HomeMy WebLinkAbout6450
RESOLUTION NO. 6450
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING THE 2004
NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
WHEREAS, the City of Arcadia recognizes that on October 30, 2000, the
Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 ("DMA") was signed into law, amending
provisions of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief Act of 1988; and
WHEREAS, the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390)
states that for a community to receive pre-disaster and post-disaster funds and
Federal Emergency Management Funds, a Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan
(''NHMP'') must be submitted to the California Office of Emergency Services and
the Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA"), and the failure to submit
a plan wi)) disqualify a community from receiving disaster assistance; and
WHEREAS, the DMA reinforces the importance of pre-disaster
infrastructure mitigation planning to reduce disaster losses nationwide because it
focuses on planning and recognizes the significance of hazard mitigation planning
at the local level, and the necessity for effective coordination between state and
local entities to promote an integrated, comprehensive approach to mitigation
planning; and
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WHEREAS, the DMA requires local agencies like the City of Arcadia to
develop a mitigation plan that includes a detailed City profile and identification of
specific threats and vulnerabilities within the City, and which sets forth specific
mitigating measures to address such threats and vulnerabilities; and
WHEREAS, the DMA requires detailed documentation of all actions,
meetings, studies, and directives undertaken in furtherance of the DMA plan; and
WHEREAS, the DMA includes new criteria for local mitigation planning,
including the development and submittal of mitigation plans as a condition to
receiving Natural Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds; and
WHEREAS, the City of Arcadia has met all federal requirements of the
Stafford Act and applicable amendments, and has further met all requirements of
the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, including development of a Natural Disaster
Mitigation Plan, through public participation and Steering Committee
establishment, and development of a maintenance program for annual plan review
and federal plan review every five (5) years.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CrTY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I. Pursuant to the foregoing recitations, the following
findings and deternrinations are hereby made:
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1. The City of Arcadia's Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan is subject to a
stalutory exemption pursuant to the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Section 15262 because it is a feasibility and
planning study;
2. The City Council expresses its full support for, and willingness to devote
appropriate resources to, the DMA program and the adoption of a DMA
plan for the City; and
3, The City Council supports the active participation of all interested
agencies, departments, community groups, and the public with respect to
the DMA program.
SECTION 2. The Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan is consistent with the
City's General Phm in that it implements the following Public Safety Element
Goals, Objectives, and Policies:
I. Establishment and enforcement of standards and criteria to reduce
unacceptable levels of fire and geologic risk;
2. Development of stringent site criteria for construction in areas with
fire and/or geologic risks and/or problems and prohibition of
construction if these criteria are not met;
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3. Encouragement of continued research in the fields of geologic and fire
safety;
4. Strengthening of existing codes and ordinances pertaining to fire and
geologic hazards;
5. Requirement that all new developments and selected existing
developments comply with established fire and geologic safety
standards;
6. rmprovement of programs and practices for dealing with land
subsidence and erosion;
7. Expansion of public education programs pertaining to fire. and
geologic risks and/or problems;
8. Encouragement of improved fire and geologic hazard Insurance
programs;
9, Review and improvement of disaster preparedness and emergency
response capabilities; and
lO.Increase in cooperation and coordination between the vanous
jurisdictions and agencies involved m fire protection and the
mitigation of geologic problems.
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SECTION 3.
The City Council hereby approves and adopts the City of
Arcadia 2004 Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan, as set forth in Attachment "A",
attached hereto and incorporated herein as part of this Resolution.
SECTION 5.
The City Clerk shall certify the adoption of this
Resolution.
Passed, approved and adopted this 7th day of December , 2004.
~Ai~' ~~~
yor the CitY of Arcadia
ATTEST:
~, /JPL
ity Clerk
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APPROVED AS TO FORM:
~p,~
City Attorney
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS:
CrTY OF ARCADIA )
I, JAMES H. BARROWS, City Clerk of the City of Arcadia, hereby certifies
that the foregoing Resolution No. 6450 was passed and adopted by the City Council of
the City of Arcadia, signed by the Mayor and attested to by the City Clerk at a regular
meeting of said Council held on the 7th day of December, 2004 and that said
Resolution was adopted by the fo]]owing vote, to wit:
A YES: Council Member Chandler, Marsha]], Segal, Wuo and Kovacic
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
~c- /~ ~
ity Clerk of the City of Area la
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',-'C,.:> -, - ~
Ci,ty of> ArJcadla
Natural Hazard Mitiga~tion
Pla.D
ARCADJIA
Adopted on December 7, 2004
A H-&iGh iVlQ.nt A
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STAFF REPORT
Fire Department
DATE:
December 7, 2004
FROM:
Mayor and City Council
David R. Lugo, Fire Chief pI
By: Heather McDowell, Management Analyst
Kenneth J. Marston, Battalion Chief
David Odell, Captain
TO:
SUBJECT:
Report and Recommendation to Approve Resolution No. 6450 Supporting
the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan in Compliance with
the Disaster Mitigation Act of2000 (DMA 2000).
Recommendation: Adopt Resolution
SUMMARY
This report requests City Council approval of the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazard
Mitigation Plan. This plan was developed as a result of new requirements from the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish such a plan as a
prerequisite to receipt of hazard mitigation funding and/or other public assistance
following a significant disaster.
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 6450 Approving the City
of Arcadia's 2004 Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan,
BACKGROUND
The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) amended the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Act) by repealing the previous
mitigation planning section and replacing it with Section 322.
The new laws establish the mitigation planning requirements for local governments and
require that in order to remain eligible to receive federal funding for both pre-disaster and
post-disaster mitigation project funding, a local government must have a FEMA approved
Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (NHMP) written in accordance with Section 322 of the
Act.
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Mayor and City Council
December 7, 2004
Page 3
The major objectives sited in the 2004 Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan are to protect
life and property, increase public awareness, support natural systems that assist the
balance of land use planning with natural hazard mitigation efforts, create community
partnerships, and .to strengthen emergency services within the community. The report
itself is over 100 pages in length, excluding appendices and maps. Due to its size, it
was not feasible to make copies and is available for review in the City Manager's
office, City Clerk's office, and at the Library.
The resources and information cited in the mitigation plan provide a strong local
perspective and help identify strategies and activities to make Arcadia more disaster
resilient. Furthermore, adoption of the NHMP by the local jurisdiction's governing
body is one of the prime requirements for approval of the plan by FEMA.
FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of Resolution No, 6450 has no fiscal impact to the City. Arcadia will have the
opportunity to implement recommended mitigation action items through existing
programs and procedures.
Failure to adopt a Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan will forfeit the City of Arcadia's
eligibility of federal funding for disaster assistance,
RECOMMENDA nON
It is recommended that the City Council endorse Resolution No, 6450 approving the City
of Arcadia's 2004 Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Approved:
~ lk:l~
William R. Kelly, City Manager
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WHEREAS, the DMA requires local agencies like the City of Arcadia to
develop a mitigation plan that includes a detailed City profile and identification of
specific threats and vulnerabilities within the City, and which sets forth specific
mitigating measures to address such threats and vulnerabilities; and
WHEREAS, the DMA requires detailed documentation of all actions,
meetings, studies, and directives undertaken in furtherance of the DMA plan; and
WHEREAS, the DMA includes new criteria for local mitigation planning,
including the development and submittal of mitigation plans as a condition to
receiving Natural Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds; and
WHEREAS, the City of Arcadia has met all federal requirements of the
Stafford Act and applicable amendments, and has further met an requirements of
the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, including development of a Natural Disaster
Mitigation Plan, through public participation and Steering Committee
establishment, and development of a maintenance program for annual plan review
and federal plan review every five (5) years.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Pursuant to the foregoing recitations, the following
findings and determinations are hereby made:
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3. Encouragement of continued research in the fields of geologic and fire
safety;
4. Strengthening of existing codes and ordinances pertaining to fire and
geologic hazards;
5. Requirement that all new developments and selected existing
developments comply with established fire and geologic safety
standards;
6. Improvement of programs and practices for dealing with land
subsidence and erosion;
7. Expansion of public education programs pertaining to fire and
geologic risks and/or problems;
8. Encouragement of improved fire and geologic hazard msurance
programs;
9. Review and improvement of disaster preparedness and emergency
response capabilities; and
IO.Increase in cooperation and coordination between the vanous
jurisdictions and agencies involved 111 fire protection and the
mitigation of geologic problems.
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Notes of Special Recognition and Profound Appreciation:
The Disaster Management Area Coordinators of Los Angeles County owe no small debt of
gratitude to Clackamas County Oregon and its Natural Hazards Mitigation Committee.
Vicki Harguth, the County's Emergency Management Coordinator and Cindy Kolomechuck,
their Hazard Mitigation Specialist graciously shared their plan with us and allowed us to use it as
a basis for our working plan template.
While there are sometimes interesting differences between the climate and topography of
Clackamas County, Oregon and the greater Los Angeles basin, the plan was so well organized
and it was easily adapted to suit the needs of the independent cities of Los Angeles County.
The generosity of Clackamas County and its emergency management personnel is typical of the
spirit of cooperation that pervades the emergency management profession.
We also availed ourselves of data, reports and plans from a variety of cities, counties and states
from across the country as part of the research in preparing this template plan. Thank you to all
those agencies who are so generous to their colleagues in the emergency management profession.
The work of many of these agencies is cited in Section I.
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Special Thanks & Acknowledgments
Project Steering Committee:
- City of Arcadia Fire Departmen.
- City of Arcadia Police Department
- City of Arcadia Administrative Services Department
- City of Arcadia Public Works Services Department
- City of Arcadia Recreation Services and Community Services Department
- City of Arcadia Development Services Department
- Office of Disaster Management, Area D: Brenda Hunemiller, Coordinator
- Office of Disaster Management, Area E: Fan Abel, Coordinator
- Office of Disaster Management, Area G: Mike Martinet, Executive Director
- Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management: Constance Perett, Manager
- California Division of Forestry
- Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region IX
- Governor's Office of Emergency Services
Project Manager: Battalion Chief Kenneth J. Marston, Arcadia Fire Department, Emergency
Services Coordinator
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Maps:
City of Arcadia Public Works GIS developed all of the maps included in this plan. The
contributions from this department were essential in illustrating the extent and potential losses
associated with the natural hazards affecting the City.
- GIS Specialist, City of Arcadia GIS The information on the maps in this plan was derived from
City of Arcadia GIS. Care was taken in the creation of these maps, but is provided "as is." City
of Arcadia cannot accept any responsibility for any errors, omissions or positional accuracy, and
therefore, there are no warranties that accompany these products (the maps). Although
information from Land Surveys may have been used in the creation of these products, in no way
does this product represent or constitute a Land Survey. Users are cautioned to field verify
information on this product before making any decisions.
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List of maps
Base Map of City (with major roads and highways, rivers)
Critical Facilities (Public Safety & Hospitals)
*Essential Facilities (all City facilities, schools, commercia) and major retail areas)
*Major Hazardous materials handlers
*lnfrastructure (watcr & sewer mains, electrical substations, telephone exchanges, petroleum
pipelines, railroad lines)
Earthquake Fault map (L.A. Basin)
Earthquake Fault Map (Local)
Liquefaction Areas
100 Year Flood plain
Historic Precipitation Chart
Dam Inundation Areas
Wildland / Urban Interface Areas
Landslide Areas
Debris Flow Areas
Maps of Critical Facilities, Major Hazardous Materials Handlers and Infrastructure are not
included, due to security concems post 9-11.
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City of Arcadia Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan
Index
Resolution and Adoption by Council
Federal Emergency Management Administration Crosswalk
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Acknowledgments.. ......................... ... .......... ....... ....... ... .......... ............. ...... ....... ......... ......................4
List 0 f Maps.....................................................................................................................................5
Part I: Mitigation Action Plan
Page
Executive Summary......................................................................................................................... 7
Section 1: .................................................................................................................. Introduction 19
Section 2: .......................................................................................................Community Profile 27
Section 3: .......................................................................................................... Risk Assessment 36
Section 4: .........................................................................Multi-Hazard Goals and Action Items 40
Section 5: .........................................................................................................Plan Maintenance 51
Part II:
Specific Natural Hazards
Section 6: .................................................................................................................. Earthquake 6-1
Section 7: ...............................................................Earth Movement (Landslide / Debris Flow) 7-1
Section 8: ............,.. ............................................................................................................ Flood 8-1
Section 9: ...........~:~..........................:............................................................................... Wildfire 9-1
Section I 0: .............................................................................................................. Windstorm 10-1
Part III:
Resources
Appendix A:............................................................................................... Plan Resource Directory
Appendix B: .......................................................................................... Public Participation Process
Appendix C: ................................................................................................... Benefit Cost Analysis
Appendix D:.......................................................................................................... List of Acronyms
Appendix E: ........................................................................................................................ Glossary
Maps
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Executive Summary:
Five -Year Action Plan Matrix
The City of Arcadia Natural Hazards Mitigation Action Plan includes resources and information
to assist City residents, public and private sector organizations, and others interested in
participating in planning for natural hazards. The mitigation plan provides a list of activities that
may assist City of Arcadia in reducing risk and preventing loss from future natural hazard events.
The action items address multi-hazard issues, as well as activities for earthquakes, earth
movements, flooding, tsunamis, wildfires and windstorms.
How is tbe Plan Organized?
The Mitigation Plan contains a five-year action plan matrix, background on the purpose and
methodology used to develop the mitigation plan, a profile of City of Arcadia, sections on six
natural hazards that occur within the City, and a number of appendices. All of the sections are
described in detail in Section I, the plan introduction.
Who Participated in Developing tbe Plan?
The City of Arcadia Natural Hazards Mitigation Action Plan is the result of a collaborative effort
between City of Arcadia's citizens, public agencies, non-profit organizations, the private sector,
and regional and state organizations. Public participation played a key role in development of
goals and action items. Interviews were conducted with stakeholders across the City, and two
public workshops were held to include City of Arcadia's residents in plan development. A
project Steering Committee guided the process of developing the plan.
The Steering Committee was comprised of representatives from:
City of Arcadia Development Services Department
City of Arcadia Administrative Services
City of Arcadia Fire Department
City of Arcadia Police Department
City of Arcadia Recreation Department
City of Arcadia Public Works Department
Office of Disaster Management, Area D
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What is the Plan Mission?
The mission of the City of Arcadia Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan is to promote sound public
policy designed to protect citizens, critical facilities, infrastructure, private property, and the
environment from natural hazards. This can be achieved by increasing public awareness,
documenting the resources for risk reduction and loss-prevention, and identifying activities to
guide the City towards building a safer, more sustainable community.
Wbat are tbe Plan Goals?
The plan goals describe the overall direction that City of Arcadia's agencies, organizations, and
citizens can take to work toward mitigating risk from natural hazards. The goals are stepping-
stones between the broad direction of the mission statement and the specific recommendations
outlined in the action items.
Protect Life and Property
Implement activities that assist in protecting lives by making homes, businesses,
infrastructure, critical facilities, and other property more resistant to losses from natural
hazards.
Reduce losses and repetitive damages for chronic hazard events while promoting
insurance coverage for catastrophic hazards.
Improve hazard assessment information to make recommendations for discouraging new
development in high hazard areas and encouraging preventative measures for existing
development in areas vulnerable to natural hazards.
Public Awareness
Develop and implement education and outreach programs to increase public awareness of
the risks associated with natural hazards.
Provide information on tools; partnership opportunities, and funding resources to assist in
implementing mitigation activities.
Natural Systems
Balance natural resource management, and land use planning with natural hazard
mitigation to protect life, property, and the environment.
Preserve, rehabilitate, and enhance natural systems to serve natural hazard mitigation
functions.
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Partnerships and Implementation
Strengthen communication and coordinate participation among and within public
agencies, citizens, non-profit organizations, business, and industry to gain a vested
interest in implementation.
Encourage leadership within public and private sector organizations to prioritize and
implement local and regional hazard mitigation activities.
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Emergency Services
Establish policy to ensure mitigation projects for critical facilities, services, and
infrastructure.
Strengthen emergency operations by increasing collaboration and coordination among
public agencies, non-profit organizations, business, and industry.
Coordinate and integrate natural hazard mitigation activities, where appropriate, with
emergency operations plans and procedures.
How are tbe Action Items Organized?
The action items are a listing of activities in which City agencies and citizens can be engaged to
reduce risk. Each action item includes an estimate of the time line for implementation. Short-
term action items an: activities that City agencies may implement with existing resources and
authorities within one to two years. Long-term action items may require new or additional
resources or authorities, and may take between one and five years (or mor~)!o implement.
The action items are organized within the following matrix, which lists all of the multi-hazard
and hazard-specific action items included in the mitigation plan. Data collection and research
and the public participation process resulted in the development of these action items (see
Appendix B). The matrix includes the following information for each action item:
Coordinating Organization. The coordinating organization is the public agency with
regulatory responsibility to address natural hazards, or that is willing and able to organize
resources, find appropriate funding, or oversee activity implementation, monitoring, and
evaluation. Coordinating organizations may include local, county, or regional agencies
that are capable of or responsible for implementing activities and programs.
Time line. Action items include both short and long-term activities. Each action item
includes an estimate of the time line for implementation. Short-term action items are
activities which City agencies are capable of implementing with existing resources and
authorities within one to two years. Long-term action items may require new or
additional resources or authorities, and may take between one and five years (or more) to
implement.
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Ideas for Implementation. Each action item includes ideas for implementation and
potential resources, which may include grant programs or human resources. The matrix
includes the page number within the mitigation plan where this information can be found.
Plan Goals Addressed. The plan goals addressed by each action item are included as a
way to monitor and evaluate how well the mitigation plan is achieving its goals once
implementation begins. The plan goals are organized into the following five areas:
Protect Li fe and Property
Public Awareness
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Natural Syst<:ms
Partnerships and Implementation
Emergency Services
Partner Organizations. The Partner organizations are not listed with the individual
action items or in the plan matrix. Partner organizations are listed in Appendix A, of this
plan and are agencies or public/private sector organizations that may be able to assist in
the implementation of action items by providing relevant resources to the coordinating
organization. The partner organizations listed in the Resource Directory of the City of
Arcadia's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan are potential partners recommended by the
project steering committee, but were not necessarily contacted during the development of
the Mitigation Plan. Partner organizations should be contacted by the coordinating
organization to establish commitment of time and resources to action items.
Constraints. Constraints may apply to some of the action items. These constraints may
be a lack of city staff, lack of funds, or vested property rights, which might expose the
City to legal action as a result of adverse impacts on private property.
How Will the Plan be Implemented, Monitored, and Evaluated?
The Plan Maintenance Section of this document details the formal process that will ensure that
the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan remains an active and relevant document..
The plan maintenance process includes a schedule for monitoring and evaluating the Plan
annually and producing a plan revision every five years. This section describes how the City
will integrate public participation throughout the plan maintenance process. Finally, this section
includes an explanation of how City of Arcadia's government intends to incorporate the
mitigation strategies outlined in this Plan into existing planning mechanisms such as the City's
General Plan, Capital Improvement Plans, and Building & Safety Codes.
Plan Adoption
Adoption of the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan by the local jurisdiction's governing body is one
of the prime requirements for approval of the plan. Once the plan is completed, the City Council
will be responsible for adopting the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan. The
local agency governing body has the responsibility and authority to promote sound public policy
regarding natural hazards. The City Council will periodically need to re-adopt the plan as it is
revised to meet changes in the natural hazard risks and exposures in the community. The
approved Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan will be significant in the future growth and
development of the community.
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Coordinating Body
A City of Arcadia's Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee will be responsible for coordinating
implementation of Plan action items and undertaking the formal review process. The City
Council/City Manager will assign representatives from City agencies, including, but not limited
to, the current Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee members.
Convener
The City Council willlldopt the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan, and the
Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee will take responsibility for plan implementation. The
City Manager will serve as a convener to facilitate the Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee
meetings, and will assign tasks such as updating and presenting the Plan to the members of the
committee. Plan implementation and evaluation will be a shared responsibility among all of the
Natural Hazard Advisory Committee Members.
Implementation through Existing Programs
The City of Arcadia addresses statewide planning goals and legislative requirements through its
General Plan, Capital Improvement Plans, Fire Codes, City Building & Safety Codes and other
related documents. The Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan provides a series of recommendations
that are closely related to the goals and objectives of these existing planning programs. City of
Arcadia will have the opportunity to implement recommended mitigation action items through
existing programs and procedures.
Economic Analysi~ of Mitigation Projects
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's approaches to identify costs and benefits
associated with natural hazard mitigation strategies or projects fall into two general categories:
benefit/cost analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis. Conducting benefit/cost analysis for a
mitigation activity can assist communities in determining whether a project is worth undertaking
now, in order to avoid disaster-related damages later. Cost-effectiveness analysis evaluates how
best to spend a given amount of money to achieve a specific goal. Determining the economic
feasibility of mitigating natural hazards can provide decision makers with an understanding of
the potential benefits and costs of an activity, as well as a basis upon which to compare
alternative projects.
Formal Review Process
The City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan will be evaluated on an annual basis to
determine the effectiveness of programs, and to reflect changes in land development or programs
that may affect mitigation priorities. The evaluation process includes a firm schedule and time
line, and identifies the local agencies and organizations participating in plan evaluation. The
City Manager or disignee will be responsible for contacting the Hazard Mitigation Advisory
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Committee members and organizing the annual meeting. Committee members will be
responsible for monitoring and evaluating the progress of the mitigation strategies in the Plan.
Continued Public Involvement
The City of Arcadia is dedicated to involving the public directly in the continual review and
updates of the Hazard Mitigation Plan. Copies of the plan will be catalogued and made available
at city hall, City Clerk' office and at City of Arcadia Library. The existence and location of
these copies will be publicized in City newsletters. In addition, locations of the Plan and any
proposed changes will be posted on the City website. This site will also contain an email address
and phone number to which people can direct their comments and concerns.
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Mitigation Activities
Natural Hazard SHORT TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD #1
Action Item Integrate the goals and action items from the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazard
Mitioation Plan into existino renulatorv documents and proarams. where approoriate
Coordinating Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee
Oroanization
Ideas for Use the mitigation plan to help the city's General Plan meet State Land Use
Implementation Planning Goal 7, designed to protect life and property from natural disasters and
hazards through planning strategies that restrict development in areas of known
hazards:
Integrate the city's mitigation plan into current capital improvement plans to ensure
that development does not encroach on known hazard areas: and
Partner with other organizations and agencies with similar goals to promote Building
& Safetv Codes that are more disaster resistant at the state level.
Time line Ongoing
Constraints
Plan Goals Addressed Protect Life and Property
Public Awareness Natural Systems
X Partnerships and Implementation Emergency Services
Natural Hazard SHORT TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD #2:
Action Item Identify and pursue funding opportunities to develop and implement local and city
mitioation activities.
Coordinating City Manager Office
Ornanization
Ideas for Develop incentives for citizens and businesses to pursue hazard mitigation projects:
Implementation Allocate city resources and assistance to mitigation projects when possible: and
Partner with other organizations and agencies in City of Arcadia to identify grant
oroorams and foundations that mav suooort mitioation activities
Time line Onnoina
Constraints
Plan Goals Addressed Protect Life and Property
Public Awareness Natural Systems
X Partnerships and Implementation Emergency Services
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Natural Hazard SHORT TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD #3
Establish a formal plan for tha City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards Mitigation
Action Item Committee to develop a sustainable process for implementing, monitoring, and
evaluatina citYWide mitiaation activities
Coordinating Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee
Oroanization
Ideas for Establish clear roles for participants, meeting regularly to pursue and evaluate
Implementation implementation of mitigation strategies.
Oversee implementation of the mitigation plan.
Establish measurable standards to evaluate mitigation policies and programs and
provide a mechanism to update and revise the mitigation plan.
Monitor hazard mitigation implementation by jurisdictions and participating
organizations through surveys and other reporting methods.
Develop updates for the Natural Hazards Mitigation Action Plan based on new
information.
Conduct a full review of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Action Plan every 5 years by
evaluating mitigation successes, failures, and areas that were not addressed.
Provide training for Committee members to remain current on developing issues in
the natural hazard loss reduction field.
Time line Ongoing
Constraints
Plan Goals Addressed X Protect Life and Property
X Public Awareness X Natural Systems
X Partnerships and Implementation Emergency Services
Natural Hazard SHORT TERM ACTIVITY. M UL TI HAZARD #4
Identify, improve, and sustain collaborative programs focusing on the real
Action Item estate and insurance industries, public and private sector organizations, and
individuals to avoid activity that increases risk to natural hazards.
Coordinating City Managers Office or designee
Ornanization
Ideas for Distribute information about flood, fire, earthquake, and other forms of
Implementation natural hazards insurance to property owners in areas identified to be at risk
through hazard mapping.
Educate individuals and businesses on the benefit of engaging in mitigation
activities such as developing impact analyses.
Pinpoint areas of high risk and transfer the cost of risk to property owners.
Time line Oni:!oini:!
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Constraints Staff and Budget
Plan Goals Addressed Protect Life and Property
Public Awareness Natural Systems
X Partnerships and Implementation Emergency Services
SHORT TER:\-I ACTIVITY - MVL TI HAZARD #5
Develop public and private partnerships to foster natural hazard mitigation program
coordination and collaboration in City of Arcadia.
Ideas for Implementation:
Identify all organizations within City of Arcadia that have programs or interests in natural
hazards mitigation.
Involve private businesses throughout the city in mitigation planning.
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office
Time line: Ongoino
Plan Goals Addressed: Partnerships and Implementation
Constraints: Staffing and Budget
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SHORT TERM ACTIVITY - MVL TI HAZARD #6
Develop inventories of at-risk buildings and infrastructure and prioritize mitigation projects.
Ideas for Implementation:
Identify critical facilities at risk from natural hazards events.
Develop strategies to mitigate risk to these facilities, or to utilize altemative facilities should
natural hazards events cause damages to the facilities in question.
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office
Time line: 1-2 Years
Plan Goals Addressed: Protect Life and Property, Partnerships and
Implementation
Constraints: Staff Time, Partnerships and Budget
LONG TERM ACTIVITY - MVL TI HAZARD.1f1
Strengthen emergency services preparedness and response by linking emergency services with
natural hazard mitigation programs, and enhancing public education on a regional scale.
Ideas for Implementation:
Encourage indivioual and family preparedness through public education projects such as safety
fairs. ....
Identify opportunities for partnering with citizens, private contractors, and other jurisdictions to
increase availability of equipment and manpower for efficiency of response efforts.
Familiarize public officials of requirements regarding public assistance for disaster response.
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office
Time line: Ongoing
Plan Goals Addressed: Emergency Services
Constrai nts: Staff time and Budget
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LO"'G TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD-MH #2
Develop, enhance, and implement education programs aimed at mitigating natural hazards, and
reducing the risk to citizens, public agencies, private property owners, businesses, and schools.
Ideas for Implementation:
Multi hazard Action Items
Make the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan available to the public by
publishing the plan electronically on the city and emergency managernent websites.
Enhance map capabilities by creating a website that includes information specific to City of
Arcadia residents, including site-specific hazards information, Building & Safety Codes
information, insurance companies that provide earthquake insurance for city residents, and
educational information on damage prevention.
Develop outreach programs to business organizations that must prepare for Natural hazard
events
Education: Develop curriculum for school programs and adult education on reducing risk and
preventing loss from natural hazards. .....
Conduct natural hazards awareness programs in schools and community centers.
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office
Time line: Ongoing
Plan Goals Addressed: Public Awareness, Protect Life and Property
Constraints: Staff and Budget
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LO;o;G TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD #3
Use technical knowledge of natural ecosystems and events to link natural resource management
and land use organizations to mitigation activities and technical assistance.
Ideas for Implementation:
Review ordinances that protect natural systems and resources to mitigate for natural hazards for
possible enhancements.
Develop education and outreach programs that focus on protecting natural systems as a
mitigation activity.
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office
Time line: Ongoing
Plan Goals Addressed: Natural Systems
Constraints: Staffing and Budget
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I Section 1 l
Introduction
Throughout history, the residents of City of Arcadia have dealt with the various natural hazards
affecting the area Photos, journal entries, and newspapers from the 1800's show that the
r,esidents of the area dealt with earthquakes, earth movements, flooding, wildfires and wind
Storms.
Although there were fewer people in the area, the natural hazards adversely affected the lives of
those who depended on the land and climate conditions for food and welfare. As the population
of the City continues to increase, the exposure to natural hazards creates an even higher risk than
previously experienced.
City of Arcadia is the 53rd most populous City in Los Angeles County, and offers the benefits of
living in a Mediterranean type of climate. The City is characterized by the unique and attractive
landscape that makes the area so popular. However, the potential impacts of natural hazards
associated with the terrain make the environment and population vulnerable to natural disaster
situations.
The City is subject to earthquakes, earth movements, flooding, wildfires and windstorms. It is
impossible to predict exactly when these disasters will occur, or the extent to which they will
affect the City. However, with careful planning and collaboration among public agencies,
private sector organizations, and citizens within the community, it is possible to minimize the
losses that can result from these natural disasters.
City of Arcadia's most recently experienced large-scale destruction during the 1994 earthquake.
The City of Arcadia's businesses, residences, and infrastructure suffered light damage. The City
sought and received a County, State and Presidential Disaster Declaration to obtain assistance for
its recovery effort. The City of Arcadia estimated that the event of the 1994 directly or indirectly
affected 3% of the City's 49,00 residents. Even though the earthquake of 1994 was not a strong
event, it showed that a large natural disaster would affect the city's ability to response and repair
large-scale damage without the assistance of the county, state and federal government.
Why Develop a Mitigation Plan?
As the costs of damage from natural disasters continues to increase, the community realizes the
importance of identifying effective ways to reduce vulnerability to disasters. Natural hazard
mitigation plans assist communities in reducing risk from natural hazards by identifying
resources, information, and strategies for risk reduction, while helping to guide and coordinate
mitigation activities throughout the City.
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The plan provides a set of action items to reduce risk from natural hazards through education and
outreach programs and to foster the development of partnerships, and implementation of
preventative activities such as land use programs that restrict and control development in areas
subject to damage from natural hazards.
The resources and information within the Mitigation Plan:
(I) establish a basis for coordination and collaboration among agencies and the public in
City of Arcadia.
(2) identify and prioritize future mitigation projects; and
(3) assist in meeting the requirements of federal assistance programs.
The mitigation plan works in conjunction with other City plans, including the City General Plan
and Emergency Operations Plans.
Whom Does the Mitigation Plan Affect?
The City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan affects entire city. Map 1 shows major
roads in the City of Arcadia This plan provides a framework for planning for natural hazards.
The resources and background information in the plan is applicable Citywide, and the goals and
recommendations can lay groundwork for local mitigation plans and partnerships.
Planning for natural hazards should be an integral element of any city's land use planning
program. All California cities and counties have General Plans and the implementing ordinances
that are required to comply with the statewide planning regulations.
The continuing challenge faced by local officials and state government is to keep the network of
local plans effective in responding to the changing conditions and needs of California's diverse
communities, particularly in light of the very active seismic region in which we live.
This is particularly true in the case of planning for natural hazards where communities must
balance development pressures with detailed information on the nature and extent of hazards.
Planning for Natural Hazards, calls for local plans to include inventories, policies, and
ordinances to guide development in hazard areas. These inventories should include the
compendium of hazards facing the community, the built environment at risk, the personal
property that may be damaged by hazard events, and most of all, the people who live in the
shadow of these hazards.
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II
Support for Natural Hazard Mitigation
All mitigation is local, and the primary responsibility for development and implementation of
risk reduction strategies and policies lies with local jurisdictions. Local jurisdictions, however,
are not alone. PartnerS and resources exist at the regional, state and federal levels. Numerous
California state agencies have a role in natural hazards and natural hazard mitigation. Some of
the key agencies include:
The Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES) is responsible for disaster
mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and the administration of federal funds after
a major disaster declaration;
The Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC), gathers information about
earthquakes, integrates this information on earthquake phenomena, and communicates
this to end-users and the general public to increase earthquake awareness, reduce
economic losses, and save lives.
The California Division of Forestry (CDF) is responsible for all aspects of wildland fire
protection on private, state, and administers forest practices regulations, including
landslide n I itigation, on non-federal lands.
The California Division of Mines and Geology (DMG) is responsible for geologic hazard
characterization, public education, the development of partnerships aimed at reducing
risk, and exceptions (based on science-based refinement of tsunami inundation zone
delineation) to state mandated tsunami zone restrictions; and
The California Division of Water Resources (DWR) plans, designs, constructs, operates,
and maintains the State Water Project; regulates dams; provides flood protection and
assists in emergency management. It also educates the public, serves local water needs
by providing technical assistance
Plan Methodology
Information in the Mitigation Plan is based on research from a variety of sources. Staff from the
City of Arcadia conducted data research and analysis, facilitated steering committee meetings
and public workshops, and developed the final mitigation plan. The research methods and
various contributions to the plan include:
Input from the steering committee:
The Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee convened about every 2 weeks (a total of 12
meetings) to gui(ie development of the Mitigation Plan. The committee played an integral role in
developing the mission, goals, and action items for the mitigation plan. The committee consisted
of representatives of public and private agencies and organizations in City of Arcadia.
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,
Stakeholder interviews:
The City of Arcadia conducted an open public session and invited major stakeholders. City staff
conducted a PowerPoint presentation of the Disaster Mitigation Act of2000 and passed out a
survey to gather input to be used in not only the plan, but also future mitigation and educational
programs. The surveys identified cornmon concerns related to natural hazards and identified key
long and short-term activities to reduce risk from natural hazards Stakeholders surveyed for the
plan-included representatives from:
Homeowners Associations
Water Providers
Santa Anita Race Track
Arcadia Methodist Hospital
Arcadia School District
Utility Providers
Chamber of Commerce
Area "Coo and "D" Disaster Services Coordinators
Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management
Westfield Shoppingtown Arcadia
Southern California Gas Company
Southern California Edison Company
Interfaith Council (Church Leaders)
Cal Trans
Top Twenty-Five Employers
State and federal guidelines and requirements for mitigation plans:
Following are the Federal requirements for approval of a Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan:
Open public involvement, with public meetings that introduce the process and project
requirements.
The public mllst be afforded opportunities for involvement in: identifying and assessing
risk, drafting a plan, and public involvement in approval stages of the plan.
Community cooperation, with opportunity for other local government agencies, the
business community, educational institutions, and non-profits to participate in the
process.
Incorporation of local documents, including the local General Plan, the Zoning
Ordinance, the Building Codes, and other pertinent documents.
The following components must be part of the planning process:
Complete documentation of the planning process
A detailed risk assessment on hazard exposures in the community
A comprehensive mitigation strategy, which describes the goals & objectives, including
proposed strategies, programs & actions to avoid long-term vulnerabilities.
A plan maintenance process, which describes the method and schedule of monitoring,
evaluating and updating the plan and integration of the All Hazard Mitigation Plan into
other planning mechanisms.
Formal adoption by the City Council.
Plan Review by both State OES and FEMA
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These requirements are spelled out in greater detail in the following plan sections and supporting
documentation.
The City of Arcadia staff examined existing mitigation plans from around the country, current
FEMA hazard mitigation planning standards (386 series) and the State of California Natural
Hazards Mitigation Plan Guidance.
Other reference materials consisted of county and city mitigation plans, including:
Clackamas County (Oregon) Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan
Six County (Utah) Association of Govemments
Upper Arkansas Area Risk Assessment and Hazard Mitigation Plan
Urbandale-Polk County, Iowa Plan
Hamilton County, Ohio Plan
Natural Hazard Planning Guidebook from Butler County, Ohio
Hazard specific research: City of Arcadia staff collected data and compiled research on 5'
hazards: earthquakes, earth movements, flooding, wildfires and windstorms. Research materials
came from state agencies including OES, and CDF. The City of Arcadia staff conducted
research by referencing historical local newspapers, interviewing long time residents, long time
City of Arcadia employees and locating City of Arcadia information in historical documents.
The City of Arcadia staff identified current mitigation activities, resources and programs, and
potential action items from research materials and stakeholder interviews.
Public workshops
The City Arcadia staff facilitated two public workshops to gather comments and ideas from City
of Arcadia citizens about mitigation planning and priorities for mitigation plan goals. The first
workshop, held August 12, 2004, and the second, held August 19,2004. A survey instrument was
handed out at each session to secure input as to the type of hazard facing the city, ideas for
programs and interest level in Disaster Mitigation Act of2000.
The resources and information cited in the mitigation plan provide a strong local perspective and
help identify strategies and activities to make City of Arcadia more disaster resilient.
How Is the Plan Used?
Each section of the mitigation plan provides information and resources to assist people in
understanding the City and the hazard-related issues facing citizens, businesses, and the
environment. Combined, the sections of the plan work together to create a document that guides
the mission to reduce risk and prevent loss from future natural hazard events.
The structure of the plan enables people to use a section of interest to them. It also allows City
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government to review and update sections when new data becomes available. The ability to
update individual sections of the mitigation plan places less ofa financial burden on the City.
Decision-makers can allocate funding and staff resources to selected pieces in need ofreview,
thereby avoiding a full update, which can be costly and time-consuming. New data can be easily
incorporated, resulting in a natural hazards mitigation plan that remains current and relevant to
City of Arcadia
The mitigation plan is organized in three volumes. Volume I contains an executive summary,
introduction, City profile, risk assessment and multi-hazard, plan maintenance. Volume II
contains the six natural hazard sections and Volume III includes the appendices. Each section of
the plan is described below.
Volume I: Mitigation Action Plan
Executive Summary: Five-Year Action Plan
The Five-Year Action Plan provides an overview of the mitigation plan mission, goals, and
action items. The plan action items are included in this section, and address multi-hazard issues,
as well as hazard-specific activities that can be implemented to reduce risk and prevent loss from
future natural hazard events.
Section I: Introduction
The Introduction describes the background and purpose of developing the mitigation plan
for City of Arcadia.
Section 2: Community.Profile
This section presents the history, geography, demographics, and socioeconomics of City
of Arcadia It serves as a tool to provide an historical perspective of natural hazards in
the City.
Section 3: Risk Assessment
This section provides information on hazard identification, vulnerability and risk
associated with natural hazards in City of Arcadia.
Section 4: Multi-Hazard Goals and Action Items
This section provides information on the process used to develop goals and action items
that cut across the six natural hazards addressed in the mitigation plan.
Section 5: Plan Maintenance
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This section provides information on plan implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Volume II: Hazard Specific Information
Hazard-Specific Information on the six chronic hazards is addressed in this plan. Chronic
hazards occur with some regularity and may be predicted through historic evidence and scientific
methods. The chronic hazards addressed in the plan include:
Section 6: Earthquake
Section 7: Earth Movement (Landslide / Debris Flow)
Section 8: Flooding
Section 9: Wildfire
Section 10: Windstorm
The city of Arcadia has not been affected by any other natural disaster in its recorded history.
Catastrophic hazards do not occur with the frequency of chronic hazards, but can have
devastating impacts on life, property, and the environment. In Southern California, because of
the geology and terrain, earthquake, earth movement, flooding and wildfire also have the
potential to be catastrophic as well as chronic hazards. For the coastal areas of Southern
California, tsunamis, while very rare, have the potential to calamitously devastate low-lying
coastal areas.
Each of the hazard-specific sections includes information on the history, hazard causes and
characteristics, hazard assessment, goals and action items, and local, state, and national
cesources.
Volume III: Resources
The plan appendices are designed to provide users of the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards
Mitigation Plan with additional information to assist them in understanding the contents of the
mitigation plan, and potential resources to assist them with implementation.
Appendix A: Plan Resource Directory
The resource directory includes City, regional, state, and national resources and programs
that may be of technical and/or financial assistance to City of Arcadia during plan
implementation.
Appendix B: Public Participation Process
This appendix includes specific information on the various public processes used during
development of the plan.
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Appendix C: Benefit Cost Analysis
This section includes analysis and data on the assessed evaluation, dollar replacement
costs, and number of affected properties by type and description and zone use.
This section describes FEMA's requirements for benefit cost analysis in natural hazards
mitigation, as well as various approaches for conducting economic analysis of proposed
mitigation activities.
Appendix D: List of Acronyms
This section provides a list of acronyms for City, regional, state, and (ecleral agencies and
organizations that may be referred to within the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards
Mitigation Plan.
Appendix E: Glossary
,,'
This section provides a glossary of terms used throughout the plan.
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Section 2:
Communi!)' Profile
Why Plan for Natural Hazards in City of Arcadia
Natural hazards impact citizens, property, the environment, and the economy of City of Arcadia
Earthquakes, earth movements, flooding, tsunamis, wildfires and wind storms have exposed City
of Arcadia residents and businesses to the financial and emotional costs of recovering after
natural disasters. The risk associated with natural hazards increases as more people move to
areas affected by natural hazards.
Even in those communities that are essentially "built-out" i.e., have little or no vacant land
remaining for development, population density continues to increase when low-density housing
is replaced with medium and high-density development projects.
The inevitaEiility of natural hazards, and the growing population and activity within the City
create an urgent need to develop strategies, coordinate resources, and increase public awareness
to reduce risk and prevent loss from future natural hazard events. Identifying the risks posed by
natural hazards, and developing strategies to reduce the impact of a hazard event can assist in
protecting life and property of citizens and communities. Local residents and businesses can
work together with the City to create a natural hazards mitigation plan that addresses the
potential impacts of hazard events.
Geography and the Environment
City of Arcadia has an area of 11.3 square miles and is located in Greater Los Angeles County
area.
Elevations in the City range from a high of 1,200 feet to a low of 300 feet. The terrain of the city
is from the valley floor sweeping to the foothills.
Communi!)' Profile
The 11.3 square mile City of Arcadia is one of the Southland's finest communities. Located in
the western San Gabriel Valley south of the San Gabriel Mountains, Arcadia, also known as the
"Community of Homes", is a picturesque, affluent, largely built out community, with an
outstanding public school system. The Los Angeles County Arboretum, Westfield
Shoppingtown Mall at Santa Anita, Santa Anita Race Track, Arcadia County Park, and the Santa
Anita Golf Course annually attract a substantial number of visitors into Arcadia from Southern
California. With its rich history and quality of development, Arcadia will remain a premier
community into the 21st century.
The 210 freeway serves the City, and the major arterial highways are Santa Anita Avenue,
Baldwin Avenue and Holly Avenue, which run north to south and Huntington Avenue (Route
66), Live Oak Avenue and Longden Avenue, which run east to west.
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Major Rivers
The nearest major river is the Los Angeles River (or San Gabriel River). This River does not
have any potential impact on the City of Arcadia. Normally this river channel is dry and only
carries a significant water flow during a major rainstorm. The river channel is a concrete
channel and part of the Los Angeles County Flood Control District.
Climate
Temperatures in the City of Arcadia range from 40 degrees in the winter months to 100 degrees
in the summer months. However the temperatures can vary over a wide range, particularly when
the Santa Ana winds blow, bringing higher temperatures and very low humidity. Temperatures
rarely exceed 110 degrees F in the summer months (June - September), and rarely drop below
30 F in the winter months (November-March).
The City of Arcadia over the last seventy years of recorded rainfall has had a low of 5.27 inches
of rainfall in 1947 to a high of 41.23 in 1969. Rainfall in the city averages 18 inches of rain per
year.
Further more actual rainfall in Southern California tends to fall in large amounts during sporadic
and often heavy storms rather than consistently over storms at somewhat regular intervals. In
short rainfall in Southern California might be characterized as feast or famine within a single
year. Because the metropolitan basin is largely built out, water originating in higher elevation
communities can have a sudden impact on adjoining communities that have a lower elevation.
Minerals and Soils
The characteristics of the minerals and soils present in City of Arcadia indicate the potential
types of hazards that may occur. Rock hardness and soil characteristics can determine whether or
not an area will be prone to geologic hazards such as earthquakes, liquefaction and landslides.
Arcadia is located at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in the Transverse Ranges
Geomorphic province of Southern California. The City is overlaying two groundwater basins:
The Raymond Water Basin on the north and the San Gabriel Water Basin on the south. The
basins are separated by the northeast trending Raymond Fault, which acts as a hydrological
barrier, and define the boundary between the two.
The Raymond Basin is an alluvial valley covering approximately 40 square miles and is bordered
by the San Gabriel Mountains on the north, San Rafael Hills on the west, and the Raymond Fault
on the south and east. The general east-west trend of the San Gabriel Mountains, the north-south
trend of the San Rafael Hills, and northeast trend of the Raymond Fault result in the basin having
a triangular fornl.
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The limits of the San Gabriel Valley are generally defined on the north by the San Gabriel
Mountains and the Raymond Fault, on the west by the Repetto and Merced Hills, on the south by
the Puente Hills, and on the east by the San Jose Hills. The total area of the alluvial valley is
approximately 167 square miles. The southern half of Arcadia is located at the extreme
northwest portion ofihe San Gabriel Valley, southeast of Raymond Fault.
Bedrock:
The bedrock geology of the Raymond Basin and vicinity consists of a complex array of granitic
and metagranitic rocks of pre-Cretaceous age. Although outcrops are typically fractured, the
granitic bedrock underlying the alluvial sediment at the base of the basin is not considered water
bearing.
Older and Younger Alluvium:
Total alluvial thickness is as much as 1,100 feet in the Raymond Basin and as much as 1,900 feet
in the San Gabriel Basin. The older alluvium is distributed throughout the entire basin and its
water transmitting properties vary depending upon the degree to which it has been weathered
and/or cemented. Older alluvium consists primarily of sand, gravel and boulders with minor
interbedded clay layers.
Younger alluvium consists predominantly of sand, gravel and boulders, is less consolidated than
the older alluvium and yields water more readily and consistently.
Faulting and Ground Water Barriers:
Major faults in the vicinity of Arcadia include the Sierra Madre Fault Zone, Raymond Fault and
Eagle Rock Fault. The Raymond Fault is the most geohydrologically significant fault in Arcadia.
The fault acts as a barrier impeding ground water movement from the Raymond Basin into the
Main San Gabriel Basin to the south. The barrier effect is reflected by significant differences in
ground water level across the fault. In addition, artesian conditions and ponded surface water
have been observed north of the fault during periods of high water levels resulting from the
"damming" effect of the fault.
Concerns:
Based on the Raymond Fault creating a ground water barrier the area located to the north of the
fault can be prone to the occurrence of liquefaction or has the potentia] for permanent ground
displacement. The steep foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains have a potential of the
earthquake-induced landslides or the permanent ground displacement in the north part of
Arcadia.
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Other Significant Geologic Features
The City of Arcadia, like most of the Los Angeles Basin, lies over the area of one or more
known earthquake faults, and potentially many more unknown faults, particularly so-called
lateral or blind thrust faults.
The major faults that have the potential to affect the greater Los Angeles Basin, and therefore the
City of Arcadia are the:
San Andreas
Newport Inglewood
Palos Verdes
Whittier
Santa Monica
Raymond
Sierra Madre
The Los Angeles Basin has a history of powerful and relatively frequent earthquakes, dating
back to the powerful 8.0+ San Andreas earthquake of 1857, which did substantial damage to the
relatively few buildings that existed at the time. Paleo seismological research indicates that large
(8.0+) earthquakes occur on the San Andreas Fault at intervals between 4S and 332 years with an
average interval of 140 years I. Other lesser faults have also caused very damaging earthquakes
since 1857. Notable earthquakes include the Long Beach earthquake of 1933, the San Fernando
Earthquake of 1971, the 1987 Whittier Earthquake and the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
In addition, many areas in the Los Angeles Basin have sandy soils that are subject to
liquefaction. The City of Arcadia's liquefaction zones as illustrated on in the Map Section, Map
# 8.
The City of Arcadia also has areas with land movement potential The City of Arcadia's
Landslide prone areas are illustrated in the Map Section, Map # 8
Population and Demographics
City of Arcadia has a population of about 55,000 in an area of 11.3 square miles. The population
of the City of Arcadia has steadily increased from 1900 through 2000, and increased 10% from
1990 to 2000 according to the 2000 Census.
1 Peacock. Simon M.,
http://aamc.geo.lsa.umich.edu/eduQuakes/EQpredLab/EQprediction .peacock. html
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The increase of people living in City of Arcadia creates more community exposure, and changes
how agencies prepare for and respond to natural hazards. For example, more people living on
the urban fringe can increase risk of wildfire. Wildfire has an increased chance of starting due to
human activities in the urban/rural interface, and has the potential to injure more people and
cause more property damage. But an Urban/wildland fire is not the only exposure to the city of
Arcadia. In the 1987 publication, Fire Following Earthquake issued by the All Industry Research
Advisory Council, Charles Scawthorn explains how a post-earthquake urban conflagration would
develop. The conflagration would be started by fires resulting from earthquake damage, but
made much worse by the loss of pressure in the fire mains, caused by either lack of electricity to
power water pumps, and lor loss of water pressure resulting from broken fire mains.
Furthermore, increased density can affect risk. For example, narrower streets are more difficult
for emergency service vehicles to navigate, the higher ratio ofresidents to emergency responders
affects response times, and homes located closer together increase the chances of fires spreading.
Natural hazards do not discriminate, but the impacts in terms of vulnerability and the ability to
recover vary greatly among the population. According to Peggy Stahl of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) Preparedness, Training, and Exercise Directorate, 80% of the
disaster burden falls on the public, and within that number, a disproportionate burden is placed
upon special needs groups: women, children, minorities, and the poor.2
According the latest census figures, (2000 Census) the demographic make up of the city is as
follows:
POPULo\TION BY COMPOSITION
. :;. \.O~.:f . li .S. C~111L1I . ~ooo I
.
aw!....
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1 ;i..I'J;.~ ;: JI:;;.' I, \;,': jlJ. ,- !. "
The ethnic and cultural diversity suggests a need to address multi-cultural needs and services.
Vulnerable populations, including seniors, disabled citizens, women, and children, those people
may be disproportionately impacted by natural hazards.
,
. www.fema.qav
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Examining the reach of hazard mitigation policies to special needs populations may assist in
increasing access to services and programs. FEMA's Office of Equal Rights addresses this need
by suggesting that agencies and organizations planning for natural disasters identify special
needs populations, make recovery centers more accessible, and review practices and procedures
to remedy any discrimination in relief application or assistance.
The cost of natural hazards recovery can place an unequal financial responsibility on the genera]
population when only a small proportion may benefit from governmental funds used to rebuild
private structures. Discussions about natural hazards that include local citizen groups, insurance
companies, and other public and private sector organizations can help ensure that all members of
the population are a part of the decision-making processes.
Land and Development
Development in Southern California from the earliest days was a cycle of "boom and bust". The
Second World War however dramatically changed that cycle. Military personnel and defense
workers came to Southern California to fill the logistical needs created by the war effort. The
available housing was rapidly exhausted and existing commercial centers proved inadequate for
the influx of people. Immediately after the war, construction began on the freeway system, and
the face of Southern California was forever changed. Home developments and shopping centers
sprung up everywhere and within a few decades the central basin of Los Angeles County was
virtually built out. This pushed new development further and further away from the urban
center.
The City of Arcadia's General Plan addresses the use and development of private land, including
residential, commercial and industrial areas. This plan is one of the City's most important tools
in addressing environmental challenges including transportation and air quality; growth
management; conservation of natural resources; clean water and open spaces
The environment of most Los Angeles County cities is nearly identical with that of their
immediate neighbors and the transition from one incorporated municipality to another is
seamless to most people. Seamless too are the exposures to the natural hazards that affect all of
Southern California.
Housing and Community Development
In the City of Arcadia, the demand for housing outstrips the available supply, and the recent low
interest rates have further fueled a pent up demand. There are more single family homes in the
City in comparison to the number of apartments and condominiums. Recently however, the
development of condominiums has increased significantly. Sixty-two (62) percent of the
housing units in the City are owner occupied while thirty eight (38) percent are renters. As is the
case in nearly all-Southern Californian cities, housing prices have risen dramatically over the
past 5 years.
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There is an increased concentration of resources and capital in City of Arcadia. The best
indicator of this fact is the increasing per capita personal income in the region since the 1970's.
Per capita income is an estimate of total personal income divided by the total population.
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This estimate can be used to compare economic areas as a whole, but it does not reflect how the
income is distributed among residents of the area being examined. The City's per capita personal
income is also increasing relative to California's and the United State's average per capita
incomes, resulting in a more affluent community than the average population.
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Subtle but very measurable changes occur constantly in communities that increase the potential
loss that will occur in a major disaster. There are number of factors that contribute to this
increasing loss potential. First, populations continue to increase, putting more people at risk
within a defined geographic space. Second, inflation constantly increases the worth of real
property and permanent improvements. Third, the amount of property owned per capita
increases over time. Information from the U.S. Census Bureau shows gains in average housing
standards.
Amount of Property per person 1975 1998
Increased Size of new homes 1645 sq. ft. 2190 sq. ft.
% of homes with 4 + bedrooms 21% 33%
% of homes with 2 y, or more baths 20% 52%
Source: U.S. Department of Census
I f we look at the greatest recorded earthquakes in American history, and compare the level of
population and developme~i'today with that which existed at the time of the event, the scale of
potential damage is staggering.
1886 Charleston EO M7.3 in Charleston. SC
Estimated insured damage if happened today $10 Billion
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1906 San Francisco EO M8.3 Significant fire following damage
Estimated insured damage if happened today $36 Billion
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1811-12 New Madrid EO 1811-12, series of 4 EOs over 7 weeks
Estimated insured damage if happened today $88 Billion
Source: Risk Management Solutions
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Employment and Industry
Employment and Industry -' The City of Arcadia has a very broad employment base. There is
major retail, industrial, office and specialty employers throughout the City. In the"
Redevelopment Project Area alone, the Redevelopment Agency has been able to provide
hundreds of jobs through their redevelopment projects. The major employers in the City include
the Santa Anita Rac(: Track and the Westfield Shoppingtown at Santa Anita.
The City of Arcadia also lies within a "Sixty Mile Circle" centered on Los Angeles, a dynamic
concentration of population, employment, business, industry and finance. Two-thirds of the
State's 100 largest corporations are headquartered within the circle. Additionally, several federal
and sate highways, two nearby rail lines, and three international airports, as well as the 210
Freeway passing through Arcadia, provide ready access to regional, national and international
markets.
Mitigation activities are needed at the business level to ensure the safety and welfare of workers
and limit damage to industrial infrastructure. Employees are highly mobile, commuting from
surrounding areas to industrial and business centers. This creates a greater dependency on roads,
communications, accessibility and emergency plans to reunite people with their families. Before
a natural hazard event, large and small businesses can develop strategies to prepare for natural
hazards, respond efficiently, and prevent loss oflife and property.
Transportation and Commuting Patterns
The City of Arcadia is located in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Statistical Area (LAMSA). Over
the past decade, the LAMSA experienced rapid growth in employment and population. There
has been an increase in vehicle licensing transactions and in vehicle miles traveled in the City of
Arcadia. As daily transit increases, there will be an increased risk that a natural disaster will
disrupt the travel plans of residents across the region, as well as local regional, and national
commercial traffic.
The 1-21 0 Foothill Freeway traverses the City of Arcadia, connecting the city to east and north
valleys of Los Angeles County, and the I-60S San Gabriel Freeway is located four (4) miles east
of Arcadia and runs south to the coast. The City's ISO-mile road system includes 37 miles of
arterial highways, 113 miles of local roads, and 37 bridges.
Private automobiles are the dominant means of transportation in Southern California and in the
City of Arcadia. However, the City of Arcadia meets its public transportation needs utilizing the
numerous local public transportation options available in the region. The Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMT A) and Foothill Transit operate a total of eleven
(II) bus routes through the city, and in July 2003, the MT A commenced light rail service from
metropolitan downtown Los Angeles to the east Pasadena/Arcadia border.
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Additionally, the Arcadia Transit offers Arcadia residents convenient, affordable transit within
the city limits, and five (5) designated medical facilities located beyond the city limits. The City
participates in regional efforts to improve air quality by promoting rideshare alternatives to its
employees.
Localized flooding can render roads unusable. A severe winter storm has the potential to disrupt
the daily driving routine of hundreds of thousands of people. Natural hazards can disrupt
automobile traffic and shut down local and regional transit systems.
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Section 3:
Risk Assessment
What is a Risk Assessment?
Conducting a risk assessment can provide information: on the location of hazards, the value of
existing land and property in hazard locations, and an analysis of risk to life, property, and the
environment that may result from natural hazard events. Specifically, the three levels of a risk
assessment are as follows:
I) Hazard Identification
This is the description of the geographic extent, potential intensity and the probability of
occurrence of a given hazard. Maps are frequently used to display hazard identification data.
The City of Arcadia identified six major hazards that affect this geographic area. These hazards
- earthquakes, earth movements, flooding, tsunamis, wildfires and wind storms - were identified
through an extensive process that utilized input from the Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee
The geographic extent of each of the identified hazards has been identified by the City of
Arcadia's Public Works GIS department using the best available data, and is illustrated by the
maps listed in Table 3-1.
2) Profiling Hazard Events
This process describes the causes and characteristics of each hazard, how it has affected City of
Arcadia in the past, and what part of the City of Arcadia's population, infrastructure, and
environment has hi'storically been vulnerable to each specific hazard. A profile of each hazard
discussed in this plan is provided in each hazard section. For a full description of the history of
hazard specific events, please see the appropriate hazard chapter.
3) Vulnerability Assessment/Inventorying Assets
This is a combination of hazard identification with an inventory of the existing (or planned)
property development(s) and population(s) exposed to a hazard. Critical facilities are of
particular concern because these entities provide essential products and services to the general
public that are necessary to preserve the welfare and quality of life in the City and fulfill
important public safety, emergency response, and/or disaster recovery functions. The critical
facilities have been identified, mapped, and are illustrated in map 2 at the end of this section. A
description of the critical facilities in the City is also provided in this section. [n addition, this
plan includes a community issues summary in each hazard section to identify the most
vulnerable and problematic areas in the City, including critical facilities, and other public and
private property.
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4) Risk Analysis
Estimating potentia} losses involves assessing the damage, injuries, and financial costs likely to
be sustained in a geographic area over a given period of time. This level of analysis involves
using mathematical models. The two measurable components of risk analysis are magnitude of
the harm that may result and the likelihood of the harm occurring. Describing vulnerability in
terms of dollar losses provides the community and the state with a common framework in which
to measure the effects of hazards on assets. For each hazard where data was available,
quantitative estimates for potential losses are included in the hazard assessment.
5) Assessing Vulnerability/ Analyzing Development Trends
This step provides a general description ofland uses and development trends within the
community so that mitigation options can be considered in land use planning and future land use
decisions. This plan provides comprehensive description of the character of City of Arcadia in
the Community Protile. This description includes the geography and environment, population
and demographics, land use and development, housing and community development,
employment and industry, and transportation and commuting patterns. Analyzing these
components of City of Arcadia can help in identifying potential problem areas, and can serve as
a guide for incorporating the goals and ideas contained in this mitigation plan into other
community development plans. *Infrastructure and critical facilities maps have been withheld
due 10 security concerns post 9-11.
Table 3- I. List of Hazard Mitigation Plan Charts/maps
Mao# Tvoe of Mao Section of the Plan
I Base Map ofCitv of Arcadia Introduction
2 Critical Facilities (Public Safetv & Hospitals) Risk Assessment
2-3 General Plan Use Map Introduction
3 *Esselllial Facilities Risk Assessment
4a1b Precipitation Highest 24 Hour Period Communitv Profile
5 */n(rastructure Risk Assessment
6 EarthQuake Fault map (L.A. Basin) Earthquake
7 EarthQuake Fault Map (Local) Earthquake
8 Liouefaction Areas Earthquake
8 Landslide Areas Earth Movement
9 Debris Flow Areas Earth Movement
10 I Dam Inundation Areas Flood
II Wildland / Urban Interface Areas Wildfire
Note: The information on the maps in this plan was derived from City of Arcadia's GIS.
Care was taken in the creation of these maps, but is provided "as is" City of Arcadia
cannot accept any responsibility for any errors, omissions or positional accuracy, and
therefore, there are no warranties that accompany these products (the maps). Although
information from land surveys may have been used in the creation of these products, in no
way does this product represent or constitute a land survey. Users are cautioned to field
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verify information on this product before making any decisions.
Hazard assessments are subject to the availability ofhazard-specific data Gathering data for a
hazard assessment rcquires a commitment of resources on the part of participating organizations
and agencies. Each hazard-specific section of the plan includes a section on hazard identification
using data and infonnation from City, County or State agency sources.
Regardless of the data available for hazard assessments, there are numerous strategies the City
can take to reduce risk. These strategies are'described in the action items detailed in each hazard
section of this Plan. Mitigation strategies c'an further reduce disruption to critical services,
reduce the risk to human life, and alleviate damage to personal and public property and
infrastructure. Action items throughout the hazard sections provide recommendations to collect
further data to map hazard locations and conduct hazard assessments.
Federal Requirements for Risk Assessment
Recent federal regulations for hazard mitigation plans outlined in 44 CFR Part 201 include a
requirement for risk assessment. This risk assessment requirement is intended to provide
information that will help communities to identify and prioritize mitigation activities that will
reduce losses from the identified hazards. There are six hazards profiled in the mitigation plan,
including earthquakes, earth movements, flooding, tsunamis, wildfires and windstorms. The
Federal criteria for risk assessment and information on how the City of Arcadi<i's Natural Hazard
Mitigation Plan meets those criteria is outlined in Table 3-2 below.
Table 3-2. Federal Criteria for Risk Assessment
Section 322 Plan ReQuirement How is this addressed?
Identifying Hazards Each hazard section includes an inventory of the best
available data sources that identify hazard areas. To the
extent GIS data are available, the City developed maps
identifying the location of the hazard in the City. The
Executive Summary and the Risk Assessment sections of
the Dlan include a list of the hazard maDS.
Profiling Hazard Events Each hazard section includes documentation of the history,
and causes and characteristics of the hazard in the City.
Assessing Vulnerability: Where data is available, the vulnerability assessment for
Identifying Assets each hazard addressed in the mitigation plan includes an
inventory of all publicly owned land within hazardous areas.
Each hazard section provides information on vulnerable
areas in the City in the Community Issues section. Each
hazard section also identifies Dotential mitigation strategies.
Assessing Vulnerability: The Risk Assessment Section of this mitigation plan
identifies key critical facilities and lifelines in the City and
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Estimating Potential Losses: includes a map of these facilities. Vulnerability assessments
have been completed for the hazards addressed in the plan,
'and quan'titative estimates were made for each hazard where
data was available.
Assessing Vulnerability: The City of Arcadia Profile Section of this plan provides a
Analyzing Development Trends description of the development trends in the City, including
the geography and environment, population and
demographics, land use and development, housing and
community development, employment and industry, and
transportation and commuting patterns.
Critical Facilities and Infrastructure
Facilities critical to government response and recovery activities (i.e., life safety and property
and environmental protection) include: 911 centers, emergency operations centers, police and
fire stations, public works facilities, communications centers, sewer and water facilities,
hospitals, bridges and roads, shelters, and facilities that, if damaged, could cause serious
secondary impacts may also be considered "critical." A hazardous material facility is one
example of this type of critical facility.
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Critical and essential facilities are those facilities that are vital to the continued delivery of key
government services or that may significantly impact the public's ability to recover from the
emergency. These facilities may include: buildings such as the jail, law enforcement center,
public services building, community corrections center, the courthouse, and juvenile services
building and other public facilities such as schools. The attached charts/maps illustrate the
critical facilities, essential facilities, public infrastructure, and emergency transportation routes
within the City of Arcadia.
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Summary
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Natural hazard mitigation strategies can reduce the impacts concentrated at large employment
and industrial centers, public infrastructure, and critical facilities. Natural hazard mitigation for
industries and employers may include developing relationships with emergency management
services and their employees before disaster strikes, and establishing mitigation strategies
together. Collaboration among the public and private sector to create mitigation plans and
actions can reduce the impacts of natural hazards.
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Section 4:
Multi-Hazard Goals and Action Items
This section provides information on the process used to develop goals and action items that
pertain to the five natural hazards addressed in the mitigation plan. It also describes the
framework that focuses the plan on developing successful mitigation strategies. The framework
is made up of three parts: the Mission, Goals, and Action Items.
Mission
The mission of the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan is to promote sound public
policy designed to protect citizens, critical facilities, infrastructure, private property, and the
environment from natural hazards. This can be achieved by increasing public awareness,
documenting the resources for risk reduction and loss-prevention, and identifying activities to
guide the City towards building a safer, more sustainable community.
Goals
The plan goals describe the overall direction that City of Arcadia agencies, organizations, and
citizens can take to minimize the impacts of natural hazards. The goals are stepping-stones
between the broad direction of the mission statement and the specific recommendations that are
outlined in the action items.
Action Items
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The action items are a listing of activities in which City agencies and citizens can be engaged to
reduce risk. Each action item includes an estimate of the time line for implementation. Short-
term action items are activities that City agencies may implement with existing resources and
authorities within one to two years. Long-term aC,tion items may require new or additional
resources or authorities, and may take between one and five years (or more) to implement.
Mitigation Plan Goals and Public Participation
The Plan goals help to guide direction of future activities aimed at reducing risk and preventing
loss from natural hazards. The goals listed here serve as checkpoints as agencies and
organizations begin implementing mitigation action items.
Protect Life and Property
Implement activities that assist in protecting lives by making homes, businesses,
infrastructure, critical facilities, and other property more resistant to natural hazards.
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Reduce losses and repetitive damages for chronic hazard events while promoting
insurance coverage for catastrophic hazards.
Improve hazard assessment information to make recommendations for discouraging
new development and encouraging preventative measures for existing development in
areas vulnerable to natural hazards.
Public Awareness
Develop and implement education and outreach programs to increase public awareness
of the risks associated with natural hazards.
Provide information on tools, partnership opportunities, and funding resources to assist
in implementing mitigation activities.
Natural Systems
Balance watershed planning, natural resource management, and land use planning with
natural hazard mitigation to protect life, property, and the environment.
Preserve, rehabilitate, and enhance natural systems to serve natural hazard mitigation
functions.
Partnerships and Implementation
Strengthen communication and coordinate participation among and within public
agencies, citizens, non-profit organizations, business, and industry to gain a vested
interest in implementation.
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Encourage leadership wiihin public and private sector organizations to prioritize and
implement local, county, and regional hazard mitigation activities.
Emergency Services
Establish policy to ensure mitigation projects for critical facilities, services, and
in frastructure.
Strengthen emergency operations by increasing collaboration and coordination among
public agencies, non-profit organizations, business, and industry.
Coordinate and integrate natural hazard mitigation activities, where appropriate, with
emergency operations plans and procedures.
Public Participation
Public input during development of the mitigation plan assisted in creating plan goals.
Meetings with the project steering committee, stakeholder interviews, and public
workshops served as methods to obtain input and identify priorities in developing goals
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for reducing risk and preventing loss from natural hazards in the City of Arcadia
On August 12, 2004, the first public workshop was held to gather ideas from City of
Arcadia's residents regarding the goals for the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards
Mitigation Plan. The attendees included representatives from public agencies, private
organizations, Community Planning Organizations, and private residents. The
attendees identified goals for the plan by examining the issues and concerns that they
have had regarding natural hazards, and further discussed potential action items for the
Plan. A second public hearing was scheduled on August 19, 2004. The draft proposal
was available for review prior to final adoption by the Arcadia City Council.
Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Action Items
The mitigation plan identifies short and long-term action items developed through data collection
and research, and the public participation process. Mitigation plan activities may be considered
for funding through Federal and State grant programs, and when other funds are made available
through the city. Action items address multi-hazard (MH) and hazard specific issues. To help
ensure activity implementation, each action item includes information on the time line and
coordinating organizations. Upon implementation, the coordinating organizations may look to
partner organizations for resources and technical assistance
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Coordinating Organization
The coordinating organization is the organization that is willing and able to organize
resources, find appropriate funding, or oversee activity implementation, monitoring,
and evaluation. Coordinating organizations may include local, city, or regional
agencies that are capable of or responsible for implementing activities and programs.
Time line
Action items include both short and long-term activities. Each action item includes an
estimate of the time line for implementation. Short-term action items are activities
that city agencies may' implement with existing resources and authorities within one to
two years. Long-term action items may require new or additional resources or
authorities, and may take between one and five years (or more) to implement.
Ideas for Implementation
Each action item includes ideas for implementation and potential resources, which
may include grant programs or human resources.
Plan Goals Addressed
The plan goals addressed by each action item are included as a way to monitor and
evaluate how well the mitigation plan is achieving its goals once implementation
begins.
Constraints
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Constraints may apply to some of the action items. These constraints may be a lack of
city staff, lack of funds, or vested property rights, which might expose the City to legal
action as a result of adverse impacts on private property.
Project Evaluation Worksheets:
Each jurisdiction will have some limitations on the number and cost of mitigation
activities that can be completed within a given period of time. There are likely to be
multiple ideas to mitigate the effects of a given hazard. Therefore it will be necessary
for the committee to select the most cost effective mitigation projects and to further
prioritize them. The data on these worksheets will help the committee determine the
most cost effective mitigation solutions for the community. Some projects may need
more detailed information, but this worksheet will provide a first screening
methodology.
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Multi-Hazard Action Items
Multi-hazard action items are those activities ihat pertain to two or more of the five hazards in
the mitigation plan: flood, landslide, wildfire, severe winter storm, windstorm and earthquake.
There are six short-term and three long-term multi-hazard action items described below.
SHORT TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD #1: Integrate the goals and action items from the City
of Arcadia's Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan into existing regulatory documents and programs,
where appropriate.
Ideas for Implementation:
Use the mitigation plan to help the city's General Plan institutionalize guidelines for
sustainable development in all new construction and development projects according
to the hazards that impact the City of Arcadia.
Integrate the city's mitigation plan into current capital improvement plans to ensure
that development does not encroach on known hazard areas: and
Partner with other organizations and agencies with similar goals to promote Building
& Safety Codes that are more disaster resistant at the state level.
Coordinating Organization:
Time line:
Plan Goals Addressed:
Constraints:
City Manager Office
Ongoing
Partnerships and Implementation
Budget and Staffing
SHORT TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD #2: Identify and pursue funding opportunities to
develop and implement local and city mitigation activities.
Ideas for Implementation:
Develop incentives for citizens and businesses to pursue hazard mitigation projects:
Allocate city resources and assistance to mitigation projects when possible: and
Partner with other organizations and agencies in City of Arcadia to identify grant
programs and foundations that may support mitigation activities.
Coordinating Organization:
Time line:
Plan Goals Addressed:
Constraints:
Noverrtler 3. 2004 (9:00PM)
City Managers Office
Ongoing
Partnerships and Implementation
Staff time and budget
44
Arcadia's final OMA2k
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SHORT TERM ACTIYITY - MULTI HAZARD #3: Establish a formal plan for the City of Arcadia's
Natural Hazards Mitigation Committee to develop a sustainable process for implementing,
monitoring, and evaluating citywide mitigation activities.
Ideas for Implementation:
Establish clear roles for participants, meeting regularly to pursue and evaluate
implementation of mitigation strategies.
Oversee implementation of the mitigation plan..
Establish measurable standards to evaluate mitigation policies and programs and
provide a mechanism to update and revise the mitigation plan.
Monitor hazard mitigation implementation by jurisdictions and participating
organizations through surveys and other reporting methods.
Develop updates for the Natural Hazards Mitigation Action Plan based on new
information.
Conduct a full review of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Action Plan every 5 years by
evaluating mitigation successes, failures, and areas that were not addressed.
Provide training for Committee members to remain current on developing issues in the
natural hazard loss reduction field.
Coordinating Organization:
Time line:
Plan Goals Addressed:
Constraints:
Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee
Ongoing
Partnerships and Implementation
Staff time
SHORT TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD #4: Identify, improve, and sustain collaborative
programs focusing on the real estate and insurance industries, public and private sector
organizations, and individuals to avoid activity that increases risk to natural hazards.
Ideas for Implementation:
Distribute information about flood, fire, earthquake, and other forms of natural hazards
insurance to property owners in areas identified to be at risk through hazard mapping.
Educate individuals and businesses on the benefit of engaging in mitigation activities
such as developing impact analyses.
Pinpoint areas of high risk and transfer the cost of risk to property owners
Novel'l'lber3. 20Q4 (9:00PM)
45
Arcadia's Final DMA2K
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Coordinating Organization:
Time line:
Plan Goals Addressed:
Constraints:
City Manager Office
Ongoing
Protect Life and Property, Public Awareness,
Partnerships and Implementation
Staff and Budget
SHORT TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD #5: Develop public and private partnerships to foster
natural hazard mitigation program coordination and collaboration in City of Arcadia.
Ideas for Implementation:
Identify all organizations within City of Arcadia that have programs or interests in
natural hazards mitigation.
Involve private businesses throughout the city in mitigation planning.
Coordinating Organization:
Time line:
Plan Goals Addressed:
Constraints:
.
November 3, 2004 (9.QOPM}
City Managers Office
Ongoing
Partnerships and Implementation
Staffing and Budget
46
Arcadia's fmal OMA2k
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SHORT TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD #6: Develop inventories of at-risk buildings and
infrastructure and prioritize mitigation projects.
Ideas for Implementation:
Identify cl;tical facilities at risk from natural hazards events.
Develop strategies to mitigate risk to these facilities, or to utilize alternative facilities
should natural hazards events cause damages to the facilities in question.
Coordinating Organization:
Time line:
Plan Goals Addressed:
Constraints:
City Managers Office
1-2 Years
Protect Life and Property, Partnerships and
Implementation
Staff Time, Partnerships and Budget
LONG TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD #1: Strengthen emergency services preparedness and
response by linking emergency services with natural hazard mitigation programs, and enhancing
public education on a regional scale.
Ideas for Implementation:
Encourage individual and family preparedness through public education projects such
as safety fairs.
Identify opportunities for partnering with citizens, private contractors, and other
jurisdictions to increase availability of equipment and manpower for efficiency of
response efforts.
Familiarize public officials of requirements regarding public assistance for disaster
response.
Coordinating Organization:
Time line:
Plan Goals Addressed:
Constraints:
November J. 2004 /9:00PM)
City Managers Office or designee
Ongoing
Emergency Services
Staff time and Budget
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....rcaola's Final DMA2K
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LO:-iG TERM ACTIVITY - MULTI HAZARD-MH #2: Develop, enhance, and implement education
programs aimed at mitigating natural hazards, and reducing the risk to citizens, public agencies,
private property owners, businesses, and schools.
Ideas for Implementation:
Multi hazard Action Items
Make the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan available to the public by
publishing the plan electronically on the city and emergency management websites.
Enhance map capabilities by creating a website that includes information specific to
City of Arcadia residents, including site-specific hazards information, Building &
Safety Codes information, insurance companies that provide earthquake insurance for
city residents, and educational information on damage prevention.
Develop outreach programs to business organizations that must prepare for Natural
hazard events
Education: Develop curriculum for school programs and adult education on reducing
risk and preventing loss from natura) hazards.
Conduct natural hazards awareness programs in schools and community centers.
Conduct workshops for public and private sector organizations to raise awareness of
mitigation activities and programs.
Develop outreach materials for mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
Coordinating Organization:
Time line:
Plan Goals Addressed:
Constraints:
City Managers Office or disignee
Ongoing
Public Awareness, Protect Life and Property
Staff and Budget
November 3, 2004 (9:00PM)
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Arcadli/l's final DMA2k
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LO";G TERM ACTIVITY - MVL TI HAZARD #3: Use technical knowledge of natural ecosystems
and events to link natural resource management and land use organizations to mitigation
activities and technical assistance:
Ideas for Implementation:
Review ordinances that protect natural systems and resources to mitigate for natural
hazards for possible enhancements
Coordinating Organization:
Time line:
Plan Goals Addressed:
Constrai nts:
City Managers Office or designee
Ongoing
Natural Systems
Staffing and Budget
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NOvemIJer J. 2004 (9:00PM)
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Arcadia's Fu"lal DMA2K
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roject Evaluation Worksheet
J Jurisdiction: Contact:
. Jject Title Phone:
Agency: E-mail:
Hazard(s):
Flood Zone: Base Flood Erosion Rate:
Elevation:
Critical Facility/Population At Risk:
Environmental Impact: Historic Preservation Impact:
High . I Medium - . . ILOW- ----- -- -- .r----- I Low
High Medium
Importance to Protection of Life/Property and Risk of Hazard Impact:
Disaster Recovery
I M~dium . I LOW-- - -- - ---- u. --r- -- -- -- - -1--- - .. .--
I High High Medium Low
Estimated Cost: Project Duration:
I Value of Facility: Value of Contents:
Source(s) of Financing:
I Project Objectives:
lject Description:
I ~
Proposal Date:
Evaluation Category Considerations Comments
I Social Community Acceptance
Adversely Affects Segments of the Population
Technical Feasibility
I Technical Long Term Solution
Secondary Impacts
Staffing
I Administrative Funding Allocated
Maintenance I Operations
Political Suppon
I Political Plan Proponent
Public Suppon
Legal Authority
I Action Subject to Legal Challenge
Benefit
Cost of Action
I Economic Contributes to Economic Goals
Outside Funding Required
Affects Land I Water Bodies
I Affects Endangered Species
c:f1vironmental Affects Hazardous Materials and Waste Sites
Consistent with Community Environmental Goals
I Consistent with Federal Laws
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I Section 5:
Plan Maintenance
The plan maintenance section of this document details the formal process that will ensure that
the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan remains an active and relevant document.
The plan maintenance process includes a schedule for monitoring and evaluating the Plan
annually and producing a plan revision every five years. This section describes how the city will
integrate public participation throughout the plan maintenance process. Finally, this section
includes an explanation of how City of Arcadia's government intends to incorporate the
mitigation strategies outlined in this Plan into existing planning mechanisms such as the City
General Plan, Capital Improvement Plans, and Building and Safety Codes.
Monitoring and Implementing the Plan
Plan Adoption
The City Council will be responsible for adopting the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards
Mitigation Plan. This governing body has the authority to promote sound public policy
regarding natural hazards. Once the plan has been adopted, the City Manager will be responsible
for submitting it to the State Hazard Mitigation Officer at The Governor's Office of Emergency
Services. The Governor's Office of Emergency Services will then submit the plan to the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for review. This review will address the federal
criteria outlined ip.fEMA Interim Final Rule 44 CFR Part 201. Upon acceptance by FEMA,
City of Arcadia \ViTI gain eligibility' for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds.
Coordinating Body
A City Manager or designee will be responsible for coordinating implementation of plan action
items and undertaking the formal review process.
Convener
The City Council will adopt the City of Arcadia's Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan, and the City
Manager will take responsibility for plan implementation. The City Manager will serve as a
convener to facilitate the Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee meetings, and will assign tasks
such as updating and presenting the Plan to the members of the committee
November 3. 2004 (9:00PM)
51
Arcadia's Final Sections 1-5 (ReWritten)
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Implementation through Existing Programs
'v
The City of Arcadia addresses statewide planning goals and legislative requirements through its
General Plan, Capital Improvement Plans, City Building and Safety Codes and other city
documents. The Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan provides a series of recommendations - many
of which are closely related to the goals and objectives of existing planning programs. The City
of Arcadia will have the opportunity to implement recommended mitigation action items through
existing programs and procedures.
The goals and action items in the mitigation plan may be achieved through activities
recommended in the city's Capital Improvement Plans (CIP). Various city departments develop
CIP plans, and review them on an annual basis.
Economic Analysis of Mitigation Projects
FEMA's approaches to identi fy the costs and benefits associated with natural hazard mitigation
strategies, measures, or projects fall into two general categories: benefit/cost analysis and cost-
effectiveness analysis.
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Conducting benefit/cost analysis for a mitigation activity can assist communities in determining
whether a project is worth undertaking now, in order to avoid disaster-related damages later.
Cost-effectiveness analysis evaluates how best to spend a given amount of money to achieve a
specific goal. Detelmining the economic feasibility of mitigating natural hazards can provide
decision-makers with an understanding of the potential benefits and costs of an activity, as well
as a basis upon which to compare alternative projects.
Given federal funding, the City of Arcadia will use a FEMA-approved benefit/cost analysis
approach to identify and prioritize mitigation action items. For other projects and funding
sources, the Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee will use other approaches to understand the
costs and benefits of each action item and develop a prioritized list. For more information
regarding economic analysis of mitigation action items, please see Appendix C of the Plan.
November 3. 2004 (9:00PM)
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Arcadia's Fmal $ecllons 1-5 (Re'M"ltlen)
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Evaluating and Updating the Plan
Formal Review Process
The City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan will be evaluated on an annual basis to
determine the effectiveness of programs, and to reflect changes in land development or programs
that may affect mitigation priorities. The evaluation process includes a firm schedule and time
line, and identifies the local agencies and organizations participating in plan evaluation. The
convener or designee will be responsible for contacting the Hazard Mitigation Advisory
Committee members and organizing the annual meeting.
The committee will review the goals and action items to determine their relevance to changing
situations in the city, as well as changes in State or Federal policy, and to ensure they are
addressing current and expected conditions. The committee will also review the risk assessment
portion of the Plan to determine if this information should be updated or modified, given any
new available data. The coordinating organizations responsible for the various action items will
report on the status of their projects, the success of various implementation processes, difficulties
encountered, success of coordination efforts, and which strategies should be revised.
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Continued Public Involvement
The City of Arcadia is dedicated to involving the public directly in review and updates of the
Hazard Mitigation Plan.
The public will also have the opportunity to provide feedback about the Plan. Copies of the Plan
will be catalogued and kept at all of the appropriate agencies in the city. The existence and
location of these copies will be publicized in the quarterly city newsletter "Arcadia News", which
reaches every household in the city
In addition, copies of the plan and any proposed changes will be posted on the city website. This
site will also contain an email address and phone number to which people can direct their
comments and concerns.
A public meeting will also be held after each annual evaluation or when deemed necessary by the
City Manager. The meetings will provide the public a forum for which they can express its
concerns, opinions, or ideas about the Plan
November J, 2004 (9:00PM)
53
Arcadia's Final SectIons '.5 (Re'Mllten)
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SECTION 6
Earthquake Hazards
in Arcadia
Saturday, OCIO~'" O~.;OO-l I City of Arcadia- Earthquake Final. \\'Pd
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Section TI:
Earthquake
Table of Contents
Why Are Earthquakes a Threat to the City of Arcadia ..........................................................6-3
History of Earthquake Events in Southern California............................................................6-5
Causes and Characteristics of Earthquakes in Southern California.......................................6-5
Earthquake Related Hazards................................................................................................ ..6- 7
Earthquake Hazard Assessment.......................................................................................... ...6-9
Hazard Identi fication.................. ............. ...... .......................... ...... ........................................ .6-9
Vulnerability Assessment..................................................................................................... .6-12
Risk Analysis....................................................................................................................... ..6-13
Community Earthquake Issues............................................................................................. ..6-13
What Is Susceptible to Earthquakes~ .....................................................................................6-14
Existing Mitigation Acti vities............................................................................................... .6-1 7
Earthquake Mitigation Action Items ......................................................................................6-21
Earthquake Resource Directory.............................:.............................................................. .6-23
S tate Resources.................................................................................................................... ..6-23
Federal Resources................................................................................................................. .6-24
Additional Resources............................................................................................................ .6-25
Publications........................................... ...... ....... ... ................ ................... ... ...................... .... .6- 25
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2City of Arcadia- Earthquake Final.wpd
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Why Are Earthquakes a Threat to the City of Arcadia
The most recent significant earthquake event affecting Southern California was the January 17th
1994 Northridge Earthquake. At 4:31 A.M. on Monday, January 17, a moderate but very
damaging earthquake with a magnitude of6.7 struck the San Fernando Valley. In the following
days and weeks, thousands of aftershocks occurred, causing additional damage to affected
structures.
57 people were killed and more than 1,500 people seriously injured. For days afterward,
thousands of homes and businesses were without electricity; tens of thousands had no gas; and
nearly 50,000 had little or no water. Approximately 15,000 structures were moderately to
severely damaged, which left thousands of people temporarily homeless. 66,500 buildings were
inspected. Nearly 4,000 were severely damaged and over 11,000 were moderately damaged.
Several collapsed bridges and overpasses created commuter havoc on the freeway system.
Ground shaking caused extensive damage, but earthquake triggered liquefaction and dozens of
fires also caused additional severe damage. This extremely strong ground motion in large
portions of Los Angeles County resulted in record economic losses.
However, the earthquake occurred early in the morning on a holiday. This circumstance
considerably reduced the potential effects. Many collapsed buildings were unoccupied, and most
businesses were not yet open. The direct and indirect economic losses ran into the 10's of
billions of dollars.
Historical and geological records show that California has a long history of seismic events.
Southern California is probably best known for the San Andreas Fault, a 400-mile long fault
running from the Mexican border to a point offshore, west of San Francisco. "Geologic studies
show that over the past 1,400 to 1,500 years large earthquakes have occurred at about 130 year
intervals on the southern San Andreas Fault. As the last large earthquake on the southern San
Andreas occurred iP1857, that section of the fault is considered a likely location for an
earthquake within the next few decades.,,1
But San Andreas is only one of dozens of known earthquake faults that criss-cross Southern
California. Some of the better-known faults include the Newport-Inglewood, Whittier,
Chatsworth, Elsinore, Hollywood, Los Alamitos, and Palos Verdes faults. Beyond the known
faults, there are a potentially large number of "blind" faults that underlie the surface of Southern
California. One such blind fault was involved in the Whittier Narrows earthquake in October
1987.
Although the most famous of the faults, the San Andreas, is capable of producing an earthquake
with a magnitude 01'8+ on the Richter scale, some of the "lesser" faults have the potential to
inflict greater damage on the urban core of the Los Angeles Basin. Seismologists believe that a
6.0 earthquake on the Newport-Inglewood would result in far more death and destruction than a
"great" quake on the San Andreas, because the San Andreas is relatively remote from the urban
centers of Southern California.
For decades, partnerships have flourished between the USGS, Cal Tech, the California
Geological Survey and universities to share research and educational efforts with Californians.
Tremendous earthquake mapping and mitigation efforts have been made in California in the past
two decades, and public awareness has risen remarkably during this time. Major federal, state,
and local government agencies and private organizations support earthquake risk reduction, and
S~lurJa}.OCIObcrO::.::OO4 3Ciry of Arcadia- Eanhquake Final.wpd
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have made significant contributions in reducing the adverse impacts of earthquakes. Despite the
progress, the majority of California communities remain unprepared because there is a general
lack of understanding regarding earthquake hazards among Californians.
Refer to the following table of Earthquake Events In the Southern California Region.
Southern California Region Earthquakes with a Magnitude 5.0 or Greater
1769 Los Angeles Basin 1916 Tejon Pass Region
1800 San Diego Region 1918 San Jacinto
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1812 Wrightwood 1923 San Bernardino Region
1812 Santa Barbara Channel 1925 Santa Barbara
1827 Los Angeles Region 1933 Long Beach
1855 Los Angeles Region 1941 Carpenteria
1857 Great Fort Tejon Earthquake 1952 Kern County
1858 San Bernardino Region 1954 W. of Wheeler Ridge
1862 San Diego Region 1971 San Fernando
1892 San Jacinto or Elsinore Fault 1973 Point Mugu
1893 Pico Canyon 1986 North Palm Springs
1894 Lytle Creek Region 1987 Whittier Narrows
1894 E. of San Diego 1992 Landers
1899 Lytle Creek Region 1992 Big Bear
1899 San Jacinto and Hemet 1994 Northridge
1907 San Bernardino Region 1999 Hector Mine
1910 Glen Ivy Hot Springs
Source:
http://9eology.abouLcom/gi/dynamicloffsite.htm?site=http%3A %2F%2F pasadena. wr. usgs.gov%2Finfo%2Fcahist_
eqs.html
To better understand the earthquake hazard, the scientific community has looked at historical
records and accelerated research on those faults that are the sources of the earthquakes occurring
in the Southern California region. Historical earthquake records can generally be divided into
records of the pre-instrumental period and the instrumental period. In the absence of
instrumentation, the detection earthquakes are based on observations and felt reports, and are
dependent upon population density and distribution. Since California was sparsely populated in
the l800s, the detection of pre-instrumental earthquakes is relatively difficult. However, two
very large earthquakes, the Fort Tejon in 1857 (7.9) and the Owens Valley in 1872 (7.6) are
evidence of the tremendously damaging potential of earthquakes in Southern California. In more
recent times two 7.3 earthquakes struck Southern California, in Kern County (1952) and Landers
(1992). The damage from these four large earthquakes was limited because the occurred in areas
which were sparsely populated at the time they happened. The seismic risk is much more severe
today than in the past because the population at risk is in the millions, rather than a few hundred
or a few thousand persons.
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History of Earthquake E.'ents in Southern California
Since seismologists started recording and measuring earthquakes, there have been tens of
thousands of recorded earthquakes in Southern California, most with a magnitude below three.
No community in Southern California is beyond the reach of a damaging earthquake. Table x-I
describes the historical earthquake events that have affected Southern California.
Causes and Characteristics of Earthquakes in Southern California
Earthquake Faults
A fault is a fracture along or between blocks of the earth's crust
where either side moves relative to the other along a parallel
plane to the fracture.
Strike-slip
Strike-slip faults are vertical or almost vertical rifts where the
earth's plates move mostly horizontally. From the observers
perspective, if the opposite block looking across the fault moves to
the right, the slip style is called a right lateral fault; if the block
moves left, the shift is called a left lateral fault.
Dip-slip
Dip-slip faults are slanted fractures where the blocks mostly shift
vertically. If the earth above an inclined fault moves down, the
fault is called a normal fault, but when the rock above the fault
moves up, the fault is called a reverse fault. Thrust faults have a
reverse fault with a dip of 45 0 or less.
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~UU1;nef"n "i:lIITUf"nli:l
Earthquake Fault Map
o 25 Miles
Fault Map _ \
MojO' raults
InfefTed faull'
or offshore
esca rp~ments
_,if-Y
~ KERN COUN1Y
LOS ANGELES\
COUN1Y
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..<i1\1D/;t ,
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W]I\!G :sAN BERNARDINO
"16'0(, COUNTY
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Rive~ide ~ ~I
RIVERSIDE
~ COUNTY I
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. VENTURA
~. COLlNTY
. \ierrura
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Please refer to the above map of major earthquake faults in Southern California.
Dr. Kerry Sieh of Cal Tech has investigated the San Andreas fault at Pallett Creek. 'The record
at Pallett Creek shows that rupture has recurred about every 130 years, on average, over the past
1500 years. But actual intervals have varied greatly, from less than 50 years to more than 300.
The physical cause of such irregular recurrence remains unknown." 2 Damage from a great
quake on the San Andreas would be widespread throughout Southern California.
Earthquake Related Hazards
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Ground shaking, landslides, liquefaction, and amplification are the specific hazards associated
with earthquakes. The severity of these hazards depends on several factors, including soil and
slope conditions, proximity to the fault, earthquake magnitude, and the type of earthquake.
Ground Shaking
Ground shaking is the motion felt on the earth's sur-face caused by seismic waves generated by
the earthquake. It is the primary cause of earthquake damage. The strength of ground shaking
depends on the magnitude of the earthquake, the type of fault, and distance from the epicenter
(where the earthquake originates). Buildings on poorly consolidated and thick soils will typically
see more damage than buildings on consolidated soils and bedrock.
Earthquake Induced Landslides
Earthquake induced landslides are secondary earthquake hazards that occur from ground shaking.
They can destroy the roads, buildings, utilities, and other critical facilities necessary to respond
and recover from an earthquake. Many communities in Southern California have a high
likelihood of encouIltering such risks, especially in areas with steep slopes.
Liquefaction
Liquefaction occurs when ground shaking causes wet granular soils to change from a solid state
to a liquid state. This results in the loss of soil strength and the soil's ability to support weight.
Buildings and their occupants are at risk when the ground can no longer support these buildings
and structures. Many communities in Southern California are built on ancient river bottoms and
have sandy soil. In some cases this ground may be subject to liquefaction, depending on the
depth of the water table.
Amplification
Soils and soft sedimentary rocks near the earth's surface can modify ground shaking caused by
earthquakes. One of these modifications is amplification. Amplification increases the magnitude
of the seismic waves generated by the earthquake. The amount of amplification is influenced by
the thickness of geologic materials and their physical properties. Buildings and structures built
on soft and unconsolidated soils can face greater risk.' Amplification can also occur in areas
with deep sediment filled basins and on ridge tops.
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Seismic Zones in California
Seismic Zones In California
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Darker Shaded Areas indicate Greater Potential Shaking
Source: USGS Website
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Earthquake Hazard Assessment
Hazard Identification
In California, many agencies are focused on seismic safety issues: the State's Seismic Safety
Commission. the Applied Technology Council, Governor's Office of Emergency Services,
United States Geologica] Survey, Cal Tech, the California Geological Survey as well as a number
of universities and private foundations.
These organizations, in partnership with other state and federal agencies, have undertaken a
rigorous program in California to identify seismic hazards and risks including active fault
identification, bedrock shaking, tsunami inundation zones, ground motion amplification,
liquefaction, and earthquake induced landslides. Seismic hazard maps have been published and
are available for many communities in California through the State Division of Mines and
Geology. Maps following illustrate the known earthquake faults in Southern California.
Please refer to the following map of major earthquake faults in San Gabriel Valley on the
following page.
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San Gabriel Valley Earthquake
Fault Map
EXAMPLE:
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San Gabriel Fault Zone
Nearest Communities: Rosemead, Monterey Park, Alhambra, South Pasadena, Temple City,
Arcadia, San Marino, El Monte, San Marino
Type of Faulting: primarily right-lateral strike-slip
Length: roughly 140 km
Most Recent Surface Rupture: Late Ouaternarv west of intersection with the Sierra Madre fault
zone; Ouaternarv east of that intersection; Holocene only between Saugus and Castaic
Slip Rate: I mm/yr to 5 mmlyr
Interval Between Major Ruptures: unknown
Probable Magnitudes: M6.0 - 7.0
Other Notes: Slip rate and re-occurance interval probably vary significantly along the length of
the San Gabriel fault zone. The western half is probably much more active than the eastern half.
Dip is generally steep and to the north.
Whittier Fault Zone
Nearest Communities: Hacienda Heights, Yorba Linda, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, La
Puente, LA Habra
Type of Faulting: right-lateral strike-slip with some reverse slip
Length: about 40 km
Most Recent Surface Rupture: Holocene
Slip Rate: between 2.5 and 3.0 mmlyr
Interval Between Major Ruptures: unknown
Probable Magnitudes: M6.0 - 7.2
Other Notes: The Whittier fault dips toward the northeast.
Northridge Fault Zone
Nearby Communities: Sepulveda, North Hills, Granada Hills, Chatsworth, Canoga Park,
Mission Hills, Panorama City
Type of Faulting: reverse
Length: 25 km
Most Recent Surface Rupture: Late Quaternary
Interval Between Major Ruptures: unknown
Probable Magnitudes: M6.0 - 7.0
Other Notes: Dip is probably to the north. This is not the fault on which the 1994 Northridge
earthquake occurred. That was a south-dipping blind thrust fault, cut off at a depth of roughly 6
km by the Santa Susana fault zone, and probably connected at depth with the Oak Ridge fault.
Please refer the following table regarding other faults that might have a significant impact on
your community.
DISTANCES AND ESTL\1ATED EARTHQUAKE STRENGTHS FOR REGIONAL FAULTS
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Fault Name Approximate Distance form Maximum Credible
the Proiect site Earthouake (MCE)
Sierra Madre-San Femando 0.2 mile 6.7 MCE
Clamshell-Sawpit I mile 6.5 MCE
Raymond 2 miles 6.5 MCE
San Gabriel 4 miles 7.0 MCE
Verdugo 8 miles 6.7 MCE
Whittier-North Elsinore 10 miles 7.0 MCE
Elvsian Park II miles 6.7 MCE
Santa Monica-Hollvwood 13 miles 6.6 MCE
San Jose 14 miles 6.5 MCE
Chino 18 miles 6.7 MCE
San Andreas (Mojave section) 21 miles 7.1 MCE
Cucamonga 22 miles 7.0 MCE
Newport-Inglewood 23 miles 6.9 MCE
Oak Ridge 24 miles 6.9 MCE
Newport-Inglewood (offshore) 26 miles 6.9 MCE
In California, each earthquake is followed by revisions and improvements in the Building Codes.
The 1933 Long Beach resulted in the Field Act, affecting school construction. The 1971 Sylmar
earthquake brought another set of increased structural standards. Similar re-evaluations occurred
after the 1989 Lorna Prieta and 1994 Northridge earthquakes. These code changes have resulted
in stronger and more earthquake resistant structures.
The Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act was passed in 1972 to mitigate the hazard of
surface faulting to structures for human occupancy. This state law was a direct result of the 1971
San Femando Earthquake, which was associated with extensive surface fault ruptures that
damaged numerous homes, commercial buildings, and other structures. Surface I:Upture is the
most easily avoided seismic hazard:
The Seismic Hazards Mapping Act, passed in 1990, addresses non-surface fault rupture
earthquake hazards, including liquefaction and seismically induced landslides.s The State
Department of Conservation operates the Seismic Mapping Program for Califomia. Extensive
information is available at their website: http://gmw.consrv.ca.gov/shmp/index.htm
Vulnerability Assessml~nt
The effects of earthquakes span a large area, and large earthquakes occurring in many parts of the
Southern Cali fornia region would probably be felt throughout the region. However, the degree to
which the earthquakes are felt, and the damages associated with them may vary. At risk from
earthquake damage are large stocks of old buildings and bridges: many high tech and hazardous
materials facilities: extensive sewer, water, and natural gas pipelines; earth dams; petroleum
pipelines; and other critical facilities and private property located in the county. The relative or
secondary earthquake hazards, which are liquefaction, ground shaking, amplification, and
earthquake-induced landslides, can be just as devastating as the earthquake.
The California Geological Survey has identified areas most vulnerable to liquefaction.
Liquefaction occurs when ground shaking causes wet granular soils to change from a solid state
to a liquid state. This results in the loss of soil strength and the soil's ability to support weight.
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Buildings and their occupants are at risk when the ground can no longer support these buildings
and structures. Map #8 identifies areas vulnerable to liquefaction within the city of Arcadia.
Southern California has many active landslide areas, and a large earthquake could trigger
accelerated movement in these slide areas, in addition to jarring loose other unknown areas of
landslide risk. Map # 8 identifies the areas vulnerable to landslides in the city of Arcadia.
Risk Analysis
Risk analysis is the third phase of a hazard assessment. Risk analysis involves estimating the
damage and costs likely to be experienced in a geographic area over a period oftime6. Factors
included in assessing earthquake risk include population and property distribution in the hazard
area, the frequency of earthquake events, landslide susceptibility, buildings, infrastructure, and
disaster preparedness of the region. This type of analysis can generate estimates of the damages
to the region due to an earthquake event in a specific location. FEMA's software program,
HAZUS, uses mathematical formulas and information about building stock, local geology and
the location and size of potential earthquakes, economic data, and other information to estimate
losses from a potential earthquake7 The HAZUS software is available from FEMA at no cost.
For greater Southern California there are multiple worst-case scenarios, depending on which fault
might rupture, and which communities are in proximity to the fault. But damage will not
necessarily be limited to immediately adjoining communities. Depending on the hypocenter of
the earthquake, seismic waves may be transmitted through the ground to unsuspecting
communities. In the Northridge 1994 earthquake, Santa Monica suffered extensive damage, even
though there was a range of mountains between it and the origin of the earthquake.
Damages for a large earthquake almost anywhere in Southern California are likely to run into the
billions of dollars. Although building codes are some of the most stringent in the world, ten's of
thousands of older existing buildings were. built under much less rigid codes. California has laws
affecting unreinfOrced masonry buildings (URM's) and although many building owners have
retrofitted their buildings, hundreds ofpre-1933 buildings still have not been brought up to
current standards. All existing uncensored masonry buildings in the City of Arcadia have been
seismically retrofitted to comply with the" 1990 Revised Model Ordinance for the Seismic
Retrofit of Hazardous unreinforced Masonry Buildings" as developed by the Sate of California
Seismic Safety Commission.
Non-structural bracing of equipment and contents is often the most cost-effective type of seismic
mitigation. Inexpensive bracing and anchoring may be the most cost effective way to protect
expensive equipment. Non-structural bracing of equipment and furnishings will also reduce the
chance of injury for the occupants of a building.
Community Earthquake Issues
What is Susceptible to Earthquakes?
Earthquake damage occurs because humans have built structures that cannot withstand severe
shaking. Buildings, airports, schools, and lifelines (highways and utility lines) suffer damage in
earthquakes and can cause death or injury to humans. The welfare of homes, major businesses,
and public infrastructure is very important. Addressing the reliability of buildings, critical
facilities, and infrastructure, and understanding the potential costs to government, businesses,
and individuals as a result of an earthquake, are challenges faced by the city.
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Dams
There are a total of 103 dams in Los Angeles County, owned by 23 agencies or organizations,
ranging from the Federal government to Home Owner Associations.s These dams hold billions
of gallons of water in reservoirs. Releases of water from the major reservoirs are designed to
protect Southern California from floodwaters and to store domestic water. Seismic activity can
compromise the dam structures, and the resultant flooding could cause catastrophic flooding.
Following the 1971 Sylmar earthquake the Lower Van Norman Dam showed signs of structural
compromise, and tens of thousands of persons had to be evacuated until the dam could be
drained. The dam has never been refilled.
The largest reservoirs near the City of Arcadia include: Eaton Wash Debris Dam in Pasadena,
Big Santa Anita Dam in Monrovia, and the Sierra Madre Dam. Refer to the following map and
note dam inundation areas as provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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City of A1=dia
Sphen of Inll~
Fire Huard Boundary
Ememcly Hiab
Fire H.ttird
High Fire Hum!
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SIlII.a Anita Dam
lnlmdation An::I
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Sierrl Madre Dam
Inundation Area
Sawpit Dam
Inundltion Area
UC FACILITIES:
I,' : Public Facility (tJ Library
. Police: Station 1m El=Cl'ltary School
Fire Station 8 MU:1dle School
. . Hospital IHi Hi&h School
City Hall ~ Park
... .' 'Community Center
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Sowu: ENVICOM, April. 1975.
I
. Fire and Flooding Hazards
EXHIBIT 2
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Buildings
The built environment is susceptible to damage from earthquakes. Buildings that collapse can
trap and bury people. Lives are at risk and the cost to clean up the damages is great. In most
California communities, including the city of Arcadia, many buildings were built before 1993
when building codes were not as strict. In addition, retrofitting is not required except under
certain conditions and can be expensive. Therefore, the number of buildings at risk remains
high. The California Seismi'c Safety Commission makes annual reports on the progress of the
retrofitting of unre in forced masonry buildings.
Infrastructure and Communication
Residents in the City of Arcadia commute frequently by automobiles and public transportation
such as buses and light rail. An earthquake can greatly damage bridges and roads, hampering
emergency response efforts and the normal movement of people and goods. Damaged
infrastructure strongly affects the economy of the community because it disconnects people from
work, school, food, and leisure, and separates businesses from their customers and suppliers,
Bridge Damage
Even modern bridges can sustain damage during earthquakes, leaving them unsafe for use. Some
bridges have failed completely due to strong ground motion. Bridges are a vital transportation
link - with even minor damages making some areas inaccessible. Because bridges vary in size,
materials, location and design, any given earthquake will affect them differently. Bridges built
before the mid-1970's have a significantly higher risk of suffering structural damage during a
moderate to large earthquake compared with those built after 1980 when design improvements
were made.
Much of the interstate highway system was built in the mid to late 1960's. The bridges in the
City of Arcadia are state, county or privately owned (including railroad bridges). Cal Trans has
retrofitted most bridges on the freeway systems, however there are still some county maintained
bridges that are not retrofitted. The FHW A requires that bridges on the National Bridge
Inventory be inspected every 2 years. CalTrans checks when the bridges are inspected because
they administer the Federal funds for bridge projects.
Damage to Lifelines
Lifelines are the connections between communities and outside services. They include water and
gas lines, transportation systems, electricity and communication networks. Ground shaking and
ampli ficatiqn can cause pipes to break open, power lines to fall, roads and railways to crack or
move, and radio and telephone communication to cease. Disruption to transportation makes it
especially difficult to bring in supplies or services. Lifelines need to be usable after earthquake
to allow for rescue, recovery, and rebuilding efforts and to relay important information to the
public.
Disruption of Critical Services
Critical facilities include police stations, fire stations, hospitals, shelters, and other facilities that
provide important services to the community. These facilities and their services need to be
functional after an earthquake event. Many critical facilities are housed in older buildings that
are not up to current seismic codes.
Businesses
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Seismic activity can cause great loss to businesses, both large-scale corporations and small retail
shops. When a company is forced to stop production for just a day, the economic loss can be
tremendous, especially when its market is at a national or global level. Seismic activity can
create economic loss that presents a burden to large and small shop owners who may have
di fficulty recovering from their losses.
Forty percent of businesses do not reopen after a disaster and another twenty-five percent fail
within one year according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Similar
statistics from the United States Small Business Administration indicate that over ninety percent
of businesses fail within two years after being struck by a disaster.'
Individual Preparedness
Because the potential for earthquake occurrences and earthquake related property damage is
relatively high in the City of Arcadia, increasing individual preparedness is a significant need.
Strapping down heavy furniture, water heaters, and expensive personal property, as well as being
earthquake insured, and anchoring buildings to foundations are just a few steps individuals can
take to prepare for an earthquake.
Death and Injury
Death and injury can occur both inside and outside of buildings due to collapsed buildings falling
equipment, furniture, debris, and structural materials. Downed power lines and broken water and
gas lines can also endanger human life,
Fire
Downed power lines or broken gas mains can trigger fires. When fire stations suffer building or
lifeline damage, quick response to extinguish fires is less likely. Furthermore, major incidents
will demand a larger share of resources, and initially smaller fires and problems will receive little
or insufficient resources in the initial hours after a major earthquake event. Loss of electricity
may cause a loss of water pressure in some communities, further hampering fire fighting ability.
Debris
After damage to a variety of structures, much time is spent cleaning up brick, glass, wood, steel
or concrete building elements, office and home contents, and other materials. Developing a
strong debris management strategy is essential in post-disaster recovery. Occurrence of a disaster
does not exempt the City of Arcadia from compliance with AB 939 regulations.
Existing Mitigation Activities
Existing mitigation activities include current mitigation programs and activities that are being
implemented by county, regional, state, or federal agencies or organizations.
City of Arcadia Codes
Implementation of earthquake mitigation policy most often takes place at the local government
level. The City of Arcadia Development Services Department enforces building codes pertaining
to earthquake hazards.
The City of Arcadia has adopted the 2001 California Building Code (i.e., 1997 UBe). Therefore,
all earthquake hazard mitigation measures specified in the Code are enforced by the City of
Arcadia for new and remodeled buildings and structures.
Example: The following sections of the UBC address the earthquake hazard:
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1605, I (Distribution of Horizontal Sheer);
1605.2 (Stability against Overturning);
1626 (Seismic);
1605.3 (Anchorage); and
1632,1633,1633.9 deal with specific earthquake hazards.
Generally, these codes seek to discourage development in areas that could be prone to flooding,
landslide, wildfire and / or seismic hazards; and where development is permitted, that the
applicable construction standards are met. Developers in hazard-prone areas may be required to
retain a qualified professional engineer to evaluate level of risk on the site and recommend
appropriate mitigation measures.
The City of Arcadia Building Code sets the minimum design and construction standards for new
buildings. In 2002, the City of Arcadia adopted the most recent seismic standards in its building
code, which requires that new buildings be built at a higher seismic standard.
The City of Arcadia also requires that site-specific seismic hazard investigations be performed
for new essential facilities, major structures, hazardous facilities, and special occupancy
structures such as schools, hospitals, and emergency response facilities.
Businesses/Private Sector
Natural hazards have a devastating impact on businesses. In fact, of all businesses which close
following a disaster, more than forty-three percent never reopen, and an additional twenty-nine
perccent close for good within the next two years. \0 The Institute of Business and Home Safety
has developed "Open for Business", which is a disaster planning toolkit to help guide businesses
in preparing for and dealing with the adverse affects natural hazards. The kit integrates
protection from natural disasters into the company's risk reduction measures to safeguard
employees, custoniers, and the investment itself. The guide helps businesses secure human and
physical resources during disasters, and helps to develop strategies to maintain business
continuity before, during, and after a disaster occurs.
Hospitals
"The Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Seismic Safety Act ("Hospital Act") was enacted in 1973 in
response to the moderate Magnitude 6.6 Sylmar Earthquake in 1971 when four major hospital
campuses were severely damaged and evacuated. Two hospital buildings collapsed killing forty
seven people. Three others were killed in another hospital that nearly collapsed.
In approving the Act, the Legislature noted that:
Hospitals, that house patients who have less than the capacity of normally healthy persons to
protect themselves. and that must be reasonably capable of providing services to the public after
a disaster, shall be designed and constructed to resist, insofar as practical, the forces generated by
earthquakes, gravity and winds. (Health and Safety Code Section 129680)
When the Hospital Act was passed in 1973, the State anticipated that, based on the regular and
timely replacement of aging hospital facilities, the majority of hospital buildings would be in
compliance with the Act's standards within 25 years. However, hospital buildings were not, and
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are not, being replaced at that anticipated rate. In fact, the great majority of the State's urgent
care facilities are now more than 40 years old.
The moderate Magnitude 6.7 Northridge Earthquake in 1994 caused 53 billion in hospital-related
damage and evacuations. Twelve hospital buildings constructed before the Act were cited (red
tagged) as unsafe for occupancy after the earthquake. Those hospitals that had been built in
accordance with the 1973 Hospital Act were very successful in resisting structural damage.
However, nonstructural damage (for example, plumbing and ceiling systems) was still extensive
in those post-1973 buildings
Senate Bill 1953 ("'SB 1953"), enacted in 1994 after the Northridge Earthquake, expanded the
scope of the 1973 Hospital Act. Under SB 1953, all hospitals are required, as of January I, 2008,
to survive earthquakes without collapsing or posing the threat of significant loss of life. The
1994 Act further mandates that all existing hospitals be seismically evaluated, and retrofitted, if
needed, by 2030, so that they are in substantial compliance with the Act (which requires that the
hospital buildings be reasonably capable of providing services to the public after disasters). SB
1953 applies to all urgent care facilities (including those built prior to the 1973 Hospital Act) and
affects approximately 2,500 buildings on 475 campuses.
SB 1953 directed the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development ("OSHPD"), in
consultation with the Hospital Building Safety Board, to develop emergency regulations
including ".. .earthquake performance categories with subgradations for risk to life, structural
soundness, building contents, and nonstructural systems that are critical to providing basic
services to hospital inpatients and the public after a disaster." (Health and Safety Code Section
130005)
The Seismic Safety Commission Evaluation of the State's Hospital Seismic Safety Policies
In 200 I, recognizing the continuing need to assess the adequacy of policies, and the application
of advances in technical knowledge and understanding, the California Seismic Safety
Commission created an Ad Hoc Committee to re-examine the compliance with the Alquist
Hospital Seismic Safety Act. The formation of the Committee was also prompted by the recent
evaluations of hospital buildings reported to OSHPD that revealed that a large percentage (40%)
of California's operating hospitals are in the highest category of collapse risk." .11
California Earthquake Mitigation Legislation
California is painfully aware of the threats it faces from earthquakes. Dating back to the 19th
century, Californians have been killed, injured, and lost property as a result of earthquakes. As
the State's population continues to grow, and urban areas become even more densely built up, the
risk will continue to increase. For decades the Legislature has passed laws to strengthen the built
environment and protect the citizens. Table xx-xx provides a sampling of some of the 200 plus
laws in the State's codes.
Table: Partial List of the Over 200 California Laws on Earthquake Safety
Government Code Section Creates Seismic Safety Commission.
8870-8870.95
Government Code Section Established the California Center for Earthquake Engineering
8876.1-8876.10 Research.
Public Resources Code Section Authorized a prototype earthquake prediction system along the
2800-2804.6 central San Andreas fault near the City of Parkfield.
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Public Resources Code Section Continued the Southern California Earthquake Preparedness Project
2810-2815 and the Bav Area Reoional Earthouake Preoaredness Proiect.
Health and Safety Code Section The Seismic Safety Commission and State Architect will develop a
16100-16110 state policy on acceptable levels of earthquake risk for new and
existino state-owned buildinas.
Government Code Section Established the California Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of
8871-8871.5 1986.
Health and Safety Code Section Defined earthquake performance standards for hospitals.
130000-130025
Public Resources Code Section Established the California Earthquake Education Project.
2805-2808
Government Code Section Established the Earthquake Research Evaluation Conference.
8899.10-8899.16
Public Resources Code Section Established the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act.
2621-26302621.
Government Code Section Created the Earthquake Safety and Public Buildings Rehabilitation
8878.50-8878.52 8878.50. Bond Act of 1990.
Education Code Section 35295- Established emergency procedure systems in kindergarten through
35297 35295. made 12 in all the oublic or orivate schools.
Health and Safety Code Section Established standards for seismic retrofitting of unreinforced
19160-19169 masonrY buildinos.
Health and Safety Code Section Required all child day care facilities to include an Earthquake
1596.80-1596.879 Prenaredness Checklist as an attachment to their disaster clan.
Source: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html
Earthquake Education
Earthquake research and education activities are conducted at several major universities in the
Southern California region, including Cal Tech, USC, UCLA, UCSB, UCI, and UCSB. The
local clearinghouse for earthquake information is the Southern California Earthquake Center
located at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, Telephone: (213) 740-
5843, Fax: (213) 740-0011, Email: SCEinfo@usc.edu, Website: http://www.scec.org. The
Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) is a community of scientists and specialists who
actively coordinate research on earthquake hazards at nine core institutions, and communicate
earthquake information to the public. SCEC is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Science and
Technology Center and is co-funded by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
In addition, Los Angeles County along with other Southern California counties, sponsors the
Emergency Survival Program (ESP), an educational program for learning how to prepare for
earthquakes and other disasters. Many school districts have very active emergency preparedness
programs that include earthquake drills and periodic disaster response team exercises.
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Earthquake Mitigation Action Items
The earthquake mitigation action items provide guidance on suggesting specific activities that
agencies, organizations, and residents in the City of Arcadia can undertake to reduce risk and
prevent loss from earthquake events. Each action item is followed by ideas for implementation,
which can be used by the steering committee and local decision makers in pursuing strategies for
implementation:
ST -EO # 1: Integrate new earthquake hazard mapping data for the City of Arcadia and
improve technical analysis of earthquake hazards.
Ideas for Implementation:
. Develop the City of Arcadia earthquake HAZUS data using more localized data
including the building inventory to improve accuracy of the vulnerability assessment for
the City Arcadia; and
. Conduct risk analysis incorporating HAZUS data and hazard maps using GIS
technology to identify risk sites and further assist in prioritizing mitigation activities and
assessing the adequacy of current land use requirements,
Coordinating Organization: The City Geographic Information Systems
Timeline: within the next 2 years
Plan Goals Addressed: Partnerships and Implementation, Protect Life and Property
Constraints: limited staff time, cost of project to businesses, resistance from
public
ST -EO # 2: Incorporate the Regional Earthquake Transportation Evacuation Routes developed
by the Regional Emergency Managers Group into appropriate planning documents.
Ideas for Implementation:
. Update the transportation routes map in the City of Arcadia's Natural hazard
Mitigation Plan with the evacuation routes data; and
. Integrate the evacuation routes data into the City of Arcadia's Emergency Operations
Plan,
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office
Time1ine: within the next 2 years
Plan Goals Addressed: Emergency Services
Constraints: limited staff time, cost of project to businesses, resistance from public
L T-EO # I: Identify funding sources for structural and nonstructural retrofitting of structures
that are identified as seismically vulnerable.
Ideas for Implementation:
. Provide infOlmation for property owners, small businesses, and organizations on
sources of funds (loans, grants, etc.); and
. Explore options for including seismic retrofitting in existing programs such as low-
income housing, insurance reimbursements, and pre and post disaster repairs,
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office
Timeline: ongoing
Plan Goals Addressed: Partnerships and Implementation, Public Awareness
Constraints: limited staff time, cost of project to businesses, resistance from public
Salurday. OCto!"<TO;. ~00..1
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L T-EO # 2: Encourage reduction of non structural and structural earthquake hazards.
Ideas for Implementation:
. Encourage facility managers, business owners, and teachers to refer to FEMA's
practical guidebook: "Reducing the Risks Nonstructural Earthquake Damage"; and
. Encourage homeowners and renters to use "Is Your Home Protected from Earthquake
Disasterry A Homeowner's Guide to Earthquake Retrofit" (IBHS) for economic and
efficient mitigation techniques; and
. Explore partnerships to provide retrofitting classes for homeowners, renters, building
professionals, and contractors; and
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office
Timeline: Ongoing
Plan Goals Addressed: Protect Life and Property, Public Awareness
Constraints: limited staff time, cost of project to businesses, resistance from public
Salllrd.:Jy. OClotll-r O~. ~004
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Earthquake Resource Directory
Local and Regional Resources
Los .-\n!!eles Count,. Public Works Department
Level: County Hazard: Multi
900 S. Fremont Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91803
http://ladpw .org
Ph: 626-458-5100
Fx:
,,,,,'
Notes: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works protects property and promotes
public safety through Flood Control, Water Conservation, Road Maintenance, Bridges, Buses
and Bicycle Trails, Building and Safety, Land Development, Waterworks, Sewers,
En ineerin ,Ca ital Pro' ects and Ai orts
Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC)
Level: Regional Hazard: Earthquake www.scec.org
3651 Trousdale Parkway Suite 169
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0742 Ph: 213-740-5843 Fx: 213/740-0011
Notes: The Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) gathers new information about
earthquakes in Southern California, integrates this information into a comprehensive and
predictive understanding of earthquake phenomena, and communicates this understanding to
end-users and the general public in order to increase earthquake awareness, reduce economic
losses, and save lives.
State Resources
California Department of Transportation (CaITrans)
.
Level: State Hazard: Multi http://www.dot.ca.gov/
120 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Ph: 213-897-3656
Fx:
Notes: CalTrans is responsible for the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of the
California State Highway System, as well as that portion of the Interstate Highway System
within the state's boundaries. Alone and in partnership with Amtrak, CalTrans is also involved
in the su ort of intercit assen er rail service in California.
California Resources Agency
Level: State
1416 Ninth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Hazard: Multi
http://reso urces. ca. gov /
Suite 1311
Ph: 916-653-5656
Fx:
Notes: The Cali fornia Resources Agency restores, protects and manages the state's natural,
historical and cultural resources for current and future generations using solutions based on
science, collaboration and res ect for all the communities and interests involved.
California Division of Mines and Geology (DMG)
Level: State Hazard: Multi www.consrv.ca.gov/cgs/index.htm
~~\\lrW.Y. O~\<,>beT O~. ~Q(l..<
Deity of Arcadia- Earthquake Final.,vpd
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80 I K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
MS 12-30
Ph: 916-445-1825
Fx: 916-445-5718
Notes: The California Geological Survey develops and disseminates technical information and
advice on California's eoloo, eolooic hazards, and mineral resources.
California Department of Conservation: Southern California Regional Office
Level: State Hazard: Multi www.consrv.ca.gov
655 S. Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017-2321
#700
Ph: 213-239-0878
Fx: 213-239-0984
Notes: The Department of Conservation provides services and information that promote
environmental health, economic vitality, informed land-use decisions and sound management
of our state's natural resources.
California Planning Information Network
Level: State Hazard: Multi www.calpin.ca.gov
Notes: The Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) publishes basic information on
local planning agencies, known as the California Planners' Book of Lists. This local planning
information is available on-line with new search ca abilities and u -to-the- minute u dates.
Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES)
Level: State Hazard: Multi www.oes.ca.gov
P.O. Box 419047
Rancho Cordova, CA 95741-9047
Ph: 916845- 8911
Fx: 916 845- 8910
Notes: The Governor's Office of Emergency Services coordinates overall state agency response
to major disasters in support of local government. The office is responsible for assuring the
state's readiness to respond to and recover from natural, manmade, and war-caused
emergencies, and for assisting local governments in their emergency preparedness, response
and recove efforts.
Federal and National Resources
Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC)
Level: National Hazard: Earthquake
1090 Vermont Ave., NW
www.bsscon\ine.org
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005 Ph: 202-289-7800 Fx: 202-289-109
Notes: The Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) develops and promotes building
earth uake risk miti ation re ulato rovisions for the nation.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region IX
Level: Federal Hazard: Multi www.fema.gov
Illl Broadway
Oakland, CA 94607
Suite 1200
Ph: 510-627-7100
Fx: 510-627-7112
Notes: The Federal Emergency Management Agency is tasked with responding to, planning
for, recoverino from and mitioatino aoainst disasters.
5;lIurd.1r.OchlhoorO~. ~DD4
24City of Arcadia- Earthquake Fina\.wpd
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Federal Emergency Management Agency, Mitigation Division
Level: Federal Hazard: Multi www.fema.gov/fimalplanhowto.shtm
500 C Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20472 Ph: 202-566-1600 Fx:
Notes: The Mitigation Division manages the National Flood Insurance Program and oversees
FEMA'smitigation programs. It has a number of programs and activities which provide
citizens Protection, with flood insurance; Prevention, with mitigation measures and
Partnershi s, with communities throu hout the count .
United States Geological Survey
Level: Federal. Hazard: Multi hltp://www.usgs.gov/
345 Middlefield Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
\
Notes: The USGS provides reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth;
minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and
mineral resources; and enhance and rotect our ualit of Ii fe.
Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC)
Level: Regional Hazard: Earthquake www.wsspc.org/home.html
l25 California Avenue Suite D201, #1
Palo Alto, CA 94306 Ph: 650-330-1101
Ph: 650-853-8300
Fx:
Fx: 650-326-1769
Notes: WSSPC is a regional earthquake consortium funded mainly by FEMA. Its website is a
reat resource, with information clear! cate orized - from olic to en ineerin to education.
Institute for Business & Home Safety
Level: National Hazard: Multi hltp://www.ibhs.orgl
4775 E. Fowler Avenue
Tampa, FL 33617
Ph: 8l3-286-3400
Fx: 813-286-9960
The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is a nonprofit association that engages in
communication, education, engineering and research. The Institute works to reduce deaths,
in'uries, ro ert damaoe, economic losses and human sufferin caused b natural disasters.
Publications
"Land Use Planning for Earthquake Hazard Mitigation: Handbook for Planners"
Wolfe, Myer R. et. a!., (1986) University of Colorado, Institute of Behavioral Science, National
Science Foundation. .
This handbook provides techniques that planners and others can utilize to help mitigate for
seismic hazards, It provides information on the effects of earthquakes, sources on risk
assessment, and effects of earthquakes on the built environment. The handbook also gives
examples on application and implementation of planning techniques to be used by local
communities.
Contact: Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center
Address: University of Colorado, 482 UCB,
Boulder, CO 80309-0482
SJlUrd.1y. October O~. ~OQ..l
25City of Arcadia- Earthquake Fina1.wpd
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Phone: (303) 492-68\8
Fax: (303) 492-2l51
Website: http://www,colorado.edu/UCB/Research/IBS/hazards
"Public Assistance Debris Management Guide", FEMA (July 2000).
The Debris Management Guide was developed to assist local officials in planning, mobilizing,
organizing. and controlling large-sca:Je debris clearance, removal, and disposal operations, Debris
management is generally associated with post-disaster recovery. While it should be compliant
with local and county emergency operations plans, developing strategies to ensure strong debris
management is a way to integrate debris management within mitigation activities. The "Public
Assistance Debris Management Guide" is available in hard copy or on the FEMA website.
End Notes
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/earthq 3/when. htm I
2
http://www .gps.caltech.edu/-sieh/home.html
J
Planning for Natural Hazards: The California Technical Resource Guide, Department of
Land Conservation and Development (July 2000)
..
http://www.consrv.ca.gov/CGS/rghmlap/
5
Ibid
6
Burby, R. (Ed.) Cooperating with Nature: Confronting Natural Hazards with Land Use
Planning for Sustainable Communities (1998), Washington D.C., Joseph Henry Press.
7
FEMA HAZUS http://www.fema.gov/hazus/hazus2.htm (May 2001).
8
Source: Los Angeles County Public Works Department, March 2004
9
http://www.chamberIOI.com/programs _ committee/natural_ disastersIDisasterPreparednes
s/Forty.htm
10
Institute for Business and Home Safety Resources (April 2001),
11
http://www.seismic.ca.gov/pub/CSSC_2001-04_Hospital.pdf
S:UllrdJ}. OCtober O~. ~OOJ
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SECTION 7
Earth Movement
(Landslides and'Debris
Flows)
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SECTION 7: EARTH MOVEMENT (LANDSLIDES & DEBRIS FLOWS)
Table of Contents
Why Are Landslides a Threat to City of Arcadia?
What is a Landslide?
History of Landslide Events and Impacts
Landslide Characteristics
Landslide Conditions
Landslide Hazard Assessment
Hazard Identification
Vulnerability and Risk
Community Landslide Issues
What Is Susceptible to Landslides?
Landslide Mitigation Activities
Community Issues Summary
Landslide Mitigation Action Items
Landslide Resource Directory
S tate Resources
Federal Resources and Programs
7-1
7-2
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7-4
7-6
7-8
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7-9
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7-10
7-11
7-11
7-12
7-12
7-12
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WHY ARE LANDSLIDES A THREAT TO CITY OF ARCADIA?
Landslides are a serious geologic hazard in almost every state in America. Nationally, landslides
cause 25 to 50 deaths each year.] The best estimate of direct and indirect costs:of landslide
damage in the United States range between $1 and 52 billion annually2 As a seismically active
region, California has had significant number oflocations impacted by landslides. Some
landslides result in private property damage, other landslides impact transportation corridors,
fuel and energy conduits, and communication facilities. They can also pose a serious threat to
human life.
Landslides can be broken down into two categories: (I) rapidly moving (generally known as
debris flows), and (2) slow moving. Rapidly moving landslides or debris flows present the
greatest risk to human life, and people living in or traveling through areas prone to rapidly
moving landslides are at increased risk of serious injury. Slow moving landslides can cause
significant property damage, but are less likely to result in serious human injuries.
HISTORIC SOUTHERJ'\' CALIFORJ'\'IA LANDSLIDES
1928 St. Francis Dam failure ."
Los Angeles County, California. The dam gave way on March 12, and its waters swept through
the Santa Clara Valley toward the Pacific Ocean, about 54 miles away. Sixty-five miles of valley
was devastated, and over 500 people were killed. Damages were estimated at 5672.1 million
(year 2000 dollars).'
1956 Portuguese Bend, California
Cost, 514.6 million (2000 dollars) California Highway 14, Palos Verdes Hills. Land use on the
Palos Verdes Peninsula consists mostly of single-family homes built on large lots, many of
which have panoramic ocean views. All of the houses were constructed with individual septic
systems, generally consisting of septic tanks and seepage pits. Landslides have been active here
for thousands of years, but recent landslide activity has been attributed in part to human activity.
The Portuguese Bend landslide began its modern movement in August 1956, when displacement
was noticed at its northeast margin. Movement gradually extended down slope so that the entire
eastern edge of the slide mass was moving within 6 weeks. By the summer of 1957, the entire
slide mass was sliding towards the sea:
1958-1971 Pacific Palisades, California
Cost, 529.1 million (2000 dollars) California Highway I and house damaged.;
1961 Mulholland Cut, California
Cost, 54l.5 million (2000 dollars) On Interstate 405, II miles north of Santa Monica, Los
Angeles County'"
1963 Baldwin Hills Dam Failure.
On December 14, the 650 foot long by 155 foot high earth fill dam gave way and sent 360
2
Section 7 LandslideS Final (Rewrite)
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million gallons of water in a fifty foot high wall cascading onto the community below, killing
five persons, and damaging 50 million (1963 dollars) of dollars in property.
1969 Glendora, California
Cost, 526.9 million (2000 dollars) Los Angeles County, 175 houses damaged, mainly by debris
flows.)
1969 Seventh Ave., Los Angeles County, California
Cost, 514.6 million (2000 dollars) California Highway 60.8
1970 Princess Park, California
Cost, 529.1 million (2000 dollars) California Highway 14, 10 miles north of Newhall, near
9
Saugus, northern Los Angeles County.
1971 Upper and Lower Van Norman Dams, SaD Fernando, California
Earthquake-induced landslides Cost, $302.4 million (2000 dollars). Damage due to the February
9, 1971, magnitude 7.5 San Fernando, California, earthquake. The earthquake of February 9
severely damaged the Upper and Lower Van Norman Dams.10
1971 Juvenile Hall, San Fernando, California
Landslides caused by the February 9, 1971, San Fernando, California, earthquake Cost, 5266.6
million (2000 dollars). In addition to damaging the San Fernando Juvenile Hall, this 1.2 km-long
slide damaged trunk lines of the Southern Pacific Railroad, San Fernando Boulevard, Interstate
Highway 5, the Sylmar, California, electrical converter station, and several pipelines and
canals. ]]
1977-1980 Monterey Park, Repetto Hills, Los Angeles County, California
Cost, 514.6 million (2000 dollars) 100 houses damaged in 1980 due to debris flows.]2
1978 Bluebird Canyon Orange County
Cali fornia October 2, cost, 552.7 million (2000 dollars) 60 houses destroyed or damaged.
Unusually heavy rains in March of 1978 may have contributed to initiation of the landslide.
Although the 1978 slide area was approximately 3.5 acres, it is suspected to be a portion of a
larger, ancient landslide.])
1979 Big Rock, California, Los Angeles County
Cost, approximately 51.08 billion (2000 dollars) California Highway I rockslide.]4
1980 Southern California slides
5 l.1 billion in damage (2000 dollars) Heavy winter rainfall in 1979-90 caused damage in six
Southern California counties. In 1980, the rainstorm started on February 8. A sequence of 5 days
of continuous rain and 7 inches of precipitation had occurred by February 14. Slope failures were
beginning to develop by February 15 and then very high-intensity rainfall occurred on February
16. As much as 8 inches of rain fell in a 6-hour period in many locations. Records and personal
3
Section 7 Landslides Final (Reo.vnle)
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observations in the field on February 16 and 17 showed that the mountains and slopes literally
c I 15
lei apart on those 2 days.
1983 San Clemente, California, Orange County
Cost, 565 million (2000 dollars), California Highway I. Litigation at that time involved
approximately 543.7 million (2000 dollars). 16
1983 Big Rock Mesa, California
Cost, 5706 million (2000 dollars) in legal claims condemnation of 13 houses, and 300 more
threatened rockslide caused by rainfall 17
1978-1979,1980 San Diego County, California
Experienced major damage from storms in 1978, 1979, and 1979-80, as did neighboring areas of
Los Angeles and Orange County, California. One hundred and twenty landslides were reported
to have occurred in San Diego County during these 2 years. Rainfall for the rainy seasons of 78-
79 and 79-80 was 14.82 and 15.61 inches (37.6 and 39.6 cm) respectively, compared to a 125-
year average (1850-1975) of9.71 inches (24.7 cm). Significant landslides occurred in the Friars
Formation, a unit that was noted as slide-prone in the Seismic Safety Study for the City of San
Diego. Of the nine landslides that caused damage in excess of$1 million, seven occurred in the
Friars Formation, and two in the Santiago Formation in the northern part of San Diego County.18
1994 Northridge, California earthquake landslides
As a result of the magnitude 6.7 Northridge, California, earthquake, more than 11,000 landslides
occurred over an area of 10,000 km2. Most were in the Santa Susana Mountains and in
mountains north of the Santa Clara River Valley. Destroyed dozens of homes, blocked roads, and
damaged oil-field infrastructure. Caused deaths from Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) the
spore of which was released from the soil and blown toward the coastal populated areas. The
spore was released from the soil by the landslide activity. 19
March 1995 Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, Southern California
Above normal rainfall triggered damaging debris flows, deep-seated landslides, and flooding.
Several deep-seated landslides were triggered by the storms, the most notable was the La
Conchita landslide, which in combination with a local debris flow, destroyed or badly damaged
II to 12 homes in the small town of La Conchita, about 20 km west of Ventura. There also was
widespread debris-flow and flood damage to homes, commercial buildings, and roads and
highways in areas along the Malibu coast that had been devastated by wildfire 2 years before2o
LAi\'DSLlDE CHARACTERISTICS
WHAT IS A LANDSLIDE?
"A landslide is defined as, the movement ofa mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope.
Landslides are a type of "mass wasting" which denotes any down slope movement of soil and
rock under the direct influence of gravity. The term "landslide" encompasses events such as rock
4
Section 7 landSlides Fmal (Re'M"lleJ
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falls, topples, slides, spreads, and flows. Landslides can be initiated by rainfall, earthquakes,
volcanic activity, changes in groundwater, disturbance and change of a slope by man-made
construction activities, or any combination of these factors. Landslides can also occur
underwater, causing tidal waves and damage to coastal areas. These landslides are called
b . I d l'd ,,'1
su manne an s I es. -
The size of a landslide usually depends on the geology and the initial cause of the landslide.
Landslides vary greatly in their volume of rock and soil, the length, width, and depth of the area
affected, frequency of occurrence, and speed of movement. Some characteristics that determine
the type oflandslide are slope of the hillside, moisture content, and the nature of the underlying
materials. Landslides are given different names, depending on the type of failure and their
composition and characteristics.
Slides move in contact with the underlying surface. These movements include rotational slides
where sliding material moves along a curved surface, and translational slides where movement
occurs along a flat surface. These slides are generally slow moving and can be deep. Slumps are
small rotational slides that are generally shallow. Slow-moving landslides can occur on relatively
gentle slopes and can cause significant property damage, but are far less likely to result in serious
injuries than rapidly moving landslides22
"Failure of a slope occurs when the force that is pulling the slope downward (gravity) exceeds
the strength of the earth materials that compose the slope. They can move slowly, (millimeters
per year) or can move quickly and disastrously, as is the case with debris-flows. Debris-flows
can travel down a hillside of speeds up to 200 miles per hour (more commonly, 30 - 50 miles per
hour), depending on the slope angle, water content, and type of earth and debris in the flow.
These flows are initiated by heavy, usually sustained, periods of rainfall, but sometimes can
happen as a result of short bursts of concentrated rainfall in susceptible areas. Burned areas
charred by wildfires are particularly susceptible to debris flows, given certain soil characteristics
and slope conditions.,,23
WHAT IS A DEBRIS FLOW?
A debris or mud flow is a river of rock, earth and other materials, including vegetation that is
saturated with water. This high percentage of water gives the debris flow a very rapid rate of
movement down a slope. Debris flows often with speeds greater than 20 mile per hour, and can
often move much faster24 This high rate of speed makes debris flows extremely dangerous to
people and property in its path.
LAl'iDSLlDE EVEl'iTS Al'iD IMPACTS
Landslides are a common hazard in California. Weathering and the decomposition of geologic
materials produce conditions conducive to landslides and human activity further exacerbates
many landslide problems. Many landslides are difficult to mitigate, particularly in areas of large
historic movement with weak underlying geologic materials. As communities continue to modify
5
Section 7 Landslides Final (Re'Nl11e)
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the terrain and influence natural processes, it is important to be aware of the physical properties
of the underlying soils as they, along with climate, create landslide hazards. Even with proper
planning, landslides will continue to threaten the safety of people, property, and infrastructure,
but without proper planning, landslide hazards will be even more common and more destructive.
The increasing scarcity of build-able \and,'particu\arly in urban areas, increases the tendency to
build on geologically marginal land. Additionally, hillside housing developments in Southern
California are prized for the view lots that they provide.
Rock falls occur when blocks of material come loose on steep slopes. Weathering, erosion, or
excavations, such as those along highways, can cause falls where the road has been cut through
bedrock. They are fast moving with the materials free falling or bouncing down the slope. In
falls, material is detached from a steep slope or cliff. The volume of material involved is
generally small, but large boulders or blocks of rock can cause significant damage.
Earth flows are liquid movements in which land mass (e.g. soil and rock) breaks up and flows
during movement. Earthquakes often trigger flowS.25 Debris flows normally occur when a
landslide moves down slope as a semi-fluid mass scouring, or partially scouring soils from the
slope along its path. Flows are typically rapidly moving and also tend to increase in volume as
they scour out the channel.26 Flows often occur during heavy rainfall, can occur on gentle
slopes, and can move rapidly for large distances.
LANDSLIDE CONDITIONS
Landslides are often triggered by periods of heavy rainfall. Earthquakes, subterranean water flow
and excavations may also trigger landslides. Certain geologic formations are more susceptible to
landslides than others. Human activities, including locating development near steep slopes, can
increase susceptibili'Py to landslide ev'ents. Landslides on steep slopes are more dangerous
because movements can be rapid.
Although landslides are a natural geologic process, the incidence of landslides and their impacts
on people can be exacerbated by human activities. Grading for road construction and
development can increase slope steepness. Grading and construction can decrease the stability of
a hill slope by adding weight to the top of the slope, removing support at the base of the slope,
and increasing water content. Other human activities effecting landslides include: excavation,
drainage and groundwater alterations, and changes in vegetation,27
Wildland fires in hills covered with chaparral are often a precursor to debris flows in burned out
canyons. The extreme heat of a wildfire can create a soil condition in which the earth becomes
impervious to water by creating a waxy-like layer just below the ground surface. Since the water
cannot be absorbed into the soil, it rapidly accumulates on slopes, often gathering loose particles
of soil into a sheet of mud and debris. Debris flows can often originate miles away from
unsuspecting persons, and approach them at a high rate of speed with little warning.
6
Section 7 landSlloes Final (Rewnle)
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NATt.:RAL CONDITIONS
Natural processes can cause landslides or re-activate historical landslide sites. The removal or
undercutting of shoreline-supporting material along bodies of water by currents and waves
produces countless small slides each year. Seismic tremors can trigger landslides on slopes
historically known to have landslide movement. Earthquakes can also cause additional failure
(lateral spreading) that can occur on gentle slopes above steep streams and riverbanks.
PARTICULARLY HAZARDOUS LANDSLIDE AREAS
Locations at risk from landslides or debris flows include areas with one or more of the following
conditions:
1. On or close to steep hills;
2. Steep road-cuts or excavations;
3. Existing landslides or places of known historic landslides (such sites often have tilted
power lines, trees tilted in various directions, cracks in the ground, and irregular-surfaced
ground);
4. Steep areas where surface runoff is channeled, such as below culverts, V -shaped valleys,
canyon bottoms, and steep stream channels; and
5. Fan-shaped areas of sediment and boulder accumulation at the outlets of canyons.
6. Canyon areas below hillsides and mountains that have recently (within 1-6 years) been
subjected to a wildland fire.
IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT
Although landslides are a natural occurrence, human impacts can substantially affect the
potential for landslide failures in the Cit. Proper planning and geotechnical and engineering
geologic studies are exercised to reduce the threat of safety of people, property, and
infrastructure.
Excavation and Grading
Slope excavation is common in the development of home sites or roads on sloping terrain.
Grading these slopes can result in some slopes that are steeper than the pre-existing natural
slopes. Since slope steepness is a major factor in landslides, these steeper slopes can be at an
increased risk for landslides. The added weight of fill placed on slopes can also result in an
increased landslide hazard. Small landslides can be fairly common along roads, in either the road
cut or the road fill. Landslides occurring below new construction sites are indicators of the
potential impacts stemming from excavation.
DRAINAGE AND GROUNDWATER ALTERATIONS
Water flowing through or above ground is often the trigger for landslides. Any activity that
increases the amount of water flowing into landslide-prone slopes can increase landslide hazards.
Broken or leaking water or sewer lines can be especially problematic, as can water retention
facilities that direct water onto slopes. However, even lawn irrigation in landslide prone locations
can result in damaging landslides. Ineffective storm water management and excess runoff can
7
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also cause erosion and increase the risk of landslide hazards. Drainage can be affected naturally
by the geology and topography of an area; Development that results in an increase in impervious
surface impairs the ability of the land to absorb water and may redirect water to other areas.
Channels, streams, ponding, and erosion on slopes all indicate potential slope problems.
Road and driveway drains, gutters, downspouts, and other constructed drainage facilities can
concentrate and accelerate flow. Ground saturation and concentrated velocity flow are major
causes of slope problems and may trigger landslides28
CHANGES IN VEGETATION
Removing vegetation from very steep slopes can increase landslide hazards. Areas that
experience wildfire and land clearing for development may have long periods of increased
landslide hazard. Also, certain types of ground cover have a much greater need for constant
watering to remain green. Changing away from native ground cover plants may increase the risk
of landslide.
LANDSLIDE HAZARD ASSESSMENT
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
On December 27, 1999, a fire occurred in the Angeles National Forest north of the City of
Arcadia that resulted in the burning of over 500 acres of chaparral. The U.S. Forestry Service
classified this as a medium intensity fire that burned off vegetation at the surface level, however
left the root structures intact. Initial estimates are that the natural recovery process will take
between four to ten years for full restoration of the vegetation and chaparral.
In the interim, the burn area is barren of vegetation. The soil is composed of loose gravel and
dirt and due to burn, which creates a coating, having a water repelling effect. This means that
the normal absorption and stability of the soil is diminished. With the lack of vegetation and
water repellency of the soil, geologists and hydrologists surveying the area forecast the
likelihood of natural soil erosion and runoff with or without rainfall.
The City of Arcadia anticipated that with rainfall, flooding and mudslides were likely. The
degree of flooding or mudslides depended upon the amount and intensity of rainfall; however,
experts believe that one-half inch of rain falling over a short period of time could be sufficient to
create a problem.
Several residences were identified as being threatened to varying degrees by mudslides and
flooding due to their proximity to the mountainside and the watersheds where water and debris
naturally flowed. Furthermore, several streets possessed the potential of being impacted by
flooding, mud and debris flow.
8
Section 7 landslideS Final (Re'M"lte)
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The Public Works Services Department created an action plan to coincide with the overall city
emergency operations plan in preparation for the anticipated flood, mud and debris programs.
VULi\ERABILITY Ai\D RISK
Vulnerability assessment for landslides will assist in predicting how different types of property
and population group's will be affected by a hazard.29 Data that includes specific landslide-prone
and debris flow locations in the city can be used to assess the population and total value of
property at risk from future landslide occurrences.
The City of Arcadia's Development Services Department uses percent slope as an indicator of
hill slope stability. The city uses a 20% or greater threshold to identify potentially unstable hill
slopes. The Mt. Wilson and EI Monte seismic hazard maps, which are published by the
California Department of Conservation, Division of Mines, shows that the extreme northeast
section of the City is the only portion of the City with the potential for landslides. Although the
acreage has not been calculated, it accounts for a very small part of the City.
While a quantitative vulnerability assessment (an assessment that describes number of lives or
amount of property exposed to the hazard) has not yet been conducted for City of Arcadia
landslide events, there are many qualitative factors that point to potential vulnerability.
Landslides can impact major transportation arteries, blocking residents from essential services
and businesses.
Past landslide events have caused property damage or significantly impacted City residents, and
continuing to map City landslide and debris flow areas will help in preventing future loss.
Factors included in assessing landslide risk include population and property distribution in the
hazard area, the frequency of landslide or debris flow occurrences, slope steepness, soil
characteristics, and precipitation intensity. This type of analysis could generate estimates of the
damages to the City due to a specific landslide or debris flow event. At the time of publication
of this plan, data was insufficient to conduct a risk analysis and the software needed to conduct
this type of analysis was not available.
COMMUi\ITY LANDSLIDE ISSUES
WHAT IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO LANDSLIDES?
Landslides can affect utility services, transportation systems, and critical lifelines. Communities
may suffer immediate damages and loss of service. Disruption of infrastructure, roads, and
critical facilities may also have a long-term effect on the economy. Utilities, including potable
water, wastewater, telecommunications, natural gas, and electric power, are all essential to
service community needs. Loss of electricity has the most widespread impact on other utilities
and on the whole community. Natural gas pipes as small as an inch or two may also be at risk
of breakage from landslide movements.
9
Section 7 landSlides Final (R&M1lel
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ROADS AND BRIDGES
Losses incurred from landslide hazards in the City of Arcadia have been associated with roads.
The City of Arcadia Public Works Services Department is responsible for responding to slides
that inhibit the flow of traffic or are damaging a roadlbridge.
LIFELINES AND CRITICAL FACILITIES
Lifelines and critical facilities should remain accessible, if possible, during a natural hazard
event. The impact of closed transportation arteries may be increased if the closed road or bridge
is critical for hospitals and other emergency facilities. Therefore, inspection and repair of critical
transportation facilities and routes is essential and should receive high priority. Losses of power
and phone service are also potential consequences oflandslide events. Due to heavy rains, soil
erosion in hillside areas can be accelerated, resulting in loss of soil support beneath high voltage
transmission towers in hillsides and remote areas. Flood events can also cause landslides, which
can have serious impacts on gas lines that are located in vulnerable soils.
LANDSLIDE MITIGATION ACTIVITIES
Landslide mitigation activities include current mitigation programs and activities that are being
implemented by local or city organizations.
Landslide Building/_Z9ning Codes
The City of Arcadia'sMunicipal Code addresses development on steep slopes in its building and
zoning codes. The codes outline standards for development within the hillside area of the City.
Generally, the ordinance requires geotechnical and engineering geologic studies for
developments proposed on slopes of 20 percent or greater. More detailed surface and subsurface
investigations shall be warranted if indicated by the geotechnical and geologic studies. This may
include soils, vegetation, geologic formations, and drainage patterns. Site evaluations may also
occur where stability might be lessened by proposed grading/filling or land clearing.
10
Section 7 Landsliaes FInal (Rewrite)
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HAZARD MAPPING
See Landslide and Debris Flow maps in Map section.
Community Issues Summary
Landslides are a potcntial problem in the City of Arcadia, and often affect the City's
infrastructure as well as private property. The Mt. Wilson and El Monte seismic hazard maps,
which are published by the California Department of Conservation, Division of Mines, illustrate
the known landslide hazard area(s).
Landslide Mitigation Action Items
The landslide mitigation action items provide direction on specific activities that the City,
homeowner associations, and residents in City of Arcadia can undertake to reduce risk and
prevent loss from landslide events. Each action item is followed by ideas for implementation,
which can be used by the steering committee and local decision makers in pursuing strategies for
implementation.
Short Term Mitigation Activity for Landslide #1: Improve knowledge of landslide hazard
areas and understanding of vulnerability and risk to life and property in hazard-prone areas.
Ideas for Implementation
Conduct a landslide hazard mapping study in the City of Arcadia,
Develop public information to emphasize risk when building on potential or historical
landslide areas.
Coordinating Organization: Public Works and Development Services Departments
Timeline: 1-2 years
Plan Goals Addressed: Natural Systems, Public Awareness
Constraints: Staffume/lack of resources
Short Term Mitigation Activity for Landslide #2: Identify safe evacuation routes in high-risk
debris flow and landslide areas. .
Ideas for Implementation
Identify potential debris removal resources;
Increase participation in regional committee planning for emergency transportation
routes; and
Identify and publicize information regarding emergency transportation routes.
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office
Timeline: 1-2 years
Plan Goals Addressed: Protect Life and Property
Constraints: Staff time/lack of resources
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Section 1 LimOslIOe!. Fmal (Rewn\e}
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LA1\DSLlDE RESOURCE DIRECTORY (See details in Appendix A)
COU1\TY RESOURCES
$ Los Angeles County Department of Public Works
STATE RESOURCES
$ Department of Conservation Headquarters
$ California Geological Survey Headquarters/Office of the State Geologist
$ California Division of Forestry
$ Department of Water Resources
$ Governor's Office of Emergency Services
$ California Department of Transportation (Cal Trans)
FEDERAL RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS
$ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
$ Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
$ US Geological Survey, National Landslide Information Center
PUBLICA TI01\5
Olshansky, Robert 8., Planning for Hillside Development (1996) American Planning
Association.
This document describes the history, purpose, and functions of hillside development and
regulation and the role of planning, and provides excerpts from hillside plans, ordinances, and
guidelines from communities throughout the US.
Olshansky, Robert 8. & Rogers, J. David, Unstable Ground: Landslide Policv in the United
States (1987) Ecology Law Quarterly.
This is about the history and policy of landslide mitigation in the US.
Public Assistance Debris Management Guide (July 2000) Federal Emergency Management
Agency.
The Debris Management Guide was developed to assist local officials in planning, mobilizing,
organizing, and controlling large-scale debris clearance, removal, and disposal operations. Debris
management is generally associated with post-disaster recovery. While it should be compliant
with local and city emergency operations plans, developing strategies to ensure strong debris
management is a way to integrate debris management within mitigation activities. The Guide is
available in hard copy or on the FEMA website.
12
Section 7 LandsliCles Final (Rewrite)
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USGS Landslide Program Brochure. National Landslide Information Center (NLIC), United
States Geologic Sur\'ey.
The brochure provides good, general infornlation in simple terminology on the importance of
landslide studies and a list of databases, outreach, and exhibits maintained by the NLLC. The
brochure also includes information on the types and causes of landslides, rock falls, and earth
flows.
LANDSLIDE ENDNOTES
I. Mileti, Dennis. Disasters by Design: A Reassessment of Natural Hazards in the United States
(1999) Joseph Henry Press, Washington D.C.
2. Brabb, E.E., and B.L Harrod. (Eds) Landslides: Extent and Economic Significance.
Proceedings of the 28th International Geological Congress Symposium on Landslides. (1989)
Washington D.C., Rotterdam: Balkema.
3. Highland, L.M., and Schuster, R.L., Significant Landslide Events in the United States. (No
Date) USGS, Washington D.C.,
http://landslides.usgs.gov .html_ files/pubslreport I/Landslides -'pass _ 508.pdf
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
II. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid.
15. Ibid.
13
Section 7 Lal"ldsl!oes Final (Re'M'ite)
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16. Ibid.
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
19. Ibid.
20. Ibid.
21. Landslide Hazards, U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 0071-00, Version 1.0, U.S.
Department of the Interior - U.S. Geological Survey, http://pubs.lIs!!:s.l!ov/fs/fs-0071-00/
22. Interagency Hazard Mitigation Team, State Hazard Mitigation Plan (2000) Oregon
Emergency Management
23. Ibid.
24. Barrows, Alan and Smith, Ted, DMG Note 13,
http://www.consrv.ca.gov/cgs/informationlpublications/cgs _notes/note _ 33/
25. Robert Olson Associates, Metro Regional Hazard Mitigation and Planning Guide (June
1999) Metro
26. Ibid.
27. Planning For Natural Hazards: The Oregon Technical Resource Guide, Department of Land
Conservation and Development (2000), Ch 5.
28. Homeowners Guidefor Landslide Control. Hillside Flooding, Debris Flows. Soil Erosion,
(March 1997)
29. Burby, R. (Ed.) Cooperating With Nature (1998) Washington, D.C.: Joseph Henry Press.
14
Section 7 LandslideS Final (Rewrite)
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SECTION 8
Flooding Hazards
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Flood Section
Table of Contents
Floods in the City of Arcadia...........................................................................................................3
History of Flooding in the City of Arcadia......................................................................................3
History of Flooding in the Southern CalifC5mia Region............::;....................................................3
What Factors Create Flood Risk? ....................................................................................................5
Flood Terminology.......................................................................................................................... 7
Characteristics of Flooding..............................................................................................................8
What Is the Effect of Development on Floods? .............................................................................12
How Are Flood-prone Areas Identified? .......................................................................................13
Hazard ldenti fication ..................................................................................................................... 14
V ulnerabi lity Assessment ...................................... ....... ...... ......... ....... ...... ... ........ ........ ..... ............. 14
Community Flood Issues ...............................................................................................................15
Risk Analysis.....................................................................................................................................
What Is Susceptible to Damage During a Flood Event~....................................................................
FI dM" . A'"
00 Itlgatlon ctl VI tles................................................................................................................
Community Issues Summary .............................................................................................................
Flood Mitigation Action Items.......................................................................................................18
Flood Resource Directory....................................... ,..................................................................... .20
County Resources........................................................................................................................ ..20
State Resources............................................................................................................................ ..21
Federal Resources and Programs ...................................................................................................21
Publications....................................................................................................................................24
Flooding End Notes...................................................................................................................... .24
Attachments:
F.E.M.A. Flood Letter
Dam Inundation Map
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Floods in the City of Arcadia
Based upon findings from the Federal Emergency Management Agency at stated in a letter to the
then Mayor of the City of Arcadia (dated September 7, 1984, see Exhibit I), the City of Arcadia
has no Special Flood Hazard Areas that exist within the corporate limits of the community. This
finding is in compliance with Part 67, Chapter I, title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
However, there are portions of the City that are located within the flood hazard areas (or
inundation areas) of three (3) dams, including the Eaton Wash Dam in East Pasadena, the Santa
Anita Dam, which is located in the Nation Forest above Arcadia, and the Sawpit Dam, which is
located in Monrovia. A portion of the Sierra Madre Dam hazard area is also located within the
City limits but the dam was recently modified and no longer poses a potential threat to the City.
See Exhibit 2 - Fire and Flooding Hazards from the City of Arcadia General Plan.
While the City is not in a designated special flood hazard area, it was most recently affected by a
debris flow in Winter 2000. This incident was a result ofa fire that occurred in December 1999
in the Angeles National Forest north of the City of Arcadia. The U.S. Forestry Service classified
the fire as medium intensity that burned off vegetation at the surface level. However, it left the
root structures intact. Initial estimates stated that the natural recovery process would take
between four to ten years for full restoration of the vegetation and chaparral. Due to the fire, the
soil was composed of loose gravel and a dirt and water repelling coating was formed.
At the City's next annual rainfall, debris began to flow down from the burned areas causing
damage to local homes. It was estimated that this debris flow could have caused damage to 41
homes totaling approximately S 17.7 million in private property damage. The City spent
approximately 5540,000 to help minimize the damage to private property.
The City has also experienced Urban Flooding. This occurred during the heavy rains in the mid
90's when the City's'sewer system could not handle the amount of water being generated from
the storm. The wateioverflowed onto the City streets but caused little to no damage to any
public or private property. Once the rainfall lessened, the sewer system was able once again
channel the water through and away from the City.
History of Flooding ill The City of Arcadia
There are a number of rivers in the Southern California region, but the river with the best
recorded history is the Los Angeles River. The flood history of the Los Angeles River is
generally indicative of the flood history of much of South ern California.
Historic Flooding in Los Angeles County
Records show that since 1811, the Los Angeles River has flooded 30 times, on average once
every 6.1 years. But averages are deceiving, for the Los Angeles basin goes through periods of
drought and then periods of above average rainfall. Between 1889 and 1891 the river flooded
every year, and from 1941 to 1945, the river flooded 5 times. Conversely, from 1896 to 1914, a'
period of 18 years, and again from 1944 to 1969, a period of 25 years, the river did not have
serious floods.]
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Major Floods of the Los Angeles River
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1811 Flooding
1815 Flooding
1825 L.A. River changed its course back from the Ballona wetlands to San Pedro
1832 Heavy flooding
1861-62 Heavy flooding. Fifty inches of rain falls during December and January.
1867 Floods create a large, temporary lake out to Ballona Creek.
1876 The Novician Deluge
1884 Heavy flooding causes the river to change course again, turning east to Vernon and then
southward to San Pedro.
1888-1891 Annual floods
1914 Heavy flooding. Great damage to the harbor.
1921 Flooding
1927 Moderate flood
1934 Moderate flood starting January 1. Forty dead in La Canada.
1938 Great County-wide flood with 4 days of rain. Most rain on day 4.
\94\.44 L.A. River floods five times.
1952 Moderate flooding
1969 One heavy flood after 9 day storm. One moderate flood.
1978 Two moderate floods
1979 Los Angeles experiences severe flooding and mudslides.
1980 Flood tops banks of river in Long Beach. Sepulveda Basin spillway almost opened.
1983 Flooding kills six people.
1992 15 year flood. Motorists trapped in Sepulveda basin. Six people dead.
1994 Heavy flooding
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Sources: http://www.lale.kI2.ca.us/targetlunits/river/tour/hist.htmland
( hllp:llwww.losangelesalmanac.comltopics/History/hi01i.htm )
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While the City of Arcadia is 15 miles east of Los Angeles, it is not so far away as to not be
affected by the heavy rains that brought flooding to Los Angeles. In addition, the towering
mountains that give the Los Angeles region its spectacular views also bring a great deal of rain
out of the storm clouds that pass through. Because the mountains are so steep, the rainwater
moves rapidly down the slopes and across the coastal plains on its way to the ocean.
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""The Santa Monica, Santa Susana and Verdugo mountains, which
surround three sides of the valley seldom reach heights above three
thousand feet. The western San Gabriel Mountains, in contrast,
have elevations of more than seven thousand feet. These higher
ridges often trap eastern-moving winter storms. Although
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downtown Los Angeles averages just fifteen inches of rain a year,
some mountain peaks in the San Gabriels receive more than forty
inches of precipitation annually,,2
Naturally, this rainfall moves rapidly down stream, often with severe consequences for anything
in its path. In extreme cases, flood-generated debris flows will roar down a canyon at speeds near
40 miles per hour with a wall of mud, debris and water tens of feet high.
In Southern California, stories of floods, debris flows, persons buried alive under tons of mud
and rock and persons swept away to their death in a river flowing at thirty-five miles an hour are
without end. No catalog of chaos could contain all the losses suffered by man and his
possessions from the regions rivers and streams.
What Factors Create Flood Risk?
Flooding occurs when climate, geology, and hydrology combine' to create conditions where
water flows outside of its usual course. While the City of Arcadia has some of these conditions,
it has been fortunate enough to have never experienced flooding in the City.
Winter Rainfall
Over the last 125 years, the average annual rainfall in Los Angeles has been 14.9 inches. But the
term "average" means very little as the annual rainfall during this time period has ranged from
only 4.35 inches in 2001-2002 to 38.2 inches in 1883-1884. In fact, in only fifteen of the past
l25 years, has the annual rainfall been within plus or minus 10% of the 14.9 inch average. And
in only 38 years has the annual rainfall been within plus or minus 20% of the 14.9 inch average.
This makes the Los Angeles basin a land of extremes in terms of annual precipitation.
The City of Arcadia is centrally located in the San Gabriel Valley. It is up against the San
Gabriel mountains or hills, which could increase the collection ofrainwater.
Monsoons
Another relatively regular source for heavy rainfall, particularly in the mountains and adjoining
cities is from summer tropical storms. Table below lists tropical storms that have had significant
rainfall in the past century, and the ge'l.eral areas affected by these storms. These tropical storms
usually coincide with El Nino years.
Tropical cyclones that have affected Southern California during the 20th Century
Month-Year Date(s) Area(s) Affected Rainfall
July 1902 20th & 21" Desens & Southern Mountains up to 2"
Aug. 1906 18th & 19'h Deserts & Southern Mountains up to 5"
Sept. 1910 15th Mountains of Santa Barbara County 2"
Aug. 1921 20th & 21 " Deserts & Southern Mountains up to 2"
Sept. 1921 30th Deserts up to4"
Sept. 1929 18'h Southern Mountains & Desens up to 4"
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Tropical cyclones that have affected Southern California during the 20th Century
Sept. 1932 28'" - Oct 1" Mountains & Deserts, 15 Fatalities up to 7
Aug. 1935 25'" Southern Valleys, Mountains & Deserts up to 2"
4th _7'" Southern Mountains, Southern & Eastern Deserts up to 7
Ilth& 12'" Deserts, Central & Southern Mountains up t04"
Sept. 1939 19th - 21" Deserts, Central & Southern Mountains up to 3"
25'" Long Beach, WI Sustained Winds of 50 Mph 5"
Surrounding Mountains 6 to 12"
Sept. 1945 9th & 10th Central & Southern Mountains up to 2"
Sept. 1946 30'" -Oct I" Southern Mountains up t04"
Aug. 1951 27th - 29th Southern Mountains & Desens 2 to 5"
Sept. 1952 19th - 21st Central & Southern Mountains up t02"
July 1954 17th - 19th Deserts & Southern Mountains up to 2"
July 1958 28th & 29th Deserts & Southern Mountains up to 2"
Sept. 1960 9th & 10th Julian 3.40"
Sept. 1963 17th - 19th Central & Southern Mountains up to 7"
Sept. 1967 1st - 3rd Southern Mountains & Deserts 2"
Oct. 1972 6th Southeast Deserts up to 2"
Sept. 1976 10th & 11th Central & Southern Mountains. Ocotillo, CA was Destroyed 6 to 12"
3 Fatalities
Los Angeles 2"
Aug. 1977 n/a
Mountains up to 8"
Oct. 1977 6th & 7th Southern Mountains & Deserts up to 2
Sept. 1978 5th & 6th Mountains 3"
Sept. 1982 24th - 26th Mountains up to 4"
Sept. 1983 20th & 21st Southern Mountains & Deserts up to 3"
hun: \\'\\ \\. fc'ma.!.!O\' l1\\'z9jleln scal.shtm
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Geography and Geology
The grealer Los Angeles Basin is Ihe product ofrainstorms and erosion for millennia. "Most of
the mountains that ring the valleys and coastal plain are deeply fractured faults and, as they (the
mountains) grew taller, their brittle slopes were continually eroded. Rivers and streams carried
boulders, rocks, gravel, sand, and silt down these slopes to the valleys and coastal plain. In
places these sediments are as much as twenty thousand feet thick,,3
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Much of the coastal plain rests on the ancient rock debris and sediment washed down from the
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mountains. This sediment can act as a sponge, absorbing vast quantities of rain in those years
when heavy rains follow a dry period. But like a sponge that is near saturation, the same soil
fills up rapidly when a heavy rain follows a period ofrelatively wet weather. So even in some
years of heavy rain, flooding is minimal because the ground is relatively dry. The same amount
of rain following a wet period of time can cause extensive flooding.
The greater Los Angeles basin is for all intents and purposes built out. This leaves precious little
open land to absorb rainfall. This lack of open ground forces water to remain on the surface and
rapidly accumulate. If it were not for the massive flood control system with its concrete lined
river and stream beds, flooding would be a much more common occurrence. And the tendency is
towards even less and less open land. In-fill building is becoming a much more common
practice in many areas. Developers tear down an older home which typically covers up to 40%
of the lot size and replacing it with three or four town homes or apartments which'may cover 90-
95% of the lot which is not allowed in the City of Arcadia's Development Code.
Another potential source of flooding is "asphalt creep." The street space between the curbs of a
street is a part of the flood control system. Water leaves property and accumulates in the streets,
where it is directed towards the underground portion of the flood control system. The carrying
capacity of the street is determined by the width of the street and the height of the curbs along
the street. Often, when streets are being resurfaced, a one to two inch layer of asphalt is laid
down over the existing asphalt. This added layer of asphalt subtracts from the rated capacity of
the street to carry water. Thus the original engineefed capacity of the entire storm drain system
is marginally reduced over time. Subsequent re-paving of the street will further reduce the
engineered capacity even more.
Flood Terminology
Floodplain
A floodplain is a land area adjacent to a river, stream, lake, estuary, or other water body that is
subject to flooding. This area, ifleft undisturbed, acts to store excess flood water. The
floodplain is made up of two sections: the floodway and the flood fringe.
I DO-Year Flood
The 1 OO-year flooding event is the flood having a one percent chance of being equaled or
exceeded in magnitude in any given year. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a flood occurring
once every 100 years. The I DO-year floodplain is the area adjoining a river, stream, or
watercourse covered by water in the event of a 100-year flood.
Floodway
The floodway is one of two main sections that make up the floodplain. Floodways are defined
for regulatory purposes. Unlike floodplains, floodways do not reflect a recognizable geologic
feature. For NFIP purposes, floodways are defined as the channel of a river or stream, and the
overbank areas adjacent to the channel. The floodway carries the bulk of the flood water
downstream and is usually the area where water velocities and forces are the greatest. NFIP
regulations require that the floodway be kept open and free from development or other structures
that would obstruct or divert flood flows onto other properties.
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The NFIP floodway definition is "the channel of a river or other watercourse and adjacent land
areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing
the water surface elevation more than one foot. Floodways are not mapped for all rivers and
streams but are generally mapped in developed areas.
Flood Fringe
The flood fringe refcrs to the outer portions of the floodplain, beginning at the edge of the
floodway and continuing outward. Based upon findings from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency at stated in a letter to the Mayor of the City of Arcadia (dated September 7,
1984), the City of Arcadia has no Special Flood Hazard Areas that exist within the corporate
limits of the community. This finding is in compliance with Part 67, Chapter I, litle 44 of the
Code of Federal Regulations. Therefore, the City of Arcadia's Development Code does not
address any type of flood plain development. However, the City's General Plan recognizes that
the City does receive more than average rainfall due to it's proximity to the San Gabriel
Mountains. Howevcr, there are portions of the City that are located within the flood hazard areas
(or inundation areas) of three (3) dams, including the Eaton Wash Dam in East Pasadena, the
Santa Anita Dam, which is located in the Nation Forest above Arcadia, and the Sawpit Dam,
which is located in Momovia. A portion of the Sierra Madre Dam hazard area is also located
within the City limits but the dam was recently modified and no longer poses a potential threat to
the City.
Development
Based upon findings from the Federal Emergency Management Agency at stated in a letter to the
Mayor of the City of Arcadia (dated September 7, 1984), the City of Arcadia has no Special
Flood Hazard Areas that exist within the corporate limits of the community. This finding is in
compliance with Vart 67, Chapter I; title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Therefore, the
City of Arcadia's Development Code does not address any type of flood plain development.
Base Flood Elevation (BFE)
The term "Base Flood Elevation" refers to the elevation (normally measured in feet above sea
level) that the base flood is expected to reach. Base flood elevations can be set at levels other
than the IOO-year flood. Some communities choose to use higher frequency flood events as their
base flood elevation for certain activities, while using lower frequency events for others. For
example, for the purpose of storm water management, a 25-year flood event might serve as the
base flood elevation; while the 500-year flood event may serve as base flood elevation for the tie
down of mobile homes. The regulations of the NFIP focus on development in the IOO-year
floodplain.
Characteristics of Flooding
Riverine Flooding
Riverine flooding is the overbank flooding of rivers and streams. The natural processes of
riverine flooding add sediment and nutrients to fertile floodplain areas. Flooding in large river
systems typically results from large-scale weather systems that generate prolonged rainfall over a
wide geographic area, causing flooding in hundreds of smaller streams, which then drain into the
major nvers.
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Shallow area flooding is a special type of riverine flooding. FEMA defines shallow flood
hazards as areas that are inundated by the I DO-year flood with flood depths of only one to three
feet. These areas are generally flooded by low velocity sheet flows of water.
Urban Flooding
As land is converted from fields or woodlands to roads and parking lots, it loses its ability to
absorb rainfall. Urbanization ofa watershed changes the hydrologic systems of the basin.
Heavy rainfall collects and flows faster on impervious concrete and asphalt surfaces. The water
moves from the clouds, to the ground, and into streams at a much faster rate in urban areas.
Adding these elements to the hydroldgical systems can result in flood waters that rise very
rapidly and peak with violent force.
The City of Arcadia, as is the case with all built out cities, has a high concentration of
impermeable surfaces Ihal either collect water, or concentr,lle the flow of water in unnatural
channels. During periods of urban flooding, streets can become swift moving rivers and
basements can fill with water. Storm drains often back up with vegetative debris causing
additional, localized flooding.
The City of Arcadia could experience Urban Flooding during severe EI Nino type rainfall
exceeding the City's sewer systems maximum capacity. This occurred once in the City during
the heaving rains in Ihe mid 90's. The water overflowed onto the City streets but caused little to
no damage to any public or private property. Once the rainfalIlessened, the sewer system was
able once again channel the water through and away from the City.
Dam Failure Flooding
Loss of life and damage to structures, roads, and utilities may result from a dam failure.
Economic losses can also result from a lowered tax base and lack of utility profits. These effects
could certainly accompany the failure of one of the major dams surrounding the City of Arcadia.
There are no dams within the City's boundaries. However, there are portions of the City that are
located within the flood hazard areas (or inundation areas) of three (3) dams, including the Eaton
Wash Dam in East Pasadena, Ihe Santa Anita Dam, which is located in the Nation Forest above
Arcadia, and the Sawpit Dam, which is located in Monrovia. A portion of the Sierra Madre Dam
hazard area is also located within the City limits but the dam was recently modified and no
longer poses a potential threat to the City.
Because dam failure can have severe consequences, FEMA requires that all dam owners develop
Emergency Action Plans (EAP) for warning, evacuation, and post-flood actions. Although there
may be coordination with county officials in the development of the EAP, the responsibility for
developing potential flood inundation maps and facilitation of emergency response is the
responsibility of the dam owner. For more detailed information regarding dam failure flooding,
and potential flood inundation zones for a particular dam in the county, refer to the Disaster
Management Plans for the cities of Monrovia, Pasadena and the National Forestry Service.
There have been a total of 45 dam failures in California, since the 19th century. The significant
dam failures in Southern California are listed in the table below.
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Dam Failures in Southern California
Sheffield Santa Barbara ]925 Earthquake slide
Puddingstone Pomona 1926 Overtopping during construction
Lake Hemet Palm Springs 1927 Overtopping
Saint Francis San Francisquito 1928 Sudden failure at full capacity through foundation, 426
Canyon deaths
Cogswell Monrovia 1934 Breaching of concrete cover
Baldwin Hills Los Angeles 1963 Leak through embankment rurned into washout. 3 deaths
hup:llcee.engr. ucdavis.edulfacultyllundldamslDam _History _ PagelF ailures.htm
- ~. - - ---------~--- --- ~ -- - -- - ---
The two most significant dam failures are the 5t. Francis Dam in 1928 and the Baldwin Hills
Dam in 1963.
"The failure of the 5t. Francis Dam, and the resulting loss of over 500 lives in the
path of a roaring wall of water, was a scandal that resulted in the almost complete
destruction of the reputation of its builder, William Mulholland.
Mulholland was an immigrant from Ireland who rose up through the ranks of the
city's water department to the position of chief engineer. It was he who proposed,
designed, and supervised the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, which
brought water from the Owens Valley to the city. The St. Francis Dam, built in
1926, was 180 feet high and 600 feet long; it was located near Saugus in the San
Francisquito Canyon.
The dam gave way on March 12, 1928, three minutes before midnight. Its waters
swept Ihrough the Santa Clara Valley toward the Pacific Ocean, about 54 miles
away. 65 miles of valley was devastated before the water finally made its way
into the ocean between Oxnard and Ventura. At its peak the wall of water was
said to be 78 feet high; by the time it hit Santa Paula, 42 miles south of the dam,
the water was estimated to be 25 feet deep. Almost everything in its path was
destroyed: livestock, structures, railways, bridges, and orchards. By the time it
was over, parts of Ventura County lay under 70 feet of mud and debris. Over 500
people were killed and damage estimates topped $20 million.''''
The Baldwin Hills dam failed during the daylight hours, and was one of the first disaster
events documented a live helicopter broadcast.
'"The Baldwin Hills Dam collapsed with the fury of a thousand cloudbursts, sending a 50-
foot wall of water down Cloverdale Avenue and slamming into homes and cars on Dec.
14,1963.
Five people were killed. Sixty-five hillside houses were ripped apart, and 210
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homes and apartments were damaged. The flood swept northwafd in a V -shaped
path roughly bounded by La Brea Avenue and Jefferson and La Cienega
boulevards.
The earthen dam that created a 19-acre reservoir to supply drinking water for West Los
Angeles residents ruptured at 3:38 p.m. As a pencil-thin crack widened to a 75-foot gash,
292 million gallons surged out. It took 77 minutes for the lake to empty. But it took a
generation for the neighborhood below to recover. And two decades passed before the
Baldwin Hills ridge top was reborn.
~~~~.~,.^.;'
Baldwin Hills Dam - Dark spot in upper right hand quadrant shows the beginning of the break
in the dam.
The cascade caused an unexpected ripple effect that is still being felt in Los
Angeles and beyond. It foreshadowed the end of urban-area earthen dams as a
major element of the Department of Water and Power's water storage system. It
prompted a tightening of Division of Safety of Dams control over reservoifs
throughout the state.
The live telecast of the collapse from a KTLA-TV helicopter is considered the
precursor to airborne news coverage that is now routine everywhere.',5
Debris Flows
Another flood related hazard that can affect certain parts of the Southern California region are
debris !lows. Most typically debris flows occur in mountain canyons and the foothills against the
San Gabriel Mountains. However, any hilly or mountainous area with intense rainfall and the
proper geologic conditions may experience one of these very sudden and devastating events.
"Debris !lows, sometimes referred to as mudslides, mud !lows, lahars, or debris
avalanches, are common types of fast-moving landslides. These flows generally
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occur during periods of intense rainfall or rapid snow melt. They usually start on
steep hillsides as shallow landslides that liquefy and accelerate to speeds that are
typically about 10 miles per hour, but can exceed 35 miles per hour. The
consistency of debris flows ranges from watery mud to thick, rocky mud that can
carry large items such as boulders, trees, and cars. Debris flows from many
different sources can combine in channels, and their destructive power may be
greatly increased. They continue flowing down hills and through channels,
growing in volume with the addition of water, sand, mud, boulders, trees, and
other materials. When the flows reach flatter ground, the debris spreads over a
broad area, sometimes accumulating in thick deposits that can wreak havoc in
developed areas.,,6
The City of Arcadia was affected by a debris flow in Winter 2000. This incident was a result of
a fire that occurred in December 1999 in the Angeles National Forest north of the City of
Arcadia. The U.S. Forestry Service classified the fire as medium intensity that burned off
vegetation at the surface level. However, it left the root structures intact. Initial estimates stated
that the natural recovery process would take between four to ten years for full restoration of the
vegetation and chaparral. Due to the fire, the soil was composed of loose gravel and a dirt and
water repelling coating was formed.
At the City's next alillual rainfall, debris began to flow down from the burned areas causing
damage to local homes. It was estimated that this debris flow could have caused damage t~.41
homes totaling approximately S 17.7 million in private property damage. The City spent
approximately 5540,000 to help minimize the damage to private property.
Coastal Flooding
Low lying coastal communities of Southern California have one other source of flooding, coastal
flooding. This occurs most often during storms which bring higher than normal tides. Storms,
the time of year and the tidal cycle can sometimes work to bring much higher than normal tides
which cause flooding in low lying coastal areas. This hazard howeveds limited to those areas.
What is the Effect of Developmeot on Floods?
When structures or fill are placed in the floodway or floodplain water is displaced. Development
raises the river levels by forcing the river to compensate for the flow space obstructed by the
inserted structures and/or fill. When structures or materials are added to the floodway or
floodplain and no fill is removed to compensate, serious problems can arise. Flood waters may
be forced away from historic floodplain areas. As a result, other existing floodplain areas may
experience flood waters that rise above historic levels. Local governments must require engineer
certification to ensure that proposed developments will not adversely affect the flood carrying
capacity of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Displacement of only a few inches of water
can mean the difference between no structural damage occurring in a given flood event, and the
inundation of many homes, businesses, and other facilities. Careful attention should be given to
development that occurs within the flood way to ensure that structures are prepared to withstand
base flood events. In highly urbanized areas, increased paving can lead to an increase in volume
and velocity of runoff after a rainfall event, exacerbating the potential flood hazards. Care
should be taken in the development and implementation of storm water management systems to
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ensure that these runoff waters are dealt with effectively.
How are Flood-Prone Areas Identified?
Flood maps and Flood Insurance Studies (FIS) are often used to identify flood-prone areas. The
NFIP was established in 1968 as a means of providing low-cost flood insurance to the nation's
flood-prone communities. The NFIP also reduces flood losses through regulations that focus on
building codes and sound floodplain management. NFIP regulations (44 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) Chapter I, Section 60, 3) require that all new construction in floodplains must
be elevated at or above base flood level.
Based upon findings from the Federal Emergency Management Agency at stated in a letter to the
then Mayor of the City of Arcadia, Mr. David Hannah (dated September 7,1984), the City of
Arcadia has no Special Flood Hazard Areas that exist within the corporate limits of the
community. This finding is in compliance with Part 67, Chapter I, title 44 of the Code of Federal
Regulations.
Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) and Flood Insurance Studies (FIS) Floodplain maps are the
basis for implementing floodplain regulations and for delineating flood insurance purchase
requirements. A Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the official map produced by FEMA
which delineates SFHA in communities where NFIP regulations apply. FIRMs are also used by
insurance agents and mortgage lenders to determine if flood insurance is required and what
insurance rates should apply.
Water surface elevations are combined with topographic data to develop FIRMs. FIRMs
illustrate areas that would be inundated during a 100-year flood, floodway areas, and elevations
marking the I OO-year-flood level. In some cases they also include base flood elevations (BFEs)
and areas located within the 500-year floodplain. Flood Insurance Studies and FIRMs produced
for the NFIP provide assessments of the probability of flooding at a given location. FEMA
conducted many Flood Insurance Studies in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These studies and
maps represent flood risk at the point in time when FEMA completed the studies. However, it is
important to note that not all I OO-year or 500-year floodplains have been mapped by FEMA.
FEMA established that City of Arcadia is in Zone D. This is a determination by FEMA that no
Special Flood Hazard Areas exist in within the corporate limits of Arcadia.
FEMA flood maps are not entirely accurate. These studies and maps represent flood risk at the
point in time when FEMA completed the studies, and does not incorporate planning for
floodplain changes in the future due to new development. Although FEMA is considering
changing that policy, it is optional for local communities. Although FEMA designated the City
of Arcadia in Zone D, it could be possible that man-made and natural changes to the
environment have changed the dynamics of storm water run-off since then.
Flood Mapping Methods and Techniques
Although many communities rely exclusively on FIRMs to characterize the risk of flooding in
their area, there are some flood-prone areas that are not mapped but remain susceptible to
flooding. These areas include locations next to small creeks, local drainage areas, and areas
susceptible to manmade flooding.
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Communities find it particularly useful to overlay flood hazard areas on tax assessment parcel
maps. This allows a community to evaluate the flood hazard risk for a specific parcel during
review ofa development request. Coordination between FEMA and local planning jurisdictions
is the key to making a strong connection with GIS technology for the purpose of flood hazard
mappmg.
FEMA and the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRl), a private company, have
formed a partnership to provide multi-hazard maps and information to the public via the Internet.
ESRI produces GIS software, including ArcViewC9 and ArcInfoC9. The ESRI web site has
information on GIS technology and downloadable maps. The hazards maps provided on the
ESRI site are intended to assist communities in evaluating geographic information about natural
hazards. Flood information for most communities is available on the ESRI web site. Visit
www.esri.com for more information.
Hazard Identification
Hazard identification is the first phase of flood-hazard assessment. Identification is the process
of estimating: (I) the geographic extent of the floodplain (i.e., the area at risk from flooding); (2)
the intensity of the flooding that can be expected in specific areas of the floodplain; and (3) the
probability of occurrence of flood events. This process usually results in the creation of a
floodplain map. Floodplain maps provide detailed information that-can assist jurisdictions in
making policies and land-use decisions.
Data Sources
FEMA mapped the 100 -year and 500-year floodplains through the Flood Insurance Study (FIS)
in conjunction with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in August of 1987.
There were previous studies done, including a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) study,
which mapped the floodplain in March of 1978. The City of Afcadia initially entered into the
NFIP in 1984. The county has updated portions of the USACE and FEMA maps through smaller
drainage studies in the county since that time.
Vulnerability Assessment
Vulnerability assessment is the second step of flood-hazard assessment. It combines the
floodplain boundary, generated through hazard identification, with an inventory of the property
within the floodplain. Understanding the population and property exposed to natural hazards
will assist in reducing risk and preventing loss from future events. Because site-specific
inventory data and inundation levels given for a particular flood event (lO-year, 25-year, 50-year,
100-year, 500-year) are not readily available, calculating a community's vulnerability to flood
events is not straightforward. The amount of property in the floodplain, as well as the type and
value of structures on those properties, should be calculated to provide a working estimate for
potential flood losses.
Risk Analysis
Risk analysis is the third and most advanced phase of a hazard assessment. It builds upon the
hazard identification and vulnerability assessment. A flood risk analysis for the City of Arcadia
should include two components: (l) the life and value of property that may incur losses from a
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flood event (defined through the vulnerability assessment); and (2) the number and type of flood
events expected to occur over time. Within the broad components of a risk analysis, it is
possible to predict the severity of damage from a range of events. Flow velocity models can
assist in predicting the amount of damage expected from different magnitudes of flood events.
The data used to develop these models is based on hydrological analysis of landscape features.
Changes in the landscape, often associated with human development, can alter the flow velocity
and the severity of damage that can be expected from a flood event.
Using GIS technology and flow velocity models, it is possible to map the damage that can be
expected from flood events over time. It is also possible to pinpoint the effects of certain flood
events on individual properties.
Community Flood Issues
What is Susceptible to Damage During a Flood Event?
The largest impact on communities from flood events is the loss oflife and property. During
certain years, property losses resulting from flood damage are extensive. Property loss from
floods strikes both private and public property. Because the City of Arcadia does not lie ih a
flood plain, the damage to property in the City has been minimal since incorporation.
Property Loss Resulting from Flooding Events
The type of property damage caused by flood events depends on the depth and velocity of the
flood waters. Faster moving flood waters can wash buildings off their foundations and sweep
cars downstream. Pipelines, bridges, and other infrastructure can be damaged when high waters
combine with flood debris. Exlensive damage can be caused by basement flooding and landslide
damage related to soil saturation from flood events. Most flood damage is caused by water
saturating materials susceptible to loss (i.e., wood, insulation, wallboard, fabric, furnishings,
floor coverings, and appliances). In many cases, flood damage to homes renders them unlivable.
Manufactured Homes
Statewide, the 1996 floods destroyed 156 housing units. Of those units, 61 % were mobile
homes and trailers. Many older manufactured home parks are located in floodplain areas.
Manufactured homes have a lower level of structural stability than stick-buill homes, and must
be anchored to provide additional structural stability during flood events. Because of confusion
in the late 1980s resulting from multiple changes in NFIP regulations, there are some
communities that do not actively enforce anchoring requirements. Lack of enforcement of
manufactured home construction standards in floodplains can contribute to severe damages from
flood events.
Business/Industry
Flood events impact businesses by damaging property and by interrupting business. Flood
events can cut off customer access to a business as well as close a business for repairs. A quick
response to the needs of businesses affected by flood events can help a community maintain
economic vitality in the face of flood damage. Responses to business damages can include
funding to assist owners in elevating or relocating flood-prone business structures.
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Public Infrastructure
Publicly owned facilities are a key component of daily life for all citizens of the county. Damage
to public water and sewer systems, transportation networks, flood control facilities, emergency
facilities, and offices can hinder the ability of the government to deliver services. Government
can take action to reduce risk to public infrastructure from flood events, as well as craft public
policy that reduces risk to private property from flood events.
Roads
During natural hazard events, or any type of emergency or disaster, dependable road connections
are critical for providing emergency services. Roads systems in the City of Arcadia are
maintained by the Pubic Works Services Department. Federal, state, county, and city
governments all have a stake in protecting roads from flood damage. Road networks often
traverse floodplain and floodway areas. Transportation agencies responsible for road
maintenance are typically aware of roads at risk from flooding.
Bridges
Bridges are key points of concern during flood events because they are important links in road
networks, river crossings, and they can be obstructions in watercourses, inhibiting the flow of
water during flood events. The bridges in the City of Arcadia are state, county, city, or privately
owned. A state-designated inspector must inspect all state, county, and city bridges every two
years; but private bridges are not inspected, and can be very dangerous. The inspections are
rigorous, looking at everything from seismic capability to erosion and scour.
There are a variety of types of bridges that can be found within the City's boundaries, Two
major bridges that cross over major streets (the bridges at Huntington and Second and Colorado
between Santa Anita and Colorado Place) have been earmarked for seismic retrofitting. The 210
Freeway bridges have all been seismically retrofitted. However, there are also bridges within the
City boundaries that cross over the Santa Anita Wash and have all not been retrofitted.
Storm Water Systems
Local drainage problems are common throughout the City of Arcadia. While the City does not
have a drainage master plan, Public Works staff is aware of local drainage threats. The problems
are often present whefe storm water runoff enters culverts or goes underground into storm
sewers. Inadequate maintenance can also contribute to the flood hazard in urban areas.
Water/Wastewater Treatment Facilities
There is one sanitary districts that services the City of Arcadia (Los Angeles County Sanitation).
There are also four (4) water service companies and or districts in the City of Arcadia,. This
number includes the water service provided to the residents by the City of Arcadia.
Water Quality
Environmental quality problems include bacteria, toxins, and pollution.
Existing Flood Mitigation Activities
The City of Arcadia does not have specific Flood mitigation activities because according to
FEMA, the City is not in a flood hazard area.
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The City of Arcadia Codes
The City of Arcadia utilizes the Uniform Building Code (UBC) to regulate and enforce all
building codes. The UBC addresses development in all types of hazardous areas but because the
City of Arcadia is not in a flood hazard area (per FEMA) this section of the UBC is rarely used.
Acquisition and Protection of Open Space in the Floodplain
Current efforts to increase public open space in the City of Arcadia have been paired with the
need to restore and preserve natural systems that provide wildlife habitat and help to mitigate
flood events. Public parks and publicly owned open spaces can provide a buffer between flood
hazards and pri vate property.
Water Districts
All of the water dislIicts in the City as well as the City Public Works Services Department are in
the process ofreplacing old cast iron pipes with more ductile iron pipes, which will be more
resilient in disaster situations. During a disaster, water districts in the region work together to
provide water for the City of Arcadia residents.
Riparian Areas
Riparian areas are important transitional areas that link water and land ecosystems. Vegetation
in riparian areas is dependent on stream processes, such as flooding, and often is composed of
plants that require large amounts ofwatef, such as willows and cottonwood trees. Healthy
vegetation in riparian buffers can reduce streamside erosion. During flood events, high water
can cause significant erosion.
Wastewater Management
Arcadia's sewer system is a series of privately owned lateral connections from individual
businesses and residences, which connect to larger City-owned main lines - then to subsequently
larger trunk lines, which then take Arcadia's sanitary and industrial wastes to treatment plants
operated by the LA County Sanitation District. These wastes are treated to varying degrees and
either used for speci fic industrial purposes such as freeway irrigation or power (plant)
generation, or discharged in to water bodies of the State, where they flow to the Pacific Ocean.
Wetlands
Many floodplain and stream-associated wetlands absorb and store storm water flows, which
reduces flood velocities and stream bank erosion. Preserving these wetlands reduces flood
damage and the need for expensive flood control devices such as levees. When the storms are
over, many wetlands augment summer stream flows by slowly releasing the stored water back to
the stream system. Wetlands are highly effective at removing nitrogen, phosphorous, heavy
metals, and other pollutants from water. For this reason, artificial wetlands are often constructed
for cleaning storm water runoff and for tertiary treatment (polishing) of wastewater. The City of
Arcadia does not have any wetland areas with the City boundaries.
Storm Water Systems
There are a variety of surface water management providers in the county that manage water
qualily and storm water runoff from new development.
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The City of Arcadia is required to protect the waters of the State, by way of Order No. 01-182,
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. CAS004001. Issued by
the State of California's Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region, this permit
assigns primary compliance responsibility to Los Angeles County (Principle Permittee), and
subsequently to the 84 incorporated cities within the LA County Flood Control District (Co-
Permittees). Under this mandate, all entities concerned are responsible for storm water
improvements through structural modifications, inspections/monitoring and sociallbehavioral
changes. Public education is a major component of these requirements; ensuring that school age
children and community organizations alike are afforded sufficient education to affect positive
change over negative habit patterns which relate to the pollution of storm water throughout our
City and County.
Flood Mitigation Action Items
Flood mitigation action items provide direction on specific activities that organizations and
residents in the City of Arcadia can undertake to reduce risk and prevent loss from flood events.
Each action item is followed by ideas for implementation, which can be used by the steering
committee and local decision makers in pursuing strategies for implementation.
ST. FL#I: Analyze the three (3) dam flood inundation areas within the City of Arcadia and
identify the potential property damage and possible mitigation efforts.
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office
Timeline: 1-2 years
Plan Goals Addres~ed: Protect Life" and Property, Partnerships and Implementation
Constraints:
Lack of staffing and resources
Coordination difficulties with the local jurisdictions
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Flood Resource Directory
The following resource directory lists the resources and programs that can assist county
communities and organizations. The resource directory will provide contact information for
local, county, regional state and federal programs that deal with natural hazards.
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County Resources
Los Angeles County Public Works Department
900 S. Fremont Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91803
Ph: 626-458-5100
Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County
1955 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90607
Ph: 562-699-7411 x2301
S tate Resources
Governor's Office of Emergency Services (DES)
P.O. Box 419047
Rancho Cordova, CA 95741-9047
Ph: 916 845- 8911
Fx: 916 845- 89\0
California Resources Agency
1416 Ninth Street, Suite 1311
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: 916-653-5656
California Department of Water Resources (DWR)
1416 9th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: 916-653-6192
California Department of Conservation: Southern California Regional Office
655 S. Hope Street, #700
Los Angeles, CA 90017-2321
Ph: 213-239-0878
Fx: 213-239-0984
Federal Resources and Programs
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA provides maps of flood hazard areas, various publications related to flood mitigation,
funding for flood mitigation projects, and technical assistance, FEMA also operates the National
Flood Insurance Program. FEMA' s mission is to reduce loss of life and property and protect the
nation's critical infrastructure from all types of hazards through a comprehensive, risk-based,
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emergency management program of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region IX
1111 Broadway, Suite 1200
Oakland. CA 94607
Ph: 510-627-7100
Fx: 510-627-7112
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Mitigation Division
500 C Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20472
Ph: 202-566-1600
FEMA' s List of Flood Related Websites
This site contains a long list of flood related Internet sites from "American Heritage Rivers" to
"The Weather Channel" and is a good starting point for flood information on the Internet.
Contact: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Phone: (800) 480-2520
Website: hnp://www.fema.gov/nfip/related.htm
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
In Southern California many cities lie within flood zones as defined in FEMA Flood Maps. The
City of Arcadia is not a community within a designated flood zone. Flood insurance is available
to citizens in communities that adopt and implement NFIP building standards. The standards are
applied to development that occurs within a delineated floodplain, a drainage hazard area, and
properties' within 250 feet of a floodplain boundary. These areas are depicted on federal Flood
Insurance Rate Maps available through the county.
National Floodplain Insurance Program (NFIP)
500 C Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20472
Ph: 202-566-1600
The Floodplain Management Association
The Floodplain Management website was established by the Floodplain Management
Association (FMA) to serve the entire floodplain management community. It includes full-text
articles, a calendar of upcoming events, a list of positions available, an index of publications
available free or at nominal cost, a list of associations, a list of firms and consultants in
floodplain management, an index of newsletters dealing with flood issues (with hypertext links if
available), a section on the basics of floodplain management, a list of frequently asked questions
(FAQs) about the Website, and a catalog of Web links.
Floodplain Management Association
P.O. Box 50891
Sparks, NY 89435-0891
Ph: 775-626-6389
Fx: 775-626-6389
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The Association of State Floodplain Managers
The Association of State Floodplain Managers is an organization of professionals involved in
floodplain management, flood hazard mitigation, the National Flood Insurance Program, and
flood preparedness, warning', and iecovery. ASFPM fosters communication among those
responsible for flood hazard activities, provides technical advice to governments and other
entities about proposed actions or policies that will affecI flood hazards, and encourages flood
hazard research, education, and training. The ASFPM Web site includes information on how to
become a member, the organization's constitution and bylaws, directories of officers and
committees, a publications list, information on upcoming conferences, a history of the
association, and other useful information and Internet links.
Contact: The Association of State Floodplain Managers
Address: 2809 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, WI 53713 Phone: (608) 274-0123
Website: htto:/lwww.floods,or\\
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service provides flood watches, warnings, and informational statements
for rivers in the City of Arcadia.
National Weather Service
520 North Elevar Street
Oxnard, CA 93030
Ph: 805-988- 6615
Office of Hydrology, National Weather Service
The National Weather Service s Office of Hydrology (OH) and its Hydrological Information
Center offer information on floods and other aquatic disasters, This site offers current and
historical data including an archive of past flood summaries, information on current hydrologic
conditions, water supply outlooks, an Automated Local Flood Warning Systems Handbook,
Natural Disaster Survey Reports, and other scientific publications on hydrology and flooding.
National Weather Service, Office of Hydrologic Development
1325 East West Highway, SSMC2
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Ph: 301-713-1658
Fx: 301-713-0963
National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), US Department of Agriculture
NRCS provides a suite of federal programs designed to assist state and local governments and
landowners in mitigating the impacts of flood events. The Watershed Surveys and Planning
Program and the Small Watershed Program provide technical and financial assistance 10 help
participants solve natural resource and related economic problems on a watershed basis. The
Wetlands Reserve Program and the Flood Risk Reduction Program provide financial incentives
to landowners to put aside land that is either a wetland resource, or that experiences frequent
flooding. The Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) provides technical and
financial assistance to clear debris from clogged waterways, restore vegetation, and stabilizing
riverbanks. The measures taken under EWP must be environmentally and economically sound
and generally benefit more that one property.
National Resources Conservation Service
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14th and Independence Ave., SW, Room 5105-A
Washington, DC 20250
Ph: 202-720-7246
Fx: 202-720-7690
USGS Water Resources
This web page offers current US water news; extensive current (including real-time) and
historical water data; numerous fact sheets and other publications; various technical resources;
descriptions of ongoing water survey programs; local water information; and connections to
other sources ofwater information.
USGS Water Resources
6000 J Street
Placer Hall
Sacramento, CA 95819-6129
Ph: 916-278-3000
Fx: 916-278-3070
Bureau of Reclamation
The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related
resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American
public. The Bureau provides leadership and technical expertise in water resources development
and in the efficient use of water through initiatives including conservation, reuse, and research.
It protects the public and the environment through the adequate maintenance and appropriate
operation of Reclamation's facilities and manages Reclamation's facilities to fulfill water user
contracts and protect and/or enhance conditions for fish, wildlife, land, and cultural resources.
Mid Pacific Regional Office
Federal Office Building
2800 Cottage Way
Sacramento CA 95825-1898
Ph: 916- 978-5000
Fax 916- 978-5599
http://www.usbr.gov/
Army Corps of Engineers
The Corps of Engineers administers a permit program to ensure that the nation's waterways are
used in the public interest. Any person, firm, or agency planning to work in waters of the United
States must first obtain a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps is responsible
for the protection and development of the nation's water resources, including navigation, flood
control, energy production through hydropower management, water supply storage and
recreation.
US Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 532711
Los Angeles CA 90053- 2325
Ph: 213-452- 3921
Other National Resources
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American Public Works Association
2345 Grand Boulevard, Suite 500
Kansas City, MO 64108-2641
Ph: 816-472-6100
Fx: 816-472-1610
Publications
NFIP Communily Rating System Coordinator's Manual
Indianapolis, IN.
This informative brochure explains how the Community Rating System works and what the
benefits are to communities. It explains in detail the CRS point system, and what activities
communities can pursue to earn points. These points then add up to the "rating" for the
community, and flood insurance premium discounts are calculated based upon that "rating" The
brochure also provides a table on the percent discount realized for each rating (1-10).
Instructions on how to apply to be a CRS community are also included.
Contact: NFIP Community Rating System
Phone: (800) 480-2520 or (317) 848-2898
Website: hnp://www.fcl11a.l!ov/nfio/crs
Floodplain Management: A Local Floodplain Administrator's Guide to the NFlP
This document discusses floodplain processes and terminology. It contains floodplain
management and mitigation strategies, as well as information on the NFIP, CRS, Community
Assistance Visits, and floodplain development standards.
Contact: National Flood Insurance Program Phone: (800) 480-2520
Website: hnp:ll\\"w\\". fel11a.l!ov/nlipl
Flood Hazard Mitig?J,ion Planning: A 'Community Guide, (June 1997).
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management.
This informative guide offers a 10-step process for successful flood hazard mitigation. Steps
include: map hazards, determine potential damage areas, take an inventory of facilities in the
flood zone, determine what is or is not being done about flooding, identify gaps in protection,
brainstorm alternatives and actions, determine feasible actions, coordinate with others. prioritize
actions, develop strategies for implementation, and adopt and monitor the plan.
Contact: Massachusetts Flood Hazard Management Program Phone: (617) 626-1250
W ebsi te: hllP ://ww\\" .I11Ul!nelstate.1113. us/dcl11/prol!rams/mi Ii l!ate
Reducing Losses in High Risk Flood Hazard Areas: A Guidebook for Local Officials, (February
1987), FEMA-II6.
This guidebook offers a table on actions that communities can take to reduce flood losses. It also
offers a table with sources for floodplain mapping assistance for the various types of flooding
hazards, There is information on various types of flood hazards with regard to existing mitigation
efforts and options for action (policy and programs, mapping, regulatory, non-regulatory). Types
of flooding which are covered include alluvial fan, areas behind levees, areas below unsafe
dams. coastal flooding, flash floods, fluctuating lake level floods, ground failure triggered by
earthquakes, ice jam flooding, and mudslides.
Contact: Federal Emergency Management Agency Phone: (800) 480-2520
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Website: hltJJ:/I\\"\\"\\".fema."ov
Flood Endnotes
I. hltp://www.lalc.kI2.ca.us/targetlunits/river/tour/hist.html
2. Gumprecht, Blake, 1999, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.
3. City of Arcadia Public Works
4. http://www . usc.edu/isdlarchi ves/la/scandals/st_ francis _ dam.html
5. hltp:l/www.latimes.com/news/locallsurroundings/la-me-
surround II dec 11,0, I 754871.story?coll=la-adelphia-right-rail
6. hIt JJ :.Ii\\"\\"\\". fcma. "ov/rrr/tal kd i z/Ialldsl ide. shtm#what
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Federa! :.rnergency :vlanagement Agency
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SECTION 9
Wildland/Urban Interface
Fire Hazards in Arcadia
II ~ :01).. Arcadia'5 Wildfire Final
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Wildfire Section
Table of Contents
Why Are Wildfires a Threat to Southern California? ............................................................9-3
Wildfire Characteristics. ............ .... ...... ............. ....... ... .................... ......................... ..............9-5
Wi Idfire Hazard Identification........... ................. ... ....... ... .... ...................... .., ....... ............ ... ... 9-8
Vulnerability and Risk ............... ............. ....... ...... ....... ... ....... ... ............. ...... ......... .... ......... ... ..9-9
Community Wildfire Issues ........... .......... ...... ................. ............. ... ...... .... ... ......... ... .,. .......... .9-9
What Is Susceptible to Wildfire~ ...........................................................................................9-9
Wildfire Mitigation Activities............... ...... ....... ... ... ....... ...... ... ... ....... ...... ... .,. ............ .......... ..9-1 0
Wi Idfire Mitigation Action Items .......................... ....... ................... ... ... ...... ......................... .9-14
Wildfire Resource Directory .......................... ............. ....... ... ... ...................... ......... ...... .........9-16
County Resources .................. ... .., ............. ... .......... .... ... ............. .................. ....... ...... .............9-1 7
State Resources................. ............................. ... .......... .......... ...................... ...... ............. ....... .9-17
Federal Resources ~lt1d Programs... .............. ....... ... ... .................... ...... ................... ............. ... 9-1 7
Additional Resources ....... ................ ... ........... ................................... ............. ... .....................9-18
11.1:004
2
Arcadias Wildfire Final
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Why are Wildfires a Threat to Southern California?
For thousands of years, fires have been a natural part of the ecosystem in Southern California.
However, wildfires present a substantial hazard to life and property in communities built within
or adjacent to hillsides and mountainous areas. There is a huge potential for losses due to
wildland/urban interface fires in Southern California. According to the California Division of
Forestry (CDF), there were over seven thousand reportable fires in California in 2003, with over
one million acres burned. I Accofding to CDF statistics, in the October, 2003 Firestorms, over
4,800 homes were destroyed and 22 lives were lost.'
The 2003 Southern California Fires
The fall of2003 marked the most destructive wildfire season in California history. In a ten-day
period, 12 separate ftres raged across Southern California in Los Angeles, Riverside, San
Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties. The massive "Cedar" fire in San Diego County
alone consumed of 2,800 homes and burned over a quarter of a million acres.
Table 8-1. October 2003 Firestorm Statistics
County Fire Date Acres Homes Homes Lives
Name Becan Burned Lost Damaced Lost
Riverside Pass 10/21/03 2,397 3 7 0
Los Angeles Padua 10/21/03 10,446 59 0 0
San Bernardino Grand Prix 10/21/03 69,894 136 71 0
San Diego Roblar 2 10/21/03 8,592 0 0 0
Ventura Piru 10/23/03 63,991 ...... 8 0 0
...
Los Angeles Verdale 10/24/03 8,650 1 0 0
Ventura Simi 10/25/03 108,204 300 11 0
San Diego Cedar 10/25/03 273,246 2,820 63 14
San Bernardino Old 10125/03 91,281 1,003 7 6
San Diego I Otay 1 Mine 10126/03 46,000 6 11 0
Riverside Mountain t 0126/03 10,000 61 0 0
San Diego Paradise 1 0/26/03 56,700 415 15 2
Total Losses 749,401 4,812 185 22
Source: http://www.fire.ca . gov/php/fire _ er _ contenUdownloads/2003LargeFires. pdf
Historic Fires in Southern California
Large fires have been part of the Southern California landscape for millennia. "Written
documents reveal that during the 19th century human settlement of southern California
altered the fire regime of coastal California by increasing the fire frequency. This was an
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era of very limited lire suppression, and yet like today, large crown fires covering tens of
thousands of acres were not uncommon. One of the largest fires in Los Angeles County
(60,000 acres) occurred in 1878, and the largest fire in Orange County's history, in 1889,
was over half a million acres.'"
Table 8-2. Large Historic Fires in California 1961-2003
20 Largest California Wildland Fires (Structures Destroyed) (Southern California fires are shown in
bold'
Fire Name Date County Acres Structures Deaths
1 Tunnel October t 991 Alameda 1,600 2,900 25
2 Cedar October 2003 San Diego 273,246 2,820 14
3 Old October 2003 San Bernardino 91,281 1,003 6
4 Jones October 1999 Shasta 26,200 954 1
5 Paint June 1990 Santa Barbara 4,900 641 1
6 Fountain August t 992 Shasta 63,960 636 0
7 City of Berkeley September 1 923 Alameda 130 584 0
8 BelAir November 1961 Los Angeles 6,090 484 0
9 Laguna Fire October 1993 Orange 14,437 441 0
10 Paradise October 2003 San Diego 56,700 415 2
11 Laguna September 1970 San Diego 175,425 382 5
12 Panorama November 1980 San Bernardino 23,600 325 4
13 Topanga November 1993 Los Angeles 18,000 323 3
14 4ger September 1988 Nevada 33,700 312 0
15 Simi October 2003 Ventura 108,204 300 0
16 Sycamore July 1977 Santa Barbara 805 234 0
17 Canyon September 1999 Shasta 2,580 230 0
t8 Kannan October 1978 Los Angeles 25,385 224 0
19 Kinneloa October 1993 Los Angeles 5,485 196 1
19 Grand Prix October 2003 San Bernardino 59.448 196 0
20 Old Gulch August 1992 Calaveras t7,386 170 0
http://www.fire.ca.gov/FireEmergencyResponse/HistoricaIStatistics/PDF 120LSTRUCTURES.pdf
"Structures" is meant to include aliloss - homes and outbuildings, etc.
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During the 2002 fire season, more than 6.9 million acres of public and private lands burned in the
U.S., resulting in loss of property, damage to resources and disruption ofcornmunity services.'
Taxpayers spent more than S 1.6 billion' to combat more than 88,400 fires nationwide. Many of
these fires burned in wildland/urban interface areas and exceeded the fire suppression capabilities
of those areas. Table 8-3 illustrates fire suppression costs for state, private and federal lands.
Table 8-3. National Fire Suppression Costs
Year Suppression Costs Acres Burned Structures Burned
2000 $1 .3 billion 8,422,237 :r ,861
2001 $0.5 billion 3,570,911 731
2002 $1.6 billion 6,937,584 815
http://research . yale. edu/gisf/assets/pdf/ppf/wildfire _report.pdf
Wildfire Characteristics
There are three categories of interface fire:' The classic wildland/urban interface exists where
well-defined urban and suburban development presses up against open expanses of wildland
areas; the mixed wildland/urban interface is characterized by isolated homes, subdivisions and
small communities situated predominantly in wildland settings; and the occluded wildland/urban
interface exists where islands of wildland vegetation occur inside a largely urbanized area.
Certain conditions must be present for significant interface fires to occur. The most common
conditions include: hot, dry and windy weather; the inability of fire protection forces to contain
or suppress the fire; the occurrence of multiple fires that overwhelm committed resources; and a
large fuel load (dense vegetation). Once a fire has started, several conditions influence its
behavior, including fuel topography, weather, drought and development.
Southern California has two distinct areas of risk for wildland fire. The foothills and lower
mountain areas are most often covered with scrub brush or chaparral. The higher elevations of
mountains also have heavily forested terrain. The lower elevations covered with chaparral create
one type of exposure.
"Past fire suppression is not to blame for causing large shrubland wildfires, nor has it proven
effective in halting them."" said Dr. Jon Keeley, a USGS fire researcher who studies both
southem Cali fornia shrub lands and Sierra Nevada forests. ""Under Santa Ana conditions, fires
cany through all chaparral regardless of age class. Therefore, prescribed burning programs over
large areas to remove old stands and maintain young growth as bands of firebreaks resistant to
ignition are futile at stopping these wildfires.'"
The higher elevations of Southern California's mountains are typically heavily forested.
The magnitude of the 2003 fires is the result of three primary factors: (I) severe drought,
accompanied by a series of storms that produce thousands of lightning strikes and windy
conditions; (2) an infestation of bark beetles that has killed thousands of mature trees; and (3) the
effects of wildfire suppression over the past century that has led to buildup of brush and small
diameter trees in the forests.
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"When Lewis and Clark explored the Northwest, the forests were relatively open, with 20 to 25
mature trees per acre. Periodically, lightning would start fires that would clear out underbrush
and small trees, renewing the forests.
Today's forests are completely different, with as many as 400 trees crowded onto each acre, along
with thick undergrowth. This density of growth makes forests susceptible to disease, drought
and severe wildfires. Instead of restoring forests, these wildfires destroy them and it can take
decades to recover. This radical change in our forests is the result of nearly a century of well-
intentioned but misguided management.'"
The Interface
One challenge Southern California faces regarding the wildfire hazard is from the increasing
number of houses being built on the urban/wildland interface. Every year the growing population
has expanded further and further into the hills and mountains, including forestlands. The
increased "interface" between urban/suburban areas and the open spaces created by this
expansion has produced a significant increase in threats to life and property from fires and has
pushed existing fire protection systems beyond original or current design and capability. Property
owners in the interface are not aware of the problems and threats they face. Therefore, many
owners have done very little to manage or offset fire hazards or risks on their own property.
Furthermore, human activities increase the incidence of fire ignition and potential damage.
Fuel
Fuel is the material that feeds a fire and is a key factor in wildfire behavior. Fuel is classified by
volume and by type. Volume is described in terms of "fuel loading", or the amount of available
vegetative fuel.
The type of fuel also influences wildfire. Chaparral is a primary fuel of Southern California
wildfires. Chaparral habitat ranges in elevation from near sea level to over 5,000' in Southern
California. Chaparral communities experience long dry summers and receive most of their
annual precipitation from winter rains. Although chaparral is often considered as a single
species, there are two distinct types; hard chaparrai and soft chaparral. Within these two types
are dozens of different plants, each with its own particular characteristics.
"Fire has been important in the life cycle of chaparral communities for over 2 million years,
however, the true nature of the "fire cycle" has been subject to interpretation. In a period of750
years, it generally thought that fire occurs once every 65 years in coastal drainages and once
every 30 to 35 years inland.'"
"The vegetation of chaparral communities has evolved to a point it requires fire to spawn
regeneration. Many species invite fire through the production of plant materials with large
surface-to-volume ratios, volatile oils and through periodic dieback of vegetation. These species
have further adapted to possess special reproductive mechanisms following fire. Several species
produce vast quantities of seeds which lie dormant until fire triggers germination The parent
plant which produces these seeds defends itself from fire by a thick layer of bark which allows
enough of the plant to survive so that the plant can crown sprout following the blaze. In general,
chaparral community plants have adapted to fire through the following methods; a) fire induced
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flowering; b) bud production and sprouting subsequent to fire; c) in-soil seed storage and fire
stimulated germination; and d) on plant seed storage and fire stimulated dispersal.""
An important element in understanding the danger of wildfire is the availability of diverse fuels
in the landscape, such as natural vegetation, manmade structures and combustible materials. A
house surrounded by brushy growth rather than cleared space allows for greater continuil~'of fuel
and increases the fire's ability to spread. After decades of fire suppression "dog-hair" thickets
have accumulated, which enable high intensity fires to flare and spread rapidly.
Topography
Topography influences the movement of air, thereby directing a fire course. For example, if the
percentage of uphill slope doubles, the rate of spread in wildfire will likely double. Gulches and
canyons can funnel air and act as chimneys, which intensify fire behavior and cause the fire to
spread faster. Solar heating of dry, south-facing slopes produces up slope drafts that can
complicate fire behavior. Unfortunately, hillsides with hazardous topographic characteristics are
also desirable residential areas in many communi lies. This underscores the need for wildfire
hazard mitigation and increased education and outreach to homeowners living in interface areas.
Weather
Weather patterns combined with certain geographic locations can create a favorable climate for
wildfire activity. Areas where annual precipitation is less than 30 inches per year are extremely
fire susceptible." High-risk areas in Southern California share a hot, dry season in late summer
and early fall when high tempefatures and low humidity favor fire activity. The so-called "Santa
Ana" winds, which are heated by compression as they flow down to Southern California from
Utah, create a particularly high risk, as they can rapidly spreaa what might otherwise be a small
fire.
Drought
Recent concerns about the effects of climate change, particularly drought, are contributing to
concerns about wildfire vulnerability. The term drought is applied to a period in which an
unusual scarcity of rain causes a serious hydrological imbalance. Unusually dry winters, or
significantly less rainfall than normal, can lead to relatively drier conditions and leave reservoirs
and water tables lower. Drought leads to problems with irrigation and may contribute to
additional fires, or additional difficulties in fighting fires.
Development
Growth and development in scrubland and forested areas is increasing the number of human-
made structures in Southern California interface areas. Wildfire has an effect on development,
yet development can also influence wildfire. Owners often prefer homes that are private, have
scenic views, are nestled in vegetation and use natural materials. A private setting may be far
from public roads, or hidden behind a narrow, curving driveway. These conditions, however,
make evacuation and fire fighting difficult. The scenic views found along mountain ridges can
also mean areas of dangerous topography. Natural vegetation contributes to scenic beauty, but it
may also provide a ready trail of fuel leading a fire directly to the combustible fuels of the home
itself.
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Wildfire Hazard Assessment
Wildfire Hazard Identification
Wildfire hazard areas are commonly identified in regions of the wildland/urban interface.
Ranges of the wildfire hazard are further determined by Ihe ease of fire ignition due to natural or
human conditions and the difficulty of ftre suppression. The wildfire hazard is also magnified by
several factors related to fire suppression/control such as the surrounding fuel load, weather,
topography and property characteristics. Generally, hazard identification rating systems are
based on weighted factors of fuels, weather and topography.
Table 8- Illustrates a rating system to identify wildfire hazard risk (with a score of 3 equaling the
most danger and a score of I equaling the least danger.)
Table 8-4. Sample Hazard Identification Rating System
Category Indicator Rating
Roads and Signage Steep; narrow; poorly signed 3
One or two of the above 2
Meets all reo,,::,i.rements 1
Water Supply None, excepl"domestic 3
Hydrant, tank, or pool over 500 feet away 2
Hydrant, tank, or pool within 500 feet 1
Location of the Structure Top of steep slope with brushlgrass below 3
Mid-siope with clearance 2
Level with iawn, or watered ground cover 1
Exterior Construction Combustible roofing, open eaves, Combustible siding 3
One or two of the above 2
Non-combustibie roof, boxed eaves, non-combustible siding 1
In order to determine the "base hazard factor" of specific wildfire hazard sites and interface
regions, several factors must be taken into account. Categories used to assess the base hazard
factor include;
Topographic location, characteristics and fuels;
Site/building construction and design;
Site/region fuel profile (landscaping);
Defensible space;
Accessibility;
Fire protection response; and
Water availability.
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The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology in recent years has been a great
asset to fire hazard assessment, allowing further integration offuels, weather and topography data
for such ends as fire behavior prediction, watershed evaluation, mitigation strategies and hazard
mapping.
Vulnerability and Risk
Southern California residents are served by a variety of local fire departments as well as county,
state and federal fire resources. Data that includes the location of interface areas in the county
can be used to assess the population and total value of property at risk from wildfire and direct
these fire agencies in fire prevention and response.
Key factors included in assessing wildfire risk include ignition sources, building materials and
design, community design, structural density, slope, vegetative fuel, fire occurrence and weather,
as well as occurrences of drought.
The National WildlandlUrban Fire Protection Program has developed the WildlandlUrban Fire
Hazard Assessment Methodology tool for communities to assess their risk to wildfire. For more
information on wildfire hazard assessment refer to http://www.Firewise.org.
Community Wildfire Issues
What is Susceptible to Wildfire?
Growth and Development in the Interface
The hills and mountainous areas of Southern California are considered to be interface areas. The
development of homes and other structures is encroaching onto the wildland and is expanding the
wildland/urban interface. The interface neighborhoods are characterized by a diverse mixture of
varying housing structures, development patterns, ornamental and natural vegetation and natural
fuels.
In the event of a wildfire, vegetation, structures and other flammables can merge into unwieldy
and unpredictable events. Factors important to the fighting of such fires include access,
firebreaks, proximity of water sources, distance from a fire station and available firefighting
personnel and equipment. Reviewing past wildland/urban interface fires shows that many
structures are destroyed or damaged for one or more of the following reasons:
Combustible roofing material;
Wood construction;
Structures with no defensible space;
Fire department with poor access to structures;
Subdivisions located in heavy natural fuel types;
Structures located on steep slopes covered with flammable vegetation;
Limited water supply; and
Winds over 30 miles per hour.
Road Access
Road access is a major issue for all emergency service providers. As development encroaches
into the rural areas of the county, the number of houses without adequate turn-around space is
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increasing. In many areas, there is not adequate space for emergency vehicle turnarounds in
single-family residential neighborhoods, causing emergency workers to have difficulty doing
their jobs because they cannot access houses. As fire trucks are large, firefighters are challenged
by narrow roads and limited access, when there is inadequate turn around space, the fire fighters
can only work to remove the occupants, but cannot safely remain to save the threatened
structures.
Water Supply
Fire fighters in remote and rural areas are faced by limited water supply and lack of hydrant taps.
Rural areas are characteristically outfitted with small diameter pipe water systems, inadequate for
providing sustained fire fighting flows.
Interface Fire Education Programs and Enforcement
t Fire protection in urban/wildland interface areas may rely heavily more on the landowner's
personal initiative to take measures to protect his or her own property. Therefore, public
education and awareness may playa greater role in interface areas. In those areas with strict fire
codes, property owners who are resist maintaining the minimum brush clearances may be cited
for failure to clear brush.
The Need for Mitigation Programs
Continued development into the interface areas will have growing impacts on the wildland/urban
interface. Periodically, the historical losses from wildfires in Southern California have been
catastrophic, with deadly and expensive fires going back decades. The continued growth and
development increases the public need for natural hazards mitigation planning in Southern
California.
Wildfire Mitigation Activities
Existing mitigation activities include current mitigation programs and activities that are being
implemented by county, regional, state, or federal agencies or organizations.
Local Programs
In Southern California there are dozens of independent local fire departments as well as large
county wide consolidated fire districts. Although each district or department is responsible for
fire related issues in specific geographic areas, they work together to keep Southern California
residents safe from fire. Although fire agencies work together to fight urban/wildland interface
fires, each separate agency may have a somewhat different set of codes to enforce for mitigation
activities.
The fire departments and districts provide essential public services in the communities they serve
and their duties far surpass extinguishing fires. Most of the districts and departments provide
other services to their jurisdictions, including Emergency Medical Services who can begin
treatment and stabilize sick and injured patients in emergency situations. All of the fire service
providers in the county are dedicated to fire prevention and use their resources to educate the
public to reduce the threat of the fire hazard, especially in the wildland/urban interface. Fire
prevention professionals throughout the county have taken the lead in providing many useful and
educational services to Southern California residents, such as:
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Home fire safety inspection;
Assistance developing home fire escape plans;
Business Inspections;
Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) training;
Fire cause determination;
Counseling for juvenile fire-setters;
Teaching fire prevention in schools;
Coordinating educational programs with other agencies, hospitals and schools; and
Answering citizens' questions regarding fire hazards.
The Threat of Urban Conflagration
Although communities without an urban/wildland interface are much less likely to experience a
catastrophic fire, in Southern California there is a scenario where any community might be
exposed to an urban conflagration similar to the fires that occurred following the 1906 San
Francisco earthquake.
"Large fires following an earthquake in an urban region are relatively rare phenomena, but have
occasionally been of catastrophic proportions. The two largest peacetime urban fires in history,
1906 San Francisco and 1923 Tokyo, were both caused by earthquakes.
The fact that fire following earthquake has been little researched or considered in the United
States is particularly surprising when one realizes that the conflagration in San Francisco after the
1906 earthquake was the single largest urban fire, and the single largest earthquake loss, in U.S.
history. The loss over three days of more than 28,000 buildings within an area of 12 km' was
staggering: $250 million in 1906 dollars, or about $5 billion at today's prices.
The 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, the 1991 Oakland hills fire, and Japan's recent Hokkaido
Nansei-oki Earthquake all demonstrate the current, real possibility of a large fire, such as a fire
follov:.ing an earthquake, developing into a conflagration. In the United States, all the elements
that would hamper fire-fighting capabilities are present: density of wooden structures, limited
personnel and equipment to address multiple fires, debris blocking the access of fire-fighting
equipment, and a limited water supply.,,12
This in Southern California, this scenario highlights the need for fire mitigation activity in all
sectors of the region, urban/wildland interface or not.
Fire Codes
Local Fire Codes
City of Arcadia Municipal Codes
State Fire Codes
Title 19 California Health and Safety Code
Federal Programs
The role of the federal land managing agencies in the wildland lurban interface is reducing fuel
hazards on the lands they administer; cooperating in prevention and education programs;
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providing technical and financial assistance; and developing agreements, partnerships and
relationships with property owners, local protection agencies, states and other stakeholders in
wildland/urban interface areas. These relationships focus on activities before a fire occurs, which
render structures and communities safer and better able to survive a fire occurrence.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Programs FEMA is directly responsible for
providing fire suppression assistance grants and, in certain cases, major disaster assistance and
hazard mitigation grants in response to fires. The role ofFEMA in the wildland /urban interface
is to encourage comprehensive disaster prepafedness plans and programs, increase the capability
of state and local governments and provide for a greater understanding of FEMA programs at the
federal, state and local levels."
Fire Suppression Assistance Grants
Fire Suppression Assistance Grants may be provided to a state with an approved hazard
mitigation plan for the suppression of a forest or grassland fire that threatens to become a major
disaster on public or private lands. These grants are provided to protect life and improved
property and encourage the development and implementation of viable multi-hazard mitigation
measures and provide training to clarify FEMA's programs. The grant may include funds for
equipment, supplies and personnel. A Fire Suppression Assistance Grant is the form of assistance
most often provided by FEMA to a state for a fire. The grants are cost-shared with states.
FEMA's US Fire Administration (US FA) provides public education materials addressing
wildland/urban interface issues and the USF A's National Fire Academy provides training
programs.
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
Following a major disaster declaration, the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides
funding for 10ng-tem1 hazard mitigation projects and activities to reduce the possibility of
damages from all future fire hazards and to reduce the costs to the nation for responding to and
recovering from the disaster.
National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Protection Program
Federal agencies can use the National WildlandlUrban Interface Fire Protection Program to focus
on wildland/urban interface fire protection issues and actions. The Western Governors'
Association (WGA) can act as a catalyst to involve state agencies, as well as local and private
stakeholders, with the objective of developing an implementation plan to achieve a uniform,
integrated national approach to hazard and risk assessment and fire prevention and protection in
the wildland/urban interface. The program helps states develop viable and comprehensive
wildland fire mitigation plans and performance-based partnerships.
U.S. Forest Service
The U. S. Forest Service (USFS) is involved in a fuel-loading program implemented to assess
fuels and reduce hazardous buildup on forestlands. The USFS is a cooperating agency and, while
it has little to no jurisdiction in the lower valleys, it has an interest in preventing fires in the
interface, as fires often bum up the hills and into the higher elevation US forest lands.
Other Mitigation Programs and Activities
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Some areas of the country are facing wildland/urban issues collaboratively. These are model
programs that include local solutions. Summit County, Colorado, has developed a hazard and
risk assessment process that mitigates hazards through zoning requirements. In California, the
Los Angeles County Fire Department has retrofitted more than 100 fire engines with fire
retardant foam capability and Orange County is evaluating a pilot insurance grading and rating
schedule specific to the wildland/urban interface. All are examples successful programs that
demonstrate the value of pre-suppression and prevention efforts when combined with property
owner support to mitigate hazards within the wildland/urban interface.
Prescribed Burning
The health and condition of a forest will determine the magnitude of wildfire. If fuels - slash, dry
or dead vegetation, fallen limbs and branches - are allowed to accumulate over long periods of
time without being methodically cleared, fire can move more quickly and destroy everything in
its path. The results are more catastrophic than if the fuels are periodically eliminated.
Prescribed burning is the most efficient method to get rid of these fuels. In California during
2003, various fire agencies conducted over 200 prescribed fires and burned over 33,000 acres to
reduce the wildland fire hazard."
Firewise
Firewise is a program developed within the National Wildland/ Urban Interface Fire Protection
Program and it is the primary federal program addressing interface fire. It is administered
through the National Wildfire Coordinating Group whose extensive list of participants includes a
wide range of federal agencies. The program is intended to empower planners and decision
makers at the local level. Through conferences and information dissemination, Firewise
increases support for interface wildfire mitigation by educating professionals and the general
public about hazard evaluation and policy implementation techniques. Firewise offers online
wildfire protection information and checklists, as well as listings of other publications, videos
and conferences. The interactive home page allows users to ask fire protection experts questions
and to register for new information as it becomes available.
FireFree Program
FireFree is a unique private/public program for interface wildfire mitigation involving
partnerships between an insurance company and local government agencies. It is an example of
an effective non-regulatory approach to hazard mitigation. Originating in Bend, Oregon, the
program was developed in response to the city's "Skeleton Fire" of 1996, which burned over
17,000 acres and damaged or destroyed 30 homes and structures. Bend sought to create a new
kind of public education initiative that emphasized local involvement. SAFECO Insurance
Corporation was a willing collaborator in this effort. Bend's pilot program included:
1. A short video production featuring local citizens as actors, made available at local video
stores, libraries and fire stations;
2. Two citywide yard debris removal events;
3. A 3D-minute program on a model FireFree home, aired on a local cable television station;
and
4. Distribution of brochures, featuring a property owner evaluation checklist and a listing of
fire-resistant indigenous plants.
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Wildfire Mitigation Action Items
As stated in the Federal Wildland Fire Policy, "The problem is not one of finding new
solutions to an old problem but of implementing known solutions. Deferred decision-
making is as much a problem as the fires themselves. Ifhistory is to serve us in the
resolution of the wildland/urban interface problem, we must take action on these issues
now. To do anything less is to guarantee another review process in the aftermath of
future catastrophic fires. "1'
The wildfire mitigation action items provide direction on specific activities that organizations
and residents in Southern California can undertake to reduce risk and prevent loss from wildfire
events. Each action item is followed by ideas for implementation, which can be used by the
steering committee and local decision makers in pursuing strategies for implementation.
ST - WF#I: Enhance emergency services to increase the efficiency of wildfire fesponse and
recovery activities.
Ideas for Implementation:
. Incorporate the Arcadia Fire Department Brush Plan into the City of Arcadia Local
Multi Hazard Functional Plan.
. Develop a county call list that includes all at-risk urban /wildland interface residents in
the Southern California jurisdiction in order to contact them during evacuations.
Coordinating Organization: Fire'Department
Timeline: 2 years
Plan Goals Addressed: Emergency Services/ Mitigation/Preparedness
Constraints: Staff, Budget Funding
ST - WF#2: Educate agency personnel on federal cost-share and grant programs, Fire Protection
Agreements and other related federal programs so the full array of assistance available to local
agencies is understood.
Ideas for Implementation:
. Investigate potential funding opportunities for individual mitigation projects; and
. Develop, approve and promote Fire Protection Agreements and partnerships to clarify
roles and responsibilities and to provide for fire mitigation activities and suppression
preparedness,
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office and the Fire Department
Timeline: 1-2 years
Plan Goals Addressed: Protect Life and Property, Public Awareness, Emergency Services
Constraints: Partnerships, Staff
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L T - WF# I: Enhance outreach and education programs aimed at mitigating wildfire hazards and
reducing or preventing the exposure of citizens, public agencies, private property owners and
businesses to natural hazards.
Ideas for Implementation:
. Encourage the hiring of fire prevention and education personnel to oversee education
programs;
. Visit urban interface neighborhoods and rural areas and conduct education and outreach
activities;
. Conduct specific community-based demonstration projects of fire prevention and
mitigation in the urban interface;
. Perform public outreach and information activities at fire stations by creating "Wildfire
Awareness Week" activities, Fire stations can hold open houses and allow the public to
visit, see the equipment and discuss wildfire mitigation with the station crews.
Coordinating Organization: Fire Department
Timeline: Ongoing
Plan Goals Addressed: Protect Life and Property, Public Awareness
Constraints: Staffing, Budget, Funding
L T - WF#2: Encourage implementation of wildfire mitigation activities in a manner consistent
with the goals of promoting sustainable ecological management and community stability.
Ideas for Implementation:
. Employ mechanical thinning and prescribed burning to abate the risk of catastrophic
fire and restore the more natural regime of high frequency, low-intensity burns.
Prescribed burning can provide benefit to ecosystems by thinning hazardous vegetation
and restoring ~cological diversity to areas homogenized by invasive plants; and
. Clear trimmings, trees, brush and other debris completely from sites when performing
routine maintenance and landscaping to reduce fire risk.
Coordinating Organization: Fire Department, Development Services Division and Public
Works and Services Department
Timeline: Ongoing
Plan Goals Addressed: Natural Systems
Constraints: Staffing, Funding
Wildfire Resource Directory
Local Resources
Office of Emergency Services Area "c" Fire Departments
Arcadia Fire Department
Monrovia Fire Department
Pasadena Fire Department
Burbank Fire Department
San Marino Fire Department
Glendale Fire Department
South Pasadena Fire Department
Alhambra Fire Department
San Gabriel Fire Department
Monterey Park Fire Department
Additional Departments
11'8':004
15
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County Resources
Los Angeles County Fire Department
1320 N. Eastern Ave.
Los Angeles, CA., 90063
Telephone: 323.881.2411
http://www.lacofd.org/default.htm
State Resources
California Division of Forestry & Fire Protection
1416 9th Street
PO Box 944246
Sacramento California 94244-2460
(916) 653-5123
http://www.fire.ca.gov/php/index.php
Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM)
1131 "S" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
PO Box 944246
Sacramento, CA 94244-2460
Tel. (916) 445-8200
Fax. (916) 445-8509
Federal Resources and Programs
,
Federal Wildland Fire Policy, WildlandlUrban Interface Protection
This is a report describing federal policy and interface fire. Areas of needed improvement are
identi tied and addressed through recommended goals and actions.
hllp:/ /www.fs.fed.us/land/wdfire7c.htm
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
This is the principal federal agency involved in the National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire
Protection Initiative. NFPA has information on the Initiatives programs and documents.
Public Fire Protection Division
1 Battery March Park.
P.O. Box 9101
Quincy, MA 02269-9101
Phone: (617) 770-3000
National Interagency Fire Center (NlFC)
The NIFC in Boise, Idaho is the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. Seven federal
agencies work together to coordinate and support wildland tire and disaster operations. These
J I .I ~{)')J
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agencies include the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, Fish
and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, National Weather Service and Office of Aircraft
National Interagency Fire Center .
3833 S. Development Ave.
Boise, Idaho 83705
208-387-5512
http://www.nifc,gov/
United States Fire Administration (USFA) of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA)
As an entity of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the mission of the USF A is to
reduce life and economic losses due to fire and related emergencies through leadership,
advocacy, coordination and support.
USF A, Planning Branch, Mitigation Directorate
16825 S. Seton Ave.
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
(301) 447-1000
http://www.fema.govlhazards/fires/wildfires.shtm - Wildfire Mitigation
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/index.htm - U.S. Fire Administration
Additional Resources
firewise - The National WildlandlUrban Interface Fire program
firewise maintains a Website designed for people who live in wildfire prone areas, but it also can
be of use to local planners and decision makers. The site offers online wildfire protection
infornlation and checklists, as well as listings of other publications, videos and conferences.
firewise
1 Battery March Park.
P.O. Box 9101
Quincy, MA 02269-9101
Phone: (617) 770-3000
http://www . firewise.orgl
Publications
National Fire Protection Association Standard 299: Protection of Life and Property from
Wildfire, National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Protection Program, (1991), National Fire
Protection Association, Washington, D.
This document, developed by the NfP A Forest and Rural Fire Protection Committee, provides
criteria for fire agencies, land use planners, architects, developers and local governments to use
in the development of areas that may be threatened by wildfire. To obtain this resource:
National Fire Protection Association Publications
(800) 344-3555
http://www.nfpa.org or http://www.firewise.org
An International Collection of Wildland- Urban Interface Resource Materials
(Information Report NOR- 344). Hirsch, K., Pinedo, M., & Greenlee, J. (1996). Edmonton,
Alberta: Canadian forest Service.
II .1 ~OO-l
17
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This is a comprehensive bibliography of interface wildfire materials. Over 2,000 resources are
included, grouped under the categories of general and technical reports, newspaper articles and
public education materials. The citation format allows the reader to obtain most items through a
library or directly from the publisher. The bibliography is available in hard copy or diskette at no
cost. It is also available in downloadable PDF form,
Canadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, I-Zone Series
Phone: (780) 435-72 1 0
http://www.prefire.uctpl.ucop.eduluwibib.htm
Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Hazard Assessment Methodology.
National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Protection Program, (1998).
NFPA, Washington, D.C.
Firewise (NFPA Public Fire Protection Division)
Phone: (617) 984-7486
htlp:f/www.firewise.org
Fire Protection in the Wildland/Urban Interface: Everyone's Responsibility.
National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Protection Program, (1998). Washington, D.
Firewise (NFPA Public Fire Protection Division)
Phone: (617) 984-7486
hltp:f/www.firewise, org
Wildfire Endnotes
htlp://www.fire.ca.gov/php/2003 fireseasonstats _ v2.asp
2
http://www.fire.ca.gov/php/fire _ er _ contentldownloadsl2003 LargeFires.pdf
)
http://www.usgs.gov/public/press/public_affairs/pressJeleases/prI805m.html
.
http://www.nifc.gov/stats/wildlandfirestats.html
5
hltp://research.yale.edu/gisf/assets/pdf/ppf/wildfire _report. pdf
(,
Planning for Natural Hazards: The Oregon Technical Resource Guide, (July 2000)
Department of Land Conservation and Development
7
h ltp://www.usgs.gov/public/press/public_affairs/press_ re leases/pr 1805 m. html
8
Overgrown Forests Require Preventive Measures, By Gale A. Norton (Secretary of the
Interior), USA Today Editorial, August 21, 2002
q
hap:f /www.coastal.ca.gov/fire/ucsbfire.htm 1
10
Ibid
II
Planning for Natural Hazards: The Oregon Technical Resource Guide, (July 2000),
Department of Land Conservation and Development
11,3200-1
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http://www.eqe.comlpublications/revf93/firefoll.htm
Source: National Interagency Fire Center, Boise ID and California Division of FOfestry,
Riverside Fire Lab.
California Office of Emergency Services, Sacramento California
http://www.fs.fed.us/land/wdfire7c.htm
11 ] :oo~
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SECTION 10 .
Windstorm Hazards
In
Arcadia
".,
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Windstorm Section
Table of Contents
Why Are Windstornls a Threat to Southern California? ........................................................... 10-3
Windstorm Characteristics................. ............. .......... .......... ." ...................... .................. ............ 10-3
Windstorm Hazard Identi fication .... .............................. ............................................... ... ... ....... 10-8
V ulnerabi Ii ty and Risk....................... ................................................................ ...... ...... ............ 10-9
Community Windstorm Issues................................................................................................. 10-10
What Is Susceptible to Windstorm? ......................................................................................... 10-11
Existing Windstorm Mitigation Activities............................................................................... 10-13
Windstorm Mitigation Action Items ........................................................................................ 10-14
Windstorm Resource Directory ............................................................................................... 10-14
S tate Resources .' ............................ ............. ... .............................................................. ............ 10-14
Federal Resources and Programs ............................................................................................. 10-14
Addi tional Resources. ......... ............................. ....... ...... ................................................... ........ 10-14
11/3/2004
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Windstorms:
-.;,
Great
8uln
Why are Severe Windstorms a Threat to
the City of Arcadia7
Severe wind storms pose a significant risk to
life and property in the region by creating
conditions that dismpt essential systems such
as public utilities, telecommunications, and
Transportation routes. High winds can and do
occasionally cause tornado-like damage to
local homes and businesses. Severe
windstorms can present a very destabilizing
effect on the dry brush that covers local
hillsides and urban wildland interface areas. '0 ,.
High winds can have destructive impacts,
especially to trees, power lines, and utility
servtces.
~
Map I from NASA's "Observatorium"
Windstorm Characteristics in Southern California
Santa Ana Winds and Tornado-Like Wind Activity
Based on local hislory, most incidents of high wind in the City of Arcadia are the result of the
Santa Ana wind conditions. While high impact wind incidents are not frequent in the area,
significant Santa Ana Wind events and sporadic tornado activity have been known to negatively
impact the local community.
What are Santa Ana Winds7
"Santa Ana winds are generally defined as warm, dry winds that blow from the east or northeast
(offshore). These winds occur below the passes and canyons of the coastal ranges of Southern
California and in the Los Angeles basin. Santa Ana winds' often blow with exceptional speed in
the Santa Ana Canyon (the canyon from which it derives its name). Forecasters at the National
Weather Service offtces in Oxnard and San Diego usually place speed minimums on these winds
and reserve the use of "Santa Ana" for winds greater than 25 knots.,,1 These winds accelerate to
speeds of 35 knots as they move through canyons and passes, with gusts to 50 or even 60 knots.
"The complex topography of Southern California combined with various atmospheric conditions
creates numerous scenarios that may cause widespread or isolated Santa Ana events. Commonly,
Santa Ana winds develop when a region of high pressure builds over the Great Basin (the high
plateau east of the Sierra mountains and west of the Rocky mountains including most of Nevada
and Utah). Clockwise circulation around the center of this high-pressure area forces air down
slope from the high plateau. The air warms as it descends toward the California coast at the rate
of 5 degrees F per 1000 feet due to compressional heating. Thus, compressional heating provides
the primary source of warming. The air is dry since it originated in the desert, and it dries out
even more as it is heated:,2
1113/.2004
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These regional winds typically occur from October to March, and, according to most accounts
are named either for the Santa Ana River Valley where they originate or for the Santa Ana
Canyon, southeast of Los Angeles, where they pick up speed.
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What are Tornados?
Tornadoes are spawned when there is warm, moist air near the ground, cool air aloft, and winds
that speed up and change direction. An obstruction, such as a house, in the path of the wind
causes it to change direction. This change increases pressure on parts of the house, and the
combination of increased pressures and fluctuating wind speeds creates stresses that frequently
cause structural failures.
I
In order to measure the intensity and wind strength of a tornado, Dr. T. Theodore Fujita
developed the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale. This scale compares the estimated wind velocity
with the corresponding amount of suspected damage. The scale measures six classifications of
tornadoes with increasing magnitude from an "FO" tornado to a "F6+" tornado.
The chart below depicts the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale;
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Wind
Scale Estimate Typical Damage
(mph)
FO < 73 Light damage. Some damage to chimneys and TV antennas; breaks twigs off
trees; pushes over shallow-rooted trees.
Moderate damage. Peels surface off roofs; windows broken; light trailer houses
F1 73-112 pushed or overturned; some trees uprooted or snapped; moving automobiles
pushed off the road. 74 mph is the beginning of hurricane wind speed.
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off frame houses leaving strong upright
F2 113-157 walls; weak buildings in rural areas demolished; trailer houses destroyed; large
trees snapped or uprooted; railroad boxcars pushed over; light object missiles
generated; cars blown off highway.
Severe damage. Roofs and some walls torn off frame houses; some rural
F3 158-206 buildings completely demolished; trains overturned; steel-framed hangar-
warehouse-type structures torn; cars lifted off the ground; most trees in a forest
uprooted snapped, or leveled.
Devastating damage. Whole frame houses leveled, leaving piles of debris; steel
F4 207 -260 structures badly damaged; trees debarked by small flying debris; cars and trains
thrown some distances or rolled considerable distances; large missiles
generated.
Incredible damage. Whole frame houses tossed off foundations; steel-
F5 261-318 reinforced concrete structures badly damaged; automobile-sized missiles
generated; trees debarked; incredible phenomena can occur.
Inconceivable damage. Should a tornado with the maximum wind speed in
F6-Ft2 319 to excess of F5 occur, the extent and types of damage may not be conceived. A
sonic number of missiles such as iceboxes, water heaters, storage tanks, automobiles,
etc. will create serious secondary damage on structures.
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Sou rce: http://weather.latimes.com/tornadoF AQ. as p
11/3/2004
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Microbursts
Unlike tornados, microbursts, are strong, damaging winds, which strike the ground and often
give the impression a tornado has struck. They frequently occur during intense thundefstorms.
The origin ofa microburst is downward moving air from a thunderstorm's core. But unlike a
tornado, they affect only a rather small area.
University of Chicago storm researcher Dr Ted Fujita first coined the term "downburst" to
describe strong, downdraft winds flowing out of a thunderstorm cell that he believed were
responsible for the crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 66 in June of 1975.3
A downburst is a straight-direction surface wind in excess of 39 mph caused by a small-scale,
strong downdraft from the base of convective thundershowers and thunderstorms. In later
investigations into the phenomena he defined two sub-categories of downbursts: the larger
macrobursts and small microbursts.~
Macrobursts are downbursts with winds up to 117 mph, which spread across a path greater than
2.5 miles wide at the surface and which last from 5 to 30 minutes. The microburst, on the other
hand is confined to an even smaller area, less than 2.5 miles in diameter from the initial point of
downdraft impact. An intense microburst can result in damaging winds near 270 kmlhr (170
mph) and often last for less than five minutes.s
"Oownbursts of all sizes descend from the upper regions of severe thunderstorms
when the air accelerates downward through either exceptionally strong
evaporative cooling or by very heavy rain which drags dry air down with it. When
the rapidly descending air strikes the ground, it spreads outward in all directions,
like a fast-running faucet stream hitting the sink bottom.
When the microburst wind hits an object on the ground such as a house, garage or
tree, it can flatten the buildings and strip limbs and branches from the tree. After
striking the ground, the powerful outward running gust can wreak further havoc
along its path. Damage associated with a microburst is often mistaken for the
work of a tornado, particularly directly under the micro burst. However, damage
patterns away from the impact area are characteristic of straight-line winds rather
than the twisted pattern of tornado damage.,,6
Tornados, like those that occur every year in the Midwest and Southeast parts of the United
States, are a rare phenomenon in most of California, with most tornado-like activity coming from
microbursts.
Local History of Windstorm Events
While the effects of Santa Ana Winds are often overlooked, it should be noted that in 2003, two
deaths in Southern California were directly related to the fierce condition. A falling tree struck
one woman in San Diego.7 The second death occurred when a flying pickup truck cover
11/312004
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launched by the Santa Ana Winds hit a passenger in a vehicle.s
The following Santa Ana wind events were featured in news resources during 2003:
"One of the strongest Santa Ana windstorms in a decade toppied 26 power poles
January 6, 2003 in Orange early today, blew over a mobile derrick in Placentia, crushing two
OC Register vehicles, and delayed Metrolink rail service." This windstorm also knocked out
power to thousands of people in northeastern Orange County.
January 8, 2003 "Santa Ana's roared into Southern Caiifornia late Sunday, blowing over trees,
CBSNEWS.com trucks and power poles. Thousands of people lost power."
Fire Officials Brace for Santa Ana Winds.. .. "The forest is now so dry and so many
March 16, 2003 trees have died that fires, during relatively calm conditions, are running as fast and
Dailybulletii1'com as far as they might during Santa Ana Winds. Now the Santa Ana season is here.
Combine the literally tinder dry conditions with humidity in the single digits and 60-
80 mph winds, and fire officials shudder."
The following is a glimpse of some major Santa Ana wind/windstorm events to hit the local area:
Major Windstorms / Santa Ana Wind Events
Orange County Area from 1961- 2001
Date Location and Damage
November 5-6, 1961
February 10-11,
1973
October 26-27, 199i
October 14, 1997
December 29, 1997
March 28-29, 1998
September 2, 1998
December 6, 1998
December 21-22,
1999
March 5-6, 2000
11/3/2004
Santa Ana winds. Fire in Topanga Canyon
Strong storm winds: 57 mph at Riverside, 46 Newport Beach. Some 200 trees
uprooted in Pacific Beach alone
Santa Ana winds. Fire in Laguna Hills
Santa Ana winds: gusts 87 mph in central Orange County. Large fire in
Orange County
Gusts 60'" mph at Santa Ana
Strong storm winds in Orange County: sustained 30-40 mph. Gust 70 mph at
Newport Beach, gust 60 Huntington Beach. Trees down, power out, and
damage across Orange and San Diego Counties. 1 illegal immigrant dead in
Jamul.
Strong winds from thunderstorms in Orange County with gusts to 40mph..
Large fires in Orange County
Thunderstorm in Los Alamitos and Garden Grove: gust 50-60 mph called
"almost a tornado"
Santa Ana winds: gust 68 mph at Campo, 53 Huntington Beach, 44 Orange.
House and tree damage in Hemet.
Strong thunderstorm winds at the coast: gust 60 mph at Huntington Beach
Property damage and trees downed along the coast
6
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April 1 , 2000
December 25-26,
2000
February 13, 2001
Santa Ana winds: gust 93 mph at Mission Viejo, 67 Anaheim Hills
Santa Ana winds: gust 87 mph at Fremont Canyon. Damage and injuries in
Mira Loma, Orange and RiverSide Counties
Thunderstorm gust to 89 mph in east Orange
+ - .-..-
. . Source: http://www . wrh .noaa .govlsandiegolresearch/Guide/weatherhistory .pdf
- - - ----
The following is a glimpse of majof tornado-like events to hit the surrounding areas:
Major Tornado-like Events in the Orange County Area 1958-2001
Date Location and Damage
April 1, 1958 Tornado: Laguna Beach
February 19, 1962 Tornado: Irvine
April 8, 1965 Tornado: Costa Mesa
November 7, 1966 Newport Beach and Costa Mesa: Property Damage
March 16, 1977 Tornado skipped from Fullerton to Brea and damage to 80 homes and
injured four people
February 9, 1978 Tornado: Irvine. Property damage and 6 injured
January 31, 1979 Tornado Santa Ana Numerous power outages
November 9, 1982 Tornadoes in Garden Grove and Mission Viejo. Property damage
January 13, 1984 Tornado: Huntington Beach. Property damage
March 16, 1986 Tornado: Anaheim. Property damage
February 22-24, 1987 Tornadoes and waterspouts: Huntington Beach
January 18, 1988 Tornadoes: Mission Viejo and San Clemente. Property damage
February 28, 1991 Tornado: Tustin
March 27, 1991 Tornado: Huntington Beach
December 7, 1992 Tornadoes: Anaheim and Westminster Property damage
January 18, 1993 Tornado: Orange County Property damage
February 8, 1993 Tornado: Brea. Property damage
February 7, 1994 Tornado from Newport Beach to Tustin. Roof and window damage. Trees
were also knocked down
December 13, 1994 Two waterspouts about 0.5 mile off Newport Beach
December 13, 1995 Funnel cloud near Fullerton Airport
March 13, 1996 Funnel cloud in Irvine
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November 10-11, 1997 Waterspout came ashore at Newport Pier on the 1 dh and dissipated over
western Costa Mesa. Tornadoes in Irvine on the Il'h and a funnel ctoud
developed. ldh: Winds estimated at 60-70 mph. l1'h: Minor power outages
occurred with little property damage. A fisherman was blown from one end
of Newport Pier to the other. Property and vehicle damage in Irvine from
flying debris. Ten cars were thrown a few feet.
December 21, 1997 Waterspout and tornado in Huntington Beach. Damage to boats, houses,
and city property
February 24, 1998 Tornado in Huntington Beach. Property damage with a power outage, roof
.> flew Y. mile
March 13-14, 1998 Numerous waterspouts between Long Beach, Huntington Beach, and
Catalina
March 31-Aprill, 1998 Numerous funnel clouds reported off Orange County coastline, two of which
became waterspouts off Orange County. One waterspout briefly hit the
coast off the Huntington Beach pier.
June 6, 1998 Two funnel clouds off Dana Point
December 31, 1998 Funnel clouds in Santa Ana. Waterspout off Costa Mesa coast
February 21, 2000 Tornado: Anaheim Hills. Property damage
October 28, 2000 Funnel clouds around Newport Beach and Costa Mesa
January 10, 2001 Funnel cloud at Orange County airport and Newport Beach
February 24, 2001 Tornado in Orange. Damage to warehouse, 6 structures, fences, and
telephone wires.
Source: http://www .wrh .noaa.govlsandiegolresearchIGuide/weatherhistory.pdf
Windstorm Hazard Assessment
Hazard Identification
A windstorm event in the region can
range from short term microburst
activity lasting only minutes to a long
duration Santa Ana wind condition
that can last for several days as in the
case of the January 2003 Santa Ana
wind event. Windstorms in the City
of Arcadia area can cause extensive
damage including heavy tree stands,
exposed coastal properties, road and
highway infrastructure, and critical
utility facilities.
The map shows clearly the direction
of the Santa Ana winds as they travel
...,..~.
Great
Basin
11/3/2004
2Map from NASA's "Observatorium"
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from the stable, high-pressure weather system called the Great Basin High through the canyons
and towards the low-pressure system off the Pacific. Clearly the area of the City of Arcadia is in
the direct path of the ocean-pound. Santa Ana winds.
Vulnerability and Risk
With an analysis of the high wind and tornado events depicted in the "Local History" section, we
can deduce the common windstorm impact areas including impacts on life, property, utilities,
infrastructure and transportation. Additionally, if a windstorm disrupts power to local residential
communities, the American Red Cross and City resources might be called upon for care and
shelter duties. Displacing residents and utilizing City resources for shelter staffing and disaster
cleanup can cause an economic hardship on the community.
Community Windstorm Issues
What is Susceptible to Windstorms?
Life and Property
Based on the history of the region, windstorm events can be expected, perhaps annually, across
widespread areas of the region, which can be adversely impacted during a windstorm event.
This can result in the involvement of City of Arcadia's emergency response personnel during a
wide-ranging windstorm or microburst tornadic activity. Both residential and commercial
structures with weak reinforcement are susceptible to damage. Wind pressure can create a direct
and frontal assault on a structure, pushing walls, doors, and windows inward. Conversely,
passing currents can create lift suction forces that pull building components and surfaces
outward. With extreme wind forces, the roof or entire building can fail causing considerable
damage. Such damage occurred to property on December 2002 when severe windstorm knocked
down power lines, disrupted traffic and electrical service.
Debris carried along by extfeme winds can directly contribute to loss of life and indirectly to the
failure of protective building envelopes, siding, or walls. When severe windstorms strike a
community, downed trees, power lines, and damaged property can be major hindrances to
emergency response and disaster recovery.
The Beaufort scale below, coined and developed by Sir Francis Beaufort in 1805, illustrates the
effect that varying wind speed can have on sea swells and structures:
BEAUFORT SCALE
Beaufort
Force
~~~~~ Wind Description - State of Sea - Effects on Land
\ 1131]OO~
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0 Less 1 Calm - Mirror-like - Smoke rises vertically
1 1-3 Light - Air Ripples look like scales; No crests of foam - Smoke drift shows direction
of wind, but wind vanes do not
2 4-7 Light Breeze - Small but pronounced wavelets; Crests do not break - Wind vanes
move; Leaves rustle; You can feel wind on the face
3 8-12 Gentle Breeze - Large Wavelets; Crests break; Glassy foam; A few whitecaps -
Leaves and small twigs move constantly; Small, light flags are extended
4 13-18 Moderate Breeze - Longer waves; Whitecaps - Wind lifts dust and loose paper;
Small branches move
5 19-24 Fresh Breeze - Moderate, long waves; Many whitecaps; Some spray - Small trees
with leaves begin to move
6 25-31 Strong Breeze - Some large waves; Crests of white foam; Spray - Large branches
move; Telegraph wires whistle; Hard to hold umbrellas
7 32-38 Near Gale - White foam from breaking waves blows in streaks with the wind - Whole
trees move; Resistance felt walking into wind
8 39-46 Gale - Waves high and moderately long; Crests break into spin drift, blowing foam in
well marked streaks - Twigs and small branches break off trees; Difficult to walk
9 47-54 Strong Gale - High waves with wave crests that tumble; Dense streaks of foam in
wind; Poor visibility from spray - Slight structural damage
Storm - Very high waves with long, curling crests; Sea surface appears white from
to 55-63 blowing foam; Heavy tumbling of sea; Poor visibility - Trees broken or uprooted;
Considerable structural damage
Violent Storm - Waves high enough to hide small and medium sized ships; Sea
1t 64-73 covered with patches of white foam; Edges of wave crests blown into froth; Poor
visibility - Seldom experienced inland; Considerable structural damage
12 >74 Hurricane - Sea white with spray. Foam and spray render visibiiity almost non-
existent - Widespread damage. Very rarely experienced on land.
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Source: http://www.compuweather.com/decoder-charts.html
Utilities
Historically, falling trees have been the major cause of power outages in the region. Windstorms
such as strong microbursts and Santa Ana Wind conditions can cause flying debris and downed
utility lines. For example, tree limbs breaking in winds of only 45 mph can be thrown over 75
feet. As such, overhead power lines can be damaged even in relatively minor windstorm events.
11/3/2004
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Falling trees can bring electric power lines down to the pavement, creating the possibility of
lethal electric shock. Rising population growth and new infrastructure in the region creates a
higher probability for damage to occur from windstorms as more life and property are exposed to
risk.
Infrastructure
mur---1
T~LZONE r-----------------------I-------~
60' I I
(20m) : ~5' (4.5m)
, MEDIUM ZONE I ' .
: 40'(12m) ~--r--
I ,
I I lO'NZONE
I 0' [15ml-' 20' (6m)
I I OR LESS
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~5' (4.5m~:
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HOUSE Po.."I. (),d.f9foud lin., LAWN
WALK
STR EET
Windstorms can damage buildings, power lines, and other property and infrastructure due to
falling trees and branches. During wet winters, saturated soils cause trees to become less stable
and more vulnerable to uprooting from high winds.
Windstorms can result in collapsed or damaged buildings or blocked roads and bridges, damaged
traffic signals, streetlights, and parks, among others. Roads blocked by fallen trees during a
windstorm may have severe consequences to people who need access to emergency services.
Emergency response operations can be complicated when roads are blocked or when power
supplies are interrupted. Industry and commerce can suffer losses from interruptions in electric
services and from extended road closures. They can also sustain direct losses to buildings,
personnel, and other vital equipment. There are direct consequences to the local economy
resulting from windstorms related to both physical damages and interrupted services.
Increased Fire Threat
Perhaps the greatest danger from windstorm activity in Southern California comes from the
combina1ion of the Santa Ana winds with the major fires that occur every few years in the
urban/wildland interface. With the Santa Ana winds driving the flames, the speed and reach of
the flames is even greater than in times of calm wind conditions. The higher fire hazard raised
by a Santa Ana wind condition requires that even more care and attention be paid to proper brush
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clearances on propeny in the wildland/urban interface areas.
Transportation
Windstorm activity can have an impact on local transponation in addition to the problems caused
by downed trees and electrical wires blocking streets and highways. During periods of
extremely strong Santa Ana winds, major highways can be temporarily closed to truck and
recreational vehicle traffic. However, typically these disruptions are not long lasting, nor do they
carry a severe long-term economic impact on the region.
Existing Windstorm Mitigation Activities
As stated, one of the most common problems associated with windstorms is power outage. High
winds commonly occur during winter storms, and can cause trees to bend, sag, or fail (tree limbs
or entire trees), coming into contact with nearby distribution power lines. Fallen trees can cause
shon-circuiting and conductor overloading. Wind-induced damage to the power system causes
power outages to customers, incurs cost to make repairs, and in some cases can lead to ignitions
3 http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/avoiding_ conflicts. asp
that stan wild land fires.
One of the strongest and most widespread existing mitigation strategies penains to tree
clearance. Currently, California State Law requires utility companies to maintain specific
clearances (depending on the type of voltage running through the line) between electric power
lines and all vegetation.
Enforcement of the following California Public Resource Code Sections provides guidance on
tree pruning regulations:9
4293: Power Line Clearance Required
4292: Power Line Hazard Reduction
4291: Reduction of Fire Hazards Around Buildings
4171: Public Nuisances
The following penain to tree pruning regulations and are taken from the California Code of
Regulations:
Title 14: Minimum Clearance Provisions
Sections 1250-1258
General Industry Safety Orders
Title 8: Group 3: Anicles 12, 13,36,37,38
California Penal Code Section 385
Finally, the following California Public Utilities Commission section has additional guidance:
California Public Utilities Commission
General Order 95: Rule 35
11/3/2004
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Homeowner Liability:
Failure to allow a utility company to
comply with the law can result in liability
to the homeowner for damages or injuries
resulting from a vegetation hazard.
Many insurance companies do not cover
these types of damages if the policy owner .~.I'
has fefused to allow the hazard to be
eliminated.
The power companies, in compliance with --1-..:"........-
the above regulations, collect data about
tree failures and their impact on power
lines. This mitigation strategy assists the
power company in preventing future tree
failure. From the collection of this data,
the power company can advise residents as to the most appropriate vegetative planting and
pruning procedures. The following chart depicts some of the tree failure data collected by
Southern California Edison in this comprehensive mitigation strategy:
Windstorm Mitigation Action Items
The windstorm mitigation action items provide direction on specific activities that organizations
and residents in City of Arcadia can undertake to reduce risk and prevent loss from windstorm
events. Each action item is followed by ideas for implementation, which can be used by the
Hazard Mitigation Planning Commillee and local decision makers in pursuing strategies for
implementation. .
City of Arcadia's Mitigation Strategy Recommendations
ST - Wind #1: Public Awareness Campaign: To provide public education materials to City of
Arcadia residents and all School District staff, parents and age-appropriate students with
mitigation materials pertaining to the protection of life and property before, during, and after a
windstorm.
Ideas for Implementation:
1. Compile mitigation brochures from the following organizations: FEMA; California
Public Utilities Commission; County of Arcadia Public Works; Southern California
Edison.
2. Distribute these materials to City of Arcadia residents and school district members.
Materials can be distributed at City Council Meetings, Commission Meetings, City Hall,
Parks and Recreation Centers, Fire Departments, Police Departments, Chamber of
Commerce Meetings, School Administration Offices and other appropriate venues.
3. Create community PowerPoint seminar to be given at CERT/RACES joint hazard
training event. Utilize presentation at future City Council Meetings or other public
11/3/2004
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events as appropriate.
Coordinating Organization: City Managers Office
Timeline: Ongoing
Plan Goals Addressed: Public Awareness, Protection of Life and Property
Constraints: Budget and staffing
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L T - Wind #2: Create local City and utility awareness of tree pruning and Fire Code Sections
relevant to wind-resistant utility operations
Ideas for Implementation: Provide information to City Public Works and local utility
companies encouraging compliance with State and Local tree clearance and integrity
guidelines by:
Compile comprehensive list of pertinent State and local regulations
Send letters of encouragement from Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee and local
City and School officials encouraging utility compliance with guidelines
Coordinating Organization: city Managers Office
Timeline: Ongoing
Plan Goals Addressed: Public Awareness, Mitigation
Constraints: Staffing, Budget and Partnerships
II
Windstorm Resource Directory
State Resources
California Division of Forestry & Fire Protection
1416 9th Street
PO Box 944246
Sacramento California 94244-2460
916-653-5123
htlp://www.fire.ca.gov/php/index. php
Federal Resources and Programs
National Weather Service
Los Angeles/Oxnard Weather Forecast Office
520 North Elevar Street
Oxnard, CA 93030
Forecast and weather info: 805-988-6610
Administrative issues: 805-988-6615
11/3/2004
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1
E-mail: Webmaster.LOX@noaa.gov
http://weather.noaa.gov/
Additional Resources
International Society of Arboriculture.
P.O. Box 3129
Champaign, IL 61826-3129
Phone: 217.355.9411
Fax: 217.355.9516
Web: www.isa-arbor.com
E-mail: isa@isa-arbor.com
Publications
WINDSTORMS: Protect Your Familv and Property from the Hazards of Violent Windstorms
http://emd. wa.gov/5-prep/trnglpubed/Windstrm. pdf
Preparing Your Home for Severe Windstorms is available from
http://www .chubb.comJpersonallhtmllhelpful_ tips_home _ windstorm.html
End Notes:
1 hi \)):.' i ni mbo. WTh. noaa. go\'/Sandie~o/snawind.htm I
2Ibid
3Keith C. Heidorn at http://www.suiteI01.com/article.cfmil3646/1 009 \ 8, June 1,2003
4Ibid
5Ibid
61bid
7www.cbsnews.com. January 8, 2003
8 W'W'W .cbsnews.com/slOrics/2003/0 1/06/nat ionall
9www.cpuc.ca.gov Ij s.asp
1113/2004
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Appendix A - Resources
Master Resource Directory
The Resource Directory provides contact information for local, regional, state, and federal
programs that are currently involved in hazard mitigation activities. The Hazard Mitigation
Advisory Committee may look to the organizations on the following pages for resources and
technical assistance. The Resource Directory provides a foundation for potential partners in
action item implementation.
The Hazard lvlitigation Advisory Committee will continue to add contact information for
organi:ations currently engaged in hazard mitigation activities. This section may also be used
by various community members interested in hazard mitigation information and projects.
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American Public Works Association
Level: National Hazard: Multi htto:II\V\vw.aowa.net
2345 Grand Boulevard Suite 500
Kansas City, MO 64108-2641 Ph: 816-472-6100 Fx: 816-472-1610
Notes: The American Public Works Association is an international educational and
professional association of public agencies, private sector companies, and individuals
dedicated to providing high quality public works goods and services.
Association of State Floodplain Managers
Level: Federal Hazard: Flood www.t1oods.ore:
2809 Fish Hatchery Road
Madison, WI 53713 Ph: 608-274-0123 Fx:
Notes: The Association of State Floodplain Managers is an organization of professionals
involved in floodplain management, flood hazard mitigation, the National Flood Insurance
Program, and flood preparedness, warning and recovery
13uilding Seismic Safety Council (BSSC)
Level: National Hazard: Earthquake www.bssconline.org
1090 Vermont Ave., NW Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005 Ph: 202-289-7800 Fx: 202-289-109
Notes: The Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSe) develops and promotes building
earthquake risk mitigation regulatory provisions for the nation.
!"''''uy',:OO4
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Appendix A - Resources
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California Department of Transportation (CaITrans)
Level: State Hazard: Multi hllP://www .dot.ca. 'i!.ovl
]20 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012 Ph: 213-897-3656 Fx:
Notes: CalTrans is responsible for the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of the
California State Highway System, as well as that portion of the Interstate Highway System
within the state's boundaries. Alone and in partnership with Amtrak, Caltrans is also involved
in the support of intercity passenger rail service in California.
California Resources Agency
Level: State Hazard: Multi Imo:l/resources.ca. 'i!.ovl
1416 Ninth Street Suite 1311
Sacramento, CA 95814 Ph: 916-653-5656 Fx:
Notes: The California Resources Agency restores, protects and manages the state's natural,
historical and culntral resources for current and funtre generations using solutions based on
science, collaboration and respect for all the communities and interests involved.
California Division of Forestry (CD F)
Level: State Hazard: Multi h tto ://www. fire.e a. 'i!.0 vip hol index. D hp
210 W. San Jacinto
Perris CA 92570 Ph: 909-940-6900 Fx:
Notes: The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection protects over 31 million
acres of California's privately-owned wildlands. CDF emphasizes the management and
protection of California's natural resources.
California Division of Mines and Geology (DMG)
Level: State Hazard: Multi www.consrv.ca.l!ovlclls/index.htm
801 K Street MS 12-30
Sacramento, CA 95814 Ph: 916-445-1825 Fx: 916-445-57IS
Notes: The California Geological Survey develops and disseminates technical information and
advice on California"s geology, geologic hazards, and mineral resources.
lI~~zry '.2004
2 \\l99!pe"In'~' J99i'.DMA 2X '11m) D.~ Plaml Plu o.x,1Appndil: ,.. RC$D:ln"u.""FcI
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Appendix A - Resources
California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES)
Level: State
Hazard: Multi
htto:/ Iceres. ca. gov/
900 N St.
Suite 250
Sacriltnento, Ca. 95314
Ph: 9]6-653-2238
Fx:
Notes: CERES is an excellent web site for access to environmental infor:nation and websites.
California Department of Water Resources (D\VR)
Level: State
Hazard: Flood
http://wwwdwr.water.ca.gov
1416 9th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: 916-653-6192
Fx:
Notes: The Department of Water Resources manages the water resources of California in
cooperation with other agencies, to benefit the State's people, and to protect, restore, and
enhance the natural and human environments.
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California Department of Conservation: Southern California Regional Office
Level: State
Hazard: Multi
www.consrv.ca.gov
655 S. Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017-2321
#700
Ph: 213-239-0878
Fx: 213-239-0984
Notes: The Department of Conservation provides services and information that promote
e.l\yironmental health, economic vitality, informed land-use decisions and sound management
of our state's natural resources.
California Planing Information Network
Level: State
Hazard: Multi
www.calpin.ca.gov
Ph:
Fx:
Notes: The Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) publishes basic information on
local planning agencies, known as the California Planners' Book of Lists. This local planning
information is available on-line with new search capabilities and up-to-the- minute updates.
!.nijLjI.l.:~
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Appendix A - Resources
EPA, Region 9
Level: Regional
Hazard: Multi
h tlp:1 Iwv.rw. epa. gov Ire gion 09
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Ph: 415-947-8000
Fx: 415-947-3553
Notes: The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health
and to safeguard the natural environment through the themes of air and global climate change,
water, land, communities and ecosystems, and compliance and environmental stewardship.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region LX
Level: Federal
Hazard: Multi
www.fema.!:!QV
III1 Broadway
Suite 1200
Oakland, CA 94607
Ph: 510-627-7100
Fx: 510-627-7112
Notes: The Federal Emergency Management Agency is tasked with responding to, planning
for, recovering from and mitigating against disasters.
Federal Emergency }Ianagement Agency, Mitigation Division
Level: Federal
Hazard: Multi
www.fema.flov/flmalplanhowto.slnm
500 C Street, S. W.
\Vashington, D.C. 20472
Ph: 202-566-1600
Fx:
Notes: The Mitigation Division manages the National Flood Insurance Program and oversees
FEMA's mitigation programs. It has of a number of programs and activities of which provide
citizens Protection, with flood insurance; Prevention, with mitigation measures and
Partnerships, with communities throughout the country.
Floodplain Management Association
Level: Federal
Hazard: Flood
www.tloodplain.org
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P.O. Box 50891
Sparks, NY 89435-0891
Ph: 775-626-6389
Fx: 775-626-6389
Notes: The Floodplain Management Association is a nonprofit educational association. It was
established in 1990 to promote the reduction of flood losses and to encourage the protection
and enhancement of natural floodplain values. Members include representatives of federal,
state and local government agencies as well as private firms.
hftuuy~.l004
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Appendh A - Resources
Gateway Cities Partnership
level: Regional
Hazard: Multi
www.2:atewavcities.or2:
7300 Alondra Boulevard
Suite 202
Paramount, CA 90723
Ph: 562-817-0820
Fx:
Notes: Gateway Cities Partnership is a 501 C 3 non-profit Community Development
Corporation for the Gateway Cities region of southeast LA County. The region comprises 27
cities that roughly speaking extends from Montebello on the north to Long Beach on the
South, the Alameda Corridor on the west to the Orange County line on the east.
Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES)
Level: State
Hazard: Multi
www.oes.ca.!!QV
P.O. Box 419047
Rancho Cordova, CA 95741-9047
Ph: 916 845. 8911
Fx: 916 845- 8910
Notes: The Governor's Office of Emergency Services coordinates overall state agency
response 10 major disasters in support of local government. The office is responsible for
assuring the state's readiness 10 respond 10 and recover from natural, manmade, and war-
caused emergencies, and for assisting local governments in their emergency preparedness,
response and reco\'ery efforts.
Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance
Level: Regional
Hazard: Multi
42060 N. Tenth Street West
Lancaster, CA 93534
Ph: 661-945-2741
Fx: 661-945-7711
Notes: The Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance, (GA VEA) is a 501 (c)(6) nonprofit
organization with a 50 I (c)(3) affiliated organization the Antelope Valley Economic Research
and Education Foundation. GA VEA is a public-private partnership of business, local
governments, education, non-profit organizations and health care organizations that was
founded in 1999 with the goal of attracting good paying jobs to the Antelope Valley in order
to build a sustainable economy.
hnuuy3,:OOJ
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.~ppendL~ A - Resources
Landslide Hazards Program, US-GS
Level: Federal
Hazard: Landslide
h no :!!1a nds \ides .1IS ~s. ~o v /index. h tm 1
12201 Sunrise Valiey Drive
MS 906
Ph: 703-648- 4000
Fx:
Reston, VA 20192
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Notes: The NLIC website provides good information on the programs and resources regarding
landslides. The page includes information on the National Landslide Hazards Program
Information Center, a bibliography, publications, and current projects. USGS scientists are
working to reduce long-term losses and casualties from landslide hazards through bener
understanding of the causes and mechanisms of ground failure both nationally and worldwide.
Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation
Level: Regional
Hazard: Multi
www.laedc.org
444 S. Flower Street
34th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Ph: 213-236-4813
Fx: 213- 623-0281
l\otes: The LAEDC is a private, non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization established in 1981 with the
mission to anract, retain and grow businesses and jobs in the Los Angeles region. The
LAEDC is widely relied upon for its Southern California Economic Forecasts and Industry
Trend Reports. Lead by the renowned Jack Kyser (Sr. Vice President, Chief Economist) his
tcam of researchers produces numerous publications to help business, media and government
navigate the LA region's diverse economy.
Los Angeles County Public Works Department
Level: County
900 S. Fremont Ave.
Hazard: Multi
him:l!ladpw.org
Alhambra, CA 91803
Ph: 626-458-5100
Fx:
Notes: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works protects property and promotes
public safety through Flood Control, Water Conservation, Road Maintenance, Bridges, Buses
and Bicycle Trails, Building and Safety, Land Development, Watetworks, Sewers,
Engineering, Capital Projects and Airports
Janll.ll)'j,:OOol
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Appendb: A - Resources
National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Program
Level: Federal
Hazard: Wildfire
W\VW .firewise .orgl
I Banerymarch Park
Quincy, MA 02169-7471
Ph: 617-770-3000
Fx: 617 770-0700
Notes: Firewise maintains a Website designed for peop,~e_who live in wildfire- prone areas, but
it also can be of use to local planners and decision makH~' The site offers online wildfire
protection information and checklists, as well as listings'Of other publications, videos, and
conferences.
National Resources Conservation Service
Level: Federal
Hazard: Multi
http://www.nrcs. Llsda. govl
14th and Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20250
Room 5105-A
Ph: 202-720-7246
Fx: 202-720-7690
Notes: NRCS assists owners of Americ;Ls private land with conserving their soil, water, and
other natural resources, by delivering technical assistance based on sound science and suited
to a customer's specific needs. Cost shares and financial incentives are available in some
cases.
National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)
Level: Federal
Hazard: Wildfire
www.nifc.~ov
3833 S. Development Ave.
Boise, [daho 83705-5354
Ph: 208-387, 5512
Fx:
Notes: The NIFC in Boise, Idaho is the nation's support center for wildland firefighting.
Seven federal agencies work together to coordinate and support wildland fire and disaster
operations.
National Fire Protection Association (NFP A)
Level: National
Hazard: Wildfire
hnp:llwww. n fDa. 0 rg/ ca tal 0 g/bome/i ndex .as p
I Batterymarch Park
Quincy, MA 02169-7471
Ph: 617 -770-3000
Fx: 617 770-0700
Notes: The mission of the international nonprofit NFPA is to reduce the worldwide burden of
fire and other hazards on the qualiry oflife by providing and advocating scientifically-based
consensus codes and standards, research, training and education
JaIl'l.ryJ,:0O4
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AppendLx A - Resources
i'o" ationaI Floodplain Insurance Program (i'o"FIP)
Level: Federal
Hazard: Flood
www.fema.gov/nfio/
500 C Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20472
Ph: 202-566-1600
Fx:
Notes: The Mitigation Division manages the National Flood Insurance Program and oversees
FEMA's mitigation programs. It has ofa number of programs and activities of which provide
citizens Protection, with flood insurance; Prevention, with mitigation measures and
Parrnerships, with commuruties throughout the country.
National Oceanic /Atmospheric Administration
Level: Federal
Hazard: Multi
W\Vw.noaa.I!QY
14th Street & Constitution Ave NW
Rm 6013
Ph: 202-482-6090
Fx: 202-482-3 I 54
Washington, DC 20230
Notes: NOAA's historical role has been to predict environmental changes, protect iife and
property, provide decision makers with reliable scientific information, and foster global
environmental stewardship.
National Weather Service, Office of Hydrologic Development
Level: Federal
Hazard: Flood
htm:/ /www.nws.l1oaa.gov/
1325 East West Highway
SSMC2
Ph: 30]-713-1658
Fx: 301-713-0963
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Notes: The Office of Hydrologic Development (OHD) enhances National Weather Service
products by: infusing new hydrologic science, developing hydrologic techniques for
operational use, managing hydrologic development by NWS field office, providing advanced
hydrologic products to meet needs identified by NWS customers
1.m;...,.t~Cv.
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Appendix A - Resources
National Weather Service
L eve l: Federal
Hazard: Multi
http://www .nws.noaa.govl
520 North Elevar Street .::::..
Oxnard, CA 93030
Ph: 805-988- 6615
Fx:
Notes: The National Weather Service is responsible for providing weather service to the
nation. It is charged with the responsibility of observing and reponing the weather and with
issuing forecasts and warnings of weather and flooes in the interest of national safety and
economy. Briefly, the priorities for service to the nation are: 1. protection oflife, 2. protection
of property, and 3. promotion of the nation's welfare and economy.
San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership
Level: Regional
Hazard: Multi
www.val1evnet.org
4900 Ri vergrade Road
Irwindale, CA 91706
Suite A31 0
Ph: 626-856-3400
Fx: 626-856-5115
Notes: The San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership is a non-profit corporation representing
bOlh public and private sectors. The Pannership is the exclusive source for San Gabriel
Valley-specific information, expenise, consulting, products, services, and events. It is the
single organization in the Valley with the mission to sustain and build the regional economy
for the mutual benefit of all thirty cities, chambers of commerce, academic instinnions,
businesses and residents.
Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County
Level: County
Hazard: Flood
htto:llwww.lacsd.oral
1955 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90607
Ph:562-699-74ll x2301
Fx:
Notes: The Sanitation Districts provide wastewater and solid waste management for over half
the population of Los Angeles County and turn waste products into resources such as
reclaimed water, energy, and recyclable materials.
JL'IUL')'!,;0C4
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Appendix A - Resources
Santa Monica Mountains ConserYanc)"
Level: Regional
Hazard: Multi
hno://smmc.ca.f!ov/
570 West Avenue Twenty-Six
Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Ph: 323-221-8900
Fx:
Notes: The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy helps to preserve over 55,000 acres of
parkland in both wilderness and urban settings, and has improved more than 114 public
recreational facilities throughout Southern California.
South Bay Economic Development Partnership
Level: Regional
Hazard: Multi
WWw.southbavpartnership.com
3858 Carson Street
Suite 110
Torrance, CA 90503
Ph: 310-792-0323
Fx: 310-543-9886
Notes: The South Bay Economic Development Partnership is a collaboration of business,
labor, education and government. lts primary goal is to plan an implement an economic
development and marketing strategy designed to retain and create jobs and stimulate economic
growth in the South Bay of Los Angeles County.
South Coast Air Quality Manage~ent District (AQMD)
Level: Regional
Hazard: Multi
www.aamd.Q:o\'
21865 E. Copley Drive
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
Ph: 800-CUT-SMOG Fx:
Notes: AQMD is a regional government agency that seeks to achieve and maintain healthful
air quality through a comprehensive program of research, regulations, enforcement, and
communication. The AQMD covers Los Angeles and Orange Counties and parts of Riverside
and San Bernardino Counties.
;.a::If)'~. 2004
10 \\1 998pc:\.ru J 199!'DMA:K Pl&n\t D~ PI.nll Plan DOC:IIAppc:ll:fu:.... ~c...wpcI
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Appendix A - Resources
Southern California Earthquake Center (SeE C)
Level: Regional
Hazard: Earthquake
www.sceC.org
3651 Trousdale Parkway
Suite 169
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0742
Ph: 213-740-5843
Fx: 213/740-0011
Notes: The Southem Califomia Earthquake Center (SCEC) gathers new infonnation about
earthquakes in Southem California, integrates this information into a comprehensive and
predictive understanding of earthquake phenomena, and communicates this understanding to
end-users and the general public in order to increase earthquake awareness, reduce economic
losses, and save lives.
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)
Level: Regional
818 W. Seventh Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Hazard: Multi
www.$cae:.ca.!:!ov
12th Floor
Ph: 213-236-1800
Fx: 213-236-1825
Notes: The Southern California Association of Governments functions as the Metropolitan
Planning Organization for six counties: Los Angeles, Orange, San Bemardino, Riverside,
VenDlra and Imperial. As the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Association
of Governments is mandated by the federal govern..ment to research and draw up plans for
transportation, growth management, hazardous waste management, and air quality.
State fire Marshal (SFM)
Level: State
Hazard: Wildfire
http://osfm.fire.ca.gov
1131 "$" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: 916-445-8200
Fx: 916-445-8509
Notes: The Office of the State Fire Marshal (SFM) supports the mission of the California
Deparonent of Forestry and Fire Protection (CD F) by focusing on fire prevention. SFM
regulates buildings in which people live, controls substances which may, cause injuries, death
and destruction by fire; provides statewide direction for fire prevention within wildland areas;
regulates hazardous liquid pipelines; reviews regulations and building standards; and trains
and educates in fire protection methods and responsibilities.
h:uury',;lOG4
11 \\199Spc'''~.119.S\DMA 11( PIItl\: OMA /'lan\ll'l&ll DoelV.ptlcn<1iI ^ Ruowt;cs,Wjld
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Appendh A - Resources
The Community Rating System (CRS)
Level: F cderal
Hazard: Flood
htto:llwww. fema. <zov In fi oi crs. s h tm
500 C Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20472
Ph: 202-566-1600
Fx:
Notes: The Community Rating System (CRS) recognizes community floodplain management
efforts that go beyond the minimum requirements of the NFIP. Property owners within the
County would receive reduced NFIP flood insurance premiums if the County implements
floodplain management practices that qualify it for a CRS rating. For further information on
the CRS, visir FEMA's website.
United States Geological Survey
Level: Federal
Hazard: Multi
httD:llwww.us<zs.govl
345 tv[iddlefield Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Ph: 650-853-8300
Fx:
Notes: The USGS provides reliable scientific information to describe and understand the
Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological,
energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.
US Army Corps of Engineers
Level: Federal
Hazard: Multi
ht1P:l/www.llsace.armv.mil
P.O. Box 532711
Los Angeles CA 90053- 2325
Ph: 213-452- 3921
Fx:
Notes: The United States Army Corps of Engineers work in engineering and environmental
maners. A workforce of biologists, engineers, geol"ogists, hydrologists, natural resource
managers and other professionals provide engineering services to the nation including
planning, designing, building and operating water resources and other civil works projects.
USDA Forest Service
Level: Federal
Hazard: Wildfrre
htto:l/www.fs.fed.us
1400 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-0002
Ph: 202-205-8333
Fx:
Notes: The Forest Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Forest
Service manages public lands in national forests and grasslands.
J'flU~ry 5,:004
12 \\J99!pc'~~ II 1991\DMA 1K Plan\! OM}. PI~lllll'!an DOCJlAppcIldi.o;... Rc:.ao..n:eL....-pd
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Appendix A - Resources
USGS \Vater Resources
Level: Federal Hazard: Multi wW\V.water.USEs.e:OV
6000 J Street Placer Hall
Sacramento, CA 95819-6129 Ph: 916-278-3000 Fx: 916-278-3070
Notes: The USGS Water Resources mission is to provide water information that benefits the
Nation's citizens: publications, data, maps, and applications software.
Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC)
Level: Regional Hazard: Earthquake www.wssoc.orQlhome.html
125 California Avenue Suite 0201, #1
Palo Alto, CA 94306 Ph: 650-330-110 I Fx: 650-326-1769
Notes: WSSPC is a regional earthquake consortium funded mainly by FElvlA. Its website is a
great resource, with information clearly categorized - from policy to engineering to education.
Westside Economic Collaborative CIO Pacific Western Bank
Level: Regional Hazard: Multi hno:I/w\vw. \vcstside- la.or
] 20 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, C~ 90401 Ph: 310-458-1521 Fx: 3 ]0-458-6479
Notes: The Westside Economic Development Collaborative is the first Westside regional
economic development corporation. The Westside EDC functions as an information gatherer
and resource center, as well as a forum, through bringing business, government, and residents
together to address issues affecting the region: Economic Diversity, Transportation, Housing,
Workforce Training and Retraining, Lifelong Learning, Tourism, and Embracing Diversity.
:lnuuy5,UIC4
I 3 \\1998~,'''~. i 1991\OMA:K Plu\1 DMA I'~.ll\l Pb:> DlICliAppcl'Idl.l ^ RJ:ao''''''.wpd
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Appendix B:
The Public Participation Process
Public participation is a key component to strategic planning processes. Citizen
participation offers citizens the chance to voice their ideas, interests, and opinions. The
Federal Emergency Management Agency also requires public input during the
development of mitigation plans.
The City of Arcadia Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan integrates a cross-section of citizen
input throughout the planning process. To accomplish this goal, the City of Arcadia
Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee developed a public participation process through
three components: (I) developing a project steering committee; (2) conducting
stakeholder interviews to target the specialized knowledge of individuals working with
populations or areas at risk from natural hazards; and (3) conducting two public
workshops to identify common concerns and ideas regarding hazard mitigation and to
discuss specific goals and actions of the mitigation plan.
Integrating public participation during the development of the City of Arcadia Natural
Hazards Mitigation Plan has ultimately resulted in increased public awareness. Through
citizen involvement, the mitigation plan reflects community issues, concerns, and new
ideas and perspectives on mitigation opportunities and plan action items.
Table B.l lists the various people and organizations that participated on the City of
Arcadia's Natural Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee.
Table B.1. Hazar Itiaation lannlna ommittee
Project Steering Committee:
City of Arcadia Fire Department
City of Arcadia Police Department
City of Arcadia Administrative Services Department
City of Arcadia Public Works Services Department
City of Arcadia Recreation and Community Services Department
City of Arcadia Development Services Department
Brenda Hunemiller, Coordinator - Office of Disaster Management, Area D:
Fan Abel, Coordinator - Office of Disaster Management, Area E
Mike Martinet, Executive Director - Office of Disaster Management, Area G
Constance Perett, Managef - Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management
d M'
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California Division of Forestry
Fedefal Emefgency Management Agency
Southern California Association of Governments
Governor's Office of Emergency Services
Project Manager: Kenneth J. Marston, Battalion Chief-City of Arcadia
Meeting #1 March 15, 2004
The City of Arcadia Emergency Services convened the meeting and provided an
overview 10 the committee about the Disasler Mitigation Act of2000 and the planning
process that was about to be undertaken
The City of Arcadia's Emergency Services Coordinator introduced the steering
committee. Each committee member described the department or organization that they
represented and their role in addressing hazard mitigation. There was a discussion of past
and current mitigation activities undertaken in the city to provide the committee members
with a knowledge historic community disaster issues. The City Manager designated the
city's Emergency Services Coordinator to serve as the chairperson of the committee.
Meeting #2 April I, 2004
The chairperson presented the project methodology and the draft framework for the
Mitigation Plan. A brainstorming process was then conducted to develop the goals for the
Plan. The Steering Committee was asked to identify goals for risk reduction, and
potential outcomes for how the plan could be used in the future. Table B-2 lists the
resulting goals and ideas.
Table B.2. Goal Areas and Ideas
Goal Area Idea
Property Protection Reduce insurance losses and repetitive claims for chronic hazard
events while promoting insurance coverage for catastrophic
hazards. Focus resources on activities involving property owners
and that assist in protecting homes, structures, or property from
natural hazards.
Natural Systems Evaluate and make recommendations for city guidelines, codes,
and permitting processes in addressing natural hazard mitigation
and development in vulnerable areas. Link watershed planning,
natural resource management, and land use planning with natural
hazard mitigation activities to protect vital habitat and water
quality. Preserve and rehabilitate natural systems to serve natural
hazard mitigation functions.
Public Awareness Develop and implement education programs that will increase
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property owners and developers awareness of natural hazards.
Develop and conduct outreach programs to increase the number
of local, county, and regional activities implemented by public
and private sector organizations.
Partnerships Strengthen communication and coordinate participation in and
between public agencies, citizens, non-profit organizations,
business, and industry. Document the process and resources that
will reduce the administrative burden on the requestors/recipients
of grant funds. Provoke congressional attention by identifying
mitigation priorities.
Emergency Establish policy to encourage mitigation for critical facilities,
Services servic~, and infrastructure. Strengthen emergency operations by
increasing collaboration and coordination among public agencies,
non-profit organizations, business, and industry.
Implementation Promote leadership within public agencies to implement natural
hazard mitigation activities. Attain participation and funding 10
implement mitigation activities by creating a dynamic document,
which is continually updated and revised.
Guide Development Identi fy a clear process by which planners can identify and
al)d Use of illustrate to potential developers the natural hazards that are
Vulnerable Areas present, the threat they pose, and how their development will be
mitigated, regulated, and possibly limited. Improve hazard
identification, assessment and summarize hazards data and
possible mitigation strategies to address those hazards in a
palatable format
Source: City of Arcadia's Natural Hazards Steering Committee, 2004
Additional Meetings
Additional Workshop Meetings were condUCled on;
May 3, 17, and 25
July I and 22
August 12 and 19
September 14 and 30
The committee worked as a group on the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan. Each member
discussed what he or she was working on and progress towards completion. Assignments
were made and discussed. Goals were set for each meeting and time lines for the plan
were set.
Stakeholders Interviews
Stakeholders interviewed for the mitigation plan represented agencies and organizations
throughout the city and surrounding communities The Committee staff integrated
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information provided by stakeholders into the sections of the plan relating to current.
mitigation activities, new action items and in the resource directory. Table 8.3 lists the
stakeholders that the committee staff interviewed during development of the mitigation
plan.
Table B.3. Mitigation Plan Stakeholders
City of Arcadia's Homeowners Associations
Water Providers/ Water Departments
Chamber of Commerce
Santa Anita Race Track
Methodist Hospital of Southern California
Arcadia School District
Southern California Gas Company
Southern California Electric Company
Westfield Shoppingtown Arcadia
Utility Companies
Cal- Trans
T.?p Twenty Five Employers
Disaster Area Managers for Area D, E, and G
Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management
Governor's Office of Emergency Services
Public Meetings
City of Arcadia coordinated two public workshops in the City to gather public ideas and
opinions about the mitigation plan goals and activities.
Public Workshops: August 12, and August 19, 2004
The public workshops provided information on the mitigation plan to workshop
participants and garnered input on issues related to natural hazards in the community.
A survey instrument was handed out to all participants (attached at end of chapter).
Invitation Process
The Natural Hazards Mitigation Committee worked with the Chairperson to identify all
possible stakeholders. The chairperson sent letters of invitation to all identified
stakeholders.
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Results
The Chairperson began the presentation by providing an overview of workshop
objectives to the panicipants. Each person began with introductions, and then discussed
their thoughts on the plan goals. The panicipants then discussed some of the hazards or
disasters they had personally experienced in the past and activities that might prevent
damages from natural hazards in the future. The process took approximately I hour. Each
panicipant was asked to complete a survey addressing the natural hazards of Arcadia.
~-
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Hazards Mitigation and Preparedness Questionnaire
This questionnaire is designed to help the local Hazard Mitigation Planning Project by identifying the community's concerns about
natural and human-caused hazards and to better understand community needs in reducing risk and loss from such hazards. The
questionnaire should be completed by an adult, preferably the homeowner or the head of the household. Please, take a few moments
to complete this questionnaire. All individual responses are strictly confidential, and are for research purposes only. Thank you.
1. Zip code:
Community Name or location:
Internet Access? Y/N
Own/Rent
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2. How concerned are you about the following disasters affecting your community? Please give each hazard a priority rating as follows:
0= Not concerned; t = Somewhat concerned; 2 = Moderately concerned; 3 = Vel)! concerned
3. What is the most effective way for you to receive information about how to make your household and home safer from natural
disasters? (Please check all that app/y.)
Media:
o
o
o
o
o
o
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Natural:
Floods
Levee Failure
High Winds
Dam Failure
Health AlerUEpidemic
landslidelMudslide
Earthquake
Biological/Plant/An imal
Human caused:
Transportation Loss
Fire
Telecommunications Failure
Radioiogicallncident
Special Events
Terrorism
Utilities Interruption
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Books
Mail
Fire Department
Internet
Fact sheet/brochure
Church/religious organization
Employer
Public meetings
University or research institution
Utility Bills
Newspaper
Newspaper ads
Television news
Television ads
Radio news
Radio ads
Other methods:
o Schools
o Outdoor advertising (billboards, etc)
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\ In the following list, please check those activities that you have done, plan to do in the nearfuture, have not done, or are unable to
do. (P/easa check one answer for each preparedness activity)
Have Plan to Not Unable
Have you or someone in your household: done do done to do
Attended meetings or received written information on natural disasters or
emergency preparedness? 0 0 0 0
Taiked with family members about what to do in case of a disaster or emergency? 0 0 0 0
Developed a "Household/Family Emergency Plan" in order to decide what
everyone would do in the event of a disaster? 0 0 0 0
Prepared a "Disaster Supply Kit" (extra food, water, medications, batteries, first aid
items and other emergency supplies)? 0 0 0 0
In the last year, has anyone in your household been trained in First Aid or Cardio-
Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)? 0 0 0 0
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5. Building a disaster supply kit, receiving First Aid training and developing a hcuseholdlfamily emergency plan are all inexpensive
activities that require a personal time commitment. How much time (per year) are you willing to spend on disaster/emergency
preparedness? (Check only one)
o Q-t hour 0 2-3 hours 04-7 hours 08-15 hours 018+ hours 0 Other, please specify
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6. Did you consider the possible occurrence of a natural hazard when you bought/moved into your current home?
DYes 0 No
~. Would you be willing to spend more money on a home that has features that make it more disaster resistant?
Oves 0 No 0 Don't know
8, Do you cany flood insurance? If so what is the annual ccst?
DYes 0 No
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9. Would you be willing to make your home more resistant to natural disasters?
o Yes 0 No .
10. What nonstruc!ural or structural modifications for earthquakes and floods have you made to your home?
(Please check al/ that apply)
10a. Nonstructural
o Anchor bookcases. cabinets to wall
o Secure water heater to wall
o Ins!alllatches on drawers/cabinets
o Fit gas appliances with flexible connections
o Others (please explain)
o Others (please explain)
o None
10b. Structural
o Secure home to foundation
o Brace inside 01 cripple wall with sheathing
o Brace unreinforced chimney
o Brace unreinforced masonry and concrete walls and
foundations
11. Natural and human-caused disasters can have a significant impact on a community but planning for these events can help lessen
the impact. Tha following statement will help us determine community priorities for planning for those hazards. Please tell us how
important each one is to you.
Very Somewhat Not Very Not
Statemant Important Important Neutral Important Important
Protecting private property 0 0 0 0 0
Protecting critical facilities (hospitals. transportation networks, 0 0 0 0 0
fire stations)
Preventing development in hazard areas 0 0 0 0 0
Protecting natural environment 0 0 0 0 0
Protecting historical and cultural landmarks 0 0 0 0 0
Promoting cooperation among public agencies. citizens, nan- D 0 0 0 0
profit organizations and businesses
Protecting and reducing damage to utilities 0 0 0 0 0
Strengthening emergency services (police, fire. ambulance) 0 0 0 0 0
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12. Please check the box that best represents your opinion of the following strategies to reduce the risk and loss associated with natural
disasters
Communitywide Strategies Agree Neutral Disagree Not Sure
I support a regulatory approach to reducing risk. 0 0 0 0
I support a non-regulatory approach to reducing risk. 0 0 0 0
I support pOlicies to prohibit development in areas subject to natural hazards. 0 0 0 0
I support the use of local tax dollars to reduce risks and losses from natural 0 0 0 0
disasters.
I support protecting historical and cuitural structures. 0 0 0 0
I would be willing to maRe my home more disaster-resistant. 0 0 0 0
I support steps to safeguard the local economy following a disaster event a 0 0 0
I support improving the disaster preparedness of schools. a 0 0 0
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Mail to:
---------
Attachment C
- -
-
- --
-
- --
DMA 2000 Hazard Mitigation Plan
Natural Hazard Rick Analysis Rating Form
City of Arcadia 2004
_lnstructions-for_Hazard.Mitigation_Rating_~orm -.
Give each hazard priority risk category listed as a rating from 0 to 3; 0 = no risk, 3 meaning a high risk. .
o = No hazard in accordance with the definitions for hazard prioritization on page 4 through 6 of this' form.
1 = Low Risk in accordance with the hazard prioritization definitions on pages 4 through 6 of this fOfm.
2 = Moderate Risk in accordance with the hazard definitions on pages 4 through 6 of this form.
3 = High Risk in accofdance with the hazard risk definitions on pages 4 through 6 of this form.
Total the numbefs horizontally for each hazafd category. The highest possible score fOf a hazard is 24; the
lowest potential score is O.
Aftef the completion of the matfix, the committee will assign the numerical values fOf the fOUf categories of risk:
1-highest priority risks, 2-moderate priority risks, 3-low priority risks and O-no risk rating values for prioritization.
Examples: A score of 17 to 24 could be considered high-pfiority fisk
9 to 16 could be considered moderate-priority risk
o to 8 could be considered low-priority risk
Dated: J 8 Dec 2003
-------------------
Attachment C
DMA 2000 Hazard Mitigation Plan
Natural Hazard Rick Analysis Rating Form
City of Arcadia 2004
- - - --- -
Hazard - - - - - ~-
Magnitude Duration - - -
Distribution Area Affected Frequency -'---Oegree of~Community- -
',:', l' ^, ~,\:;r~: ~:' :'''~'r{!'\>~;('"; Probability Value
Vulnerability Priority
Dam.,F;;ilure~'.;" ..c:' :(
i , ,,,,,,-~,',,'" : .
, . ~ ~~'.;~:~~' ::\~::>~~;'~":~ E:~!
Orough\..~",."l,." ,
.~ . .~,,,.. :;:, ~.:::-..:l.l;..~.:,';~
1 .>.;~ ,~~'-')..:t.T J"'Jl- f' -,~ .
'E Hht}"'"k:' AI f.~ d -,iI', .~"',
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:. fi~~.;~i~~.~~~~~/~?)(:,~\i;;
. .~_,'_ ,': ..;~) :i:i~~7J:-. :! ;:.t:~ ,'J:,-"':-
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1'16od"'~ r~;l:.'~~.'I~~
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,,<01,<, ~ ,..""',, '. ,,'~.\., ,."\1"
. '" . _ . ~,",_~~~',K.I;-" . ~~"t
f" J :oJ: ~""j< i '~~~~t$~"~; .~ktl~':W' J
.', '.', ' .~. ,. "
:il!.arjdslid8~11!.~~. ~ l~?""\
',"{,io '': ..~n.;:I;I..(..,....~tr.J'~,~i ~~.....\.!\t,.
.- "'.' , ' " "'".,.'- '~. .....,...
;.'~.; l".ii'-""'f~" ''\'I'--~'?irl' "..
5""'1" 'JJ.W'-~~ ::t.o;~ :-;;,._,l~
" . evere"i ea!ne,,'j,j""'"
~1_'!...~.};;{!t~~~R'{.'. '~'i~:'" 't'>(f~f;;ll
"-'/,-;' - ..x,... ".~~-'~ .'
..'Wi"d:~Rallrti~.~\ ,~~1~~.'?j
'...~ \....,., i~('ii-7.,"~~:;&:~'i"
;":;"'\~!'''jdu'mJf'f.!~~ ,~i'li,:"<
:t.1lcroliu Is~EI NiriO\t~ 'f
'.:~::;>):~~~r~~i~~~Iit'i$
:;~!~~~~~~.~~]~
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s" .v" r.-, r .. {:?ir'
~.:a~.~!:"~ -' - ,~..iflf~~+.{l%I~~1
Dated: 18 Dec 2003
--------
- - --
- -
- -
- -
Attachment C
DMA 2000 Hazard Mitigation Plan
Natural Hazard Rick Analysis Rating Form
City of Arcadia 2004
_D_efinitions_focHaza rd-'~rioritization
Magnitude
Physical and economic greatness (impact) of the event
Factors to consider
. Size of event
. Threat to life
. Threat 10 property
1. Individual
2. Puolic Sector
3. Business and manufacturing
4. Tourism
Duration
The length of time the disaster and the effects of the disaster last
Factors to consider
. Length of physical duration during emergency phase
. Length of threat to life and property
. Length of physical duration during recovery phase
. Length of effects on individual citizen and community recovery
. Length of effects on economic recovery, lax base, business and manufacturing recovery, tourism, threat to tax base and
threal to employment.
Dated: 18 Dcc 2003
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Appendix C:
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Economic Analysis of Natural Hazard Mitigation Projects
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Benefit/cost analysis is a key mcchanism used by the state Office of Emergency Services (OES),
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other state and federal agencies in evaluating
hazard mitigation projects, and is required by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93-288, as amended.
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This appendix outlines several approaches for conducting economic analysis of natural hazard
mitigation projects. It describes the importance of implementing mitigation activities, different
approaches to economic analysis of mitigation strategies, and methods to calculate costs and
benefits associated with mitigation strategies. Information in this section is derived in part from:
The Interagency Hazards Mitigation Team, State Hazard Mitigation Plan, (Oregon State Police-
Office of Emergency Management, 2000), and Federal Emergency Management Agency
Publication 331, Report on Costs and Benefits of Natural Hazard Mitigation.
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This section is not imended to provide a comprehensive description ofbenefitlcost analysis, nor
is it intendcd to provide the details of economic analysis methods that can be used to evaluate
local projects. It is intcnded to (I) raise benefit/cost analysis as an important issue, and (2)
provide some background on how economic analysis can be used to evaluate mitigation projects.
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Why Evaluate Mitigation Strategies?
Mitigation activities reduce the cost of disasters by minimizing property damage, injuries, and
thc potential for loss of life, and by reducing emergency response costs, which would otherwise
be incurred.
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Evaluating natural hazard mitigation provides decision-makers with an understanding of the
potential benefits and costs of an activity, as well as a basis upon which to compare alternative
projects. Evaluating mitigation projects is a complex and difficult undertaking, which is
influenced by many variables. First, natural disasters affect all segments of the communities they
strike, including individuals, businesses, and public services such as fire, police, utilities, and
schools.
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Second, while some of the direct and indirect costs of disaster damages are measurable, some of
the costs are non-financial and difficult to quantify in dollars. Third, many of the impacts of such
events produce "ripple-effects" throughout the community, greatly increasing the disaster's
social and economic consequences.
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While not easily accomplished, there is value, from a public policy perspective, in assessing the
positive and negative impacts from mitigation activities, and obtaining an instructive benefit/cost
comparison. Otherwise, the decision to pursue or not pursue various mitigation options would
not be based on an objective understanding of the net benefit or loss associated with these
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actions.
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What are Some Economic Analysis Approaches for Mitigation Strategies?
The approaches used to identify the costs and benefits associated with nalliral hazard mitigation
strategics, measures, or projects fall into two general categories: benefit/cost analysis and C05t-
effectiveness analysis. The distinction between the two methods is the way in which the relative
costs and benefits arc measured. Additionally, there are varying approaches to assessing the
value of mitigation for public sector and private sector activities.
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Benefit/Cost Analysis
Benefitlcost analysis is used in natural hazards mitigation to show if the benefits to life and
property protected through mitigation efforts exceed the cost of the mitigation activity.
Conducting benefit/cost analysis for a mitigation activity can assist communities in determining
whether a project is worth undertaking now, in order to avoid disaster related damages later.
Benefit/cost analysis is based on calculating the frequency and severity of a hazard, avoided
future damages, and risk.
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In benefit/cost analysis, all costs and benefits are evaluated in terms of dollars, and a net
benefit/cost ratio is computed to determine whether a project should be implemented (i.e., ifnet
benefits exceed net costs, the project is worth pursuingj.' A project must have a benefit/cost ratio
greater than I in order to bc funded.
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Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Cost-effectiveness analysis evaluates how best to spend a given amount of money to achieve a
specific goal. This type of analysis, however, does not necessarily measurc costs and benefits in
tcrms of dollars. Determining the economic feasibility of mitigating natural hazards can also be
organized according to the perspective of those with an economic interest in thc outcome. Hence, .
economic analysis approaches are covered for both public and private sectors as follows.
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Investing in public sector mitigation activities
Evaluating mitigation strategies in the public sector is complicated because it involves
estimating all of the economic benefits and costs rcgardless of who realizes them, and
potentially to a large number of people and economic entities. Some benefits cannot be
evaluated monetarily, but still affect the public in profound ways. Economists have
developed methods to evaluate the economic feasibility of public decisions that involve a
diverse set of beneficiaries and nonmarket benefits.
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Investing in private sector mitigation activities
Private sector mitigation projects may occur on the basis of one of two approaches: it
may be mandatcd by a regulation or standard, or it may be economically justified on its
own merits. A building or landowner, whether a private entity or a public agency,
required to conform to a mandated standard may consider the following options:
1. Request cost sharing from public agencies;
2. Dispose of the building or land either by sale or demolition;
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3. Change the designated use of the building or land and change the hazard
mitigation compliance requirement; or
4. Evaluate the most feasible altematjves and initiate the most cost effective
hazard mitigation alternative.
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Estimating the costs and benefits of a hazard mitigation strategy can be a complex process.
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Employing the services of a specialist can assist in this process.
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The sale of a building or land triggers another set of concems. For example, real estate
disclosure laws can be developed which require sellers of real propeny to disclose known
defects and deficiencies in the propeny, including earthquake weaknesses and hazards to
prospective purchasers. Correcting deficiencies can be expensive and time consuming,
but their existence can prevent the sale of the building. Conditions of a sale regarding the
deficiencies and the price of the building can be negotiated between a buyer and seller.
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How can an Economic Analysis be Conducted?
Benefit/cost analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis are important tools in evaluating whether or
not to implement a mitigation activity. A framework for evaluating alternative mitigation
activities is outlined below:
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I. Identify the Alternatives: Alternatives for reducing risk from natural hazards can
include structural projects to cnhance disaster resistance, education and outrcach, and
acquisition or demolition of exposed properties, among others. Different mitigation
project can assist in minimizing risk to natural hazards, but do so at varying economic
costs.
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2, Calculate the Costs and Benefits: Choosing economic criteria is essential to
systematically calculating costs and benefits of mitigation projects and selecting the most
appropriatc alternativc. Potential economic criteria to evaluate alternatives include:
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- Determine the project cost This may include initial project development
costs, and repair and operating costs of maintaining projects over time.
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- Estimate the benefits. Projecting the benefits, or cash flow resulting from a
project can be difficult. Expected future returns from the mitigation effort depend
on the correct specification of the risk and the effectiveness of the project, which
may not be well known. Expected future costs depend on the physical durability
and potential economic obsolescence of the investment. This is difficult to
project. These considerations will also provide guidance in selecting an
appropriate salvage value. Future tax structures and rates must be projected.
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Financing alternatives must be researched, and they may include retained
earnings, bond and stock issues, and commerQialloans.
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- Consider costs and benefits to society and the environment. These are not
easily measured, but can be assessed through a variety of economic tools
including existence value or contingent value theories. These theories provide
quantitative data on the value people attribute to physical or social environments.
Even without hard data, however, impacts of structural projects to the physical
environment or to society should be considered when implementing mitigation
projects.
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- Determine the correct discount rate. Detcrmination of the discount rate can
just be the risk-free cost of capital, but it may include the decision maker's time
preference and also a risk premium. Including inflation should also be considered.
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3. Analyze and Rank the Alternatives: Once costs and benefits have been quantified,
economic analysis tools can rank the alternatives. Two methods for determining the best
alternative given varying costs and benefits include net present value and internal rate of
return.
- Nd present value. Net present value is the value of the expected future returns
of an investment minus the value of expected f\!ture cost expressed in today's
dollars. If the net present value is greater than~e project costs, the project may
be determined feasible for implementation. Selecting the discount rate, and
identifying the present and future costs and benefits of the project calculates the
net present value of projects.
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- In ternal Rate of Return. Using the internal rate of return method to evaluate
mitigation projects provides the interest rate equivalent to the dollar returns
expected from the project. Once the rate has been calculated, it can be compared
to rates earned by investing in alternative projects. Projects may be feasible to
implement when the internal rate of return is greater than the total costs of the
project.
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Once the mitigation projects are ranked on the basis of economic criteria, decision-
makers can consider other factors, such as risk; project effectiveness; and economic,
environmental, and social returns in choosing the appropriate project for implementation.
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How are Benefits of Mitigation Calculated?
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Economic Returns of Natural Hazard Mitigation
The estimation of economic returns, which accrue to building or land owner as a result of natural
hazard mitigation, is difficult. Owners evaluating the economic feasibility of mitigation should
consider reductions in physical damages and fmanciallosses. A partial list follows:
- Building damages avoided
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Content damages avoided
Inventory damages avoided
Rental income losses avoided
Relocation and disruption expenses avoided
Proprietor's income losses avoided
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1'hese parameters can be estimated using observed prices, costs, and engineering data. The
difficult part is to correctly determine the effectiveness of the hazard mitigation project and the
resulting reduction in damages and losses. Equally as difficult is assessing the probabiliry that an
event will occur. The damages and losses should only include those that will be borne by the
owner. The salvage value of the investment can be important in determining economic
feasibility. Salvage value becomes more important as the time horizon of the owner declines.
This is important because most businesses depreciate assets over a period of time.
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Additional Costs from Natural Hazards
Property owners should also assess changes in a broader set of factors that can change as a result
of a large natural disaster. These are usually termed "indirect" effects, but they can have a very
direct. effect on the economic value of the owner's building or land. They can be positive or
negative, and include changes in the following:
Commodity and resource prices
A vailability of resource supplies
Commodity and resource demand changes
Building and land values
Capital availability and interest rates
A vailability of labor
Economic structure
Infrastructure
Regionai exports and imports
Local, state, and national regulations and policies
Insurance availability and rates
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Changes in the resources and industries listed above are more difficult to estimate and require
models that are structured to estimate total economic impacts. Total economic impacts are the
sum of direct and indirect economic impacts. Total economic impact models are usually not
combined with economic feasibility models. Many models exist to estimate total economic
impacts of changes in an economy. Decision makers should understand the total economic
impacts of natural
disasters in order to calculate the benefits of a mitigation activity. This suggests that
understanding the local economy is an important first step in being able to understand the
potential impacts of a disaster, and the benefits of mitigation activities.
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Additional Considerations
Conducting an economic analysis for potential mitigation activities can assist decision-makers in
choosing the most appropriate strategy for their community to reduce risk and prevent loss from
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natural hazards. Economic analysis can also save time and resources from being spent on
inappropriate or unfeasible projects. Several resources and models are listed on the following
page that can assist in conducting an economic analysis for natural hazard mitigation activities.
Benefit/cost analysis is complicated, and the numbers may divert attention from other important
issues. It is important to consider the qualitative factors ofa project associated with mitigation
that cannot be evaluated economically. There are altemative approaches to implementing
mitigation projects. Many communities are looking towards developing multi-objective projects.
With this in mind, opportunity rises to develop strategies that integrate natural hazard mitigation
with projects related to watersheds, environmental planning, community economic development,
and small business development, among others. Incorporating natural hazard mitigation with
other community projects can increase the viability of project implementation.
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Resources
CUREe Kajima Project, Methodologies For Evaluating The Socio-Economic Consequences Of
Large Earthquakes, T~sk 7.2 Economic Impact Analysis, Prepared by University of California,
Berkeley Team, Robert A. Olson, VSP Associates, Team Leader; John M. Eidinger, G&E
Engineering Systems; Kenneth A. Goettel, Goettel and Associates Inc.; and Gerald L. Horner,
Hazard Mitigation Economics Inc., 1997.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Benefit/Cost Analysis of Hazard Mitigation Projects,
Riverine Flood, Version 1.05, Hazard Mitigation Economics Inc., 1996.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Report on Costs and Benefits of Natural Hazard
Mitigation. Publication 331, 1996.
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Goettel & Horner Inc., Earthquake Risk Analysis Volume III: The Economic Feasibility of
Seismic Rehabilitation of Buildings in The City of Portland, Submitted to the Bureau of
Buildings, City of Portland, August 30, 1995.
Goettel & Homer Inc., Benefit/Cost Analysis of Hazard Mitigation Projects Volume V,
Earthquakes, Prepared for FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Branch, October 25,1995.
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Horner, Gerald, Benefit/Cost Methodologies for Use in Evaluating the Cost Effectiveness of
Proposed Hazard Mitigation Measures, Robert Olson Associates, Prepared for Oregon State
Police, Office of Emergency Management, July 1999.
Intcragency Hazards Mitigation Team, State Hazard Mitigation Plan, (Oregon State Police-
Office of Emergency Management, 2000).
Risk Management Solutions, Inc., Development of a Standardized Earthquake Loss Estimation
Methodology, National Institute of Building Sciences, Volume I and II, 1994.
VSP Associates, Inc., A Benefit/Cost Model for the Seismic Rehabilitation of Buildings,
Volumes I & 2, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Publication Numbers 227 and
228,1991.
VSP Associates, Inc., Benefit/Cost Analysis of Hazard Mitigation Projects: Section 404 Hazard
Mitigation Program and Section 406 Public Assistance Program, Volume 3: Seismic Hazard
Mitigation Projects, 1993.
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VSP Associates, Inc., Seismic Rehabilitation of Federal Buildings: A Benefit/Cost Model,
Volume 1, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEivlA, Publication Number 255,1994.
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TJi J ,11
ullCD II u
COREN & CONE
THE CITY OF ARCADIA
Comparison Of Assessed Value To Market Value
Single Family Residential 2004/05 Tax Year
9,600,000,000
8,600,000,000
7,600,000,000
6,700,000,000
5,700,000,000
II......
l . .' ,14,800,000,000
;-. .. . i 3,800,000,000
1-,' Assessed Value: $ 5,194,738,539 . 12,900,000,000
,- -11,900,000,000
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1950,000,000
City
Single Family Parcels
200~ Single Famil)' Assessed Value
Square Feet
2(1(1~ Assessed Value Per Sq Foot
2(1(14 City Revenue
2(10~ Sales Value
Sales Price Per Sq Foot
Estimated Market Value Per Sq Foot
20(l~ Estimated Market Value
13,556
$5,194,738,539
30,003,13~
$173.U
$5,(148,093
N/A
N/A
$317.72
$9,532,573,41~
$9,271,134
$4,223,041
Estimated Re,'cnue Based On .Market Value
20(14 Increased Revenue
Number Of Parcels wlo Sq. Ft. Data
19
Sale Parcels
362
$143,353,462
817,083
$175.45
$139,260
$263,059,900
$321.95
N/A
N/A
$255,664
$116,405
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The purpose of this table is to estimate the difference between the assessed values and the market values for single family
residences. ~larket value is estimated based upon changes of ownership of single famil~' homes which occurred in the 2004
calendar year and appl)'ing the the average percentage increase in the price per square foot to the total single family square
footage in the city,
Property tax re\'enue estimates are calculated b,y appl~'ing the Cit:y's share of the generalle\'}' to the respecth'e assessed or
market value of the residential propert). without regard to redevelopment tax incremental revenues,
Data Source: Los Angeles COUllty Assessor 2004/05 Combined Tax Rolls PC409071505
TI.;~ ,.,.....,,..;~ ....., /,.. J,,. "~fOrl:,.. ~.,-...,.._...r ,.,,,1., ;~~"....._,..... -.,..1;....:..(' -I"~-"-~,,,..,.. ~._,,..,.,..,.....~ ._,.;."_.,, .".. "...;rf.... ,.....,...~.."'f ",( f--1,,/T r"......,f. r",.,,,
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City of Arcadia ENTIRE CIlY 2004-05 VALUES
USE PARCEL COUNT ASSESSED VALUE TAXABLE VALUE MARKET VALUE" SQ. FT. NOTES Marllet Value/Sq f\.
Single Family Residential 139391 $5,344,940,7t71 $5,344,221,8141 $9,532,573,4141 30,003,134 19 records w/o SQ.tt. values $J2t.95
Multi-Family Resldental 9091 $476,081,3531 $475,569,3151 $1,380,195,6451 5,618,774 1 record w/o sqJt values $245.64
2 unit:> <snd h!Qher
Commerdal Property 6101 $768,329,8t51 $762,467,8821 $3,218,280,3391 8,896,913 5 records w/o sq.fl values $361.73
Industrial Property t791 $130,945,3031 $130,945,3031 $378,586,1851 2,566,686 an records have sq. It values $147.50
Institutional Property 521 $69,440,1441 $33,342,8931 $33,342,8931 1,288,023 .n ,e<ll<tls h.... sq. It...\\res $25.89
Schools, churches, hospitals
Recreational 91 $161,694,9tOI $161,521,2601 $162,569,9311 1,398,812 all records have SQ. It vallles $116.22
racetrack, bowling alley, dubs
Possessory Interest [30]1 $55,344,9811 $55,329,9661 $55,329,9661",.It. on oUIer parr:e/s-non /axed pa"",1s ""'sed '" ot/IerS Nt'" lease Interest
parcel count not in total
Miscellaneous 11 $54,7971 $54,7971 $54,7971 391 all records have SQ. ft.. values last Sale 1964
East Pasadena Water Company- 1150 W. Duarte Rd.
Government 21 $t,021,8711 $t,021,8711 $1,021,8711 10,219 too few parcels wfth SQ. f\.. values no data a\laildl*
Exempt 2651 $23,646,3971 $01 $23,646,3971 299,540 23 out of 265 wI sq. It values nol:1axed
Irrigated Land 11 $20,4861 $20,4861 $20,4861 n/a last Sale 1964
California Mish land 8. Water Co. -1148 W. Duarte Rd.
Vacant Land 342\ $89,128,8771 $87,292,1171 $87,292,1171 700,197 53 of J.12 vacant parcels wI sq,ft. value not enough data
Unknown 241 $39,931,1671 $39,931,t671 $39,931,1671 714,764 12outof24w,sq.ft.values not enough data
Use Codes do not match County listing
TOTALS 163031 $7,160,580,8181 $7,091,718,8711 $14,912,845,2081
.. Market Value estimates based on per square toot sales value tor properties tranterrlng ownershlp- 2004 calendar year
SFR assessed value per sq. ft. = $173.14; Markets value per sq. ft.= $321.95
MFR assessed value per sq. ft. = $84.64; Market value per square foot = $245.64
Commercial assessed value per sq. ft. = $85.70; Market value per square foot = $361.73
Industrial assessed value per sq. ft. = $51.02; Market value per square foot = $147.50
Recreational assessed value per sq. ft. = $116.22; Market value per square foot = $116.22
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THE CITY OF ARCADIA
FLOOD MAP - SOUTH
2004/05 ROLL SUMMARY
Taxahle Property Values
or'" -n l 0 ._, ,
i ~ -,..I,:
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,.L.L.(~..: .~d'! I
COREN &- CONE
Secured
Taxable
Nonunitary
Utilities
Unsecured
Roll
I Parcels
TRAs
533
11
o
o
9
5
Values
Land $ 88,491,179 $0 $0
Improvements $ 59,616,712 $0 $0
Personal Property $ 235 $0 $ 69.896
Fixtures $0 $0 $0
Aircraft $0 $0
Total Value $ 148,108,126 $0 $ 69,896
Exemptions
Real Estate $0 $0 $0
Personal Property $0 $0
Fixtures $0 SO
Aircraft $0 $0
Homeo\\'ners* . $.2,311,400 $0 $0
Total Exemptions* $0 $0 $0
I Total Net Value $ 148,108,126 $0 $ 69,896
Combined Values Total
Total Values $ 148,178,022
Total Exemptions $0
Net Total Values $ 148,178,022
J\'nre:
f/(Jme(ll1'''er.~ E.u/1/OIi(ln Nm Illr//ldrd III Total Exemptions
Data Source: Los A1IKeles Coumy Assessor 2004/05 CombitJed Tax Rolls
PC..t09071311
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THE CITY OF ARCADIA
FLOOD MAP - SOUTH
USE CATEGORY SUMMARY, 2004/05
t~Hn:\ Co\E
BASIC PROPERTY VALUE TABLE
CATEGORY I I'ARCELS ASSESSED VALUE NET TAXABLE VALUE
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Residential 482 $ 145,923,307 (97.7%) I $ 145,923,307 (98.5%)
Institutional 2 I $ 969,124 (0.6%) $ 969,124 (0.7%)
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Government 1 I $ 608,510 (0.4%) $ 608,510 (0.4%)
Vacant Land 48 I $ 607,185 (0.4%) $ 607,185 (0.4%)
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Exempt 12 I $ 1,171,483 (0,8%) $0 (0.0%)
I $ 69,896
Unsecured [9] I $ 69,896 (0.0%) I (0.0%)
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TOTALS I 545 $ 149,349,505 $ 148,178,022
,
ASSESSED VALUE
NET TAXABLE VALUE
/
Residential 97.7%
Residential 98.5%
Data Source: [..os AlIJ!l'Jes COJlIlt\' Asse.\"mr 2(W.JJn5 Cnmhi1U>d Tar Rnllf
pr.JIlOIl"lJll
--------------~----
City of Arcad'la South Flood Map 2004-05 VALUES
USE PARCEL COUNT ASSESSED VALUE TAXABLE VALUE MARKET VALUE** SQ. FT. NOTES Market Value/Sq ft.
Single Family Residential 4451 $134,868,5561 $134,868,5561 $280,913,9311 872,539 $321.95
Multi-Family Residental 381 $11,054,9741 $11,054,9741 $20,459,8471 83,292 $245.64
2 units and higher
Institutional 21 $969,1241 $969,1241 $767,5911 11,646
Government 111 $1,779,6461 $1,779,6461 $1,081,7251 too few parcels with sq. ft. values no data available
Vacant Land 491 $607,3091 $607,3091 $16,468,0941 too few parcels with sq. ft. values not enough data
TOTALS 5451 $149,279,6091 $149,279,6091 $3t9,691,1881
** Market Value estimates based on per square foot sales value for properties tranferring ownership- 2004 calendar year
SFR assessed value per sq. ft. ~ $t54.57; Marlc.et value per sq. ft. (city-wide sales) ~ $321.95
MFR assessed value per sq. ft. ~ $132.73; Market value per square foot (city-wide sales) ~ $245.64
~
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THE CITY OF ARCADIA
FLOOD MAPS - NORTH
2004/05 ROLL SUMMARY
Taxable Propert). Values
:-"Drrl-'- I
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- . '; ,
I ,! 1,1 r;,
, I '_ 1... _ \ L I '! . __I, I
~_ -_ ~...",-____Il
COREN & CONE
Secured
Taxable
Nonunitary
Utilities
Unsecured
Roll
I Parcels
TRAs
853
8
o
o
85
5
Values
Land $ 214,082,526 $0 $0
Improvements $ 176,843,345 $0 $0
Personal Propel1y $ 4,874 $0 $ 1,500,609
fixtures $ 86,477 $0 $ 1.117.393
Aircraft $0 $0
Total Value $ 391,017,222 $0 $ 2,618,002
Exemptions
Real Estate $ 1.265.993 $0 $0
Personal Property $0 $0
fixtures $0 $0
f\ircraft $0 $0
Homeowners" $ 4,109.000 $0 $0
Total Exemptions* $ 1,265,993 $0 $0
Total Net Value $ 389,751,229 $0 $ 2,618,002
Combined Values Total
Total Values $ 393,635,224
Total Exemptions $ 1,265,993
Net Total Values $ 392,369,231
NfJte:
Hmrlt'OWller,\ EXl'nlpriOlI No/Included In Total E.r(IIlPtir!ll.l"
n....'~ ('^....~... ,...." i ..~I"',.<' r"........ i ...........",. '1nn "n:: r;,,,,",.,;".-~ T...,. p~,,-
,..~.,,""~.~~ .
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Ill[II
THE CITY OF ARCADIA
FLOOD MAPS - NORTH
USE CATEGORY SUMMARY, 2004/05
COilE' c. Ul,-"E
I BASIC PROPERTY VALUE TABLE
CATEGORY I PARCELS I ASSESSED VALUE NET TAXABLE VALUE
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Residential 788 I $ 364,437,542 (92.3%) $ 364,437,542 (92.9%)
Commercial 36 I $ 19,951,773 (5.1%) $ 19,951,773 (5.1%)
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Industrial 1 $ 268,928 (0.1%) $ 268,928 (0.1%)
Institutional 3 I $ 767,591 (0.2 %) $ 15,554 (0.0%)
Vacant Land 21 $ 890,361 (0.2%) $ 376,405 (0.1%)
Exempt 31 $ 1,041,744 (0.3%) $0 (0.0%)
Unsecured [85] I $ 2,618,002 (0.7%) $ 2,618,002 (0.7%)
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Unknown 4 I $ 4,701,027 (1.2 %) $ 4,701,027 (1.2%)
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TOT ALS 884 I $ 394,676,968 $ 392,369,231
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ASSESSED VALUE
NET T AXABLE VALUE
Commercial 5.1 %
Commercial 5.10/.
Residential 92.3%
Residential 92.9%
ro " -. (' ','. _ - - , - - .,,~ -,~,. r.-.""h- . ,".''-,..? ,.nn f'rli: r~n"..;., ,;_~ T'". 1:>-"-
r>r"''-'I''''I~'
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City of Arcadia North Flood Map 2004-05 VALUES
USE PARCEL COUNT ASSESSED VALUE TAXABLE VALUE MARKET VALUE** SQ. FT. NOTES
Single Family Residential 7741 $360,573,2901 $360,573,2901 $646,685,5111 2,008,652
Multi-Family Residental 181 $7,706,6381 $7,706,6381 $13,694,1841 55,749
2 units and higher
Commercial Property 371 $22,224,2161 $22,224,2161 $99,474,3031 274,996
Industrial 11 $268,9281 $268,9281 $268,9281 943
Institutional 31 $767,5911 $502,0531 $767,5911 22,096
Government 301 $1,081,7251 $1,081,7251 $1,081,7251 too few parcels with sq. ft. values
Vacant Land 211 $474,4191 $474,4191 $474,4191 too few parcels with sq. ft. values
TOTALS 8841 $393,096,8071 $392,831,2691 $762,446,6621
* * Market Value estimates based on per square foot sales value for properties tranferring ownership- 2004 calendar year
SFR assessed value per sq. ft. = $179.51; Market value per sq. ft. (city-wide sales) = $321.95
MFR assessed value per sq. ft. = $138.24; Market value per square foot (city-wide sales) = $245.64
Commercial assessed value per sq. ft.= $80.82; Market value per square foot (city-wide sales)= $361.73
Industrial assessed value per sq. ft. + $285.29; Market value per square foot @ $285. 18/sq. ft.
>
Market Value/Sq ft.
$321.95
$245.64
$361.73
no data available
not enough data
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COllEN i> CONE
THE CITY OF ARCADIA
MORRIS S. JONES RESERVOIR
2004/05 ROLL SUMMARY
Taxable Property Values
Secured
Taxable
Non unitary
Utilities
Unsecured
Roll
I Parcels
TRAs
382
3
o
o
11
2
Values
Land $ 89,870,477 $0 $0
Improvements $ 60, I 72,808 $0 $0
Personal Property $0 $0 $ 105,132
Fixtures $0 $0 $0
Aircraft $0 $0
Total Value $ 150,043,285 $0 $ 105,132
Exemptions
Real Estate $0 $0 $0
Personal Property $0 $0
Fixtures $0 $0
Aircraft $0 $0
Homeowners. $ 2,112,600 $0 $0
Total Exemptions" $0 $0 $0
Total Net Value $ 150,043,285 $0 $ 105,132
Combined Values Total
Total Values $ 150,148,417
Total Exemptions $0
Net Total Values $ 150,148,417
Note:
Homeownus Exemotion Not/nc/uded In Total ExemDtioftS
Data Souru: Los Angele.f County Assessor 2004105 Combined Tax Rolls PCI09D,IUO
This uport iJ not to be lutd ill support ofddt i$Jlla"c~ or continuing disdosll~ :staumtnts without the wrinell consent ofHdL. Cortll & COile.
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~arllfij
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j I)" I:
THE CITY OF ARCADIA
MORRIS S. JONES RESERVOIR
USE CATEGORY SUMMARY, 2004/05
BASIC PROPERTY VALUE TABLE
CATEGORY I PARCELS I ASSESSED VALUE I NET TAXABLE VALUE
,
Residential 381 $ 150,039,919 (96.8%) $ 150,039,919 (99.9%)
Vacant Land 1 $ 3,366 (0.0%) $ 3,366 (0.0%)
Exempt 5 $ 4,789,926 (3.1%) $0 (0.0%)
1: I
Unsecured ..' Illl $ 105,132 (0.1%) $ 105,132 (0.1%)
TOTALS 387 $ 154,938,343 $ 150,148,417
ASSESSED VALUE
NET TAXABLE VALUE
Residential 96.8%
Residential 99.9%
Data SOllru: Los Angeles County Assessor 2004/05 Combined Tax RoUs
This report is not to be used"lf support o/debt iSSllQIIU or cOlltinuin, disclosun stlJlements without tile wrirrefl consent o/HdL, Corell &- COile.
PC499081JJ6
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USE
Single Family Residential
Government
Vacant Land
City of Arcadia Morris S. Jones Reser
PARCEL COUNT ASSESSED VALUE TAXABLE VALUE
381\ $150,039,9191 $150,039,9191
51 $4,789,9261 $4,789,9261
11 $3,3661 $3,3661
3871 $154,833,2111 $154,833,2111
TOTALS
** Market Value estimates based on per square foot sales value for properties tr
SFR assessed value per sq. ft. = $179.51; Market value per sq. ft. (city-wide sales) = $321.
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voir Flood Map 2004-05 VALUES
MARKET VALUE** SQ. FT. NOTES
$278,901,7441 866,289
$4,789,9261 too few parcels with sq. It. values
$3,3661 too few parcels with sq. It. values
$283,695,0361
anferring ownership- 2004 calendar year
.95
Mart<et Value/Sq ft.
$321. 95
no data available
not enough data
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11Un. Tif \
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COREN & CONE
THE CITY OF ARCADIA
SANTA ANITA FASHION PARK
2004/05 ROLL SUMMARY
Taxable Propert). Values
Secured
Taxable
Unsecured .
Roll
Nonunitary
Utilities
I Parcels
TRAs
7
2
o
o
147
2
Values
Land $ 99,697,492 $0 $0
Improvements $ 110.134,921 $0 $0
Personal Property $0 $0 $ 14,362.150
Fixtures $0 $0 $ 10.010,710
Ai rcraft $0 $0
Total Value $ 209,832,413 $0 $ 24,372,860
Exemptions
Real Estate $0 $0 SO
Personal Property SO $0
Fixtures $0 SO
Aircraft $0 SO
Homeowners* . . $0 $0 $0
. .
Total Exemptions* $0 $0 $0
Total Net Value $ 209,832,413 $0 $ 24,372,860
Combined Values Total
Total Values $ 234,205,273
Total Exemptions $0
Net Total Values $ 234,205,273
" ,
,\'O[~:
Homeol,'/lt!r5 Ext'/nfJfiOfl N01lnrludrd In Total EU'mfJfiollS
nnt" t;:"..,.r... 11l~ J."uplpl: rnll""' J. ........p......nr ')nnJln::; rnmh'"f"rf T",,,, Pro"..
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rnrn1
THE CITY OF ARCADIA
SANTA ANITA FASHION PARK
USE CATEGORY SUMMARY, 2004/05
tIlRE.\ ... 1.Il'\E
BASIC PROPERTY VALUE TABLE
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CATEGORY PARCELS I ASSESSED VALUE NET TAXABLE VALUE
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Commercial 5 I $ 193,623,592 (82.7 % ) $ 193,623,592 (82.7%)
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Vacant Land 2 $ 16,208,821 (6.9%) $ 16,208,821 (6.9%)
,
,
Unsecured [147] \ $ 24,372,860 (10.4%) $ 24,372,860 (10.4%)
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TOTALS 7 i $ 234,205,273 . $ 234,205,273
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ASSESSED VALUE
NET TAXABLE VALUE
nmerclaI82.7~o
Vacant Land 6.9%
Commercial 82.7%
Unsecured 10.4%
Unsecured 10.4'-.
Vacant Land 6.9%
n._._....._____.,__4..__,__r'_....,_i__ - ....flfl~'fl~r_..'...., '''r__ n ,.
-------------------
City of Arcadia Santa Anita Fashion Park 2004-05 VALUES
USE PARCEL COUNT ASSESSED VALUE TAXABLE VALUE MARKET VALUE** SQ. FT. Market Value/Sq ft.
Commercial Dept. Store 11 $20,564,6311 $20,564,6311 $218,193,8861 677,726 $220.00
Commercial Shopping Center 51 $185,298,2761 $185,298,2761 $395,567,4801 1,798,034 $220.00
Vacant Land 11 $3,969,5061 $3,969,5061 $3,969,5061
Unsecured Bills (147)1 $24,372,8601 $24,372,8601 $24,372,8601
TOTALS 71 $234,205,2731 $234,205,2731 $642,103,7321
** Market Value estimates based on per square foot sales value for properties of similar types transfering ownership within past 3 years.
Commercial Dept Store assessed value per sq. ft. = $30.34; Market value per square foot (county wide mall sales) $220.00
Commercial Shaping Center assessed value per sq. ft. = $132.73; Market value per square foot (county wide mall sales) = $220.00
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THE CITY OF ARCADIA
WILDLAND INTERFACE AREA
2004/05 ROLL SUMMARY
Taxable Property Values
.. "":J- ~ -c :
, r I;,
l "'
.,: III ' :"
1_ "~.1. ~__-='~ !
COREN & CONE
I
Secured
Taxable
Nonunitary
Utilities
Unsecured
Roll
I Parcels
TRAs
996
12
o
o
21
3
Values
Land $ 270,147,681 $0 $0
Improvements $ 196,829,782 $0 $0
Personal Propel1y $ 4.000 $0 $ 170,782
Fixtures $0 $0 $ 4,664
Aircraft $0 $0
Total Value $ 466,981,463 $0 $ 175,446
Exemptions
Real Estate $ 100,000 $0 $0
Personal Propel1y $0 $0
Fixtures $0 $0
Aircraft $0 $0
Homeowners. $ 5,285,000 $0 $0
Total Exemptions* $ 100,000 $0 $0
Total Net Value $ 466,881,463 $0 $ 175,446
Combined Values Total
Total Values $ 467,156,909
Total Exemptions $ 100,000
Net Total Values $ 467,056,909
NOlI:':
H(Jml'{/\rnt'f_~ E.w'lIIprirll/ N(!//ndlldcd III Total E.tt'lI1mioru
n_.~ ('~"_A_' , ~~ .t .._AI.." r.........., t....A"....... "lIl'1l/fl~ r_~/-';..~~ "T". ~- r1-
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ffftl ~
THE CITY OF ARCADIA
WILDLAND INTERFACE AREA
USE CATEGORY SUMMARY, 2004/05
CO 1:1-. \ I"O\E
BASIC PROPERTY VALUE TABLE
CATEGORY I PARCELS : ASSESSED VALUE I NET TAXABLE VALUE
I
Residential 950 $ 449,009,430 (95.9%) $ 448,909,430 (96.1 %)
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Commercial I 3 I $ 959,733 (0.2%) $ 959,733 (0.2%)
Vacant Land 42 I $ 16,462,125 (3.5%) $ 16,462,125 (3.5%)
,
,
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Exempt 34 $ 1,266,122 (0.3%) $0 (0.0%)
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Unsecured [21] $ 175,446 (0.0%) $ 175,446 (0.0%)
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Unknown 1 $ 550,175 (0.1%) I $ 550,175 (O.I'7c)
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TOTALS 1,030 $ 468,423,031 $ 467,056,909
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ASSESSED VALUE
NET TAXABLE VALUE
Residential 95.9%
Residential 96.1%
Data Soufce: Lmi AnrIeles Cou",... AU"n'nr 2n(j4ms rnmhinpd Tar R()"t;;
pr.JfJO(l1/IJl
-------------------
City of Arcadia Wildland Interface Area 2004-05 VALUES
USE PARCEL COUNT ASSESSED VALUE TAXABLE VALUE MARKET VALUE** SQ. FT. NOTES Market Value/5Q ft.
Single Family Residential 9511 $447,340,1601 .$447,240,1601 $783,170,7411 2,432,585 $321.95
Multi-Family Residental 11 $2,397,8731 $2,397,8731 $3,912,3081 15,927 $245.64
2 units and higher
Commercial Property 31 $959,7331 $959,7331 $18,306,7941 50,609 $361. 73
Government 291 $1,081,7251 $1,081,7251 $1,021,871 I too few parcels with sq. ft. values no data available
Vacant Land 461 $16,468,0941 $16,468,0941 $16,468,0941 too few parcels with sq. ft. values not enough data
TOTALS 10301 $468,247,5851 $468,147,5851 $822,879,8081
** Market Value estimates based on per square foot sales value for properties tranferring ownership- 2004 calendar year
SFR assessed value per sq. ft. = $183.89; Market value per sq. ft. (city-wide sales) ~ $321.95
MFR assessed value per sq. ft. = $150.55; Market value per square foot (city-wide sales) = $245.64
Commerdal assessed value per sq. ft.= $18.96; Market value per square foot (city-wide sales)~ $361.73
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AA.5HTO
ATC
blca
BFE
BLM
BSSC
CDBG
CFR
CRS
EDA
EPA
ER
EWP
FAS
FEMA
FIR1'v1
FMA
FTE
GIS
GNS
GSA
HAZUS
HMGP
HMST
HUD
IBHS
ICC
IHMT
NCDC
NFIP
NFPA
NrLVlP
NIBS
NIFC
NMFS
NOAA
NPS
NRCS
NWS
SBA
OC';rn\xrIO.;OOJ
Appendix D Acronyms
Federal Acronyms
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
Applied Tcchnology Council
bene tit/cost analysis
Base Flood Elevation
Bureau of Land Management
Building Seismic Safety Council
Community Development Block Grant
Code of Federal Regulations
Corrununity Rating System
Economic Development Administration
Environmental Protection Agency
Emergency Relief
Emergency Watershed Protection (NRCS Program)
Federal Aid System
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Flood Insurance Rate Map
Flood Mitigation Assistance (FEivlA Program)
Full Time Equivalent
Geographic Information System
InstiTUte of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (International)
General Services Administration
Hazards U.S.
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
Hazard Mitigation Survey Team
Housing and Urban Development (United States, Department of)
Institute for Business and Home Safety
Increased Cost of Compliance
Interagcncy Hazard Mitigation Team
National Climate Data Center
National Flood Insurance Program
National Fire Protection Association
NaTUral Hazard Mitigation Plan (also known as "409 Plan")
National InstiTUte of Building Sciences
National Interagency Fire Center
National Marine Fisheries Service
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Park Service
NaTUral Resources Conservation Service
National Weather Service
Small Business Administration
\\I99Spc-.arc=. i 1995\DMA:1( l'1.ul'ol Ol-lA /'1...,111'1..0 DO~.,,^ppcndi~ 0 ""'1'On}"t:IS.\"JId
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SEAO
SHMO
TOR
UGB
UR.M
USACE
USBR
USDA
US FA
USFS
USGS
WSSPC
A&W
AA
AAR
ARC
ARP
A TC20
ATC21
BCP
BSA
CAER
CalARP
CalBO
CalEP A
CalREP
CALST ARS
CalTRANS
CBO
CD
CDF
CDMG
CEC
CEPEC
CESRS
CHIP
CHMIRS
CHP
CLETS
CST!
CUEA
De~cmbcr 10, :001
Structural Engineers Association of Oregon
State Hazard Mitigation Officer
Transfer of Development Rights
Urban Growth Boundary
Unrcinforced Masonry
United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Bureau of Reclamation
United States Depamnent of Agriculture
United States Fire Administration
United States Forest Service
United States Geological Survey
Westem States Seismic Policy Council
California Acronyms
Alert and Waming
Administering l\.reas
After Action Report
Amcrican Red Cross
Accidcntal Risk Prevention
Applied Technology Council20
Applied Technology Council2l
Budget Change Proposal
California Bureau of State Audits
Community Awareness & Emergency Response
Califomia Accidental Relcase Prevention
Califomia Building Officials
Califomia Environmental Protection Agency
Califomia Radiological Emergency Plan
California State Accounting Reporting System
Califomia Depamnent of Transportation
Conununity Based Organization
Civil Defense
Califomia Depamnent of Forestry and Fire Protection
California Division of Mines and Geology
Califomia Energy Conunission
California Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council
Califomia Emergency Services Radio System
California Hazardous Identification Program
California Hazardous Materials Incident Reporting System
California Highway Patrol
California Law Enforcement Teleconununications System
Califomia Specialized Training Institute
Califomia Utilities Emergency Association
2 \\199~pc\al'l:.1199S\DMA 2K Plan',t D~(A Planll Plal\ Doet\Al'Pendi~ o ACllln)'IN."'Pd
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I CUPA
DAD
I DFO
DGS
DHSRHB
I DO
DOC
DOE
I DOF
DOJ
DPA
I DPIG
DR
DSA
I DSR
DSW
DWR
EAS
I EDIS
EERI
EMA
I EMl
EMMA
EMS
I EOC
EOP
EPA
I EPEDAT
EPI
EPIC
I ESC
FAY
FDAA
I FEAT
FEMA
FFY
I FIR
FIRESCOPE
FMA
I FSR
FY
GIS
I HAZMAT
HAZMIT
HAZUS
I Dftcmbo:rIO,:OO3
I
Certified Unified Program Agency
Disaster Assistance Division (of the state Office of Emergency Svcs)
Disaster Field Office
Califomia Department of General Services
Califomia Department of Health Services, Radiological Health Branch
Duty Officer
Department Operations Center
Department of Energy (U.S.)
California Department of Finance
California Department of Justice
California Department of Personnel Administration
Disaster Preparedness Improvement Grant
Disaster Response
Division of the State Architect
Damage Survey RepOI1
Disaster Service Worker
California Depal1menr of Water Resources
Emergency Alel1ing System
Emergency Digital Information System
Eal1hquake Engineering Research Institute
Emergency Management Assistance"
Emergency Management Institute
Emergency Managers Mutual Aid
Emergency Medical Services
Emergency Operations Center
Emergency Operations Plan
Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.)
Early Post Earthquake Damage Assessment Tool
Emergency Public Information
Emergency Public Information Council
Emergency Services Coordinator
F ederal Award Year
Federal Disaster Assistance Administration
Governor's Flood Emergency Action Team
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Fiscal Year
Final Inspection Reports
Firefighting Resources of So. Calif Organized for Potential Emergencies
Flood Management Assistance
Feasibility Study Report
Fiscal Year
Geographical Information System
Hazardous Materials
Hazardous Mitigation
Hazards United States (an earthquake damage assessment prediction 1001)
. ~<'.':
3 \\1998pc'.a1U . 1995',vMA :K '1.11I11 OMA Pl~\1 PI:an OIXS\A~dix 0 A=n)ms."<pd
I ,
I
I HAD
HEICS
I HUG
HlA
H.c'vIEP
HMGP
I IDE
IA
IFG
I IRG
IPA
LAl"l
I LEMMA
LEPC
MARAC
I MHID
MOU
NBC
I NEMA
NEwlIS
NFlP
I NOAA
NPP
NSF
I NWS
0.'1..
OASIS
I OCC
oeD
OEP
OES
I OSHPD
OSPR
PA
I PC
PDA
PIO
I POST
PPAlCA
PSA
I PTAB
PTR
RA
I RADEF
~\1P
I Dc~.m,bcr 10.1003
I
-,
~
Housing and Community Development
Hospital Emergency Incident Command System
Hospital Emergency Planning Guidance
Hazard Identification and Analysis Unit
Hazardous Matcrials Emergency Preparedness
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
Initial Damage Estimate
Indi vidual Assistance
Individual & Family Grant (program)
Incident Response Geographic Information System
Information and Public Affairs (of state Office of Emergency Services)
Local Area Network
Law Enforcement Master Mutual Aid
Local Emergency Planning Comminee
Mutual Aid Regional Advisory Council
Multihazard Identification
Memorandum of Understanding
Nuclear, Biological, Chemical
National Emergency Managcment Agency
National Emergency Management Information System
National Flood Insurance Program
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
Nuclear Power Plant
National Science Foundation
National Weather Service
Operational Area
Operational Area Satellite Information System
Operations Coordination Center
Office of Civil Defense
Office of Emergency Planning
California Governor's Office of Emergency Services
Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
Oil Spill Prevention and Response
Public Assistance
Personal Computer
Preliminary Damage Assessment
Public Information Office
Police Officer Standards and Training
Performance Partnership Agreement/Cooperative Agreement (FEMA)
Public Service Announcement
Planning and Technological Assistance Branch
Project Time Repol1
Regional Administrator (OES)
Radiological Defense (program)
Regional Assessment of Mitigation Priorities
4 \\1!19!pC-.ln:1 i 199!\O:-.u 1K PJ&ll11 DMA Plm\l Plan Do;g\AppClld.i.Y. DA~roll)ma.wpd.
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RAPID
RDO
RDMHC
REOC
REPI
RES
RIMS
RMP
RPU
RRT
SAM
SARA
SAVP
SBA
SCO
SEMS
SEPIC
SLA
SONGS
SOP
SWEPC
TEC
TRU
TTT
UPA
UPS
USAR
USGS
WC
W Pu'i
WIPP
December 10,1003
.
Railroad Accident Prevention & Immediate Deployment
Radiological Defense Officer
Regional Disaster Medical Health Coordinator
Regional Emergency Operations Center ,'n
Reserve Emergency Public Information
Regional Emergency Staff
Response Information Management System
Risk Management Plan
Radiological Preparedness Unit (OES)
Regional Response Team
State Administrative Manual
Superfund Amendments & Reauthorization Act
Safety Assessment Volunteer Program
Small Business Administration
California State Controller's Office
Standardized Emergency Management System
State Emergency Public Information Committee
State and Local Assistance
San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station
Standard Operating Procedure
Statewide Emergency Planning Committee
Travel Expense Claim
Transuranic
Train the Trainer
Unified Program Account
Uninterrupted Power Source
Urban Search and Rescue
United States Geological Survey
California State Warning Center
Wide Area Network
Waste Isolation Pilot Project
5 \\199!pc'..~s 1199!\DMA:1( Plan\l OMA Planll Plln OOClv..ppcndU. 0 A=,nyma.wpd
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Acceleration
Asset
Base Flood
Base Flood
Elevation (BFE)
Bedrock
Building
Coastal High
Hazard Area
Coastal Zones
Community Rating
System (CRS)
Computer-Aided
Design And
Drafting (CAD D)
D<<(mIxrIO.:OO,1
Appendix E
Glossary
The rate of change of velocity with respect to time. Acceleration due to
gravity at the earth's surface is 9.8 meters per second squared. That
means that every second that something falls toward the surface or'eal1h
its velocity increases by 9.8 meters per second.
Any manmade or natural feature that has value, including, but not
limited to peop.ie; buildings; infrastructure like bridges, roads, and
sewer and water systems; lifelines like electricity and communication
resources; or environmental, cultural, or recreational features like parks,
dunes, wetlands, or landmarks.
Flood that has a I percent probability of being equaled or exceeded in
any given year. Also known as the 100-year flood.
Elevation of the base flood in relation to a specified datum, such as the
National Geodetic Vel1ical Datum of 1929. The Base Flood Elevation is
used as the standard for the National Flood Insuranee Program.
The solid rock that underlies loose material, such as soil, sand, clay, or
gravel.
A structure that is walled and roofed, principally above ground and
permanently affixed to a site. The term includes a manufactured home
on a permanent foundation on which the wheels and axles carry no
weight.
Area, usually along an open coast, bay, or inlet, that is subject to
inundation by storm surge and, in some instances, wave action caused
by storms or seismic sources.
The area along the shore where the ocean meets the land as the surface
of the land rises above the ocean. This land/water interface includes
barrier islands, estuaries, beaches, coastal wetlands, and land areas
having direct drainage to the ocean.
An NFIP program that provides incentives for NFIP communities to
complete activities that reduce flood hazard risk. When the community
completes specified activities, the insurance premiums of policyholders
in these communities are reduced.
A computerized system enabling quick and ace urate electronic 2-D and
3-D drawings, topographic mapping, site plans, and profile/cross-
section drawings.
O-,H:u .\Iil Worlshop ~ol(bovl..CD.I- Plan Doc~\Apptndi\ E Glou.lrY doc
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Contour A line of equal ground elevation on a topographic (contour) map.
- - -. --
Critical Facility Facilities that are critical to the health and welfare of the population and
that are especially important following hazard events. Critical facilities
include, but are not limited to, shelters, police and fire stations, and
hospi tals.
Debris The scattered remains of assets broken or destroyed in a hazard event.
Debris caused by a wind or water hazard event can cause additional
damage to other assets.
Digitize To convel1 electronically points, lines, and area boundaries shown on
maps into x, y coordinates (e.g., latitude and longitude, universal
transverse mereator (VTM), or table coordinates) for use in computer
applications.
Displacement Time The average time (in days) which the building's occupants typically
must operate from a temporary location while repairs are made to the
original building due to damages resulting from a hazard event.
Duration How long a hazard event lasts.
Earthquake
A sudden motion or trembling that is caused by a release of strain
accumulated within or along the edge of eal1h's tectonic plates.
Wearing away of the land surface by detaehment and movement of soil
and rock fragments, during a flood or storm or over a period of years,
through the action of wind, water, or other geologic processes.
~ - . -.
Erosion
Erosion Hazard
Area
Area anticipated to be lost to shoreline retreat over a given period of
time. The projected inland extent of the area is measured by multiplying
the average annual long-term recession rate by the number of years
desired.
Essential Facility
Elements that are important to ensure a full recovery of a community or
state following a hazard event. These would include: government
functions, major employers, banks, schools, and certain commercial
establishments, such as grocery stores, hardware stores, and gas
stations.
Extent
The size of an area affected by a hazard or hazard event.
n.:-ccm~r 10. ~OO.I
2
o 'HJ.Z .\lit Wor~~hop ;-';mebool.CDd- Plan o.x~'.Appendi, E GIO~iJl')-doc
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Extratropical
Cyclone
Fault
Federal Emergency
Management
Agency (FEMA)
Fire Potential Index
(FPI)
Flash Flood
Flood
Flood Depth
Flood Elevation
Flood Hazard Area
Flood Insurance
Rate Map (FIRM)
Flood Insurance
Study (FIS)
Dc,cmbcr IO,~OO.\
Cyclonic storm events like Nor'easters and severe winter low-pressure
systems. Both West and East coasts can experience these non-tropical
storms that produce gale-force winds and precipitation in the form of
heavy rain or snow. These cyclonic storms, commonly called
Nor'easters on the East Coast because of the direction of the storm
winds, can last for several days and can be very large - I ,OOO-mile wide
storms .are not uncommon.
A fracture in the continuity of a rock formation caused by a shifting or
dislodging of the earth's crust, in which adjacent surfaces are
differentially displaced parallel to the plane of fracture.
--~~"--- --
Independent agency created in 1978 to provide a single point of
accountability for all Federal activities related to disaster mitigation and
emergency preparedness, response and recovery.
Developed by USGS and USFS to assess and map fire hazard potential
over broad areas. Based on such geographic information, national
poliey makers and on-the-ground fire managers established priorities for
prevention activities in the defined area to reduce the risk of managed
and wildfire ignition and spread. Predietion of fire hazard shortens the
time between fire ignition and initial attack by enabling fire managers to
pre-allocate and stage suppression forces to high fire risk areas.
A flood event occurring with little or no warning where water levels rise
at an extremely fast rate.
A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of
normally dry land areas from (I) the overflow of inland or tidal waters,
(2) the unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from
any source, or (3) mudflows or the sudden collapse of shoreline land.
-- - -.
Height of the flood water surface above the ground surface.
Elevation of the water surface above an established datum, e.g. National
Geodetic Vel1ical Datum of 1929, North American Vertical Datum of
1988, or Mean Sea Level.
The area shown to be inundated by a flood of a given magnitude on a
map.
Map of a community, prepared by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, that shows both the special flood hazard areas and the risk
premium zones applicable to'the community.
A study that provides an examination, evaluation, and determination of
flood hazards and, if appropriate, corresponding water surface
elevations in a community or communities.
3 0 \Haz .\fil Worlshop ;-';meb.xJl.CD.I. Plan DoeslAppendh E Glossary Je>i:
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"
Floodplain
Frequency
Fujita Scale of
Tornado Intensity
Functional
Downtime
Geographic Area
Impacted
Geographic
Information
Systems (GIS)
Ground Motion
Hazard
Hazard Event
Hazard
Identification
Hazard Mitigation
[)(cembc:T10.:OOJ
Any land area, including watercourse, susceptible to partial or complete
inundation by water from any source.
A measure of how often events ofa particular magnitude are expected
to occur. Frequency describes how often a hazard of a specific
magnitude, duration, and/or extent typically oecurs, on average.
Statistically, a hazard with a 100-year recurrence interval is expected to
occur once every 100 years on average, and would have a I percent
chance - its probability - of happening in any given year. The reliability
of this information varies depending on the kind of hazard being
considered.
Rates tornadoes with numeric values from FO to F5 based on tornado
windspeed and damage sustained. An FO indicates minimal damage
such as broken tree limbs or signs, while and F5 indicated severe
damage sustained.
The average time (in days) during which a function (business or
service) is unable to provide its services due to a hazard event.
The physical area in which the effects of the hazard are experienced.
A computer software application that relates physical features on the
eal1h to a database to be used for mapping and analysis.
The vibration or shaking of the ground during an earthquake. When a
fault ruptures, seismic waves radiate, eausing the ground to vibrate. The
severity of the vibration increases with the amount of energy released
and decreases with distance from the causative fault or epicenter, but
soft soils can fUl1her amplify ground motions
A source of potential danger or adverse condition. Hazards in this how
to series will include naturally oceurring events such as floods,
earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunami, coastal storms, landslides, and
wildfires that strike populated areas. A natural event is a hazard when it
has the potential to harm people or property.
A specific occurrence of a pal1icular type of hazard.
The process of identifying hazards that threaten an area.
Sustained actions taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk from
hazards and their effects.
4
D .H;u \lil Worhbop :-"OIeOOoI...CD.l. Pbn Doc$'.Appendi\ E Glou3r}doc
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Hazard Profile
HAZUS (Hazards
U.S.)
Hurricane
Hydrology
Infrastructure
Intensity
Landslide
Lateral Spreads
Liquefaction
Do:cemt'Cr 10.~OO3
,
A deseription of the physical characteristics of hazards and a
detern1ination of various descriptors including magnitude, duration,
frequency, probability, and extent. In most cases, a community can most
easily use these descriptors when they are recorded and displayed as
maps.
A GIS-based nationally standardized earthquake loss estimation tool
developed by FEMA.
An intense tropical cyclone, formed in the atmosphere over warm ocean
areas, in which wind speeds reach 74-miles-per-hour or more and blow
in a large spiral around a relatively calm center or "eye." Hurricanes
develop over the north Atlantic Ocean, nol1heast Pacific Ocean, or the
south Pacific Ocean east of I600E longitude. Hurricane circulation is
counter-elockwise in the NOl1hern Hemisphere and clockwise in the
Southern Hemisphere.
The science of dealing with the waters of the earth. A flood discharge is
developed by a hydrologic study.
,;
Refers to the public services of a community that have a direct impact
on the quality of life. Infrastructure includes communication technology
such as phone lines or Internet access, vital services such as public
water supplies and sewer treatment facilities, and includes an area's
transpol1ation system such as airports, heliports; highways, bridges,
tunnels, roadbeds, overpasses, railways, bridges, rail yards, depots; and
waterways, canals, locks, seaports, ferries, harbors, drydocks, piers and
regional dams.
A measure of the effects of a hazard event at a particular place.
- - -
Downward movement of a slope and materials under the force of
gravity.
Develop on gentle slopes and entail the sidelong movement of large
masses of soil as an underlying layer liquefies in a seismic event. The
phenomenon that occurs when ground shaking causes loose soils to lose
strength and act like viscous fluid. Liquefaetion causes two types of
ground failure: lateral spread and loss of bearing strength.
Results when the soil suppol1ing structures liquefies. This can cause
structures to tip and topple.
5 D Ha.l ;'1;1 Worl.\hop ;\ou:b.xJl-C'O'l-l'lan Doc~'.Appo:ndi, E Gloss.2ry do<;
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I
I
Lowest Floor
I
Magnitude
I
Mitigation Plan
I
I
National Flood
Insurance Program
(NFIP)
I
National Geodetic
Vel1ical Datum of
1929 (NGVD)
I
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I
National Weather
Service (NWS)
Nor'easter
Outflow
I
Planimetric
I
I
I
Planning
Probability
Recurrence Interval
I
Repetitive Loss
Property
I
I
I
December II).~OOJ
Under the NFIP, the lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including
basement) of a structure.
A measure of the strength ofa hazard event. The magnitude (also
referred to as severity) of a given hazard event is usually determined
using technical measures specific to the hazard.
A systematic evaluation of the nature and extent of vulnerability to the
effects of natural hazards typically present in the state and includes a
description of actions to minimize future vulnerability to hazards.
- --~---~- -
Federal program ereated by Congress in 1968 that makes flood
insurance available in communities that enact minimum floodplain
management regulations in 44 CFR S60.3.
___ - __._ _n _ _ _ __
Datum established in 1929 and used in the NFIP as a basis for
. measuring flood, ground, and structural elevations, previously referred
to as Sea Level Datum or Mean Sea Level. The Base Flood Elevations
shown on most of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps issued by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency are referenced to NGVD.
- -
Prepares and issues flood, severe weather, and coastal storm warnings
and can provide technical assistance to Federal and state entities in
preparing weather and flood warning plans.
An extra-tropical cyclone producing gale-force winds and precipitation
in the form of heavy snow or rain.
Follows water inundation creating strong currents that rip at structures
and pound them with debris, and erode beaches and coastal structures.
Describes maps that indicate only man-made features like buildings.
The act or process of making or carrying out plans; the establishment of
goals, policies and procedures for a social or economic unit.
A statistical measure of the likelihood that a hazard event will occur.
The time between hazard events of similar size in a given location. It is
based on the probability that the given event will be equaled or
exceeded in any given year.
A property that is currently insured for which two or more National
Flood Insurance Program losses (occuning more than ten days apart) of
at least S I 000 each have been paid within any I O-year period since
1978.
6
D'Hu \lit WIJrlihop ~oleOOoI...(D.I. Plan Doc:i'Appcndi, E Gloswydoc
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Replacement Value
Richter Scale
Risk
Riverine
Scale
Scarp
Scour
Seismicity
Special Flood
Hazard Area
(SFHA)
Stafford Act
State Hazard
Mitigation Officer
(SHMO)
Oc-cembcr IO.~OO.l
The cost of rebuilding a strueture. This is usually expressed in terms of
cost per square foot, and refleets the present-day cost of labor and
materials to construct a building of a particular size, type and quality.
A numerical scale of earthquake magnitude devised by seismologist
C.F. Richter in 1935.
The estimated impact that a hazard would have on people, services,
facilities, and structures in a community; the likelihood of a hazard
event resulting in an adverse condition that causes injury or damage.
Risk is often expressed in relative terms such as a high, moderate or low
likelihood of sustaining damage above a particular threshold due to a
specific type of hazard event. It also can be expressed in terms of ....
potential monetar~}o33_:~ as~o~iated wi~~t~,:_i~~eltSit~ ~f t~~ ~azard:
Of or produced by a river.
A proportion used in determining a dimensional relationship; the ratio
of the distance between two points on a map and the actual distance.
between the two points on the eal1h's surface.
A steep slope.
Removal of soil or fill material by the flow of flood waters. The term is
frequently used to describe storm-induced, localized eonical erosion
around pilings and other foundation supports where the obstruction of
now increases turbulence.
Describes the likelihood of an area being subject to earthquakes.
An area within a floodplain having a 1 percent or greater chance of
flood occurrence in any given year (I DO-year floodplain); represented
on Flood Insurance Rate Maps by darkly shaded areas with zone
designations that include the letter A or V.
The Robel1 T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act,
PL 100-107 was signed into law November 23,1988 and amended the
Disaster Relief Act of 1974, PL 93-288. The Stafford Act is the
statutory authority for most Federal disaster response activities,
especially as they pel1ain to FEMA and its programs.
- - --
The representative of state government who is the primary point of
contact with FEMA, other state and Federal agencies, and local units of
government in the planning and implementation of pre- and postdisaster
mitigation activities.
7 D ,H:u: \fil Worhhop :-;oleb.~l.._CD,I. PI,," OlIn'Appendix E GJoss,l/)" doc
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Stornl Surge
Structure
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Substantial
Damage
Super Typhoon
Surface Faulting
I
I
Tectonic Plate
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Topographic
Tornado
Tropical Cyclone
I
I
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I
Tropical
Depression
Tropical Storm
Tsunami
Typhoon
I
I
I
Decembtr 10.~OO.1
Rise in the water surface above normal water level on the open coast
due .to the .action of wind stress and atmospheric pressure on the water
surface.
Something constructed. (See also Building)
Damage of any origin sustained by a structure in a Special Flood
Hazard Area whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its before-
damaged condition would equal or exceed 50 percent of the market
value of the structure before the damage.
A typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph or more.
The differential movement of two sides of a fracture - in other words,
the location where the ground breaks apart. The length, width, and
displacement of the ground characterize surface faults.
Torsionally rigid, thin segments of the eal1h's lithosphere that may be
assumed to move horizontally and adjoin other plates. It is the friction
between plate boundaries that cause seismic activity.
~ - - -. -~---- - -- -~----
Characterizes maps that show natural features and indicate the physical
shape of the land using contour lines. These maps may also include
manmade features.
A violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the
ground.
A generic term for a cyclonic, low-pressure system over tropical or
subtropical waters.
A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of less than 39 mph.
A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds greater than 39 mph
and less than 74 mph.
Great sea wave produced by submarine eal1h movement or volcanic
eruption.
A special category of tropical cyclone peculiar to the western Nol1h
Pacific Basin, frequently affecting areas in the vicinity of Guam and the
North Mariana Islands. Typhoons whose maximum sustained winds
attain or exceed 150 mph are called super typhoons.
8
D 'Hu ,\lil Worhhop SOleboo~.CD\l. Plan Docs'Appendi\ E GlouJ:)' doc
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Vulnerability
Vulnerability
Assessment
Water
Displacement
Wave Runup
Wildfire
Zone
December IO,~OO"\
Describes how exposed or susceptible to damage an asset is.
Vulnerability depends on an asset's eonstruction, contents, and the
economic value of its functions. Like indirect damages, the
vulnerability of one element of the community is often related to the
vulnerability of another. For example, many businesses depend on
uninterrupted electrical power - if an electric substation is flooded, it
will affect not only the substation itself, but a number of businesses as
well. Often, indirect effects can be much more widespread and
damaging than direct ones.
The extent of injury and damage that may result from'a'hazard event of
a given intensity in a given area. The vulnerability assessment should
address impacts of hazard events on the existing and future built
environment.
When a large mass of earth on the ocean bottom sinks or uplifts, the
column of water directly above it is displaced, forming the tsunami
wave. The Tate of displacement, motion of the ocean floor at the
epicenter, the amount of displacement of the rupture zone, and the depth
of water above the rupture zone all contribute to the intensity of the
tsunami.
The height that the wave extends up to on steep shorelines, measured
above a reference level (the normal height of the sea, corrected to the
state of the tide at the time of wave arrival).
An uncontrolled fire spreading through vegetative fuels, exposing and
possibly consuming structures.
- - .
A geographical area shown on a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIR..t\1) that
reflects the severity or type of flooding in the area.
- - . -
9 0 \flu .\1il Workshop :\meOOoI..(D I- Plan Docs\"'ppendi, E Glossar)'.dOl;
~.
~
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NORTH
SCALE: 1" = 2500'
In 11
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ORANGE GROVE
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LAS TUNAS
LIVE
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1. Base Map of City of Arcadia
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LAS TUNAS
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2. Critical Facilities
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Los Angdes COlUlly
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LEGEND:
t I City of Arcadia
I- -: Sphere oflntlnellcc
LAND USE:
I I
I
I I
C=:J
C=:J Multiple Fmllily Rc>idential
24 DU/A,:; M~):m\\lm
c=J COlllJllel",;ial
I I Horse Racing
~,:'~ '.I [ndusuial
I I
I
I
,
J
Sing,le Family Re~idcnl.ial
o. ;. DUlAC
Single Family ResideIllial
oj - '1 DUlAC
Single FlUnily Rcsidential
o. ti DUlA~"::
Multiple Fmllily Residential
12 DUlAC Ma>:illlum
()....
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-'~
.~
cor
:-' t\~
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PUBLIC FACILITIES 8< GROUNDS:
,~
SOIu'ce:
Hi Pltblic Fa.ciJitv ILJ
W Police Stal.im; lli]
[EJ Fire SllIl ion i."
::m Hospital Rei
CHi City Hall jkj
f(;. Comnnulity Center
Cit.y of Arc~dia. Development. Sen~ces Depml1l1enl. 1995,
.;:
8
o
:-?
6"1
Library
Element.ary School
Middle School
High School
Pm:k
Mixed Use
Com;r'lC:'C\i.I/hlou:=t.t"ill!
Mixed Use
C(Jll1llltl~I.1I&!l.;ltlple Fl\1l1ily
"nolic Facilities & Grolmc:.b<
: Lv~- ,...wge/t:s
. +-- Coulltv
Flood Cti'JIro/
Cilyof
i\lonrovia
COLORADO 13[,11).
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,
t- IIUNTIN()TON OR.
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General Pian Land Use Map
2-3
Scale in Feet.
~~.
O' I 200' 2~ 00'
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ELMONTE I-H1.20
o
340 07t 3011
2 Miles
s
MOUNT WILSON
50-YEAR 24-HOUR ISOHYET
I-H1.30
N
w.'
7.2
J\,
INCHES OF
RAINFALL
25- YEAR 24-HOUR ISOHYET REDUCTION FACTOR: 0.878
111- YEAR 24-HOUR ISOHYET REDUCTION FACfOR: 0.714
4.a
Historic Precipitation Chart -- North Part
34- 07' 30'1
MOUNTWlLSON 1-H1.30
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N
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,
S
EL MONTE
50-YEAR 24-HOUR ISOHYET
I-H1.20
7.2
r---.. INCHES OF
..J \" RAINFALL
25- YEAR 24-HOUR ISOHYET REDUCTION F ACfOR: 0.878
10-YEAR 24-HOUR1S0HYET REDUCTION FACfOR: 0.714
4.b
Historic Precipitation Chart - South Part
~~''::>~ J
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Earthauakes
LEGEND
Recent Earthquakes [Q)
., 0
. ,'->
;'1'fi'~~f.;~.
<;tS~~'i'
:,('!\'~''f:~,,';.f.:
.; '~,.~"~~' ;~~.
Cities
Earthquake Events (1568-1996)
Streets
State Boundary
Con9ressional District Boundary
County Boundary
ZIP Code Boundary
Peak Ground Acceleration 10% PE in 50 yrs. USGS
o
'./ Major Hi2hwaYs
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twISlON, is AHOGEOtOGY
JAMESF.o,..,6.STATEGEOlOGIST
11'''V7JIT
srATEOF CAUFOIINIA- 'AVlS.GOVERNOR
THERESOURCESAGEHCY-M. .I:HOl5,SECAETARY
OEPAfnlWlT Of CONSalYATlOH-STE'Vl:. _. rtUll, OilEf OEfVlY OfIECrOR
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