Safety

This Safety Element outlines the goals and policies related to hazards and safety in Palmdale.

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Chapter Highlights

Wildfire-related Precautions. New developments in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones are subject to stringent requirements relating to firesafe zones, evacuation routes, fuel modification programs, and other steps to account for increased risks related to climate change.

Crime Prevention. Palmdale is a safe place to live, and through the implementation of the General Plan, will continue to maximize the security of its residents. Neighborhood Watch programs across the City’s many neighborhoods are supported and encouraged, with crime data made readily available.

Goals and Policies

Seismic Safety

Goal SE-1: A city with minimal public health, safety, and welfare impacts resulting from seismic hazards.

SE-1.1 Geologic Review. Review development within or adjacent to geologic hazard zones and provide copies of geotechnical reports and studies to be reviewed by a qualified geologist and implement recommendations to ensure adequate provisions for public safety.

SE-1.2 California Building Code. Require appropriate structural setbacks from active fault rupture traces in accordance with Alquist-Priolo standards and continue to follow California Building Code.

SE-1.3 Utility Lines Design. Design utility lines crossing active fault traces to withstand the expected movement of the earth in these locations. Utility lines as defined here include, but are not to be limited to, electricity, water, internet, natural gas, and sewer.

SE-1.4 Essential Service Buildings Location. As feasible, ensure that essential services buildings are not located in geologic hazard zones.

SE-1.5 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. Implement the policies and mitigation strategies outlined within the Palmdale Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Wildfire and Fire

Goal SE-2: Minimize public health, safety, and welfare impacts resulting from wildfire hazards.

SE-2.1 Critical Facilities. Prohibit new public or critical facilities in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, except when other options do not exist.

SE-2.2 Redevelopment Compliance. After a large fire, ensure that re-development located in the in the High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones complies with fire safety requirements for construction, accounting for any increased risk related to climate change.

SE-2.3 Wildland Development. Require that developments located in VHFSZ incorporate and enforce standards for construction, including a fuel modification program (i.e., brush clearance, planting of fire-retardant vegetation) to reduce the threat of wildfires, accounting for any increased risk related to climate change.

SE-2.4 Landscaped Buffer Zones. Provide fire-resistant landscaped buffer zones between high-risk fire hazard areas and urban development with fire clearance located on private land and maintained by the property owner(s).

SE-2.5 Maintain Firesafe Zones. Require property owners to clear brush and high fuel vegetation and maintain firesafe zones (a minimum distance of 30 feet from the structure or to the property line, whichever is closer) to reduce the risk of fires. For structures located within a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the required brush clearance distance is 200 feet from structures to the property line.

SE-2.6 Soils and Waterways. Evaluate soils and waterways for risks from flooding, water quality, and erosion to ensure that they are suitable to support redevelopment following a large fire.

SE-2.7 Emergency Access Routes for Wildfire Hazard Zones. Require all new development in or near designated wildfire hazard zones to identify multiple evacuation/emergency access routes and file with City.

SE-2.8 Los Angeles County Fire Department Coordination. Continue to coordinate with the Los Angeles County Fire Department to provide emergency evacuation support and address fire hazards.

SE-2.9 Development Requirements. As part of the city’s development review process, require that all new buildings and facilities comply with Los Angeles County, state, and federal regulatory standards such as the California Building and Fire Codes as well as other applicable fire safety standards and work with the Fire Department to ensure the provision of adequate fire stations, personnel, and equipment to meet the City’s needs over time.

SE-2.10 Water system requirements. Require all new development to be served by a water system that meets applicable fire flow requirements.

SE-2.11 Non-conforming Development. Require existing non-conforming development to comply with contemporary fire safe standards during a permit or entitlement process, in terms of road standards and vegetative hazard, and meet or exceed SRA Fire Safe Regulations.

SE-2.12 Fire Protection Plans. Require fire protection plans for all new development in the VHFSZ.

SE-2.13 Long-term Maintenance. Continue annual brush inspections and enforce clearance requirements on public and private property within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ), as dictated by CAL FIRE, in accordance with the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Fire Safe Regulations, California Building Standards Code, and Palmdale Municipal Code related to ongoing maintenance of vegetation clearance on public and private roads, roadside fuel reduction plan, and defensible space clearances (including fuel breaks).

SE-2.14 Water Evaluation. Evaluate the location and capacity of the City’s water supply availability to suppress wildfire as part of the City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Updates.

Hazardous materials

Goal SE-3: Minimize risks associated with the transport, storage, use, and disposal of hazardous materials.

SE-3.1 Hazardous Materials. Coordinate with the Los Angeles County Fire Department to maintain a list of hazardous waste generators that could affect City residents.

SE-3.2 Remediate Contaminated Sites. Continue to support and encourage state and county efforts to identify and remediate contaminated sites.

SE-3.3 Soil and Groundwater Cleanup. Require clean-up of soil and/or groundwater containing hazardous materials exceeding regulatory action levels to the satisfaction of the agency having jurisdiction prior to granting permits for new development.

SE-3.4 Hazardous Materials Transport. Require transport of hazardous materials along designated routes that minimize risks to the public and sensitive environmental areas and cooperate with regional agencies in developing and maintaining such routes.

SE-3.5 Review Development Near Hazardous Materials. Review proposed development in proximity to any existing or proposed facility that uses, stores, or transports large amounts of hazardous materials to ensure adequate mitigation of impacts related to hazardous materials (e.g., appropriate site design, setbacks, and buffering).

SE-3.6 Hazardous Waste Facility Compliance. Require all proposed hazardous waste facilities to comply with the City’s hazardous waste management plan and the Hazardous and Waste Facilities Section of the Palmdale Municipal Code.

Flooding

Goal SE-4: Minimize impacts to public safety and/or property as a result of flooding.

SE-4.1 Floodplain Management Ordinance. Require development in designated flood hazard areas to meet standards outlined in the City’s Floodplain Management Ordinance and related criteria in the City’s Engineering Design Standards.

SE-4.2 Drainage Management Plan. Implement the City’s drainage management plan through the capital improvement program and development review process.

SE-4.3 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and Low Impact Development. Ensure that new development meets National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and associated Low Impact Development (LID) standards that limit peak runoff to pre-development rates.

SE-4.4 Recharge Areas. As appropriate, use open space and recreational areas to serve as floodplains that reduce downstream flooding and aid in groundwater recharge.

SE-4.5 Floodplains Value. Preserve and restore the natural and beneficial values served by floodplains to the extent feasible, consistent with public health, safety, and welfare.

SE-4.6 Localized Flooding. Address localized flooding east of SR-14, particularly near Amargosa Creek, Anaverde Creek, Little Rock Wash, and Big Rock Wash.

Infrastructure Safety

Goal SE-5: Minimize damage from catastrophic failure of infrastructure.

SE-5.1 Evaluate inundation hazards. As appropriate, evaluate inundation hazards related to the potential rupture of the following when reviewing development proposals: California Aqueduct, Palmdale Dam, Littlerock Dams and/or proposed basins.

SE-5.2 Buffers for gas lines. Require buffers for development in areas near high-pressure natural gas lines and that ensure such development is provided with alternative access/evacuation routes.

Aircraft Safety

Goal SE-6: Minimize impacts to public safety and property resulting from aircraft accidents.

SE-6.1 Consistent development with Department of Defense. Require all development to be consistent with Department of Defense regulations as outlined in the Air Force Plant 42 Air Installation Compatibility Use Zone (AICUZ) Report and comply with applicable FAA regulations that affect development in the Accident Potential Zones.

SE-6.2 Linear corridor in Accident Potential Zones. Through the design review process, ensure that new buildings are located in a manner that will promote clear linear corridors through the developed area in any Accident Potential Zones.

SE-6.3 Evaluate incompatible land uses near the airport. Review and evaluate currently existing incompatible development within the low altitude overflight areas uses and determine the potential for redevelopment to convert those land uses to airport compatible uses.

Emergency Preparedness

Goal SE-7: Ensure safe evacuation of residents in the event of an emergency requiring evacuation.

SE-7.1 Maintain Emergency Evacuation Map. Maintain and, as necessary, update a map of designated emergency evacuation routes for various types of disasters (e.g., earthquake, wildfire, hazardous material release, dam failure) and disaster scenarios.

SE-7.2 Evacuation Route Information. Make information regarding emergency evacuation routes readily available to all city residents.

SE-7.3 Review Development Consistency. Review all new development for consistency with applicable evacuation plans and ensure access to at least two evacuation routes.

SE-7.4 Emergency Evacuation Evaluation. Continue to evaluate evacuation route capacity, safety, and viability under a range of emergency scenarios.

SE-7.5 Evacuation in VHFSZ and HFSZ. Require developers proposing development on properties within VHFSZ and HFSZ areas to evaluate and provide adequate evacuation routes.

SE-7.6 Assess Emergency Service Needs. Continue to assess current and projected emergency service needs, and goals or standards for emergency services training for City staff and volunteers as part of the City’s Emergency Operation Plan Updates.

Goal SE-8: Improve disaster preparedness in the event of an emergency.

SE-8.1 Emergency Operations Plan. Maintain and, as necessary, update the City’s Emergency Operations Plan.

SE-8.2 Annual Maintenance Review. Periodically, but not less than annually, review emergency service equipment and shelters to ensure that they are adequate to meet the needs of changing land uses and development types.

SE-8.3 Disaster Preparedness Training. Require City staff to undergo regular disaster preparedness training annually at minimum.

SE-8.4 Legible Signs. Require all residences and businesses to maintain visible and clearly legible signs and/or street numbers to shorten the response times of emergency personnel.

SE-8.5 Emergency Water. Promote the use of emergency water supplies or water filtration systems at point-of-delivery to ensure provision of acceptable water quality in emergency situations.

Goal SE-9: Improve public safety.

SE-9.1 Palmdale Municipal Code. Ensure safe and sanitary living and working conditions throughout the City and coordinate with other agencies, including but not limited to Los Angeles County Department of Health, Los Angeles County Fire Department, and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to maintain the goals, standards, resources, and training for enforcement and emergency services.

SE-9.2 Public Education. Continue and, as appropriate, update public education programs regarding response to hazards such as earthquakes, floods, hazardous material spills, and wildfire for residents, businesses, and schools.

Goal SE-10: Reduce crime activity.

SE-10.1 Crime Rate. Track the rates of crime in the community on an ongoing basis and reallocate resources as necessary to address crime-related issues of concern.

SE-10.2 Crime Statistics. Make up-to-date crime statistics readily available to the community via the City’s website or other media.

SE-10.3 Maximize Safety and Security. Through the development review process, ensure that sites are designed in order to maximize safety and security, considering such factors as visibility, lighting, emergency access, legibility of street numbers, and fencing.

SE-10.4 Adequate Lighting. Require all commercial and industrial developments to provide adequate lighting for buildings and parking areas as well as sufficient visibility for patrol vehicles to assist in law enforcement surveillance.

SE-10.5 Watch Group Education. Encourage the formation and continued education of neighborhood and business watch groups to assist in crime prevention and detection.

SE-10.6 Crime Prevention Efforts. Coordinate with local partners to encourage community-based crime prevention efforts.

SE-10.7 Safe Environment Programs. Promote after school, volunteer, and Business and Neighborhood Watch programs, and other innovative programs to help maintain a safe environment.

SE-10.8 Law Enforcement and Youth Interaction. Expand opportunities for positive law enforcement and youth interaction.