1,200.00 1,100.00 100.00 45.8%
XXX Phone Allowance 600.00 300.00 - 300.00 0.0%
758 Planning Commission Mtg - - 988.12 (988.12) N/A
761 Auto Mileage - - 37.24 (37.24) N/A
770 Telephone - - 960.82 (960.82) N/A
776 Miscellaneous Expense 2,000.00 1,000.00 - 1,000.00 0.0%
750 Dues & Subscription 850.00 425.00 - 425.00 0.0%
755 Conference Expense 5,000.00 2,500.00 - 2,500.00 0.0%
759 Training & Education 1,000.00 500.00 - 500.00 0.0%
790 Advertising - - 2,405.65 (2,405.65) N/A
Page: 2310
Adopted Pro-Rated YTD Variance %
Budget Budget Expenditures Fav (Unfav)Exp
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
Budget Vs Actual Expenditures
Six Months Ended December 31, 2021
GENERAL FUND
801 City Attorney - - 608.00 (608.00) N/A
872 Property Devel - Legal Exp 100,000.00 50,000.00 21,437.45 28,562.55 21.4%
878 Build Inspect. LA County/Wild 150,000.00 75,000.00 94,620.30 (19,620.30) 63.1%
881 Storm Water Management 275,800.00 137,900.00 150,352.85 (12,452.85) 54.5%
882 Variance & CUP Expense 7,000.00 3,500.00 5,913.95 (2,413.95) 84.5%
884 Spec Proj Study & Consulting 180,000.00 90,000.00 43,907.65 46,092.35 24.4%
950 Capital Outlay 26,400.00 13,200.00 - 13,200.00 0.0%
Total Planning & Develop.1,060,690.00 530,345.00 469,417.78 60,927.22
25 - Public Safety
830 Law Enforcement 220,380.00 110,190.00 102,280.14 7,909.86 46.4%
833 Other Law Enforcement 3,000.00 1,500.00 1,129.73 370.27 37.7%
837 Wild Life Mgmt & Pest Control 50,000.00 25,000.00 1,412.40 23,587.60 2.8%
838 Animal Control Expense 6,000.00 3,000.00 2,204.45 795.55 36.7%
Total Public Safety 279,380.00 139,690.00 107,026.72 32,663.28 38.3%
65 - NON-DEPARTMENTAL
895 Insurance & Bond Expense 30,260.00 15,130.00 11,025.46 4,104.54 36.4%
901 South Bay Comm. Organ.20,100.00 10,050.00 1,200.00 8,850.00 6.0%
915 Community Recognition 16,000.00 8,000.00 5,898.67 2,101.33 36.9%
916 Civil Defense Expense 650.00 325.00 - 325.00 0.0%
917 Emergency Preparedness 137,360.00 68,680.00 143,212.24 (74,532.24) 104.3%
985 Contingency 25,000.00 12,500.00 - 12,500.00 0.0%
Total Non-Departmental 229,370.00 114,685.00 161,336.37 (46,651.37) 70.3%
75 - CITY PROPERTIES
925 Utilities 33,810.00 16,905.00 20,158.61$ (3,253.61) 59.6%
930 Repairs & Maintenance 36,963.00 18,481.50 13,634.74 4,846.76 36.9%
932 Area Landscaping 28,500.00 14,250.00 7,238.91 7,011.09 25.4%
Page: 3311
Adopted Pro-Rated YTD Variance %
Budget Budget Expenditures Fav (Unfav)Exp
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
Budget Vs Actual Expenditures
Six Months Ended December 31, 2021
GENERAL FUND
Capital Outlay - Bldgs & Equip 250,000.00 125,000.00 - 125,000.00 0.0%
Total City Properties 349,273.00 174,636.50 41,032.26 133,604.24 11.7%
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 3,084,599.00$ 1,542,299.50$ 1,389,053.65$ 151,245.85$ 45.0%
Page: 4312
Agenda Item No.: 13.A
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:ELAINE JENG, CITY MANAGER
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:SEND LETTER TO RESIDENTS EXPLAINING THE PROPOSED
ORDINANCE THAT WOULD MANDATE RESIDENTS TO PAY THE
COST OF LIVE VEGETATION REMOVAL FROM THEIR PROPERTIES
AND SEND SURVEY TO RESIDENTS FOR THEIR INPUT REGARDING
PREFERRED FIRE SAFETY MEASURES. (MAYOR DIERINGER)
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
None.
DISCUSSION:
None.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive a presentation from Mayor Bea Dieringer and provide direction to staff.
ATTACHMENTS:
313
Agenda Item No.: 13.B
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:ELAINE JENG, CITY MANAGER
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE FIRE FUEL COMMITTEE
TO TAKE THE MANDATORY APPROACH TO MANAGE FIRE FUEL IN
THE CANYONS AND TO PROVIDE AVAILABLE COST DATA TO THE
COMMUNITY.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
At the Fire Fuel Committee meeting on February 8, 2022, the members discussed regulatory
versus voluntary approaches to fire fuel abatement in the canyons, and the cost to comply with
an ordinance.
DISCUSSION:
The Fire Fuel Committee discussed that the community has been given the option to remove
fire fuel on private property voluntarily and given the amount of fire fuel that exist presently in
the community as assessed by the Fire Department, the voluntary approach has not been
impactful. In consideration of the present condition and the risk that the amount of fire fuel
presents in the potential of severe wildfires, the Fire Fuel Committee decided that the best
approach would be the mandatory approach to removing fire fuel in the canyons. To ready the
community for an ordinance that mandates the reduction of fire fuel, the Fire Fuel Committee
suggested to the City Council to delay the effective date of the ordinance by six months upon
approval of an ordinance.
Receiving a report from the Fire Fuel Committee on the recommendation to take the
mandatory approach, at the February 28, 2022 City Council meeting, the feedback from the
Council was that it is difficult to discuss the matter - mandatory versus voluntary - on a
philosophical level. To assist the City Council's discussion, included with this report is the
draft fire fuel abatement in canyons ordinance previously shared with the City Council with
references to defensible space removed per the Los Angeles County Fire Department's review
comments.
314
In response to public comments about the lack of cost information when considering an
ordinance to require residents to remove fire fuel in the canyons, the Fire Fuel Committee
discussed the issue of cost at the February 8, 2022 meeting. The Fire Fuel Committee noted
that the cost to eliminate the risk for the entire community would be the same regardless of a
mandatory or voluntary approach. Discussing the cost at the parcel level, the cost would vary
depending on the parcel, the location of the parcel and if the parcel abuts a canyon or has a
canyon on the property. The Fire Fuel Committee opined that minimizing the risk of wildfire is
a matter of public safety and it is the City Council’s duty to ensure public safety.
While there is a cost associated with fire fuel removal, the Committee has strived to balance it
with the need to minimize safety risks for the community. The Committee also discussed that
the city can be transparent and helpful to the community by sharing cost information as they
become available. For example, the city can share the project cost relating to the
CalOES/FEMA Vegetation Management grant. Public Comments requested cost relating to
the code enforcement officer that would enforce the draft vegetation management in the
canyon ordinance. In response the Fire Fuel Committee concluded that the salary of the code
enforcement officer should be shared with the community, Lastly, the Committee believed that
seeking grant funds to defray cost of mitigation is important and should be prioritized by the
city.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve recommendations.
ATTACHMENTS:
Exhibit A - Canyon Fire Fuel Management Ordinance-c1_2020-01-13.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-01_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-02_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-03_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-04_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-05.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-06_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-07_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_13B_Supplemental-08_Redacted.pdf
315
- 1 -
EXHIBIT A
Chapter 8.30 Abatement and Management of Certain Vegetation and Waste Matter
Section 8.30.010 Purpose and Intent
Section 8.30.020 Definitions
Section 8.30.030 Minimum General Requirements for Parcel Maintenance
Section 8.30.040 Additional Maintenance for Parcels with Steep Slopes
Section 8.30.050 Decreased Maintenance for Parcels with Steep Slopes
Section 8.30.060 Fire Extinguishers
Section 8.30.070 Grading
Section 8.30.090 Exemptions
Section 8.30.090 Violation
Section 8.30.010 Purpose and Intent
A. Uncontrolled wildfires pose a serious threat to the health, welfare, and safety of the
City of Rolling Hills residents and their animals and property.
B. The City is located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and is almost an
entirely residential community of large one+ acre parcels. It is characterized by California ranch
style homes and an abundance of equestrian facilities. Early l andscaping on these large parcels
matured, rendering the City a heavily wooded setting.
C. The City values the wooded setting and recognizes the benefits that vegetation
offers to the community, such as maintaining soil stability, fostering wildlife, and providing
shade and privacy. The City also recognizes the inherent danger in allowing such vegetation to
grow unchecked without maintenance recommended by fire officials and experts based on the
unique characteristics of the City and environmental changes, which have resulted in hotter and
dryer weather.
D. The topography of the City also increases the risk of fire transmission. The City
contains canyons and steep slopes, which influence how fires behave. Canyons provide narrow
openings that accelerate winds, making fires spread more quickly and easily. Further, when a fire
ignites at the bottom of a steep slope, it spreads more quickly upwards because it can preheat the
upcoming fuels with rising hot air.
E. The County of Los Angeles Fire Code, which the City of Rolling Hills adopts by
reference, requires property owners and others in control of property in the Very High Fire
Hazard Severity Zone to maintain 100 feet of defensible space. (See Los Angeles County Fire
Code Section 4907.1; Rolling Hills Municipal Code Section 15.20.010.) It further authorizes a
fire code official to notify all property owners of extra hazardous conditions which require
removal of flammable vegetation up to 200 feet from any structure or building. (Los Angeles
County Fire Code Section 325.2.2.) Due to the extra hazardous conditions within the City, the
Los Angeles County Fire Department currently enforces a defensible space of up to 200 feet
from any structure or building within the City.
316
- 2 -
F. The City Council has taken further action to address this threat of uncontrolled
wildfires through the adoption of the Fire Fuel Abatement Ordinance in Chapter 8.30 of the
Rolling Hills Municipal Code, which prohibits the maintenance of dead and alive tumbleweeds
and dead trees, shrubs, palm fronds, and other plants.
G. Despite these efforts, the accumulation of other flammable vegetation within the
City continues to endanger the lives of the residents, animals, and property.
H. Due to the conditions described above and the City’s steep canyons, additional
maintenance is necessary in the canyons to significantly reduce the risk of flame or heat
transmission within the City. Requiring additional maintenance on slopes steeper than two units
horizontal to one unit vertical (fifty percent slope) within the City will reduce the risk of fire
transmission, ultimately protect the City’s valued wooded setting, and increase community
safety.
I. This Chapter will allow for public nuisance abatement when property owners
allow flammable vegetation to accumulate in violation of this Chapter.
Section 8.30.020 Definitions
The following words and phrases, for the purposes of this chapter, are defined as follows:
“Flammable Vegetation” shall mean material that in its natural state will readily ignite (i.e., burn
and transmit fire from native or landscape plants to any Improvement or other vegetation).
Flammable Vegetation includes the following plants or vegetation:
1. Dead and dry grass, brush, Weeds, and leaf litter, dead and dying trees, and other
flammable vegetation that endanger public safety by creating a Fire Hazard in any
portion of the City.
2. Sagebrush, chaparral, and any other brush or vegetation, which attain such large
growth so as to become, when dry, a fire menace upon premises or to adjacent
property.
3. Plants and vegetation otherwise considered a Noxious Weed or dangerous,
including, but not limited to, oleander, castor bean, and poison oak and poison
ivy.
4. Trees, if determined to increase the Fire Hazard due to mortality, insect
infestation, disease, or lack of maintenance.
5. Dead and dying groves and forests.
6. Palm trees and all palm fronds with older leaves that persist on the tree,
forming a “skirt” of brown thatch.
7. Any other vegetation that in its natural state will readily ignite as determined by
the Fire Chief or his or her designee.
“Combustible Mulch” shall mean any layer of material applied to the surface of soil that will,
in its natural state, ignite, burn, or be capable of transmitting fire to landscape or to any
Improvement. Combustible Mulch shall include, but not be limited to, the following as defined:
317
- 3 -
1. “Composted Mulch” is defined as screened or refined composted wood chips and
other organic materials.
2. “Chipped or Shredded Vegetation Waste, Wood Products, Bark, and Nugget
Mulch” shall mean coarsely chipped or shredded organic materials that have
been recently produced and have not undergone the composting process.
Examples include chipped or shredded vegetation waste and wood products,
logging waste, bark or wood nuggets, and needles.
3. “Rubber Mulch” shall mean chipped or shredded mulch coming from 100
percent recycled rubber.
“Dying or Diseased Trees” shall mean pest or pathogen infested trees, abandoned or neglected
groves, and other trees which are in a dying condition.
“Defensible Space” shall mean an area, either natural or man-made, where material capable of
allowing a fire to spread unchecked has been abated, treated, removed, or modified to slow the
rate and intensity of an advancing wildfire.
“Fire Hazard” shall mean any condition or conduct which, in the opinion of the Fire Chief or his
or her designee, (a) increases or may increase the threat of fire to a greater degree than
customarily recognized as an acceptable condition or conduct by individuals in the public service
regularly engaged in preventing, suppressing or extinguishing fire; or (b) may obstruct, delay,
hinder, or interfere with the operations of the fire department or the egress of occupants in the
event of fire.
“Green Waste” includes organic material including but not limited to yard trimmings, plant
waste, untreated wood wastes, paper products, natural fiber products, mulch, and compost.
“Improvement” shall mean any building or structure, permanent or temporary, erected for the
support, shelter, or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or property of any kind located in
the City. For purposes of this term, "Improvement" shall not include fences or any similar
barriers enclosing or separating areas of land.
“Noxious Weed” shall mean any species of plant that is, or is liable to be, troublesome,
aggressive, intrusive, detrimental, or destructive to agriculture, silviculture, or important native
species, and difficult to control or eradicate, as defined in Section 5004 of the California
Food and Agricultural Code.
“Parcel” shall mean any contiguous quantity of land in the possession of, owned by, or
recorded as the property of, the same person or entity, and which is located in the
jurisdiction of the City.
“Responsible Party” includes, but is not limited to, any person, firm, or entity owning,
renting, leasing, or otherwise controlling any Parcel located in the City. The responsible parties
for a property that is leased or rented by a person or entity other than the owner of the property
includes the person or entity who is on record with the County Assessor as the owner of that
property.
318
- 4 -
“Weeds” shall mean any vegetation growing upon streets or private property in the City, and
may include any of the following, pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 14875:
1. Vegetation that bears seeds of a downy or wingy nature;
2. Vegetation that is not pruned or is otherwise neglected so as to attain such large
growth as to become, when dry, a fire menace to adjacent improved property;
3. Vegetation that is otherwise noxious or dangerous;
4. Poison oak and poison ivy when the conditions of growth are such as to constitute
a menace to the public health; and
5. Dry grass, stubble, brush, or other flammable material which endangers the public
safety by creating a Fire Hazard.
Section 8.30.030 Minimum General Requirements for Parcel Maintenance
Dead and alive tumbleweeds and dead trees, shrubs, palm fronds, grasses, or other plants located
on any Parcel in the City are prohibited.
Section 8.30.040 Maintenance for Parcels with Steep Slopes
In addition to the requirements of Section 8.30.030 of the Rolling Hills Municipal Code
and the requirements of Section 4907.1 of the Los Angeles County Fire Code, which the City
adopts by reference, Responsible Party for parcels shall at all times comply with the following
requirements on slopes steeper than two units horizontal to one unit vertical (fifty percent slope):
1. Flammable Vegetation must be removed by methods such as uprooting,
mowing, disking, thinning and trimming. Mowing is preferred when it is
desirable to leave the plant root structure intact to stabilize the soil.
2. Invasive Species. Any noxious or invasive weed or plant designated by a Federal,
State, County, or City government as injurious to public health, agriculture,
recreation, wildlife, or property shall be removed. Due to their flammable
characteristics, potential to increase fuel density, and their ability to degrade
natural and planted landscapes, invasive plants are prohibited.
3. Any Weeds or grasses shall be cut to a height not less than four (4) inches and
no more than six (6) inches. This section does not apply to single specimens of
trees, ornamental shrubbery, or similar plants which are used as ground cover, if
they do not form a means of rapidly transmitting fire from the native growth to
any Improvement.
4. All trees and shrubs shall be properly maintained free of deadwood, litter, and
dying palm fronds.
5. Accumulated leaf litter and any Combustible Mulch may not exceed three (3)
inches in depth.
6. Create horizontal and vertical spacing among shrubs and trees using the “Fuel
Separation” method, the “Continuous Tree Canopy” method, or a combination of
both to achieve Defensible Space requirements. Selection of the appropriate
method should be done by reference to the State Board of Forestry and Fire
Protection’s “General Guidelines for Creating Defensible Space” (Feb. 8, 2006),
incorporated herein by reference.
319
- 5 -
a. The Fuel Separation method is focused on horizontal spacing and accounts
for slope as well as type and size of shrubs or trees. For slopes up to 20%,
shrubs are to be horizontally separated by a distance equal to two times the
height of the shrub and trees should be 10 feet apart measured at the
widest part of their canopy. For slopes measuring 20%-40%, shrubs are to
be horizontally separated by four times the height of the shrub and trees
should be 20 feet apart measured at the widest part of their canopy. For
slopes greater than 40%, shrubs are to be horizontally separated by six
times the height of the shrub and trees should be 30 feet apart measured at
the widest part of their canopy.
b. The Continuous Canopy Method eliminates ladder fuels by requiring a
minimum vertical clearance of tree branches to 6 feet or 1/3 of the tree
height, whichever is less. If shrubs are beneath the tree, the tree branches
are to be removed providing clearance of at least three times the height of
the shrub.
Section 8.30.050 Decreased Maintenance for Parcels with Steep Slopes
The City Manager or his or her designee may allow a decrease of Maintenance for Parcels with
Steep Slopes, as required by this Chapter, due to topographical or geographical constraints on the
Parcel upon a written finding.
Section 8.30.060 Fire Extinguishers
Any person conducting brush abatement or mitigation with a mechanical device must
have a fire extinguisher directly located on hand when working with dead or dry vegetation.
Section 8.30.070 Grading
The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to authorize grading which does not
comply with the rules of the City.
Section 8.30.080 Exemptions
This Chapter shall not apply to land or water area acquired or managed for purpose or use
of the following:
A. Habitat for endangered or threatened species, or any species that is a candidate for
listing as an endangered or threatened species by the state or federal government.
B. Riparian (stream side) zones or vernal pool depressions as recognized by the state
or federal government.
Section 8.30.090 Violation
Any violation of this Chapter is deemed a public nuisance and shall be abated in
compliance with Chapter 8.24.
320
From:michael sherman
To:City Clerk
Cc:
Subject:VOTING NO on RH City Council Ordinance beyond 200 feet
Date:Saturday, March 12, 2022 3:21:02 PM
Importance:High
Attention City Clerk, Rolling Hills.
Michael and Sandy Sherman, owners of 33 CREST ROAD EAST, ROLLING HILLS,
strongly disagree with the R.H. City Council’s Proposal Ordinance to remove
trees ,shrubs and other living green vegetation from our property an additional
300 feet beyond the current 200 ft. ordinance from our housing structures
This past week we requested that Captain Singleton and 2 other fireman from
the Crest Rd. fire station on Crest Road carefully scrutinize our property . We
all walked my entire property and Captain Singleton made recommendations
to me to cut the limbs of specific living trees , weed wack certain ground weed
vegetation beyond our tennis court, cut down and remove a dead tree, and cut
in half an entire row of bushes that are too close to our pool house.
These are very important preventative measures that we are in the process of
doing asap to try to PROTECT our property from wild fires and blowing embers
across the borders of our property .
Captain Singleton was very supportive of my attempt to proactively take these
steps of prevention. My wife and I highly recommend that the RH
Council does NOT approve the additional 300 foot of “defensible
space” because this will destroy needed living vegetation for our
environment, geologically weaken the supportive earth around our
houses and hardscapes, and lead to landslides. Also, this additional
300 feet regulation is not recommended by our trusted, experienced
experts in the fire department and are deemed not necessary.
Respectfully submitted,
MICHAEL AND SANDY SHERMAN
321
322
From:NINA RITTER
To:City Clerk
Subject:Objection to Ordinance Section 8.30.010
Date:Saturday, March 12, 2022 4:26:37 PM
500 Feet of clearance from all improvements is unreasonable. The present fire codes of 200 ft can and should be
assumed to be the most practical balance between effective fire control and realistic cost, aesthetic and soil retention
concerns. While few would probably argue with controlling weeds and dead vegetation, the inclusion of trees and
unspecified “other vegetation” which ‘might’ ignite is worrisome.
Furthermore, Section 8.30.030 A) is poorly written. As written the sentence implies ALL “shrubs, palm fronds,
grasses or other plants are prohibited”. It should read: "Tumbleweeds of any kind and dead foliage such as ……..
are prohibited…”
Thank you for your consideration,
Nina Ritter
323
From:michael sherman
To:City Clerk
Subject:FW: URGENT: Immediate Review Required
Date:Saturday, March 12, 2022 8:09:28 PM
Attachments:Email to Residents re Impending Live Vegeation Removal Ordinance 3-20-2022.docx
Importance:High
FORWARDED FROM KEN PICKAR
From: Pickar, Kenneth A. (Ken)
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2022 2:10 PM
To:
Cc:
Subject: FW: URGENT: Immediate Review Required
Dear Roger,
I am very much against this ordinance to cut down our trees. Our trees are one of the great features
of Rolling Hills and one of the great reasons we have loved living here.
Regards,
Kenneth Pickar
From: Roger Hawkins
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2022 5:22 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: URGENT: Immediate Review Required
Your review of the attached email is respectfully requested.
RHCA Resident: Roger Hawkins
324
From:Jim Scharffenberger
To:City Clerk
Subject:Fire fuel ordinance
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 7:24:03 AM
I am against the proposed new fire ordnance, let’s leave this important subject up to the experts who are better
equipped to advise on this matter
Jim Scharffenberger
Sent from my iPhone
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1 | P a g e
Fellow Residents,
The Rolling Hills City Council is considering enacting an ordinance that could require residents
to pay high costs (thousands – $100K+) to remove substantial amounts of live vegetation from
their properties. This ordinance would cover portions of your property that are IN ADDITION
TO the 200’ from a structure that the Los Angeles County Fire Department already requires
homeowners to clear for defensible space mandated by the Fire Code.
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! Come to the March 14, 2022, the City Council Meeting, or at
least email to the City to cityclerk@cityofrh.net asking the City Council to vote against this
proposed ordinance!
The COSTS associated with the live vegetation removal proposed would be EXTREMELY
HIGH. The City has already paid or committed to pay $283,600 to the PV Conservancy, for
removal of live vegetation in areas close to the RH southern border. See the report &
description from the 2/28/22 Council meeting. Rolling Hills - Cover - Template Builder1
(d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net). The costs for similar vegetation removal would be greater
for residents since the Conservancy utilizes interns/volunteers to help remove live vegetation.
The Fire Department has repeatedly stated that they need NO MORE than the current 200’
from structures to defend people and structures in RH from wildfire . The Fire Department
rejected a prior RH ordinance draft that mandated live vegetation removal within the 500’ of
“defensible space” from structures, stating this additional 300’ from structures should NOT be
called “defensible space,” because no more than 200’ is needed to defend structures from
fire.
RH City Council has already hired a firm, “Wildland Resource Management” to provide them
with the information to be inserted in the ordinance regarding how much live vegetation
residents must remove from their properties. The principals of this firm have no known
expertise in soils analysis or geology. There has been NO analysis for this proposed ordinance
provided by any qualified soils engineers or geologists regarding how this proposed significant
live vegetation removal on slopes might increase the danger to residents and their homes
from landslides. Such soil and geologic analysis is crucial since RH has designated landslide
areas in which many homes were destroyed by land movement. In addition, land movement
in the Poppy Trail Lane area destroyed several homes, even though this area was not in a
designated landslide area. Mandating the removal of live vegetation to prevent it from
burning during a wildfire could expose residents to even greater risks of damage, injury a nd
death from landslides.
With its limited staff-time and resources, the City has MANY OTHER BENEFICIAL FIRE SAFETY
MEASURES that could be adopted, which have NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY EXPLORED. One such
measure is the City purchase of WILDFIRE DETECTION CAMERAS that can accurately spot the
beginning of a wildfire within minutes and sends out notifications directly to the Fire
Department. Rancho Palos Verdes has put out a request for proposals for such a system. See
Bid Postings • Rancho Palos Verdes, CA • CivicEngage (rpvca.gov).
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2 | P a g e
Another valuable measure would be to provide financial and other incentives to RH
homeowners to harden their homes to prevent fires starting inside their home via fire embers
that enter through unprotected house vents, gutters and other areas. The Fire Department has
indicated that wind-blown fire embers can enter homes from a fire miles away and destroy
these homes.
The City should:
1. OBTAIN ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS’ INPUT following transparent disclosure of the
purposes of this ordinance that includes the views of those opposing the ordinance;
2. EDUCATE RESIDENTS about all fire safety measures for their specific property ;
3. ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS’ VOLUNTARY EFFORTS; and
4. EXPLORE MORE EFFECTIVE FIRE SAFETY CITY MEASURES
BEFORE imposing this mandatory costly ordinance that may financially harm and endanger
residents, rather than benefit them or our City.
On March 14, 2022, the City Council will decide whether to pursue a mandatory approach by
enacting a live vegetation removal ordinance. See last Ordinance Draft: c33829ac-4650-11ec-
a798-0050569183fa-387cd5c3-380f-4668-a391-695d050c156d-1637032833.pdf
(d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net) which is within the Fire Fuel Committee meeting agenda
materials conducted on November 17, 2021, on the RH city website: Rolling Hills, CA (rolling-
hills.org)
All unintended potential consequences must be first evaluated and all implementation costs
to residents must be determined and disseminated to all residents for their input before any
such measure should be considered.
PLEASE Come to the 7:00 P.M., March 14, 2022, City Council Meeting TO VOICE YOUR
OBJECTIONS and/or CONCERNS and have your QUESTIONS answered about:
1) the estimated costs for residents to comply with this ordinance;
2) how, and by whom, the ordinance would be enforced;
3) the specific benefits and risks the ordinance would present; and
4) the global cost to the City to implement & enforce this ordinance , etcetera.
Roger Hawkins
327
From:Bob Gold
To:City Clerk
Cc:
Subject:RE: VOTING NO on RH City Council Ordinance beyond 200 feet
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 12:06:05 PM
This is news to me! Would the city kindly let the community know of this proposal? I
certainly wouldn’t be able to comply fully – as 300 feet would be in the middle of
houses to the left and right of me.
Bob Gold
From: michael sherman
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2022 3:21 PM
To: cityclerk@cityofrh.net
Cc: Bob Gold
; SANDY SHERMAN
Subject: VOTING NO on RH City Council Ordinance beyond 200 feet
Importance: High
Attention City Clerk, Rolling Hills.
Michael and Sandy Sherman, owners of 33 CREST ROAD EAST, ROLLING HILLS,
strongly disagree with the R.H. City Council’s Proposal Ordinance to remove
trees ,shrubs and other living green vegetation from our property an additional
300 feet beyond the current 200 ft. ordinance from our housing structures
This past week we requested that Captain Singleton and 2 other fireman from
the Crest Rd. fire station on Crest Road carefully scrutinize our property . We
all walked my entire property and Captain Singleton made recommendations
to me to cut the limbs of specific living trees , weed whack certain ground
weed vegetation beyond our tennis court, cut down and remove a dead tree,
and cut in half an entire row of bushes that are too close to our pool house.
These are very important preventative measures that we are in the process of
doing asap to try to PROTECT our property from wild fires and blowing embers
across the borders of our property .
Captain Singleton was very supportive of my attempt to proactively take these
328
steps of prevention. My wife and I highly recommend that the RH
Council does NOT approve the additional 300 foot of “defensible
space” because this will destroy needed living vegetation for our
environment, geologically weaken the supportive earth around our
houses and hardscapes, and lead to landslides. Also, this additional
300 feet regulation is not recommended by our trusted, experienced
experts in the fire department and are deemed not necessary.
Respectfully submitted,
MICHAEL AND SANDY SHERMAN
329
330
From:Dianne U
To:City Clerk
Subject:Fire Mitigation: Please vote NO on proposed ordinance
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 1:06:42 PM
Please forward all city council members.
RE: Fire Mitigation......Please vote NO on proposed ordinance
The Fire Department already has Brush Clearing Requirements in place. Hiring another
company and disregarding the Fire Department is baffling to me. No company really
knows what clearing that much vegetation will do, no matter what they tell you. If my hillside
fails because of your mandates will you pay for the damages and repair of my property? This
proposed ordinance will be very expensive in cost and a hardship on many residents.
Currently we have concerns about the coyotes in the canyon, this may move them closer to our
homes.
Please look for other ways to achieve your goals.
Thank you,
Dianne Ullmann
331
Agenda Item No.: 13.C
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:ELAINE JENG, CITY MANAGER
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:RECEIVE A REPORT ON THE MARCH 1, 2022 FIRE FUEL COMMITTEE
MEETING AND DISCUSS THE COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
At the Fire Fuel Committee meeting on March 1, 2022, the members discussed three items:
1. Expert review of the draft fire fuel abatement in the canyons ordinance;
2. Establishing a list of additional wildfire mitigation measures; and
3. The date of next Fire Fuel Committee meeting.
DISCUSSION:
Staff reported that the professional services agreement with Wildland Res Management
(WRM) needed adjustments and execution of the agreement is anticipated for the week of
March 1, 2022. Accordingly, WRM provided an update on the review of the draft ordinance
expected to be completed on April 11, 2022.
The Committee developed a list of wildfire mitigation measures for consideration. The
Committee submitted a write-up that provides additional explanations for the suggested
measures. The write-up is attached to this report.
The next Fire Fuel Committee meeting was set for Wednesday April 20, 2022 at 6:30pm at
City Hall.
332
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive report and discuss.
ATTACHMENTS:
Addtl Fire Safety Recommendations.pdf
333
1
Fire Safety Recommendations
Throughout the Fire Fuel Committee’s efforts to address reduction of risks associated with the presence of large
amounts of vegetation in our canyons, members of the public have also offered suggestions or ideas on other actions
that could/should be considered. The following is a list of those ideas that have been suggested during the last 10
months of the meetings.
The list is grouped by category to facilitate review, but is not in any specific order or priority. The items were included
without any “filtering” - without any consideration for practicality, responsible organization, analysis of pros vs cons,
etc.
Because fire safety is about much more than just fire fuel in the canyons and there has been significant public
participation in the meetings, The Fire Fuel Committee felt it was important to share these additional measures that
have been suggested, and is presenting this information to the City Council for its consideration.
SCE/P.U.C.
More oversight of SCE processes, ie vegetation management around poles, under wires, transformers, etc
Require SCE to provide more education and transparency regarding their PUC mandates and progress
Require SCE to place and monitor cameras in Conservancy and elsewhere in area
Investigate possibility of new Rule 20-D program, currently only available at San Diego G&E
Consider San Diego G&E Franchise Tax approach to fund programs in High Fire Zones
Pass local laws to require SCE compliance
City and or RHCA Administration
Heat and/or smoke sensitive cameras – installation and monitoring
Sirens and alarms
Educational info – expert opinions/instructions, videos, demos, site visits, guides, etc
Eliminate wood-burning fireplaces, BBQs, fire pits
Additional greenwaste and chipping events
Accelerate removal of non-fire retardant roofs and boxing in eaves
Formation of a Fire Safe Council
Long term fire retardant chemicals, ie PhosCheck, Fortress, etc
Work with carriers to improve cell phone reception
334
2
Satellite phones
Pursue grant funding opportunities
Require RHCA to mitigate vegetation on all easements, including side and rear
Reduce entry in to RH – 1) limit entry on red flag days (designate types) 2) put up signs, natural barriers, etc to prevent
unauthorized entrance
Provide additional emergency exits routes from city for evacuation (end of Portuguese Bend Rd, end of John’s Cyn to
Crenshaw)
Conservancy and RPV
Work with Conservancy/RPV to mitigate fuel in other areas that border the city on east side
Pressure Conservancy to prohibit visitors to the Preserve area on High Fire Hazard Days
Pressure RPV to establish the parking on PV Dr South that was proposed during approval and development process of
Preserve’s formation
Fire Department
Continue Home Hardening Educational Inspections
Consider project like Malibu’s “69 Bravo” that converted traditional water storage tank capabilities to include fueling of
water dropping aircraft
Increased oversight of Fire Dept Inspections, including receipt of copies of citations and perform spot-checks
Fire Dept needs to use most recent Fuel Modification info/legislations on landscaping requirements and include
continued adherence to those requirements during inspections
Provide copies of CalFire’s publication on safe and proper operating procedures to be used when mitigating vegetation,
including the use of machinery, etc.
Respectfully submitted by Committee Members Mayor Pro Tem Black and Councilmember Leah Mirsch
335
Agenda Item No.: 13.D
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:ELAINE JENG, CITY MANAGER
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:ROLLING HILLS TENNIS COURTS IMPROVEMENTS TO ADD
PICKLEBALL COURTS. (PIEPER)
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
At the February 14, 2022 City Council Meeting, the City Council directed staff to take no
further action until Councilmember Jeff Pieper reported back on discussions with the Rolling
Hills Community Association.
DISCUSSION:
None.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive a presentation from Councilmember Jeff Pieper and provide direction to staff.
ATTACHMENTS:
336
Agenda Item No.: 13.E
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH,
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:CITY COUNCIL REMINDERS ON COMMUNITY AND PENINSULA
EVENTS. (MAYOR DIERINGER)
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
At the February 14, 2022 City Council meeting, Mayor Bea Dieringer informed the City Council
that staff should remind the City Council of events such as the luncheon to celebrate the
retirement of several Los Angeles County Sheriff Department Deputies. The luncheon was
sponsored by the City and several other adjacent cities. The event was held on February 9,
2022 at the City Hall campus. Mayor Dieringer noted that other cities have staff members
provide reminders to their respective City Councils on community events, and regional
events. Several members of the City Council did not agree with Mayor Dieringer on
notifications to the City Council on events and the City Council decided to discuss the matter
at the February 28, 2022 meeting. The item was continued to the March 14, 2022 meeting.
DISCUSSION:
None.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive a presentation from Mayor Bea Dieringer and provide direction to staff.
ATTACHMENTS:
337
Agenda Item No.: 13.F
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH,
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:DISCUSS HOLDING AN ANNUAL STATE OF THE CITY EVENT.
(MIRSCH)
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
At the February 14, 2022 City Council meeting, Councilmember Leah Mirsch expanded on the
Council's direction for staff to inform the community on the city's accomplishments and
activities in the last two years to support the 2020 strategic plan and inquired if the City
Council would consider holding a State of the City event annually.
DISCUSSION:
None.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider and provide direction to staff.
ATTACHMENTS:
338
Agenda Item No.: 14.A
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:ELAINE JENG, CITY MANAGER
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:RECEIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HQE SYSTEMS'
PROPOSED OUTDOOR SIREN SYSTEM AND DIRECT STAFF TO
CONDUCT A COMMUNITY SURVEY FOR FEEDBACK ON AN
OUTDOOR SIREN SYSTEM.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
In Fiscal Years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, the City Council provided funding for the Block
Captain Program investigate communication platforms in the event of complete power failure
in the community. The Block Captains and city staff used funds to purchase two-way radios
and when the handheld radio option proved to be ineffective, a Request for Proposal (RFP)
was issued to solicit proposals on other communication systems. City staff presented a
feasibility proposal from HQE System Inc. (HQE) for an outdoor siren system.
On April 26, 2021, staff recommended that City Council engage the services of HQE. The City
Council directed Councilmember Jeff Pieper to work with staff to better understand the
evolution of the communication project and the scope of the feasibility study. As directed, staff
met with Councilmember Pieper on four occasions: May 20, 2021, July 15, 2021, July 23,
2021 and August 12, 2021. Some of the meetings with Councilmember Pieper included the
Lead Block Captains Arlene and Gene Honbo. Staff also worked with Project Manager Alan
Palermo and HQE to provide technical information requested by Councilmember Pieper. The
feasibility study by HQE Systems Inc. is intended to identify the hardware, location of the
hardware, software, system integration, and a detailed cost estimate to install a siren system
for the community. The Lead Block Captains, along with many members of the Block Captains
were in support of a feasibility study. The City Council ultimately engaged HQE to provide a
feasibility study.
At the January 10, 2022 City Council meeting staff presented the final feasibility report from
HQE and recommended the City Council to conduct a community survey to gauge interest for
an outdoor siren system. In review of the feasibility report, the City Council requested
information relating to the annual maintenance cost of the proposed outdoor siren system. The
City Council also requested a street level map of Option A and Option B presented in the
339
feasibility study.
DISCUSSION:
At the February 28, 2022 City meeting, the City Council had additional questions on HQE's
feasibility study. In Option A outlined in the feasibility report, Councilmember Leah Mirsch
asked if the poles have camouflage capability. HQE responded that all proposed poles can be
camouflaged.
In response to the City Council's request for street level maps to identify approximately
locations of proposed poles, HQE sent personnel to the city on March 9, 2022 to revisit sound
propagation points from their software to precisely locate proposed pole locations in the
community. HQE also took photos of proposed pole locations to enhance the review of street
level maps.
At the February 28, 2022 City Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Black noted that the
community survey should include a question asking residents if they want a siren system if
poles needed to be placed on private property. Staff added one question to the community
survey for consideration.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Should the City Council decide to move forward with an outdoor siren system as proposed in
HQE's feasibility study, Solution A considered aesthetic for an estimated construction cost of
$310,602. Solution B offers the most reliable solution in the market today for an estimate of
$144,573. The anticipated annual m aintenance Cost is: $12,000.00 (increased at 3% inflation
rate per year).
The Fiscal Year 2021- 2022 adopted budget does not include funding for implementing an
outdoor siren system. The city has an annual subscription to Survey Monkey - online survey
system - funded by the operation budget for Fiscal Year 2021-2022. There would be no fiscal
impact should the City Council moves forward with a community survey.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive additional information on HQE Systems' feasibility report and direct staff to conduct a
community survey.
ATTACHMENTS:
HQE Systems - City of Rolling Hills - Response Letter - Detailed Installation Locations.pdf
HQE Systems - Mass Notification Systems Installation Report - The City of Rolling Hills - Final
JW (Email Version 2).pdf
HQE Systems - General Maintenance Service Scope .pdf
Emergency Alert Siren System Community Survey FINAL2022-03-10.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-01a.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-01b_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-01c_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-02.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-03_Redacted.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_BlueFolderItem_14A_Supplemental-04_Redacted.pdf
340
Ref: HQE-RH-003
TO:The City of Rolling Hills
2 Portuguese Bend Road
Rolling Hills, CA 90274
(310)-377-1521
OUTDOOR WARNING SIREN LOCATIONS - STREET LEVEL
Members of the City Council & The City Manager,
It is with great pleasure that HQE Systems, Inc. continues to serve and assist the City of Rolling Hills and
its residents. As a FEMA certified California Disabled Veteran Business Entity (DVBE) and a
Minority-Owned Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), HQE prides itself for always
going the extra mile for its client partners.
HQE’s senior outdoor warning sirens subject matter expert conducted an on-site verification of the
proposed locations of the outdoor warning sirens. Based on the sound propagation analysis and the
on-site survey, HQE has consolidated the proposed installation points on the document attached. Please
note that these locations are only suggestions and the final locations can be changed by the City to meet
its desired end configuration. HQE will be able to adjust the sound propagation plan prior to conducting
any final installation. This will ensure that the City has the outdoor sirens located at the desired locations
while ensuring the coverage is adequate.
All pole types can be camouflaged to match the environment.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. You can reach me at 1(800)
967-3036 X203 or Henry.Hernandez@HQESystems.com
Sincerely,
HENRY HERNANDEZ
Chief Operating Officer - HQE Systems, Inc.
FEMA Certified
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
1
341
Attachment: Proposed Outdoor Warning Siren Installation Points.
Option A:30 Feet Poles (QTY 9 Outdoor Warning Siren Poles)
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
2
342
Pole
#
Grid
Coordinate
Street Level Location
1 33.7728,
-118.3473
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
3
343
2 33.7679,
-118.3511
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
4
344
3 33.7692,
-118.3400
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
5
345
4 33.7635,
-118.3592
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
6
346
5 33.7580,
-118.3522
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
7
347
6 33.7608,
-118.3429
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
8
348
7 33.7544,
-118.3368
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
9
349
8 33.7466,
-118.3522
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
10
350
9 33.7471
-118.3411
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
11
351
Option B:50 Feet Poles (QTY 3 Outdoor Warning Siren Poles)
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
12
352
Pole #Grid
Coordinate
Street Level Location
1 33.768614,
-118.347668
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
13
353
2 33.7581, -118.3493
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
14
354
3 33.7497, -118.3422
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
15
355
End of Document
“It is our goal at HQE to continue to serve our veterans through our ‘Hire Veterans Policy
HQE-2015-2025’.We appreciate all of our current and past customers who have helped us meet our
goals of hiring veterans throughout the years.Your support in HQE is directly impacting the support of
our amazing veterans.Thank you for your consideration and support of Minority Business Enterprise
(MBE),Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE),and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business
(SDVOSB)!.”
Thank You from the team of HQE Systems Inc.
Qa s A r i Hen r de
CEO, Disabled Veteran / Retired COO, Disabled Veteran
HQE Systems, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
www.HQESystems.com
16
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Mass Notification Report
Global Headquarters | 42075 Remington Ave. Suite 109 | Temecula, CA 92105 | 800.967.3036
www.HQESystems.com
Prepared December 2021
For The City Of Rolling Hills, California
357
Disclaimer of Liability
Neither HQE Systems,Inc.,nor its contributors shall be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of
the information described and/or contained in this report herein and assumes no responsibility for
anyone's use of the information.In no event shall HQE Systems,Inc.or its contributors be liable for any
direct,indirect,incidental,special,exemplary,or consequential damages (including,but not limited to:
procurement of substitute goods or services;loss of use,data,or profits;or business interruption)
however caused and on any theory of liability,whether in contract,strict liability,tort (including
negligence or otherwise),or any other theory arising in any way out of the use of this report,even if
advised of the possibility of such damage.This disclaimer of liability applies to any damages or injury,
whether based on alleged incorrect data,negligence or any other cause of action,including but not
limited to damages or injuries caused by any failure of performance,error,omission,interruption,
deletion,defect,delay in operation or transmission,computer virus,communication line failure,and/or
theft, destruction or unauthorized access to, alteration of, or use of any record.
358
Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
The City of Rolling Hills, CA
HQE Systems,Inc.is a privately owned and operated Minority Owned FEMA Certified Service Disabled
Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).
“It is our goal at HQE to continue to serve our veterans through our ‘Hire Veterans Policy
HQE-2015-2025’.We appreciate all of our current and past customers who have helped us meet our
goals of hiring veterans throughout the years.Your support in HQE is directly impacting the support of
our amazing veterans. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and your community!”
Thank You from the team of HQE Systems Inc.
Qa s A r i Hen r de
CEO, Disabled Veteran / Retired COO, Disabled Veteran
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Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
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Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary 4
2. Background 5
3. The City of Rolling Hills Consideration Factors 6
3.1 General Information 6
3.2 Topographic Information 6
3. Report Development Methodology 7
2.1 Kick-Off Meeting (Clear Project Guidelines)7
2.2 Site Survey (Gathering Information)7
2.3 Sound Propagation Analysis (Data-Driven Planning)7
2.4 Mass Notification Systems Installation Study 8
4. Mass Notifications System Types Overview 9
4.1 Electronic Notification Solutions (ENS) Web & Cellular Alerting 9
4.2 Indoor Notification Solutions 10
4.3 Outdoor Notification Solutions 11
4.3.1 Outdoor Warning Sirens & Speakers 12
4.3.2 The Leading Outdoor Warning Siren System 13
5. Proposed Solution Options 17
5.1 Installation Solution Options 17
5.1.1 Option A: Low Visibility Installation Option Sound Coverage 18
5.1.2 Option B: Lowest Cost Installation Option Sound Coverage 20
5.2 Outdoor Warning Siren Pole Tree Facade 22
5.2.1 Simulated View Of Siren Poles With Tree Facades 24
5.3 Mobile Alert Expeditionary Unit (Si-MAX) Option 25
6.0 Conclusion of Report 27
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Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
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1. Executive Summary
To the distinguished City of Rolling Hills’s City Council Members,
HQE Systems,Inc.(HQE)is a Minority-Owned,FEMA Certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small
Business (SDVOSB)with its global headquarters in Temecula,CA.Since 2014,HQE has been designing,
engineering,installing,and maintaining Mass Notification Systems (Central Control Units,Outdoor
Sirens,Control Cabinets,Radios,Solar Chargers,and Subcomponents of Mass Notification Systems)
solutions for a host of clients worldwide.HQE is a brand agnostic systems integrator that has installed
over 1,000+ Mass Notification Systems for all levels of the Government and Federal Agencies.
HQE was retained by The City of Rolling Hills,California,to investigate the feasibility of installing an
effective Mass Notification System.The intent of the system is to provide Mass Alerting and Warning in
the event of natural and manmade disasters including wildfires,terrorist events,and severe weather.
HQE’s Mass Notification Systems installation Report would provide the decision-makers with the
information needed to identify the ideal solution for The City of Rolling Hills.
To develop the report,HQE conducted an installation study.The study includes open-source data
research, site survey, and sound propagation analysis.
❖Open Source Data:Researching the latest solution from the key manufacturers.This includes
technical/operational features and rough order of magnitude pricing.
❖Site Survey:Study of the local environment/infrastructure to include the availability of power,
potential installation points,residential buildings,and topography (manmade and natural).In
addition,to analyze the presence and signal capabilities of cellular,radio,and other
communications channels.
❖Sound Propagation Analysis:Utilizing the information gathered during the site survey,GIS,and
DoD planning maps,HQE utilizes a proprietary machine-learning algorithm Sound Propagation
Analysis to determine the ideal locations for the Mass Notification points.
With all of the information reviewed and analyzed during the report development,HQE’s Mass
Notification Subject Matter Experts have determined two ideal installation options for The City of Rolling
Hills.These options were developed with the following priorities (not in order):Alerting Effectiveness,
Initial Budget, Sustainment Budget, Project Timeline, and System Installed Visibility.
Solution A (Low Visual Signature Installation Option):This solution was developed to provide The City
of Rolling Hills with a solution that provides the best visually pleasing option.This option will utilize the
SiRcom-Vector outdoor speaker arrays.These modern intelligible speakers will provide the “best-look”
for the City. The rough order of magnitude pricing for Solution A is, $310,601.53
Solution B (Lowest Cost Installation Option):This solution was developed to provide the best price
while maintaining the highest quality of outdoor warning capabilities.The solution utilizes the SiRcom
outdoor warning intelligible sirens.Although lowest in price,SiRcom is determined to be the most
reliable solution in the market today.The rough order of magnitude pricing for Solution B is,
$144,572.93
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Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
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2. Background
The City of Rolling Hills (City)sought an installation report for Mass Notifications System (MNS).The
requirement specifically desired an effective outdoor solution that could operate in any threat event
environment.
The City of Rolling Hills relies primarily on communication tools that require electricity,cellular signal,or
access to the internet during an emergency.These methods include The City of Rolling Hills Website,
Alert Southbay,and local television/radio networks.Areas of California regularly experience power
outages during adverse,especially windy,weather conditions.The local utility provider utilizes a Public
Safety Power Shut-off (PSPS)program during inclement weather conditions.Because of the PSPS
program,residents of The City of Rolling Hills could possibly be without power during periods of
heightened fire danger,resulting in an increased risk of not receiving important communications,
including evacuation orders,via phone,internet,or radio.Unfortunately,disruption to the electrical
power also has a negative impact on local cellular towers which have limited generator power to sustain
its operational needs from the planned PSPS or electrical systems failures from the hazard (fire,wind,
etc).Environmental events like these must be fully understood when planning and designing an MNS,
so the system can clearly and effectively communicate alerts to residents and visitors.The MNS must be
designed to rely on solar power and have enough battery-backup capacity to send critical alerts,when
required, at night, or days when the sun may be blocked by smoke or clouds.
The infamous 2020 wildfires that overtook the northern regions of Los Angeles and Ventura County
exposed the dangers of only relying on web-based or cellular-based emergency alert systems.With over
33 deaths,many of the Cities and Counties have since implemented a radio-based mass notifications
system to mitigate this unnecessary risk in the future.
The City of Rolling Hills contracted with HQE Systems,Inc.(HQE)to develop a comprehensive and
actionable MNS report to enhance its ability to disseminate emergency alerts,especially in wildfire
situations.Since then,HQE has utilized its expertise in Mass Notifications Systems (MNS)to develop
this report to assist The City of Rolling Hills in the pursuit to save lives and protect property.
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3. The City of Rolling Hills Consideration Factors
3.1 General Information
Line Description The City of Rolling Hills Data
1 Access To The City ofRolling Hills Gated Community (Limited Access Roads)
2 Population (2020)1,739
3 Housing Units 702
4 Land Area 2.99 Square Miles
5 Water Area 0.00 Square Miles
6 Geographic Coordinates 33.760016 -118.347164
7 AVG. Annual RainFall 15 Inches
8 AVG. High Wind Speed 7-8.6 MPH (November to May is the high winds season)
9 Fire Season May to October
10 Fire Threat Region Tier 2 (Elevated Fire Threat Identified By:California Public Utilities Company Fire
Threat Mat V.3 (08.19.21)
11 Last Large Fire That
Impacted The City of
Rolling Hills On The Palos
Verdes Peninsula
Aug.27,2009,burned 235 acres and was of unknown origin according to the
California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention website.The fire,which
burned for two days,caused minor damage to six Rolling Hills homes and forced
1,200 people to evacuate.Additionally,3,000 customers in the area lost
electrical power.
3.2 Topographic Information
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Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
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HQE has studied The City of Rolling Hills’s general and topographic information.These factors will be
taken into careful consideration when developing the final solution options.
3. Report Development Methodology
2.1 Kick-Off Meeting (Clear Project Guidelines)
HQE conducted a project kickoff meeting in October 2020 with The City of Rolling Hills that established
mutual acquaintance,clarified roles,and confirmed the desired outcomes and deliverables.Utilizing its
experience and expertise in MNS,HQE was able to help better understand the constraints of the project
and how HQE could best serve The City of Rolling Hills in achieving its ultimate goal of Saving Lives and
Protecting Property.
2.2 Site Survey (Gathering Information)
HQE conducted a detailed site survey and spent time on-site gathering information to fully understand
the constraints that could impact the system’s operational and technical performances.During the
on-site interview,HQE reviewed each element of an MNS and documented expectations and
requirements of the system.The City of Rolling Hills provided site information based on the current
desires of The City of Rolling Hills and potential pitfalls to consider when planning for the new MNS.
HQE’s analysis began with the initial City provided project considerations to ensure that HQE’s efforts
would be aligned with The City of Rolling Hills’s desires.While on-site,HQE assessed the power options
and locations.In addition,HQE’s sound engineer assessed the residential and commercial building
layouts to determine the best locations of the new MNS points to maximize sound coverage.
2.3 Sound Propagation Analysis (Data-Driven Planning)
HQE conducted a sound propagation analysis to ensure the outdoor emergency alert signal is distributed
optimally throughout The City of Rolling Hills.HQE produced sound propagation maps using site
collected data and HQE’s proprietary outdoor siren planning software to determine the levels of
coverage achieved from potential sites.The coverage models take into consideration varying
geographical topology and environmental factors such as foliage and building density.
The study considered various environmental factors including:
❖Temperature
❖Humidity & Rainfall
❖Vegetation (types and disbursement)
❖Wind speed and direction
❖Man Made structures (buildings, towers, etc)
❖Topography (elevation changes)
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Environmental factors that will be present during inclement weather were important when modeling
coverage,including understanding the effects of the Santa Ana winds.In addition,much of The City of
Rolling Hills has steep hills and canyons, which pose a challenge for proper coverage.
The analysis resulted in recommendations for the most efficient outdoor warning alert sound
distribution across The City of Rolling Hills, including:
❖A sound coverage area for each proposed siren site, considering environmental data
❖Identification of any areas of The City of Rolling Hills in which sirens will be ineffective due to
geography or other characteristics
2.4 Mass Notification Systems Installation Study
HQE compiled the data collected into this report, which provides a baseline assessment and includes the
following:
❖Solution options available on the market
❖Costs to include initial and long term sustainment
❖Recommended ideal installation options
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Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
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4. Mass Notifications System Types Overview
4.1 Electronic Notification Solutions (ENS) Web & Cellular Alerting
❖Solution Types:Electronic Notification Systems (ENS)have gained popularity due to the
advancement of technology.ENS utilizes the local cellular networks to disseminate emergency
alert notifications.These notifications can be accessed from the recipient ’s mobile devices and
computers.
➢Hosted Cloud-Based Solution (SaaS):Requires no hardware to deploy the solution.
➢On-Premise Server Solution:Requires a local server to be installed.
❖Alerting Methods:The City of Rolling Hills Utilizes the local cellular towers to transmit the
following alerts.
➢Voice Calls:A custom live or pre-recorded voice message can be transmitted to all
telephone numbers in the database for the City.
➢SMS Text:A custom drafted or pre-drafted template message can be transmitted as a
text to the number in the database for the City.The recipient can also send back an
acknowledgment or a specific prompt response to the City.
❖Strengths & Vulnerabilities:
➢Strengths:Fast deployment.Easy to utilize.Requires limited or no hardware
installation.
➢Weakness:Completely reliant on the local cellular network.During PSPS or disaster
failures,ENS solutions will not work.If the recipients have their phones on silent or off,
they will not be alerted by the notification.
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4.2 Indoor Notification Solutions
❖Solution Types:Indoor Notification Systems are utilized to provide coverage visually and audibly
to ensure that the alerts are clearly received inside buildings.These notifications consist of
workstation desktop alerts,overhead paging/intercom alerts,mounted digital displays,and any
networked signs and TVs.
➢Indoor audio alerting:Integrates with in-building paging or intercom systems,
telephones,and other networked audio devices.This ensures full compliance with
Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
➢Indoor visual alerting:Integrates with workstations,digital signs,and other networked
displays (TVs,wall mounted tablets).This ensures full compliance with Americans with
Disabilities Act requirements.
➢Life Safety Systems Integration:Integrates with local fire alarm,earthquake sensors,and
electronic security systems to ensure that the legacy alarms are reinforced with
intelligible audio and visual alerts (ADA compliance).
❖Strengths & Vulnerabilities:
➢Strengths:Unifies the indoor spaces with the outdoor warning alerts.This ensures that
all alerts are instantly received by all residents and the City’s staff.
➢Weakness:Requires indoor wiring and cabling (unless self-powered and wireless
solutions are implemented)
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4.3 Outdoor Notification Solutions
❖Solution Types:Outdoor Warning Sirens (OWS)are the industry standard and the accepted
capability by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).OWS allow for immediate
alerting across a large area by utilizing all weather outdoor warning sirens.
➢Intelligible Audio Alerts: Intelligible sirens that can be clearly heard from miles away.
➢Wireless &Self Powered:Siren control cabinet systems configured to operate on
wired/wireless communication infrastructure and self-powered/self charging systems.
➢Central Control System:Mass Notifications System management software to quickly and
easily create, transmit, and manage all alerts.
❖Alerting Methods:The City of Rolling Hills Utilizes various communications media to transmit
the following alerts.
➢Live Custom or Pre-Recorded Voice Alerts:A custom live or pre-recorded voice message
can be transmitted to all or selected siren points.
➢Tone Alerts: Transmit pre-established tone alerts.
❖Strengths & Vulnerabilities:
➢Strengths:Self-powered and can communicate on networks not affected by PSPS or
other types of power outages.
➢Weakness: Has the highest cost to cover the desired area.
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4.3.1 Outdoor Warning Sirens & Speakers
Description SiRcom Whelen Federal Signal ATI
Sirens
Configuration
Options
2-36 Omni, Bi, or
Directional
Better Coverage
1-10 Omni 1-8 Omni, 2-6
Directional
4 or 8 Omni or
Directional
Directional
Capable Yes
More Flexibility
No Yes Yes
Max Output
Power 5,400 Watts
More Efficient
4,000 Watts 3,200 Watts Omni,
600 Watts
Directional
3,200 Watts
Max Effective
Range @
70dBc
6,800’ (2,270m)
Longer Range
6,100’ (1,859m)4,300’ Omni, 3,400
Directional
-
Max dB
Output @ 30m 137dB
Better Intelligible
Sound
124dB 124dB 124dB
Battery
Configuration 12V, 24V
Less Maintenance
Lower Upfront Cost
48V 48V 48V
Capable of
Operating on
AC Mains
ONLY
Yes
Real Redundancy
Fail-Safe PWR System
No (Charges from,
AC & Operates
From Battery Only)
No (Charges from,
AC & Operates
From Battery Only)
No (Charges
from, AC &
Operates From
Battery Only)
Solar Charging Yes Yes Yes Yes
Standby Time 30 Days
Longer Standby Time
72 Hours 72 Hours 8 Days
Max Alarm
Duration No Limit
Better Performance
30 Minutes 30 Minutes 30 Minutes
Comms IP, VHF, UHF, SATCOM,
GPRS, LOS, 4G/5G, Mesh
Better Performance
IP, VHF, UHF IP, VHF, SATCOM,
4G/5G
IP, VHF, UHF,
Cellular
Cloud-Based
and
On-Premise
Controllers
Cloud, On-Premise, or
Hybrid Servers
More Options
Better Performance
On-Premise On-Premise On-Premise
Cost Per Siren
Pole (For Like
Capabilities +
Labor)
$25K Per Pole *
Lower Cost For Better
Performance
$48K Per Pole $45K Per Pole $35K Per Pole
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Note *:SiRcom launched the SiRcom-Vector Speaker Line in 2021.The new product is lower in profile
with a modern look without sacrificing any of the top capabilities and performance features.
4.3.2 The Leading Outdoor Warning Siren System
Outdoor Warning Sirens Reviewed:Intelligible Sound Advantage
Higher intelligibility:High Power Speaker Array ’s (HPSA)’s
vertical line arrays provide a narrow vertical output pattern for
focusing sound at audiences,without wasting output energy on
the floor and up in the air;the more narrow the beam,the less
distortion due to reflections, resulting in higher intelligibility
Equalized intelligibility:HPSA’s vertical line arrays approximate
a line source of sound,creating a nearly cylindrical sound
propagation pattern,resulting in balanced sound power output;
messages are clearly heard at 100 feet as well as 1,500 feet
Directing sound where you need it:HPSA speakers can be
mounted for omni-directional and directional speaker coverage
Intelligibility ratings:0.8 Common Intelligibility Scale (CIS)
rating;Phonetically Balanced Word Score Test—better than
95%*This very high intelligibility rating ensures the clearest
voice alerts.
1.Energy Efficient HPSAs only need one 100-watt driver per horn;two drivers needed for 360°
coverage,equalling a fraction of the number of drivers required for traditional speaker system
designs
2.Better Power Management utilizing Class D amplification technology,the HPSA amplifier is better
than 90%efficient,enables lower current draw and increased battery life,requiring fewer speakers
and significantly less power for a substantially larger range
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Outdoor Warning Sirens Reviewed:Control Cabinet
The SiRcom Outdoor Warning System is the world’s most modern and capable solution on the market
today.It starts with the SMART engineering design of the SiRcom Control Cabinets.The SiRcom Control
Cabinets are compact, efficient, and easy to manage.
SiRcom Control Cabinet:Key Advantages Over Other Reviewed OEM Solutions
Description SiRcom Whelen Federal Signal ATI
Hot Swappable Yes
Simple Maintenance
No No No
Simple Emergency
Battery Shut Off Yes
Increased Safety
No No No
Advanced
Amplifiers Yes
Efficient Power
No No No
Wireless Proximity
Maintenance
Report
Yes
Faster Systems Checks
No No No
Remote Alert On
Site Yes
Increased Flexibility
Yes Yes Yes
Receive Signals VIA
Secure Mesh
Network From
Other Siren Poles
Yes
Increased Redundancy
No No No
Note: Other advantages are not listed for brevity of the proposal.
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Outdoor Warning Sirens Reviewed:Battery Requirement
The SiRcom Outdoor Warning Siren System’s control cabinet and the sirens are highly efficient and utilize
less power to perform better.A single 12VDC battery will operate the entire siren system which only
requires once a year checks for annual preventative maintenance that has a 5-7 year shelf life (depending
on use).In addition,the SiRcom back single 12VDC battery can power an entire multi-siren pole for up to
30 days during power source failure (AC or Solar).This is due to the advanced amplification and power
management system prebuilt into the solution being provided to The City of Rolling Hills.
Outdoor Warning Sirens Reviewed:Local Control Units
The SiRcom Outdoor Warning Siren System’s local control units mimic the same features and capabilities
of the Central Control Unit.This familiarity to the controls builds confidence for the Controllers.The
SiRcom Local Control Unit is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)compliant and secure.The unit allows
for the Controllers to quickly utilize the local alerting without limited hot keys or functions.
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Outdoor Warning Sirens Reviewed:SiRcom SMART Alert Software (SiSA)
The SiRcom SMART Alert Software (SiSA)is the control software for the outdoor warning sirens.The
software can manage the outdoor warning sirens and transmit electronic notifications via voice calls,SMS
text, emails, and social media page updates.
The SiRcom SMART Alert Software (SiSA)was developed utilizing
deep machine learning algorithms.This is the core baseline for the
SMART software technology.Due to this,SiSA is able to provide the
following features:
❖Access The Solution From Anywhere
➢Mobile Devices
➢Workstations
❖Secure Software
➢Advance Encryption Security (AES) 256 BIT
➢At Rest & In Transit (Military Grade Encryption)
➢Secure Server Site (Military Approved)
➢Encrypted Log-in & Single Sign On (SSO)
❖Easy To Operate
➢Three Interactive Map Options
➢Easy To Use Quick Menu To Save You Time
➢Quick Menu & Standard Menu
➢Easy 1-2-3 Send Functionality
➢Automatic User List Updates
❖SMART Functions
➢Real-Time Systems Status of All Alert Points
➢Life like Text-To-Speech
➢Real-Time Historical Reporting
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5. Proposed Solution Options
5.1 Installation Solution Options
HQE has developed the below two (2)options for The City of Rolling Hills’s considerations.Both options
provide the desired intelligible emergency voice alert coverage.
❖Option A:The Low Visibility Installation Option utilizes nine (9)30’poles throughout the City
(see image below).The 30’poles are mounted with the modern designed intelligible speakers.
At 30’,the outdoor warning speakers will be slightly above the height of the residential homes.
This will allow for the best sound transmission without placing the poles too high above the
roofline.In addition,these 30’poles can be covered with tree facades that will blend in with the
local vegetation.
❖Option B:The Low Cost Installation Option utilizes the standard 50’poles mounted with the
intelligible horns positioned in a 360 degree transmission position.The 50’pole allows for the
sound to be projected from a higher elevation.This allows for a greater coverage area which
reduces overall equipment requirements.
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5.1.1 Option A: Low Visibility Installation Option Sound Coverage
This option takes into consideration that the community desires to have a low visibility outdoor warning
system.This option utilizes the nine (9)SiRcom Vector speaker option mounted on shorter 30’poles to
provide the required emergency alert notification coverage.
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❖Cost: $310,601.53
❖Installation Time: ~30 Workdays
Equipment Required
❖(1) SiRcom Central Control Unit
➢Includes
■(1) SiRcom SMART Alert Software (SiSA) - Annual Subscription
■Dell Server
■LCD Monitor
■Keyboard, Mouse, Mouse Pad
❖(9) SiRcom Outdoor Warning Vertical Speaker Arrays
➢Mounted on 30’ poles (Poles With Life-Like Tree Facades)
❖(9) SiRcom Control Cabinets
➢Each Control Cabinet Includes
■Motorola VHF Radio, and GSM Integration Module
■Solar Power Module
■(1) 12VDC Sealed Battery
■Local Activation Module
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5.1.2 Option B: Lowest Cost Installation Option Sound Coverage
This option takes into consideration providing The City of Rolling Hills with the lowest cost option
available on the market.This option utilizes the three (3)SiRcom omni-directional horn option mounted
on 50’ poles to provide the maximum coverage utilizing the least amount of poles for the City.
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❖Cost: $144,572.93
❖Installation Time: ~14 Workdays
Equipment Required
❖(1) SiRcom Central Control Unit
➢Includes
■(1) SiRcom SMART Alert Software (SiSA) - Annual Subscription
■Dell Server
■LCD Monitor
■Keyboard, Mouse, Mouse Pad
❖(3) SiRcom Outdoor Warning Sirens
➢SiRcom SPT (16 Speakers Per Pole)
➢Mounted on 50’ poles (Poles With Life-Like Tree Facades)
❖(3) SiRcom Control Cabinets
➢Each Control Cabinet Includes
■Motorola VHF Radio, and GSM Integration Module
■Solar Power Module
■(1) 12VDC Sealed Battery
■Local Activation Module
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HQE SYSTEMS, INC.|A Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
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Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
The City of Rolling Hills, CA
5.2 Outdoor Warning Siren Pole Tree Facade
The following are HQE’s proposed life-like tree facades included with Low Visibility Installation Option.
The facades do not require maintenance and will be installed by HQE.
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Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
The City of Rolling Hills, CA
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Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
The City of Rolling Hills, CA
5.2.1 Simulated View Of Siren Poles With Tree Facades
Below: SiRcom Outdoor Warning Siren Poles mounted with no tree facade.
Below:SiRcom Outdoor Warning Siren Poles mounted with tree facade.The tree facade will provide a
lower visual signature of the poles and sirens.In addition to the tree facades,when taking into
consideration the final installation points,when possible the hills will be used to mask the silhouette of
the sirens.
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HQE SYSTEMS, INC.|A Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal.381
Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
The City of Rolling Hills, CA
5.3 Mobile Alert Expeditionary Unit (Si-MAX) Option
The SiRcom Mobile Alert Expeditionary Unit (Si-MAX)and the Mobile Alert Expeditionary Unit Lite
(Si-MAX Lite) are two way emergency mass notification devices.
Si-MAX Unit operates on the SiRcom SMART Alert Software (SiSA).All of the features found on the
standard SiSA Emergency Alert Menu will be available on the Si-MAX display.This ensures that any
authorized user can access,draft,and transmit emergency notifications while on the move.Si-MAX will
communicate the alert message via any WiFi,Cellular,or VHF communications network.(Not included in
the proposal pricing)
Key Features of the SiRcom Mobile Alert Expeditionary Unit (Si-MAX)
❖Control Features
Alert All Outdoor Sirens 10” Digital Color Display Touch Screen
Easy To See In Daylight Digital Keyboard Secure Log-In
Encrypted Software Integrated Speaker GPS Tracking
Continuous SOS Signal Camera & Mic
❖Power
110VAC (House Power)12VDC (Car Outlet)Internal 20 Hour Battery
Solar Battery Panel (Option)
❖Communications
WiFI (Local Internet)Cellular (4G/5G)Radio (VHF/UHF)
NFC Bluetooth RFID
❖Commercial Info
MSRP $2295 / EA 1 YR Warranty Free Updates
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Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
The City of Rolling Hills, CA
Si-MAX Lite is a two way emergency communications device that each residential home can possess.
The Si-MAX Lite can be plugged into the residents home power while not in use.Once an emergency
alert notification is transmitted by the local emergency managers and received by the Si-MAX Lite Unit,
the resident can take the Si-MAX Lite Unit with them to maintain real-time situational awareness as the
emergency event progresses.This device also allows each resident to transmit a GPS signal that can be
tracked by The City of Rolling Hills’s emergency managers during the emergency.This feature can assist
the The City of Rolling Hills’s emergency response team to get to the resident quickly to provide
assistance or to ensure they are on the safest path out of the danger area.(Not included in the proposal
pricing)
Key Features of the SiRcom Mobile Alert Expeditionary Unit (Si-MAX)
❖Control Features
3.5” Digital Color Display Rugged Screen Easy To See In Daylight
Easy Navigation Button All Environments Encrypted Software
Integrated Speaker GPS Tracking Continuous SOS Signal
❖Power
110VAC (House Power)12VDC (Car Outlet)Internal 7 Hour Battery
Solar Battery Panel (Option)
❖Communications
WiFI (Local Internet)Cellular (4G/5G)Radio (VHF/UHF)
NFC Bluetooth RFID
❖Commercial Info
MSRP $395 / EA 1 YR Warranty Free Updates
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HQE SYSTEMS, INC.|A Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal.383
Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
The City of Rolling Hills, CA
6.0 Conclusion of Report
HQE is pleased to conclude this report for The City of Rolling Hills.Although The City of Rolling Hills faces
several challenges that were identified by HQE,the solutions being proposed mitigates all of the
challenges.The report proposes two (2)unique outdoor warning systems installation options for the
City.These options were designed and proposed after careful analysis of the strengths and weaknesses
of all of the current options in the market today.The SiRcom Mass Notifications System allows The City
of Rolling Hills to meet the initial mass alerting requirements and to scale later with any indoor alerting
and security systems integrations that the City may require.This solution being proposed is truly a
capability that will allow The City of Rolling Hills to install a solution that will not be outdated due to the
modern unified mass notifications system design.
The proposed Mass Notifications System is the world’s most comprehensive solution with multiple
redundant alerting channels pre-built into the system.The SiRcom SMART Alert System enables The City
of Rolling Hills to provide the desired emergency response alerting in the event that the power or cellular
communications have failed.It is a Fully Certified Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
System.The above Unified Mass Notifications System solution ensures that The City of Rolling Hills is
able to maximize the resources available in the mission to Save Lives and Protect Property.The unified
solution doesn’t rely on a single network but a family of networks to ensure that when the Emergency
System is required to perform its purpose, even in the event of power outages, the system WILL WORK!
The proposed solution installed will provide The City of Rolling Hills with the solution to mitigate the risks
faced by the Cities and Counties of California in the infamous 2019 wildfires.In addition to the actual
installation options for the outdoor warning system,HQE would suggest a community outreach program
that would allow the residents of the community to talk directly with Mass Notification Systems experts.
This will allow The City of Rolling Hills to help the residents better understand why the solution is so
important for the life safety program of The City of Rolling Hills.
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HQE SYSTEMS, INC.|A Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
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Mass Notifications Systems Installation Report
The City of Rolling Hills, CA
Thank You For Your Continued Support of HQE Systems, Inc.
A Minority Owned, FEMA Certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business
End of Mass Notifications System Installation Report
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HQE SYSTEMS, INC.|A Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal.385
42075 Remington Ave. Suite 109
Temecula, CA 92105
800.967.3036
www.HQESystems.com
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MAINTENANCE SERVICE AGREEMENT SCOPE
HQE’s proposed maintenance service scope:
●Activation Systems Maintenance
o Clean PC, Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse and Microphone
o Check RF connectors and re-seal where necessary
o Complete updates to outdoor siren control software
o Install Windows Security Patches and Updates
o Rewire any radio cables to ensure they boot up immediately upon sensing power, in case of
power failure
o Conduct a complete shutdown and power-up of the system
o Conduct silent and audible testing to ensure proper operation
●Outdoor Warning Sirens
o Clean and reseal all electronics enclosures to prevent moisture from entering the cabinets
o Conduct a complete shutdown and power-up of the tower
o Clean off any rust or corrosion, and lubricate the battery terminals
o Load test the battery and verified proper voltages
o Re-wire radio cables to ensure they boot up immediately upon sensing power, in case of power
failure
o Check lightning protection module fuses, and re-seal RF connections as necessary
o Test all fuses and fuse assemblies
o Conduct local & remote audio testing
o Conduct a silent self-test of the hardware, all amplifiers and drivers were found operational
o Clean solar panels
o Test antenna and seal RF connections as necessary
o Replace speaker drivers as necessary
All terms and conditions to be agreed to by the Client and HQE. This ensures that the Client receives the service
within the terms and conditions of the Client’s contract structure.
42075 Remington Ave. STE 109, Temecula CA 92590
info@hqesystems.com | Phone: 800.967.3036 | Fax: 760.645.7183
A Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business 387
ROLLING HILLS RESIDENT SURVEY
Improving Our City’s Emergency Preparedness:
The City of Rolling Hills is a rural environment with vegetation and steep hillsides. Due to the
habitat of the environment, the city is susceptible to wildfires, landslides, earthquakes and
the potential for catastrophic damage. Emergency preparedness is one of the most
important things residents can do to make our city safer.
The city is considering investing in more communication products for emergency scenarios:
power outage and loss of cell-phone service. How will residents be notified in an emergency?
What if notifications cannot be sent?
The City recently retained HQE Systems to evaluate the feasibility of installing a siren system
called Mass Notification System. The intent of the siren system is to provide Mass Alerting and
Warning in the event of natural and manmade disasters: wildfires, severe weather,
earthquakes.
The purpose of this survey is to solicit resident feedback on the need/interest of
purchasing outdoor emergency sirens for emergency/evacuation. This evaluation will
address the following:
• Communication
• First Responders and Emergency Evacuation
• Safety
Communication:
1. Which communications do you currently use (check all that apply)?
a. Land-line phone
b. Cell phone
c. Computer with internet connection
2. Do you currently receive cell-phone alerts through Alert South Bay?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Not aware of Alert South Bay
3. Are you aware of your cell-phone notifications?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Somewhat
4. How often are you outside of your structure but still on your property (in your yard, etc.)
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Frequently
First Responders and Emergency Evacuation:
First Responders (LA County Fire Department and LA Sheriff) will notify residents in the event of
an evacuation order.
• If power is available Alert Southbay will send text, phone and/or email notifications.
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Rolling Hills Resident Survey
Page 2
• First Responders will use their vehicle PA system and/or go door-to-door to notify
residents.
1. Are you fully prepared for a possible evacuation scenario?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Somewhat
2. Do you feel confident about your personal evacuation plan?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Somewhat
3. If there is loss of power affecting cell phone and internet communications
would you support a siren system to notify residents to evacuate?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Please explain your answer:
______________________________________
4. If there is no loss of power, how would you prefer to receive emergency
notification to evacuate (check all that apply)?
a. Email
b. Text
c. Phone Call
d. Siren
e. Please explain your answer: ______________________________________
Safety
1. What are your concerns that you may not receive a notification during an
emergency?
a. Please explain: _________________________________________
2. Do you feel a siren system would improve your safety in the event of an emergency?
a. Yes
b. No
3. If there is loss of power, are you comfortable relying solely on the First Responders to
use their vehicle PA system and/or going door-to-door to notify you?
a. Yes
b. No
Private Property
1. Would you support a siren system if the system required a pole to be placed on your
property?
a. Yes
b. No
Miscellaneous
Do you have any suggestions or comments in general?
389
From:Arlene Honbo
To:Bea Dieringer; Jim Black; Jeff Pieper; Patrick Wilson; Leah Mirsch
Cc:Elaine Jeng; Christian Horvath
Subject:Block Captain and Resident Support for Outdoor Siren System
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 10:27:30 AM
Attachments:Letter to City Council March 14 2022 final.docx
Dear Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers,
Attached is a letter of support to approve the installation of an outdoor siren system for the
City of Rolling Hills. The letter includes the names of Block Captains/Support Team and
residents in favor of proceeding with this important priority.
The letter and associated approval emails will be dropped off today to Christian Horvath, City
Clerk. See you tonight at the City Council meeting.
Arlene and Gene Honbo, Block Captain Leads
390
March 14, 2022
Dear Honorable Mayor and RH City Councilmembers:
An important priority of the Block Captain program since 2019 is Emergency Communications.
How will residents be notified of an emergency evacuation? Will notification be limited to people
who pre-register to receive emergency alerts? What happens in the event of no electricity or
phone service?
We support the RH City Council to approve the installation of an outdoor siren system by HQE
Systems to notify residents in the event of an emergency. This important safety measure will
help ensure that all our residents who live in Rolling Hills, a designated high-fire severity zone,
can be notified when there is no electricity or internet service. Many residents support the cost
investment necessary to install and maintain either three or nine poles necessary for coverage
of Rolling Hills; we understand Federal and State grant funds are available for cities, especially
those cities designated as high-fire severity zones.
Safety of all our residents is directly dependent on reliable emergency notifications to residents.
LA County Fire Department have stated that given the close proximity to a potential wildfire
starting on the peninsula, residents in Rolling Hills would not have the benefit of an evacuation
alert or warning; residents would likely be asked to evacuate immediately. Thus, we support
having an emergency plan that considers all potential scenarios, including a worst-case one.
Respectfully,
Rolling Hills Block Captains and Support Team
Arlene Honbo – Portuguese Bend Road, Zone 7
Gene Honbo – Portuguese Bend Road, Zone 7
Arun Bhumitra – Buggy Whip Drive, Zone 3
Kelly and Richard Cook – Ringbit Road West, Zone 17
Pam Crane – Caballeros Road, Zone 18
Susan Collida – Ringbit Road West , Zone 17
Judith Haenel – Eastfield Road, Zone 22
Maureen Hill – Cinchring Road, Zone 5
Kathleen Hughes – Caballeros Road, Zone 18
Lisa Kopenhefer – Chuckwagon Road, Zone 21
Kay Lupo – Georgeff Road, Block, Zone 15
Dustin and Melissa McNabb – Quail Ridge South, Zone 4
Tony Mian – Palos Verdes Drive, Zone 24
Michele Mottola – Flying Maine Road, Zone 16
Clint Patterson – Georgeff Road, Zone 15
Debra Shrader – Saddleback Road, Zone 13
391
Letter to Honorable Mayor and RH City Councilmembers March 14, 2022 (page 2)
Block Captain and Support Team (continued)
Leslie Stetson – Saddleback Road, Zone 13
Ed and Sally Swart – Meadowlark Lane, Zone 9
Nicole Tangen – John Canyon Road, Zone 1
Dorothy Vinter – Reata Lane, Zone 15
Rae Walker – Wagon Lane, Zone 7
Block Captain and Support Team
Support for Option B – Installation of 3 Poles
Carol Marrone – Southfield Drive, Zone 17
Michael Sherman – Crest Road East, Zone 16
Sandy Sherman – Crest Road East, Zone 16
Residents
Don Crocker – Cinchring Road
Ron Sommer – Poppy Trail
Attachments: Approval emails from Block Captains, Support Team and Residents
392
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394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
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415
From:Constance Turner
To:Elaine Jeng; Kraig; Christian Horvath
Cc:Michael X Glenn; Irma Knight; Jae Lee; Ajay Singh; Robert Brambila
Subject:SCE Clarification and Opposition of locations of your suggested facilities: G. O. 95 Safety Violations
Date:Sunday, March 13, 2022 5:00:02 PM
Attachments:HQE_Systems_-_City_of_Rolling_Hills_-_Response_Letter_-_Detailed_Installation_Locations.pdf
All:
I wanted to share that these locations (identified on your enclosed document) violate G.O. 95,
California State Safety Law for distance required for SCE Facilities/Poles & Wires which is State Law.
All proposed locations would have to reviewed by SCE Planning to assure no G.O. 95 violations or
any other violations are occurring that are in conflict with SCE Facilities. As a reminder, SCE does not
allow any surveillance cameras or surveillance equipment on SCE Poles.
I wanted to let you all know so you will have the information for the Public Hearing on tomorrow,
3/14/2022.
Thanks.
Connie
416
From:Jamie Warner
To:Alan Palermo
Subject:Re: SCE Clarification and Opposition of locations of your suggested facilities: G. O. 95 Safety Violations
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 9:06:25 AM
Dear Mr. Palermo.
This is normal actually. We are very famiar with SCE and other utility companies
requirements when it comes to outdoor warning sirens. Bottom line upfront, none of the
sirens installed will violate any compliance policies or agreements. At this feasibility phase
that information is not detailed out. That level of detail is only clarified and planned out during
the "Design Phase" of an outdoor warning siren project.
The proposed outdoor warning sirens locations identified on the sound propagation map and
or images are proposed general areas for review. The final install points will take into
consideration not just SCE's policies but the City's actual approval of that specified site (may
require a slight location change based on the residents' input and the Board's final decision),
soil suitability, wind assessment, religious/historic site survey, and general geological studies
to ensure the install and maintenance efforts can be performed without significant distrubance
of the site. Which are all detailed out in the Design Phase. The key issue to take away is that
this outdoor warning sirens report is enable the City to determine the ideal install types of the
sirens and the general understanding of the coverage install plan. Based on that final decision
for approval for installation, a detailed POA&M will be provided with the design installation
plans that will meet all compliance requirements. At this phase of the project, HQE is
providing the information that highlights the importance of the outdoor warning sirens for life
safety plans for the City and and the options that would be available to the City.
Please let me know if any other questions can be answered.
On Mon, Mar 14, 2022, 11:36 AM Alan Palermo wrote:
Jamie,
The City shared your latest information with SCE. SCE replied, see below.
I let the City know your document is not a final plan but just a more detailed proposed
layout/street level views to comply with a request from City Council. Final plans should the
city proceed with this project would be required to take into account all existing
titles/conflicts.
Is there any other response/information on SCE’s comment I can pass along to the City?
Thanks.
Alan
Begin forwarded message:
From: Elaine Jeng
417
Subject: Fw: SCE Clarification and Opposition of locations of your
suggested facilities: G. O. 95 Safety Violations
Date: March 14, 2022 at 8:26:54 AM PDT
To: Alan Palermo
Cc: Christian Horvath
From: Constance Turner
Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2022 4:59 PM
To: Elaine Jeng ; Kraig ; Christian Horvath
Cc: Michael X Glenn ; Irma Knight
; Jae Lee ; Ajay Singh
; Robert Brambila
Subject: SCE Clarification and Opposition of locations of your suggested facilities: G.
O. 95 Safety Violations
All:
I wanted to share that these locations (identified on your enclosed document)
violate G.O. 95, California State Safety Law for distance required for SCE
Facilities/Poles & Wires which is State Law. All proposed locations would have
to reviewed by SCE Planning to assure no G.O. 95 violations or any other
violations are occurring that are in conflict with SCE Facilities. As a reminder,
SCE does not allow any surveillance cameras or surveillance equipment on SCE
Poles.
I wanted to let you all know so you will have the information for the Public
Hearing on tomorrow, 3/14/2022.
Thanks.
Connie
418
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The contents of this email message and any attachments are intended solely for the addressee(s) and may contain
confidential and/or privileged information and may be legally protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient of this message or their
agent, or if this message has been addressed to you in error, please immediately alert the sender by reply email and then delete this message and any
attachments. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, copying, or storage of this message or its
attachments is strictly prohibited. HQE Systems has performed a self-assessment in accordance with NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment Methodology
and has submitted the results to the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS).
419
From:Elaine Jeng
To:Christian Horvath
Subject:Fwd: Tonight’s meeting
Date:Monday, March 14, 2022 3:40:00 PM
Begin forwarded message:
From: DONALD CROCKER
Date: March 14, 2022 at 2:57:25 PM PDT
To: Elaine Jeng
Subject: Tonight’s meeting
Elaine and City Council:I will be there at 7 but must leave by 7:50 for a zoom mtg
at home. I think the issue re new safety equipment blocking views etc. is easily
solvable. To start put siren equipment including cameras on top of the flagpoles at
the 3 gates plus a giant pole (RPV has a communication tower that is extendable
in a disaster) just outside the Crest East gate on property the City owns. It’s
camera could see the whole peninsula! There are other locations where no one’s
views would be materially affected including on slim neutral color metal poles in
canyons or on top of telephone poles like at Crest and PBRd. I would be willing
to have a camera on my home eves that would see the entire area facing the
Pacific. Plus a siren if requested. Thanks. Don
Sent from my iPhone
420
Agenda Item No.: 14.B
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:ELAINE JENG, CITY MANAGER
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:APPROVE PRIORITIES/GOALS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2022-2023 AND
2023-2024 DEVELOPED AS A PART OF THE 2022 STRATEGIC
PLANNING WORKSHOP; DISCUSS POTENTIAL BUDGET ITEMS TO
SUPPORT THE 2022 CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES; AND PROVIDE
DIRECTION TO STAFF.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
On Saturday, January 22, 2022, the City Council held a bi-annual Strategic Planning Session
facilitated by City Manager. Staff summarized the workshop and presented a summary of the
priorities and goals the City Council set for the next two fiscal years (FY 2022-2023 and 2023-
2024) at the February 14, 2022 City Council meeting. The City Council reviewed the
summary, expressed concurrence with the summarized priorities/goals and directed staff to
make the following additions to the summary:
Add "Consider wildfire cameras" to the Wildfire Mitigation/Emergency Preparedness
Evacuation priority.
Add the capital improvement projects discussed at the January 22, 2022 Strategic
Planning Workshop. At the workshop, the City Council discussed two capital projects:
Tennis Courts ADA Improvements and City Hall ADA Improvements.
The revised summary of priorities/goals is attached to this report. It was also discussed at the
February 14, 2022 City Council meeting that staff will be utilizing the final summary of
priorities/goals to develop budget items for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2022-2023.
DISCUSSION:
The following briefly describes the proposed budget items for Fiscal Year 2022-2023:
Wildfire Mitigation/Emergency Preparedness
Proposed budget items include allocations to the Block Captain Program, fire fuel reduction in
the Preserve in the areas closest to the border of Rolling Hills, and consultant to support the
enforcement of dead vegetation abatement ordinance and other ordinances relating to fire fuel
421
abatement for a total of $163,000.
Utility Undergrounding
Proposed budget items include allocations for the two CalOES/FEMA grant projects to
underground utility lines along Crest Road East and Eastfield Drive. The City's Rule 20A Tariff
balance will be used as match funds to the grant projects, totaling $1,041,000. Proposed
budget items for this priority also included a budget of $15,000 to support residents that want
to form assessment districts to underground utility lines in the community.
Capital Improvement Projects
The estimated construction cost for the Tennis Courts ADA Improvements was $350,000 in
2018. An approximate fifteen percent cost escalation was added to the estimate from 2018 to
characterize the anticipated construction cost of the Tennis Courts ADA Improvements at
$400,000. The latest estimated construction cost for the City Hall ADA Improvements was
$1,000,000. The City Council is still considering layout options for the project and the cost of
construction could increase depending on the ultimate layout selection. In total, the proposed
budget for this priority is approximately $1,400,000. Staff is inquiring if the American Rescue
Plan Act (ARPA) allocation of $441,000 is eligible for infrastructure improvement at City Hall.
The final ARPA regulations listed water, sewer and broadband infrastructure as eligible
expenses. There would be a significant General Fund offset if the ARAP allocation can be
used for the City Hall ADA Improvements project.
Drainage
The proposed budget items for this priority include storm water monitoring to demonstrate to
the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board that the City is retaining the design
storm, investigate provisions on the land development side to retain additional storm water on
private property, and research ownership/agreements with Los Angeles County on
maintenance and operation responsibilities for a total of $54,000.
Communication with residents
The proposed budget items for this priority includes outsourcing the production of the Blue
Newsletter, on-going technical support for the Emergency Information System/Trading Post,
and on-going subscription to Everbridge (Alert South Bay) and E-Notify for a total of $30,000.
City personnel recruitment/retention plan
The proposed budget items for this priority includes hiring a human resources professional for
personnel support, and increase city contribution to employees medical/dental/vision coverage
for a total of $26,000.
Expand resident services
The proposed budget items for this priority include summer outdoor movie nights at the City
Hall campus and providing a notary at City Hall one day per month to residents for a total of
$7,000.
Sewer
The proposed budget item for this priority includes hiring a grant writer to secure construction
funds for the 8" sewer main along Rolling Hills Road/Portuguese Bend Road for $15,000.
The proposed budget items to support the City Council's priorities/goals for Fiscal Year 2022-
2023 total $2,751,000 with Rule 20A Tariff and $1,695,000 without Rule 20A Tariff (General
422
Fund only).
FISCAL IMPACT:
The 2022 strategic planning workshop was facilitated by staff. There was no fiscal impact to
conducting the workshop. Depending on the direction to staff, the proposed budget items will
be incorporated in the budget preparation for Fiscal Year 2022-2023.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve priorities and goals; discuss potential budget items and provide direction to staff.
ATTACHMENTS:
CC_SP_2022CouncilPrioritiesGoals.pdf
CC_SP_2020_vs_2022_BriefComparison.pdf
CC_SP_2022FinalPrioritiesGoals_Final.pdf
CC_SP_2022BudgetItemsDraft.pdf
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CITY COUNCIL INDIVIDUAL GOALS AND PRIORITIES
PROVIDED BEFORE AND DURING THE 2022 STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP
1
Mayor Dieringer Mayor Pro Tem Black Councilmember Wilson Councilmember Mirsch Councilmember Pieper
1 Complete City Hall
campus improvements
ADA at City Hall – need
to make decision to
minimize exposure to
complaints and lawsuits
2 Hire expert on-call
consultants; understand
drainage responsibility
and issues; stormwater
retention
Does not want to pursue
drainage responsibility;
limit staff time to do
preliminary
investigation on the
responsibility of the city
with respect to drains in
the city
Develop an
understanding of city’s
obligations and
responsibilities
regarding storm drains
and impact on budget
Storm drain – what role
can the city play to
encourage and support
RHCA’s effort to address
drainage issues?
3 Electronic system to
notify residents;
evacuation drill;
evacuation zone study,
incentives for home
hardening; community
survey on vegetation
draft ordinance
Balance the need for fire
fuel reduction with
concerns and
reservations of residents
as well as mitigating the
financial impact on
residents
Fire safety – implement
all programs (videos,
work in conservancy,
vegetation
management,
incentives, etc) to
continue to support fire
safety
4 Compliance with
affordable housing
requirements while
maintaining the
traditional Rolling Hills
Community expectation
5 Sewer – Continue with
existing City Hall campus
project?
Installation of sewer
main lines – seek grants
for implementation
6 City staffing – what can
the city do to attract,
retain, and develop top
424
CITY COUNCIL INDIVIDUAL GOALS AND PRIORITIES
PROVIDED BEFORE AND DURING THE 2022 STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP
2
[X] Provided by Councilmembers prior to the January 22, 2022 Strategic Planning Workshop.
[X] Expressed by Councilmembers at the January 22, 2022 Strategic Planning Workshop
quality employees to
support Council’s
visions/goals?
7 Utility Underground
projects
8 Reinstate view
ordinance to have city
have enforcement
power
Have the Rolling Hills
Community Association
take on the emergency
power project for the
city hall campus
9 Prioritize tennis courts
improvements above
other listed
improvements on CIP
list
Prioritize tennis court
improvements above
other improvements on
CIP list
425
1
2022 CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP
CITY COUNCIL’S REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE 2020 ESTABLISHED
PRIORITIES/GOALS
2020 Established Priorities and Goals 2022 Council Comments on 2020 Priorities and Goals
1 Sewer The City Council stated that the cost of sewer installation is cost
prohibitive given the available general funds to construct the 8”
main line. One Councilmember expressed that this priority
should be moved to the bottom of the list for the next two years
pending availability of grant funds. Another Councilmember
expressed that this priority should be entirely removed from the
list. The City Council expressed consensus for staff to pursue
grant funds to install the sewer lines. There was no discussion
on the current activities relating to this priority and whether if
the activities should be abandoned or continued (preparation of
8” sewer main).
2 Wildfire/Emergency Preparedness The City Council expressed consensus that the activities, actions,
and pursuits on the wildfire mitigation and emergency
preparedness front were good and should continue. Individual
Council members provided input on aspects of this priority (i.e.,
balance between cost and fire fuel abatement) but there was
not consensus on the actions items relating to those input.
3 Utility Undergrounding The City Council expressed consensus that the Crest Road East
Utility Undergrounding grant project, and the Eastfied Drive
Utility Undergrounding grant project – if awarded, should be the
focus on fulfilling this priority.
4 Drainage The City Council expressed consensus that the work to date on
finding alternative compliance solutions to the MS4 permit
should continue, including retaining more stormwater discharge
on private property. On drainage issues in the community
426
2
(erosion, and unclaimed drains accepting stormwater discharges
from easement areas), majority of the Council expressed the
need to investigate to find out the City’s obligations on this
front. Investigation includes research into the ownership of the
drains accepting flow from easement areas of the community.
Investigation includes identify the responsible party for
maintaining and operating the drains accepting flow from
easement areas of the community. One Councilmember
expressed opposing views on the investigation needed but later
agreed to it if the amount of staff time spent on the
investigation was minimal.
A. Ease permit process – no action identified in 2020 Remove from list.
B. Communication with residents – keep blue newsletter.
Periodically increase content. Come back with costs regarding
outsourcing.
The City Council recognized that the blue newsletter is a popular
item and expressed that the contents should continue to be
povided by staff but that the production of the newsletter can
be contracted out to eliminate tedious manual labor for a small
staff.
C. Shorter council meetings – have staff bring the City Council back
to focus to keep meeting moving forward.
The City Council expressed that this item should be removed
from the priority/goal list for the next two Fiscal Years.
D. Minimize legal liability – Support ADA project to decrease
potential liabilities. Staff to define and narrow breadth of legal
inquiries.
The City Council discussed that inherent to the city operations,
minimize legal liability is a core function of the city and therefore
does not need to be listed as a priority/goal.
E. Public Safety – Use advocacy to promote safety, if needed City
Council will exercise more authority in the future. Ensure armed
school resource officer is armed as a provision of contract.
As with the item on minimize legal liability, the City Council
discussed that public safety is an obligation of the city and
therefore does not need to be listed as a priority/goal.
F. Reinstate view ordinance – Support waiting for outcome of
current complaints before changing current process.
A member of the City Council expressed that only one case has
been processed with the current view case and that the City
should collect more experience with the current view ordinance
before changes are implemented. Another member of the City
Council expressed that the fee on view application ($2,000 per
application for case against unlimited properties) is insufficient
for cost recovery and the fee should be increased. There was no
consensus among the City Council to change the current view
ordinance.
427
3
G. Purchase property for open space – not acquire The City Council agreed to eliminate this item as a priority/goal
due to the Surplus Land Act.
H. Refund the residents – staff coming back with recommendations
on how to spend surplus: services, drainage, firebreak, etc.
Come back after fiscal year. City Council committing money
TBD.
Staff recommended that the City Council hold community events
such as outdoor moving nights at the City Hall campus during
the summer time. The City Council expressed consensus to fund
community events. There was also consensus among the
Council that surplus should not be used to refund the residents
but the surplus funds should be used to provide more services to
the residents. With the capital improvement backlog, there was
discussion that there would no surplus until after all the capital
improvements were completed.
428
Strategic Plan 2022
for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 and Fiscal Year 2023-2024
Priority 2022 Action Notes 2022
1 Wildfire/Emergency Preparedness Evacuation City should continue work in the Preserve by the Conservancy
Conduct emergency preparedness drill.
Consider vegetation management in the canyon ordinance.
Consider wildfire cameras.
Apply for additional grants for fuel management in the community
Complete the CALOES/FEMA Vegetation Management Grant project
Allocate funds to support the above measures including continued support for the Block Captain Program.
2 Utility Undergrounding Complete CALOES/FEMA Utility Undergrounding grant projects.
Support utility undergrounding projects (grant funded, resident initiated assessment districts and or single pole removal).
3 Capital Improvement Projects Prority of projects: (1) Tennis Courts ADA Improvements; (2) City Hall ADA Improvements; and
(3) construct 8" sewer main (if grant funds are available.
4 Drainage Eliminate storm water discharge out of the City. Retain as much storm water discharge as much as possible on individual parcels.
Find alternative compliance approaches for the MS4 permit.
Research ownership, and responsible party for maintaining and operating the common drains in the City of Rolling Hills.
Allocate funding to support the above measures.
5 Communication with Residents Blue Newsletter: good content and quantity. Continue to have staff manage the content of the Blue Newsletters.
Complete Emergency Information System (EIS) and utilize the Alert South bay to notify residents electronically.
Out source the production of the Blue Newsletter to allow staff time to be spent on services.
6 City personnel recruitment and retention plan Consider benefit package improvements to attract and retain personnel.
Explore quality of life workspace including telecommuting policies, four days per week/ten hour day operations, compensation time, and etc.
Allocate funding to support the above measures.
7 Expand resident services Hire notary using General Fund and provide one day a month free service at City Hall
Consider providing passport service at City Hall
Hold additional community events like "Outdoor Movie Nights," and utilize the City Hall campus for events.
Staff to provide recommendations on service expansion.
8 Reinstate View Ordinance Process current view cases per the current ordinance, observe process, and evaluate after cases have concluded.
property.
Wait and observe view cases before changing current process.
9 Sewer Complete current design and feasibility studies in progress.
Apply for Federal, State and Local grants for construction of the 8" main line along Rolling Hills Road.
Seek and apply for grant funds to support construction of sewer projects in the community.
429
CITY COUNCIL
2022 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Proposed Budget Items for Fiscal Year 2022-2023
Wildfire Mitigation/Emergency Preparedness Utility Undergrounding Capital Improvement Projects Drainage Communication with Residents City Personnel Recruitment/Retention Plan Expand resident services Sewer
Budget Item Cost Budget Item Cost Budget Item Cost Budget Item Cost Budget Item Cost Budget Item Cost Budget Item Cost Budget Item Cost
1 Block Captain
Program $50,000
Crest Road East Utility
Undergrounding
Project - funded by
CalOES/FEMA Grant
$381,000 Tennis Courts ADA
Improvement Project $400,000
Parcel based hydro
modification policy
development
$2,000
Outsource production
of the Blue
Newsletter
$10,000
Hire company that
provide professional
Human Resource
Support
$20,000
Summer outdoor
movie nights at the
City Hall campus
$5,000
Hire grant writer to
seek grant funds to
support the
construction of the 8"
sewer main along
Rolling Hills Road
$15,000
2 Fire Fuel Reduction in
the Preserve $83,000
Eastfield Drive
Undergrounding
Project - funded by
CalOES/FEMA Grant
$660,000 City Hall ADA
Improvement Project $1,000,000
Masterplan: eliminate
storm water discharge
from the City
(monitoring)
$50,000
On-going
maintenance for EIS
and Trading Post
$15,000
Increase City
contribution to
employees'
medical/dental/vision
coverage
$6,000
Hire notary - one day
per month to provide
service to residents
$2,000
3
Consultant to support
enforcement of fire
fuel abatement
ordinance, and other
ordinances relating to
fire fuel abatement.
$30,000
Assessment District
Project Support -
workshops for
neighborhood groups
and supply technical
experts for Q/A
$15,000
Research on drainage
ownership/agreement
s with Los Angeles
County Flood Control
District
$2,000
On-going subscription
for Alert South bay
and E-Notify
$5,000
$163,000 $1,056,000 $1,400,000 $54,000 $30,000 $26,000 $7,000 $15,000
GF and Rule 20A General Fund only
Grand Total $2,751,000 $1,695,000
430
Agenda Item No.: 14.C
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:ALAN PALERMO, PROJECT MANAGER
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:APPROVE LAYOUT OPTION 3 FOR THE CITY HALL ADA
IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT, AND APPROVE AN AMENDED
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH PACIFIC
ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING, INC. TO PROVIDE
CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
In December 2019, the City released a Request For Proposal for Architectural and
Engineering Design Services to prepare ADA Improvement Plans for the Rolling Hills City
Hall, excluding building exterior path of travel. At the January 27, 2020 City Council Meeting,
City Council considered and approved a Professional Services Agreement with Pacific
Architecture and Engineering, Inc. (PAE) to prepare Improvement Plans (ADA and Space
Planning). A kick off meeting with PAE was held February 27, 2020. At the May 26, 2020 City
Council Meeting, City Council received a presentation from staff on the options developed to
bring the restrooms up to date and comply with ADA and related codes. At the July 13, 2020
City Council Meeting, City Council received a presentation from staff with additional
information to the two preferred options including opinions of probable costs of construction. At
the July 13, 2021 City Council Meeting, City Council voted to move forward with the more
economic Option 2 which kept the restrooms in the same location. Option 1 and Option 2
layouts presented at the July 13, 2020 City Council meeting are attached to this report.
PAE submitted the 65% plans for City review on March 9, 2021. This submittal incorporated
the restroom option selected at the July 13, 2020 City Council Meeting. The City has reviewed
the 65% plans with comments. Before City review comments are returned to PAE to further
develop the plans to 90% design, Councilmember Jeff Pieper noted that the City considered
the options using cost estimate restroom upgrades but not the overall project cost.
Councilmember Pieper recommended that the City Council revisit the layout options. In
response to Councilmember Pieper's suggestion, at the April 12, 2021 meeting, the City
Council directed staff to provide a comprehensive project cost estimate for restroom layout
Options 1 and 2.
431
At 65% design completion, the estimated overall project cost for option 1 was $952,810 and
$784,390 for option 2 for a difference of approximately $168,420. At the June 28, 2021
meeting, the City Council directed staff to add measurements to option 1 layout for additional
discussion at the July 12, 2021 meeting. Using the measurement shown for option 1 in the
City Hall lobby area, staff also taped the floor of the lobby to locate the proposed public
counter. At the July 12, 2021 meeting, the City Council delayed to item to the July 26, 2021
meeting. At the September 13, 2021 meeting, staff recommended the inclusion of accordion
doors along with the possibility of expanding the lobby area by moving the glass partition wall
out. Additional suggestions were made to use French doors and remove an existing interior
wall behind the display case to expand the lobby area of City Hall to accommodate the number
of residents that attend the annual holiday house event. The City Council directed staff to
bring back City Hall ADA Improvements project at the next City Council meeting so that the
City Council can provide direction to staff on the next steps.
The iterations of designs, the preparation of cost estimates, investigation into alternative
features (partition walls), and the preparation of construction drawings up to 65% complete for
Option 2 combined exhausted the budget in the contract with PAE.
At the October 25, 2021 meeting, staff presented a third option prepared by staff for
consideration. Option 3 took into consideration the City Council's feedback from the
September 13, 2021 meeting. Option 3 proposed by staff includes pushing the existing line of
wall at the front door to the City Hall, moving one of the three All Gender restrooms to the
newly expanded space and enclosing the hallway to the Council Chambers to allow for a
meeting room. The City Council favored Option 3 but decided to hold off on giving staff
direction on the next steps until the City Council has an opportunity to consider all the capital
improvement projects at the 2022 Strategic Planning Workshop.
DISCUSSION:
At the 2022 Strategic Planning Workshop, the City Council discussed moving forward with two
capital improvement projects for Fiscal Year 2022-2023: City Hall ADA improvements project
and the Tennis Courts improvements project. Staff recommends that the City Council direct
staff to prepare construction plans based on layout Option 3 and approve an amended
agreement with PAE.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Pacific Architecture and Engineering's fee proposal to complete engineering design for Option
3 is $96,485 . The fee includes bid support and construction administration during the bidding
and construction phases of the project. There is no funding available in the adopted FY 2021-
2022 budget for the design fee. If the City Council should move forward with an amended
agreement with Pacific Architecture and Engineering to complete construction documents
based on layout Option 3, appropriation of general fund reserves to the Capital Improvement
Program Fund 40 is necessary to pay for this expense.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve layout Option 3 and direct staff to prepare Amendment No. 3 to the service
agreement with Pacific Architecture and Engineering, Inc. in the amount of $96,485.
ATTACHMENTS:
432
CL_AGN_220314_CC_CityHall_ADA_Improvements.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_CityHall_ADA_Option01.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_CityHall_ADA_Option01B.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_CityHall_ADA_Option02.pdf
CL_AGN_220314_CC_CityHall_ADA_Option03.pdf
433
Pacific Architecture and Engineering, Inc.
730 Arizona Ave, Santa Monica CA 90401
(424)330-1721
January 12, 2022
Subject: Proposal for City of Rolling Hills ADA Improvement Design_Additional Services
Pacific Architecture and Engineering, Inc., is pleased to submit this proposal for engineering services for
ADA Improvements at City Hall.
Scope of Work:
The current scope of work includes three new restrooms, one being outside of current building
perimeter, new required water fountain, new exterior entry door location, new meeting room and
relocated coffee area, and relocated Electrical Data room. This requires new structural supports at
exterior for new walls, re-routed utilities for water, sewer, power and hvac to new restrooms, and re-
routed electrical and data at new Electrical room.
1. Prepare Schematic Design plan for city approval
2.After City approval, prepare Design Development Plans
3. Construction Documents and Cost Estimate
Exclusions: City to provide survey, Geotech report, hazardous materials testing and specifications,
Hydrology not included.
Fee
Design Bid CA
$73,000.00 $7,310.00 $16,175.00
Time and Material Not to exceed $96,485.00
We appreciate the opportunity to present this proposal. If you have any questions please contact me for
any further information you may need at (310)405-3878 or jun@pacific-ae.com
Sincerely,
Jun Fujita Hall, AIA, LEED AP BD & C, Lic# C 30954
Principal Project Manager, Pacific Architecture and Engineering, Inc.
310-405-3878
jun@pacific-ae.com
434
435
436
437
438
Agenda Item No.: 15.A
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:JOHN SIGNO, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & COMMUNITY SERVICES
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE ON THE 6TH CYCLE HOUSING
ELEMENT.
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
On January 10, 2022, the City Council held a public hearing and authorized staff to forward
the "HCD Draft" 6th Cycle Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and
Community Development (HCD) for review and comment. The City sent the Housing Element
to HCD for review on January 11, 2022. HCD now has 90 days, or by April 11, 2022, to
comment on the Housing Element.
DISCUSSION:
HCD typically meets with the jurisdiction a week before releasing its comments. Once
comments from HCD is received, the City must address those comments before it can adopt
the Housing Element. Once adopted, the Housing Element will be sent to HCD for certification.
The City Council may recall that a special City Council meeting was scheduled for Saturday,
February 12, 2022 to adopt the Housing Element. This was done at the advice of legal counsel
to meet the Housing Element certification deadline set by HCD. However, after consulting with
HCD and again with legal counsel, adoption of the Housing Element prior to receiving HCD’s
comments on the Draft Housing Element was ill-advised as the City would still be out of
compliance. The penalty for being out of compliance is the City would have to adopt any
proposed rezone by October 2022. However, since the City is not proposing any rezone, there
really is no penalty at this time.
Subsequently, the City received a letter from Californians for Homeownership regarding the
City's failure to timely adopt a Sixth Cycle Housing Element. The City Attorney's office has
prepared a response to this letter as it may lead to litigation. As mentioned earlier, at the
advice of HCD and counsel the Housing Element cannot be adopted until the City receives
comments from HCD on the Draft Housing Element and addresses those comments.
FISCAL IMPACT:
439
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and File.
ATTACHMENTS:
2022-3-3 - Californians Letter to Rolling Hills-c1.pdf
440
MATTHEW GELFAND, COUNSEL
MATT@CAFORHOMES.ORG
TEL: (213) 739-8206
March 3, 2022
John Signo
City of Rolling Hills
Email: jsigno@cityofrh.net
RE: Rolling Hills’ failure to timely adopt a Sixth Cycle Housing Element.
Dear Mr. Signo:
Californians for Homeownership is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that uses impact
litigation to address California’s housing crisis. We are monitoring local compliance with the law
governing housing elements. Our understanding is that the City has not adopted a sixth cycle
housing element, which it was required to do by October 15, 2021.1 It also missed the second
compliance deadline of February 12, 2022, subjecting it to additional penalties.2 We are currently
preparing for litigation against cities that have not timely adopted housing elements, like yours.
In light of the City’s failure to timely adopt its housing element, our organization could
immediately sue the City under Code of Civil Procedure Section 1085 to compel it to adopt a
compliant housing element.3 As a result of this litigation, in addition to being ordered to adopt a
housing element on a short timeline,4 the City could also face a number of serious penalties. For
example, the court could suspend all non-residential permitting,5 or could judicially approve
housing development projects within the City.6 And the court could impose these penalties while
the litigation is pending, even before reaching a final decision.7 Housing element litigation is given
priority in the court system,8 and a successful plaintiff can obtain attorneys’ fees under Code of
Civil Procedure Section 1021.5. Indeed, in a recent case involving the City of Huntington Beach’s
housing element, a court awarded another non-profit organization over $3.5 million in fees.9
The purpose of this letter is to offer the City a pathway to avoid immediate litigation by
our organization. Enclosed is an Acknowledgment that sets forth some of the penalties to which
the City is currently subject in light of the City’s failure to adopt a housing element. If the City
signs and returns the Acknowledgment, we will not initiate litigation against the City at this time.
1 Gov. Code § 65588(e)(3).
2 Gov. Code §§ 65583(c)(1)(A), 65583.2(c), and 65588(e)(4)(C).
3 Gov. Code §§ 65587, 65751.
4 Gov. Code § 65754.
5 Gov. Code § 65755(a)(1).
6 Gov. Code § 65755(a)(4).
7 Gov. Code § 65757.
8 Gov. Code § 65752.
9 https://www.communitylegalsocal.org/kennedy-commission-awarded-3-5-million-in-attorneys-fees-for-advocacy-
in-huntington-beach-low-income-housing-case/
441
March 3, 2022
Page 2
We ask that you return the Acknowledgement by March 11, 2022. If you decline to do so,
understand that we may initiate litigation against the City, using the City’s refusal to acknowledge
these basic requirements of state housing law to demonstrate the existence of a dispute
necessitating judicial intervention. As part of the litigation, we would likely seek a judicial
declaration that the City is subject to the same penalties described in the Acknowledgment, among
other remedies. We have dedicated in-house resources sufficient to maintain at least 10
simultaneous housing element lawsuits as part of our commitment to enforcing this important
aspect of state housing law.
We look forward to receiving the signed Acknowledgment. If you would like to discuss
any of this with me, please do not hesitate to give me a call at (213) 739-8206.
Sincerely,
Matthew Gelfand
cc: Michael Jenkins, Esq., City Attorney (by email to michael.jenkins@bbklaw.com)
Jane Abzug, Esq., Assistant City Attorney (by email to jane.abzug@bbklaw.com)
442
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The City of Rolling Hills hereby acknowledges that it has not timely adopted a sixth cycle
revised housing element of its general plan within the deadline set forth in Government Code
Section 65588, and that its housing element is therefore not in substantial compliance with Article
10.6 of the Government Code. As a result, the City is subject to the following:
1. Pursuant to Government Code Sections 65583(c)(1)(A), 65583.2(c), and
65588(e)(4)(C), the City will be required to complete any rezoning required under
housing element law in connection with the City’s sixth cycle housing element by
October 15, 2022.
2. The City is currently prohibited from rejecting housing development projects
based on subdivisions (d)(1) and (d)(5) of the Housing Accountability Act (HAA),
Government Code Section 65589.5. The City acknowledges that this means that,
unless another exception within subdivision (d) applies, the City is prohibited from
using its general plan and zoning standards to reject a proposal that meets the
affordability requirements described in subdivision (h)(3) of the HAA.
The public, including without limitation any applicant to develop any project involving
residential units, may rely on this Acknowledgment as the City’s binding commitment to comply
with the provisions of state law described above.
DATED: ________________, 2022 CITY OF ROLLING HILLS
By: _____________________________
[Signature]
_____________________________
[Name]
Its: _____________________________
[Title]
443
Agenda Item No.: 16.A
Mtg. Date: 03/14/2022
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CHRISTIAN HORVATH,
THRU:ELAINE JENG P.E., CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR
GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.6
CITY'S DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE: MAYOR BEA DIERINGER
UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEE: CITY MANAGER ELAINE JENG
DATE:March 14, 2022
BACKGROUND:
None
DISCUSSION:
None
FISCAL IMPACT:
None
RECOMMENDATION:
None.
ATTACHMENTS:
444